Miguel launched himself into the sky, his golden wings carrying him faster than lightning. The evil leader turned to meet him, his stolen nodes blazing with corrupt energy.
"So you've reached the peak," he sneered, raising a massive clawed hand. "But even Enlightenment can't save you from power this great!"
He struck forward, and Miguel barely dodged in time—the force of the blow shattering rocks below. Miguel countered with a wave of pure energy, but the leader absorbed it easily, laughing.
"Your energy is strong—but it's mine now!"
Miguel realized the leader could absorb any direct attack. He needed to fight differently—using not just his own power, but the power of all the cultivation paths he'd learned.
He dove low, drawing energy from the earth like the Forest Keepers, then shot upward, weaving water around his fists like the Water Aswang. The leader blocked the strike, but this time the energy didn't get absorbed—it flowed around him, binding his limbs for a moment.
"Interesting," the leader growled, breaking free. "You've learned to use balance against me."
Miguel circled him, feeling the energy of his allies flowing through the Kristal ng Potensyal. "Your power comes from taking," he said. "Mine comes from giving, from sharing, from working with the world around me. That's the difference between us."
The leader roared and charged, and their clash sent shockwaves across the entire valley. The ground split open, and the sky crackled with energy as two forces of opposite nature collided.