The ground shook violently as the castle collapsed behind them. Massive chunks of stone crashed into the earth, sending clouds of dust and debris sweeping across the battlefield. Flames flickered among the ruins, and the thunderous sound of collapsing walls echoed throughout Green Pasture.
Panic erupted across the town.
Citizens poured out of their homes, screaming as they rushed toward the gates. Some stumbled over the uneven streets, while others desperately helped their families escape the destruction.
Lucy and Amanda steadied themselves, their eyes fixed on the ruined castle.
"Master, are you okay?" they asked together.
Miyamoto stood in front of them, his black cape fluttering in the wind. Dust covered his clothes, but he appeared unharmed.
"I'm fine. What about you two? Are you injured?"
"Not at all," Amanda replied.
Lucy quickly shook her head.
Miyamoto nodded, but his expression soon turned serious.
"Good. Now listen carefully. Bringing you here was a mistake. This mission is far beyond your current abilities."
Amanda frowned.
"Master..."
"Don't interrupt me."
His voice was firm enough to silence her.
"The creature we encountered inside that castle isn't an ordinary Special Darkside Spirit. He's a Darkside Demon. That's what the rumours call him, but his strength rivals that of an Ultra Darkside Spirit. His power is at least twenty times greater than that of a peak Special Darkside Spirit."
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Twenty times stronger than a peak Special Darkside Spirit?"
Amanda, however, wasn't ready to back down.
"So he's stronger than an ordinary Witch Darkside Spirit. Fine. He's powerful, but that doesn't mean we can't---"
"Stop underestimating him," Miyamoto snapped. "You haven't even experienced the full pressure of his Renshi, yet you're already talking about defeating him."
Amanda gritted her teeth but said nothing.
Miyamoto reached beneath his clothes and pulled out a small jade pendant hanging from a chain around his neck. Silver inscriptions glowed faintly across its surface.
He placed it in Amanda's hand.
"Listen carefully. If things get out of control, crush this jade. It'll activate a teleportation spell and send both of you straight back to the Kingdom of Purity."
Amanda stared down at the pendant.
"What about you?"
"I'll handle myself. No one here can kill me."
Lucy immediately shook her head.
"No. We're not leaving you here, Master. If you're in danger, we'll fight beside you."
Miyamoto looked at her for a moment.
"Lucy, this isn't about courage. There's a difference between standing your ground and throwing your life away. If you two get caught in the middle of this battle, I won't be able to protect you and fight at the same time."
Suddenly, a deafening impact shook the ground.
BOOM!
A massive figure crashed down several metres away, cracking the earth beneath its feet. The impact sent a wave of dust sweeping across the battlefield, forcing the three of them to jump backward to avoid the flying debris.
As the dust settled, a towering Darkside Spirit emerged.
It stood nearly nine feet tall, its body covered in overlapping metallic-black scales that reflected the crimson glow of its Renshi. Its broad shoulders and thick arms gave it a terrifying appearance, while its blood-red eyes settled on the trio with cruel amusement.
A low laugh escaped its mouth.
"What a cruel fate, Miyamoto. Forced to protect the daughters of a man whose name even the abyss fears to whisper. How unfortunate for you."
Miyamoto's expression changed.
He recognized that voice.
The Darkside Demon slowly rose above the ground, but it wasn't flying. Metallic scales extended from its body, forming a series of steps beneath its feet. Each one supported its weight long enough for it to climb before breaking apart and disappearing.
The creature continued ascending until it stood high above the battlefield.
Then it extended one arm.
More metallic scales peeled away from its body, assembling into a massive throne of jagged black metal. Once it was complete, the Darkside Demon settled into the seat, crossed one leg over the other, and rested his cheek against one hand.
His eyes remained fixed on Miyamoto.
"Now then," he said with a sinister grin. "Show me what you've got."
Miyamoto tightened his grip on his swords.
"Alaska," he muttered. "One of the Witch Darkside Demons."
Before anyone could move, the earth began to split apart.
Cracks spread across the battlefield as hundreds of Alpha Darkside Spirits clawed their way out of the ground. Some emerged beneath the broken streets, while others forced their way through the soil surrounding the ruined castle.
Their sharp tails whipped through the air as they gathered around the trio.
The town was soon filled with their deafening screeches.
At the same time, one of the two merged Special Darkside Spirits broke away from the ruins and charged toward the fleeing citizens.
Miyamoto's gaze immediately shifted toward it.
Damn it. They're targeting the residents.
He couldn't allow that creature to reach the crowded streets. However, with Alaska watching from above and hundreds of Alphas closing in, turning his back on the swarm would leave Lucy and Amanda exposed.
He quickly assessed the battlefield before stepping forward.
"Both of you, stay here. Don't chase after any of them, no matter what happens."
Amanda immediately protested.
"Master, let me fight. I can't just stand here while you do everything. Those people need our help."
"You'll have your chance to fight," Miyamoto replied, drawing two swords from their scabbards. "But right now, the best thing you can do is watch and learn. If you rush into that swarm without understanding how they move, you'll be dead before you can draw your second breath."
Amanda reluctantly held her ground.
The nearest Alpha let out a roar and charged.
