The moment it shattered—
Everything changed.
Not in their favor.
— The Shift —
The fragments from the destroyed Core didn't fade.
They moved.
Not randomly.
Directed.
Straight toward the remaining two.
Juvy's eyes widened.
"…No—"
Too late.
— Power Transfer —
The light remnants merged into the shadow Core.
The distorted energy fused into the third.
Their forms tightened—
Then expanded.
More stable.
More complete.
Maxruell clicked his tongue.
"…So it just made them stronger."
Kael's voice was low.
"…It optimized the loss."
— New Threat Level —
The shadow Core stepped forward.
Its presence—
Crushing.
The ground beneath it sank.
The distorted Core moved next—
But now—
It wasn't erratic.
It was calculated.
Unpredictable—
By design.
— Immediate Clash —
The shadow Core attacked first.
A single step—
Then impact.
Maxruell blocked—
But was thrown back instantly.
"…Damn—!"
He skidded across the ground—
Barely holding his stance.
— Juvy Intercepts —
The distorted Core appeared near Lina.
Juvy moved instantly—
Light flowing—
Blocking the strike.
But this time—
The force pushed through.
She gritted her teeth.
"…It's stronger…!"
— Lina Struggles —
Lina stepped back.
Her light flickered.
"…I can't hold it like before…"
The distortion warped again—
Striking from multiple angles.
— The Pressure Returns —
The battlefield shifted again.
Freed users—
Started losing ground.
The remaining Core Fragments weren't just stronger—
They were coordinated.
Perfectly.
— Maxruell Recovers —
Maxruell stood again.
Blood at his lip.
He wiped it—
Eyes sharp.
"…Now this is a fight."
But even he knew—
This wasn't good.
— Juvy's Realization —
Juvy stepped back.
Watching.
"…We made them better…"
Kael corrected quietly:
"…You forced the system to evolve."
A pause.
"…Now you have to surpass it again."
— Regroup —
Juvy moved back toward Maxruell.
"…We can't fight them the same way."
Maxruell nodded slightly.
"…Yeah."
"…They're not three anymore."
"…They're one system."
— The Vessel Observes —
At the center—
The Vessel remained still.
Watching everything.
"…efficiency restored…"
Its voice—
Calm.
"…continue elimination…"
— Final Clash Begins Again —
The two Core Fragments moved together.
Perfect synchronization.
No openings.
Juvy raised her light.
Maxruell's shadow rose.
Behind them—
The freed struggled to hold the line.
Lina steadied herself.
"…We can still reach them…"
But even she—
Was unsure now.
The shadow Core struck.
The distorted Core followed.
Juvy and Maxruell moved—
But this time—
They were pushed back.
Hard.
The ground cracked beneath them.
The balance—
Shifted again.
And this time—
They were losing ground.