"Rei…" Djeeta said as she looked at the center of the crater where both Rei and Threo had been fighting.
For a swordswoman like her, watching how they fought left her in awe. Every movement was precise, every clash carried weight. It was beautiful… and terrifying at the same time.
When she saw the blood on Rei, her chest tightened.
Sadness came first.
Then anger.
She wanted to rush forward. She wanted to stand in front of Rei and help him.
But she didn't move.
Because she understood.
Even while Rei had only been using four wings, Threo still managed to injure him that badly. If she stepped in right now, she wouldn't last even a minute.
Even though she knew how to fight properly thanks to the memories from another version of herself from a different timeline, knowing was different from doing it herself. She knew the techniques. She knew the movements. But her body couldn't fully keep up with her thoughts yet.
And if a random girl who appeared out of nowhere could already reach this level…
Then in the future, she and the others would definitely face enemies just like her. Maybe even stronger.
Her hands slowly clenched.
"Still not enough…" she muttered.
That gap between her and them… that was reality.
"I need to train more… and that power… I'm going to get it back."
Boundary Power.
That overwhelming strength that could rival even someone like Lucilius after absorbing multiple primal beasts.
If she had that power, she wouldn't have to just watch.
She could protect everyone.
She could protect Rei.
Even if Rei didn't need her protection…
At the very least, she would be strong enough to stand beside him as his partner and not behind him.
Djeeta's thoughts were interrupted when the sound of destruction echoed across the battlefield.
Threo began pouring even more power into her body.
Her energy completely refilled, and because she was already using her greatsword instead of greataxe, she became even stronger than the first time they're clash.
Chaotic energy enveloped the massive blade, and it started tearing apart everything around her. Even her hair began to sway wildly because of the violent wind.
Djeeta turned toward Rei.
Unlike before, when his presence alone made the air heavy enough to make even her shudder, the current him felt quiet.
There was no power leaking from his body.
His wings were silent as if they did not exist at all, and the overwhelming pressure from earlier disappeared as though it had never been there.
He held his katana with only his right hand because his left arm was injured.
Yet the way he held it was calm and peaceful, as if his body was not wounded at all.
Djeeta's observation was interrupted again when Threo suddenly moved forward toward Rei.
Rei did not move.
He did not take the stance he used before when Threo attacked him.
He simply stood there and looked at her as she arrived in front of him and swung her greatsword down toward him.
Threo swung her greatsword toward him, but he ducked just slightly, letting the massive blade whistle past him.
She didn't pause. Without stopping, she swung again, moving as fluidly as if she were wielding a normal sword instead of the immense greataxe.
Rei shifted with minimal movement, stepping to the side just enough to evade each strike. Another swing, another dodge.
Threo's repeated attacks sent gusts of wind trailing from her swings, slicing the fractured ground behind him in sharp arcs.
"Is dodging all you can do or something!?" Threo shouted, her voice filled with frustration.
Once more, she raised her greatsword high, intending to slam it down and unbalance him like before. But before the blade could strike the ground, something stopped it.
Rei's katana intercepted her swing, the force of the impact sending a jolt up her arms.
Before Threo could react, Rei twisted his body and swung upward, the katana moving with precise, unstoppable force.
Her arms were thrown open, leaving her defense exposed, and Rei didn't hesitate. His right hand struck her face with brutal accuracy.
The impact reverberated through her skull, and a sharp, wet spray of blood burst from her nose. Her head snapped back violently, and she staggered, trying to recover her balance as pain flared through her jaw and cheek.
Rei pressed the assault. His next strike slammed into her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs in a sharp grunt. She doubled over slightly, a dark streak of blood running from her mouth, staining her chin.
Another strike to her upper body slammed her chest and shoulders backward, her aura flickering violently from the force. The ground beneath her feet was cracked by the shockwave of Rei's attack.
He followed up with a rapid flurry of punches, each strike driving into her face, chest, and ribs. Her head jerked back violently with every hit, blood spraying from split lips and bruising quickly forming across her jaw. And her body rocked with the sheer momentum of Rei's assault.
Then, without pause, he spun and delivered a devastating kick directly into her solar plexus, the impact launching her backward through the air.
Her legs kicking as she struggled to regain balance. The wind tore at her hair and clothes, and a spray of blood flew from her mouth where her lips had split from the earlier strikes.
Her greatsword barely stayed in hand as she flailed, and for a heartbeat it looked as if she might be sent tumbling across the fractured ground.
Instinctively, she drove the tip of her greataxe into the ground below. The blade sank deep with a grinding crunch, halting her momentum just in time. She dug in her heels, sending shards of stone and debris scattering around her, and forced herself to slow her backward flight.
Gasping for breath, her aura flickered violently, purple and blue energy crackling around her as her muscles strained to maintain control. Blood ran down her chin and neck, staining her clothes and hands, but her eyes burned with the same feral intensity as before.
