The sky rippled with light as Hoshiro and Akushiro's clash reached its peak—two silhouettes, mirrors of one another, locked in a dance of fury and fate. Every blow shattered air, bent time, and cracked reality.
Below, Kazuki stared upward in disbelief. "They're literally tearing physics apart."
Ayame wiped blood from her lip, watching closely. "This isn't just about power anymore. It's about will."
—
High above, Akushiro lunged with a roar, blades of shadow spiraling from his arms. "You were *never* meant to exist," he snarled. "I was created to replace you—perfect, pure, unbroken!"
Hoshiro sidestepped, their blades meeting in a blinding arc of light and darkness. "Then why am I the one still standing?"
They broke apart midair.
Akushiro's eyes widened as cracks spread across his armor—veins of light eating through the shadows. "Impossible…"
Hoshiro floated, cloak fluttering, mask cracked but glowing. "You were forged from my pain, my fear. But I've made peace with it."
—
Suddenly, a massive ripple surged from the city center. The Crimson Rift—once sealed—began to reopen.
Kazuki shouted into his comms, "Uh, guys? We've got a *bigger* problem!"
Ayame cursed. "If that Rift opens, every dimension we've touched will bleed into ours!"
—
Above, Hoshiro took one last breath.
"Let's end this."
With a final charge, he struck through Akushiro's chest, unleashing a pulse of blue-white flame that lit the sky.
Akushiro gasped—then smiled softly. "So… you *were* the stronger one."
And he vanished.
—
But as the light faded, Hoshiro turned—eyes wide.
The Rift… was still opening.
And something massive was coming through.
—