In the center of the capital's plaza on the planet Terra, chaos erupted. Just a few meters down the city's main street, people screamed and scattered, rushing to find shelter as Kai and his group were suddenly attacked by Kazat.
Kazat's deep, thunderous voice boomed:
"Caretakers, huh? I'll wipe you all out right here."
Eugene, witnessing the scene, clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes. He was ready to fight—ready to protect the other two at all costs.
At that moment, Rese rushed forward, grabbing Kai and dragging him toward a safer spot.
Eugene glared at Kazat and shouted,
"This is between us. Those two have nothing to do with it."
Kazat sneered.
"Oh, they're involved all right. The Caretakers are enemies, and you—you're a traitor. I'll kill every last one of you."
With no time to hesitate, Eugene charged, spinning in midair before slamming a powerful kick toward Kazat.
Kazat raised his right arm in time, blocking the blow, then seized Eugene's leg and hurled him against a building.
CRASH! The wall shattered under the impact.
But Eugene wasn't done. He twisted in the air, pushed off the cracked wall, and launched himself forward, grabbing Kazat's head and slamming it into the ground with a thunderous BOOM before leaping back.
Kazat's skull was buried in the pavement, but he slowly rose, wounds across his face already healing at an unnatural speed.
"Heh… Is that all you've got, Eugene of Wrath?" he taunted.
Flames erupted across Eugene's body, swirling and shaping themselves into fiery arrows. With a roar, he launched them straight at Kazat.
Kazat stomped the ground, raising a wall of earth just in time.
KABOOM! The fiery arrows exploded, shaking the entire plaza. Buildings crumbled, dust and sand filling the air.
Kazat countered, kicking a massive boulder straight at Eugene.
Eugene curled his fingers like flaming claws and slashed forward, the rock exploding into shards that scattered across the sky. Embers clung to the debris, painting the battlefield in fire and ash.
Through the chaos, Kazat burst forth from the cloud of rubble, driving a brutal kick into Eugene's chest. Eugene's body slammed into a wall, blood spraying from his lips.
Kazat advanced slowly, step by step, voice dripping with malice.
"Did you really think you could defeat me, Eugene?"
He seized Eugene by the throat, lifting him high into the air.
"Hahaha! 'Eugene of Wrath'? What a joke. You're weak. Pathetic. Unworthy of the title 'Lord of Wrath.'"
Eugene's strength faded, despair etched across his face.
And then—
Kai rushed in, his body battered and bruised, clothes torn and stained with blood. He shouted at Kazat with all the force he could muster:
"If you think you're so strong, then fight someone your own size, you brown-haired giant!"
Inside, Kai groaned to himself: Damn it… even calling him 'my size' is a stretch. That redhead's taller than me, and this monster's at least 190 centimeters. I'm only 175. How is this fair?
Kazat dropped Eugene to the ground and turned toward Kai, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Fine, boy. I'll teach you a lesson myself."
He lunged forward, driving a devastating punch into Kai's gut. Kai's body was sent flying, tumbling across the ground before he staggered to his feet again, blood pouring from his wounds.
Kazat gave him no chance to recover. He rushed in, hammering blow after merciless blow, fists crashing down like iron hammers.
Kai braced himself, blocking as best as he could. But Kazat's fist slammed into his solar plexus, knocking the wind from him. The giant seized Kai by the head and smashed him into a wall—once, twice, three times—before hurling him into the heart of the plaza.
Kazat loomed over him, confidence radiating from his voice.
"So this is all the fight you've got? Where's that arrogance now, boy?"
As Kai lay battered and motionless, visions flooded his mind. He saw countless beings—demons, giants, gods, devils, dragons, humans, aliens, and beasts—echoing in unison:
"Desire… the final flame… hope lies within you…"
The voices faded.
Kai rose to his feet, eyes glowing with a radiant light.