23. Darkened Light

Wail appeared in the sky in a flash, and at the same moment, he sensed a familiar energy.

He stopped and bit his lip.

“What is this... I haven’t even prepared myself mentally.”

He took a deep breath, then looked toward the horizon.

“It seems everything will end today.”

He remembered Amira.

He remembered his promise to her.

“Everything will be fine.”

Then he continued in his thoughts:

“Either I bring everyone back...”

“or everyone comes back without me.”

For the first time... he fully realized that he might not walk away from this confrontation alive.

Even though he knew Bahaa did not want to kill him... he realized that some battles went beyond intentions.

He vanished again.

He appeared before a massive dark barrier.

He tried to teleport directly through it, but failed.

He looked at the barrier. Energies emanated from its depths.

The enemy was in there.

Without hesitation, he entered.

The inside was unnaturally dark.

A black sky, black ground, and everyone within it surrounded by a dark aura.

Wail sensed the energy he had been tracking, but was startled when it suddenly disappeared.

He rushed toward its last known source.

Then...

He froze.

Bahaa was standing there.

His followers stood behind him.

And before him... Adam lay on the ground, covered in wounds and blood.

Bahaa slowly rose and looked at Wail with a smile.

“You saved me the trouble of finding you.”

Anger burned in Wail’s eyes.

“Your plans end here.”

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“You’re coming back with me.”

Bahaa laughed loudly.

“Hahaha...”

“Despite all the power you’ve gained... you’re still a fool.”

He took a step closer.

“What exactly do you hope to accomplish by bringing me back?”

Wail answered immediately.

“Don’t you care about her?”

“She loves you and wants you back.”

“But you... what the hell do you want?!”

The smile vanished from Bahaa’s face.

He said coldly:

“We no longer live in a world where we waste our time on trivial things like love and friendship.”

He raised his hand.

“These elements... possess hidden powers beyond your imagination.”

“Powers capable of changing the entire world.”

Then he added:

“But you are not worthy of them.”

“That is why there must be someone to lead them.”

“And impose balance upon this world.”

He looked directly at Wail.

“As for why I haven’t killed you... it’s because I want the Lightning Element.”

“And I want something else inside you.”

“Something you don’t even know exists.”

Wail assumed a fighting stance.

“Enough talk. If you want it... then try to take it.”

Bahaa stepped away.

“Don’t rush. I won’t fight you.”

“Someone else will.”

Wail’s eyes widened.

Someone appeared behind him.

It was Elyes.

But... something was different.

His eyes were black, and his face was completely expressionless.

He said calmly:

“It’s been a long time.”

Anger ignited within Wail.

Then he smiled tensely.

“So they got to you too... What a pathetic sight.”

Elyes answered:

“You don’t understand anything, Wail.”

A yellow aura erupted around him, but it was not the Golden Aura.

It was an aura exactly like the Blue Transformation, only pale yellow mixed with darkness.

His hair and eyes turned pale yellow.

Wail immediately understood.

“So you reached it too...”

He removed Yassin’s cloak from his shoulders and unleashed his Blue Transformation.

“Don’t think you’re the only one.”

The two vanished.

A flash of electricity and a flash of light.

They appeared in the sky.

Their fists collided, shaking the air around them.

---

Elyes launched a rapid series of light-infused strikes, and Wail countered with lightning attacks.

They exchanged punches and kicks at speeds that left the spectators’ eyes unable to follow them.

Every strike was met by another, and every dodge was followed by a counterattack.

Elyes pulled back, then fired dozens of light arrows.

Wail shattered them with lightning bolts and charged straight at him.

But Elyes met the attack with a powerful punch that sent him flying backward.

Wail vanished again.

He appeared behind him.

But Elyes had anticipated it.

He turned and struck Wail with a direct kick.

The two pulled away from each other, breathing heavily.

They were frighteningly evenly matched.

The battle continued.

Meanwhile, Bahaa watched from below.

He thought:

“Damn it.”

“Let me go myself. I’ll finish this immediately.”

The dark voice inside him replied:

“Calm down. The Light Element User will handle it.”

Elyes raised his hand.

Light gathered before him, then erupted into a massive beam.

Wail tried to block it, but was forced into the ground.

He landed while gasping for breath.

Elyes, however... showed almost no signs of exhaustion.

Wail wiped the blood from his mouth and said:

“It’s time.”

Suddenly...

Everyone sensed two new energies entering the barrier.

They all turned.

A flash of red lightning appeared.

Then...

A powerful strike hit Elyes and sent him flying.

On the other side... a wave of sound appeared behind Bahaa, but Mark intercepted its wielder before he could reach him.

The newcomer stepped back with a smile and said:

“What is this, Wail?”

“You said they were strong.”

The other laughed.

“Yeah. You made us think we were walking into a real threat.”

Wail’s eyes widened.

“Adam... Noah!”

Adam smiled, red lightning crackling around him.

Meanwhile, transparent waves surrounded Noah’s body.

Wail said quickly:

“Leave Elyes to me. Take care of the others.”

Noah sighed.

“Just me against them?”

Adam laughed.

“Stop complaining like you can’t beat them.”

Adam charged toward Mark.

Meanwhile, Noah faced Dill... Zino... and Raouf.

---

Wail returned to face Elyes.

This time... he wanted to end it.

He began gathering energy around himself.

Bahaa watched him in surprise.

Red sparks appeared inside his blue aura, gradually growing denser until they covered his entire body.

Then... they vanished.

Wail took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Elyes stood watching him in silence.

Wail raised his head and opened his eyes, and the sky-blue aura exploded around him once again.

But this time... it was mixed with red energy.

“Power Pulse!”

He unleashed a massive lightning beam, followed by a direct assault.

His speed and power increased dramatically, and he began pushing Elyes backward.

One strike after another.

But Elyes quickly released black energy and regained his balance.

The battle became evenly matched again.

Then suddenly...

Elyes seized a small opening and delivered a direct light-infused strike to Wail’s chest.

Elyes stepped back, breathing heavily, and looked toward where Wail had fallen.

A sphere of electricity emerged from the dust.

Wail appeared in front of him the next moment and drove the sphere directly into Elyes’s chest.

Electricity exploded around his body, freezing him in place. He dropped to his knees as his transformation gradually faded.

Before he collapsed unconscious.

Adam and Noah looked at Wail and smiled.

Adam said:

“Well done.”

Noah added:

“We won’t go down easily either.”

Mark had a slight advantage over Adam. His injuries were minor, while exhaustion was beginning to show on Adam.

Meanwhile, Noah was evenly matched against the others.

As for Wail... he began walking toward Bahaa.

Step... by step.

Bahaa smiled.

“Finally.”

“How long I’ve waited for this moment.”

“I’ll kill you with my own hands, Wail!!”