In the outskirts, a biting cold enveloped every corner. The lake was frozen solid, trees were blanketed in pure white snow, and the ground cracked under the relentless frost. Yet, none of this seemed to cool the intensity of the battle raging between The Murder TRIO and The Desperate.
The Murder TRIO exploited his speed advantage, launching a barrage of lightning-fast strikes before darting away, circling The Desperate like a shadow that was impossible to track. Each attack aimed for critical weak points, creating constant pressure.
In contrast, The Desperate stood firm, maintaining a resolute defensive stance. He didn't attempt to counterattack but focused solely on parrying the unrelenting assault. Each strike from The Murder TRIO was neutralized with terrifying precision and calmness, as if The Desperate was patiently waiting for the perfect moment to retaliate.
"Keep defending; I'll find your opening soon enough," The Murder TRIO sneered, then accelerated even further, his speed reaching a level where his body blurred and disappeared along his path. He was like a fleeting gust of wind, leaving no trace of his next direction.
Suddenly, The Murder TRIO appeared behind The Desperate, both daggers in his hands slashing toward his opponent's nape. But just before the blades could connect, a thick wall of ice materialized, halting the attack.
A sharp "crack" echoed as the daggers pierced the icy barrier, but the wall significantly weakened the force behind the blow. This gave The Desperate just enough time to sidestep out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
"Consider yourself lucky!" The Murder TRIO leapt back, maintaining a safe distance, his eyes gleaming with both aggression and smugness.
The Desperate stood still, lightly touching the back of his neck. Though he had evaded the critical hit, he could feel a thin line of blood trickling from a shallow cut. "A moment's delay, and I might've been finished here," he thought, his gaze colder and sharper than ever.
"Already scared, are you? HAHAHAHAHA!" The Murder TRIO burst into laughter, his tone laced with mockery. "The fun's just getting started!"
Once again, like before, he vanished from The Desperate's sight. This time, however, The Desperate didn't remain stationary in his defensive stance.
"
Immediately, the frigid air around him responded to the command, churning violently and forming a fierce snowstorm with him at its center. Howling winds carried ice and snow in chaotic spirals, creating a freezing vortex. The temperature plummeted to the point where everything nearby froze instantly, turning the ground and surrounding trees into silent monuments of ice.
Sensing the danger, The Murder TRIO retreated with blinding speed, escaping the deathly storm. He landed in a safer spot, his sharp eyes fixed on the raging blizzard.
When the snowstorm subsided, leaving the area eerily silent, The Desperate emerged—completely transformed.
He sat regally upon a grand throne of ice, intricately carved with elegant patterns. Above the throne, a frozen Sandalphon was embedded, emanating a cold but overwhelming aura.
Most striking was The Desperate's new astral dress. It was a majestic suit of armor, reminiscent of a king's regalia. The armor gleamed in snowy white, glittering like shards of crystal, adorned with ruby-like red gemstones that shimmered like frozen blood. A white fur mantle draped around his collar, amplifying his imposing, frigid majesty.
Sitting on the icy throne, The Desperate's piercing gaze swept across the battlefield, radiating the authority of a newly awakened monarch but also burning with simmering hatred. The insult from The Murder TRIO was not merely against him but had struck at the heart of someone he cherished deeply—an affront he could never forgive.
He rose slowly, each movement exuding power and sovereignty. With deliberate force, he gripped the frozen Sandalphon, pulling it free from the throne. The blade's cold light reflected in his eyes, now filled with steely resolve. Pointing the sword directly at The Murder TRIO, his gaze was as sharp as the blade itself, ready to pierce through his opponent.
"I'll make you apologize to Tohka!" His voice wasn't loud, but every word was resolute, like a judge delivering a sentence.
The Murder TRIO's eyes burned with rage at the challenge. His pride stung, the opponent's defiance felt like a slap to his face—a declaration that his strength wasn't worth fearing.
"STOP TALKING NONSENSE!" he roared, his spiritual energy flaring wildly.
