The ground trembled as the clash between titans echoed across the shattered land. Trees had been reduced to splinters, stones cracked under pressure, and the air sizzled with raw energy.
Lumei, Sora, Chella, Yamato, and Ichiha finally arrived at the battlefield. They were panting, bruised from dodging residual energy blasts, but their eyes were focused straight ahead—on the two mighty figures at the center.
Ozaki was on one knee, his chest heaving as he gripped his blood-soaked scythe. Kaku, standing tall, was also bleeding, his breathing ragged, but his eyes held a dangerous glint. Blood dripped from Ozaki's mouth, and cuts marked his body. Kaku stepped forward, smirking darkly.
"You've done well, Ozaki," Kaku said, his voice gravelly with exhaustion. He pushed Ozaki backward with his foot, forcing him to the ground. "But this is where it all ends."
Yamato clenched his fists. He remained seated, watching every movement with silent intensity. His face was unreadable, but his eyes blazed with fury. He could feel it—Ozaki was nearing his limit.
Then, Kaku slammed his palm onto the ground. "Case Form: Form 4—God's Copy."
A wave of dark energy pulsed outward, and Kaku's body began to change. He touched the broken earth. "Bronze Golem Armor."
Golden-brown armor started to form around him, thick and metallic. It groaned as it latched onto his body. Yamato stood up sharply. "I'm going in."
Before anyone could respond, he shot forward like a blur. In one swift motion, Yamato slashed at Kaku with his blade. The blade shattered on impact, but the force pushed Kaku slightly back. The armor creaked.
Kaku's grin vanished, replaced by annoyance. "You again."
His armored fist lashed out, but Yamato dodged it, sliding low and striking with his fist. The impact dented the armor slightly, but Kaku responded with a brutal backhand that smashed into Yamato's shoulder, flinging him sideways.
Yamato stumbled but caught himself. He moved toward Ozaki and, with his leg, flipped the master backward into the air. "Sora!" he shouted.
Sora understood immediately and jumped, catching Ozaki midair before he hit the ground. She knelt beside him, checking his pulse. "He's alive… barely."
Kaku's eyes narrowed. He raised both hands. "Shadows Drought."
The battlefield grew darker as streams of living shadow twisted around him like ribbons. They launched themselves into the air, forming ghostly fists that attacked from all sides.
Yamato ducked and weaved, dodging many, but one clipped his side, sending him skidding across the dirt. Lumei's eyes widened. "That's… my technique…"
He gritted his teeth, then ran forward, whispering, "Shadows Demise."
His shadow slithered beneath Kaku and weakened Shadows Drought, dulling its speed and power. The fists slowed but still came.
"I can't cancel them fully," Lumei muttered, "They're not touching the ground!"
At that moment, the others leapt into action. Chella, Ichiha, and Sora ran forward.
"God Form!" they shouted together.
Chella activated "Form 1: Bronze Golem Armor." The massive suit wrapped around her, doubling her size. Though it slowed her down, each step was thunderous.
Ichiha shouted, "Form 1: Calamity Shock!"
Waves of glowing energy wrapped around his entire body, not just his arm. He trembled. His face twisted in pain, and tears streamed down his cheeks.
"This man… he ruined everything…" he muttered, voice shaking.
Sora's voice cut in. "Form 1: Water God Arrow!"
She conjured arrows made from the air's moisture, firing them rapidly. The sky shimmered with the sharp streams of blue energy.
Kaku smirked. "Calamity Shock. Water Arrow. Let me show you how it's really done."
Still inside the Bronze Golem armor, Kaku duplicated their abilities. A glowing blue arrow formed on his left, while his body crackled with energy. He looked like a monstrous combination of all their powers.
Sora struck first. Her arrows hit him dead-on, but they evaporated on impact. Ichiha called out, "Chella! Strike the armor!"
Chella ran in, each step slamming the earth. She threw punch after punch, denting the armor. Cracks began to form.
Kaku growled. He fired a copy of Sora's water arrow but missed— it tore through the sky like a meteor. Lumei, meanwhile, had gained full control of the shadows and used them to bind Kaku's legs.
"He's stuck!" Lumei yelled.
Kaku still swung wildly, but Chella pressed on. Finally, with perfect timing, Yamato ran in from behind.
He picked up Ozaki's scythe.
With a powerful spin, he slashed upward.
CLANG!
A massive dent tore into the armor. Kaku screamed in pain. He reeled back.
Ichiha ran forward, preparing his final strike.
But then—BOOM.
A shockwave, more powerful than anything before, ripped through the field. Everyone froze. Even Kaku looked around, wide-eyed.
The air shifted.
Yamato turned. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ozaki…"
Ozaki stood—tall and shaking. Blood still poured from him, but his eyes were no longer the same. They glowed bright red.
"I… I wasn't ready," he whispered. "But now I am."
His voice boomed with power. "God Form: Form 4—Kowichi's Daylight!"
A divine shape exploded into view behind him. It was the original God of Weapons—Kowichi himself—towering and shimmering, his scythe glinting in the fading light.
Kaku backed up. "That's… the actual god of weapons."
Ozaki extended his arm.
The scythe flew from Yamato's hand back to him.
He caught it with ease and swung it down once.
The blow was so strong it shattered every God Form present. Sora, Ichiha, Lumei, and Chella all dropped to the ground, their transformations breaking. Kaku screamed as the force hit him.
Half his body was gone.
The village around them? Obliterated.
Smoke and silence followed.
But then, Kaku laughed—a strange, deeper voice echoed through him.
"Kowichi…" the voice spoke, chilling the blood of everyone who heard it. "My greatest creation. So good to see you've found such a strong vessel."
The divine shape behind Ozaki—a vision of Kowichi—knelt.
That voice continued, "Kill this fool for me."
Kowichi rose and, in a godlike flash, entered Ozaki's body.
The transformation was immediate. Ozaki's power doubled. No—tripled.
He rushed forward, faster than any eye could track. His scythe pierced through Kaku again.
And again.
And again.
Kaku had already died from the first strike—but Ozaki kept going. A hundred more slashes followed, relentless and godly.
Blood and shadow flew with every strike.
"Stop!" Yamato cried, rushing forward and placing himself between Ozaki and what was left of Kaku.
Ozaki's scythe stopped—just inches from Yamato.
Silence.
The night was already upon them.
No shadows were left on the ground.
Ozaki was breathing heavily. His eyes slowly faded back to normal. The aura around him dimmed.
Lumei stepped forward carefully. "Master…"
Ozaki turned to face them. He blinked.
The others were silent. Chella wiped her eyes. Ichiha was still trembling. Sora was on her knees.
The fight was over.
But the war… had just begun.