The air hadn't settled.
The first impact still echoed through the street—
debris drifting,
pressure lingering,
everyone watching.
The reincarnated sorcerer was still standing.
Barely.
His body trembled—
eyes wide—
lungs struggling to pull in air that wouldn't come.
"…What… was that…"
Takeru didn't answer.
He stepped forward.
Calm.
Measured.
The blood from his reopened scar ran down between his eyes—
but his gaze didn't waver.
Yuji whispered under his breath—
"…He's going again…"
Megumi's focus sharpened.
"…Watch closely…"
The sorcerer forced himself upright—
rage overtaking fear.
"…I'm not—done—!"
He lunged.
Desperate.
Unstable.
Takeru moved.
Perfect timing.
A single step inside the attack—
rotation—
hip alignment—
shoulder follow-through—
BLACK FLASH.
But again—
It wasn't just black.
Gold erupted inside it.
Not flickering.
Not accidental.
Controlled.
The moment of impact—
Time seemed to fold.
The strike landed directly into the sorcerer's core—
and this time—
there was no resistance.
No recovery.
No second chance.
The golden-black detonation consumed the space between them—
a clean, overwhelming burst that tore through the sorcerer completely.
Silence followed.
Nothing left standing where he had been.
No body.
No cursed energy.
Just aftermath.
Yuji stared.
"…He… just…"
Hakari let out a low laugh.
"…Yeah… that's a finisher."
Yuta's expression tightened slightly.
"…That wasn't luck…"
Ryu grinned wider than before.
"…He did it twice."
Uro crossed her arms.
"…That's not a variation… that's a new phenomenon…"
Kashimo's eyes stayed locked on Takeru.
"…Do it again."
Hana looked at him quietly.
Something different in her expression now.
Yorozu—
was still watching him.
Closer.
More intent.
Takeru stood there for a moment.
Then exhaled once.
"…Confirmed."
He looked at his hand again.
"…Repeatable."
Megumi finally spoke.
"…What is that?"
Takeru didn't answer immediately.
Because even he—
was still figuring that out.