The sky cracked open like shattered glass.
A black sun rose over the mountains, blotting out the moon and stars. Winds whipped the forest into a frenzy, uprooting trees and tearing chunks of earth from the ground. Rivers boiled. Mountains shivered.
The temple trembled beneath the ominous presence. Even the wards of Ryou, Rin, and Seiji shivered as if bowing to a greater power.
And then… a shadow fell.
A figure descended from the blackened sky, wings spanning wider than any mountain range. Obsidian chains swirled around him, shattered remnants of his prison trailing behind like torn banners. His horns pierced the clouds. His eyes glowed like eclipsing stars, radiating a cold so intense it burned the soul.
The Fallen Demon King had arrived.
---
Arrival
Kanji stood at the temple's entrance, midnight-blue sword in hand. His aura blazed—gold, crimson, and shadow spiraling outward like a storm of molten stars.
He didn't flinch.
He didn't hesitate.
Not yet.
The Demon King landed with a shockwave that sent stones flying for miles. The ground cracked beneath him, and shadows surged outward, bowing to his command.
"Kanji…" the Demon King's voice rumbled, deep enough to shake the mountains themselves.
"Child of ruin. Heir of destruction. You have grown… but it is still not enough."
Rin and Seiji trembled behind him. Ryou's staff glowed with every ounce of protective magic he could muster, but even he could not hide the fear in his eyes.
Kanji's grip tightened around his sword.
"I've grown," he said steadily, aura radiating, "and I will stop you."
---
The First Strike
With a roar that echoed across the world, the Demon King raised his hand. Shadows surged like rivers of black fire, tearing the earth and rushing toward the temple like a tidal wave.
Kanji stepped forward. Chains of molten light and shadow erupted from his sword, clashing with the black torrents. Shockwaves ripped through the air, toppling the remaining wards.
The Demon King laughed, a sound like grinding mountains.
"Impressive… but mere child's play!"
He descended, swinging a clawed hand that could crush mountains. Kanji met it head-on, sword glowing like a supernova. The impact sent a shockwave so powerful it split the nearby forest into splinters and sent Rin and Seiji flying.
Kanji gritted his teeth. The sword pulsed violently, almost alive, resonating with his heartbeat.
"I am not a child!" he thought.
"I am the Starborn. I am the heir of fire and shadow!"
---
The Battle Escalates
The Demon King struck again, faster this time. Each blow ripped the air, tearing reality itself. Mountains crumbled. Rivers boiled. Shadows became weapons, striking with precision, dragging at Kanji's soul, attempting to overwhelm his senses.
Kanji unleashed Starborn Mode fully. Golden and crimson energy swirled, twisting around the midnight-blue blade. He moved faster than the eye could follow, every strike precise, every swing cleaving the tendrils of darkness the Demon King sent his way.
But the King laughed again.
"You cannot defeat me with raw power alone!"
He raised his other hand. The black sun above the mountains flared. Shadows condensed into colossal forms, amalgamations of every demon and nightmare he had ever conquered.
Kanji's eyes widened.
This is the army of a god…
He roared, spinning his sword in a wide arc. The air ignited with molten light. Stars seemed to fall around him as he struck, annihilating wave after wave of shadow beasts, yet more poured from the black sun above.
---
A Moment of Clarity
Rin, from the sidelines, shouted:
"Kanji! You can't hold him forever!"
Kanji's mind raced. His sword pulsed with a whisper:
"The Demon King fears only one thing… the heir who embraces both halves completely."
He closed his eyes.
The blood of his father—feral, violent—coiled within him.
The blood of his mother—wise, magical, celestial—burned like starlight.
The Starborn mark flared, connecting him fully to the cosmic energy of the Forge.
He opened his eyes. Molten gold and shadow intertwined with starlight. He became something beyond half-demon or wizard. He was the fusion of destruction and creation, the Starborn heir in full.
He roared, raising his reforged sword.
"COME!"
The Demon King smirked, intrigued.
"Finally… you awaken fully. Let us see if the heir of ruin can survive the first blow."
With that, the Demon King descended with unstoppable speed, wings slicing the air, fists aimed to crush Kanji's very soul.
The clash of heir and king was about to begin.
---