Chapter 54: The Corruption of the Water Guardian
The moment everyone's attention shifted toward Harris, Gin vanished.
A dark ripple spread through the air where he had stood.
Then—
BOOM!
A sonic explosion echoed across the canyon.
Gin reappeared beside Harris high above the battlefield.
Lee Kung's eyes widened.
"Harris!"
The young man slowly turned toward him.
For a second, Lee Kung thought everything would be fine.
For a second, he expected the familiar smile.
The nervous smile.
The awkward smile.
The smile of the boy they had spent days searching for.
Instead—
Harris smiled.
But there was nothing kind about it.
Nothing warm.
Nothing human.
Dark veins crawled beneath his skin.
His blue hair drifted unnaturally despite the still air.
One eye glowed with an eerie blue light while shadows danced beneath it.
Lee Kung felt his stomach drop.
"No..."
Mia stopped beside him.
Sio Jun froze.
Neither of them needed to say it.
This wasn't Harris.
At least not completely.
Something was inside him.
Something horrible.
Something Lee Kang had planted.
Far above them Harris slowly lifted his staff.
Dark energy wrapped itself around the weapon.
Water began gathering from every direction.
The moisture in the air.
The river below.
Even the clouds above.
Everything answered his call.
Lee Kang laughed from the bridge.
"Do you like what I've done, brother?"
Lee Kung gritted his teeth.
"You monster."
"I simply helped him find his true potential."
Harris lowered his head.
When he looked up again his eyes shone brighter.
Then he moved.
BOOM!
The sky exploded.
A massive dragon made entirely of water erupted from behind him.
Its body stretched hundreds of feet.
Blue scales shimmered across its liquid form.
Its roar shook the canyon.
Mia stepped backward.
Sio Jun's ears flattened.
Even Gin looked impressed.
The dragon opened its jaws.
And charged.
Straight toward Lee Kung.
The ground shattered beneath Lee Kung's feet as he launched himself forward.
His red aura erupted around him.
Lightning crackled across his body.
He gripped his sword with both hands.
"DRAGON KING SLASH!"
The blade collided with the water dragon's head.
For a moment it seemed to work.
Then the dragon exploded.
Not outward.
Forward.
The entire river's worth of force slammed into him.
Lee Kung was swallowed instantly.
The impact hurled him through several stone pillars.
BOOOOM!
Rock exploded everywhere.
Dust filled the canyon.
"LEE!"
Mia screamed.
The dragon continued forward.
Destroying everything in its path.
Lee Kung emerged from the rubble breathing heavily.
Blood dripped from his lip.
His sword vibrated.
The voice inside it spoke.
"That boy is stronger than expected."
"I noticed."
"Try shifting your gear."
"What?"
"Forty percent."
Lee Kung blinked.
"And stop treating this like a game."
Even now the sword sounded annoyed.
"The world is ending and you're still holding back."
Lee Kung smirked despite himself.
"Fair point."
The dragon lunged again.
This time he stood still.
Red lightning gathered around him.
His aura expanded.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Mia felt the pressure immediately.
Sio Jun looked over.
Lee Kang's smile faded slightly.
"Gear Shift..."
The air trembled.
"Forty Percent."
Everything changed.
His sword transformed.
Metal folded inward.
Sections separated.
Energy surged through the weapon.
Then—
The blade split.
Two crimson daggers appeared in his hands.
Red lightning danced across their edges.
Lee Kung stared at them.
"Interesting."
The sword's voice sounded proud.
"Now you're learning."
The dragon arrived.
Lee Kung vanished.
BOOM!
The dragon missed.
A second later red light flashed through its body.
Once.
Twice.
Ten times.
A hundred times.
The enormous water beast froze.
Then exploded into harmless rain.
Everyone stared.
Lee Kung was already airborne.
Heading straight for Harris.
The corrupted guardian saw him coming.
Water gathered around them instantly.
A massive sphere formed.
The two disappeared inside it.
