Chapter 36: The Clash of Shadows
The air in the vault thickened as Kage no Ō emerged, his dark aura spreading like ink in water. The Shadow King's crimson eyes locked onto Ryo, his presence suffocating yet strangely calm.
"Ryo Tanaka," Kage no Ō said, his voice reverberating with malice. "You've grown stronger. But you're still playing a game far beyond your comprehension."
Ryo tightened his grip on his katana, Shadow Flame flickering around him. "I've had enough of your games. If you want the Obsidian Heart, you'll have to take it from me."
Behind him, his team readied themselves, their weapons drawn. Sakura stood closest, her glowing daggers poised for attack. "He's stalling. Be careful."
Kage no Ō chuckled, his voice low and menacing. "Stalling? No, little dagger. I'm savoring."
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The First Clash
Kage no Ō moved faster than anyone could react, closing the distance between himself and Ryo in an instant. Their weapons clashed, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the room.
Ryo gritted his teeth, barely holding his ground. Kage no Ō's strength was overwhelming, but Ryo refused to back down.
"Stay back!" Ryo shouted to his team as sparks flew from his blade.
"Like hell we will!" Sakura shot back, leaping forward to strike.
Her daggers found their mark, but instead of blood, they met resistance, as if Kage no Ō's body were made of solid shadow. He flicked his wrist, sending her flying across the room.
"Sakura!" Ryo cried, his focus wavering.
Kage no Ō took advantage, slamming Ryo with a powerful kick that sent him crashing into a wall.
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A New Strategy
Sora loosed a flurry of arrows, each glowing with enchanted light. They struck Kage no Ō, creating small explosions of energy. For a moment, it seemed as though they had gained the upper hand.
But Kage no Ō emerged from the smoke unscathed, his smirk widening. "Admirable effort, but futile."
Kael stepped forward, his staff glowing with runic symbols. "Futile? Let's test that theory."
He slammed the staff into the ground, creating a barrier of light around the team. The barrier held for a moment before Kage no Ō shattered it with a single blow.
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Kenji's Bold Move
Kenji, who had been hiding behind a fallen piece of debris, finally decided to act. "Alright, shadow guy, let's see how you like this!"
He hurled his frying pan with all his might.
The pan spun through the air, hitting Kage no Ō squarely in the face.
The room went silent.
Even Kage no Ō looked stunned. He slowly turned his head to glare at Kenji, who immediately regretted every decision that had led him to this moment.
"Uh… it was a distraction?" Kenji offered weakly, taking a step back.
To everyone's surprise, Kage no Ō let out a low chuckle. "Interesting. You have spirit, boy. Foolish, but amusing."
Kenji turned to the others. "Did you hear that? He thinks I'm amusing! Maybe he'll let me live!"
Sakura groaned. "Kenji, shut up and run!"
Kenji's frying pan moment had bought the team precious seconds. While Kage no Ō was still chuckling at the absurdity, Sakura dashed forward and grabbed Kenji by the collar, dragging him behind cover.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" she hissed.
Kenji shrugged, still clutching a spare rice ball. "Hey, at least I got his attention!"
Meanwhile, Ryo pulled himself up from the rubble, his katana blazing brighter. "That's enough. I'll end this here and now."
Kage no Ō's smirk returned. "Such bold words. Show me if they're worth anything."
---
The Counterattack
Ryo charged, his Shadow Flame erupting into twin tendrils that lashed out like living serpents. Kage no Ō dodged the first but caught the second with his bare hand, absorbing the energy as if it were nothing.
"You'll have to do better than that," Kage no Ō taunted, his shadowy aura expanding.
Akira suddenly appeared behind him, her daggers slicing through the air. Kage no Ō turned just in time to block, but Akira's feint allowed Sora to shoot an enchanted arrow straight into his shoulder.
The impact forced Kage no Ō back, his expression finally shifting to one of mild annoyance. "Persistent little pests."
Kael stepped forward, his staff glowing brighter as he began chanting a spell. The runes along the walls of the vault responded, amplifying his power. A massive shockwave of light erupted, forcing Kage no Ō to retreat several steps.
"Now!" Kael shouted.
Ryo lunged, his blade striking with precision. This time, Kage no Ō grunted, the edge of the katana cutting through his shadowy form.
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Kage no Ō's True Power
The Shadow King's expression darkened. "Impressive. But playtime is over."
With a wave of his hand, the entire room plunged into darkness. The oppressive void seemed alive, swallowing sound and light.
Ryo could feel the weight of the shadows pressing down on him, suffocating and relentless. But deep within, he felt a spark—a memory of his training, of Akari's words: "The shadows are not your enemy. They are your ally."
Focusing inward, Ryo called upon the Shadow Flame, allowing it to flow freely. The fire roared to life, cutting through the darkness like a beacon.
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Kenji's Second Heroic (and Ridiculous) Attempt
Amid the chaos, Kenji peeked out from behind his cover. "Alright, if Ryo can go all 'flame ninja,' then I can… uh… provide moral support!"
He grabbed another frying pan from his seemingly endless stash, this one engraved with a sigil that Kael had enchanted earlier.
