"This boy…" Jackson's eyes followed Alfie's every move, his voice heavy with awe. "He's worth the effort of my papa—and yours. I can't even keep up with his movements."
"Don't get carried away," Rebekah shot back, her gaze locked on the fight. "Alfie isn't even using half his potential yet. If he wanted to, your papa—or that man-monster up there—wouldn't stand a chance."
Before Jackson could reply, Marcel's shout cut through the chaos.
"Watch out!"
The ground beneath them cracked as Marcel slammed his palm to the dirt, Renshi surging outward. A giant shield of light erupted just in time to meet the shadow of something enormous hurtling toward them—an uprooted tree, splintered and massive, sent flying by the distant clash between Lucy and Sasaki.
The shield trembled under the impact. Cracks spiderwebbed across it.
CRASH!
The shield shattered, and the tree thundered forward—only for a blur to appear in front of them.
Bash.
Using Switch Mode, he reappeared between them and the incoming trunk. He twisted his hips, fist glowing with blue Renshi, and punched the tree back the way it came.
Behind him, Jackson's tentacles were already created and ready to intercept.
"Not bad, Marcel," Bash said without looking back. "Always keep your guard up."
Jackson retracted his tentacles with a frown. "Why aren't you helping the boy fight that monster?"
Bash exhaled slowly. "Because this kid needs to grow stronger on his own. Greater dangers will keep coming—to him and anyone close to him."
He glanced toward Rebekah. "Tell me—did he mention to you or your master that he had a feeling you'd be attacked?"
Rebekah blinked, caught off guard. "How did you—?"
"I'll take that as a yes," Bash cut in. "Then things are about to get more interesting. Keep your guard up. He told me the same thing… but this time, the feeling.... it's stronger than before."
Jackson's jaw tightened. "Who the hell is this boy? He's not just powerful—he can sense danger before it happens."
"Exactly," Bash replied. "And I'd wager he hasn't even touched most of his potential yet. Don't get separated. We can't predict when the next enemy will appear."
---
Meanwhile — Alfie's Battle
In the center of the battlefield, Alfie and the Alpha Darkside Spirit blurred through a whirlwind of motion. Every strike was met with a counter, every feint with a dodge. Alfie's fists cracked against hardened flesh, while the creature's Renshi-forged weapons whistled past his head.
Neither was slowing down.
---
Above —
Far overhead, Lucy's duel with Sasaki raged like a storm.
With a low growl, Sasaki's form shifted—two additional arms of Renshi erupted from his back, each gripping a sword. From his spine extended a long, whip-like tail that lashed through the air.
"All five weapons at once, huh?" Lucy muttered under her breath, tightening her grip on her twin blades.
Sasaki dove, slashing from every direction at once. Four swords clashed against Lucy's two, while the tail struck like a serpent. Sparks and steel clanged in a furious rhythm.
Lucy parried, deflected, and twisted, her wings flashing as she used Switch Mode to blink behind Sasaki. Concentrating raw Renshi into one sword, she unleashed a heavy downward slash.
CLANG!
The blow met the guard of Sasaki's extra arms—but the force still sent him plummeting toward the ground. He crashed with such speed that the earth buckled, trees toppling as a shockwave tore through the field.
Lucy's wings carried her down after him. When the dust cleared, Sasaki stood unharmed, a wide grin on his face.
Lucy drove both swords into the ground. The earth rumbled—shards of stone and soil broke free and floated upward like pieces of a shattered world.
Sasaki switched to her front, blades raised, ready to clash again.
Lucy sprang onto a chunk of floating earth. Sasaki did the same. They leapt from stone to stone, their weapons sparking in midair as the sword contest resumed at breakneck speed.
In a sudden shift, Sasaki's extra arms shot forward—grabbing two massive boulders of earth. He hurled them at Lucy from opposite sides.
Lucy's wings folded as she drew her palms back, her swords vanishing into streams of light. Twin Renshi palms burst forth, intercepting the incoming boulders and shattering them into dust.
She mirrored the move, seizing two other floating stones and smashing them down on Sasaki's position.
Sasaki braced, his four blades and tail catching the weight of both, shattering them apart.
Then, his grin widened. His body pulsed—and two Alpha Darkside Spirit lookalikes materialized at his side.
They leapt together, bounding across floating stones, their arm-blades slashing toward Lucy from all directions.
Lucy spun, twin swords reforming in her grip, her every motion a blur of parries and counters. Sasaki dropped from above with a giant sword, cutting downward.
Lucy sidestepped, the blade obliterating the platform beneath her. Her wings unfurled, keeping her afloat.
The dance continued—steel and shadow darting from stone to stone in a deadly aerial ballet.
---
Lucy's eyes narrowed. This won't end if I keep trying to save his sorry ass… Her blades met Sasaki's again, the ringing steel confirming what her instincts already knew.
Crossing swords with him, I can feel it—he still has a part of humanity inside. But I won't reach it by holding back.
Her wings folded in as she dropped to the ground, landing silently.
Sasaki landed opposite her, his two Alpha darkside spirits lookalikes flanking him.
Lucy's voice was cold.
"So this is your army, Sasaki? Just a bunch of weak Darkside Spirits you devoured. What a pathetic being you are."