The battle outside faded away.
Inside the bubble everything became silent.
No wind.
No explosions.
Only water.
And darkness.
Harris floated opposite him.
Staff in hand.
Eyes glowing.
Lee Kung slowly approached.
"Harris."
No response.
"Harris!"
The boy's expression twitched.
Just slightly.
Then a whisper echoed through the water.
A weak voice.
Broken.
Distant.
"Lee..."
Lee Kung froze.
"Harris?"
The voice came again.
"Weak..."
"Dark..."
"Save me...bro..."
His heart tightened.
There he was.
Still inside.
Still fighting.
Lee Kung rushed forward.
Harris screamed.
Dark energy erupted from his body.
Water blades formed everywhere.
Thousands of them.
They attacked simultaneously.
Lee Kung crossed his daggers.
Deflecting.
Dodging.
Spinning.
The water bubble became a storm.
Every strike Harris launched carried enough force to slice through stone.
Yet Lee Kung refused to attack.
He only defended.
Only moved closer.
"Harris!"
Another barrage.
"HARRIS!"
More attacks.
"HARRIS, WAKE UP!"
The corruption responded.
Dark chains erupted from Harris's chest.
They wrapped around his arms.
Around his neck.
Around his heart.
Lee Kung's eyes widened.
He finally understood.
The corruption wasn't controlling him.
It was imprisoning him.
Like a prisoner trapped inside his own body.
Rage surged through him.
Not at Harris.
At Lee Kang.
At Dehaska.
At everything.
He dodged one final attack.
Then appeared directly in front of Harris.
The boy's eyes widened.
Lee Kung struck.
Not with his daggers.
With his hand.
The staff flew away.
Before Harris could react Lee Kung grabbed him.
Held him tightly.
"I'm getting you out."
Dark energy erupted violently.
Trying to separate them.
Trying to push him away.
Lee Kung refused.
Red lightning exploded around him.
The water bubble began cracking.
Then—
A slash cut through the sphere.
The entire structure shattered.
Water rained from the sky.
The two boys fell.
Lee Kung landed first.
Still holding Harris.
Then he looked up.
A familiar figure stood on the bridge.
Lee Kang.
He had finally stood.
His sword rested casually on his shoulder.
As though everything so far had been entertainment.
As though none of it mattered.
His mismatched eyes glowed.
His smile widened.
"Brother."
Lee Kung slowly released Harris.
The boy collapsed unconscious beside him.
Below, Mia and Sio Jun had finally finished the remaining shadows.
Gin had retreated to higher ground.
Watching.
Waiting.
Nobody moved.
The canyon suddenly felt smaller.
Lee Kang stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
His corrupted armor pulsed.
Dark wings unfolded behind him.
The pressure alone cracked the bridge beneath his feet.
"Do not take all the fun..."
His voice echoed unnaturally.
"...and leave me out."
Lee Kung stood.
His daggers spun into reverse grip.
Red lightning crawled across his arms.
The wind intensified.
"You've had enough fun."
Lee Kang laughed.
The sound echoed through the canyon.
"No."
His smile widened further.
"I've only just begun."
For the first time since arriving...
Lee Kang drew his sword.
A blade of darkness and silver.
The moment it left its sheath—
The sky split with thunder.
Even Mia felt fear.
Even Sio Jun's instincts screamed danger.
Gin stared silently.
The battle had changed.
This was no longer about Harris.
No longer about shadows.
No longer about the final piece.
This was about the twin brothers.
The Dragon Warrior.
And the Fallen Dragon.
Lee Kang pointed his sword directly at Lee Kung.
"Come then, brother."
Red lightning exploded around Lee Kung.
His eyes narrowed.
His daggers tightened.
For the first time in a long while—
He smiled.
Not a happy smile.
Not a friendly one.
The kind of smile that appeared before a storm.
The kind that promised destruction.
"Gladly."
And then both brothers disappeared.
BOOM!
The canyon exploded.