Elito slammed his colossal blade into the arena floor. The walls writhed, screaming faces emerging from the stone, scarlet rivers spilling from every crack. Skeletons clawed upward, moving as extensions of his will.
"You fight inside my body now," Elito intoned.
Lacolone roared, aura flaring; Valgor clenched his broken fists, ready to strike.
"The King fused with the world."
The Twin-Knife Kid danced across the walls, blades whistling in impossible speed. Salah parried desperately; each strike shook bones and twisted reality.
"You can't keep up, old man," the Kid mocked.
"I don't need to. She can," Salah replied, as Maya's threads of aura surged across allies, amplifying strength.
Eden's sigils ignited brighter, Jessica's bullets glowed Riftquake-scarlet, and even Walid's bleeding slowed enough to rise.
"Stand. Breathe. Fight," Maya whispered.
Valgor charged Elito, fists breaking skeleton waves, landing a punch to the King's jaw — scarlet spraying. Elito didn't flinch, counterpunching with force that caved the ground.
The Kid multiplied into a dozen afterimages. Salah tracked rhythmically, striking one — the real Kid deflected effortlessly, slicing Salah's arm.
Lacolone intercepted Elito again, katana blazing with Pillar resonance. His blade cut Elito's shoulder, steam hissing from the wound.
"I don't care if you're God. You bleed."
"You'll pay for every drop," Elito snarled.
Jessica fired Driftform bullets that vanished and reappeared behind the Kid. One exploded in his palm, searing him.
"Thought you could dance forever?" she smirked.
Elito raised his sword, walls screaming his sermon:
"This is salvation. Pain is the gospel."
Eden covered his ears, crying: "It's not words… it's rewriting us!" Maya shielded the team, threads glowing dangerously.
Salah's Whispercall erupted, pushing back Elito's aura for a moment, only for the Kid to silence him with a strike. Maya dove to intercept, blood streaking her side.
The Kid ripped off his hood — eyes of twin galaxies staring coldly.
"I'm what he couldn't finish," he said.
Elito's grin widened; Salah whispered: "A failed Saint… no, worse."
Elito slammed Lacolone into the ground, pinning him with the blade. Valgor leapt to help but was kicked aside. Hope bent under the scarlet crown.
Maya overreached, channeling all five Pillars. Threads pierced friend and foe alike; Jessica cried out as power surged through her arm.
"You'll kill them yourself," the Kid sneered.
Jessica fired a Riftquake storm; bullets collided with Elito's blade. Lacolone broke free amidst the chaos. Elito's swing cleared the storm with a single strike.
Walid's final push shattered Caline's golden specter, collapsing immediately after. Eden drew a massive sigil across the floor, pausing scarlet cracks long enough to stabilize the battlefield.
The Kid multiplied once more, knives singing. Salah and Maya fought back-to-back, blood gushing from both.
"Don't lose the rhythm!" Maya called.
"I wrote the song," Salah grinned weakly.
Elito raised his colossal blade, scarlet lightning spiraling.
"I am your end," he declared.
Lacolone lifted his cracked katana, refusing to kneel. Maya threw threads around everyone, screaming: "Hold together!"
Full splash cliffhanger: Elito's blade crashes down, scarlet lightning engulfing the arena. The Kid lunges with his cosmic knife aimed at Maya's heart. All heroes are caught in the crossfire — one misstep from annihilation.
"No gate opens without blood."