The ruins fell silent again.
But the silence meant nothing now.
Raizen stood still.
Watching.
Thinking.
"…That wasn't real."
Kagen didn't respond.
Because he already knew.
Understanding the Enemy
"…A projection," Raizen continued.
"A controlled body."
A pause.
"…Which means the real one was never here."
Kagen nodded slightly.
"…Correct."
Deeper Problem
Raizen looked around.
"…Then this entire place…"
A pause.
"…is just a controlled zone."
Kagen's voice lowered.
"…A domain."
What is a Domain
Raizen turned.
"…Explain."
Kagen looked at the shadows around them.
"…A domain is an area where one will dominates everything."
A pause.
"In here—"
"…they control all shadows."
Realization
Raizen's eyes narrowed.
"…So I'm fighting inside their power."
"Yes."
"…And they're testing how much I can resist it."
The Bigger Picture
Raizen stepped forward slowly.
"…This wasn't an attack."
A pause.
"…It was data collection."
Kagen didn't deny it.
"…You're starting to understand."
The Return of Pressure
Suddenly—
The air changed again.
Stronger.
More focused.
Second Manifestation
This time—
No projection.
No illusion.
The shadows gathered—
Forming something denser.
More stable.
A New Figure
A figure appeared.
Clearer than before.
More defined.
Different Presence
Raizen felt it instantly.
"…This one is different."
Kagen's stance shifted.
"…Yes."
A pause.
"This one is real."
First Words
The figure looked at them.
"…You adapted faster than expected."
Raizen didn't respond.
His focus sharpened.
Direct Pressure
The figure stepped forward.
The entire domain reacted.
Shadows tightened.
The air grew heavy.
Movement Restricted
Raizen tried to move—
But felt resistance.
Like the ground itself was holding him.
"…He's controlling everything."
No Escape Zone
Kagen spoke quietly.
"…This is a higher-level domain."
A pause.
"We're fully inside it."
Immediate Threat
The figure raised its hand.
All shadows responded.
Simultaneously.
Attack
They struck.
From every angle.
Faster than before.
Stronger than before.
Defense Breaks
Raizen blocked—
But barely.
Each impact pushed him back.
His balance broke.
Kagen Engages
Kagen moved instantly.
Cutting through multiple shadows.
Creating space.
"…Stay focused."
Adapting Under Pressure
Raizen steadied his breathing.
"…This is different."
A pause.
"…I can't just fight."
New Understanding
He closed his eyes.
The darkness responded.
But—
Slower.
Weaker.
Conflict of Control
"…He's overriding my shadow."
Solution
Raizen opened his eyes.
"…Then I won't fight his shadows."
A pause.
"…I'll take control of them."
Attempt
He raised his blade.
"Shadow Breathing—"
The energy spread outward.
Not attacking—
Connecting.
Clash of Wills
The domain resisted.
Hard.
Violently.
Moment of Struggle
Raizen's body trembled.
"…Too strong…"
Breaking Through
But—
For a moment—
One shadow stopped.
Opportunity
Raizen moved instantly.
"Second Form— Night Step."
He broke through.
Closing the distance.
Direct Clash
The figure reacted.
Fast.
But—
Raizen reached him.
Final Strike
"Fourth Form— Shadow Execution."
A direct hit.
Result
The figure stepped back.
Not destroyed.
But—
Affected.
First Reaction
For the first time—
It spoke differently.
"…So you can interfere."
End of Engagement
The shadows pulled back.
The pressure faded.
Final Words
"…You are more dangerous than expected."
Aftermath
The domain loosened.
Not gone—
But weakened.
Final Scene
Raizen stood still.
Breathing heavy.
But his eyes—
Focused.
Ending Line
To defeat control—
You must first prove your will is stronger.