"
Without hesitation, he plunged into the abyss. The rift sealed behind him, leaving no trace.
"What?!" The Desperate's eyes darted around in shock, scanning for his opponent. But before he could react, a mocking voice rang out from behind him.
"Over here!" The Murder TRIO roared, appearing from thin air with a ferocious charge, his gleaming dagger aiming straight at The Desperate.
Reacting instantly, The Desperate raised the frozen Sandalphon, intercepting the ambush. The force of the collision pushed him back several steps, his boots digging into the icy ground to maintain balance.
"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Unwilling to cede the momentum, The Desperate roared, summoning nearly all his strength to swing his blade with overwhelming force. The counterstrike pushed both combatants apart, creating a brief but tense gap between them.
"It's not over yet!" The Murder TRIO sneered, his voice dripping with provocation.
He immediately swung his blade again, creating another black hole. Moving with impossible speed, he darted into it, vanishing from The Desperate's sight.
Another sudden strike came from a different angle, and The Desperate barely managed to twist around, using his sword to block it. The Murder TRIO's blade continuously appeared from all directions, forcing him into a state of absolute defense.
Over and over, The Murder TRIO seemed to dance on the battlefield, each appearance marked by a sharp, deadly attack. Meanwhile, The Desperate was caught in a whirlwind of relentless strikes, unable to find an opening to counterattack, only spinning to defend in futility.
"Tch, nothing but hit-and-run tricks..." The Desperate muttered, his piercing gaze locked onto The Murder TRIO's movements.
"In that case, I won't give you a chance to escape anymore!"
"!" he roared, his voice filled with authority.
The resounding call echoed across the battlefield. Instantly, the sky above began to quake violently. From above, an enormous object plummeted like a meteor. Its sheer size shook the ground ferociously, sending shards of ice and snow flying into a thick white mist that engulfed the area.
Even the dense fog couldn't fully conceal the presence of the being that had appeared. In mere moments, the outlines of its colossal legs emerged—a structure of jagged, alien ice.
The Murder TRIO looked up, his gaze more intense than ever. Above him, a pair of blood-red eyes stared down menacingly. Those eyes were identical to The Desperate's, yet this creature carried a far more feral aura—not just from its gaze but from the sharp fangs protruding from its jaw, ready to tear apart anything in its path.
"What… the hell is that?!" he muttered, as though this was his first time witnessing such a creature.
"A rabbit puppet? You've got to be kidding me."
"This is nothing like when Yoshino used it."
"Do you know why?" The Desperate stood firmly on the ground, his cold gaze fixed on his opponent. "Because my emotions made it this powerful. Nothing but my despair forged its shape."
With that, The Desperate leaped onto the creature's head. This was no longer the rabbit puppet Zadkiel that Yoshino had once used, but an entirely new, grotesque entity. Its small hands had morphed into razor-sharp claws like blades, while its massive legs exuded an overwhelming presence, freezing the ground with every step.
"Still..." The Murder TRIO smirked, his eyes flashing with ferocity. "It won't match my speed!"
In an instant, he vanished, reappearing high above, right behind The Desperate—the spot he always aimed for. With lightning speed, he swung his blade downward, aiming for his opponent's nape.
But… "What?!" The Murder TRIO gasped as his blade cut through empty air. The Desperate and the colossal puppet had disappeared from their position in the blink of an eye.
"On this icy terrain I've created, nothing can outrun me… Wait, I haven't named you yet, have I?" The Desperate spoke, standing proudly on the puppet's head, his demeanor exuding calm indifference as if ignoring his enemy entirely.
"Let me think…"
"DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME, YOU BASTARD!" The Murder TRIO roared in fury. He lunged forward at blinding speed, delivering a flurry of relentless, rapid attacks aimed directly at The Desperate.
Yet the massive puppet moved with incredible agility, contradicting its enormous form. It glided effortlessly across the icy terrain it had created, dodging every strike from The Murder TRIO. Each glide left behind trails of razor-sharp ice, making the battlefield increasingly treacherous for its adversary.