"Take this!" Kenji shouted, hurling the pan with all his might.
The enchanted pan glowed as it flew, striking Kage no Ō directly in the chest. The unexpected attack caused a ripple in the shadowy aura, momentarily weakening it.
Everyone froze.
"Did… did that actually work?" Kenji asked, blinking.
Akira rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your head."
---
A New Resolve
Ryo seized the opportunity, his Shadow Flame burning hotter than ever. He slashed through the darkness, each strike pushing Kage no Ō back.
"You're stronger than I expected," Kage no Ō admitted, his voice laced with both irritation and intrigue. "But strength alone won't save you."
With a roar, Kage no Ō unleashed a torrent of shadow energy, forcing everyone to scatter.
Sakura landed beside Ryo, her expression determined. "We're not giving up. Not now."
Ryo nodded, his grip on his katana tightening. "Let's finish this together."
The vault trembled as Kage no Ō unleashed his full power. Tendrils of shadow erupted from his body, twisting and lashing out like living whips. The team scrambled to avoid the onslaught, their movements growing more desperate.
Kenji dove behind a column, clutching his beloved frying pan. "Okay, new plan: someone else be the hero for once!"
Sakura, crouching nearby, glared at him. "If you're going to hide, at least make yourself useful!"
"Useful?" Kenji grumbled. "Fine, I'll show you useful."
As if on cue, the floor beneath him cracked, revealing a hidden compartment. A faint glow emanated from within.
"What's that?" Kenji muttered, peeking into the hole. Inside was a weapon unlike any he'd seen before: a gleaming, ornate spatula with runes etched into its golden surface.
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The Sacred Spatula
Kenji reached for the spatula, feeling a strange energy pulse through him as his fingers made contact. The weapon was surprisingly heavy, yet it felt perfectly balanced in his hands.
A booming voice echoed in his mind: "You, who have embraced the art of chaos and culinary combat, are worthy of the Sacred Spatula of Balance. Use it wisely… or hilariously. Both work."
Kenji's eyes widened. "Holy crap. I've been chosen!"
He stood, holding the spatula aloft. "Guys! Look! I have a magic spatula!"
Ryo, mid-battle with Kage no Ō, glanced over his shoulder. "Kenji, now is not the time—"
Before he could finish, one of the shadow tendrils lashed out at Kenji. Instinctively, Kenji swung the spatula, and to everyone's shock, the tendril was sliced clean in half.
The severed shadow disintegrated, and Kage no Ō actually paused, his crimson eyes narrowing.
"That… was unexpected," the Shadow King admitted.
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Kenji's Moment of Glory
Kenji grinned, spinning the spatula like a seasoned warrior. "Oh, it's on now, shadow dude. Let's see how you like this!"
He charged forward, swinging the spatula with wild enthusiasm. Each strike sent ripples of energy through the air, disrupting Kage no Ō's shadows.
The others stared in disbelief.
"Is… is he actually winning?" Sora asked, firing an arrow to cover Kenji's advance.
Akira sighed. "It's Kenji. Winning is probably an accident."
Kenji leapt into the fray, yelling, "For the power of breakfast!" He swung the spatula in a wide arc, deflecting a barrage of shadow tendrils.
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Turning the Tide
With Kenji's unexpected heroics, the team found a new rhythm. Ryo's Shadow Flame burned brighter, cutting through Kage no Ō's defenses.
"Kenji, keep him distracted!" Ryo shouted, landing a critical blow on Kage no Ō's side.
Kenji twirled the spatula again. "Distracted? I'm practically a one-man circus over here!"
Sakura dashed in, her daggers glowing. She struck at Kage no Ō's exposed flank, her movements a blur of precision and power.
Kael focused on maintaining a protective barrier around the group, his staff glowing with runic light. "Keep the pressure on him! He's weakening!"
Kage no Ō snarled, his shadowy form flickering. "You insignificant mortals… I will not be defeated by a spatula!"
Kenji smirked. "Oh, buddy, you're getting spatula'd into next week."
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The Final Blow
As the battle reached its peak, Ryo summoned every ounce of his strength. His Shadow Flame merged with a new energy—something brighter, purer.
"Kenji, now!" Ryo yelled.
Kenji didn't hesitate. He hurled the Sacred Spatula at Kage no Ō with all his might. The weapon spun through the air, glowing with a golden light.
The spatula struck Kage no Ō square in the chest, embedding itself in his core.
"No!" Kage no Ō roared, his body collapsing into a swirl of shadows. The Obsidian Heart fell from his grasp, landing at Ryo's feet.
The room went silent as the shadows dissipated, leaving only the team standing victorious.
---
Aftermath
Kenji picked up the spatula, examining it with pride. "Well, looks like I'm the MVP of the day."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
Ryo smirked. "Good work, Kenji. Just don't let it go to your head."
Kenji puffed out his chest. "Too late."
As the team gathered around the Obsidian Heart, they knew this was only the beginning. But for now, they had earned their victory—and a well-deserved laugh at Kenji's absurd new weapon.