Daimo effortlessly blocked every tentacle Jackson sent his way. Even with Bash still trapped by his tail, his reflexes remained frighteningly sharp. He moved from one tentacle to another using Switch Mode, cutting them apart before they could land a clean hit.
But Jackson refused to back down.
"Sorry to disappoint you, old monster..." he shouted, breathing heavily. "But they won't disappear unless I want them to."
The severed tentacles began to regenerate, their forms quickly restoring themselves.
"And I won't let you kill him. He's our only hope of getting out of here."
Daimo let out a low, mocking laugh.
"Then I'll knock you out and drag you to my lady. I'm sure you'll thank me later."
"Come and try."
Jackson had barely finished speaking when Daimo vanished.
A split second later, he appeared behind him.
BAM!
His fist slammed into Jackson's back. The boy's eyes widened as the impact sent him crashing face-first into the ground. His tentacles weakened and fell still around him.
"JACK! Hey, Jack!"
Marcel screamed as he rushed toward his fallen friend.
Daimo turned to face him, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Guess I'll have to shut you up, too."
He activated Switch Mode and appeared directly in front of Marcel. Pulling back his fist, he prepared to deliver a brutal punch to the boy's face.
But before the blow could land, a hand clamped around his wrist.
"That's... enough... Daimo."
Daimo's smile faded.
Bash stood behind him, his body trembling. His breathing was ragged, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Yet despite his weakened state, he still had enough strength to stop Daimo's attack.
"I thought there was still a piece of the old you left," Bash continued, staring directly into Daimo's eyes. "But I was wrong. The Daimo I knew... the real Daimo... is long dead."
Daimo narrowed his eyes.
"You're still clinging to that useless friendship?"
"Shut up!"
Bash twisted his body and pulled with everything he had.
CRACK!
The tail wrapped around him snapped apart under the sudden burst of power. Its broken sections scattered across the ground as a violent wave of Renshical pressure erupted from Bash.
A brilliant red aura spread across his body, growing stronger with every passing second. The ground beneath his feet cracked, and nearby leaves were swept away by the overwhelming force.
Daimo took a step back, his expression hardening.
"So, you still had that much left in you..."
Bash didn't respond.
He activated Switch Mode and disappeared.
A moment later, he reappeared beside Marcel, who was kneeling over Jackson.
"Take care of your friend," Bash ordered, his voice strained but firm. "I'll deal with mine."
Marcel looked up at him in disbelief.
"Wait. You can't fight him alone."
"Just do as I say."
Bash turned and faced Daimo once more.
Daimo rolled his shoulders and grinned.
"Looks like you've forced yourself into some kind of death-wish breakthrough. Impressive, I suppose. But don't get too excited. I drained most of your Renshi. You're barely a shadow of the man you used to be."
Bash wiped the blood from his mouth and smirked.
"I don't need all my Renshi to put you in the ground. What's left is more than enough to send you to the afterlife."
"Big words for a dying man."
"Let's see if you can back yours up."
Bash vanished.
Daimo immediately raised his sword, anticipating an attack from behind. But instead, Bash appeared to his left, a sword forming in his right hand from a cloud of reddish smoke.
CLANG!
Their blades collided, sending sparks flying between them.
Daimo pushed forward, forcing Bash to give ground. He struck again, then again, each swing aimed at a vital part of Bash's body.
Bash barely managed to block the first two attacks. The third scraped across his shoulder, tearing through his harden skin and drawing blood.
Daimo grinned.
"Too slow!"
He swung for Bash's neck.
But Bash suddenly allowed his smoky sword to dissolve.
Daimo's blade cut through empty air.
Before he could correct his swing, Bash ducked beneath his arm and drove his right fist into his stomach. Red Renshi gathered around his knuckles, thickening into a dark, smoky coating just before impact.
BOOM!
The punch lifted Daimo off his feet and sent him soaring into the sky.
Bash immediately looked up, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath.
Daimo twisted in midair, regained his balance, and shot back down toward him, both legs extended for a crushing strike.
Bash crossed his arms over his chest.
CRASH!
The impact drove him several feet into the ground. Dirt and broken stones burst around his body, and his knees buckled beneath the force.
Daimo pressed down, attempting to crush him under his feet.
"You're finished, Bash."
Bash gritted his teeth. His arms trembled as he struggled to hold back the attack.
"Not... yet!"
He suddenly released one arm, grabbed Daimo's ankle, and twisted his body.
Daimo's eyes widened.
Bash used his opponent's momentum against him. With a powerful turn of his waist, he dragged Daimo off balance, spun him around, and hurled him toward the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
Daimo slammed into the earth.
