A single movement was about to decide the winner of that battle.
The two retreated, tense, as the moment sharpened like a blade destined to cut the fate of one of them.
Dust rose between their steps, as if the earth feared witnessing what was about to come.
Their breaths were short, contained, loaded with rage and determination.
And their gazes… their gazes collided for an instant: a fierce spark, a silent pact that said "this ends here", even though neither of them had any intention of falling.
Both adjusted the strength in their wrists and arms, and in the same advance they burst into a scream that tore the air and unleashed their abilities.
— Blood Roar!
— Crimson Dance!
They shouted in unison while their weapons burned with a wild luminescence, as if they had touched the heart of a young sun.
Akira's katana and body began to dance in a series of explosive combos, so fast they seemed to break time itself. Each slash generated flashes of reddish energy, vibrations that shattered the stones beneath their feet.
Agnitus responded to the frenzy with his crushing force; each of his blows detonated an explosive wave that burst centimeters from Akira's body, pulverizing buildings behind him and tearing the atmosphere itself. The air screamed. The earth trembled.
But Akira, agile like a hungry shadow, evaded every impact by the narrowest margin.
It almost seemed like teleportation, leaving behind traces of crimson light that evaporated like hot smoke.
Speed was his bet, his faith, his edge.
An edge that burned with pride… and with desperation.
But Agnitus deflected and blocked everything.
Always.
Again and again.
As if his movements were already written in some divine book that only he could read.
As if he had lived that battle a hundred times before.
The fight was a clash of philosophies: the ferocity of speed against the immobility of pure force.
And neither surrendered.
The attacks returned without rest.
Both bodies began to show the cuts that the battle left in their cruel dance: red lines from the katana on Agnitus, deep tears from the claws on Akira.
The blood of both fell to the ground, sparkling like burning drops that announced the end of a brutal ritual.
In a fierce instant, Agnitus tensed his arm, concentrated his strength and threw a blow that barely grazed part of Akira's face.
But it was enough.
The hero's left eye opened in a cut that spilled a trembling thread of blood.
Akira clicked his teeth. The pain burned as if a small star had ignited inside his skull. But that same flame pushed him forward.
He moved his katana with such speed that the steel disappeared for a breath… and reappeared piercing the flesh of Agnitus's right thigh.
The sound of the cut was dry.
Raw.
Definitive.
But Agnitus did not retreat.
He did not scream.
He did not hesitate.
He grabbed the blade of the katana with his own bloodied hand, as if holding a piece of wood.
He held it with monstrous strength, preventing Akira from withdrawing it. The metal screeched between his fingers, protesting.
— Now it's my turn…
His tone was a judgment.
An ending that had already been pronounced.
Agnitus charged his right fist, concentrating an energy that made the surrounding rubble vibrate. He was ready to unleash a blow capable of ending Akira's life with a single impact.
But right at that second, a fierce impact sent him flying, smashing him into a nearby wall.
The explosion of the collision shook the ground and raised a thick cloud of dust.
The katana shot out of his leg as if it had been expelled by the muscle itself in indignation.
Agnitus stood, staggering, bleeding… but still firm.
A wounded tower.
A beast that refused to fall.
As if the pain were only an insect buzzing around his ear.
He raised his gaze.
And then he saw him.
It was no longer just Akira in front of him.
There was another person.
A muscular young man, with bright blond hair, wearing black gauntlets crossed by golden lines that pulsed like sacred circuits.
His mere presence generated an electric pressure in the air, as if the lightning were holding its breath.
His aura was that of someone who carried an entire sky in his fists.
He was another hero.
— Hey, Akira —he said in a carefree tone that contrasted with the devastation around them—, didn't our Lady Goddess tell us we had to go to the church in the human capital?.. Not that we should arrive and fight with anyone who exists in this world.. Look at you… you're bleeding from your left eye. Looks like you were in trouble. Better let's go before the Goddess gets angry.
Akira wiped the blood with the back of his hand, frustrated.
— Alright, Takahiro… let's go.
Before leaving, he pointed at Agnitus while picking up his katana from the ground.
— Hey you —he warned as he got up—. I'll remember your face... When I see you again, we'll finish this battle.. So don't you dare die.
Agnitus held his gaze without blinking, without retreating, with a silent promise made of steel and pride.
And with a whisper of wind, the two heroes disappeared without a trace.
The stillness that remained afterward was brutal.
The scene looked like a broken painting: destroyed buildings, scorched air, cracked earth… and Agnitus, solitary, breathing heavily.
The battle had ended without a winner.
A demonic soldier, who was still there, trembling, approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
His armor was scratched, his face full of dust and fear.
— Hey, young warrior… we're going back to the demonic territory.
If you want, you can come with us.
We'll use the portal that will take us near the city where the Demon Lord is now.
Agnitus blinked, surprised by the kindness. He nodded with a heavy exhalation.
— Really… thank you very much. I would like to join you.
The soldier smiled, grateful that that demi-human had saved their lives.
And for a moment, the war seemed less cruel.
«End of transition.»
The window closed automatically, leaving Kael relieved that that man had not died at the hands of the hero. His heart gradually regained its normal rhythm, as if he himself had been the one fighting.
— System… do you know who that other hero was who appeared out of nowhere?
«The hero who intervened to leave the battle in a draw is Ren Takahiro, known as the Thunder Fist Hero.»
— I see… and those gauntlets? Those weapons? How did they get them?
«The weapons are given by the Goddess who summoned them. No one else can use them. Only those whom she blessed.
Like you: you were chosen by the System. Only you can see or hear me. No one else.»
— So… my weapon is you?
«I don't know if I am your weapon. But… in short, yes.
System Notification: you have advanced to rank E.
New title: Newborn Tooth.
You have obtained the following advantages upon activating your rank in battle:
— Your physical attacks apply additional tears.
— You can cause bleeding even with blunt weapons.
Cost: your wounds will take longer to close.»
— Ahh… why does something good always come with something bad?
While he finished speaking, the huge door of that room began to open slowly.