CHAPTER 5
At the tournament, Kuto appears in the Fantasy City section of the banner row with Nemisis. A white banner bearing the image of an Octo-Phoenix hangs over them.
"Are we late?" Kuto asked.
"No, they just completed fixing the barriers," answered Aenzil.
She stared at Nemisis.
Something feels different about him... she thought.
"Hmm... alright, Nemisis, get ready," Kuto said. "And Aenzil, follow me."
"Wait... are you sure you want to do this?" Aenzil asked, staring at Nemisis.
Back at the mountain before they arrived at the tournament ground.
"All this is to trigger your power," Kuto said. "Now, if you choose not to continue, that's fine. I can already see you have the potential."
"I will go to the tournament," Nemisis replied.
"Well then, let's treat this as your final test."
"Now that I've seen what I can do... I need to be strong enough to save my brother."
"And now we have our final matchup - Nemisis against Teku", screamed the official.
Both fighters stood facing each other.
At the Sovereign's Stand, Kuto entered. The two rulers - Queen Doreen of Fantasy City and Queen Chelsea of El Tanorie-rose, gave a slight bow, then took their seats.
Kuto takes his seat beside a young girl with red and white hair. Aenzil sat beside him.
"That must be your grandson?" Queen Doreen asked calmly.
"Grandson?" Queen Chelsea said, frowning.
"Do you know what you've brought before us?" the girl asked, her tone almost playful.
"I know. And I've made sure I'm ready."
"But what if it draws the attention of... you know who?"
"That would be fun... wouldn't it, Aria?"
The little girl giggles. Both queens exchanged glances.
Teku glanced at Nemisis.
"You are not from here... you've got 'human' written all over you."
"Why does everyone keep bringing up me being human?"
"Your kind are nothing before us... pathetic."
The air before him distorted - a sword formed in his grasp, its a dark silver blade gleaming, a red pearl embedded in its hilt.
"Then it'll be interesting when I defeat you. "
Nemisis gaze sharpened.
The space before him trembled - and a blade manifested, hovering before him.
The arena felt silent.
Then the whispers began - spreading through the crowd like a ripple.
Xdio leapt from her seat, her eyes wide with exhilaration, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
Tezuka watched in silence, his fist tightening.
Teku's eyes widen.
"it... It can't be," he stammered, "The myth... where did you get it?"
"The myth?" Nemisis looked confused.
At the Sovereign stand, the queens glanced at each other uncertainly, then at Kuto.
"That sword," Aenzil whispered, turning shallow.
"The sword of Renon... it really wasn't a myth."
Nemisis grabs the sword and observes around.
Why is everyone acting strange? He thought.
Teku points his sword at Nemisis.
"Blue flames of Death".
A blue light ignited at the tip of his sword - then flames erupted, surging towards Nemisis.
An enormous explosion swallowed the arena.
Smoke fills the air.
As it cleared, Nemisis stood within a massive crater, unmoved,
"I see you're not going to go easy," Nemisis said, removing his worn black jacket. "I've seen enough to know how it goes."
Nemisis was already behind him - his sword mid swing. Teku blocked just in time.
"How is he this fast?" Teku wondered.
Both fighters distanced themselves.
"Should I use it now? First, he has that sword; now, his speed … it's beyond light. Who is he exactly?"
"Hey!"
Nemisis appeared above him, shouting.
"Focus"
He brought his sword down, slicing across Teku's hand as he tried to block.
Both fighters stood, breathing heavily.
Then Nemisis moved.
He unleashed a flurry of attacks—each faster than the last, the air swirling wildly around them, swords clashing and causing shockwaves.
"I can't keep up," Teku said, coughing up blood.
There's something different about him.
He's fighting raw - yet getting stronger with every attack.
I must...
A force pushed Nemisis back.
Teku raised his sword, blue spirit energy gathering around him, the ground trembling beneath his feet.
Nemisis looked at him intently.
Back at the inn in the Land of Falling Gold, Old Man Kuto and Nemisis are having lunch.
"Your opponent has a blue diamond. I want you to force him to use it."
"Why?" Nemisis asked.
"I want you to observe how he calls upon its power... and I want to see how your body reacts to it."
After transforming, blue patterns glow across Teku's skin; his hair and eyes darken to a deeper shade of blue.
The air around him goes still.
-Transformation: Alpha Teku-
He appears behind Nemisis -
and slashes his back.
Nemisis is slammed into the barrier - it shatters, leaving nine remaining.
"You don't seem human," Teku said, walking slowly toward him.
"You're strong... I'll give you a chance to surrender."
"Look at you talking now," Nemisis slowly rises to his feet, bleeding from his back.
"If you can make me drop my weapon, I'll surrender," he said grimly.
"...As you wish," Teku replied.
He lunges - grabs Nemisis by the neck.
In the next instant, they're in the air.
Then -
He slams him into the ground.
The impact carves a crater.
"Let go of your sword... huh?"
He drives his weapon straight through Nemisis's hand - the one holding the sword.
"Now you break."
Teku stomps down - again and again.
Each impact drives Nemisis deeper into the ground.
Nemisis's grip weakens.
His vision blurs-
Then everything goes black.
Teku looks down.
Even now - Nemisis still grips the sword.
"Just let go of the sword already," Teku mutters, stomping again.
Nemisis opened his eyes.
Darkness.
He couldn't feel the ground beneath him... nor his body.
Just emptiness.
"...So," a voice echoed, calm and distant, "what do we have here?"
Nemisis frowned.
"Who's there?"
A pause.
Then -
"How do you expect to save your brother... if you can't even defeat someone like that?"
Nemisis clenched his teeth.
"I-"
"But—"
The voice cut him off.
" You are dead... aren't you?"
Silence.
"...Or are you already dead?"
A low chuckle followed.
"Strange, isn't it? That you'd even think such a thing."
Nemisis's expression darkened.
"My body's broken... I can barely hold on... my grip is failing-"
"You have a point," the voice admitted.
Then calmly-
"Tell me this..."
A pause.
"Can something that transcends death... actually die?"
…
Silence filled the void.
Nemisis said nothing.
"Doesn't make sense, does it?" the voice continued.
Nemisis narrowed his eyes.
"...Are you saying I can't die?"
A soft laugh.
With that fragile human body of yours... you will."
A pause.
"But your title won't allow it."
Nemisis froze.
"..Title?"
"Prove you're worth my attention," the voice said now fading,
"and perhaps... we'll meet again."
Suddenly-
A force pulled at him.
The darkness cracked.
Light bled in.
Then color.
Then everything shattered.