Part 1: The Ambush at the Park Way
Time: 8:10 PM, streetlights still faintly glowing.
Location: The Park Way, where Ayano made the appointment.
Takuto sprints at full speed down the main road, where the streetlights are flickering and failing. His mind is consumed only by the desperate need to save Aoi.
As he reaches the intersection of the Park Way, six black-clad Shadow Syndicate agents surround him.
Syndicate Agent (Leader): "Takuto Himura... your friends are already lying injured outside. Do you really think you can walk away from this place alive?"
Takuto doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he activates the power in his eyes.
Takuto (Inner Monologue): "Ichinose-san and Sora-san bought me time. I can't afford to waste it!"
A brilliant Crimson Red light emanates from his eye sockets. The base level of the Phoenix Gaze, Step 1: Crimson Spark, has awakened. It immediately scans the area within a 50-meter radius.
Takuto instantly utilizes the power of Crimson Spark.
[Crimson Spark Status: Active]
50m Range Perception: Instantly predicted the agents' intended movements, their Stellar Flow patterns, and their Physical Strength.
Physical Enhancement: Takuto's body is now stronger and faster than a normal human.
Takuto (Pushing off the ground swiftly): "No one is going to stop me! None of you!"
Takuto charges toward the first three agents with blistering speed. His velocity far exceeds the agents' expectations.
Prediction and Evasion: Two agents attempt to block him from the left and right. Due to the Perception of Crimson Spark, Takuto knows their movement paths before they even begin. He performs an infinitesimal movement to the right, causing the two agents to collide with each other.
Physical Counter: The remaining leader agent punches Takuto fiercely with a Stellar Flow-infused fist. Takuto's Enhanced Strength can meet this attack. He immediately catches the punch with his palm, gathers his Stellar Flow, and counters with a powerful kick to the agent's abdomen.
CRUNCH!
The leader agent screams in pain, sent flying backward by Takuto's Enhanced Physical Power, crashing onto the ground. The remaining agents are shaken by Takuto's sudden surge in strength.
Takuto uses the 50m Range Perception of Crimson Spark on the final three agents, quickly defeating them one by one with precise strikes. The entire skirmish lasts less than a minute.
Takuto (Staring at his fist): "I don't have time to waste on these guys."
Takuto looks down the road, which is now clear of obstacles.
Part 2: The Confrontation at the Park
Time: Seconds after clearing the agents.
Location: The end of the old Park Way, where Ayano and Takuto last met.
Takuto enters the old park path. In the center of the park, where only scant streetlight reaches, he sees two figures.
Toki stands waiting for Takuto. Beside him, Ayano is seated upright on a bench.
Behind the two, Aoi's body is suspended mid-air, barely touching the ground. Black/Purple Stellar Flow (Demon Eye) ropes, emanating from Toki's eyes, tightly bind and control Aoi's body.
Aoi: "T... Takuto..."
Seeing Aoi's condition, Takuto stops, overcome by rage and pain.
Takuto (Gritting his teeth): "Toki... You!"
Toki (Smiling calmly): "You finally arrived, Takuto. Your friends were quite a nuisance. But you should know that delaying the inevitable won't benefit you at all."
Toki: "Now you're alone. What will you do?"
As Toki finishes speaking, Ayano slowly stands up. Her expression is a mixture of regret and hardness.
Ayano (Pointing at the park bench): "Do you remember, Takuto? This place... where you and I... had our last date."
Takuto (Frowning): "I remember. You tried to take my eyes, didn't you, Daichi-san?"
Ayano: "Daichi-san? Takuto-kun, I thought we were so close." Ayano lets out a mocking laugh.
Ayano: "Of course, I didn't date you because I loved you. We wanted your Eye Power even before it awakened. I tried to extract your Eye at that time. But you were too pure. Not everything fell apart easily."
Ayano: "This time... Toki will do it. He possesses the power of the Demon Eye (Void Oculus). We don't need to waste time with a soft power like your current Phoenix Gaze."
Takuto's rage reaches its peak. Ayano's betrayal and Aoi's predicament push him over the edge.
Takuto stares at Toki and Ayano with unwavering resolve.
Takuto: "I can't forgive either of you!"
Takuto concentrates his power into both of his eyes.
CLIMAX: CRASH! The Stellar Flow around Takuto's body explodes outward. His power has surpassed Step 1/2 and reached Step 3: Aura Flare.
Appearance:
Eyes: His eyes glow with a Pure Crimson, clearer and more stable than the Crimson Spark.
Aura: Red Stellar Flow, dense yet controlled, emanates around his body.
Hair: Patches of red light are visible sporadically throughout his hair.
Markings: A crimson line mark suddenly appears under each eye, on the right and left.
The pressure from Takuto's Aura Flare causes even the leaves on nearby trees to shake. Though his Martial Arts skill is weak, he takes a Combat Stance, ready to face Toki with the power of the Phoenix Gaze.
Ayano: "Oh, you've reached that level already?"
Ayano: "I didn't expect that... but Toki is still stronger than you."
Takuto (His voice is now firmer and sharper): "Come on! I won't let Aoi stay in your hands."
(Toki and Takuto stare at each other, ready to begin the battle.)
Toki's eyes turn dark blue/black, and Demon Runes emerge on his face. He prepares his attack stance.
Toki: "Come on! Let's continue where we left off last time!"
Part 3: The Hand-to-Hand Exchange (Toki Dominance)
Toki immediately initiates a high-speed attack, combining his Martial Arts mastery with the Demon Eye's Physical Enhancement.
