The Citadel trembled beneath the pressure of Yoshiro's power.
The light from Seiyan's Horizon Breaker was slowly fading, leaving the battlefield covered in smoke and shattered stone. Seiyan remained on one knee, breathing heavily after exhausting almost all of his energy.
Yoshiro stood across from him.
His injuries were minor.
His expression had returned to that terrifying calmness.
"That was interesting."
White energy gathered around his hand.
"But now..."
He suddenly vanished.
Reji's eyes widened.
"He's coming!"
Yoshiro appeared directly in front of Seiyan.
Before he could reach him, several chains exploded from the ground.
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
The chains wrapped around Yoshiro's arms and legs.
Reji stood at the other end, pulling them with everything he had.
"You're not touching him."
Yoshiro looked down at the chains.
"...Again?"
Reji gritted his teeth.
"Yeah."
More chains appeared.
They wrapped around Yoshiro's torso, forcing him backward.
Dracula immediately rushed forward.
Electricity surrounded his fist.
BOOM!
His punch struck Yoshiro's chest.
Yoshiro was launched through several walls.
Dracula landed beside Reji.
"Nice timing."
Reji smirked.
"Don't get used to it."
Judas quickly moved toward Seiyan.
"Can you still fight?"
Seiyan slowly stood.
"...I can."
"Then stay behind us."
Seiyan looked toward Yoshiro.
"That's not going to work forever."
Judas knew he was right.
They were buying time.
Nothing more.
The ruins suddenly exploded.
Yoshiro stepped out of the debris.
He looked down at his chest.
A small amount of blood stained his clothes.
He touched it.
"...You people are becoming annoying."
Reji raised his hand.
"That's the plan."
Chains shot toward Yoshiro again.
This time...
Yoshiro didn't dodge.
He grabbed one.
The chain instantly began disappearing.
Reji's eyes widened.
"No..."
Yoshiro pulled.
The entire chain network snapped.
CRAAAAACK!
Reji was violently dragged forward.
Yoshiro appeared directly in front of him.
"Your chains are strong."
He raised his hand.
"But everything has a limit."
Reji prepared himself.
Then Dracula appeared.
He kicked Yoshiro's arm away.
"Don't touch my friend."
Yoshiro looked at Dracula.
"You again."
Dracula smiled.
"Yeah."
He vanished.
Yoshiro followed his movement.
But Dracula wasn't attacking.
He was distracting him.
Seiyan understood immediately.
"Judas!"
Judas raised her hand.
A massive wave of metal rose from beneath the Citadel.
It formed around Yoshiro from every direction.
Yoshiro looked around.
"...Really?"
The metal compressed.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire battlefield.
Reji grabbed Seiyan's shoulder.
"Move!"
The three rushed away as Judas followed.
For a moment...
There was silence.
Then—
A hand emerged from the smoke.
Yoshiro walked out.
His expression was becoming colder.
"You've learned."
He looked at Reji.
"You restrain."
Then Dracula.
"You distract."
Then Seiyan.
"You control the battlefield."
Finally, Judas.
"And you make sure none of them stay down."
Judas narrowed her eyes.
Yoshiro smiled.
"Then I know exactly who to remove first."
His eyes locked onto Judas.
Judas' expression changed.
"...Me."
Yoshiro disappeared.
Dracula immediately chased him.
"NO!"
Yoshiro appeared behind Judas.
She turned.
His hand was already reaching toward her.
But Reji's chains wrapped around his wrist.
"Not today."
Yoshiro slowly looked at the chain.
Then smiled.
"You're learning too slowly."
The chain disappeared.
Yoshiro's hand moved toward Reji.
Dracula intercepted him.
Seiyan fired.
Judas restored.
The four continued fighting as one.
But the longer the battle lasted...
The more obvious the difference became.
Yoshiro wasn't merely surviving them anymore.
He was studying them.
Learning their movements.
Understanding their abilities.
And waiting for the exact moment...
When their teamwork would finally break.
Far above the Citadel, the clouds began turning white.
Something inside Yoshiro was continuing to awaken.
And none of them realized...
The monster standing before them...
Hadn't reached his limit yet.