Even being hit by Rei attack, she refused to fall completely, gripping her greataxe tightly and planting herself firmly, forcing herself to stand despite the injury.
"Cough cough." Threo coughed violently, blood spilling from her mouth, staining her lips and chin.
She could feel it deep inside her—Rei's strikes had torn into her organs, and the pain flared through her entire body with every heartbeat.
She sank to one knee, leaning heavily on her greatsword to prevent herself from collapsing completely. Her muscles screamed, her chest burned, and every nerve ached as if her body was rebelling—but she refused to give in.
"You're still conscious? You really amaze me, Threo. I aimed my attack to knock you out, and yet here you are, still standing," Rei's calm voice carried across the fractured island, drawing her gaze upward.
From the distance, Rei was already advancing toward her, each step measured and deliberate. As she watched him come closer, Threo felt the same shift that Djeeta had noticed before.
This Rei… he was different. His eyes no longer burned with battle frenzy or restraint—they were calm, almost serene, betraying no hint of the fighting spirit he had once wielded so openly. His presence carried a certainty, a stillness that made her blood run cold.
Threo couldn't help but notice something familiar in his presence. He reminded her of another Eternal member she had faced before.
"Hehe—" Threo forced a laugh, coughing up more blood, her hand hastily wiping at her mouth. "That kind of attack… is not enough to defeat me."
Her legs trembled violently as she attempted to rise. The effort sent sharp pangs of pain through her body, but she pushed herself upright, refusing to kneel any longer. Even in her weakened state, she would not yield.
"Give it up, Threo. Even if you're still standing, your insides are badly injured. You can't fight any longer." Rei stopped a few meters in front of her.
"If you still want to challenge me again in the future, I'll gladly accept it. But for now, we should stop before one of us dies."
What he said was true. Threo could feel it herself. Even if the outside wounds were nothing more than shallow cuts and bruises, her internal injuries were severe.
It felt like her insides were burning. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, and her legs trembled so badly she had to lean on her greatsword just to remain upright.
"That's true…" Threo forced a faint smile onto her face. "But I still have my ultimate attack. What about it? We end it with one last strike?"
"Why didn't you use your ultimate attack at the beginning?" Rei asked, shaking his head.
"What kind of person uses their ultimate at the start of a battle?"
"Do you want it or not?" she pressed.
Rei fell silent for a few moments, studying Threo's condition.
If he had known it would come to this, he should have used more force earlier to knock her unconscious. The reason he had only punched her was because he didn't want to injure her too severely.
And his own body was still slowly regenerating from the damage Threo had dealt him earlier.
"…Fine. But just this last one. No matter what happens—even if neither of us falls."
"Hehe, you really can't say no, huh? Is it because I'm a girl or something? Or do you want my body as a prize for winning?" Threo said with a smug grin.
"Shut up."
Rei turned toward Djeeta and flew toward her.
He landed in front of her. "Are you two done?" Djeeta asked, looking over Rei's condition.
"No. Threo wants to use her ultimate attack, so I'm going to put you inside my barrier."
Raising his right hand toward her, he murmured, "Atheism."
A multicolored forcefield bubble formed around Djeeta.
"Yggdrasil. Luminiera."
From within him, two lights—one brown, one gold—emerged and entered the barrier.
They stopped on Djeeta's left and right as the lights began taking shape.
Yggdrasil and Luminiera appeared—but in their chibi forms instead of their full primal beast bodies.
"Yggi, Lumi, can both of you lend us your power? Please reinforce the entire island so it won't be destroyed. And Lumi, if you can, check a few miles around us. If there are people nearby, make sure they're protected," Rei said to both of them.
"Ring… ring…" Chibi Yggdrasil nodded her head, soft chime-like bells echoing from her small body.
Luminiera nodded as well, lightly floating in place as her golden light shimmered outward.
"Thank you, you two."
Rei turned to leave, but before he could take off, he heard Djeeta's worried voice call out from behind him.
"Be careful, alright, Rei? If you need to, just use your twelve wings. I don't want to see you injured like that again…"
"Of course." Rei didn't turn back as he answered, already lifting into the air.
Of course, he wasn't going to do that. The current Threo couldn't handle him at full strength. And if he accidentally went too far—or worse, killed her by mistake—
He would be hunted down by the other nine Eternals.
"Are you done?" Threo asked as Rei landed in front of her again.
"Yeah. I needed to make sure your attack wouldn't destroy the island—or hurt the people still attending the event."
"Hehe… then I can go all out with this attack!"
---
---
---
Both Rei and Threo stood motionless, facing one another as they prepared their ultimate attacks.
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell into an unnatural stillness.
Then—
Threo forcefully unleashed her energy, ignoring the sharp agony tearing through her injured organs. Pain twisted inside her chest, but she drowned it beneath sheer willpower. If this was going to be the last exchange, she would give it everything.
