The battlefield didn't even look like a place anymore. What used to be Dragonbone Ridge had turned into something hollow sections of land simply gone, like reality itself had been peeled away, while the remaining ground was cracked, burned, and barely holding together. Smoke drifted lazily through the air, mixing with the heat from scattered flames that still burned from earlier clashes, most of them coming from Tyouro's attacks. It wasn't just destruction anymore it felt like something deeper, something wrong.
Yoshiro Kagetsu stood in the middle of it all, completely still. His breathing was calm, almost too calm for someone who had just erased an entire village. His eyes slowly scanned the battlefield, not in panic or anger, but like he was searching for something. Or someone.
Then his gaze stopped.
"Tch… fire."
His voice dropped slightly, almost like the word itself left a bad taste in his mouth. His eyes narrowed, locking directly onto Tyouro, who was still recovering from the last exchange, wiping blood from the corner of his lips while forcing himself to stand straight.
"You," Yoshiro continued, his tone colder now, "are the one I hate the most."
Before anyone could react, he disappeared.
The air cracked for a split second, and suddenly Tyouro felt it something coming straight at him. His instincts kicked in just enough to raise his arms, but it didn't matter. A massive force slammed into him, sending him flying across the broken ground. His body dragged violently through the dirt, tearing up the earth beneath him before crashing into what remained of a collapsed structure.
"TYOURO!"
Kairo's voice echoed, his body already moving forward, but Yura stepped in front of him instantly, her arm blocking his path. She didn't even look at him her eyes were completely focused on Yoshiro's position.
"Don't rush," she said calmly, though her tone carried a sharp edge. "He's not attacking randomly anymore."
Dust settled slowly as Tyouro pushed himself up, coughing hard as blood hit the ground. His body trembled, but he still managed to smirk, cracking his neck slightly as he forced himself back into position.
"…so you've got a problem with fire, huh?" he muttered, trying to sound relaxed even though his breathing was heavier now.
Yoshiro didn't respond. He simply raised his hand again, and the space around Tyouro started to distort, like something invisible was about to collapse in on him.
That's when Yura moved.
Her hand lifted slightly, fingers tightening as if she was grabbing something no one else could see. The distortion around Tyouro froze mid-motion, the pressure cracking before it could fully activate.
"…I'm holding it," she said quietly, her voice steady but her arm shaking just a little.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the invisible force shattered apart and vanished completely, like it had been denied the chance to exist.
Yoshiro's expression shifted just slightly not shock, not anger… interest.
"…so you can control it."
Yura stepped forward now, placing herself between him and Tyouro without hesitation. "I won't let you erase him."
Tyouro exhaled sharply behind her, shaking off the pain as he grinned. "Yeah… appreciate that. I was kinda about to disappear there."
Kairo clenched his fists, watching everything closely now. He wasn't rushing anymore. Not like before. "…we're starting to see it," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Kimimaru, standing slightly behind them, narrowed his eyes. "Not just see it," he said quietly. "We're adapting."
Yoshiro moved again but this time, his target changed.
He appeared directly in front of Yura, his hand already reaching forward, ready to erase her at point-blank range.
And then
A sharp metallic sound cut through the air.
Clang.
Yoshiro's movement stopped.
A card floated in front of him, spinning slowly, glowing faintly as it blocked the invisible force.
For the first time since the fight began, there was a pause.
"…what?"
Another card appeared. Then another. Within seconds, several cards were floating around the battlefield, each one rotating slightly as if they had their own presence.
A voice came from behind the group, casual and almost bored.
"Man… I leave for one mission and you guys are already getting erased."
They all turned at once.
A boy stood there, flipping a card between his fingers like it was nothing. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, scanning the battlefield in an instant.
"Miss me?" he added with a small grin.
Tyouro blinked, confused. "…who even are you?"
The boy tilted his head slightly. "Hero," he said simply, then flicked the card forward.
It stopped mid-air.
"Let's not die yet, alright?"
Yoshiro stared at him now, his gaze colder than before. "…another one."
Hero didn't look intimidated at all. If anything, he looked interested. "Yeah," he replied casually. "And I don't like losing."
He raised another card, this one marked with a club symbol.
"Reversal."
The air twisted subtly, and the lingering pressure of Yoshiro's erasure energy suddenly snapped away from the group, dispersing like it had been pushed back.
Kairo's eyes widened slightly. "…he didn't block it…"
Yura finished the thought. "…he reversed the effect itself."
Hero smirked a little. "Exactly. Not attacks… just what they do."
For the first time, Yoshiro didn't move immediately. He was watching now. Thinking.
Then, without warning, he vanished again this time aiming straight for Hero.
Hero didn't dodge.
Instead, he flicked another card forward.
"Diamond."
Yoshiro's movement shifted just slightly, barely noticeable but enough.
His attack missed.
"…what?" Yoshiro muttered.
Hero stepped back casually, shrugging a bit. "Low chance becomes guaranteed. I just help reality make better decisions."
There was a short silence.
Then Kairo stepped forward, his expression completely different now focused, steady, serious.
"…then we use that."
Hero raised an eyebrow. "Use what?"
Kairo looked at everyone.
"…each other."
This time, no one hesitated.
Yura nodded first. Tyouro cracked his knuckles. Kimimaru stepped forward quietly.
And for the first time since the fight started
They moved as a team.