The intense heat from Liam's flas mixed with the cold rain, creating a thick cloud of steam that rose from the alleyway. The air was now charged with two conflicting forces—Billy's crackling lightning and Liam's searing flas. Every drop of rain that fell in Liam's vicinity evaporated instantly, leaving a dry circle around him in an otherwise waterlogged battlefield.
Billy, still confident in his power, sneered at the sight of Liam. His lightning eyes glinted with amusent, though a hint of caution now flickered behind them. He had knocked Liam out earlier, sure, but things had changed. With the artifact disabled, Liam's fiery soul essence had returned, and he was not the sa helpless kid who had fallen before.
Liam's flas burned brighter, his clenched fists glowing like molten steel. His lips curled into a grin as his fire surged, reflecting the intense emotions swirling inside him. "You ssed up, Stark," he said, his voice as fiery as the flas surrounding him. "You should've kept the artifact running."
Billy scoffed, though his lightning-charged fists sparked a little more furiously now. "Big talk from soone I already beat once today."
Liam's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "That was before I got serious, and rember, I also beat you last ti in the cafeteria."
The atmosphere in the alley shifted as both boys prepared for their clash. William, still on the ground a few feet away, struggled to pull himself up. His body scread in protest from the beating he'd taken, but his mind was sharp. He knew this wasn't over. With Liam gaining his ability back, he had a strong ally, but it didn't an the fight would be easy, if he guessed right, Liam was just putting up a facade to seem okay, but the truth was that his injuries were still affecting him. The fight wasn't over, if anything, things were about to get even more intense.
Liam took a step forward, flas licking the ground beneath his boots. "You think you can handle now?" he asked, his voice steady despite the rage burning inside him.
Billy's smirk faded slightly, the flicker of doubt crossing his features for the first ti. He had never fought two opponents this skilled at once, although now that he has gotten his soul essence back, William was no longer a threat, but liam was a big threat to billy, billy still rembered how easily liam beat him at the cafeteria, and while his family's training had prepared him for battle, there was sothing about Liam that felt different. Liam wasn't just a regular student.
Billy clenched his fists, sparks of lightning zipping across his knuckles. "I'll take you down, right here right now."
With a burst of speed, Billy lunged at Liam, his body a blur of motion. Lightning streaked around him, the crackle of electricity loud enough to drown out the thunder above. Liam t him head-on, his body igniting into a fiery inferno as he charged forward.
The collision of their attacks sent a shockwave through the alley. Lightning and fire clashed violently, the two elents tearing at each other as the boys exchanged blow after blow. The very air around them sizzled with raw energy, making it nearly impossible to breathe.
Liam threw a fiery punch toward Billy's face, but Billy dodged it with an inhuman twist of his body. He countered with a lightning-charged uppercut aid at Liam's chest. But before the punch could land, Liam caught Billy's wrist mid-air, the flas from his grip scorching Billy's skin.
Billy grimaced but quickly retaliated, sending a bolt of electricity through his arm. The lightning surged into Liam's body, causing him to wince in pain. The force of the shock sent Liam staggering backward, but he quickly regained his footing, his flas roaring hotter than ever.
William watched from the sidelines, his heart pounding in his chest. The fight between the two powerhouses was unlike anything he had ever seen. Both boys were pushing themselves to their limits, their abilities threatening to tear the alley apart.
But as much as William admired Liam's resolve, he knew that the fight couldn't continue like this. Liam's wound was dragging him, the longer they dragged it out, the more dangerous it beca for both of them. William needed to act.
His body ached, but he pushed himself to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. His mind raced as he watched Billy and Liam continue their brutal exchange of blows. Every ti Billy landed a punch, lightning surged through Liam's body, and every ti Liam countered, his flas burned through Billy's defenses.
There has to be a way to turn this around, William thought.
Then, it hit him.
The artifact!
The jade bracelet that Billy had deactivated—if William could get his hands on it and re-enable it, they could neutralize Billy's soul essence again. Without his lightning abilities, Billy would be at a huge disadvantage. He might be a skilled fighter, but without his powers, he was beatable.
William's gaze darted toward Billy's wrist, where the bracelet still hung loosely. It was their only shot.
Taking a deep breath, William summoned what little energy he had left. His soul essence wasn't fully recovered, but he could feel a small surge of power return to his limbs. It would have to be enough.
"Liam!" William shouted, his voice barely audible over the clash of lightning and fire.
Liam turned his head slightly, just enough to acknowledge William without losing focus on Billy.
"The bracelet! We need to re-enable the artifact!" William called out, his voice urgent.
Liam's eyes flicked to Billy's wrist, understanding dawning in an instant. His flas flared even brighter as he launched into a renewed assault, pushing Billy back with a series of rapid-fire punches and kicks. Each strike was calculated, forcing Billy to defend with everything he had.
