A DIVINE FOOL

Chapter 8: Dance with the Void Warden

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The Void Warden towered over Yuki and Kaida, its presence suffocating. Clad in blackened armor and wielding a blade that seemed to shimmer with void energy, it radiated malice. Around them, the other cultivators had either fled or taken cover, unwilling to challenge such a foe.

Kaida stepped in front of Yuki, her sword glowing faintly in the dim light. "Stay behind me, Yuki. This is no ordinary opponent."

Yuki peeked out from behind her. "You know, we could just, uh, run away?"

"No chance. It's faster than we are," Kaida replied, her tone grim.

The Warden's hollow voice echoed, dripping with disdain. "You think you can protect the artifact, mortal? Surrender it, and I may grant you a swift death."

Yuki, clutching the artifact tightly, shook his head. "You know, I'd love to hand it over, but it's kind of fused to my soul, so… not an option."

The Warden raised its blade, the air around it warping. "Then you shall perish."

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The Fight Begins

Kaida dashed forward, meeting the Warden's blade with her own. The clash of their weapons sent shockwaves rippling through the void sand. Yuki stumbled backward, barely keeping his balance.

Buzzzy buzzed frantically around him. "Warning! Hostile energy levels exceeding safe parameters! Distance recommended!"

"No kidding!" Yuki yelped, diving behind a nearby rock as Kaida and the Warden exchanged blows.

Kaida fought valiantly, her movements swift and precise, but the Warden's power was overwhelming. Each strike of its blade sent dark energy crackling through the air, forcing her to retreat step by step.

Yuki peeked out from his hiding spot, chewing his lip nervously. "Kaida's good, but she can't keep this up forever."

Buzzzy's sensors beeped. "Analysis: Direct intervention not advised. Probability of survival—less than 10%."

Yuki groaned. "Great. So what do I do?"

The artifact pulsed in his hand, a faint voice echoing in his mind. "Trust your instincts."

"Instincts?" Yuki muttered. "My instincts say to run!"

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A Fool's Plan

As Kaida parried another devastating blow, Yuki noticed something strange. The Warden's movements, though powerful, seemed to falter whenever its blade struck the ground.

"Buzzzy, analyze the Warden's weapon!" Yuki whispered.

"Analysis complete. Weapon is drawing energy directly from the void. Overuse may destabilize its form."

Yuki grinned. "So if we make it use too much power, it'll fall apart?"

"Hypothesis plausible," Buzzzy replied.

"Perfect. I've got a plan!"

He leapt out from behind the rock, waving his arms wildly. "Hey, Void Warden! Over here!"

Kaida's eyes widened. "Yuki, what are you doing?"

The Warden turned its hollow gaze toward him. "Foolish mortal. Do you seek death so eagerly?"

"Not really," Yuki said, backing away slowly. "But, uh, you've got something on your helmet. Right there. No, a little to the left—yeah, there!"

The Warden growled, raising its blade to strike.

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The Chaos Unleashed

Yuki's chaotic antics worked in his favor. Every time the Warden swung its blade at him, he ducked, tripped, or stumbled in a way that caused the attack to miss. Each missed strike sent the blade crashing into the ground, releasing bursts of void energy that destabilized the surrounding area.

Kaida, catching on to his plan, pressed her attack. She darted in and out, forcing the Warden to use more energy than it could replenish.

"You're wearing it down!" Kaida shouted. "Keep going!"

"I'm trying!" Yuki yelled back, narrowly avoiding a strike that carved a glowing trench in the sand.

The Warden roared in frustration. Its form began to flicker, dark energy leaking from cracks in its armor. "Enough of this farce! You will die now!"

It raised its blade for a final, devastating blow, but as it swung, Yuki slipped on a loose rock and fell backward. The Warden's blade struck the ground with full force, sending a shockwave that cracked its armor and caused its form to collapse into a swirling mass of void energy.

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Aftermath

As the dust settled, Kaida sheathed her sword and walked over to Yuki, who was lying flat on his back, staring up at the swirling void sky.

"Are you okay?" she asked, offering him a hand.

"I think I sprained my dignity," Yuki groaned, letting her pull him to his feet.

Buzzzy hovered over him, beeping cheerfully. "Congratulations! Hostile eliminated. Probability of survival increased to 60%."

Kaida sighed. "You're lucky that thing fell apart before it could finish you."

"Yeah, lucky," Yuki said, grinning sheepishly. "Totally part of my plan."

Kaida shook her head. "We need to move. That fight probably attracted every challenger in the area."

Yuki looked around nervously. "Right. Let's get out of here before someone else tries to kill me."

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A New Ally

As they prepared to leave, a soft voice called out from the shadows. "Wait."

They turned to see a young woman stepping forward, her silver hair glowing faintly in the dim light. She wore simple robes but carried an air of quiet strength.

"Who are you?" Kaida demanded, her hand on her sword.

The woman bowed slightly. "My name is Aria. I've been watching you."

"Creepy," Yuki muttered.

"I mean no harm," Aria said, smiling faintly. "I've been trapped in the Void Realm for years, searching for a way out. Your artifact might be the key."

Yuki blinked. "Wait, you want to help me? Are you sure about that?"

Aria nodded. "You survived a fight with a Void Warden. That's no small feat. If we work together, we might all survive this trial."

Kaida frowned. "How do we know we can trust you?"

Aria met her gaze steadily. "You don't. But the Void Realm is no place to go alone."

Yuki glanced at Kaida, then back at Aria. "Well, she seems nice. And we could use all the help we can get."

Kaida sighed. "Fine. But if she betrays us, it's your fault."

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Cliffhanger

As the group set off together, the artifact pulsed again, sending a wave of energy through Yuki's body. He staggered, clutching his chest.

"What's wrong?" Kaida asked, alarmed.

"I don't know," Yuki said, his voice shaky. "I think the artifact is… waking up."

Aria's eyes widened. "Then we need to move fast. If the artifact fully activates, it will draw the attention of something far worse than the Warden."

Buzzzy beeped nervously. "Recommendation: Proceed with maximum caution!"

Yuki groaned. "Great. Just what I needed—more things trying to kill me."

The group pressed on, unaware that a shadowy figure was watching them from a distance, its eyes gleaming with malice.

The Void Realm was only beginning to reveal its secrets.