Exca's voice thundered through the meeting room as he turned his back on the three mysterious men, striding toward the far door.
From behind him came the deep, rumbling voice of the seven-foot-tall man.
"I think we have something in common, Exca. You're interested in awakening your twin dragon bloodline, am I correct?"
Exca froze mid-step. His pupils narrowed sharply.
(What…?! Who the hell are these people? I've only ever mentioned my bloodline to Lyon… and my son. No one else. Damn these guys…)
The man continued casually, almost amused by Exca's reaction.
"Don't look so surprised. I'm here to help you awaken it—on a give-and-take basis."
The man rose from his chair and began walking toward Exca with deliberate, heavy steps.
Exca turned sharply, eyes cold.
"Listen. I don't care if you're the reinforcement or not. Let me make one thing clear—don't underestimate me just because I haven't been using my bloodline's power. I am still the special Darkside Knight of this kingdom. Try anything stupid, and I won't hesitate to throw you in a cell."
The man chuckled, his grin wide.
"Hah! Don't get ahead of yourself, moron. We're here to trade, not to start trouble with your kingdom—or any kingdom, for that matter. And that's only because of that damn Golden Katana. We can cooperate… or we can do it the hard way.
"Listen carefully—I carry the twin dragon bloodline, just like you. My family is the second strongest twin dragon family in history. I awakened long ago, and I re-awakened again later. I can help you do the same… if you give me what I want."
The words struck Exca harder than any blow. Beads of sweat formed along his temple.
(Another…? Another like me? No—this is a trick. Has to be.)
"I don't know how you got your information," Exca replied, voice low but sharp, "but dirty tricks won't work on me. I'm not interested. And as for your so-called hard way, it's a shame you're so afraid of the Golden Katana. Touch my Shinras or my plans, and I'll have you accused of things you've done—and things you haven't."
Without waiting for a response, Exca resumed walking toward the door.
The man sighed, his smile fading.
"What a pain in the ass. I knew talking to you wouldn't be easy…"
In the next instant, purple flames burst from his feet, forming a burning Renshi circle on the floor. The air warped—gravity slammed down on Exca with ten times its normal weight. His knees buckled, and his body hit the floor as if a mountain had been dropped on him.
(Wha… what is this?! I… I can't move!)
"It's the reaction of my dragons to yours," he said calmly. "They're ready to be born. Stop wasting time with the boy—he won't work out for you."
The crushing force vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Exca struggled to his feet, his breath ragged.
"I never expected… another of my family to be out there," Exca admitted. "So tell me—what's your business with this boy? And why are you doing all this behind the Golden Katana's back?"
The Shinra sat down without a word—no steps, just a blur as he activated Switch Mode to reappear in his seat.
---
Meanwhile, at the border between the Kingdom of Eminence and the Kingdom of Sunflower…
Sasaki's towering form had vanished. His body was now that of an average man, but the intensity in his eyes was sharper than ever. The giant sword he once wielded was now a sleek, deadly long blade.
"Hey, woman… who do you think you're talking to?" Sasaki's voice was deeper now, tinged with something feral.
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Sasaki… it's really you. I've been looking forward to this day—and now it's here."
Twin swords of light Renshi materialized in Lucy's hands, glowing against the shadows of the burning forest.
"Huh… been hoping to fight me, huh? Not bad. I'll entertain myself a little," Sasaki replied, dragging his tongue along the edge of his blade.
They vanished from sight, reappearing in the middle with Switch Mode. In an instant, thousands of fireballs rained from above, summoned by Sasaki's mere glance.
Lucy moved like a beam of light, Switch Mode carrying her between the falling infernos. But before she could land, Sasaki was already there—behind her—his blade once again a colossal weapon.
The strike came from behind, but Lucy's white wings flared open, deflecting the blow as she ascended into the air.
(This won't be easy if I keep trying to save him… My light Renshi should be able to conquer the darkness inside him—if I can focus…)
From above, Sasaki continued his bombardment. This time, the fireballs were twice as large, their descent shaking the air. Lucy dodged midair, but Sasaki joined her, levitating on a swirling tornado of his own making.
They clashed in the sky—steel and Renshi colliding again and again, their battle carving arcs through half the forest canopy. Each time their blades met, Switch Mode flared, displacing them faster than the eye could follow.
Below them, the fireballs Lucy had avoided found their targets in the forest, igniting a spreading blaze that devoured trees and sent waves of heat upward.
On the ground, Alfie readied himself against the Alpha darkside spirit lookalike that Sasaki had created from his tornado. The flames began to rain toward him, Rebekah, Jackson, Marcel, Bash, and Lyon—turning the battlefield into a storm of fire