Charlie stood firm, his body bruised but his stance unbroken.
He was ready.
Volt slowly pushed himself up, lightning crackling faintly around his body. A crooked smile appeared on his face.
Volt: "That punch… it was quite solid."
He rolled his neck once, electricity snapping through the air.
Volt: "But let me tell you something—just punching me won't be enough to defeat me."
Charlie didn't respond.
He bent his knees—and jumped.
In midair, Charlie twisted his body and threw another punch straight toward Volt's chest.
But this time—
The punch passed straight through him.
Charlie's eyes widened.
In the very next instant, a violent surge of electricity exploded through his arm. A massive shock ripped through his body, sending him crashing to the ground.
Volt looked down at him calmly.
Volt: "When I'm in power mode, physical attacks can't touch me."
He took a step forward.
Volt: "I already told you. Punches won't work on me."
Charlie gritted his teeth and forced himself back to his feet.
Again.
And again.
He charged—throwing punch after punch, each one faster, heavier than the last.
But none of them landed.
Every strike passed through Volt's body as if he were made of lightning itself.
Volt sighed.
Volt: "This is pointless."
In a blur, Volt appeared in front of Charlie.
He grabbed him by the throat with one hand.
With the other—
A lightning blow exploded point-blank.
Charlie was launched backward, smashing through multiple walls before finally crashing into the ruins beyond.
Volt turned away without even looking back.
He began walking toward Master Nijin.
Master Nijin stood his ground, his expression calm but firm.
Master Nijin: "Tell me, Volt. What is your true objective?"
Volt stopped.
Master Nijin: "Why do you want the sealed vault so badly?"
Volt glanced at him over his shoulder.
Volt: "Our King wants what's inside."
A faint smile formed.
Volt: "If you cooperate with us, many lives here will be spared—by my hands."
Master Nijin's eyes hardened.
Master Nijin: "I will never hand it over to you."
Volt exhaled slowly.
Volt: "I see."
He raised his hand slightly.
Volt: "Then I'll create such a massive lightning explosion here… that everyone burns to ashes."
Suddenly—
A sharp presence tore through the sky.
A figure descended at incredible speed.
A blade flashed.
SLASH.
Ryujin: "Rift Slash."
Volt reacted instantly, vanishing in a streak of lightning.
Ryujin's attack struck the ground instead.
The earth shattered.
Cracks spread violently as massive chunks of stone erupted upward.
When the dust settled—
Volt stood several meters away.
And in front of him stood Ryujin Kyoren.
Volt laughed.
Volt: "Well, today just keeps getting more interesting."
His eyes gleamed.
Volt: "You're Kyoren Ryujin… Master Nijin's grandson, right?"
He tilted his head.
Volt: "Never thought your attack would be this dangerous. If that had hit me… I'd be in real trouble."
Ryujin lifted his sword slightly.
Ryujin: "You survived because you have lightning speed."
His gaze sharpened.
Ryujin: "Next time, I won't miss."
Volt grinned.
Volt: "Alright then. Let's see who cuts whom."
They moved.
The clash sent a massive shockwave across the battlefield.
Cracked ground exploded outward as Ryujin and Volt collided, their forces tearing through the air. Dust and shattered stone rose like a storm, swallowing the area for a brief moment.
Ryujin moved first.
His swords flashed—one strike after another—each swing sharp, precise, and merciless. The blades cut through the air with a piercing whistle, leaving glowing trails behind them.
Volt vanished.
A split second later, he reappeared behind Ryujin.
Ryujin twisted mid-step, narrowly blocking the strike as lightning grazed past his shoulder. The impact skidded him across the ground, boots tearing through stone as sparks erupted beneath his feet.
Volt didn't stop.
He rushed forward again—faster than before—his body flickering like a broken bolt of lightning. Every movement left afterimages behind him, making it impossible to track his real position.
Ryujin adjusted his stance, eyes sharp.
He slashed through the afterimages, blades slicing cleanly through empty air. The sound of steel echoed repeatedly as Volt kept dodging, slipping through every opening at blinding speed.
Ryujin leaped high, twisting his body mid-air, bringing both swords down in a powerful cross slash.
Volt slid beneath it.
The blades smashed into the ground, carving a deep scar across the battlefield.
The moment Ryujin landed, Volt appeared directly in front of him.
Their eyes met.
For a fraction of a second, everything went silent.
Then—
Volt raised his hand.
Volt: "Echo Thunder."
A blue-white bolt of lightning dropped straight down from the sky—directly onto Ryujin.
The ground trembled.
Light swallowed everything.
The sound was deafening.
And then—
Silence.
After the first strike, the air felt… empty.
