The Dark Ascendance

Kazuki trudged through the forest, each step growing heavier as the memories of the cave weighed on his mind. He was drained, his body still recovering from his brutal escape. But when he stumbled upon the familiar path, he knew exactly where it led—Grimvale Village, Sato's resting place.

The village seemed eerily quiet, almost lifeless. As Kazuki approached Sato's grave, he knelt, his hands trembling slightly as he placed them on the cold stone.

"I'm sorry... Sato," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I couldn’t protect you."

He stood in silence for a moment, eyes narrowed. The air was thick with the tension of something looming, and as he turned to leave, he noticed the villagers in a frenzy, evacuating in haste.

Kazuki approached the old shopkeeper, his voice cold and sharp. “What’s going on?”

The old man’s face was pale, his hands trembling as he spoke. “Monsters... a group of fools activated a trap in one of the dungeons nearby. Now... the monsters are coming here, and there’s nothing we can do but flee!”

Kazuki's eyes widened for a brief moment, but then his expression hardened. "Tch." He turned his back to the shopkeeper and muttered to himself, "Not my problem... I should get out of here before things get messy."

As Kazuki walked toward the edge of the village, his footsteps slowed. A voice echoed in his mind, Sato’s voice.

"I've saved this village multiple times! And when I'm old or gone, you're the next one to save it!"

He clenched his fists, scowling. "Why should I care? This village never did anything for me!" His voice grew colder, as if trying to convince himself. "It's not my problem... it's not my fight."

Just then, a desperate shout rang through the village.

"PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP US!"

It was the innkeeper—the very man who had mocked Kazuki for not having enough money to stay at his inn. Kazuki’s eyes darkened, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Look who's begging now." His voice dripped with disdain.

He turned to leave once more, but Sato’s voice echoed louder in his head. "You're the next one to save it!"

Kazuki grit his teeth, shaking his head. "Damn it!" His frustration boiled over as he turned back toward the village. He shouted to the fleeing villagers, his voice like ice. "Go! Run to Malvora, ask the knights for help. If I die fighting these monsters, you’ll need them!"

The old shopkeeper approached him again, offering armor and weapons. "Here, take these. You'll need them to—"

Kazuki cut him off, his tone sharp and dismissive. "I don’t need your equipment." His eyes glinted with cold resolve. "What I have is enough."

The shopkeeper backed away, nodding. "Kazuki Takashi... will save us."

As the villagers hid in their homes, Kazuki stood alone, staring down the path where the monsters would soon arrive. His body was still battered, his muscles aching from his previous ordeal, but there was no turning back now.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The ground trembled as the horde of monsters appeared on the horizon. Giants, zombies, orcs, and deceased knights. Kazuki clenched his fist, charging it with his lightning magic, the air around him crackling.

"BOOM!" His fist collided with the foot of the first giant, knocking it off balance and causing it to crush several other monsters beneath its weight. The ground shook as the giant fell, sending a shockwave through the horde.

But the zombies and deceased knights continued to rush toward him, their rotting bodies moving unnaturally fast. Kazuki grinned coldly, stepping into a boxing stance, his memories of Earth flooding back.

"I joined that gym to fight off bullies. I guess... it’s time to put that training to use."

With rapid movements, Kazuki unleashed a flurry of punches, each one crackling with lightning magic.

"JAB! JAB! JAB!"

His fist tore through the undead, his speed too much for their decaying bodies. "SWISH!" A roundhouse kick sent a deceased knight flying into pieces, but Kazuki felt a sharp pain shoot through his arm. His body wasn’t fully healed. The friction burns from his lightning punches were scorching his skin, and every punch sent searing pain up his arm.

But he didn’t stop.

"WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!"

He fought relentlessly, but soon, his mana began to fade. His breathing grew labored, and there were still 17 monsters left. His fists were blistered, his vision blurred.

"I... can’t... stop..."

In his mind, memories of his childhood resurfaced. The bullying. The abuse. The nights he came home covered in blood, only to be scolded by his parents for ruining his clothes. Every punch, every kick, every moment of pain sharpened his resolve.

He got back into his stance, fists raised. "I’ve been through worse..."

Suddenly, a dark aura began to form around his fist. Kazuki’s eyes widened. "What... is this?"

He backed away from the fight, clenching his fist, trying to summon the dark magic again. "Come on..." His voice trembled with desperation as he closed his eyes, focusing on every painful memory. When he opened them, his fist was coated in a swirling dark energy.

He charged at a giant, delivering a single punch to its leg. "BOOM!" The giant howled in agony as its leg crumbled under the impact.

Kazuki’s eyes gleamed. "So, this dark magic... increases my strength and regenerates my mana..."

A wicked grin spread across his face. "I can use lightning again..."

He lured the remaining zombies toward the giants, forcing them to crush their allies in their frantic movements. Then, with dark magic swirling around his fist, he finished off the two remaining orcs in just three devastating punches.

The last of the giants fell, but as Kazuki stood victorious, his body gave out. He collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. His vision blurred, and in the distance, he saw a colossal figure approaching.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

His body screamed in agony, but he forced himself to stand. "Get up... GET UP!" he roared, his legs shaking as he faced the oncoming threat.

As the figure came into view, Kazuki’s eyes narrowed. "A... Cyclops?"

The beast towered over him, its single eye glowing ominously. Kazuki charged his feet with lightning magic, desperate for speed. "SWISH!" He darted forward, dodging the Cyclops' deadly laser.

"AIM FOR THE EYE!" he shouted, clenching his fist as dark and lightning magic intertwined.

"I won’t betray their trust... the villagers... the old man... they believe in me!" His voice was hoarse but filled with cold determination. "I CAN'T FAIL THEM!"

With a final burst of energy, Kazuki unleashed his combined magic, "BOOM!" His fist collided with the Cyclops’ eye in an explosion of power.

The Cyclops roared in agony before collapsing, dead in a single blow.

Kazuki fell to the ground, his body utterly spent. His vision darkened, his breath shallow.

But he forced himself to smile, whispering softly to himself as everything faded to black. "I... I did it..."