The two Kaels faced each other in the shattered courtyard.
> "So you're the real one this time?" Kael II said.
"No," Kael answered. "I'm just the one who hasn't given up yet."
Their swords clashed—light against shadow.
Each strike sent shockwaves through the air, breaking stained glass and cracking stone.
Yukino watched from the steps, unable to move.
Each swing felt wrong, like watching a soul tear itself apart.
Suddenly, Kael II vanished, appearing behind Kael—
and pressed a blade to his throat.
> "You'll never understand," Kael II growled. "The Academy isn't salvation—it's a cage!"
"Then destroy me if it saves her," Kael whispered.
Something inside Kael II faltered.
The rage in his eyes softened for just a second.
But then the Headmaster's voice thundered from the sky:
> "Eliminate the anomaly!"
Hundreds of summoned beasts burst from portals, surrounding them both.
For a moment, both Kaels stood back-to-back.
> "Just like old times," Kael said.
"Don't flatter yourself," Kael II muttered.
But his smirk betrayed him.