The ground shook as one of the peak Special Darkside Spirits swung its massive, scaled leg into Amanda's ribs.
BOOM!
The impact sent her flying into the air, her body spinning uncontrollably.
"Amanda..."
Before Lucy could move, Miyamoto vanished.
"Switch Mode!"
He reappeared in midair and caught Amanda just before she could fall. A moment later, he used Switch Mode again, returning to Lucy's side as he carefully lowered Amanda to the ground.
"You girls are having a rough time, huh?" he remarked calmly.
His twin swords remained sheathed.
"I'm sorry, Master," Lucy said, struggling to stand. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. "These two are stronger than we expected."
"Shut up, you lazy brat," Amanda snapped, forcing herself upright despite the pain in her ribs.
She tightened her grip on her sword.
"We can beat them. We just need to fight together."
Miyamoto's expression hardened.
"Enough. I know how obsessed you are with becoming stronger. To you, this battle is a chance to prove yourself. But you're not looking at the bigger picture."
His voice grew colder.
"You have no experience fighting monsters of this calibre. Charging back in without a plan isn't courage, Amanda. It's suicide."
"To hell with that," Amanda shouted. "I'm not backing down. If you're not going to let me fight, then I'll do it myself."
Miyamoto sighed and shook his head in disappointment.
"Listen carefully, sis. Obsession alone won't make you strong. You need patience, discipline, and experience. Strength comes from following the process, not throwing your life away against an opponent you can't handle."
Amanda clenched her teeth, unable to find an immediate response.
"Amanda."
Lucy's voice interrupted them.
She steadied her sword. Her legs were trembling, but her gaze remained fixed on the two monsters ahead.
"If you insist on fighting, then I'll fight beside you. But don't expect me to protect your pride."
She glanced at Amanda, her expression firm.
"If we die here because you refuse to think, I'll never forgive you. So either we work together and survive, or we fall together."
Amanda stared at her for a moment before looking away.
"Tch. Fine."
"The jade is in your hands now. If things get worse, use it."
Lucy nodded.
Miyamoto turned away.
"I won't interfere anymore. You two need to learn how to handle a situation like this yourselves."
"Wait, Master..."
Before Lucy could finish, Miyamoto activated Switch Mode and disappeared.
He reappeared several metres in front of Alaska.
The towering Darkside Spirit grinned, his golden scales glimmering beneath the fading light. A massive blade emerged from his arm, its sharpened edge scraping against the ground as he dragged it forward.
"So, you've finally stopped babysitting," Alaska said with a low chuckle. "Now we can get serious."
Miyamoto drew his crimson and sky-blue swords.
"That's exactly what I intend to do."
Alaska lunged first.
His enormous blade came crashing down, but Miyamoto sidestepped at the last instant. The weapon struck the ground, sending chunks of earth flying in every direction.
Miyamoto immediately retaliated with a swift cross-slash. His crimson blade trailed flames, while the blue one released a burst of freezing air.
CLANG!
Alaska raised his armoured forearm to block the attack. Sparks scattered as Miyamoto's blades scraped against his scales.
The Darkside Demon immediately swung his free arm, forcing Miyamoto to retreat.
Miyamoto darted forward again, alternating between his two swords. Each strike targeted a different opening, forcing Alaska to defend his head, torso, and legs. Flames scorched the demon's golden armour, while frost spread across the areas struck by the blue blade.
But Alaska's defences were formidable.
He conjured a golden shield over his forearm and used it to deflect Miyamoto's next attack. With his other hand, he swung his colossal blade horizontally.
Miyamoto ducked beneath it, but the sheer force of the swing unleashed a powerful gust that tore through the nearby trees.
"You've improved," Alaska remarked, turning to face him. "Your movements are sharper, and your Renshi control is much better than before."
Miyamoto said nothing.
He released his Renshi across the battlefield, sensing the flow of energy around Alaska and adjusting his movements accordingly. The surrounding currents helped propel his steps and redirect his momentum, allowing him to attack from unexpected angles.
Alaska adapted quickly.
