Brush's chest heaved as Hikaru, Daji, and Jaki Onna advanced under Blackmail's control. Each strike from them was precise, devastating, and aimed to leave him broken. Every swing of Hikaru's katana, lash of Daji's tails, and punch from Jaki Onna tore through the air like deadly storms.
He knew he couldn't survive this with just raw power. He had to bring out a part of himself — the part that had once fused with souls, the part that could match Blackmail's control directly.
He opened his inventory. The interface shimmered and twisted under his will. With a focused thought, he summoned Miss Krita — not an ally, but his own brush, the embodiment of his soul-corruption fusion powers.
In an instant, Miss Krita manifested: a shimmering, divine reflection of Brush himself, movements identical, aura blazing with raw destructive energy. This was Brush's power made tangible, his own essence standing beside him as a separate combatant.
Hikaru's katana swung. Miss Krita stepped between them, blocking the strike with perfect precision, energy crackling around her to buffer Brush from the attack. Daji's tails lashed forward; Miss Krita extended her hands, dispersing the blows with waves of fused energy. Jaki Onna lunged, fists charged, but Miss Krita met her with mirrored strength, holding her back without harming her.
Brush focused, speaking through the link that connected them. "This is still us! Fight it! You're stronger than his control!"
For a brief moment, a flicker of awareness passed through Hikaru, Daji, and Jaki Onna. Miss Krita's energy pulsed, synchronizing with Brush's determination, sending waves that disrupted Blackmail's influence.
Brush roared, his Destruction Fist forming a shockwave that rippled through the battlefield. Miss Krita mirrored the strike, amplifying the force tenfold. For the first time, the mind-control faltered, the three closest allies hesitated.
The tide hadn't fully turned, but hope blazed. With Miss Krita as a physical extension of his own soul, Brush could fight against his mind-controlled friends without harming them, and begin the impossible task of reclaiming their wills.
The battlefield shook with energy. Blackmail's control was strong, but Brush was stronger — because this time, he wasn't alone. He was himself, multiplied.