CHAPTER 23, Only One Can Remain
The schoolyard had fallen into complete chaos.
Students were screaming.
Teachers were desperately trying to evacuate everyone.
Broken glass covered the ground like scattered crystals, reflecting the dark sky above.
But in the center of it all—
Jay stood frozen.
His eyes locked onto the figure floating above the building.
That presence alone was overwhelming.
Not wild like the smaller fragments.
Not unstable.
This one felt complete.
Controlled.
Ancient.
And terrifyingly powerful.
—
"…The strongest fragment," Jay whispered.
The figure stared down at him silently.
Its crimson eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, emotionless yet strangely familiar.
Almost like looking into a future version of himself.
Or perhaps—
A version from the past.
—
Inside Jay's mind, the shadow remained tense.
"Leave," it said immediately.
Jay's eyebrows tightened slightly.
"You told me to stop running."
"This is different."
The answer came instantly.
For the first time since Jay had met the shadow—
There was genuine caution in its voice.
"…You cannot defeat that fragment in your current state."
Jay slowly clenched his fists.
His eyes never leaving the figure above.
"…Maybe I don't need to defeat it."
The shadow fell silent.
Then—
"You still don't understand."
—
BOOM.
—
The pressure in the air suddenly intensified again.
Several students collapsed instantly.
Others cried in panic as they tried to escape the school grounds.
Teachers shouted desperately.
But none of them understood what was happening.
Only Jay could feel it clearly.
That figure wasn't releasing power carelessly.
This pressure was intentional.
Controlled.
Like a predator revealing just enough presence to paralyze its prey.
—
The crimson-eyed fragment slowly descended from the sky.
Not quickly.
Not dramatically.
Just slowly enough for everyone to feel its existence growing heavier with every second.
The closer it came—
The colder the atmosphere became.
—
Jay's breathing slowed.
Not because he was calm.
But because his instincts had completely activated.
Every nerve in his body screamed the same thing.
Danger.
—
Finally—
The fragment landed softly on the broken ground a few meters away from him.
No explosion.
No dramatic impact.
Yet the moment its feet touched the earth—
CRACK.
The ground beneath it split apart instantly.
—
Students farther away screamed louder.
Some couldn't even stand anymore.
The pressure alone was crushing them psychologically.
—
The fragment ignored everyone else.
Its gaze never moved from Jay.
"…You've become smaller," it said calmly.
Jay's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
"You were once far greater than this."
Its voice remained emotionless.
Cold.
Like it was stating a simple fact.
—
Jay felt irritation rise inside him.
"…Who are you?"
The fragment tilted its head slightly.
Then—
For the first time—
It smiled faintly.
"You already know."
—
The moment those words entered Jay's ears—
Pain exploded inside his head again.
—
FLASH.
Fire covering the sky.
FLASH.
A city collapsing.
FLASH.
A pair of crimson eyes staring through endless destruction.
—
Jay staggered backward, gripping his head tightly.
"…Stop…"
The fragment watched silently.
"…Your memories reject the seal."
Jay's breathing became unstable.
Inside his mind, the shadow appeared immediately.
"Do not let it pull your memories out forcefully."
Jay gritted his teeth.
"…Then help me!"
"I cannot stop this fragment alone."
—
Outside—
The crimson-eyed fragment took another slow step forward.
Every movement carried impossible pressure.
"…You sealed yourself weak," it said.
"…Pathetic."
Jay's eyes flickered red violently.
That word—
For some reason—
Triggered something deep inside him.
—
BOOM.
—
A wave of energy burst from Jay's body instinctively.
The ground around him cracked.
The air trembled.
Students in the distance stared in horror.
Because Jay's eyes—
Were glowing completely crimson again.
—
The fragment stopped moving.
Then—
It smiled wider.
"…There you are."
—
Jay's breathing grew heavier.
Inside him—
Something was waking up rapidly.
Not calmly like before.
Violently.
Aggressively.
—
The shadow inside his mind stepped closer.
"Control yourself."
Jay's voice trembled slightly.
"…It's pulling something out of me…"
"I know."
"…Then stop it!"
"You must stop it yourself."
—
Jay's fists shook.
The crimson energy around him intensified.
He could feel rage rising inside him.
Cold rage.
Not emotional.
Not human.
Pure destructive instinct.
—
The fragment observed him carefully.
"…Yes," it murmured softly.
"…That power."
"It hasn't disappeared after all."
—
Suddenly—
The fragment vanished.
—
Jay's pupils contracted.
Fast.
Too fast.
—
Instinct moved his body before thought could.
Jay turned instantly—
And blocked.
—
BOOM!
—
The impact shattered the ground beneath his feet.
A shockwave exploded across the schoolyard.
Windows broke across nearby buildings.
Several students screamed as the force knocked them backward.
—
Jay's arms trembled violently.
The fragment stood directly in front of him now.
One hand extended casually.
As if that monstrous attack meant nothing.
—
Jay's eyes widened slightly.
"…Heavy…"
The fragment's expression remained calm.
"…Weak."
—
BOOM!
—
With a simple movement, the fragment sent Jay flying backward.
Jay crashed through a concrete wall, destroying part of the school building instantly.
Dust exploded everywhere.
Students screamed louder.
Teachers stared in complete horror.
—
Inside the rubble—
Jay slowly pushed himself up.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His entire body ached.
And yet—
Something terrifying happened.
—
He smiled slightly.
—
Not because he enjoyed pain.
But because the power inside him reacted differently now.
The stronger the opponent—
The more awake it became.
—
Inside his mind—
The shadow stared at him carefully.
"…Dangerous."
Jay wiped blood from his mouth.
"…I know."
Then—
He stepped out of the rubble.
—
The crimson fragment watched him silently.
"…Interesting."
Jay rolled his shoulder slowly.
Bones cracked softly.
"…You hit hard."
"And yet you survived."
A pause.
"…Perhaps the seal truly is weakening."
—
The air around Jay distorted faintly.
His crimson eyes glowed brighter now.
But unlike before—
There was focus in them.
Not blind rage.
—
Jay slowly raised his hand.
"…One question."
The fragment tilted its head slightly.
"…Speak."
Jay's expression darkened.
"…Why are you searching for me?"
Silence.
Then—
The fragment answered.
"…Because only one version of us can exist."
—
The world seemed to stop for a moment.
Jay's heartbeat slowed.
"…What?"
The fragment's crimson eyes deepened.
"…When all fragments gather…"
"…they do not merge equally."
A pause.
Then—
"…One consciousness survives."
—
Jay froze.
Inside his mind—
Even the shadow became silent.
—
The fragment took another slow step forward.
"…And I refuse to disappear."
—
For the first time since this began—
Jay truly understood the danger.
This wasn't recovery.
This wasn't simply reclaiming himself.
—
It was survival.
—
Because every fragment carried its own will.
Its own identity.
Its own desire to become complete.
—
And in the end—
Only one version of Jay would remain alive. 🔥👁️