Chapter 8
Manako stood outside the dome and waited patiently. "Today is the day we find out if I was right about you Devon. If you really are the one…" he thought to himself. Inside the dome, the tension in the air was thick with hatred as Devon and Kaikaron were staring each other down. The opening at the top of the dome provided enough light for them to see the anger flowing in each other's eyes. Devon cringed as Kaikaron smiled, revealing his razor like teeth that gleamed in the sun. With the blink of an eye, Kaikaron was gone! Devon turned around just in time to block Kaikaron's kick and grab his leg. Devon's eyes widened when he realized it was a sand clone! He felt a sharp pain in his back as Kaikaron connected with a blow to his spine! The clone dissapated as Devon fell forward through it. He caught himself before he hit the ground and spun around in time to see Kaikaron rushing in for a kick. Devon used his momentum to push his lower body off the ground and plant both feet in Kaikaron's face. Kaikaron staggered back as Devon flipped up onto his feet. Devon took out three shuriken and threw them at Kaikaron's head. Kaikaron fell backward as the three deadly weapons just barely missed his corneas. He balanced his upper body and looked up in time to see four kunai coming down towards his head. He quickly rolled to his left to avoid the kunai, but could not avoid Devon's foot kicking him square in his jaw! The blow connected with enough force to lift Kaikaron off the ground! He managed to use his momentum to turn in midair and land on his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth as he stood up. "Guess this will be a little harder than I thought," Kaikaron said through his crimson coated teeth.
Devon turned and faded away from Kaikaron's vision. Kaikaron turned in time to get a knuckle-to-pupil view of Devon's right hand. He staggered back and went into a defensive stance, but Devon was already at his other side. Devon went for a spin kick and missed Kaikaron's head by his hair. Kaikaron grabbed his leg, concentrated his chakra and threw Devon across the dome! Devon landed and began to run back when he saw that Kaikaron was gone. He turned and scanned the dark areas of the dome. He stopped when he saw the outline of a figure against one of the far walls. Devon smiled at the thought of his own demon hiding from him! "What's this? The big bad demon is hiding! What happened to me falling? The only one that's been falling so far is you! You can't hide from me forever Kaikaron!"
Kaikaron laughed maniacally. "Who says I need to hide from you?" He finished the hand signs and shouted "Bringer Of Darkness Jutsu!" Devon stopped as a pitch black void began to cover the dome. The darkness enveloped everything around Devon as he saw Kaikaron disappear from his vision. Devon could see no further than his own body! He began to hear Kaikaron laugh uncontrollably. Kaikaron's voice sounded like it echoed within the void. "Your taijutsu is very good. I'll give you that. You're a lot faster than I give you credit. But like the saying goes, you can't hit what you can't see!" Devon moved into a defensive stance to no avail. He was struck with what felt like a foot to his ribs. He tried to brace himself, but was met with a punch to the back. Devon tried to fight back. But every time he threw a punch or kick into the darkness, he was met with six simultaneous blows! The whole time, Kaikaron's laughter echoed in the void, taunting Devon as he was being assaulted from all sides. He began to slip in and out of conciousness from the relentless assault. He knew he could not take this for much longer. He could barely breathe before the wind was knocked out of him again and again. As he began to black out, Kaikaron's laughter was drowned out by other voices. "Control is your ultimate weapon. Those with control are destined to succeed, while those without it are destined to fail." "You have the will to live. You have the power to live. Never forget that. Because that is what sets you apart from everyone else." "Come back to me Devon."
Devon opened his eyes and managed to stand up. He fought through the pain as he closed his eyes and took a breath. He tried to anticipate the movements in the darkness. He felt a kick coming towards his head, grabbed the leg and broke the knee using an elbow strike. He sensed four fists in either direction of his head, ducked and used a windmill kick to hit all four opponents. Kaikaron was in shock as Devon actually began to dominate his sand clones! He concentrated his chakra to create more, but it was too late. Devon was gone! Kaikaron looked around for him, but could not find him. He sensed Devon's presence and spun around. He reeled as Devon punched him in the nose. He regained his footing and stood in a look of amazement and anger. "How?! How did you break that genjutsu?!" Kaikaron stopped yelling when he looked at the blood trickling from Devon's shoulder and the blood-soaked kunai in his other hand.
"You've underestimated me for the last time. Manako was right. I have the power and will to live. That makes me different from you. That also makes me better. Because while you've been trying to destroy me, I've succeeded in trapping you!" Devon made the proper hand signs and put his hands to the ground. Kaikaron knew what was coming and jumped to avoid being trapped, but Devon just smiled. "Secret Art: Power Sealing Jutsu!" Kaikaron looked around as the ground began to glow blue from the seals. The barriers appeared, but this time they did not close. To Kaikaron's dismay, they actually started to rise after him! The barriers rose and formed a ceiling around him in midair! Kaikaron was brought back down to the ground as the prison shrunk to its normal size.
Kaikaron smiled as he stared at Devon from inside the prison. He began to sarcastically clap. "Good job. You've managed to delay the inevitable. But you and I both know some good shots from me and this thing will be broken in no time. You can't hold me forever." Devon laughed so disturbingly it chilled Kaikaron to the bone. He outstretched his hand to the wall. He pushed slightly as the prison began to grow in size. Kaikaron watched as Devon actually stepped into the prison with him! The wall sealed shut behind him. "Did you forget something about this thing? It sucks out the chakra of those inside the prison when they try to actively use their chakra, not when they're maintaining it for the prison itself!" Devon smiled and moved into an offensive stance. "My whole life I've been afraid of you because I've always believed that you were stronger than me. But in here, we're the same. And when this is over, only one of us will step out of this thing."