The battlefield was still, the air thick with tension and the acrid scent of molten rock. Jin stood motionless, his sharp gaze locked onto Agent 66, whose parasol-like hat tilted ominously. The masked faces that adorned the wide brim shifted, their hollow eyes scanning Jin with eerie precision. The wind howled faintly, the calm before another storm.
Suddenly, the parasol hat rotated, revealing a new mask. Its hollow mouth creaked open, and the air began to shift. A low hum grew into a deafening roar as a nation-level gust of tearing wind exploded outward, carving through the land like countless invisible razors. The sheer force of the attack warped the air, flattening the ground in all directions and sending debris flying.
The razor-shaped winds ripped through the terrain, leaving gaping chasms and deep scars in their wake. Trees that had barely clung to life were reduced to splinters, and the jagged mountains in the distance crumbled as if sliced by an unseen blade. The destructive power radiated outward with no end in sight, the wind's edges cutting into the very foundation of the earth.
Jin's coat flared upward, the powerful gusts tearing at the fabric. His skin began to suffer shallow cuts, small at first, but they quickly deepened into painful gashes as the wind intensified. Blood trickled down his face, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he fought to hold his ground.
"Dammit," Jin muttered, his voice barely audible over the chaos. His muscles strained against the force of the attack, every step forward a battle against the wind's unrelenting pressure.
Behind the barrier, Seiji remained seated, his eyes closed in thought. But as the gusts intensified, shredding the landscape, his eyes opened gradually. The playful glint in his gaze was gone, replaced with a somber, calculating focus.
"This is bad," Seiji said softly, his voice just loud enough for Urashima to hear.
As Jin fought against the overwhelming winds, his mind flickered back to a memory—a moment from his training with Seiji. The memory was sharp and vivid, replaying itself with startling clarity.
"Your inner demon's power," Seiji had said during one of their sparring sessions, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "It's a double-edged sword. If you're going to use it, you'd better learn to control it."
Jin had stood across from him, panting heavily, sweat dripping down his brow. "And what if I can't?"
Seiji smirked faintly, but his tone remained firm. "Then it'll control you. The demon doesn't care about your goals, Jin. It only cares about survival. But if you master it…" Seiji's expression shifted, his smirk fading. "There are techniques only it can wield—techniques like Hell Head and the Baam Slash."
In the memory, Jin had attempted the Hell Head, clapping his hands together to summon the energy needed to manifest the technique. But every attempt had failed, leaving him frustrated and exhausted.
"You're not ready," Seiji had said, shaking his head. "But when the time comes, you'll either figure it out… or you won't."
The memory faded, and Jin's focus snapped back to the present. The winds howled around him, their razor edges carving fresh wounds into his flesh. He clenched his teeth, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"I need to try it," Jin muttered to himself, his voice strained. "Right here. Right now."
He released his grip on the sword and brought his hands together, aiming to clap them and activate the Hell Head technique. But the winds were too strong, the force pushing against him relentlessly. The pressure sent him stumbling backward, his hands barely brushing before he was flung off his feet.
Jin gritted his teeth, digging his heels into the ground as he skidded to a halt. He forced himself upright, blood dripping from his cuts as he steadied his breathing. His determination burned brighter than the pain coursing through his body.
Agent 66 tilted his head, his parasol hat spinning once more. This time, his voice rang out, soft but chilling.
"Lightning Style: 66 Bolts of Destruction."
The sky above the battlefield split apart, jagged lines of lightning tearing through the dark clouds. In an instant, the bolts rained down with blinding speed, each one crackling with devastating energy. The air was alive with the sound of thunder, the ground trembling as the bolts struck with unrelenting force.
Jin's eyes widened as the first bolt struck mere feet away, the explosion sending shards of rock flying in all directions. The next bolt came faster, and then another. He tried to move, but the sheer speed of the attacks was overwhelming.
Behind the barrier, Seiji's markings began to glow faintly, a golden hue spreading across his skin as the 32 Marks of God activated. But the glow flickered and faded just as quickly. The Lock On barrier suppressed his abilities, rendering his intervention useless.
"Damn it," Seiji muttered, clenching his fists. His gaze shifted to Jin, who was now surrounded by bolts of lightning. "Come on, kid. Think."
The final bolt descended, a streak of pure energy aimed directly at Jin. His body was frozen, his movements unable to keep pace with the attack. The world seemed to slow, the crackling energy filling his vision.
And then, a single word escaped his lips.
"Be Gone."
The word was simple, yet it carried an otherworldly weight. The instant it was spoken, the battlefield shifted. The bolts of lightning, the tearing winds, and the chaotic destruction were wiped away, replaced by a faint wisp of smoke. The terrain reshaped itself as if reality had been rewritten, leaving only silence in the aftermath.
Jin collapsed to his knees, his hand clutching his throat as he gasped for air. His eyes flickered with a hint of darkness before returning to their usual clarity. Each breath was labored, his body trembling from the immense power that had momentarily coursed through him.
From behind the barrier, Seiji's gaze locked onto Jin, his eyes narrowing. The usual glimmer of amusement in his expression was gone, replaced by a quiet intensity.
"My spells to keep the demon locked in…" Seiji thought, his mind racing. "They're beginning to break."
Urashima, standing beside him, turned with a questioning look. "What just happened?"
Seiji didn't answer immediately. His focus remained on Jin, who was still on the ground, struggling to steady himself. Finally, Seiji spoke, his voice low and measured. "Nothing good."