Jin's boots scraped against the Excution ground as he faced Valkris. Amy and Ryker stood frozen, shackled to the rail.
Valkris's palm clenched, and the earth shuddered. Concrete cracked beneath their feet. Jin's gaze snapped to the fissures spreading like veins across the ground.
"Wood Art:Woodborn Technique!" Valkris bellowed.
Trees burst from the fissures, their trunks thickening, branches lengthening into razor-sharp spears. Jin's eyes narrowed.
"Amy, Ryker, get down!" Jin yelled, whipping his black flame cloak into two tendrils. The flames severed the shackles, freeing his allies.
As the wooden horde closed in, Jin unleashed a maelstrom of dark fire. Flames engulfed the structures, ash swirling around them. Heat radiated, scorching Jin's skin.
Flame style: Vortex Technique..
"Move!" Jin shouted, grabbing Amy and Ryker. Together, they leaped off the Excution ground.
Wind rushed past Jin's face as they plummeted toward the streets below. Valkris's laughter echoed through the air.
Jin's flames propelled them upward, landing hard on a nearby skyscraper. Valkris reappeared, emerald eyes blazing.
"You can't escape," Valkris sneered, wooden tendrils snaking around the skyscraper.
Jin's grip on Amy and Ryker tightened. "We need to keep moving."
Amy's voice trembled. "Jin, how do we stop him?"
Jin's jaw clenched. "I'll find a way."
Ryker's eyes locked onto Valkris. "He's not just controlling nature... he's becoming it."
Valkris's smile twisted, bark-like skin spreading across his face.
Scene Shifts to Rex.
Rex's eyes blazed with excitement as he raced after nightshade . With a swift gesture by jin, he had unleashed a wind blast that sent Valkris's allies flying off the stage. The gust howled like a tempest, ripping through the air with devastating force.
"Cube!" Rex shouted.
His body began to shift, molecular structure rearranging into twenty tiny, glowing cubes. Two fragments broke off, hovering before Rex like miniature satellites. He used them as footage, levitating and flying toward Nightshade.
Nightshade, still reeling from Jin's attack, struggled to regain balance. Rex seized the opportunity, dispatching five cube fragments toward Nightshade.
The tiny cubes surrounded Nightshade, hovering mere inches from his body. As he raised his head, a fierce explosion erupted from the cubes.
BOOM!
The blast wave rippled through the air, a shockwave of force that sent Nightshade stumbling. His eyes widened as he raised his hands.
"Kage no Jōheki!" (Shadow Barrier)
A red, protective shield materialized around Nightshade's body, but Rex's cube explosion proved relentless. The barrier creaked, strained, and finally shattered.
CRACK!
Nightshade's body was engulfed in a maelstrom of flames and debris. The explosion's fury ripped through his defenses, sending him tumbling backward.
Nightshade's scream was lost amidst the chaos. His body smashed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth.
As the dust settled, Nightshade's broken form lay exposed. His armor was cracked, shattered plates hanging limply. Burns covered his skin, charred flesh peeking through torn fabric.
Rex descended, cube fragments reassembling around him.
"One down," Rex growled.
The air was heavy with tension, the silence punctuated only by Nightshade's labored gasps.
Rex's eyes locked onto Nightshade as the air cleared The city's neon lights reflected off the wet pavement, casting an eerie glow.
"Kurokage!" The black Shadow Sword, Nightshade shouted.
The sound wave from his voice reverberated through Rex's chest. A dark, ethereal sword materialized in Nightshade's hand, its blade shimmering with an otherworldly energy. The air seemed to distort around the sword, as if reality itself was bending to accommodate its presence.
Rex's grip on his cube fragments tightened. "That's a—"
"Kurokage, the Devouring black Shadow," Nightshade whispered, his voice dripping with reverence. "No material can withstand its edge."
The scent of ozone and smoke wafted through the air as Nightshade's sword crackled with energy. Rex's skin prickled with unease.
With a sudden burst of speed, Nightshade closed the distance between them. Rex raised his cube fragments, but Nightshade sliced through them with ease. The cubes reformed, only to be cleaved apart once more.
Metal screeched against metal. Sparks flew. Rex's heart pounded.
The battle raged on, swords clashing in a whirlwind of steel and shadow. Rex's agility allowed him to dodge most strikes, but Nightshade's speed and power pushed him back.
