CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80: HOLD ON

A deep rumble that shook loose dust from the ceiling and made the torches flicker like frightened flames. But the shaking was not from the earth-this was the violent clash of two spirits tearing against each other inside one unstable vessel. Richard was no longer conscious, and because of that, the spirit inside him had slipped free, swelling with uncontrolled force. That released spirit was heavy, wild, and unpredictable, pushing outward like an enraged beast. Akumo already felt the strain tightening in his bones. It was growing worse by the second.

"He’s losing everything," Akumo muttered under his breath.

Richard’s eyes were empty, almost rolled back, every breath going out like broken whispers. His body twisted with the pressure of two warring forces inside him, and Akumo tried to steady the aura, his power slipping. Richard’s spirit was bleeding out in streams of white light, all of it streaming toward Akumo’s side rather than returning to him as the ritual demanded. Akumo could feel Richard’s power being pulled, absorbed involuntarily, tearing the balance asunder.

"Lord Akumo!" Raviel shouted. "If this continues, his spirit will vanish entirely! You must stop absorbing him!"

"I’m not doing it on purpose!" Akumo growled, fighting against the pull. "His spirit... it’s reacting to me. He’s too unstable!"

Richard’s aura surged violently, his body jerking upwards as if suspended by an invisible hook. The white streams of energy suddenly swirled chaotically in the direction of Akumo once more. Raviel quickly formed hand seals, his palms glowing deep obsidian in color. Then a sphere of dense energy began forming in his hands, the shape of his fingers closing as if gripping a small star.

With a quick flick of his wrist, he launched the glowing orb upward; it burst into a net of force that enveloped the aura, slowing its wild movement.

"It’s stable!" Raviel yelled, his voice shaking with exertion. "But not for long. I can’t hold this more than a few breaths!"

Akumo’s eyes locked onto Richard, his jaw clenched with determination. "Richard... listen to me," he said, though Richard was unconscious. "This is your moment. Prove I didn’t make a mistake bringing you back. You have the strength. Take control of your spirit. Now!"

Nothing happened for a moment. Then Richard’s fingers twitched. His lips parted in a faint groan. The white aura, painfully slow, began to drift towards Richard instead of Akumo. Raviel let out a desperate breath of relief, although he still struggled to keep the net tight.

But it was a short-lived shift.

Akumo suddenly stiffened. "No... it’s reversing!"

The spirit whipped around, like a violently snapped rope, and flooded back toward Akumo as if it was drawn to him like iron to a magnet. More and more of Richard’s essence rushed forward toward him. Raviel’s eyes widened as Richard’s body grew stiff and pale, his skin almost gray.

"His cells are shutting down!" exclaimed Raviel. "If this goes on, Richard’s body will collapse completely!"

Akumo’s eyes burned with frustration. "I will not let him die!"

He tried to break the bond, but by now the spiritual tether had grown too deep. Every time he pushed, the aura surged even harder. Raviel watched in horror as Richard’s life force slipped away like sand through fingers.

"Lord Akumo," Raviel warned, "your spirit is too strong. It’s overpowering his. If you push too hard—"

"There is no choice!" Akumo snapped, and his voice thundered. "I brought him back, I will save him."

Even though his spirit had fragmented, he forced his aura to awaken. His body glowed faintly, the energy unstable, flickering. The room shook again as Akumo formed a sphere of his own energy and hurled it toward the white aura. He let loose with a strong blast, forcing the spirit off himself and toward Richard.

Raviel’s eyes widened in relief. "It’s moving! Lord, it’s actually moving!"

Mais pas assez. The aura slowed, stuck halfway between them, and resisted both sides.

"We need to push it fully," Raviel gasped. "Both of us, together!"

Akumo nodded, "Do it."

They put forward their energies together in a joint force, compelling the aura towards Richard. The power struck his body like a wave, but Richard’s weakened frame began to crack under the pressure. His skin split in thin lines, glowing with leaking spirit energy.

"His body is breaking!" shouted Raviel. "If we push harder, he’ll shatter!"

"Continue!" Akumo barked. "I’ll save him somehow!"

Raviel clenched his teeth, obeying. The chamber roared with power as the aura strongly crashed into Richard’s chest. Then with a burst of light, the spirit fully entered him.

