The giant staggered beneath the crushing weight of Peaches' hammer, struggling desperately to keep it from descending. Renshi crackled around the weapon as its immense force threatened to drive him into the ground.
"RRRAAAHHH!"
Peaches roared, the muscles in his tattooed arms bulging as he poured more strength into the attack. Cracks spread beneath the giant's feet. His arms trembled, and his knees slowly began to buckle.
Then Eren made his move.
His body flashed with lightning as he activated Switch Mode, appearing behind Peaches in an instant. Gripping Storm Breaker with both hands, he swung at Peaches' back, aiming to cleave him in half.
But Peaches suddenly stopped roaring.
A chilling grin crept across his face.
He twisted around, his eyes blazing red.
Two beams of dark Renshi erupted from his eyes, shooting straight toward Eren.
BZZZZZZHHHHH!
Eren barely had time to react before the beams collided with Storm Breaker.
Cracks spread across the weapon.
"What…?"
CRACK!
The axe shattered into countless fragments.
Before Eren could retreat, the remaining force of the beams tore through his chest.
"Ghhhk!"
Blood spilled from his mouth as he crashed to the ground. His eyes widened in disbelief before his body went limp.
At the same moment, Peaches' hammer came crashing down.
BOOOOM!
The giant's body shattered beneath the devastating impact, breaking apart into clouds of dust that scattered across the battlefield.
Silence followed.
In the distance, Raven lay unconscious, her body covered in deep wounds. Before losing consciousness, she had encased herself in ice in a desperate attempt to protect herself from the final attack. Even that defense had been shattered, leaving behind only a faint trace of her frozen aura.
Peaches stood amid the destruction. The dark tattoos covering his body glowed faintly before gradually fading, and the terrifying aura surrounding him began to subside.
He turned toward Lucy and walked over to her.
Lucy kept her sword in hand, maintaining her composure despite her exhaustion.
"I don't see why you think I'd hate you just because you've mastered your dark Renshical side," she said. "It doesn't change who you are."
Peaches' frightening grin disappeared. He lowered his head, regret clouding his expression.
"...I'm sorry, Lucy."
"It's fine. We have more important things to worry about."
She glanced toward the other side of the island.
"Let's focus on my master. I wonder how he's holding up over there."
---
**MEANWHILE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND…**
Miyamoto stood before the colossal being, his golden sword resting at his side.
"I think it's time to end this," he said coldly. "You've been stalling for too long. I understand that you desperately want to return to this world, but using a child as your host? That's just shameful."
The Buddha's deep voice rumbled across the battlefield.
"Listen to me, human. You are powerful and experienced. I will offer you a deal. Release me, and I will spare the boy."
Miyamoto narrowed his eyes.
"So you can talk after all."
He drew his golden sword, its blade catching the light.
"But there's nothing to discuss. We're not the same race, and I don't make deals with your kind."
He raised the sword slightly.
"I don't beg for mercy. And no matter how powerful you are, you don't scare me."
The Buddha chuckled, the sound reverberating through the surrounding rocks.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"And you have no idea who you're dealing with."
Miyamoto's Renshi surged.
His Bloodline Technique activated as he invoked Range Domain, lifting his body into the air.
The Buddha brought his enormous hands together.
BOOM!
The world twisted.
In an instant, the battlefield disappeared.
Miyamoto found himself standing atop an enormous stone altar. Towering Buddha statues surrounded the platform, while thousands of earth soldiers stood motionless below. Beyond them, mountains stretched into the distance, enclosing the entire domain like the walls of an enormous fortress.
The Buddha descended before him. As he approached, his massive body gradually shrank until he stood at a size closer to Miyamoto's.
"Within my domain, I can bring myself to your size," he declared. "Now, let us settle this fairly. Man against man."
Miyamoto smirked.
"Not bad for a First Generation spirit. I almost respect your principles."
He raised his sword.
"Too bad this won't last long."
The Buddha extended both arms. Stone gathered around his hands, gradually taking the shape of two enormous blades.
Without warning, he lunged.
CLANG!
Miyamoto activated Switch Mode and appeared beside him, bringing his sword down toward the Buddha's shoulder.
Sparks burst from the impact.
But the Buddha's stone body remained completely unharmed.
Miyamoto's eyes widened.
"What?"
The Buddha immediately counterattacked, swinging one blade upward while hurling the other toward Miyamoto's flank.
The second blade curved through the air, changing direction as though guided by an invisible hand.
Miyamoto barely managed to block the first strike. He then extended his free hand, pulling a massive boulder into the path of the second blade.
BOOOOM!
The collision sent fragments of stone flying across the altar.
"Don't think you're the only one with tricks!"
Miyamoto vanished again.
The Buddha turned just in time to block another slash, but the impact forced him several steps backward. Miyamoto pressed forward with a flurry of attacks, each strike faster than the last.
The Buddha met every blow with his twin blades.
Their weapons clashed repeatedly, sending shockwaves across the altar. Stone pillars crumbled, and cracks spread through the ground beneath their feet.
Neither gave the other a moment to breathe.
Miyamoto suddenly leaped backward, concentrating golden Renshi along his sword.
"Point Pierce!"
He swung.
A devastating slash tore through the mountain behind the Buddha, splitting it in two. Before the severed half could fall, Miyamoto seized control of it with his Range Domain and hurled the enormous mass of rock toward his opponent.
The Buddha simply raised one finger.
The mountain disintegrated before reaching him, scattering into countless tiny pieces.
Miyamoto watched the fragments fall, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
"So that's how it works. You control everything within your domain."
"Now you understand," the Buddha replied. "Surrender, and I will honor my deal."
"Shut your mouth, you moron. I'm done wasting time. I need to get back to my girls."
Miyamoto lowered his sword and extended his right hand.
His Range Domain pulsed.
"There's something you haven't understood about my ability. I can control non-living things with ease…"
His gaze fixed on the Buddha's chest.
"…but controlling living things is much harder."
The Buddha smirked.
"Then you've already admitted your weakness. I am alive. Your ability cannot control me."
"That's where you're wrong."
Suddenly, the Buddha's body jerked forward.
His smirk vanished.
"What?"
He tried to plant his feet against the ground, but his enormous body continued sliding toward Miyamoto. The stone beneath his feet shattered as he struggled against the invisible force dragging him forward.
"This is impossible…"
Miyamoto narrowed his eyes.
"No. You're simply mistaken about what I can do."
The Buddha roared and swung his blades, desperately attempting to break free. But the closer he was dragged toward Miyamoto, the stronger the pull became.
Miyamoto's outstretched hand trembled under the strain.
At last, the Buddha was dragged within reach.
Miyamoto slammed his palm against the glowing point on the giant's chest.
The Buddha's eyes widened.
"What have you…"
"EXPLODE!"
Miyamoto's Range Domain erupted with power.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire altar shook violently as a blinding flash swallowed the Buddha's colossal body.
Cracks raced across the ground. The surrounding statues shattered, and even the sky seemed to split beneath the force of the explosion.