Hero jumped onto the pyramid and grinned, his confidence showing on his face.
"Hey, I thought you were pretty strong? Besides, this fight feels like dice versus cards. But I don't think you're winning against me…"
Reiji looked at him calmly, completely unfazed by his arrogance.
"You have a very high ego… but, to be honest, all those cards of yours are just like Superman. But…" Reiji's eyes narrowed slightly. "Can you be like me?"
Hero's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he threw multiple cards into the air. The cards immediately chased Reiji, following his every movement as if they were alive.
Reiji leaped into the air and threw his dice toward the incoming cards.
The moment the dice struck them, the cards vanished one after another.
"Your cards are too weak. They just feel like paper…"
Hero's jaw tightened.
"Then try this."
He pulled out a spade card and hurled it toward Reiji. Reiji quickly threw his dice at it, but Hero suddenly controlled the card in midair, changing its trajectory.
The spade slammed into Reiji.
BOOOOOOM!
An explosion erupted across the pyramid, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.
Reiji emerged from the smoke, barely reacting.
"Ah… interesting. But such a useless card. That explosion is just a normal bomb."
Reiji suddenly moved.
He dashed forward with incredible speed, jumped high, and threw his two dice into the air.
The dice spun rapidly before landing.
One.
Reiji smiled coldly.
"You know… I wouldn't have any abilities if I couldn't roll."
Hero stared at him.
"I understand that. But I don't feel bad for you."
In an instant, Reiji teleported directly toward Hero and threw his dice at him.
Hero quickly summoned several cards and launched them forward to form a shield.
CRACK!
The moment Reiji's dice struck the cards, their strength weakened.
Hero's eyes widened.
Before he could react, Reiji leaped upward and slammed both feet into him.
"UGH—!"
Hero was sent flying backward and crashed violently into the side of the pyramid.
BOOM!
He groaned, struggling to stand.
"Damn it… I knew it. When it lands on one, my attacks become weaker… and your attacks become weaker too, am I right?"
Reiji didn't answer.
Instead, he stepped forward and kicked Hero again.
Hero coughed, blood escaping from his mouth as he was knocked backward.
Reiji looked down at him with a cold expression.
"I thought it would be interesting to fight someone like you… and I know what you're looking for."
His eyes sharpened.
"The Rubik's Cube guy?"
Despite the pain, Hero slowly grinned.
"You're right, bastard… But what do you think I am? An ordinary human with good powers?"
Reiji's expression remained emotionless.
"You do realize you're going to die now. I won't give you another chance."
Hero lowered his gaze.
His left hand slowly moved behind him.
Reiji didn't notice.
A diamond card silently appeared between Hero's fingers.
He flicked it behind Reiji.
The instant the card disappeared into the distance—
FLASH!
Hero teleported.
Suddenly, he appeared behind Reiji and launched a barrage of cards from every direction.
Reiji's eyes widened.
BOOOOOOM!
BOOOOOOM!
Multiple explosions swallowed the area, covering Reiji in a thick cloud of dust.
For a moment, everything became silent.
Then the dust began to fade.
Reiji stood in the middle of the destruction.
One arm was crossed behind his back, gripping the stock of his slung rifle tightly, while his other arm reached forward. His fingers were deftly spread and perfectly steady, with his two dice balanced between them.
He leaned forward slightly.
His gaze was sharp.
A confident smirk appeared across his face.
"I got three…"
He slowly lifted the dice.
"…meaning it bends whenever an attack comes near me."
Hero's eyes widened.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
Hero immediately began throwing card after card toward Reiji.
Reiji jumped high and threw his dice toward Hero from behind.
But—
FLASH!
Hero teleported behind him.
A card suddenly slashed across Reiji.
SLASH!
Before Reiji could turn around—
BOOOOOOM!
Another explosion engulfed him.
---
Meanwhile, at Reikosha Academy…
Tyouro grunted as flames continued firing from his arm.
Kimimaru calmly took his position, his expression cold and distant.
"I wonder how pathetic you are, Tyouro…"
He stared at him without emotion.
"To be honest, I never wanted to be with you all. You were always annoying. No matter what you say, I'll never change. I've been like this since I was a kid."
Tyouro glared at him, anger burning in his eyes.
"You're selfish! You're always distant from us! Even Sensei Shougo—you didn't care about him!"
