—
A storm of energy exploded from Akushiro as the Mirror Core fused with his body. The sky above split, forming a jagged spiral of swirling Rift light. Buildings trembled. Shadows peeled from the ground like living creatures, howling into the chaos.
Kazuki staggered, shielding his eyes. "That's not just power—it's rewriting physics!"
Ayame gritted her teeth. "He's becoming something… inhuman."
Akushiro hovered above the city, his new form monstrous yet divine—hair trailing like ink in water, eyes ablaze with fractal light, and wings made of glass-like energy shards. His voice echoed from all directions.
"You clung to limits, Hoshiro. I chose freedom."
Below, Hoshiro stood tall, silent, his mask fractured, blue aura rising like a flame refusing to be snuffed out.
"I see you now," he said. "All of you."
He pressed a hand to his chest. The First Blade responded—unleashing a calm surge of energy that spiraled upward, wrapping him in a second layer of aura. Crimson and blue interwove.
Ayame gasped. "He's synchronizing with the Rift too—but on his own terms."
"I don't need to lose myself to become stronger," Hoshiro said, raising his blade. "Let's end this."
Akushiro roared, launching forward with a blast that split the skyline.The two collided mid-air.
Light and shadow clashed. Time trembled.
And far beneath the battle, the Balance Stone—sealed deep within the earth—began to glow.