A slash caught Rex's arm, slicing through his jacket and into his bicep. Blood sprayed, warm and viscous. Rex grimaced.
"Dammit!"
The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth. Rex's vision blurred.
Nightshade pressed his advantage, unleashing a flurry of strikes. Rex parried each blow, but the force behind Nightshade's sword sent shockwaves through his body.
Rex stumbled back, his boots scraping against the pavement. Nightshade's sword flashed toward his chest.
Rex raised his remaining cube fragments, desperate to deflect the blow. The sword bit deep into the cubes, sending shards flying everywhere.
The force of the impact sent Rex crashing into a nearby building. He slid down the wall, gasping.
Nightshade stood over him, Kurokage's blade still trembling with energy.
"You're... stronger than I expected," Nightshade admitted.
Rex's vision began to clear. "Shut…up"
Nightshade's gaze narrowed. "Well."
Rex's breath came in ragged gasps. His arm throbbed.
Amy's eyes widened in horror as Nightshade, despite his injuries, summoned the strength to swing his sword, Kurokage, slicing through Rex's arm and severing it from his body.
"NOOO!"
Amy screamed, her voice echoing through the air.
Ryker's face contorted in anguish, his jaw clenched in frustration. Jin's gaze locked onto the gruesome scene unfolding before them, his expression turning cold, fury burning beneath the surface.
Valkris seized the distraction, coating his arm in an eerie, pulsating energy.
"Universe Punch!"
he roared, fist clenched, unleashing a devastating blow that sent Jin flying backward through the skyscraper's windows. Glass shattered, shards raining down like deadly projectiles.
Jin's back slammed into a nearby building, the impact sending shockwaves through the structure. Concrete crumbled, steel beams buckled, and the sound of crunching metal filled the air.
CRACK!
Jin's body hung limp for an instant before his eyes blazed with defiance. With palms outstretched, he focused his energy, and gravity began to warp around him. Gigantic pillars burst from the ground, concrete shattering as they rose. SCREECH!
Streetlights ripped from their foundations, metal poles hurtling toward Jin. Shattered glass transformed into razor-sharp projectiles, all hovering, suspended by Jin's telekinetic grip.
"GRAVITY'S FURY!" Jin bellowed,
his voice thundering through the city. With a flick of his wrists, he unleashed the maelstrom. Pillars thundered toward Valkris, poles screamed through the air, and glass shards sliced through the wind.
Valkris's eyes widened in alarm.
"Impossible!he shouldn't be able to pull this in here"
he shouted, leaping to dodge the pole.
SWOOSH!
Glass shards rained down around him.
Valkris raised his hands, shouting
"Shield!"
A shimmering barrier materialized, protecting him from the onslaught.
SHATTER!
Pillars shattered against the shield, poles bounced off, and glass shards exploded.
Valkris stumbled, his shield faltering. Jin began to descend, eyes blazing with fury.
Meanwhile, Jin had employed a replica of himself while he lay momentarily incapacitated at the base of the skyscraper from earlier after taking valkris punch. Before unleashing his telekinetic fury, he created a replica that utilized an underground earth technique. This duplicate phased into the ground, disappearing from view.
With incredible speed, the replica traversed the earth, traversing the distance to Rex's location in mere seconds. Suddenly, it burst forth from the ground beside Rex, phasing through the dirt and debris. Jin's replica grasped Rex firmly, pulling him into the safety of the earth.
Nightshade, caught off guard, swung his sword in a desperate bid to intercept. However, his blade struck only empty air and the hard ground. The sound of steel biting into earth echoed through the air:
THUD!
Rex was gone.
Nightshade's eyes narrowed, frustration etched on his face. He placed Kurokage onto his shoulders, assuming a confident pose despite his worsening injuries. Burns and lacerations marred his skin, a testament to Rex's explosive counterattack.
Undeterred, Nightshade began striding toward a nearby building, his movements fluid despite his wounds. His gaze never wavered from the spot where Rex vanished.
"I'll find you," Nightshade muttered, voice low and menacing.
As he walked, the city's devastation surrounded him,shattered glass, crumbling concrete, and twisted metal. Nightshade's footsteps echoed through the desolate landscape.
Jin's replica, meanwhile, safely ensconced Rex beneath the earth, protecting him from harm.
