The night was thick with tension, the air crackling with an unseen force as Leon and Ricardo faced each other under the blood-red moon. The ruins of an ancient temple stood around them, its broken pillars casting long shadows. This was no ordinary battlefield—this was where their friendship would be tested in the most brutal way.
Leon tightened his grip on his sword, his breathing steady but his heart pounding in his chest. Ricardo, on the other hand, stood firm, his piercing gaze locked onto his former comrade. Something about him had changed. His aura was heavier, darker, and far more menacing than before.
"You don't have to do this, Ricardo," Leon said, his voice laced with desperation. "Whatever happened to you, we can fix it. We're friends!"
Ricardo's lips curled into a smirk, but there was no warmth behind it. "Friends? That was a long time ago, Leon. I've realized something… Strength is all that matters. And right now, you are standing in my way."
Leon exhaled sharply. "Then I'll just have to knock some sense into you."
Without another word, Ricardo moved—so fast that Leon barely had time to react. His blade came down in a deadly arc, forcing Leon to parry at the last moment. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal, the force of the impact sending Leon skidding backward.
Ricardo didn't let up. He was relentless, each strike faster and more precise than the last. Leon struggled to keep up, barely dodging a horizontal slash aimed at his midsection. He countered with a fiery blast from his palm, but Ricardo deflected it with a single swipe of his sword, sending the flames dissipating into the air.
Leon's mind raced. This wasn't the Ricardo he knew. His movements were sharper, his attacks more refined. It was as if he had become an entirely different person.
"How did you get so strong?" Leon asked, gritting his teeth as he barely dodged another strike.
Ricardo chuckled, a sound void of joy. "You wouldn't understand, Leon. You always relied on luck and instinct. But I trained. I suffered. I clawed my way up. And now... now I see the world for what it truly is. Weakness is a curse. And I refuse to be weak ever again!"
Leon felt the weight of Ricardo's words but refused to back down. "That's not strength, Ricardo. Strength isn't about abandoning the people who care about you. It's about protecting them!"
Ricardo's expression darkened. "Then show me how strong you've become."
With that, Ricardo unleashed a devastating wave of energy, the force splitting the ground beneath them. Leon barely managed to leap out of the way, rolling to the side before retaliating with a blast of pure mana. Ricardo deflected it effortlessly, dashing forward to close the distance between them. Their swords met again, clashing violently in a storm of sparks and sheer willpower.
The battle raged on, neither willing to yield. The earth trembled beneath their feet as their blows shook the ruins. Ricardo's strikes grew heavier, fueled by an almost unholy power, while Leon relied on his agility, dodging and counterattacking whenever he could.
Then, Ricardo changed his approach. With a powerful kick to Leon's chest, he sent him crashing into a nearby pillar. The impact sent debris flying, dust filling the air. Leon coughed, struggling to push himself back up. His vision blurred for a moment, but he forced himself to focus. He couldn't afford to lose. Not here. Not to Ricardo.
But Ricardo wasn't giving him any time to recover. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Leon, his blade inches away from his throat. Leon barely managed to roll out of the way, but Ricardo anticipated it, landing a crushing blow to his side. Leon gasped as pain exploded through his ribs, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Stay down, Leon. You can't win this," Ricardo said, his voice carrying an eerie finality.
Leon clenched his fists, his body screaming in protest. But he refused to surrender. With sheer willpower, he pushed himself up, his legs shaking beneath him. He raised his sword once more.
"I won't give up on you, Ricardo," Leon said, blood dripping from his lip. "Even if I have to beat the darkness out of you."
Ricardo's expression flickered for the briefest moment, a ghost of hesitation passing through his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly as it came. "Then die trying."
In a final, decisive clash, Ricardo overpowered Leon, knocking his weapon away and pinning him down. Leon struggled, but he had nothing left. Ricardo raised his blade, poised to strike the finishing blow.
For a moment, silence filled the battlefield.
Then, Ricardo hesitated.
His blade trembled in his grip. His breath hitched. Something inside him wavered, as if a hidden part of himself was screaming at him to stop.
Leon, barely conscious, saw it—the briefest flicker of doubt. And in that moment, he knew… Ricardo wasn't completely lost.
Before Ricardo could make his next move, a powerful explosion shook the ruins, forcing him to leap back. Leon, too weak to move, could only watch as a shadowy figure emerged from the smoke.
A familiar, sinister voice echoed through the night.
"Tsk, tsk… That's enough playing around, Ricardo. We have more important matters to attend to."
Leon's eyes widened. "Jack...?!"
Ricardo turned to face the newcomer, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he sheathed his sword and walked away, leaving Leon lying on the cold ground.
"We'll meet again, Leon. And next time… I won't hesitate."
As Ricardo disappeared into the darkness, Leon's vision blurred, exhaustion finally taking over. The last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness was Jack's amused chuckle.
"Oh, Leon… You have no idea what's coming."
To Be Continued…