"Ah, I've decided. From now on, your name will be !"
As if understanding his words, the massive puppet let out a deafening roar that reverberated through the air, radiating power and agreement. Its glowing red eyes burned brighter, amplifying the fearsome weight of the name bestowed upon it.
"Good! Now it's time for us to strike!"
Immediately, slid forward, its movements as fluid as a predator on ice. It charged at The Murder TRIO with astonishing speed, showing no hesitation or restraint.
"Damn it!" The Murder TRIO gritted his teeth, recognizing the danger. He quickly began forming a black hole to escape, but The Desperate had already anticipated the move.
"Not this time!" The Desperate shouted, commanding .
Just as the black hole materialized, the puppet unleashed a massive ice beam, aimed directly at its center.
Ordinarily, a black hole—an entity beyond the laws of physics—should have been impervious to such an attack. Yet, the ice beam carried an unnatural energy, freezing not only matter but the space around it.
The black hole trembled violently, its dark surface gradually coated in a faint white frost, causing it to shrink and destabilize.
"What the hell?!" The Murder TRIO shouted, his eyes wide with panic.
"There's no escaping now!"
The Desperate leaped off
"This strike is for TOHKA!" The Desperate bellowed, his eyes blazing with resolve.
But something was off. The Murder TRIO didn't flee like before; instead, he stood still, his back turned to The Desperate. His posture was eerily calm, as though the battle no longer concerned him.
"What's going on? Could he have given up after witnessing my overwhelming power?" The Desperate wondered, his eyes carefully observing every subtle motion of his foe.
Suddenly, The Murder TRIO turned his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light, and a crooked smile spread across his face.
"Clearly… you know nothing about me…" He whispered, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
The Desperate's eyes widened as he sensed something ominous. His instincts screamed that his enemy was preparing a devious trick. But instead of hesitating or showing fear, The Desperate tightened his grip on his sword, his gaze radiating the confidence of someone who believed he had the upper hand.
"Whatever you're plotting, it all ends here!" he thought, refusing to retreat from his all-out finishing strike.
The Murder TRIO, however, didn't rush. He raised the dagger in his right hand and stabbed it into the air. Instantly, an eerie spectacle unfolded: countless blades identical to the one in his hand materialized from black holes scattered across the sky.
These blades hovered menacingly, sharp and cold, emerging from every angle to weave an intricate, deadly web with no gaps to escape.
As The Desperate charged forward, the blades awaited him. They sliced through everything in their path, each strike precise and merciless. Even The Desperate's
"You... did well... you bastard..." The Desperate collapsed onto the snow-covered ground, blood gushing from his wounds, staining the icy terrain red, creating a cold sea of crimson. The puppet began to lose control, its movements turning erratic and frenzied as The Desperate's strength ebbed away.
"Did you think I was just attacking and retreating this whole battle?" The Murder TRIO sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "In truth, I've done more than you could ever imagine."
He approached The Desperate slowly, his gaze sharp as a blade. Upon reaching him, he propped The Desperate's back against a nearby tree—not out of kindness; such a sentiment was foreign to The Murder TRIO. No, he merely wanted to ensure his adversary saw the sheer disparity between them: in power, strategy, and the very essence of combat itself.
"Look closely. At the very thing you take pride in summoning." He pointed toward the puppet, now resembling a rabid beast wreaking havoc on its surroundings.
Without another word, The Murder TRIO raised a small dagger in his right hand, squinting as he aimed it. He threw it with an unsettling calmness, but instead of flying straight, the blade vanished into a hovering black hole he had conjured moments prior.
In an instant, countless identical daggers emerged from other black holes scattered around the battlefield, their sheer number overwhelming to the point of disbelief. The gleaming blades tore through the air, surging toward , creating a spectacle of destruction that the murderous mastermind savored with sick delight.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Now watch, The Desperate. This is the power and precision you'll never reach."
The puppet endured thousands of strikes, each blade imbued with immense spirit energy from The Murder TRIO. Its movements halted, and it collapsed like a crumbling skyscraper, shaking the earth with its fall.
