The air stilled.
Hades stood calmly, his fingers resting against his forehead.
Then—
His eyes ignited.
A deep, eerie glow pulsed from within, crimson shifting into something darker… something analytical.
Ten seconds.
That's all it took.
Within that time—
Hundreds of simulations ran.
Thousands of outcomes calculated.
Every possible movement Kaelen could make…
Seen.
Measured.
Understood.
Hades smiled.
Behind them, June raised his hand slightly.
"…Begin."
Clash
They vanished.
BOOM—!!
A violent shockwave erupted across the battlefield as their bodies collided mid-motion.
The ground cracked.
Trees bent violently.
Air exploded outward in rings.
Kaelen's blade—Axiomfall—cut forward instantly.
Clean.
Precise.
Deadly.
Hades tilted his head slightly—
Dodged.
Then countered—
Pure martial arts.
A sharp kick—
CRACK.
Axiomfall was knocked out of Kaelen's hand.
Gasps echoed from the sidelines.
But Kaelen didn't panic.
Didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward—
Blocked a follow-up kick—
Then countered—
A high strike—
Feint.
He shifted mid-motion—
Low sweep toward Hades' legs—
But—
Hades moved first.
Dodged before the attack even completed.
Their eyes met.
"…You saw it," Kaelen muttered.
Hades smiled.
They stepped back.
Then—
They rushed each other again.
Fists collided.
Kicks snapped through the air.
Elbows.
Knees.
Counters.
Reversals.
No wasted movement.
No hesitation.
Pure combat.
They moved faster than sight—
Only afterimages remained.
The ground beneath them cracked with every step.
Air shattered with every exchange.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Neither gaining ground.
Hades laughed softly.
"…Join us."
A strike—
Blocked.
"…But give up the number one spot."
Kaelen ducked a punch—
Countered with a body shot—
"…I'll make you all submit."
Hades' grin widened.
"…Good."
Then—
His aura shifted.
"I have the Modeling Circuit."
The battlefield grew tense.
"I can run hundreds of simulations in ten seconds."
A pause.
"In other words…"
His eyes sharpened.
"I can see every action you take."
A step forward.
"And I can copy your techniques."
Silence.
Kaelen blinked once.
"…Oh?"
Kaelen extended his right hand.
Behind Hades—
A faint hum.
Axiomfall rose.
It floated.
Spinning once—
Then shot forward—
SLAM.
Back into Kaelen's grip.
He exhaled.
Slowly.
Something changed.
His stance shifted.
His breathing deepened.
Everyone watching felt it.
A shift in rhythm.
A shift in presence.
Even Hades—
Stopped smiling.
Kaelen spoke.
"…One Breath."
He vanished.
Hades reacted instantly—
Dodged.
But—
Kaelen was already behind him.
A faint line—
Appeared across Hades' neck.
Blood.
Just a scratch.
But it landed.
Hades clicked his tongue.
"…Tch."
He turned—
Then—
His aura surged.
He mimicked the stance.
The breathing.
"…One Breath."
He vanished.
Reappeared.
Struck.
But—
It was off.
Imperfect.
Kaelen's eyes sharpened.
"…Not good enough."
Kaelen moved again.
One Breath.
Disappear—
Strike—
Disappear—
Strike—
Again.
Again.
Again.
Hades was hit—
From the left—
Then the right—
Then behind—
Then above—
Each strike clean.
Precise.
He couldn't fully keep up.
Then—
Kaelen stepped in—
KICK.
Hades was launched upward.
The sky cracked as his body shot up.
Kaelen appeared above him.
Floating.
Calm.
He raised his hand.
"…Gravity Crush."
BOOOOOM—!!!
Hades' body slammed downward at immense speed.
Impact.
A massive crater formed.
Dust filled the air.
Silence.
Jess' eyes widened slightly.
"…He's…"
Kimotsu narrowed his gaze.
"…Strong."
Faith smiled.
"…Now it's getting interesting."
Denma cracked his neck.
"…The real fight begins now."
From within the crater—
Movement.
Hades stood.
He brushed dust off his clothes.
Calm.
Composed.
Then looked up at the sky.
"…Call of the Grim Reaper."
The sky darkened.
A black tear opened above—
And from it—
A sword descended.
Slowly.
Heavily.
Like death itself was arriving.
It landed before him.
Hades gripped the hilt.
"…You are worthy."
He lifted it.
"…So don't die too quickly."
WINGS BURST FORTH.
Black.
Massive.
The ground trembled.
Elsewhere — Arkion
Alzwalt stood outside his mansion.
Kael before him.
Training.
Then—
He paused.
Looked toward Valhalla.
"…Tch."
A faint frown.
"I sense something unpleasant…"
A pause.
"…and inferior."
Back to Valhalla -
Kaelen stood still.
Watching.
Then—
He raised Axiomfall.
A memory surfaced.
John's voice.
"Axiomfall has two seals."
"Break the first… at Stage 5."
"Break the second… at Stage 7."
"To break the first seal…"
Kaelen's eyes sharpened.
"…First Seal of the Black King—"
The air trembled.
"…In the name Merciless—"
Axiomfall began to vibrate.
"…Open."
HUMMMMM—!!
The blade glowed.
Deep blue.
Radiant.
Ancient.
Energy surged through it.
Kaelen lowered it casually.
SHHHHHHK—!!
The ground split.
Cleanly.
Effortlessly.
Like reality itself had been cut.
Silence fell.
Even Hades paused.
Watching.
Something had changed.