Part 3 (The Final Showdown) (2 of 3)

Vexus stepped forward, her metallic form gleaming ominously. "It's time we ended this once and for all, Liam," she declared, her voice dripping with malice.

Aria and Misty flanked her, their faces mirroring the same determination. "You've caused enough trouble," Aria hissed, her eyes narrowing. "We'll make sure you pay for it."

Misty's expression was no less severe as she raised her hand, a crackling energy forming around it. "This is the end for you, Liam."

Liam struggled to his feet, his body bruised and battered, but his spirit unbroken. He glanced at Ken, who was watching with a mix of desperation and determination. "Stay strong, Ken," Liam murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "We can't give up now."

Leon watched with satisfaction as his allies prepared to strike. "Let's see you handle this, Liam," he taunted, his eyes gleaming with cruel delight.

As Vexus, Aria, and Misty advanced on Liam, the battlefield seemed to hold its breath, the tension palpable. The final confrontation was far from over, and the outcome hung in the balance, poised on the edge of despair and hope.

Liam's eyes sharpened with resolve as he faced Vexus, Aria, and Misty. He knew that the odds were against him, but he couldn't afford to falter now. With a swift intake of breath, he centered himself, ready to unleash everything he had.

Vexus lunged first, her metallic claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. Liam dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur. Aria followed, her attacks wild and fierce, but Liam evaded each strike with a dancer's grace. Misty's energy blasts crackled around him, but Liam twisted and turned, avoiding them all.

"Is that all you've got?" Liam taunted, his voice filled with a confidence that belied his exhaustion. "You'll have to do better than that."

Vexus growled in frustration, her eyes narrowing. "Enough games, Liam. We'll end this now."

Liam smirked and, with a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them. His fist connected with Vexus's chest, sending her crashing into the ground. He spun on his heel, delivering a devastating kick to Aria's midsection, knocking the wind out of her. Misty tried to strike from behind, but Liam anticipated her move, catching her arm and flipping her over his shoulder.

One by one, they fell, their bodies hitting the ground with resounding thuds. For a moment, it seemed as though Liam might triumph. But in his moment of victory, he was caught off guard by a forceful blow from behind.

Leon, his eyes burning with malevolent fury, had struck while Liam's focus was elsewhere. The impact sent Liam flying backward, his body slamming into the ground with bone-jarring force. He lay there, dazed and bleeding, his vision blurring as he struggled to remain conscious.

Leon approached him, his footsteps echoing ominously. "You really thought you could win?" he sneered, standing over Liam's battered form. "Pathetic."

Liam tried to push himself up, but his limbs felt like lead. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, blurring his vision. His body was deformed from the onslaught, his strength waning with each passing second.

"Stay down, Liam," Leon growled, his voice low and dangerous. "It's over."

Liam's mind raced, but his body refused to obey. He could hear Ken shouting his name, could feel the weight of their hopes and dreams pressing down on him. But in that moment, he was powerless, his fate hanging by a thread.

As darkness began to close in around him, Liam's thoughts drifted to those he had lost, to the friends and family who had fought and died alongside him. He couldn't let it end like this. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.

But as Leon's laughter echoed in his ears, Liam's vision faded, and he slipped into unconsciousness, the battle far from over, the final showdown teetering on the edge of despair.

Leon stood over Liam's motionless form, his eyes flicking to Vexus, Aria, and Misty. Their lifeless bodies lay scattered across the battlefield, defeated by Liam's last desperate effort. He sighed, a look of disdain crossing his face.

"Pathetic imitations," Leon muttered to himself. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the bodies of Vexus, Aria, and Misty dissolved into nothingness, their forms evaporating into thin air. They were never truly there; they had been mere fabrications, conjured from the depths of Liam's own memories.

"The real ones are long dead," Leon said, almost to himself, his voice echoing eerily in the silence that followed. He turned his gaze back to Liam, who lay battered and broken on the ground.

"You fought well," Leon admitted, his tone devoid of mockery for the first time. "But this fight is over."

Ken, still reeling from the shock of seeing Liam so brutally overpowered, scrambled to his feet. He knew the blast was almost ready, but they needed more time. Desperation clawed at his chest.

"Liam, hang in there," Ken whispered, his voice trembling. He knew he had to act quickly.

Just as Leon took a step toward Liam, a sudden explosion of energy filled the air. Ken's eyes widened as he realized the blast was ready. But they needed to keep Leon occupied for just a moment longer.

Leon paused, sensing the shift in the energy around them. His eyes narrowed, and he glanced back at Ken. "What are you up to, boy?"

Ken steeled himself, stepping forward to place himself between Leon and Liam. "I'm not going to let you win," he declared, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at his insides.

Leon chuckled darkly. "You think you can stop me? You're even more deluded than I thought."

Ken braced himself as Leon advanced, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had to buy just a few more seconds. "It's not about me stopping you," Ken said, his eyes locking onto Leon's. "It's about us."