Several others followed, their claws tearing through the dirt as they rushed toward Miyamoto from different directions.
He lowered his stance.
"Let's get started."
BOOM!
Miyamoto activated Switch Mode.
His figure vanished just as the first Alpha swung its bladed arm through the space where he had been standing.
He reappeared beside the creature, his sword sweeping horizontally through its neck. Before its body could hit the ground, he shifted toward another attacker and drove his second blade through its chest.
He pulled the sword free, twisted away from a sweeping tail, and slashed through the creature's exposed neck.
Three Alphas fell within a second.
The remaining creatures quickly adjusted their approach. Rather than attacking individually, several spread out in an attempt to surround him, while others hung back, waiting for an opening.
Miyamoto noticed the change.
At least they aren't completely mindless.
One Alpha lunged from his left while another attacked from behind. He ducked beneath the first strike, twisted away from the second, and activated Switch Mode to reposition himself beyond their reach.
The two creatures collided.
Before either could recover, Miyamoto cut them down.
He continued moving through the swarm, using short bursts of Switch Mode to avoid being surrounded. Each time he appeared, one or more Alphas fell. But the technique demanded precise timing. He couldn't simply attack without keeping track of his surroundings, especially with so many enemies closing in from every direction.
Within thirty seconds, dozens of Alphas lay scattered across the battlefield.
Lucy watched in disbelief.
"He's moving so fast I can barely follow him."
Amanda's eyes followed Miyamoto's movements, trying to understand how he chose his next target.
"He isn't just moving quickly," she murmured. "He's watching their attacks and deciding where to appear before they can react."
Even so, the sheer number of enemies was becoming a problem.
More Alphas continued emerging from the ground, filling the spaces left by their fallen companions. A few began circling toward Lucy and Amanda, seemingly recognizing that the sisters were less experienced fighters.
Miyamoto noticed immediately.
He jumped backward, creating a small opening between himself and the nearest attackers.
Then he threw both swords into the air.
The blades spun above him, surrounded by a faint glow of Renshi. Instead of falling, they hovered at his sides, responding to his control.
Miyamoto reached into his scabbards and drew his remaining two swords.
With another quick movement, he removed his wide-brimmed hat and sent it spinning toward the sisters.
"Keep your eyes open. They're going to try to get past me."
The hat circled behind Lucy and Amanda, its reinforced edge slicing through the air. Miyamoto had directed it to intercept anything approaching them, but it could only cover a limited area. The sisters still needed to remain alert.
He turned back toward the swarm.
His two floating swords darted forward, striking at the Alphas attempting to attack him from a distance. Miyamoto advanced behind them, using his remaining blades to block incoming claws and deliver precise counterattacks.
One Alpha swung its bladed arm toward his head.
Miyamoto raised a sword to intercept the strike, but the force pushed him back half a step. He twisted his wrist, redirected the creature's arm, and cut across its torso.
Another Alpha lunged at his exposed side.
He activated Switch Mode and appeared behind it, slashing through the base of its neck before it could turn around.
Above the battlefield, Alaska watched with growing interest.
"So this is the skill of the famous Miyamoto," he murmured, resting his chin against his hand. "Not bad."
Meanwhile, Amanda and Lucy stood back-to-back, keeping their attention on the surrounding battlefield.
"Master really is fighting on every side at once," Amanda muttered.
A sudden movement caught their attention.
Four Alphas burst out of the ground directly in front of them, sending dirt and broken stones flying. The nearest creature immediately lunged toward Lucy, its bladed arm raised to strike.
Lucy froze for a fraction of a second.
Before she could even draw her sword, Miyamoto's hat shot across the battlefield.
Its sharp edge sliced through the attacking creature's neck before continuing into the next Alpha. The remaining two attempted to scatter, but the spinning hat changed direction and cut them down before they could reach the sisters.
Their bodies collapsed at Lucy and Amanda's feet.
The hat curved through the air and returned to its defensive position behind them.
Amanda swallowed.
"That was close."
Lucy nodded, her breathing still uneven.
"Too close."
"Then stay focused," Amanda said, drawing her sword halfway from its scabbard. "We can't expect Master to save us every time."
They turned their attention back to Miyamoto, watching more carefully as he moved, avoided attacks, and chose the right moments to strike.
The battle continued.
Whenever the Alphas tried to overwhelm Miyamoto with numbers, he used Switch Mode to escape their encirclement. When they spread out to limit his movements, his floating swords attacked from different angles, forcing them to defend themselves instead of advancing.
After several minutes, however, the number of Alphas began to dwindle.
The last few creatures attempted to retreat toward the cracks in the earth, but Miyamoto cut off their escape routes and finished them before they could disappear underground.
Bodies lay scattered across the broken battlefield as the dark Renshi slowly faded from the air.
Miyamoto stood among the fallen creatures, breathing steadily. With a flick of his wrist, the spinning hat returned to his hand. He placed it back on his head, then recalled his floating swords and slid them into their scabbards.
He kept his remaining two blades drawn.
Finally, he raised his gaze toward Alaska's throne.
"You've watched long enough," Miyamoto called out, his voice cold. "You know these little ones aren't enough to stop me. How long are you planning to sit there and do nothing, Alaska?"