The shockwave tore through the forest. Trees near the impact zone snapped in half, while others toppled under the force. A wide section of the forest floor collapsed into a crater, leaving the surrounding area covered in dust and shattered wood.
Bash landed a short distance away, one knee touching the ground.
His arms trembled, and the red aura surrounding him flickered.
He forced himself back to his feet.
As the dust began to settle, Bash raised his right hand. Red Renshi gathered above his palm, stretching outward until it formed a massive bow. He pulled back the string, and a gigantic arrow gradually took shape between his fingers.
Energy crackled along its surface.
The arrow grew longer and brighter as Bash poured what remained of his Renshi into it. The pressure became so intense that the loose stones around his feet began to tremble.
He aimed directly at Daimo's chest.
"Goodbye..." Bash whispered, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Old friend."
He released the string.
But the arrow never flew.
Daimo, still lying inside the crater, slowly lifted his head.
Then he smiled.
"Don't worry, Bash. I'll come for you again."
Bash froze.
"What?"
Before he could react, Daimo's entire body began to crumble. His skin broke apart into countless tiny particles, scattering through the air like ash.
Within seconds, nothing remained.
Bash stared at the empty crater, his bow still drawn.
"...What the hell?"
His eyes widened as the truth finally dawned on him.
No way. That wasn't the real Daimo?
He slowly lowered his bow, disbelief written across his face.
"I've been fighting a tentacle clone this entire time?"
His fingers tightened around the bowstring before he finally allowed the weapon to dissolve.
Just how strong have you become, Daimo?
He stood motionless for a moment, struggling to catch his breath. The red aura surrounding his body gradually faded, leaving him looking even more exhausted than before.
Then he remembered Jackson and Marcel.
"Tch. No time for this."
Bash turned and hurried back toward the boys.
He found Marcel kneeling beside Jackson, desperately trying to wake him.
"Move aside. Let me check him."
Marcel immediately made room.
Bash knelt beside Jackson and placed two fingers against his neck, checking his pulse. After a moment, the tension in his expression eased slightly.
"He's alive. Just unconscious."
Marcel released a shaky breath.
"Thank goodness..."
Bash slipped an arm beneath Jackson's shoulders, preparing to lift him.
Suddenly, Jackson's hand caught his wrist.
"No... No time..."
Bash looked down in surprise.
Jackson's eyes were barely open. His voice was weak, but he forced himself to maintain his grip on Bash's wrist.
"A kid and a woman... they're in trouble. We have to go. Now."
Bash frowned.
"What? Who's in trouble?"
"It's a long story."
Jackson slowly pushed himself up, wincing as pain shot through his back. Marcel hurried forward to support him.
"We need you to perform a technique for us," Jackson continued. "Me and Marcel. We have to reach my papa."
Bash blinked.
"Oh, I get it. You want your father to help rescue them. That makes sense."
Jackson shook his head.
"No. You've got it backwards."
He took a shaky breath and looked directly at Bash.
"My papa is the one putting them in danger. We're going there to stop him."
Bash's expression changed.
Jackson continued, explaining everything as quickly as his battered body would allow.
"We followed him all the way from our kingdom, hoping to hijack his teleportation spell and reach his destination. But things went wrong when we arrived in this kingdom."
Bash studied the two boys. They were exhausted, injured, and clearly in over their heads.
"Hold on," he said, his voice turning serious. "Where exactly are you boys from? And how long have you been following him?"
Jackson straightened as much as his injuries allowed.
"My papa is a Pro Darkside Knight of the Kingdom of Guhan."
He glanced at Marcel.
"And Marcel's papa is Guhan's Special Darkside Knight."
Bash's eyes narrowed.
"You're telling me the sons of two Darkside Knights are chasing after their own fathers?"
"Yes," Jackson replied without hesitation. "And both of them are making a huge mistake. We have to stop them before someone gets hurt."
Bash remained silent for several seconds.
Marcel glanced at him before leaning toward Jackson and muttering,
"Great. Now he probably thinks we're just a couple of kids who don't know what we're getting ourselves into."
Jackson didn't respond.
Marcel's words, however, prompted a different thought in Bash's mind.
Exca.
Lyon.
Their sons.
And the fact that these two boys were willing to stand against their own fathers to protect innocent people.
A faint smile appeared on Bash's tired face.
What a small world.
He looked at Jackson and Marcel with renewed interest.
Exca's and Lyon's sons...
His smile widened slightly.
And they've chosen the right path.
"All right, boys. Tell me exactly where we're going."
His expression grew serious.
"If your fathers are involved in something dangerous, then we'd better move before it's too late."