With a sudden burst of speed, Leon lunged at Ken, his hand reaching out to strike. But before he could make contact, a surge of energy erupted from the ground beneath them. The blast, now fully charged, radiated a blinding light that engulfed the battlefield.

Ken shielded his eyes, feeling the heat of the energy wash over him. He could hear Leon's roar of anger and frustration as the blast tore through the air.

As the light began to fade, Ken lowered his arm, blinking against the brightness. He saw Liam slowly getting to his feet, his form still battered but his eyes burning with determination.

"We're not done yet," Liam said, his voice resolute. He glanced at Ken, a small, weary smile forming on his lips. "Let's finish this."

Ken nodded, feeling a surge of hope. Together, they turned to face Leon, ready for the final showdown. The battle was far from over, but for the first time, they felt the tide beginning to turn.

Leon grinned, his eyes glinting with malice as he stood unwavering in the face of Ken's fully charged blast. The energy dissipated against his form, leaving him unfazed and unscathed. With a swift, brutal movement, Leon struck at Ken, his attack aimed to crush any remaining hope.

"No!" Liam's voice rang out. With the last of his strength, he threw himself in front of Ken, taking the full force of Leon's blow to his chest. He staggered, blood pouring from the wound as he crumpled to the ground.

"Dad!" Ken cried out, his voice breaking as he dropped to his knees beside Liam. Tears streamed down his face as he cradled his father in his arms. "Why did you do it?"

Liam coughed, a pained smile forming on his lips. "Because... I love you, Ken," he whispered, his voice weak but filled with emotion. "You have to be strong... for all of us."

Ken's tears fell freely now, his heart shattering as he listened to his father's final words. Rage and sorrow surged within him, and with a primal scream, he channeled all his anguish into a powerful strike. The force of his blow sent Leon crashing into the wall, momentarily stunned.

Turning back to his father, Ken held him tightly, his tears soaking into Liam's blood-stained clothes. "Dad, please don't go," he begged, his voice choked with sobs.

Liam's eyes softened as he looked at his son. "Ken, listen to me," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I can't come back... but I'll always watch over you. Tell your mother... tell her I love her."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, wrapped gift. With trembling hands, he placed it in Ken's grasp. "Give this to her... it's from both of us."

Ken nodded, his vision blurred by tears as he clutched the gift tightly. "I will, Dad. I promise."

Liam's smile grew faint as his eyes began to close. "I'm proud of you, son," he murmured, his voice fading. "Stay strong... for all of us."

With those final words, Liam's eyes fluttered shut, and he succumbed to his injuries. Ken held him close, his heart breaking as he whispered, "I love you, Dad."

For a moment, the battlefield was silent, the weight of the loss hanging heavy in the air. Ken's grief gave way to a steely resolve as he gently laid his father down. He stood, turning to face Leon, who had recovered from the earlier blow and was advancing once more.

Ken's eyes burned with determination and rage. "This ends now," he vowed, his voice filled with the strength of his father's legacy. The battle was far from over, but Ken knew he had to fight with everything he had – for his father, for his family, and for the future they all dreamed of.

Ken's grief transformed into a searing, white-hot rage that coursed through his veins like fire. His father's final words echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder of the cost of this battle. As he stood over Liam's lifeless body, something within Ken snapped.

His eyes, once filled with sorrow, now blazed with an intense, almost feral light. Muscles tensed, fists clenched, and a low growl emanated from deep within his chest. The air around him seemed to crackle with energy as his rage reached its boiling point.

Leon, who had been advancing with a predatory grin, suddenly found himself taken aback. The change in Ken was palpable, a force to be reckoned with. Before Leon could react, Ken launched himself forward with a speed and strength that belied his earlier exhaustion.

"You're going to pay for everything!" Ken roared, his voice a primal scream that echoed across the battlefield.

He closed the distance between them in an instant, his fists slamming into Leon with the force of a hurricane. Each punch was fueled by the memory of his father, by the friends and allies they had lost, by the sheer injustice of it all. Ken's blows came faster and harder, a relentless barrage that left Leon reeling.

Leon tried to counterattack, but Ken was too quick. He dodged each strike with ease, his movements a blur of raw, unbridled power. He grabbed Leon by the throat, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the pavement with a thunderous crash. The ground cracked beneath them, a testament to Ken's newfound strength.

Panic flashed in Leon's eyes for the first time. "This can't be!" he sputtered, struggling to free himself from Ken's iron grip. "You're just a child!"

Ken's grip tightened, his face inches from Leon's. "I'm a child who's had enough," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Enough of your tyranny, enough of your cruelty. This ends now."

With a primal scream, Ken hurled Leon into the air. He leaped after him, delivering a bone-shattering kick that sent Leon hurtling back to the ground. Leon crashed down with a force that shook the very foundations of the battlefield.

