The Citadel continued collapsing around them.
Pieces of buildings floated in the air before suddenly disappearing, erased by the overwhelming power surrounding Yoshiro. The four warriors remained together despite their injuries, each of them struggling to breathe after the previous exchange.
Yoshiro stood in the center of the ruined street.
He looked almost bored.
"You're still trying?"
Reji wiped the blood from his mouth.
"We're still standing, aren't we?"
Yoshiro smiled.
"Then I'll make you stop."
He raised his hand.
White energy gathered around his palm.
But before he could release it—
BOOM!
A powerful energy shot struck the ground beside him.
Yoshiro turned his head.
Seiyan stood several meters away.
His hand was raised.
His breathing was heavy.
But his eyes remained completely focused.
Yoshiro stared at him.
"...You again."
Seiyan didn't answer.
He fired another shot.
Yoshiro erased it.
Another.
Erased.
Another.
Erased.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Yoshiro slowly became irritated.
"You're wasting your energy."
Seiyan continued firing.
Reji noticed something strange.
"Seiyan..."
Seiyan didn't look at him.
"Don't interrupt me."
Dracula glanced around.
"...He's doing something."
Judas understood immediately.
"He's setting something up."
Yoshiro suddenly disappeared.
He appeared directly in front of Seiyan.
"Enough."
His hand moved toward Seiyan's face.
Dracula appeared between them.
KRAAANG!
Dracula blocked the attack and was thrown backward.
"He's mine."
Yoshiro frowned.
"You keep getting in my way."
Dracula smiled.
"That's kind of my job."
He rushed forward again, moving so quickly that Yoshiro was forced to defend himself.
Reji joined immediately.
Chains shot across the battlefield.
Yoshiro erased them.
Judas restored the damage before it could become fatal.
For several moments, the four fighters moved together perfectly.
But Yoshiro was still overwhelming them.
He suddenly released a wave of white energy.
BOOOOOOM!
Everyone was thrown backward.
Seiyan landed on one knee.
His hands were trembling.
Yoshiro walked toward him.
"You've been firing at me this entire time..."
He stopped.
"...but you haven't actually been trying to hit me."
Seiyan slowly looked up.
Yoshiro's expression changed.
"What did you do?"
Seiyan stood.
Around them...
Almost invisible energy lines began appearing throughout the Citadel.
Across buildings.
Between streets.
Above the battlefield.
Behind Yoshiro.
Hundreds of them.
Then thousands.
Reji's eyes widened.
"...You've been placing them everywhere."
Seiyan slowly raised his hand.
"You kept erasing my attacks..."
He closed his fingers.
"...but you never noticed what they were leaving behind."
Every energy line suddenly illuminated.
The entire Citadel became surrounded by Seiyan's energy network.
Yoshiro looked around.
For the first time...
He didn't smile.
Seiyan pointed directly at him.
"Now..."
Every line moved.
"...there is nowhere left to dodge."
HORIZON BREAKER.
Hundreds of energy attacks erupted simultaneously.
They came from every direction.
Above.
Below.
Behind.
The sides.
Even from places Yoshiro had already erased.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The entire Citadel was engulfed in light.
Yoshiro disappeared inside the explosion.
Reji stared.
"...Did we get him?"
Dracula smiled.
"That would be too easy."
Judas watched the smoke carefully.
"He's still there."
The smoke slowly cleared.
A figure stood inside the crater.
Yoshiro.
His clothes were damaged.
Blood ran down his cheek.
His eyes slowly lifted toward Seiyan.
For several seconds...
Nobody spoke.
Then Yoshiro touched the blood on his face.
He looked at it.
"...Blood."
He smiled.
Not with anger.
With excitement.
"I haven't seen my own blood in a while."
Seiyan's breathing became heavier.
Horizon Breaker had consumed almost everything he had.
Yoshiro looked at him.
"You weren't trying to defeat me."
Seiyan remained silent.
"You were trying to force me into a position."
Yoshiro slowly laughed.
"You're smarter than you look."
Seiyan lowered his hand.
"And you're slower than you think."
Yoshiro's smile disappeared.
He suddenly vanished.
Seiyan's eyes widened.
Dracula immediately rushed toward him.
"SEIYAN!"
Yoshiro appeared behind Seiyan.
His hand reached toward his back.
But—
CLANK!
Chains wrapped around Yoshiro's arm.
Reji pulled hard.
"Not so fast."
Yoshiro looked at him.
Then at Dracula.
Then at Judas.
Then finally back at Seiyan.
The four stood together once again.
Yoshiro smiled.
"...So that's how you're going to fight me."
Judas raised her hand.
"We don't need to overpower you."
Reji tightened his grip.
"We just need to keep you from reaching your goal."
Dracula's electricity intensified.
"And we'll keep doing it."
Seiyan slowly raised his hand again.
Even though his entire body was exhausted...
He was ready.
Yoshiro stared at them.
Then he laughed.
"Fine."
White energy exploded around him.
"Show me how long you can survive."
The Citadel shook once more.
And the battle continued.