Hey guys. Sorry I took so long to upload. Been busy during summer. Anyways, here is a fresh chapter. Hope U enjoy.

Nakashi Sutra watched Kazuki Stormblade from the shadows. The Tempest Ascendant radiated power, his blue hair dancing with lightning. Nakashi clenched his fists, his own stellar flames flickering in frustration.

"Why him?" Nakashi thought. "Why does Kazuki wield such raw energy? Is it because he was born on Zephyria, bathed in the storms of creation?"

Nakashi had always been a proud warrior. His lineage traced back to the ancient Starforgers, celestial beings who harnessed the very essence of dying stars. But Kazuki's rise had ignited a fire within Nakashi—a fire fuelled by envy.

"I am Nakashi Sutra," he reminded himself. "The Silver Phantom. I am not second to anyone."

In the heart of Aerion's crystalline citadel lay the Forbidden Archive, a repository of cosmic knowledge. Nakashi entered, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Ancient texts floated in luminescent orbs, revealing secrets of creation and destruction.

"Perhaps," Nakashi mused, "there lies a path to power beyond even the Tempest Ascendant."

He studied forbidden rituals, lost incantations, and star maps that led to uncharted realms. One text spoke of a Celestial Conflux, a convergence of cosmic energies that could reshape reality itself.

"If I master the Conflux," Nakashi thought, "I will surpass Kazuki. No longer will I envy his lightning. I will become a cosmic storm."

Nakashi journeyed to the Nebula of Whispers, a place where stars whispered forgotten truths. There, he meditated, seeking communion with the cosmic forces. The nebula swirled around him, its colors shifting like Nakashi's conflicted emotions.

"Show me," Nakashi pleaded. "Show me the path to surpassing Kazuki Stormblade."

The nebula responded—a voice woven into stardust. "To gain power, you must sacrifice. What are you willing to lose?"

Nakashi hesitated. "Anything," he whispered. "My pride, my honor—take it all."

The nebula revealed the Eclipse Pact, a forbidden contract. Nakashi's heart raced. "Sign it," the nebula urged. "And your wish shall be granted."

Nakashi returned to Aerion, his eyes ablaze. He confronted Kazuki, who sensed the change in him. "Nakashi," Kazuki said, "what have you done?"

Nakashi's voice trembled. "I made a pact with the nebula. I seek power beyond the stars."

Kazuki's gaze held sorrow. "Nakashi, envy blinds you. True strength lies not in rivalry, but in unity."

But Nakashi was resolute. He invoked the Eclipse Pact, and shadows enveloped him. His hair turned silver, and his eyes mirrored the void. He had become the Shadowborne, a being of darkness and desperation.

"I will surpass you," Nakashi vowed, "even if it consumes me."

In the heart of the Celestial Arena, where stars bore witness to the battles of titans, Kazuki faced Nakashi, whose form was now shrouded in the shadows of the Eclipse Pact.

"Nakashi," Kazuki called out, his voice echoing with the power of the Tempest Ascendant. "This is not the way. The path you've chosen leads only to ruin."

Nakashi, now the Shadowborne, laughed bitterly. "You speak of ruin, yet it is your power I sought to match. Why should you be the only beacon?"

Kazuki shook his head. "It was never about being the only one. It's about standing together, united against the darkness that threatens us all."

The two warriors circled each other, the air crackling with conflicting energies. Kazuki's lightning illuminated the arena, while Nakashi's shadows threatened to extinguish that light.

With a burst of speed, Kazuki closed the distance. He struck not with the intent to harm, but to awaken. Each blow was a reminder—a memory of their shared past, of the bond they formed as friends and rivals.

Nakashi fought back, his shadowy tendrils lashing out. But with each strike, he found himself faltering, the whispers of the nebula growing fainter. Kazuki's words echoed in his mind, piercing the veil of envy and pride.

"Remember who you are, Nakashi," Kazuki implored. "You are not defined by the power you wield, but by the choices you make."

As the battle raged, the shadows began to recede. Nakashi's eyes, once filled with the void, now showed a glimmer of clarity. The Eclipse Pact's grip weakened, and the nebula's whispers turned to screams.

With one final effort, Kazuki unleashed the Stormbreaker Wave, not as an attack, but as a surge of purifying energy. It enveloped Nakashi, stripping away the darkness, revealing the proud warrior beneath.

Nakashi collapsed, his breaths ragged. Kazuki knelt beside him, offering a hand. "Let go of the envy, my friend. Together, we are stronger."

Slowly, Nakashi took Kazuki's hand, his eyes returning to their natural state. "Kazuki… I was lost, but you… you have shown me the way."

The Celestial Arena grew calm, the stars shining brighter than before. Kazuki and Nakashi stood side by side, their rivalry settled, their friendship renewed.