With a thunderous flash, Sasaki vanished.
In a blink, he reappeared behind Alfie, his presence slicing the air like a blade. His hand shot out to grab Alfie—but Lucy was faster.
With impeccable instinct, she used Switch Mode, warping behind Sasaki. Her fingers locked around his wrist like iron, and with the same hand, she retracted her Renshical blade—then drove her fist into his gut with a bone-crunching impact.
Boom!
Sasaki was launched several meters away, landing on his feet, sliding back but regaining balance with a grin twisting his lips.
"Huhhhhhhh... Amazing," he muttered, brushing dust from his shoulder. "I had no idea she was that strong."
From a distance, Lyon watched silently, arms folded, making no move. His golden eyes narrowed.
"Exca said she was a man when she came to Guhan… Maybe that was a disguise… No—maybe this is the disguise…" he murmured.
Then, raising his voice, he stepped forward slowly, his tone calm but sharp.
"Hold on, Sasa—Exca—this woman is strong. Let's try words before blades."
Sasaki twitched but paused.
Lyon kept walking toward Lucy. "Ma'am… I don't know how this will sound to you—but we've been working for days to track you down. Our special darkside knight only needs something from the boy. Just a portion of his Renshi—to unlock his bloodline. After that, he'll let him go."
He smiled. "I'm trying not to make this a battle. I'm asking you nicely."
"No way we're letting you take Alfie!" Rebekah shouted, stepping forward with fire in her eyes. She drew her blade with a smooth hiss. "You Shinras are all selfish. Go to hell!"
Alfie exhaled, stepping up beside her.
"So your special darkside knight wants to use my Renshi to awaken his bloodline?" he said with quiet fury. "That's not real power. If I wasn't born with this, I'd never steal it from someone else."
He moved in front of Rebekah protectively.
"Back off—both of you," Lucy commanded, her eyes firm. "Protect yourselves only when needed."
Then she turned back to Lyon. Her voice lowered, becoming solemn.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Pro Darkside Knight… but I can't let you take this kid."
Lyon froze.
"What?!" he thought. How did she know I'm a pro-darkside knight?
"She's no ordinary woman…"
Lucy closed her eyes. Her hands glowed as she formed dual Renshical blades from pure Renshi—each humming with untamed energy.
Far away in the Kingdom of Guhan, in his obsidian castle, Exca stood up violently, his teeth gritted.
"Damn you, Lyon… DAMN YOU!!" he roared. "How dare you disgrace me… outside my kingdom?!"
Fury surged through him. He snatched a scroll from his storage ring, his eyes still closed, breath heavy from the strain. The ancient scroll unrolled in the air before him, glowing with a violent Renshical aura. Its center was inscribed with a massive palm sigil in old writing.
Exca pressed his left palm to the scroll. Instantly, his soul linked to Sasaki's consciousness.
"Infinite Casting—Begin."
The golden light filled Sasaki's inner world. Renshi energy exploded around him as an enormous golden triangle appeared beneath Exca's spiritual form—matching his legendary Mind-Control Circle.
Sweat poured from Exca's real body. He grit his teeth in agony.
"There's no way I'll let my name fall to disgrace," he whispered, trembling. "This spell… it will restore Sasaki to the power he held as The Ripper. Woman or man—he won't lose."
Back in the physical world, Sasaki's aura surged.
Golden Renshi roared from his body, shaking the ground. Even Lucy's eyes widened.
"What the hell is this…?" she thought. "That Renshi… It's not just high—it's… devastating."
Lyon's heart sank.
"Damn it. Exca's doing something reckless again…" he thought grimly. "I guess it's my move now. I'll leave the kid to Sasaki. He won't kill him… probably. My concern is with the other one."
Lyon's hand flicked—and a sword of silver Renshi shimmered into existence.
"I guess I have no choice but to defeat you and take the boy," he said.
In a blur, Lyon activated Switch Mode.
He reappeared before Lucy, swinging down his blade with lethal precision.
She met his strike mid-air, blocking with her left sword—and countered with the right, aiming upward.
Lyon vanished again, reappearing a few meters back to avoid the counter.
A sharp gust of pressure followed.
Then…
Sasaki's eyes turned crimson.
His Renshi flared blood-red, and from it he conjured a sword ten times the size of a standard Shinra weapon. The giant blade hit his shoulder with a metallic clang, its tip leaving a deep groove in the earth.
He smiled.
"He's coming for me," Alfie whispered, his breath shaky.
Rebekah clenched her fists. "So scary…"
"Don't be scared," Alfie said, drawing his own sword from behind his back. "I won't let him hurt you."
"Shut up, you idiot!" Rebekah snapped. "You're the one he wants! Master is fighting that Shinra—we've got to hold our own here!"
Alfie laughed.
"Haha! I knew my feeling was right back then. Let's do it, Rebekah. Let's show him how much stronger we've gotten—together."
He raised his blade beside her.