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[ Shadow Monarch in Hogwarts].
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________________________________________________________________________________
Third POV:
The hall had changed.
It wasn't just the floor cracked open or the walls marked with deep gashes. The very air felt different. Heavier. Thicker. Like the room itself was holding its breath.
What began as a sudden ambush had turned into a relentless war of motion, steel, and survival.
And Akai was losing.
Time was slipping—
[61:48:12]
[61:41:33]
[61:35:09]
Every second carved into Akai's body like another unseen wound. He could feel each number drop in his head. Each tick was another bruise. Another cut. Another breath he couldn't afford to waste.
The knights didn't stop.
They never hesitated.
They moved like one single creature with twenty-three sets of arms. No wasted motion. No anger. No mercy. Just the job. Just the kill.
CLANG—!
WHOOSH—!
BOOOOM—!
Blades tore through the air in heavy arcs, each swing carrying enough force to split stone. One sword crashed into the ground where Akai had stood a heartbeat earlier—
KRRRRAAAASH!!!
The floor shattered, fragments exploding outward like shrapnel. A piece of stone flew past Akai's cheek. Close. Too close. He felt the wind of it.
Another knight lunged—
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Each step shook the ground, armor grinding like grinding iron teeth. The noise was awful. Like metal screaming. Like a dozen blacksmiths hammering at once.
Akai moved—barely—slipping between strikes, ducking under blades, twisting his body at impossible angles just to stay alive.
There. A gap. Small. Maybe half a second.
He threw himself to the left.
A blade grazed his shoulder—
SHHHK!
Blood sprayed. Warm. Wet. It soaked through his sleeve instantly.
Don't stop. Don't stop. If you stop you die.
Another clipped his side—
CRACK!
His body spun mid-air before crashing onto the floor, rolling, barely recovering before another strike descended. The impact knocked the wind out of him. His lungs burned. His ears rang.
Get up. GET UP.
He rolled again. A blade stabbed into the stone right where his head had been.
There was no rhythm.
No opening.
No pattern he could fully exploit.
Just pressure. Endless pressure.
Brutal. Violent. Unforgiving.
How are they still this fast? His own thoughts were ragged. I've been running. Dodging. Fighting. Why aren't they tired?
They didn't breathe hard. Didn't shake. Didn't hesitate.
Akai skidded back, boots scraping hard against the stone as he finally created a sliver of distance.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
His arms trembled.
Blood dripped steadily from multiple wounds, staining the pristine floor beneath him. He could feel each drop leave his body. Each one a little less strength.
How much more can I lose?
He looked at his hands. Red. Sticky. His own.
"For the sake of… I don't even know what…" he muttered, breath ragged.
His voice sounded strange to his own ears. Far away. Like someone else was speaking.
His eyes flicked across the remaining knights.
Still 23.
Still perfect.
Still advancing.
I haven't killed a single one.
The thought hit him harder than any blade.
"…I need to attack too…"
He clenched his fists tighter, ignoring the pain screaming through his body. His knuckles went white. His nails dug into his palms.
"I can't remain like this."
Another breath.
Frustration crept into his voice.
"This is fucking pathetic…"
His jaw tightened.
"Being fast isn't a solution."
What is it then? What am I missing?
He stared at the knights. Their armor. Their swords. Their empty eyes behind the helmets.
They're not faster than me. Not really. But they don't stop. They don't get scared. They just keep coming.
A blade moved.
He saw it.
As if answering him—
WHOOSH—!!!
A blade came down from above.
There.
Akai reacted instantly—
He jumped.
His body shot upward, twisting mid-air as he drove his fist toward one of the knights—
This time—
But—
BOOOOOOM!!!
A second knight intercepted.
Its armored arm slammed into him mid-motion, crushing his momentum completely. The force was like a wall. Like being hit by a falling tree.
No—
Akai's body was sent flying—
CRAAAAASH!!!
He hit the wall again, harder than before.
The impact echoed violently through the hall, cracks spreading across the surface as dust burst outward. Something in his back popped. His vision went white for a second.
He slid down slowly.
"…oh… FUCK…"
His voice came out low, strained.
He stayed there for a second.
Can't feel my legs. No. Wait. I can. Barely.
He tried to move his fingers. They obeyed. Slowly.
"…huh?"
His brows furrowed slightly.
"…weird… it doesn't hurt like before."
Why? Did I break something? Did the pain just... stop?
A weak, broken laugh escaped him.
"Heh… heh…"
He tilted his head slightly, wiping blood from his lips again.
"Perhaps…"
Another small breath.
"…there's no bone left anymore."
The humor was hollow.
But real.
Maybe that's it. Maybe I'm just too broken to feel it.
THUD.
One of the knights stepped forward again, raising its blade high above its head.
The metal caught the faint light. The edge was clean. Sharp. Perfect for cutting.
Akai's eyes snapped back into focus.
"Shit."
He forced himself up quickly, trying to move—
To dodge—
To escape—
But—
He stopped.
His body… didn't move.
"…What?"
What is this?
It felt like something invisible was holding him.
Not grabbing.
Not restraining.
Just… stopping him.
Like the air itself had turned solid. Like the whole world had been packed with cotton.
He tried to lift his foot. Nothing. Tried to turn his head. Slow. Too slow.
Why now? Why HERE?
His heart pounded harder.
The knight's blade began to fall.
Slow.
Heavy.
Unstoppable.
Akai's breathing sharpened.
Move. MOVE. PLEASE.
His arms wouldn't lift. His legs wouldn't push.
Is this it? After everything?
No time.
No space.
No escape.
"…Then…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…fine."
If I can't run. If I can't dodge.
He raised both arms.
Crossed them in front of him—
An X.
Then I block.
And in that moment—
Something changed.
A strange sensation surged through his body.
Not pain.
Not exhaustion.
Power.
It came from nowhere. From everywhere. From deep inside his chest, his stomach, his bones.
All of it—every last fragment of strength he had left—gathered into his arms.
His muscles tightened.
His veins pulsed.
What IS this?
It felt like his arms were being wrapped in something invisible…
Something dense.
Something solid.
Like armor.
But not metal. Not cloth. Something else. Something that was him.
The blade descended—
Here it comes.
And just before impact—
A sound erupted.
A deep, resonating force—
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The hall shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
And for one long moment—
Everything went quiet.
---
[ End of Chapter 19 ].
To Be Continued...
________
If you want to read more about my works or just to support me then here is my patreon:
Patreon.com/Doflamingo4 .
__
If you liked this one. Cheek also my other stories:
[ Shadow Monarch in Hogwarts ].
Patreon.com/Doflamingo4 .
_
Thank you all for reading...