Billy grunted as he blocked Liam's attacks, frustration building in his chest. He knew what they were trying to do, but he wasn't about to let them succeed.
"I'm not stupid!" Billy growled, sending a massive bolt of lightning toward Liam's chest.
Liam barely dodged, the lightning singeing the edge of his uniform, but it was the opening William needed.
With a burst of speed, William dashed toward Billy, his eyes locked on the jade bracelet. Billy saw him coming and threw out a wild punch, but William ducked under it, his fingers brushing against the cold jade.
For a split second, ti seed to freeze. William twisted the bracelet back into its original position, the intricate designs glowing faintly as the artifact reactivated.
Suddenly, the lightning surrounding Billy's body sputtered and died, and the fire surrounding Liam's body died down also and liam fell down, his injuries finally cutting up to him again.
The air grew still, the crackling of electricity fading into nothingness. Billy's eyes widened in horror as he felt his soul essence drain from his body once again.
"No…" Billy whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
William smirked, his exhaustion replaced by a surge of triumph. "Looks like round two is over," he muttered, his voice low and determined.
William stepped forward, his flas still roaring. "Now, it's ti for the final round."
Billy's eyes flickered looking at William, his fists clenching in frustration. He was outmatched, and without his abilities.
And for the first ti, fear crept into his heart.
William lunged forward, his fist aiming directly for Billy's head. The impact was solid, connecting with the bridge of Billy's nose. Billy tumbled backward, his body going limp as he collapsed onto the wet ground. The cold rain continued to pour, washing over the battlefield, as a soft ding resounded in William's head.
The system's voice echoed in his mind. Enemy neutralized. Billy Stark has been knocked down.
A small smile tugged at William's lips. It was over. The adrenaline that had fueled him through the fight began to drain from his body, leaving him exhausted and heavy. His legs gave out, and he fell to the ground, the rain-soaked pavent cold against his skin.
Liam, who had been sprawled on the ground just a few feet away, dragged himself toward William. His muscles protested with every movent, but he pushed on, refusing to let his friend be alone in that mont. When he finally reached William's side, he shook his body gently.
"William, you still with ?" Liam's voice was filled with concern, his usual fiery confidence dimd by the battle's toll.
William's eyes fluttered open, his breathing shallow and labored. His voice was low and coarse, almost a whisper, like one of Billy's punches had damaged his lungs. "Yeah... I'm still here... but I think... I'll take a quick nap."
Liam's brows furrowed. "Don't you dare," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Just hang in there, okay? Don't close your eyes yet."
But William's consciousness was slipping. The world around him blurred, and the sounds of rain and thunder beca distant echoes. His last conscious act was to send a command to the system. Store the artifact to the inventory, he thought, focusing on the jade bracelet around his wrist. The one that had nullified soul essence. Keep it safe, with the artifact in the system's inventory, the effect will be gone, so Liam will be able to get his soul essence back.
"William!" Liam's voice called out desperately, but it was no use. William's world faded to black.
Through the rain, hurried footsteps echoed in the alleyway. Liam's eyes flicked toward the entrance, his body tensing. He looked up, exhausted but relieved. "Took you long enough," he muttered before everything went dark for him, too.
---
When William opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the bright white ceiling above him. His eyelids felt heavy, but the room slowly ca into focus. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled his nose, a familiar sll that told him exactly where he was without even looking around. The academy clinic.
He squeezed his hands into fists, feeling the strength in his fingers. I've gotten stronger, he thought. Sitting up slowly, William glanced around the room, but Liam was nowhere to be seen. A pang of worry shot through him. Was Liam's injury that bad? Is he in special care?
Before he could dwell on it further, the door opened, and a nurse stepped into the room. She smiled when she saw him awake. "Well, look who's up again. You've been visiting us a little too often, don't you think?"
William chuckled softly, wincing slightly as the movent pulled at his sore muscles. "Guess I can't stay away."
The nurse approached, running a quick series of tests on him—checking his vitals, monitoring his breathing. "How's your chest? Any difficulty breathing?"
William took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Feels fine now."
The nurse nodded in approval. "Good. You've healed up well. But I still need you to stay here for one more night, just to monitor your condition."
She stood up to leave, but William stopped her with a question. "What about the boy with ? The one with the red hair—Liam. How is he?"
The nurse raised an eyebrow, her expression puzzled. "There was no one else with you when you were brought in. You were admitted alone."
William's heart skipped a beat. "Alone? Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Positive. It was just you."
William's mind raced, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Okay. Thanks."
The nurse gave him one last look, then left the room, closing the door softly behind her. William lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His thoughts swirled, but a wide grin began to spread across his face.
"Now, Shadow Lord System," he muttered under his breath, excitent building in his chest. "You better be generous."
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