The battlefield stilled again.
Not from peace—
but from recognition that something had shifted beyond normal combat.
Takeru stood alone in the center of the ruined street.
Ryu's energy still lingered at the edge of the field.
Yuta remained alert.
Uro hovered—still recovering, still watching.
Then Takeru moved.
He smiled.
Small.
Controlled.
And knelt.
A pause.
Uro blinked.
"…What are you doing?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"…What—are you proposing to me?"
A faint scoff followed.
"…Ha. You aren't my type."
Ryu raised an eyebrow.
"…This guy's weird even by our standards."
Yuta didn't relax.
"…Don't let your guard down."
Takeru ignored them.
Hands steady.
Expression unchanged.
"…With This Treasure I Summon…"
The air dropped.
A pressure like instinct itself tightening.
Uro's eyes narrowed immediately.
"…Don't tell me—"
Takeru continued.
Calm.
Clear.
"…Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Heavenly Sila Divine General Mahoraga."
A beat.
"…Or just…"
He paused slightly.
"…Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga."
Another pause.
"…I don't know the tamed name."
Silence.
Then—
The shadow behind Takeru ruptured.
Not opening.
Not tearing.
Arriving.
A massive, unstable presence stepped into reality.
Mahoraga.
The air itself resisted its existence.
Its wheel slowly turned.
Uro's expression shifted immediately.
No arrogance now.
No teasing.
"…You're insane."
Ryu's grin faded slightly.
"…Oh."
Yuta's eyes sharpened.
"…That's a disaster."
Mahoraga tilted its head.
Slow.
Observing.
Not bound to anyone yet.
Not fully stabilized.
But present.
And aware.
Uro looked between Takeru and the summoned entity.
Then back again.
"…You summoned that like it's a tool?"
Takeru stood.
Calm.
"…It is now part of engagement protocol."
A pause.
Mahoraga stepped forward once.
The ground cracked under its weight.
The wheel turned.
Uro immediately backed off mid-air.
"…Nope."
Her tone changed instantly.
"…Absolutely not."
Space bent—
not offensively—
but defensively.
Distance increased between her and Mahoraga.
Instinctive survival response.
Ryu exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah, I'm out of this lane."
He stepped back further.
Relaxing his stance.
Yuta didn't move—but clearly recalculated everything.
"…That changes the fight completely."
Takeru looked at Mahoraga.
Then at the others.
"…Uro is no longer primary objective."
Uro froze.
"…Excuse me?"
Takeru continued calmly.
"…You are now secondary containment."
Mahoraga shifted again.
Its presence locking onto Uro's energy.
Uro clicked her tongue.
"…You're seriously making me fight that alone?"
Takeru didn't answer.
Because he didn't need to.
Mahoraga already did.
The wheel turned once.
And the fight stopped being optional.