His voice shook with rage.
"He's the one who's been taking care of you since you were born! No wonder your parents left you… because you look like a monster!"
For the first time, Kimimaru's expression shifted slightly.
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Kimimaru jumped high into the air.
An invisible slash tore through the space toward Tyouro.
But Tyouro reacted instantly.
CLANG!
He caught the invisible attack in midair.
"I don't know how you became like a brother to me when you're nothing but selfish!"
Tyouro gritted his teeth.
"If Shougo were still alive, he wouldn't accept someone like you!"
Kimimaru landed on a tree branch, calmly watching him.
"He would."
His voice remained quiet.
"Because he was always accepting of everyone. Even his friend Oza, who betrayed him…"
Kimimaru's eyes darkened.
"And he still refuses to accept that he was wrong. He accepted the weak and the strong alike. That's why he was pathetic…"
His grip tightened.
"Always accepting people who made the biggest mistakes."
Tyouro roared in anger.
"SHUT UP!"
FWOOOOSH!
A massive stream of fire erupted from his arm and raced toward Kimimaru's tree.
Kimimaru immediately jumped high into the air.
Another invisible slash shot toward Tyouro.
CLANG!
Tyouro caught the attack again, biting down as he struggled against its force.
Then he jumped toward Kimimaru and hurled a massive fireball.
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
---
Kairo watched the two of them fight from a distance, his expression filled with worry.
"They're fighting… We have to stop them!"
He turned toward Yura.
"Sensei Shougo wouldn't want this. Yura, we have to stop them!"
Yura nodded, but her breathing had become heavier.
"You're right… but the barrier is extremely hot right now. We have to stay away and think of a way to stop them…"
Suddenly, Yura's knees weakened.
Her body began to tremble.
Kairo immediately caught her before she fell.
"Yura? What happened?"
Yura struggled to breathe.
"I… I can't take it anymore…"
She looked toward the barrier.
"It's too hot… It's much hotter than the sun…"
Kairo nodded.
Without hesitation, he picked her up and carried her away from the barrier, jumping onto a safer tree.
As he looked up at the sky, the sunlight reminded him of Shougo.
Kairo's expression slowly darkened.
"I thought Shougo was unbeatable…"
His voice became quieter.
"I thought he would be here forever… almost like he was immortal."
He looked toward Yura.
"Yura… what if everyone starts leaving the squad because of Shougo's death?"
Yura remained silent for a moment.
"I don't know…"
She looked toward the battlefield.
"But Kimimaru and Tyouro are fighting, and I'm not sure if they're fighting to the death."
Her expression became serious.
"And that moment… I don't think she killed Shougo just because of her Aether Reaper."
Yura lowered her voice.
"There's something much deeper than that."
Kairo's eyes widened.
"Oh…"
He suddenly looked determined.
"We have to ask Sensei Griffin then. And also…"
Kairo paused.
He looked around the ruined academy.
"Where's Sensei Judas? And her students? They haven't returned yet…"
Kairo carefully placed Yura on a tree branch and looked around.
The Reikosha Academy buildings were badly damaged, some of them completely destroyed.
His expression became tense.
"It's getting dangerous…"
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Griffin rushed toward them and adjusted his hat.
"What happened to Tyouro and Kimimaru?"
"Sensei…"
Kairo quickly explained.
"They won't stop fighting! The barrier is even hotter than the sun now… Even Yura became too weak to stay near it."
Griffin nodded.
"I'm going there to stop them—"
"I want to go too."
Kairo stepped forward.
"I want to talk to them."
Griffin paused, then nodded.
"Fine."
He glanced behind him.
"You guys take care of Yura. We're going back to where Tyouro and Kimimaru are fighting."
Oko nodded.
Aoi stood nearby, her body covered in bandages.
She clenched her fists.
"Damn it… That lady just killed Sensei Shougo…"
Griffin and Kairo immediately disappeared.
A moment later, they returned to the battlefield where Tyouro and Kimimaru were fighting.
The moment they arrived—
Their eyes widened.
Kimimaru was covered in blood.
His shirt had been completely torn away, exposing his battered body.
But what shocked them the most was his weapon.
His massive Zweihander was slowly melting from the unbearable heat of the barrier.
And yet—
Kimimaru was still standing.
Still fighting.
Still refusing to fall.