Shadows Of Deception

The settlement was in chaos. The skies roared with an unforgiving wrath, as if the heavens themselves had declared war. Lei Gong, the God of Thunder, floated high above, his form a beacon of absolute power, lightning coursing over his body with a crackling hum. His cold, unyielding gaze swept over the God Hunter settlement.

Without a word, Lei Gong raised a hand, muttering, "Thunder Qilin."

A creature forged entirely of lightning and fury emerged from the storm clouds above, its body serpentine like a dragon yet possessing the solid, majestic frame of a unicorn. The Qilin danced through the air, its movements erratic yet graceful, as if the wind itself bowed to its command. Then, with a deafening roar, it shot downward, racing toward the settlement with blinding speed.

Anything the Qilin touched was reduced to nothing but ash and rubble. Wood from the settlement's houses burned to cinders, mothers screamed as they clutched their children, and buildings collapsed one by one under the sheer destructive force. Panic spread like wildfire as people scrambled for safety.

Amid the chaos, a blur of motion streaked through the air. Shiki.

With unerring precision, he snatched a child just moments before the Qilin's energy could consume them, his speed leaving only a faint ripple in the air. Appearing near a group of frightened people Arya had already saved, he placed the child down gently. "Stay here," he said firmly, his voice commanding yet soothing. "Do not move."

Before anyone could respond, Shiki disappeared again, dashing back into the settlement.

Standing in the heart of the destruction, Shiki faced the Qilin head-on as it charged again, its glowing form splitting the air with a high-pitched crackle. The lightning dragon roared, its jaws wide open to consume him. But Shiki did not flinch.

With a powerful leap, Shiki spun mid-air and delivered a devastating kick to the Qilin's glowing body. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, shaking the ground and nearby structures. The Qilin screeched as it was hurled backward, crashing into a distant mountain with enough force to shatter its peak. The lightning beast dissolved into a fading glow of sparks, its form gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Shiki landed gracefully, dusting himself off as though he had simply swatted a fly. His piercing gaze turned toward Lei Gong, who began to descend from the sky, his body still alight with arcs of electricity. The God of Thunder's expression remained impassive, yet his presence radiated a chilling sense of superiority.

"Well," Shiki said, a small smile curling on his lips. "Good thing the boys left before this mess. It's been a long time since I had a proper fight."

The air around Shiki grew heavier, a powerful aura rippling out from his body. The ground beneath him cracked under the pressure, and the very wind seemed to pause in reverence.

"Hanuman: Boons of the Gods,"

Shiki muttered, his voice echoing unnaturally.

A brilliant explosion of energy erupted from him, his entire form glowing with an intense red aura that pulsated with divine strength. The power emanating from Shiki now almost rivaled that of a god, his eyes gleaming with fiery determination. Lei Gong paused mid-descent, his own eyes narrowing slightly in acknowledgment of Shiki's power.

Far away, Seiji and the rest of the team materialized on a vast plain, surrounded by towering mountains. The peaks were so tall they seemed to pierce the clouds, their jagged edges casting long shadows over the land. The sheer scale of the landscape made the group feel insignificant, like ants beneath the gaze of giants.

Seiji, ever nonchalant, glanced around and muttered, "Well, this is a charming spot. A little more… dramatic . Is this what Atlantis looked like, Mengi?"

Mengi took a slow breath, his gaze scanning the horizon. "No," he said softly, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "But I can feel it. The city was here once. Its energy still lingers."

He turned to Jin. "Place your hands on the ground. Feel the energy beneath us."

Jin hesitated but knelt down, pressing his palms against the cool earth. His eyes fluttered shut as he concentrated. At first, there was nothing but silence. Then, like a tidal wave, an overwhelming surge of energy flooded his senses.

Jin's breathing quickened. "There's so much energy," he said, his voice trembling. "But there's pain… so much pain." His face twisted with sorrow as he sensed echoes of the cataclysmic events that had once torn this land apart.

Mengi nodded solemnly. "We're in the right place," he said. "But now you need to go deeper. Harness the power of your inner demon. Use it to connect with the energy here. Only then will you be able to find the remnants of Atlantis."

Jin's eyes opened, hesitating for a moment, but he nodded. Closing his eyes again, he began to channel the dark energy within him. His hands glowed faintly with an ominous black aura that pulsed in rhythm with the energy of the land.

"Focus," Mengi instructed, his tone firm but supportive.

Jin slammed his hands into the ground. The black energy surged outward like veins crawling through the earth. Images began to flicker in Jin's mind—fragmented memories, visions of the past. He saw glimpses of a grand city bathed in light, the laughter of its people, and then the horrors of its destruction. Each image came faster than the last, a chaotic whirlwind of emotions and events.

Suddenly, Jin's eyes shot open. He gasped, his voice filled with certainty. "We're standing on Atlantis," he said. "It never moved. It was hidden away."

Mengi smiled, placing a hand on Jin's shoulder. "Then we've found it."