As if something was about to happen again.
Ryujin drew his second sword just in time.
Another strike was coming.
He crossed his blades.
Lightning fell again—
But this time, there was no sound.
The edge of the sword collided with the lightning.
Time seemed to stop.
Static froze in the air. Light distorted.
Ryujin made a single horizontal cut.
No explosion.
No shockwave.
Just a thin crack in the air.
In that instant—
The echo shattered.
The second and third strikes never came.
The sky split briefly—then everything went quiet.
Volt stared, stunned.
Volt: "Wow… that's impressive."
From the smoke, Ryujin burst forward, slashing at Volt.
Volt dodged and shot backward, retreating at lightning speed.
Ryujin chased him.
Volt: "Your effort is pointless. You can't outrun me."
Then—
Ryujin sensed something pass over his head.
The next moment—
Someone was already above Volt.
Volt's expression changed.
Volt: "What—?! How is he—?!"
Charlie.
Suspended in the air.
His face completely emotionless.
His arm pulled back.
Punch.
Volt's thoughts raced.
That punch again…
It won't touch me.
There's nothing to worry about—
Charlie's fist stopped.
Midair.
Volt frowned.
Volt: "What is he doing—?"
The next moment—
BOOM.
An invisible pressure slammed Volt straight into the ground.
The impact shattered the earth beneath him.
Volt was injured.
Ryujin stared in shock.
Charlie had punched the air—
And the impact itself had struck Volt.
Charlie landed. Ryujin reached his side.
Volt stood back up slowly, blood dripping from his mouth.
He laughed.
Volt: "You two are truly remarkable."
His eyes lingered on Charlie.
An evil smile crept across his face.
Volt: "That physical strength of yours… it's unique."
Charlie and Ryujin readied themselves.
Then—
The sound of a helicopter echoed above.
Ryujin looked up.
An S.O.S symbol was painted on its side.
Volt saw it too.
He smiled.
Volt: "Well… fighting you both was fun."
He clasped his hands together in a hand sign.
A terrifying aura erupted from his body.
Charlie: "What is that?"
Ryujin: "Don't tell me… is he going to use that?"
The weather changed instantly.
Dark clouds swallowed the sky.
A massive sky-blue aura surged from Volt, lightning flowing through it violently.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Charlie and Ryujin couldn't even get close.
From the clouds—
A gigantic sphere of lightning descended.
Half the size of the city.
Ryujin's eyes widened.
Ryujin: "I have to stop it."
He planted both swords into the ground and formed a hand sign—his fists clenched together.
A powerful aura erupted from him, its pressure dragging Charlie far away.
Ryujin's aura took shape—
A towering swordsman formed behind him.
Volt laughed loudly.
Volt: "So you can use it too?"
Volt: "But you still won't defeat me."
Ryujin stepped forward.
Ryujin: "Maybe not today."
Ryujin: "But I will save everyone."
He grabbed both swords.
The aura mirrored him.
Ryujin launched into the sky—higher than the helicopter.
His aura followed.
He reached the lightning sphere and pressed one sword against it.
A massive explosion shook the heavens.
Civilians fled in terror.
Ryujin pushed—inch by inch—forcing the sphere upward.
With a final effort, he succeeded.
Then—
Ryujin drew his second sword.
Ryujin: "Pieces of Slash… One Sixty."
The lightning sphere was sliced into 160 pieces.
A colossal explosion erupted above the clouds.
Light spread far into the distance.
Even at the enemy base—
The Seventh watched.
7th: "I told you… a huge explosion was coming."
Below, Charlie stared in disbelief.
The sky filled with black smoke.
Ryujin's aura faded.
He began to fall.
Charlie reacted instantly, catching him midair.
Charlie: "Are you okay?"
Ryujin: "Yeah…"
Ryujin looked around.
Ryujin: "Where's Volt?"
Charlie: "He disappeared after that light."
Ryujin sighed.
Ryujin: "So he escaped."
Charlie: "Listen—"
Suddenly—
A needle pierced Charlie's neck.
His vision blurred.
He collapsed unconscious in front of Ryujin.
Ryujin stared, unmoving.
S.O.S forces arrived.
The Chief stepped forward.
Chief: "Good work. You handled it just in time."
Ryujin: "Was it really necessary to knock him out?"
Chief: "Those who break the rules… must pay the price."
Chief: "The sealed vault is now under our control."
Ryujin:
"What happened to the Kiroku Clan?"
Chief:
"We changed their location."
"They were not willing to move… so I had to send him there."
Kiroku Clan Territory.
Denjiro lay on the ground in a badly injured state, his body barely moving.
A silhouette stood silently before him.....
.....To be Continued...