### **Chapter 87: The Ashen Escape**
The chapter begins with Vodoyme, Lucius, and Karl the last of the brother ,standing at the edge of the Holy City's underground labyrinth. Vodoyme's voice cut through the dimly lit cavern, sharp and commanding. "Flood the underground. Find Rajesh and Sakamoto. Now." His words echoed with a *RUMBLE*, the sound bouncing off the stone walls.
The three brothers moved deeper into the city, their footsteps echoing with a rhythmic *THUD-THUD-THUD*. Lucius's sharp eyes scanned the shadows, his ability to track Shen signatures guiding him. Suddenly, he froze, his gaze locking onto a distant figure. "There!" he shouted, his voice a sharp *CRACK* in the silence. "I see them!"
Rajesh, hearing the shout, muttered under his breath, "Shit. They caught us." He turned to Sakamoto, his expression grim. "Stay close. I'll show you a different way to use Shen suppression. Sometimes, the best way to learn is through hard battles."
Sakamoto nodded, his heart pounding. Before he could respond, Vodoyme's legs erupted with flames, the fire coiling around his feet with a *WHOOSH*. He launched himself into the air, his body a blur as he landed in front of Rajesh and Sakamoto with a *THUD*. Lucius and Karl circled around, their movements precise and menacing. The trio now had Rajesh and Sakamoto surrounded.
Vodoyme's voice was calm but laced with threat. "Rajesh, why are you protecting him?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Because I want to," Rajesh replied, his tone defiant. He removed his coat, letting it fall to the ground with a soft *THUMP*. He drew his sword, the blade scraping against the stone floor with a metallic *SCREECH*. "Is it fair, going three against one, old man?"
Vodoyme smirked. "You're the one who put yourself in this position." Without warning, he blitzed forward, his palm glowing with a ball of flame. The fire roared as he slammed his hand toward Rajesh, but Rajesh dodged with a swift *WHOOSH*, the flames missing him by inches.
Karl stepped forward, his hands outstretched. "Cursed Technique: Blooming Heaven!" he shouted. The ground beneath them trembled as trees sprouted from the stone, their branches twisting and growing at an unnatural speed. Flowers bloomed, releasing a yellow substance into the air with a faint *HISS*. The substance spread quickly, filling the area with a thick, hazy mist.
Vodoyme and Lucius immediately masked their faces, but Sakamoto wasn't fast enough. He inhaled the substance, his vision blurring as he collapsed to the ground with a *THUD*. Rajesh, however, remained unaffected. He moved with precision, his sword flashing as he appeared in front of Vodoyme. The blade swung horizontally with a *SWISH*, but Vodoyme's granite balls intercepted the strike, the clash creating a deafening *BOOM*.
The explosions from the balls sent shockwaves through the air, but Rajesh dodged it effortlessly, his movements a blur. He reached Sakamoto, lifting him onto his shoulders with a grunt. Compressing his Shen with one finger, Rajesh pressed his hand to Sakamoto's forehead, releasing a burst of energy that purged the substance from his system. Sakamoto woke with a gasp, his scream echoing through the cavern.
"You can't let the opponent's techniques catch you off guard," Rajesh said, his voice stern. He dropped Sakamoto to his feet and turned to face Vodoyme, his sword glowing with a fierce aura. "I'm sorry, Vodoyme," he said, his tone cold. "But you'll have to die by my hands now."
Rajesh raised his free hand to his face, muttering, "Dust Technique: Ash Smoke." From his mouth, a thick, ashy smoke began to pour out, spreading rapidly with a *HISS*. The smoke engulfed the area, reducing visibility to almost zero. Vodoyme's voice cut through the haze. "Lucius, keep track of him! Relay his movements to me!"
Lucius's eyes glowed as he tried to lock onto Rajesh's Shen signature, but something was wrong. "I can't track him!" he shouted, his voice tinged with panic. "It's like he's not here!"
Rajesh's voice echoed from within the smoke, calm and mocking. "That's the secret of my Shen suppression technique. I can remove myself from existence while still being here, and I can't be tracked because I mix presence with nature"
Suddenly, Rajesh appeared beside Lucius, his sword coated in Shen energy. The blade struck with a *CRACK*, the force sending Lucius flying. His scream echoed through the cavern as he crashed into a wall. Vodoyme's voice roared, "Lucius!"
Before Vodoyme could react, Rajesh struck again, this time from another direction. The sound of his blade slicing through the air was followed by another scream. Vodoyme's anger boiled over. "Enough!" he shouted. Hundreds of granite balls materialized around him, their glow piercing through the smoke. "Explode!" he commanded.
But Karl, realizing the danger, shouted, "Vodoyme, noooooooo! The ash smoke—it'll amplify the explosions!" His warning came too late. The balls detonated with a series of deafening *KABOOMS*, the force of the explosions magnified by the ashy smoke. The underground city shook violently, debris raining down as the shockwaves tore through the area.
Karl, caught in the blast, was instantly incinerated. His body disintegrated with a *CRACKLE*, his final act was covering Lucius out of the way, by using his body to protect Lucius the blast killer him , though spared from the full force, was severely burned, his screams echoing through the chaos.
As the explosions subsided, the smoke began to clear. Vodoyme stood amidst the destruction, his face a mask of rage and grief. "Karl…" he muttered, his voice trembling. He dropped to his knees beside Lucius, applying what little medical knowledge he had to stabilize his brother.
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Meanwhile, Rajesh and Sakamoto had used the chaos to escape. They moved deeper into the Holy City, the sounds of the explosions fading behind them. Sakamoto glanced at Rajesh, his voice filled with awe. "That was a smart move."
Rajesh smirked. "I don't have time to fight them right now. Vodoyme is reckless and predictable. I knew he'd lose control if his brothers were hurt and he couldn't see what was happening." He paused, his expression turning serious. "But we're not out of danger yet. Keep moving."Q
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High above the city, Headless stood atop a towering building, his headless horse beside him. The creature's wings beat with a rhythmic *WHOOSH*, its aura radiating power. Headless stared into the city, his presence ominous and foreboding. The hunt was far from over.
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