The instant the tiny cracks formed behind Hiroshi, Raizen surged forward again.
His sword carved a diagonal arc through the air, forcing Lady Chõko to lean sideways. Before the blade could complete its swing, he reversed his grip and struck again from the opposite direction.
Clang!
Lady Chõko caught the flat of the blade with her forearm guard, the impact sending a sharp metallic sound across the wasteland. She slid backward several meters, leaving two shallow trails across the cracked earth before immediately pushing herself forward again.
"You've got good hands," she said with a cheerful smile.
Raizen grinned.
"And you've got annoying footwork."
Their weapons met again.
Then again.
Each collision scattered sparks that danced across the dark battlefield.
Behind Raizen, the cracks in space widened.
A black doorway unfolded silently.
Hiroshi stepped through it without haste.
"...Archive Release."
From the darkness behind him, three ancient weapons floated into view.
A long silver spear wrapped in faded blue cloth.
A heavy bronze axe covered in worn battle marks.
And a chain with crescent-shaped blades attached to both ends.
Lady Chõko glanced toward him while avoiding another slash from Raizen.
"So you're finally joining?"
Hiroshi smiled politely.
"I'd rather not leave all the work to him."
With a flick of his fingers, the silver spear shot forward.
Lady Chõko twisted her body, allowing it to pass beside her cheek.
The spear curved through the air instead of continuing forward, circling behind her before launching another attack.
"Oh?"
"A returning weapon?"
"It remembers its target," Hiroshi replied.
Lady Chõko laughed softly.
"That's convenient."
Before she could finish speaking, Raizen closed the distance again.
His sword descended from above while the spear attacked from behind.
A perfect pincer.
Lady Chõko bent her knees.
The sword passed overhead.
The spear rushed beneath her.
The two attacks narrowly missed each other before Hiroshi redirected the spear at the last second.
"Nice teamwork," Lady Chõko admitted.
Raizen didn't answer.
He was already attacking again.
His swordsmanship became increasingly relentless, every slash flowing naturally into the next. There wasn't a single wasted movement.
Lady Chõko sidestepped one strike before using her palm to redirect the next. She slipped between Raizen and the returning spear, forcing both attacks to cross paths.
Clang!
The spear struck Raizen's blade instead.
Raizen smirked.
"Almost."
"Almost."
Lady Chõko echoed with a smile.
Hiroshi calmly raised another hand.
The bronze axe flew from the Archive, spinning violently toward Lady Chõko.
She lowered her stance and let it pass overhead.
The axe slammed into the ground—
Instead of stopping, glowing runes lit up across its surface.
The earth around it suddenly became heavier.
Lady Chõko's next step slowed ever so slightly.
She looked down.
"A gravity relic?"
"Forged by the Stone Giants," Hiroshi answered. "It doesn't make you heavy."
"It makes the ground refuse to let you go."
Before the effect could fully settle, Raizen was already there.
His shoulder crashed into Lady Chõko, finally landing the first clean hit of the battle.
Boom!
She slid backward across the battlefield, her sandals carving deep lines into the stone before she regained her footing.
Raizen rested the Dimensional Sword on his shoulder.
"...Got you."
Lady Chõko dusted off her sleeve.
"You did."
She smiled as though nothing had happened.
"...That one actually hurt a little."
Haruto watched silently.
"...She isn't fighting back."
"No," Kaizen answered, his countless calculation lines shimmering around him.
"...She's observing."
Ayame narrowed her eyes.
"She's learning our rhythm."
The words caused Hiroshi's expression to change ever so slightly.
He realized it too.
Every exchange...
Every dodge...
Every small movement...
Lady Chõko wasn't merely avoiding their attacks.
She was memorizing them.
Raizen planted his sword into the ground for a split second before pulling it free again.
"If you're only going to defend..."
"...you're going to regret it."
Lady Chõko's smile remained warm.
"I know."
She slowly lifted her right hand.
Not to unleash a devastating technique.
Not to reveal her Forbidden Energy.
She simply curled her fingers...
Then beckoned them forward.
"Come."
"I've finished warming up."
The wind howled once more.
For the first time since the battle began...
The six members of the Dimensional Clan felt the same thought cross their minds.
The real fight... had only just begun.