Shenlog, seated in his dimly lit office, leaned back in his chair and dialed the number for the borderline station. He brought the phone to his ear, waiting for the familiar tone. Nothing came. Frowning, he tried again. The call failed once more. A wave of unease washed over him as he set the phone down on his desk.
"This isn't right," Shenlog muttered to himself. Rising from his seat, he grabbed his pristine white Sentinel coat, its edges gleaming in the soft light. With a swift motion, he threw it over his broad shoulders and headed toward the door.
As he opened the door to leave, he found Jingwei standing just outside, his arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his lips.
"What are you doing here?" Shenlog asked, his tone sharp but curious.
Jingwei shrugged. "Well, if you're going to stand here talking to yourself about Drake 'disgracing the family name,' I figured I'd join in on the fun."
Shenlog's expression darkened, but he shook his head. "There's no time for this. There's something more urgent right now. Come with me."
Without waiting for a reply, Shenlog stepped past Jingwei and walked toward the edge of the high-ranking Sentinel building. Jingwei followed, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"What are you—" Jingwei began, but Shenlog cut him off by leaping off the edge of the building. Jingwei rushed forward, watching in alarm as his father plummeted toward the ground.
Before he could shout, a massive dragon materialized beneath Shenlog, its dark scales shimmering in the light. Its enormous wings clapped against the air, creating gusts of wind that shook the surrounding area. Shenlog landed gracefully on the creature's back, his stance steady as the dragon ascended.
Shenlog looked up toward his son, his voice booming. "Are you coming or not?"
Jingwei sighed, shaking his head as he stepped back from the edge. "You know, there's a door, Father!" he called down, exasperated.
The dragon flapped its wings again, rising higher until it was level with Jingwei. Shenlog extended a hand, gesturing for him to climb aboard.
"Just get on," Shenlog said flatly.
Jingwei hesitated for a moment, then climbed onto the dragon's broad back. "You're unbelievable," he muttered under his breath.
The dragon roared, its powerful wings beating rhythmically as it soared through the sky, heading toward the borderline. The wind rushed past them, carrying the faint scent of ash and the distant hum of energy spikes. Shenlog's expression remained stoic, his mind focused on the unknown danger awaiting them.
Back at the borderline, the air was heavy with tension. Jin, his breathing now steady, stood facing Agent 66. The eerie figure's parasol-like hat tilted slightly, its masked faces watching Jin with an unnatural stillness.
Jin's body ached from the previous assault, but his mind was sharp, analyzing every move of his opponent. He muttered to himself, his voice low and deliberate. "If he's dodging my attacks using psychic abilities, then I'll have to try something else."
His mind flashed back to Seiji's words, advice given during their grueling training sessions. "The Baam Slash," Seiji had said, his tone grave. "It's not just powerful—it's instant, unseeable, and beyond the senses. If you can use it properly, nothing will escape it."
Jin gritted his teeth. The time had come to put the technique to the test.
A faint wisp of black smoke began to emanate from his eyes and body, a dark aura that pulsed with growing intensity. The air around him grew colder as his speed and strength surged, his movements becoming sharper and more precise. Without hesitation, he blitzed toward Agent 66, his sword in hand.
The clash of steel echoed through the battlefield as Jin launched a flurry of strikes, each one faster and more forceful than the last. Agent 66 moved with an unsettling grace, dodging each swing with precise, almost mechanical movements. Sparks flew as Jin's blade sliced through the air, carving deep scars into the ground around them.
"Faster," Jin muttered under his breath, his attacks growing more aggressive. Agent 66's hat spun slightly, its masked faces tilting as if mocking Jin's efforts.
The final swing came, a powerful horizontal slash aimed directly at Agent 66's torso. The enigmatic figure dodged at the last moment, his parasol hat shifting to counter Jin's momentum.
But Jin was ready.
"Baam Slash!" he roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze. A surge of invisible energy erupted from Jin's sword, its force cutting through the air with unparalleled speed. For the first time, Agent 66's parasol hat failed to protect him. A deep gash appeared across its surface, nearly splitting it in two.
The energy didn't stop there. Slash after slash materialized across Agent 66's body, each one precise and devastating. The powerful force sent him flying backward, his body crashing into the shattered remains of the battlefield.
Agent 66 lay still for a moment, his form obscured by a cloud of dust and debris. Jin, his breathing heavy, lowered his sword slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied his opponent.
Behind the barrier, Seiji's eyes widened slightly. He leaned forward, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, well," he muttered to himself. "The kid actually did it."
Urashima, standing beside him, stared in disbelief. "He… he landed a hit. On that thing."
Seiji didn't reply, his gaze fixed on Jin. The dark aura surrounding him had faded, but the faint trace of black smoke lingering in the air suggested that something deeper had been unleashed.