"You've… won… though I… hate to admit it..." The Desperate gasped, his voice broken, each word carrying pain and helplessness.
"Who gave you the right to decide that so easily?" The Murder TRIO chuckled mockingly. "Think you can call it quits just because you want to? I'm not done playing yet!"
His face twisted into an uncontrollable, deranged grin. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and summoned his second angel. "Come forth,
A radiant burst of light erupted from his right hand, and when it subsided, a strange broomstick appeared in his grasp, eerily reminiscent of a witch's broom in classic tales.
"Y-You have a second angel…?" The Desperate stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief.
The mirror embedded in the broom's bristles began to glow, emitting an otherworldly green light so blinding that The Desperate shielded his eyes with his hands.
When the light finally faded, he lowered his hands and opened his eyes, only to freeze in shock. His expression shifted from astonishment to sheer horror.
Standing before him was none other than Tohka—the one he longed for so desperately. She appeared in her RaiZen High uniform, completely unharmed, as if nothing had ever happened to her.
"T-Tohka... how are you… alive...?" The Desperate's voice trembled, tears streaming down his battered face.
"What are you saying, Watano? Didn't you promise to stay by my side forever?" Tohka smiled gently, her familiar voice reigniting a faint glimmer of hope within him.
Disregarding the pain from his injuries, he struggled to his feet, only to collapse again as his crippled legs gave out beneath him. Undeterred, he crawled toward her, his trembling hands reaching out, yearning to see her more clearly.
"I... I'm sorry… Tohka… It's all my fault..." His voice cracked, heavy with guilt and sorrow.
"THAT'S RIGHT! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! HAHAHAHA!"
The sudden outburst froze The Desperate in place. Tohka's voice had shifted, her gentle smile twisting into a grotesque grin, eerily similar to The Murder TRIO.
"What's wrong? Don't you like my little gift?" The Murder TRIO, now disguised as Tohka, laughed maniacally, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Y-YOUUUUUUUUUUU!" The Desperate roared, his shock giving way to unbridled rage. His bloodshot eyes brimmed with fury as his body trembled uncontrollably.
"Angry, are you? But what can you do? HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The Murder TRIO taunted, his eyes alight with sadistic glee. "Perhaps it's time to end this game."
"Goodbye, Watano." He delivered the final words in Tohka's voice, raising his weapon to strike the finishing blow.
"I'LL DRAG YOU TO HELL WITH ME!" The Desperate bellowed, letting his rage consume him entirely. With every ounce of strength left in his broken body, he lunged at The Murder TRIO, dragging himself across the blood-soaked snow, his arms wrapping tightly around his enemy.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" The Murder TRIO screamed, struggling to break free. "THIS IS JUST A COMPETITION!"
"IF I LOSE, YOU'RE GOING DOWN WITH ME, YOU MONSTER!" The Desperate's voice thundered as veins pulsed across his body, his icy energy surging like a storm, echoing the raw power he had unleashed in his own world.
"STOP! YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!" The Murder TRIO yelled, his voice tinged with genuine panic, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
"WHO SAID I CARED WHAT YOU THINK?!" The Desperate roared like a storm as the earth quaked violently, his power condensing into a singular, destructive force.
Just as his body was about to explode, a blinding barrier of light from the angel
"DAMN IT! WHY? WHY?! WHY?!" The Desperate screamed, slamming his fists against the cold floor, the silence around him his only reply.
Back on the battlefield, The Murder TRIO gasped for air, sweat pouring down his face despite the freezing surroundings.
"Good thing that old geezer, The Chronicler, enforced the no-kill rule..." The Murder TRIO muttered, his voice laced with annoyance, though a flicker of unease lingered in his eyes.
Straightening up, he brushed the snow off his coat and surveyed the battlefield. "Now then… who's next? Oh, wait… HAHAHAHAHA! Speak of the devil, and they appear!"
He narrowed his eyes, a twisted smile forming on his lips. "This next fight… looks like it's going to be fun."