Meanwhile Valkris's shield protected him from Jin's relentless assault, but only momentarily. Seizing the opening, Valkris's body began to crackle with electricity.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
The air around him shimmered, charged with energy. His eyes blazed like lightning rods.
Valkris ascended toward Jin, electrified speed amplifying his movements. Feet jabbed into Jin's face with lightning-fast precision. One! Two! Three! Four! Each strike landed with devastating force, Jin's attempts to defend himself futile against Valkris's enhanced velocity.
Jin stumbled backward, hands grasping his battered face. Valkris pinned Jin's head, fingers digging into his skull.
THUD!
Valkris slammed Jin through the building's walls, crashing through concrete and steel.
CRASH!
Jin's body hurtled toward the ground floor.
BAM!
He smashed into a pillar.
SCREECH!
Jin's momentum carried him through, tearing the pillar from its foundation.
CRUNCH!
Jin's body ripped through a parked car.
SHATTER!
Glass and metal exploded outward.
THUD!
Jin's battered form finally crashed into a wall. SLAM!
Blood streamed down Jin's face, pooling on the floor. Gurgle. Jin's labored breathing echoed through the destruction.
Valkris stood tall, electrical energy still crackling around him. Eyes ablaze.
"I'll finish you,"
Valkris declared, his voice echoing through the devastation.
SAFEHOUSE..
Meanwhile Jon's eyes remained fixed on the orb, witnessing Jin's desperate struggle against Valkris.
"It seems I have to help them,"
Jon muttered, concern etched on his face. Grabbing the Time Compass, Jon began chanting ancient words in an unknown language, invoking Compass Magic. The air thickened, time bending to his will.
"Astrum Temporis, Revolve!"
Jon declared, voice low and urgent. The Time Compass's clockwork mechanism whirred, slowing time's passage. The clock hands rotated backward. Jin's body, emitting an otherworldly smoke, signaled an entity stirring within.
"Shit!"
Jon exclaimed, completing the spell. Jon vanished from the safe house, reappearing beside Jin amidst the ravaged landscape. A tiny compass materialized before Rex, Amy, and Ryker. As the compass's clock rotated, they disappeared, leaving the battlefield behind.
Valkris, exploiting Jon's appearance , lunged with incredible speed. However, Jon's Compass Magic slowed Valkris's movements.
"A temporal anchor,"
Jon whispered. Valkris's accelerated assault faltered.
Jon seized the opening.
"Aegis Blast!"
Jon shouted. A blast of energy sent Valkris flying through the air, crashing into a distant building.
CRACK!
Valkris's head struck the building. BOOM! The impact echoed.
Jon turned to Jin. "Time to leave," Jon said. Together, they vanished, reappearing at the safe house with Rex, Amy, and Ryker. Jon's expression remained grim.
"The Shadow Council will know of my existence," Jon warned. Jin nodded.
Rex, Amy, and Ryker exchanged uneasy glances. The safe house, once a refuge, now felt fragile, vulnerable to the shadows gathering outside.
Jon, Jin, Rex, Amy, and Ryker arrived at the safe house, relieved to have escaped the chaos. Jon turned to Amy, concern etched on his face.
"Amy, have you recovered your strength and powers?"
Amy nodded, her eyes sparkling with renewed energy. "Yes, I'm fine now."
Jon's gaze shifted to Rex, whose arm still hung limp. "Amy, can you heal Rex's arm?"
Amy nodded, placing her hands on Rex's injured arm. Soft, golden light enveloped the wound, and Rex's face relaxed as the pain receded.
Meanwhile, Valkris and Nightshade converged, their faces illuminated by the moon.
Valkris's brow furrowed, his mind reeling.
"Nightshade, I didn't expect Jon to be alive. His appearance changes everything."
Nightshade's smile hinted at secrets.
"Jon's revival is indeed surprising the council should know, but we have an advantage. Kurokage has tasted Rex's blood."
Valkris's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Nightshade's voice dripped with confidence
. "Kurokage can sense and pinpoint whoever it cuts, as long as their blood remains within it. Rex's location will soon be ours."
Valkris's expression darkened. "Then we have no time to waste."
Nightshade's eyes glinted. "We'll track Rex, and Jon will follow. The Shadow Council will be pleased."
The night air seemed to thicken, heavy with impending danger.