The mocking laughter of Megtsar and Gitoshi echoed through the shifting corridors of the Infinity Castle.
Kanashimi's grip on his katana tightened. He could feel the bloodlust rolling off both men. There was no more time for talking.
He quickly turned to Haru, pulled out a long black fabric strip from his fighter uniform, and knelt down.
"Haru… listen to me," he said softly but urgently. "I'm going to cover your eyes. No matter what you hear, do not take it off. Do you understand?"
Haru's lips trembled, but he nodded bravely. "Okay…"
Kanashimi gently tied the black fabric around Haru's eyes, making sure it was secure but not too tight. He then placed Haru behind a large floating pillar and whispered,
"Stay here. Don't move. Big bro will protect you."
Please… don't let him hear me die.
With Haru safely blinded, Kanashimi stood up, drew his second katana, and faced the two enemies. His eyes burned with cold resolve.
"Let's end this."
The fight exploded instantly.
Gitoshi moved first — fast and brutal. He lunged forward, aiming a palm strike straight at Kanashimi's chest, trying to repeat his organ-destroying technique. Kanashimi barely dodged, but the shockwave still grazed his ribs, sending sharp pain through his body.
Megtsar laughed and flicked several glowing cards into the air. They exploded into sharp blade-like projectiles, raining down from every direction.
Kanashimi spun, slashing wildly with both katanas. He managed to cut down most of the cards, but two grazed his shoulder and thigh. Blood immediately soaked his fighter clothes.
They're strong… Too strong.
My body hasn't fought like this in three years. I'm too slow!
Gitoshi appeared behind him in a flash and slammed a heavy kick into his back. Kanashimi crashed hard into a shifting wall, coughing up blood.
"Pathetic!" Gitoshi sneered. "This is the guy with 13 Special Arts? You're nothing but a runaway coward!"
Megtsar summoned a giant spinning card wheel and hurled it like a saw blade. Kanashimi tried to block it with crossed katanas, but the force pushed him back, carving a deep cut across his chest.
Blood poured freely now.
Kanashimi dropped to one knee, breathing heavily, vision starting to blur.
Damn it… I can't fall here… Haru is right behind me…
He forced himself up and activated one of his village Arts — Lightning Bird — crackling electricity covering both blades. He charged forward with a desperate roar and managed to slash Gitoshi across the arm.
But it wasn't enough.
Gitoshi grinned through the pain and countered with a brutal palm strike to Kanashimi's stomach. The organ-targeting technique activated again. Kanashimi felt something inside him twist violently.
He collapsed to his knees, vomiting blood.
Megtsar walked closer, spinning a card on his finger.
"Looks like we're almost done here. Should we take the heart now, or play with him a little more?"
Kanashimi tried to stand, but his legs gave out. Blood dripped from his mouth, chest, and multiple wounds. His vision was fading.
Haru… I'm sorry…
I couldn't protect you…
Yuna… if you're coming… please come fast… at least take Haru away from these monsters…
He looked toward the pillar where Haru was hiding, eyes filled with regret and exhaustion.
Big bro… might not make it…
Haru, blindfolded and trembling, clutched the pillar tightly.
Brother… I can hear you getting hurt… Please don't die… Please…
The Infinity Castle continued shifting around them as Kanashimi lay on the ground, barely conscious, blood pooling beneath him.
Megtsar raised his hand, a deadly card glowing brightly above his palm.
"Time to end this."
On the outskirts of the city, in a dense forest bordering the normal world and the hidden territories…
Yuna stepped out from the trees, her long black hair swaying behind her. Her eyes were sharp and focused. Behind her followed three elite fighters from the village — Akari, Senior Kanji, and Yoshi.
"This is the place," Yuna said coldly. "His domain is active somewhere nearby."
Akari, eager to prove herself, took one confident step forward.
Suddenly, her eyes rolled back. She collapsed instantly, falling asleep before she even hit the ground.
