Leo didn't have time to think. He just had to move.
"Let's go now," he said quickly.
Kira didn't smile or say thank you. She just nodded and pulled him through a narrow side tunnel. The Fang Clan was shouting behind them, getting closer. She held his hand tight, and her face showed she was completely focused. No waiting. No doubt.
They ran past the old subway station. Leo's feet hit the wet concrete hard. Every breath he took hurt his lungs. They turned corners fast, jumped over broken pipes, and disappeared into the underground parts of Iron-vale. It was like a twisted maze down there, full of tunnels, old sewer lines, and forgotten escape paths.
Leo's heart pounded hard. His body was still tired from everything that had happened in the last few days.
"So," he said while trying to catch his breath, "this is what it feels like to team up with the enemy?"
Kira looked back at him while still running. "Talk less, move more."
Even though everything was crazy, Leo almost smiled.
They came out into an old utility hallway under the east part of Iron-vale. It smelled like sewage, but it was far from where the Fang Clan could reach them. At least for now.
Kira led them up through a door into an alley filled with signs. The night sky was above them, thick with fogs. Cars drove by in the distance, but this part of town was quiet. It was too poor for anyone to pay attention to, too forgotten for anyone to care about.
They went into an old laundromat that had boards over its windows. The back wall was covered with dirt and mold. Behind a broken washing machine, Kira pushed open a hidden door that led to a tiny room no bigger than a closet. It had a dusty bed, a cracked mirror, and a small heater making noise in the corner.
"This is a temporary safe place," she said. "No one knows about this place. Not even the Fang."
Leo fell onto the bed, breathing hard.
Every part of his body hurt.
His body hadn't gotten better from the fight at the dojo yet. Using the Battle Core so much was making him feel terrible. The rushes of power left him feeling like he'd been hit by lightning twice.
Kira threw him a bottle of water. "Are you okay?"
"I'm either dying," Leo said tiredly, "or just really, really tired."
"Both," she said back. "You're pushing the Core too hard without knowing how to control it. It's not meant to be used like you're doing."
Leo took a long drink of water, then asked, "So how is it supposed to be used?"
Kira sat across from him. She finally put her knives away. "The Battle Core isn't just something that makes you stronger. It's connected to something very old. A source that connects your clan to the spiritual world. Something called the Tian Heart."
Leo blinked his eyes. "The what?"
Kira nodded. "The Tian Heart. It's a legendary artifact that's supposed to be the source of your clan's power. It's the reason the other clans wanted to destroy the Tian. If you control it, you don't just get strength. You get power over everyone."
Leo leaned forward. "And let me guess, no one knows where it is."
Kira tilted her head. "Not yet. But with your Battle Core waking up, it might start pulling you toward it. Like a compass pointing north."
He let out a big breath. "Great. So I'm a walking target."
"You always have been."
As the night got later, Leo felt the familiar heat rising again. His Battle Core was stirring without any warning. But this time, it wasn't too much to handle. It sharpened it senses.
He could hear the city sounds more clearly. The hum of electricity through walls. The clicking of footsteps far away. Even the soft scrape of a rat moving through a vent.
Then something clicked in his mind.
His breath caught. His vision changed.
Everything in the room became clearer. Every edge was perfectly defined. He felt a strange energy on his left arm, almost like an electric.
He looked down and saw it.
A tiny metal chip, barely bigger than a grain of rice. It was stuck under the skin near his shoulder.
"What the hell..." he whispered.
He reached up and pressed against it. The Battle Core reacted with a flicker of energy, almost like it was pulling away from the object.
Leo stood up slowly. His heart was pounding.
"Kira," he said, his voice getting hard, "what is this?"
She looked up, confused. "What?"
He rolled up his sleeve and showed her. "It's a tracker. Someone put a tracking device on me."
Her face changed. First surprise, then worry.
"Let me see that," she said, stepping closer. She looked at it carefully and said quietly, "That's definitely Fang technology. But I didn't put that there, Leo. I promise."
"You're the only person I've been around," he said.
"Maybe someone got close back at the base during all the fighting," she suggested.
He didn't answer.
But doubt started creeping into his mind.
Later, while Kira cleaned her weapons in the corner, Leo sat near the bed, pretending to sleep. Really, he was listening carefully.
That's when he heard it.
A whisper. Quiet. Careful.
Kira was talking into a small communication device she'd taken from her boot.
"No, he doesn't know yet," she said very quietly. "He's reacting to the Core stronger than we expected. I'll keep watching him... until I'm sure."
Leo's chest got tight.
So she was working with someone else.
But who?
And what did she mean by "until I'm sure"?
He didn't have time to ask.
Because right then, the door exploded.
A figure burst through the doorway. It was a blur of red robes and silver blades. This wasn't Fang. This person wore the symbol of a snarling wolf carved onto their chest armor.
The Wolf Fang Clan.
Leo jumped to his feet just as a dagger sliced through the air, cutting his cheek slightly.
The assassin moved like smoke. Fast, quiet, deadly. Leo barely ducked under the next attack. The attacker's face was covered, but what they wanted was clear: kill the Tian heir.
Kira reacted immediately, throwing a blade that forced the assassin to step back. She stood protectively in front of Leo, her face fierce and angry.
"Not Fang," she said. "Different clan."
"You think?!" Leo shouted, dodging another strike.
He let the Core rise again. The energy washed through him like fire. But he was already tired out. His arms and legs felt heavy. He was reacting too slowly.
This wasn't like the other fights.
If Kira hadn't been there, he would be dead already.
Together, they fought off the assassin. They barely managed to hit him, pushing him back toward the exit. But the attacker wasn't alone. Leo could hear movement outside. More were coming.