Toki's movements leave trails of black/purple lightning, while Takuto's Aura Flare (Step 3) generates red Stellar Flow trails. Both move across the park at speeds invisible to the human eye.
Toki's right fist and Takuto's left fist meet directly.
BOOM! A massive energy explosion, a fusion of black (Demon Flow) and red (Phoenix Flow), erupts at the point of impact.
The force of the explosion fells small trees, and both combatants are thrown backward.
Toki recovers more quickly and sprints towards Takuto from the ground.
Toki uses his Martial Arts skill to unleash a fierce Combo Attack. Due to the Aura Flare's Reaction Speed, Takuto sees the attack's path, but the Skill Gap and Toki's Demon Strength make it impossible to fully dodge.
One of Toki's strikes connects squarely with Takuto's face.
Takuto is knocked down.
Status: Takuto lies on the ground, his body trembling.
Toki (Grinning scornfully): "I won't say your Power Up is bad. But with a little power, you can't match my Demon Force, Takuto!"
Toki leaps to finish Takuto with a final attack, concentrating a full Demon Flow into his fist and plunging it downward.
Takuto pushes his Phoenix Gaze to its absolute limit through the pain. His Aura Flare leaves a red trail as he swiftly evades the strike by barely an inch.
Toki's Demon Eye Enhanced Fist misses Takuto and slams directly into the concrete paving below.
SHATTER! The concrete is violently destroyed like rubble, forming a large crater. The scene demonstrates Toki's destructive power.
Takuto is flung into the air by the force of Toki's punch, struggling to breathe through the pain. His Aura Flare begins to dim slightly.
Toki pursues the airborne Takuto at lightning speed, preparing to start another Combo Attack.
As Toki closes in, Takuto's Phoenix Gaze utilizes a swift counter.
Takuto (While airborne): "I can't just evade! I need to buy time!"
Takuto stretches his hands forward, rapidly converting the Crimson Red Stellar Flow from his Aura Flare (Step 3) into energy projectiles (Power Orbs). Despite his weak Martial Arts skill, he has converted his Eye Power into a ranged attack.
Takuto: "Phoenix Flare Orbs!"
Attack: Several Crimson Power Orbs launch simultaneously, targeting Toki.
Toki's Reaction: Instead of dodging the Power Orbs, Toki concentrates his Demon Eye Aura into his palm, creating a shield, and charges through the center of the projectiles.
BOOM! CRASH!
Takuto's Power Orbs strike Toki's Demon Aura Shield but fail to inflict significant damage. However, the powerful explosion, along with the concrete debris, causes dust, smoke, and Stellar Flow vapor to completely engulf the entire surrounding area.
Toki (His voice slightly irritated from within the smoke): "Is that all you can do?!"
Takuto seizes the opportunity presented by the dust and smoke cover. As soon as he lands on the ground, he fully concentrates all the Stellar Flow from his Aura Flare into his right leg.
Visual: Takuto's entire right leg is completely enveloped in a fierce Crimson Flare, glowing like a beacon of light.
Takuto uses the Phoenix Gaze to accurately predict Toki's movement path through the dust cloud. He realizes Toki is charging back at him in a straight line, disregarding the cover.
Takuto (His eyes shining brightly): "Phoenix Stride!"
Takuto delivers a devastating kick with his right leg, aimed at Toki's unprotected abdomen (Stellar Core) at maximum velocity.
WHOOSH! CRACKKKK!
As the dust clears, Toki's body is seen being thrown ten feet into the air with a severe tremor. His Demon Flow Aura around his abdomen is momentarily shattered, and his Demon Runes briefly dim due to the pain.
Toki is sent flying, violently hitting a park wall, and then falling back to the ground.
Takuto (Though breathing heavily): "It hit! But... he didn't go down!"
Despite the injury, Toki grits his teeth and slowly rises. His eyes glare at Takuto with pure rage.
Toki (Blood trickling from his mouth): "...Good, Takuto. You... you actually managed to hurt me."
Toki: "But... it's not over yet!!"
Status: Toki is injured by Takuto's Phoenix Stride Kick and rises painfully from the ground. Takuto is slightly exhausted but filled with the will to win.
Takuto stares at Toki, pushing the energy of his Aura Flare (Step 3) even higher.
VISUAL: The Crimson Red Stellar Flow around Takuto's body becomes thicker and brighter than before. The aura flickers in the air like flames.
Takuto (His voice is fierce and cold): "Come on! Tonight... in this place... I will end it all!"
Takuto's Pure Crimson Eyes reflect intense determination, shining with a terrifying brilliance.
Ayano (Standing up from the bench, a look of surprise on her face): "He's this powerful! But Toki... he's still putting pressure on him!"
Ayano (Whispering, looking at Aoi): "Even if Toki isn't doing well, we still have a hostage. What will you do next, Takuto-kun?"
Toki, his face full of fury, makes his Demon Runes glow brighter and prepares his Martial Arts Stance, challenging Takuto. Both are ready for the Final All-Out Battle.
At that moment, far away in the park, atop the highest, unlit building, a single figure stands. He watches the battle between Takuto and Toki in silence.
Appearance:
The figure's hair is pure Snow White, and his eyes are Blood Red.
Aura: A cold, fierce Stellar Flow pulses around his body, like the aura of a wild beast.
The man looks down at Takuto and forms a deep smile. In his eyes, one can see true danger and challenge.
[END OF CHAPTER 11]