He began timing his counters to Miyamoto's movements, striking whenever the swordsman committed too heavily to an attack.
"Still predictable..."
Alaska roared as he brought his blade down with both hands.
Miyamoto crossed his swords to block, but the impact drove him backward. His boots carved two deep trenches into the earth before he finally regained his footing.
His arms tingled from the force of the blow.
He's stronger than I expected.
Miyamoto exhaled slowly and adjusted his grip.
Alaska charged again.
This time, Miyamoto met him head-on.
Their weapons collided repeatedly, each impact sending shockwaves through the surrounding forest. Miyamoto's flames burned against Alaska's golden armour, while his ice weakened the demon's movements wherever it managed to penetrate his defences.
Gradually, Miyamoto began forcing Alaska backward.
Then he spotted an opening.
He sprang into the air, drawing both swords close to his body as he concentrated his Renshi into their blades.
Flames surged along the crimson sword. Frost crystallised around the blue one, spreading through the air like a web of glittering shards.
Miyamoto descended with a powerful crossing slash.
Alaska's eyes widened slightly. He raised his golden shield and reinforced it with Renshi.
KRAAAAAASH!
The collision shook the battlefield.
The shield cracked under the combined force of fire, ice, and steel before shattering completely. The remaining energy struck Alaska and hurled him through the air.
He crashed into the forest beyond, smashing through several trees before disappearing into a cloud of dust.
The shockwave tore through the surrounding woodland, uprooting trees and splitting the earth. Far in the distance, a towering mountain developed a jagged fracture along its face before a massive section collapsed with a thunderous roar.
Miyamoto landed heavily, one knee touching the ground.
His breathing had grown uneven. The attack had consumed a considerable amount of Renshi.
He slowly rose, keeping both swords ready.
Laughter echoed through the dust.
"Hahahaha! Impressive, Miyamoto!"
Alaska emerged from the wreckage, his body split in two.
Before Miyamoto could launch another attack, the severed halves began pulling together. Flesh and scales twisted as the wounds closed, restoring the Darkside Demon's body within seconds.
Alaska rolled his shoulders, examining the damage to his armour.
"But did you really think that would kill me?"
His golden eyes narrowed.
"Your attack was powerful enough to destroy my shield, tear through the forest, and split a mountain. Yet here I am, perfectly fine."
He glanced toward the ruined woodland.
"Look at what you've destroyed. The town, the forest, the land itself. All that power, and you still haven't killed me."
Miyamoto tightened his grip on his swords.
So even an attack like that isn't enough.
Alaska's grin widened.
"Now you've forced my hand."
His golden scales began shifting across his body, overlapping and thickening until they formed a dense layer of armour. Two enormous horns emerged from his skull as his frame grew larger and more imposing.
The pressure of his Renshi surged, making the ground tremble beneath his feet.
"I must admit, you've trained those girls remarkably quickly," Alaska said, cracking his neck. "I'm impressed. They're both holding their own against two peak Special Darkside Spirits. But now it's my turn to show you what I can really do."
Miyamoto lowered his stance, his gaze fixed on Alaska.
Damn it. He's been holding back this entire time.
Meanwhile, Amanda and Lucy were struggling to hold their ground against the two peak Special Darkside Spirits.
One of the creatures lunged at Lucy, its claws tearing through the air. She barely managed to deflect the attack, but the impact forced her backward.
"Amanda! Watch your left!"
Amanda spun around just in time to block the second monster's strike. The force drove her down to one knee, sending pain shooting through her injured ribs.
She gritted her teeth and shoved the creature's claws aside before retreating.
Lucy wiped the blood from her lips.
We can't keep defending like this.
Across from her, Amanda steadied her breathing and raised her sword again.
"Lucy! I'll draw its attention. Look for an opening."
"Don't get carried away! We need to time our attacks together," Lucy warned.
"Yeah, yeah! I heard you," Amanda replied casually.
Far away, Miyamoto glanced in their direction while keeping Alaska in sight.
Hang in there, you two.
Don't you dare give up now.