In the oppressive darkness, a new figure emerged before Kaoru—Hajun, exuding a potent aura of hatred and unyielding power. He stood bare, unfazed by modesty, casting a contemptuous gaze upon the near-unrecognizable form of Kyuubi, reduced to a wretched, writhing mass. His eyes gleamed with disdain as he looked down on the once-mighty calamity god as though it were nothing more than dust beneath his feet.
"How pitiful, Kyuubi," Hajun murmured in a scornful tone. "You clung to my power for years, and yet, you could never wield it properly. Once, even the gods of the heavens feared you… but look at you now." He approached Kyuubi's twisted, broken form, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "You're far too valuable to discard just yet."
With a cold touch and a command sharp as a blade, Hajun whispered, "Rise… and become my servant."
Kyuubi's ruined body pulsed with a new, vile energy. Slowly, it began to bloat, transforming into something far removed from its once graceful form. The nine-tailed fox became a horrific beast, its body grotesquely swollen and covered with pulsating, writhing tendrils, a sight that would haunt any ordinary mortal's eyes.
Hajun turned his gaze to Kaoru, extending one finger towards him, his voice calm but laced with absolute menace. "You, the one who dares stand in the way of my plans to bring down the heavens… perish."
With just a flick of his finger, Hajun unleashed a torrent of black energy straight toward Kaoru, a deadly projectile with enough power to obliterate the hill.
Hajun's grin widened, certain that his attack would obliterate Kaoru. But instead of bracing himself, Kaoru stood his ground, lifting his sword and meeting the blast with a firm deflection. The clash of dark energy against his blade created a blinding flash, but Kaoru's stance remained unshaken.
Seeing this, Hajun's expression shifted in slight surprise. Kaoru smirked, his voice dripping with confidence.
"Really? This tired trope of a 'hidden big boss' showing up at the last minute? Are we seriously going there? I mean, what is this, a parody?" Kaoru quipped, a sarcastic edge to his tone. "You called yourself Hajun, didn't you? Are you really that legendary Hajun?"
Hajun's eyes burned with fury. "You insolent wretch! How dare a mere human mock me?"
Kaoru's gaze remained steady, a faint yet irritated glint in his eyes. "Listen, if you're going to ramble on like this… maybe throw on some clothes first?"
Hajun's brow furrowed for a moment, seemingly taken aback by the casual remark. Without a word, he gestured, and in an instant, a majestic black kimono adorned with dark red and gold accents draped his form. Though now dressed with more dignity, his aura radiated an undeniable might, with two great horns jutting from his forehead, like those of a legendary Oni.
"Pathetic human," Hajun hissed, his voice cold and laced with contempt. "I've plotted this for countless decades, carefully orchestrated every step since Kyuubi discovered fragments of my power. Every disaster, every calamity… all designed to lead me back. And then, in the final moments, you, some foreign human with unknown origins, nearly thwart it all."
His glare sharpened, radiating a hatred as deep as the abyss. "I'm done with pests like you. Now, die, rot, and suffer in eternal darkness!"
Without warning, Hajun raised both hands, and from each finger, black streams of energy shot forth, slicing through the air like deadly spears aimed directly at Kaoru. Kaoru quickly stepped back, sensing the ominous, heavy aura in each attack raining down around him.
"Alright, let's get serious!" Kaoru dove to the side, dodging the first spear as it struck the ground, shattering it and leaving a massive rift in its wake. He moved swiftly, wielding Gram to cut down every projectile that approached him, yet Hajun's relentless onslaught intensified, like an unending storm scouring the battlefield.
Kaoru deflected each spear with precision, yet the constant barrage began to wear on him. With each parry, Hajun's dark energy left a searing residue that felt as if it was burning through his skin. "Tch… Even your attacks are laced with poison," Kaoru muttered, realizing Hajun's darkness was not only a physical assault but an attempt to corrode both body and mind.
Hajun sneered, watching Kaoru struggle under the onslaught. "Feeling pressured, hero? That's exactly what you should feel. I am eternal darkness, something a mere human can never hope to defeat."
But Kaoru remained undaunted. Although every muscle in his body trembled from the relentless attacks, his resolve held firm. With focused determination, he vaulted high into the air, evading the ground-based onslaught as he channeled energy into both his swords.
"In that case, you've never faced the resolve of a true hero," Kaoru declared, his voice filled with unwavering courage. In one swift move, he fused the energies of Gram and Divide Haglaz, generating a swirling vortex of red and blue light around him, illuminating Hajun's darkness with a radiant glow.
Hajun scoffed, momentarily caught off guard by the brilliant glow emanating from Kaoru's swords. "What do you think you're doing, human? No light can ever overcome my darkness!"
Ignoring Hajun's taunts, Kaoru focused all his power. With blinding speed, he plummeted downward like a blazing meteor aimed directly at Hajun.
"Blades of Reckoning!" he shouted with all his might. In a slash that seemed to tear the very air, Kaoru swung both swords, creating a cross-shaped strike that unleashed twin beams of red and blue energy, spiraling around each other like a wheel of light.
Hajun gritted his teeth, summoning a wall of dark energy to counter the attack. But the power of Kaoru's strike was overwhelming, piercing through the barrier and striking him. Hajun staggered back, writhing in pain as the strike tore through his dark armor, unleashing a torrent of inky black energy from his wound.
With a furious roar, Hajun's body convulsed under the force of Kaoru's attack, his dark aura disrupted and spilling out in waves. His face contorted in pain and anger as he glared at Kaoru, who stood firm, breathing steadily with a gaze full of confidence, showing no fear or exhaustion.
"Well? Still think I'm beneath you?" Kaoru challenged, his voice calm but edged with steely resolve.
Hajun's jaw clenched, his anger mounting. Humiliated, he cast a vicious look toward Kyuubi, who had been standing silently by his side, now a monstrous abomination writhing with dark tendrils. "WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE WHILE YOUR MASTER SUFFERS?! ATTACK HIM, YOU WORTHLESS FOX!"
With the command ringing in the air, Kyuubi's newly monstrous form lunged forward, a mass of tendrils and dark energy bearing down on Kaoru with terrifying speed. Kaoru held his ground, watching the grotesque creature's approach with a faint smirk.
"Oh, so you've brought backup, huh?" he said with a mockingly respectful tone, giving a theatrical bow. "In that case, I suppose I'll call for a little help of my own."
Kaoru lowered his head, the aura of his swords glowing with sacred energy, as he whispered a silent prayer. In my name, and for the duty entrusted to me, I call upon the great Aslan… To the twelve knights who guard the world from darkness, grant me your strength as an agent of the divine.
The air around him split open, revealing a rift radiating a brilliant light from another realm. From within the light, a tall, armored figure stepped out, clad in magnificent golden armor that glinted with holy brilliance. In the figure's hands rested a massive axe, exuding an aura of immense power, each step echoing with an authority that could not be ignored.
Kaoru glanced up with a satisfied smile. "So, it's you who answered, Ethan," he said in a familiar tone.
Before Kaoru stood Ethan, the fifth knight among the Twelve Knights of Charlemagne, a warrior feared and revered in battle. His towering golden armor and colossal axe projected an aura of unyielding strength, as though the entire battlefield now lay under his dominion.
Ethan gave Kaoru a brief nod, his voice deep and resolute. "In the name of Aslan, I have come to fulfill my holy duty. Who dares to challenge this divine emissary?" His gaze shifted toward Hajun and Kyuubi, who now looked upon him with expressions of confusion and fury.