Malekith's face twisted with rage the moment Ryuuto blocked his attack. And worse—those Tai Particles, the treasure he had schemed for across countless cycles—were now firmly in Ryuuto's hand.
His crimson eyes bulged.
If looks could kill, Ryuuto would've died several times already.
"You little—! This was your plan all along!? To steal the Tai Particles from the Dark Elves!?"
Ryuuto casually blew a speck of dust off the glowing white orb in his palm.
"Relax. I'm not stealing. I'm just… borrowing the thing you stole first."
Shadow Clone Technique.
Dozens of clones burst into existence around him, shielding the collapsed Jane. Ryuuto smirked at Malekith while waving the Tai Particles like a toy.
"And let's be honest. These don't belong to you. So I'll be taking custody."
"THEY BELONG TO ME!"
Dark energy surged violently around Malekith as he lifted his hands, forming a massive sphere of compressed darkness.
He snapped at his army:
"All Dark Elves, listen! Kill them! Kill these two now!"
From every direction, Dark Elves flooded toward them like a tidal wave of shadow, their eyes glimmering with bloodlust.
"Rip them apart!"
"Offer their hearts to the sacred land!"
Ryuuto rolled his shoulders.
"Good grief. Fine. If everyone wants a piece of me today, line up."
He launched forward instead of retreating, plunging straight into the center of the horde.
Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!
Chakra roared through his body. Ancient trees erupted from the barren ground, spreading for miles in seconds. Roots and vines shot upward, pulling Dark Elves off their feet and pinning them in place.
Ryuuto blitzed through the chaos, punching and kicking with the force of detonations.
He seized several tangled Dark Elves and hurled them straight at Malekith's dark energy sphere—letting the villain's own attack vaporize his men.
Ryuuto clicked his tongue.
"Messed up, man. Killing your own guys? Even I'm not that heartless."
"You brat… I'll tear you to pieces!"
Malekith spat blood in fury. His perfect plan was collapsing, and humiliation burned through him.
"Out of my way! Useless trash!"
He blasted aside the last of his own soldiers and lunged at Ryuuto, murder blazing in his eyes.
Ryuuto floated calmly in midair, raising the Tai Particles so their glow cast harsh shadows on Malekith's twisted face.
"You know why your race fell, Malekith? Because it's led by someone like you. I'm not giving these back. Ever."
"What—!?
STOP!! DON'T YOU DARE—!"
Malekith charged, panic shredding his composure.
Ryuuto slid one finger along the orb.
And absorbed the Tai Particles into his own body.
Light sank into his skin like liquid fire.
"YOU'RE DEAD! DEAD!! I'LL CARVE THEM OUT OF YOUR CORPSE!"
Dark energy erupted from Malekith in a world-shaking blast.
The ground split. The sky rippled.
Every Dark Elf stare froze in terror.
Ryuuto exhaled slowly.
Alright then. Time to stop holding back.
Eight Inner Gates.
First Gate: Open.
Second Gate: Open.
Third Gate: Open.
Fourth Gate: Open.
Fifth Gate: Open.
Sixth Gate: Open.
Seventh Gate: OPEN!
Chakra exploded from his body in a storm of red light.
The air churned. The earth cracked under his feet.
Malekith's full-power blast slammed into him—
—and did absolutely nothing.
Ryuuto stood unmoving. Untouched.
Eyes glowing like twin suns.
Malekith's voice trembled.
"W-what… are you…?"
Ryuuto let his Transformation Technique drop, revealing his usual face—sharp eyes, messy hair, and that infuriatingly confident smirk.
"You forgot? I'm the X-Men captain you and Thor were so scared of."
He clenched his fist.
Chakra wrapped around it like a burning comet.
"If you still can't remember—"
Ryuuto stepped once.
The world cracked beneath him.
"Then I'll beat it into your skull."
His punch shot forward like lightning.
"WAKE UP."