Constellation Level

The atmosphere in the room shifted, tension crackling like static in the air as Kado stepped forward from the doorway, his imposing figure outlined against the dim light.

His dark hair fell over one eye, and his smirk revealed a confidence that sent shivers down Zuki's spine.

"I'm here for Shido," Kado stated, his voice low and commanding.

"I've heard about your abilities, and it's time you join me."

"Join you? For what? More chaos and darkness?" Shido snapped back. His bravado faltered as fear swirled beneath his courage.

"I'm not interested." I replied with a cold voice

Kado chuckled darkly and crossed his arms.

"I see you've already made up your mind. But you don't really understand the power at your fingertips, do you? You could be so much more. Just think about it, Shido. We could be the most powerful Xora users ever!"

Yuki leaned casually against her guitar, flashing a cheeky grin.

"Or we could just kick your butt instead. It sounds a lot more fun than whatever evil plans you've got cooking!"

Kado's smirk faltered momentarily, irritation flickering across his face.

"Cute. But you should know, I'm not here to play games."

With an ominous aura surrounding him, Kado raised his hands, palms facing forward.

"I'll show you the consequences of defiance!" he declared.

Ritual symbols glowed ominously at his feet, and shadows twisted and swirled as they wrapped around his fingers like serpents.

[Xora: Shadow Grasp]

[Rank: Fallen]

[Type: Dark Manipulation]

"Welcome to my domain," he proclaimed, and with a swift motion, he created a cage of dark energy that engulfed everyone in the room.

Zuki's heart raced as he glanced around.

"What is this?!" he shouted, panic creeping into his voice as he saw me, Yuki, and the others struggling to find their way out. 

"Let us out this hell!" Yuki yelled, gripping her guitar tightly. She placed her fingers on the strings.

"Flower's Melody!" she exclaimed, activating her power.

Vibrant petals formed in the air, swirling around her as they transformed into arcs of energy.

Her guitar glowed in response—the weapon becoming an extension of her will.

[Xora: Harmony's Embrace]

[Rank: Rising]

[Type: Musical Resonance]

Zuki felt a rush of determination as the vibrant music filled the room.

He watched as the petals exploded in a flurry of mesmerizing colors, attempting to break through Kado's dark bindings.

Kado retaliated, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"You think you can fight me with music? You'll regret making that choice!"

He lunged forward, his aura pulsating with menacing energy.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of dark energy crashing toward Yuki, knocking her off balance.

She barely managed to catch herself before falling.

"Yuki!" Zuki shouted, urgency rushing through him.

"Don't you dare touch her!"

Hearing Zuki's protective tone ignited something deeper within Yuki. She smirked even more, flipping her hair back defiantly.

"Nice try, Mr. Darkness. But my guitar skills are way better than your shadow puppetry!"

Fueled by rage and her cheekiness, Zuki felt a surge of power welling within him.

"I won't let you hurt anyone!" he yelled, determination shaping his voice.

Zuki's Xora flared to life, golden light bursting around him like the sun breaking through dark clouds.

He channeled the energy, his hands glowing with incandescent power.

"With this motion i call forth my Lightning Katana"

"Rising Fury!" he screamed, releasing his mid potential in a blinding flash. At the same time, his ring began to glow bright.

[Zuki has unlocked Mid Potential!]

In an instant, a torrent of light shot forth, streaking through the oppressive darkness Kado commanded.

With a piercing roar, it collided out Kado's own energy, engulfing him in an explosion of blinding brilliance.

"Impossible!" Kado shouted, fury twisting his features as he struggled to maintain control.

The glow from Zuki's energy intensified, the light tearing through the shadows trapping them all.

Zuki pushed forward, emotions amplifying his attack, cutting through the dark tendrils that held them captive.

He could feel his friends' presence beside him, their spirits igniting his strength.

With one final surge, the light overwhelmed Kado's dark cage, erasing it in a dazzling display of power.

The shadows dissipated, and freedom washed over them, leaving the room in stunned silence.

Zuki stood, breathing heavily as the realization of what he had done crashed over him.

"I… I did it…" He glanced at Yuki, whose expression reflected shock and admiration. Suddenly, his ring began to talk. 

[Zuki gained 5000 Rank Points!]

[Zuki has been promoted to Mysteria V!]

I watched him in awe, shaken but relieved as the darkness vanished.

"How did you…?" I began, but Zuki shook his head, still trying to comprehend his newfound strength.

"I don't know, but we need to be more careful," Zuki said firmly.

He turned to Yuki, who was slowly regaining her composure.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face. Yuki nodded, though her eyes sparkled with determination.

"I'm fine. But what was that? Who was Kado?" Yuki asked, brushing herself off as if to get rid of the lingering darkness.

"He's a Fallen Xora user," I explained, still catching my breath.

"He's known for intimidating those with power to join him. I didn't think he'd come here… not tonight."

Yuki's cheeky grin returned. "Well, it looks like I just added 'Shadow Grim Reaper' to my list of things to obliterate. Pretty impressive, right?"

A chuckle escaped Zuki, the tension easing as the adrenaline faded.

"We can't let anything like this happen again," he said, resolve solidifying in his chest.

"We have to be prepared. Whatever Kado wanted from you, Shido, we can figure it out together."

"I agree," Yuki added, strumming a few chords on her guitar, the lingering energy still resonating in the air.

"But this is just the beginning; we have to understand our abilities."

As Zuki and Yuki exchanged determined glances, I felt the weight of their friendship surrounding him—stronger than any dark force could ever be.

Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead. 

"Hey, where's Hiro and Fuzuko?" I asked while looking around my surroundings.

"We're fine thank you for asking" Hiro replied laying on the ground with Fuzuko, both clearly tired from the encounter but relieved to be free. The sense of camaraderie among us felt unbreakable, a newfound strength solidified in our hearts as we prepared for whatever awaited us next.