Chapter 3: The Curse of Power
Akira stood in the shadow of a large arena, surrounded by fog and the noise coming from the audience, who enjoyed watching the brutal fights. After his victory, he felt strange. He knew that his strength had become much greater, but what did that mean to him in this world? He was a slave, a gladiator, meant only to fight for the entertainment of these people.
No matter how strong his spirit was, no matter how hard he tried to resist, he knew that without his freedom torn from these chains, his strength was worthless. He was in a cage. And even if he was getting stronger, he was still a prisoner.
That night, when the fight was over, Akira did not return to his cell immediately. He walked through the corridors of the dungeon, thinking about what was happening to him. He could feel his body changing, his strength growing. He could feel how his skin had become as tough as stone, and how his muscles could now withstand blows that would previously have been fatal. But even so, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Something inside him was moving like dark energy.
"What's happening to me?" He thought as he walked down the dark corridor. He found a small empty cell in the far corner of the complex, where no one could disturb him. Here he could be alone with himself.
And then he felt it. At first it was barely noticeable—a small tingling sensation on his skin, as if something was waking up inside him. Then the heat that began to build, spreading through his body. It was a strange and frightening feeling. He felt his blood boiling and his strength starting to grow with every passing moment. The pain didn't stop, it just got worse. Suddenly, when he couldn't stand it anymore, his eyes lit up with a bright purple light. His eyes turned cruel, like an animal about to kill. He wasn't himself.
Akira looked down at his hands, which were beginning to fill with a strange dark energy. He didn't know where it came from, but it was more than just power. It was something sinister. It was as if the world itself had bent down to give him this power.
"You're too weak to control this,— a voice whispered that Akira couldn't understand. He felt the dark energy in him fighting for control. She was aggressive, chaotic, like an evil demon trying to break out.
Akira clenched his fists, trying to suppress her. He had to remain the master of his power. But his body seemed to be starting to take on a life of its own, and he couldn't stop it. He felt his skin begin to mutate, turning black and hard like armor.
When the pain reached its peak, everything began to darken. He felt his consciousness fading away. And at that moment, he realized that the power he had awakened was not just a gift. It was a curse. A curse that couldn't just be taken and controlled.
He collapsed to his knees, barely able to stay conscious. His body was shaking like a leaf in the wind, and it looked like complete destruction. But then, as if by magic, the energy gradually began to subside. His heart wasn't beating in his chest like it used to. He felt that power go away, but there was still an echo of it in him. He knew that this energy would no longer be his friend. It will be his enemy.
When the pain finally subsided, Akira stood up, holding his palms in front of him. He was himself, but his eyes were glowing red. Everything was different inside him.
He understood that his strength wasn't just a winning power. It was something much more dangerous. And he couldn't let this dark force get the better of him.
However, with each battle, he grew stronger, and with each victory, that power might only grow. Akira knew that he had many challenges ahead of him, and he needed to learn how to use his power. But how? And what would happen to him if he couldn't control her?
⸻
The next morning, when he was called back to the arena, Akira was already different. He knew that winning every battle brought him closer to a single goal—to survive. He understood that in order to do this, he needed to become stronger than anyone else. But it was becoming more and more dangerous because his power continued to grow, and he didn't know if he would be able to contain it.
Today's fight was much more serious. He met an opponent who was faster, knew how to use weapons, and was trained specifically for such arena battles. But Akira couldn't afford to lose. He knew that his survival depended on his strength, and he was willing to use it to its fullest.
When the fight started, he felt his strength filling his body again. His skin was as hard as armor again. He felt the dark energy trying to escape again, but he held it back. He couldn't give himself any slack.
The opponent immediately rushed at him with a long sword, but Akira dodged and fought him unarmed. He felt his power, felt it in every movement. He wasn't human. He had become a monster, but at this moment, despite all his changes, he was determined to win.
When the fight ended, Akira stood over his downed opponent, his breathing heavy and his skin still glowing with a black light. He knew that now he faced a difficult choice: to become the strongest in this arena or to lose himself in the fight against this dark energy that was still in him.
But first, he knew one thing: he couldn't stop. With each battle, his strength became more dangerous and unpredictable.