Matomiro lunged at his son. Yashimiro tried to block his father's attacks, but he was far faster and stronger. Derivan took a blow to the stomach that sent him flying several meters back.
"I knew my father was strong. I never thought I'd experience it firsthand," the teenager thought.
Yashimiro had no time to reflect, as his father instantly appeared above him. He was forced to activate Dragon Revelation, disappearing in a blue flame.
"Interesting power," Midan praised. "But…"
Yashimiro appeared next to his father to kick him in the face, but to his surprise, Matomiro easily blocked it by grabbing his son's leg.
"What?"
"At this level, you can't do anything to me." Midan slammed his son into the ground several times, then threw him into a nearby building.
Yashimiro had no time to react, as Matomiro appeared before him in an instant and struck him in the stomach, making him spit blood.
"What's wrong, Kira? Aren't you going to help your brother?" Matomiro turned to his daughter.
Kira didn't know what to do. She was still in shock seeing her father. Noticing her state, Matomiro decided to force her into action and moved toward her.
"Don't come near her… Kira."
Matomiro appeared in front of his daughter, but before he could attack, Blade suddenly showed up and stopped him by grabbing Midan's arm.
"Blade…"
"You really are one of us. What happened to the pride of our race within you? It's shameful to let some scum control your father."
Kira said nothing, lowering her head. She knew Blade was right.
"You must be Shonetsu. I didn't think another one would appear on this planet."
"That wasn't my intention, but this place isn't so bad," Blade said, releasing his energy and pushing Matomiro back.
"Be careful, my father is really powerful," Yashimiro warned.
"Sounds interesting," Blade replied, charging at Midan. As Matomiro ran toward him, he suddenly vanished from sight. "Where did he go?"
A second later, Blade was hit with a powerful blow to the stomach that sent him into the air. Midan instantly appeared above him and struck his neck, slamming him into the ground.
"Damn it!" Derivan appeared beside his father, who dodged his attack and then struck him in the chin with a knee before forming an energy sphere in his hand and pressing it into Yashimiro's stomach.
"GRAAAAAAAAARHAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Yashimiro crashed into a building, which collapsed shortly after.
"I expected more from you, son."
Blade fired a dozen energy blasts, but Matomiro dodged them all effortlessly and disappeared. A second later, he appeared in front of Blade, grabbed him by the neck, and slammed him into the ground, creating a crater before beating him repeatedly.
At that moment, Yashimiro began digging himself out of the rubble.
"Damn it… If only I could use that power from the Island of Forgetting. The only thing left is to use that combination," he thought, activating Senero 2.5 and combining it with Dragon Revelation.
Yashimiro instantly punched his father in the face, knocking him away from Blade.
"So, surprised by my father's strength? Looks like we'll have to cooperate."
"I hate to admit it, but you're probably right," Blade replied, activating Senero 2.
Matomiro smiled. "Finally, you're starting to fight seriously. But wait, Yashimiro… what kind of form is that?"
"It's a Senero mode between levels 2 and 3, where I can control part of the third level's power without losing control or transforming," he explained.
"Wow, amazing. Then show me what you can do in that form."
"As you wish, father."
Yashimiro and Blade charged at Matomiro, who only smiled until his expression quickly vanished as the two demons suddenly switched positions. Blade appeared beside Midan and attacked from the side, but Matomiro dodged. At the same time, Yashimiro appeared in front of him and struck his stomach, sending him flying.
"These two are stronger than I thought," Tomar thought.
Blade formed a demonic energy sphere in his hand and hurled it at his opponent. Matomiro regained balance just in time to dodge, but failed to notice his son appearing behind him.
"Kanezoko!" Yashimiro fired a powerful blue energy beam that caused a massive explosion upon impact.
"Did he lose?"
Moments later, Matomiro emerged from the smoke with a wide smile.
"Your teamwork is impressive. You can understand each other without words," Midan praised. "I'm so excited to fight you that I'll use this," he said, activating the first stage of Senero.
"Damn!"
"We have to be careful, Blade!"
"Tell me something I don't know."
Matomiro vanished. At the last second, Derivan sensed his energy and jumped upward, firing energy blasts. Meanwhile, Blade prepared an attack, forming an arrow from his energy.
"Ultimate Striker!" he shouted, firing it.
Matomiro was struck before he could react and was sent crashing through the king's palace.
"That's one of my new attacks. I hope it did something."
Blade's eyes widened as he saw Matomiro emerge, holding the attack near his stomach.
"Impossible."
Meanwhile, as Yashimiro and Blade fought Midan, Alice regained consciousness after her battle with her younger sister.
"What happened?"
"Are you back to normal?"
"I think so… though I remember recent events like a blur. Can you explain?"
Nohara explained everything. Alicja clenched her fists.
"I understand. So everyone was under that bastard's control."
"I'm going to the palace to stop him."
"Then I'll go with you."
Nohara nodded, and the sisters headed toward the palace.
At the same time, Blade wondered how Matomiro could hold his attack.
"Good thing I coated my hand with demonic energy at the last second," Matomiro explained, tossing Blade's attack aside.
"Damn you."
Matomiro appeared instantly before Blade. Blade raised his guard just in time to block a kick that sent him backward.
"BLADE!"
Yashimiro attacked from behind, but Matomiro turned and grabbed him, slamming him into the ground.
"You've truly become strong, son. You forced me to use Senero… but you're still far from defeating me."
"Damn… if only I could use that power again…"
Before Matomiro could strike again, he had to dodge a flying crystal blade.
The Hokane sisters and Ronibo had arrived on the battlefield.
"Yashimiro!"
"You should deal with Borner. We'll try to stop"
He was cut off as his father suddenly appeared and punched him, sending him flying.
"Matomiro? But how?" Ronibo asked, shocked.
"Hello, Ronibo. That man used a fragment of the Kinotro crystal to revive and control me."
"I see… then leave this to me."
"I'll help. I want to repay him for what he did to the Kingdom of Kasegi and its people," Alice said.
"Alright, but be careful."
Ronibo and Alice ran toward Tomar. Meanwhile, Yashimiro got up.
"I'll stay with you," Nohara said.
"What? You don't even know how powerful my father is."
"I see it. But you've forgotten what I can do."
"You want to use Kuritaizu to seal my father?"
"Yes. Just buy me some time."
"Hopefully not too much," Blade added.
Yashimiro and Blade charged again, disappearing from sight while Nohara focused her energy. Blade appeared before Midan, attacking, but Matomiro blocked him.
"That won't help you."
At that moment, Yashimiro kicked his father from behind, pushing him along with Blade. Suddenly, Blade launched him upward with a kick.
"Alright, it's ready!"
Matomiro's body became covered in purple crystals, with strange symbols appearing on them moments later.
"What kind of power is this?"