Richard gasped—a sharp, ragged inhale—and his eyes shot open. But it wasn’t relief that followed. Instead, Richard’s entire body began trembling violently, his bones creaking. His cells, overwhelmed by the double spirit inside him, started fracturing. Faint cracking sounds echoed through the chamber.

Raviel stared in horror. "Lord Akumo... his body cannot withstand it. This much aura... he will die."

Akumo’s face hardened into something fierce and painful. "Then I will heal him. I’ll fix the damage before it consumes him."

"You cannot," Raviel warned urgently. "Your ventilation system—your body’s natural life cycle—will collapse if you attempt healing now. You’re too old to endure it. You will die!"

"I will not let him die again!" Akumo roared.

He stepped toward Richard, gripping his shoulders tightly. His guard dropped, exposing his core, leaving him vulnerable. The pressure immediately drained his strength. His breathing weakened, his limbs trembling. However, he summoned his chi and forced his energy into Richard’s body, pushing restorative life force into the shattered cells.

Raviel’s throat constricted. Akumo was killing himself for this boy.

Richard’s skin slowly began to repair-cracks sealing, pulses stabilizing. Akumo’s strength was fading with every heartbeat, yet he kept going. In mere moments, Richard’s body was whole again. His aura settled... his mind did not.

Richard’s eyes snapped open, shining now with a dark and violent swirl. He inhaled as if he were some demon stirring from a millennium-long slumber.

Then he screamed.

Not a human scream-something deeper, hollow, layered with Akumo’s tone underneath. The chamber shook violently as Richard thrashed, losing control again. Rocks fell from above, the ground splitting beneath him.

Akumo reeled backward, suddenly weak. "He’s not in his senses... the spirit is heavy on him. It’s controlling him."

Richard roared and launched an energy blast at him; the blast struck the wall and cracked it in half. Raviel dodged the next blast by inches, his breathing sharp.

"He needs resistance!" shouted Raviel. "We must hit him—force the spirit back!"

Before they could move, Richard’s demonic aura swirled and a surge of violent energy erupted from his hand. A spectral sword began forming, long with glowing blades edged with devastating magic.

Raviel froze. "His sword... if he draws it fully... he becomes unstoppable."

Akumo clenched his jaw. "Raviel! Chain sealing—now!"

Raviel instantly obeyed. His hands spun in intricate circles, and chains of pure magical force erupted from the ground. They shot forward, wrapping around Richard’s body, binding his arms and forcing his hands apart to stop the sword’s full manifestation.

Richard laughed—loud, distorted, echoing. "HAHAHA! This chain... you think this can hold me?"

His voice was no longer his alone, mixed with Akumo’s, twisted and demonic.

Raviel’s eyes widened. "It’s him... both spirits merged! He’s becoming..."

"A devil form, Akumo finished grimly.

Raviel lit the chains on fire, but instantly Richard’s body cooled and frost swept across his skin, bursting in a gush of water that doused the flames.

"He is using your powers!" Raviel shouted in disbelief. "Lord... he has your techniques!"

In a burst of mist, Richard teleported underground before they could react. Raviel’s chains clattered in the air, empty.

"He will appear on the other side," Akumo said calmly despite his exhaustion.

The ground cracked and Richard burst upward behind them. But Akumo was already moving. In a flash of speed, he flew upward, flipped midair, and slammed a devastating kick into Richard’s chest. The force echoed like thunder. Richard flew across the chamber, crashing into the far wall hard enough to break stone. Raviel gasped. "Lord Akumo... your strength... even now..." Richard struggled to his feet, but Akumo was already in front of him; his hand snapping around Richard’s throat with god-level speed and precision. Richard choked, his feet kicking uselessly above the ground. Akumo held him in one hand, effortlessly. "Richard," Akumo said, her voice steady and heavy, "you will not fall to madness. Not while I stand. And Richard convulsed wildly, possessed and roaring in the grasp of one who had survived epochs.

Akumo In anger "You boy, just have this spirit. But you don’t know how to used it".

Raviel also smiled to see Akumo like it. He never seen him like this confidence in from many past days.

He can’t believed Akumo is really getting himself from this condition by his own.

Fighting is a game for him. He is a man who conflict era after era, no matter what situation is.

Then..