The Citadel had become a battlefield of white light.
Yoshiro stood at the center of the destruction, his Absolute Erasure spreading farther than before. Reji's chains continued appearing across the ruins, Seiyan's Horizon network covered the sky, and Dracula moved between them so quickly that even Yoshiro couldn't properly track his position.
Judas watched from behind them, constantly restoring their injuries.
"Don't let him release that power again!"
Seiyan raised his hand.
"I know!"
His Horizon network expanded across the sky.
"He's preparing something even bigger."
Reji pulled his chains tighter.
"Then we stop him before he can use it."
Yoshiro smiled.
"You really think you can stop me?"
He raised his hand.
White energy gathered around his palm.
Dracula disappeared.
The next instant, Yoshiro's hand was struck from the side.
BOOM!
Yoshiro's body moved backward.
Before he could recover, Dracula struck him again.
Then again.
Then again.
The attacks came from everywhere.
Left.
Right.
Above.
Behind.
In front.
There was no pattern.
Yoshiro turned toward one direction.
Nothing.
He turned again.
Nothing.
Dracula was already somewhere else.
"You can't catch me."
Yoshiro's expression became colder.
"I don't need to."
He suddenly released a wave of erasure in every direction.
Dracula instantly vanished from the area.
The wave passed through the battlefield.
Dracula appeared several kilometers away.
He looked toward the Citadel.
"...He erased the space around himself."
Yoshiro appeared in front of him.
Dracula's eyes widened.
"You're faster than before."
Yoshiro smiled.
"You're not the only one who can adapt."
Dracula disappeared again.
Yoshiro's attack missed.
Dracula appeared behind him.
Another strike.
Yoshiro blocked it.
Dracula disappeared.
Another attack.
Yoshiro blocked it again.
The two continued moving so quickly that the battlefield could barely register their movements.
To Reji and Seiyan, they looked like flashes appearing and disappearing across the Citadel.
Seiyan watched carefully.
"Even I can't follow Dracula anymore."
Reji smirked.
"Good."
Seiyan looked at him.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because that means Yoshiro can't either."
Suddenly, Dracula appeared beside them.
"You're right."
He smiled.
"He's having trouble."
Yoshiro's voice came from behind them.
"Am I?"
Dracula's smile disappeared.
Yoshiro raised his hand.
Dracula instantly vanished.
The erasure passed through the location where he had been standing.
A second later, Dracula appeared behind Yoshiro.
He attacked.
Yoshiro turned.
The two exchanged another barrage of attacks.
Dracula's speed continued increasing.
His movement was no longer limited by ordinary distance.
He could cross the battlefield before the sound of his previous movement reached the others.
He wasn't simply moving quickly.
He was moving through space itself.
Judas stared at him.
"His potential..."
She whispered.
"He's already reaching the future I restored."
Dracula appeared beside her for a fraction of a second.
"Feels good."
Then he disappeared again.
Yoshiro suddenly stopped.
He looked toward the sky.
The white energy around him began growing.
Seiyan's expression changed.
"Everyone..."
The Horizon network began shaking.
"...move."
Reji looked upward.
"What's happening?"
Yoshiro slowly raised both hands.
The sky became completely white.
The clouds disappeared.
Then the atmosphere itself began fading.
Judas' face went pale.
"He's not targeting the Citadel."
Seiyan looked at her.
"Then what is he targeting?"
Judas stared toward the horizon.
"...Everything."
The white energy continued expanding.
Mountains in the distance began disappearing.
The ocean flickered.
Entire regions vanished for a moment before Judas desperately restored the existence of what she could reach.
Reji looked horrified.
"He's going to erase the world."
Yoshiro laughed.
"YES!"
His voice echoed across the ruined Citadel.
"NO MORE WAR!"
"NO MORE PAIN!"
"NO MORE PEOPLE TELLING ME WHAT THIS WORLD SHOULD BE!"
The white energy expanded farther.
"I'LL ERASE EVERYTHING!"
Dracula appeared beside Yoshiro.
His face was no longer smiling.
"You'll kill everyone."
Yoshiro looked at him.
"Exactly."
Dracula's eyes narrowed.
"...Then I'll stop you."
Yoshiro smiled.
"Try."
Dracula disappeared.
The battle began again.
But this time...
Dracula wasn't fighting to defeat Yoshiro.
He was fighting to prevent him from reaching the entire world.
Reji pulled his chains together.
Seiyan activated every remaining Horizon line.
Judas pushed her restoration beyond its limits.
And Dracula accelerated.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Until even the Citadel itself seemed frozen.
He moved toward Yoshiro.
Because he knew something the others didn't.
If Yoshiro released the full Absolute Erasure...
There wouldn't be another chance.
The world would disappear.