Yuna's hand shot out. "Step back!"
Senior Kanji and Yoshi immediately retreated.
Yuna narrowed her eyes, silver threads flickering around her fingers.
"It's one of Kanashimi's Special Arts… A wide-range nullification and sleep domain. We're right on top of his Infinity Castle."
She looked at her teammates with a calm but commanding gaze.
"We will step in now. But be prepared — we'll get split apart the moment we enter. This is his Infinity Castle. Stay alert."
Senior Kanji gripped his weapon tightly. "I can handle it."
All four of them stepped forward together.
The world twisted violently around them. Reality folded, and darkness swallowed them whole.
Inside the Infinity Castle…
Kanashimi was breathing heavily, blood dripping from multiple wounds. He was on one knee, struggling to stay conscious.
Why…? I have 13 Special Arts… but I can't remember most of them properly. Why? Why can't I recall them clearly?! Three years of suppressing my power… has it damaged my own techniques?
"Brother…" Haru's small voice trembled from behind the pillar. "Can I open my eyes now…?"
Megtsar's cruel laughter echoed through the shifting corridors.
"Ohhh~ Haru~ Your brother already jumped down and left you behind. What a pathetic big brother, right?"
Haru shook his head fiercely, still blindfolded.
"Don't lie! Otherwise my brother will throw you down!"
Gitoshi smirked and stepped closer.
"If he's really here, then why did he abandon you? Face it, kid. He ran away again."
Haru's lips quivered. Tears soaked the black fabric.
"Don… don't l-lie…"
Megtsar's voice turned sweet and poisonous.
"Then open your eyes and see for yourself."
Haru's small hands slowly reached up. He pulled off the black fabric.
The moment his eyes opened, he saw Kanashimi collapsed on the ground, covered in blood, barely breathing.
"BIG BROTHER!!!"
Haru screamed and ran toward him as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Gitoshi casually kicked him in the stomach, sending the four-year-old tumbling across the floor.
"Stay down, brat."
Kanashimi's eyes widened in rage and desperation.
In that exact moment, something inside him snapped.
Two forgotten Special Arts suddenly resurfaced in his mind like lightning:
Crow TransformationDragon Shikigami
"Enough…!"
Kanashimi's body exploded into thousands of black crows, scattering in every direction with loud cawing. At the same time, a massive ethereal blue dragon rose from the floor beneath Haru, gently carrying the crying boy onto its back, protecting him.
The murder of crows swirled violently around Megtsar and Gitoshi, attacking from every blind spot.
Combat erupted.
Kanashimi's crows distracted the two villains while he reformed partially, slashing at them with renewed fury using his katanas. Even injured, his movements became faster, more desperate.
Gitoshi tried to land another organ strike, but the crows blocked his vision. Megtsar launched dozens of card explosions, but the shifting castle and endless crows made it nearly impossible to aim properly.
For a brief moment, Kanashimi gained the upper hand — wounding both of them.
But he was still critically injured. Blood kept pouring. His vision was fading again.
Just as Gitoshi prepared a killing blow—
A cold, familiar voice cut through the chaos like silver blades.
"Pathetic."
Yuna stepped out from a newly formed corridor, her long hair flowing, silver threads already dancing around her like living weapons.
Megtsar and Gitoshi turned toward her, surprised.
Before they could even react, Yuna raised her hand.
Her Special Art activated at full power.
Countless silver threads shot forward like deadly spears. In one terrifyingly elegant motion, they pierced straight through both men's hearts and heads simultaneously.
Megtsar and Gitoshi didn't even have time to scream.
Their bodies fell lifeless to the shifting floor.
Yuna stood there coldly, not even breathing hard. Her eyes finally landed on Kanashimi — bloody, broken, and barely standing.
The Infinity Castle grew deathly silent.
Only the soft cawing of remaining crows and Haru's quiet crying could be heard.
Yuna stared at the man she once loved… the man she now came to kill.