"We have to go," Kira said, grabbing Leo's arm.
He pulled away.
"What was that phone call about?"
"This isn't the time!"
"You're spying on me, Kira!"

Latest Chapter
Chapter 10: The Heart's Price
Kira groaned weakly in his arms. Her body was burning hot, the poison from the Viper blade spreading fast."We're out of time," Leo said.Shen stood near the temple wall, shoulders heavy, eyes full of guilt."You lied to me," Leo said, his voice quiet but shaking. "You knew what happened to the Tian Clan. You knew about my parents. Why didn't you tell me?"Shen stepped forward slowly. "Because I was afraid you'd look for the Heart too early. And I was right. You're not ready.""I don't care," Leo snapped. "Kira's dying. You want me to watch her die when I can save her?"Shen stayed quiet."Then tell me the truth now," Leo demanded, stepping between Shen and the Heart. "No riddles. No more secrets."The old master took a long breath. "The Tian Clan didn't fall because of enemies. It fell because of one of our own. One of our elders - Master Haoran - became obsessed with the Heart. He believed he could use it to change the world, make it do what he wanted."Leo's hands made fists. "So h
Chapter 9: The Temple's Trials
Leo's boots splashed through water as he walked into the cave, carrying Kira on his back. The pendant on his chest burned hot and pulsed like his heartbeat. Behind him, Shen lit a lantern and stepped inside. The flame danced against wet stone walls with old Tian Clan symbols carved into them.The Temple of Still Waters.Hidden deep under Iron-vale's old sewers, this sacred place had once been the center of the Tian Clan's power. No outsider had been here for many years. When they stepped inside, the air felt different. It was heavier, colder, and hummed with old energy.Kira moved weakly on his back, whispering, "Don't... trust..."Leo stopped. "Kira?""Someone... close... not who they seem," she mumbled, then passed out again.He looked at Shen. "What does she mean? Who's the traitor?"Shen's face got dark. "This temple will test more than your strength, Leo. It will test your heart. Your truth. Be ready for anything."They walked deeper and came to a big hall where broken pillars ro
Chapter 8: The Tian Heart's Call
Leo woke up smelling herbs and burning incense. His body hurt all over, but the hot burning feeling in his chest was calmer now. The Battle Core wasn't fighting him as much.The room was dark except for candles sitting in small bowls of water. Pictures of dragons and flowers were carved into the wooden walls. It was quiet except for water dripping somewhere and someone humming softly.He turned his head and saw him.Shen.The old man sat by the door with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed like he was thinking deeply. A cup of hot tea sat next to him."You're awake," Shen said without opening his eyes.Leo groaned as he sat up. "Barely.""You used up too much Core power. Again.""I didn't have a choice," Leo said. "There was a Viper Clan killer, and my pendant got really hot."Shen opened his eyes. "What did you see?"Leo waited before answering. "A big field with lots of stars in the sky. And the Tian Heart. It was a glowing ball of light."Shen nodded slowly. "Then the Heart is c
Chapter 7: The Viper Clan's Strike
"No," she said angrily. "I'm trying to keep you alive! But we won't be alive if we're still here in ten seconds!"Leo stared at her. He didn't know what to do.Then, more blades came through the walls. They were warning shots from the reinforcements coming."Fine. But after this, you're going to start telling me the truth." He said."Deal." kira replied.The wind blew hard. Leo and Kira ran fast across the rooftops, jumping from one building to another. They could still hear the Wolf Fang Clan behind them, but the sounds were getting quieter. Leo knew they weren't safe yet."I need to stop," Leo said, breathing hard. A sharp pain hit his chest."We can't stop now," Kira said, pulling him along. "They're still after us."They saw an old bell tower ahead. It stood tall in the empty part of the city where old factories used to be. The metal door made a loud creak when they opened it and went inside. Leo locked the door behind them.The air inside was thick with dust, but at least they we
Chapter 6: Running Away and Working Together
Leo didn't have time to think. He just had to move."Let's go now," he said quickly.Kira didn't smile or say thank you. She just nodded and pulled him through a narrow side tunnel. The Fang Clan was shouting behind them, getting closer. She held his hand tight, and her face showed she was completely focused. No waiting. No doubt.They ran past the old subway station. Leo's feet hit the wet concrete hard. Every breath he took hurt his lungs. They turned corners fast, jumped over broken pipes, and disappeared into the underground parts of Iron-vale. It was like a twisted maze down there, full of tunnels, old sewer lines, and forgotten escape paths.Leo's heart pounded hard. His body was still tired from everything that had happened in the last few days."So," he said while trying to catch his breath, "this is what it feels like to team up with the enemy?"Kira looked back at him while still running. "Talk less, move more."Even though everything was crazy, Leo almost smiled.They came
Chapter 5: The Enemy's Truth
Leo and Kira didn't talk as they walked. The quiet felt heavy between them.After the fight at the dojo, Leo did something he never thought he would. He followed Kira. He didn't trust her completely, but something told him she wasn't just another killer from the Fang Clan. Maybe it was how she looked at Shen, or how she fought Talon instead of him.She walked fast in front of him through the back streets of Iron-vale. Her black armor caught the light from broken street lamps. Leo stayed behind her but not too close.They stopped at an old subway entrance. Rusty gates blocked it, and a sign said "Danger - Line Closed."Kira looked back at him. "We're here.""Your clan hides in a subway?" Leo asked.She smiled, but she looked tired. "Even monsters need somewhere to live."She opened the gate easily and led him down old stairs. Paint and green moss covered the walls. The air smelled like old metal and dampness.At the bottom, Kira knocked three times on a metal door.It slid open.Inside
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