Atop the hill, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, stood a figure whose presence commanded attention. His attire, though casual, exuded an air of confidence, accentuating the chiseled contours of his physique. With cyan eyes that seemed to pierce through the dusk and dark, tousled hair framing his face, he projected an aura of undeniable strength and determination.
As the mysterious man repeated his inquiry, his voice carried a weight of urgency and intensity, leaving no room for doubt. "You're Altharion's vessel, aren't you?" he asked once more, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Kaito.
Ren, ever the vigilant one, wasted no time in seeking answers. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice tinged with a hint of suspicion as he assessed the stranger before him.
The man's response was curt and dismissive, a clear indication that he had no interest in engaging with Ren. "I'm not interested in you," he replied, his tone brusque as he brushed off Ren's inquiry with a wave of his hand.
Ren's patience, already worn thin by the stranger's cryptic demeanor, began to fray at the edges. "You're really irritating," he muttered under his breath, his frustration bubbling to the surface as he struggled to maintain his composure in the face of the man's obstinance.
Yet, before Ren could press the matter further, the man's attention abruptly shifted towards Kaito, his eyes narrowing with a predatory gleam. "Hey, you. I've asked you a question," he growled, his voice laced with a dangerous edge as he fixed his gaze on Kaito.
Unfazed by the man's intimidating demeanor, Kaito met his gaze head-on, his own expression a mask of steely determination. "So what if I am?" he replied defiantly, his voice ringing out clear and unwavering in the gathering dusk.
Before anyone could react, however, the man sprang into action, closing the distance between himself and Kaito in less than the blink of an eye. With a powerful lunge, he sent Kaito crashing to the ground with bone-jarring force, the impact reverberating through the earth beneath them.
Gasping for breath, Kaito struggled to make sense of the sudden onslaught, his mind reeling from the shock of the attack. "What the...!" he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of disbelief and indignation as he sought to comprehend the events unfolding before him.
As the tense standoff unfolded atop the hill, Kaito's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and questions, each more pressing than the last. His senses heightened, his focus sharpened, as he grappled with the gravity of the situation unfolding before him.
With lightning reflexes, Kaito evaded the man's vicious stomp, his body moving with a fluid grace born of instinct and training. It was a move he had anticipated, a calculated risk that paid off in the nick of time, as he narrowly avoided the crushing blow by a mere fraction of an inch.
Seizing the opportunity to regroup, Kaito sprang to his feet and retreated several paces, putting distance between himself and his assailant. His mind raced with adrenaline-fueled determination, his every muscle poised for action as he prepared for the next onslaught.
But the man's taunts cut through the air like a knife, his words dripping with contempt and disdain. "Let Altharion take control," he sneered, his voice laced with malice as he sought to undermine Kaito's resolve.
Yet Kaito remained resolute, his spirit unbroken despite the onslaught of insults and threats. "You're not the one to decide!" he retorted, his voice ringing out clear and defiant as he stood his ground against the encroaching darkness.
Before the confrontation could escalate further, Ren leapt into action with a decisive strike, his fist hurtling towards the man's cheek with unbridled force. But to Ren's astonishment, the man effortlessly intercepted the blow with a single hand, his movements swift and precise as he deflected the attack with ease.
And then, with a single gesture, the man unleashed a chilling display of power, invoking a shadowy force that ensnared Ren in its grasp. Bound by darkness, Ren found himself immobilized, his movements restricted as he struggled against the suffocating grip of the man's sinister abilities.
As Kaito looked on in horror, a wave of realization washed over him. "Why...? WHY DOES HE POSSESS AN ENES THAT IS NOT ONE OF THE KNOWN ENES!?" he thought to himself, his mind reeling with the implications of the man's mysterious Enes.
As Ren struggled to make sense of the situation, he felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins, his senses sharpening as he braced himself for the next onslaught. The man's devastating punch had sent him hurtling through the dense foliage of Mt. Tashiro, leaving him battered and bruised but determined to press on.
Drawing upon his formidable Enes abilities, Ren summoned forth the power of the Elemental Ascendant Life Enes, channeling its healing energies to mend his broken body. With each passing moment, he felt the wounds knit themselves back together, the pain receding as his strength began to return.
But even as Ren struggled to regain his footing, his thoughts were consumed by the enigmatic figure who had brought them to this remote mountainside. "This person hits very hard," Ren mused, his mind racing with questions and uncertainties. "Was he giving it his all, though? Or was this a regular punch? Perhaps, even a weak one? Damn it... Just how powerful is he?"
As Ren rose to his feet, determination burning bright in his eyes, he knew that he couldn't afford to dwell on his doubts any longer. With a steely resolve, he dashed back towards the scene of the confrontation, his every step fueled by a fierce determination to protect his friends and uncover the truth behind their mysterious assailant.
Meanwhile, the man turned his attention back to Kaito, his gaze narrowing as he prepared to unleash another devastating attack. But Kaito was quick to react, his instincts guiding him as he evaded the man's lethal strike.
Yet even as Kaito attempted to dodge the man's assault, he found himself ensnared by a sinister force beyond his control. With a chilling command, the man invoked the power of "Abyssal Grasp", summoning forth shadows to bind Kaito's legs and render him immobile.
But just as all seemed lost, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the darkness with its dazzling brilliance. It was Raiden, the Emperor of Lightning, descending upon the scene with unmatched speed and power.
As Raiden prepared to unleash his formidable lightning-based attack, the entire area of Mt. Tashiro was bathed in a pink and white glow, the sky ablaze with crackling energy.
Editor's Note: Will the Emperor of Lightning's attack decide the outcome of the battle?