The massive vortex hesitated.
It lasted for less than a second.
To anyone else, it was impossible to notice.
But for warriors of Reikosha...
A single second was enough to change the outcome of a battle.
Shougo's eyes sharpened.
"He hesitated..."
Kimimaru immediately understood.
"His mind is wavering!"
The gigantic storm continued descending, but its perfect rotation had become unstable. The currents no longer flowed with absolute precision. Tiny gaps appeared between the countless layers of compressed wind before sealing themselves again.
Goro looked up.
"...What?"
His own attack...
Had responded to his emotions.
"No..."
He clenched his fist.
"Keep spinning."
The vortex roared once more.
Its unstable currents slowly returned to normal.
Yura suddenly appeared beside Shougo, breathing heavily. Blood continued dripping from her arm, yet her eyes never left the sky.
"If we don't stop it now..."
"...there won't be another chance."
Shougo nodded.
"Kairo."
Kairo looked at him.
"I'll create an opening."
"Yura will break through the outer current."
"Kimimaru will split the core."
"Tyouro will push the pressure away."
Shougo slowly turned toward Kairo.
"And you'll finish it."
Kairo froze.
"...Me?"
"I..."
His grip on the Black Spartan weakened.
"I can't."
"My attacks haven't even reached him."
Shougo walked toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Listen carefully."
"You think strength means standing above everyone."
"It doesn't."
"A true warrior carries the hopes of the people fighting beside him."
Kairo lowered his head.
"You've been looking at your own weakness."
"You forgot to look at everyone else's strength."
Yura smiled despite the blood running down her face.
"We're not asking you to defeat him alone."
Kimimaru rested the Zweihander on his shoulder.
"We'll carve the path."
Tyouro laughed weakly.
"You just run."
Kairo looked at each of them.
His trembling hands slowly tightened around the Black Spartan.
Then...
He smiled.
"...Right."
"I'm not fighting alone."
He slowly lifted the Black Spartan.
Its dark blade began glowing with brilliant blue Reikou.
Not because his power had suddenly increased.
But because...
For the first time...
His heart had become steady.
Goro watched them silently.
"...Still standing..."
"...after everything."
He slowly raised one hand.
The unstable vortex finally stabilized once again.
The pressure doubled.
Mountains surrounding the battlefield began collapsing one after another.
The ground beneath Reikosha Academy cracked despite being hundreds of kilometers away.
Students looked toward the western sky with fear.
Teachers silently prayed.
Back in Elarion Forest...
Shougo took one step forward.
"NOW!"
Black Yami erupted into the heavens while radiant Hikari followed immediately after. The two opposite energies intertwined into a massive spiral before crashing directly into the descending vortex.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The sky exploded.
The storm trembled.
"YURA!"
Without hesitation, Yura vanished.
Her body became a silver blur racing around the vortex faster and faster. Every strike disrupted another current, gradually slowing the storm's rotation.
"TYOURO!"
"I'M ON IT!"
A gigantic wave of spiritual energy burst from Tyouro's hands, crashing into the lower half of the storm and forcing it upward just enough to expose its center.
"KIMIMARU!"
The Zweihander shone brilliantly.
Kimimaru inhaled deeply before delivering the strongest slash of his life.
The blade tore through the exposed center.
A massive crack spread across the vortex.
For the first time...
The impossible attack had been damaged.
"KAIRO!"
Everyone shouted at once.
Kairo's eyes locked onto the opening.
He inhaled deeply.
Everything around him became silent.
He wasn't thinking about victory.
He wasn't thinking about defeat.
Only one thought remained.
Protect them.
The Black Spartan erupted with dazzling Reikou.
The ground beneath his feet exploded.
He disappeared.
Faster than he had ever moved before.
Straight toward the heart of the storm.
Goro immediately noticed.
His eyes widened.
"So that's your answer..."
He thrust his hand forward, commanding countless currents of wind to intercept Kairo.
But before they could reach him—
Yura shattered the first current.
Kimimaru cut apart the second.
Tyouro blasted away the third.
Shougo erased the fourth with Yami.
Every obstacle disappeared.
Kairo never slowed down.
The opening remained clear.
He raised the Black Spartan above his head.
The blade glowed brighter than ever before.
"THIS..."
"...ISN'T JUST MY STRENGTH!"
He swung.
The Black Spartan crashed directly into the cracked core of the storm.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A blinding explosion swallowed the heavens.
The entire battlefield vanished beneath an ocean of light.
No one could see.
No one could hear.
Only one question remained...
Did they stop the storm...
Or was it already too late?