A violent aura burst outward from her body.
Wind howled in all directions as crushing pressure descended upon the island. Loose debris lifted from the ground, spiraling upward in chaotic currents. The air itself felt heavy, vibrating as if unable to withstand the power she was forcing out.
Her greatsword began to glow, enveloped in raging violet energy. The three stars embedded along its blade shimmered brightly, each one pulsing in rhythm with her surging power.
"Here I come, Rei!" she screamed, her voice cutting through the storm as the pressure around her intensified even further.
In contrast, Rei remained perfectly still.
He did not flare his aura.
He did not let his energy erupt outward.
Unlike Threo, he could not let his energy going wild.
If he allowed his power to surge recklessly, Dragonsbane would falter. The clarity of mind is required for that stance or it would collapse under turbulence.
So he stood there, silent and composed.
He inhaled slowly.
Then exhaled.
Again.
And again.
The violent winds whipped around him, yet his presence remained calm at the center of the storm.
"Through the dance of one, I inherit the art."
He began his chant, his voice steady and unwavering as he invoked his technique.
Threo bent her knees.
Then—
She vanished.
A shockwave exploded from where she stood, splitting the ground apart as her body launched skyward. A streak of violet light tore into the sky, disappearing into the clouds above.
For a brief moment, silence followed.
Then the sky darkened.
High above, space itself began to distort. A massive celestial form materialized along the trajectory of her rising strike—a glowing moon-like mass wreathed in violent purple lightning.
Rei did not look away.
"A single butterfly unfolds."
As the words left his lips, his katana began to change.
A faint violet glow traced along the blade's edge. Then another. And another.
From the air around him, countless purple butterflies began to appear—formed from pure aura. They fluttered gently despite the violent winds, their wings shimmering with soft light.
They circled him in widening spirals.
Far above, Threo reappeared at the apex of her ascent, greatsword raised high. Her aura burned fiercely, lightning arcing along the blade as gravity claimed her.
She swung.
The vertical slash carved downward through the sky—
And the moon followed.
White lightning erupted from its surface as it descended along the line of her strike, crushing the air beneath it and tearing clouds apart as it fell directly toward Rei.
"Grace in motion. Silence in form."
The butterflies around Rei began to drift closer.
One by one, they were drawn toward his katana.
The moment they touched the blade, they dissolved into light.
His sword deepened into a radiant violet, patterns resembling delicate butterfly wings forming along the flat of the blade. Translucent wings of aura unfurled behind it, gently fluttering despite the immense pressure descending from above.
"One mind. One blade. One strike."
More butterflies were absorbed, their glow feeding into the weapon. The aura condensed instead of erupting, refining itself into something thin… precise… absolute.
The pressure from the descending meteor forced the ground around Rei to crack and sink. Wind screamed past him violently, bending trees and tearing stone from the earth—
Yet he remained unmoving.
The butterflies vanished completely.
All of them absorbed.
Only the violet blade remained, humming softly in his hand.
The moment the shadow of the falling moon engulfed him—
Rei stepped forward.
"Butterfly Dance: Piercing Aurora."
His katana drew a single, flawless line upward.
A crescent of concentrated violet light erupted from the edge of his blade—impossibly thin, impossibly pure.
It rose.
And met the falling moon.
For an instant—
The world went silent.
Then space split.
The crescent pierced straight through the heart of the descending celestial mass. White lightning exploded outward as the moon fractured cleanly along the path of Rei's strike.
The vertical slash from above and the rising arc from below collided in a violent eruption of light, shockwaves tearing across the island despite the barrier's reinforcement.
The sky cracked with thunder.
And in the center of it all—
One line remained.
A flawless divide across the sky.
As she brought her ultimate attack down, Threo was certain of one thing—Rei would be injured.
She had never met anyone who could withstand her Meteor Thrust. The monsters and Primap beast she had faced throughout her battles, no matter how powerful, had always met the same end when she used this attack.
They died.
The moon she summoned descended along the path of her strike, crushing everything in its way. The air screamed under its weight, lightning tearing through the sky as the island trembled beneath the impact.
Victory should have been inevitable.
But as her greatsword continued its downward arc, something felt wrong.
Her vision began to distort. At first, she thought it was simply the overwhelming force of her own power warping the air. But the distortion didn't twist or blur—it divided.
A faint line traced across her sight, cutting cleanly through the world before her. The sky separated along that line. The descending moon fractured across its center. Even the air itself seemed to part as if reality had been neatly sliced open.
Yet her body felt no pain.
Everything slowed. The roar of wind dulled into a distant hum. The violent lightning flickered into silence. The crushing pressure she had released only moments ago felt strangely light, as though it no longer belonged to her.
Confusion flickered across her mind before she realized something.
A small laugh escaped her lips.
"Haha… I see. I already lose."
Her grip loosened.
And her vision faded into darkness.