The Citadel shook violently as Seiyan's energy lines spread across the ruins, connecting with Reji's chains and forming a massive formation around Yoshiro. Dracula disappeared from sight, moving at a speed that made the falling debris appear frozen in the air, while Judas remained behind them with both hands raised, constantly restoring the damage that Yoshiro had inflicted on their bodies. For the first time in several minutes, Yoshiro stopped walking forward. He looked around at the formation surrounding him, then slowly smiled.
"So this is your answer?"
Seiyan stood several meters away, breathing heavily. "Not an answer."
He raised his hand.
"A trap."
The entire formation activated.
Reji's chains suddenly shot from every direction, wrapping around Yoshiro's arms and legs while Seiyan's energy lines fired concentrated attacks through the openings between them. Dracula appeared at the exact same moment, striking Yoshiro from behind before disappearing again, then returning from another direction before Yoshiro could react. Every attack was timed perfectly, forcing Yoshiro to defend himself from several directions at once.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Yoshiro was pushed backward.
Reji pulled harder.
"KEEP HIM THERE!"
Seiyan shouted, "I'M TRYING!"
Yoshiro grabbed one of the chains.
It began disappearing.
Reji's eyes widened.
"He's breaking through!"
"Then give me another second!" Seiyan yelled.
More energy lines appeared.
They crossed over each other, creating a massive web of attacks that covered the entire battlefield. Yoshiro suddenly found himself surrounded by dozens of possible attack paths, and even his erasure couldn't remove all of them at once.
Dracula appeared above him.
"Found you."
He kicked Yoshiro downward.
CRASH!
Yoshiro slammed into the ground.
Before he could stand, Reji's chains wrapped around him again.
Judas immediately restored Dracula's damaged body as he landed.
Dracula looked at her.
"How long can you keep doing that?"
Judas smiled weakly.
"Until you stop getting hurt."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting."
Dracula laughed despite his exhaustion.
"Fair enough."
Yoshiro slowly rose from the crater.
His expression had changed.
He wasn't smiling anymore.
He looked at the chains around his body.
Then at the energy lines.
Then at the four people surrounding him.
"You've actually managed to corner me."
Reji smirked.
"Finally figured it out?"
Yoshiro looked at him.
"Yes."
He suddenly stopped struggling.
Reji's smile faded.
"...Why did he stop?"
Seiyan immediately understood.
"Everyone, move!"
Too late.
Yoshiro raised his hand.
The chains didn't disappear.
The energy lines didn't disappear.
Instead, the white energy spread through them.
Reji's eyes widened.
"He's using our attacks against us!"
The chains began glowing white.
Seiyan's energy network started collapsing from the inside.
Dracula rushed toward Yoshiro.
Yoshiro turned his head.
"You're too late."
A wave of erasure erupted from the chains.
Dracula was thrown backward.
Seiyan's entire formation shattered.
Reji screamed as his chains vanished one after another.
Judas immediately restored them.
Yoshiro erased them again.
She restored them.
Again.
He erased them.
Again.
She restored them.
Judas' knees began shaking.
"Come on..."
She pushed herself harder.
"Come on!"
Reji struggled to stand.
"Judas..."
"I'm not letting you disappear!"
Yoshiro stared at her.
"You still don't understand."
He slowly walked toward her.
"You keep restoring them..."
He raised his hand.
"...so I'll keep erasing them."
Judas looked at him.
For the first time, fear appeared in her eyes.
Yoshiro stopped directly in front of her.
"Eventually..."
His hand began glowing white.
"...you'll have nothing left."
Dracula suddenly appeared between them.
He was badly injured, but he still managed to stand.
"Then..."
He raised his fists.
"...you'll have to get through me first."
Yoshiro stared at him.
Then Reji stood beside Dracula.
Seiyan slowly rose behind them.
Finally, Judas stood with them.
Four exhausted warriors.
One impossible opponent.
Yoshiro's eyes narrowed.
"You people..."
He clenched his fist.
"...are unbelievably stubborn."
Reji smiled.
"Yeah."
Dracula laughed.
"That's probably why we're still alive."
Seiyan lifted his trembling hand.
"And we're not finished."
Judas looked at all three of them.
"...Together."
Yoshiro stared at them for several seconds.
Then the white energy around him suddenly became enormous.
The sky above the Citadel turned completely white.
Buildings began disappearing simply from being near him.
The four warriors looked upward.
Seiyan's expression changed.
"...That's different."
Judas whispered, "He's increasing his output."
Yoshiro slowly lifted his head.
"If you want to stay together..."
His eyes glowed with white energy.
"...then I'll erase all of you together."
The entire Citadel fell silent.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive wave of erasure swallowed the battlefield.
And this time...
Judas couldn't see any of them.