Ken landed softly, the fury in his eyes undiminished. He advanced on Leon, who was now scrambling to his feet, genuine fear etched across his features.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Ken taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "You should be."

Leon, battered and bruised, stumbled backward. "You... you can't win," he stammered, desperation creeping into his voice. "I'm stronger than you."

Ken shook his head slowly, his rage a simmering cauldron beneath his calm exterior. "Not today," he said quietly, his voice laced with resolve. "Today, I'm stronger. Today, you face the consequences of your actions."

Leon's eyes darted around, searching for an escape, a way to regain the upper hand. But Ken was relentless, closing the gap between them with determined strides.

The battle was far from over, but in that moment, the tide had shifted. Ken, fueled by his grief and rage, had become a force of nature, a beacon of hope in the midst of darkness. And as he stood over Leon, ready to deliver the final blow, he knew that this fight was for everyone they had lost, for the future they all believed in.

Ken stood over Leon, his eyes burning with an intensity that even the darkest night couldn't obscure. The rage within him boiled over, and with a mighty swing, he delivered a devastating hammer fist to Leon's face, launching him high into the sky. Leon's body arced through the air, disappearing into the night.

Ken's breath was ragged, his energy coalescing around him. He raised his arm, a blaster cannon forming seamlessly from his battle suit. He aimed it at the sky, tracking Leon's tumbling form. With a deep breath, he fired, but intentionally missed, the energy balls shooting past Leon and spreading out into the sky.

Leon, disoriented and hurtling downward, regained his bearings just in time to see the energy balls circling him. Panic set in as he realized Ken's true intention.

Ken closed his eyes for a moment, focusing all his energy and anger into a single point. He opened his eyes, which now glowed with a fierce determination. He clenched his fists, causing the energy balls to halt mid-air and begin to vibrate with power.

"This ends now," Ken growled. "Celestial Cage!"

At his command, the energy balls converged around Leon, trapping him in a swirling vortex of power. Leon struggled against the confinement, his roars of defiance echoing through the night, but the energy balls only tightened their grip.

Ken floated up to the same level as Leon, his face set with grim resolve. "You've taken so much from me, from all of us. This is for everyone you've hurt."

He raised both hands, channeling the energy from his blaster cannon through his palms. "Celestial Cage, unleash!"

The energy balls surrounding Leon erupted into beams of pure power, converging onto him from all sides. Leon's screams of agony were drowned out by the roar of the energy, his form barely visible within the blinding light.

Ken watched, his expression hardening as the energy engulfed Leon. The night was filled with the sound of power, the very air vibrating with the force of the attack. When the light finally faded, Leon's form plummeted from the sky, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that sent shockwaves through the battlefield.

Ken descended slowly, landing near the crater where Leon lay. The villain's body was broken, his once-mighty form now reduced to a battered shell. He tried to move, but his strength had abandoned him.

Ken stood over him, his chest heaving with the exertion of his attack. "This is for my father," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "And for everyone you've hurt."

Leon looked up at him, his eyes filled with a mix of fury and fear. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Ken turned away, unable to look at the broken man any longer.

The battle was still far from over, but for the first time, Ken felt a glimmer of hope. He had taken a stand against the darkness, and he knew he had the strength to see this fight through to the end. With his heart heavy and his resolve unwavering, he prepared for the next phase of the final showdown.

Ken watched as Leon lay crumpled in the crater, his breathing labored. The energy blast had taken its toll, but the battle wasn't over yet. Leon's face twisted in pain, a haunting mix of his original features and the monstrous visage of his final form.

Leon struggled to his feet, his body convulsing as his final form began to unravel. His skin seemed to ripple, patches of his human face flickering through the monstrous exterior. He looked up at Ken, eyes burning with a mix of fury and desperation.

"You think this is over?" Leon hissed, his voice a distorted growl. "You've merely scratched the surface of my power."

Ken tensed, watching as the final form continued to flicker and distort. Leon's human face emerged fully for a moment, eyes wide with an almost pleading look, before the monstrous visage reasserted itself. It was as if the two forms were battling for dominance within him.

With a roar, Leon surged forward, the monstrous form giving one last desperate push. Ken braced himself, dodging the initial strike but feeling the shockwave of power that followed. Leon's attacks were wild, uncoordinated, as if he was losing control of his own body.

"I won't let you win," Leon spat, his voice breaking. "Not now, not ever."

Ken dodged another strike, feeling the intensity of Leon's power even as it began to wane. He saw an opening and took it, landing a solid punch to Leon's gut. Leon staggered back, the monstrous form flickering more rapidly now, his human face showing more clearly with each passing second.

"You've already lost, Leon," Ken said, his voice firm. "You just don't realize it yet."

Leon's eyes widened, his form faltering. He clutched at his chest, the monstrous exterior peeling away like a shedding skin. His true face, filled with pain and fear, emerged fully at last.

"Ken..." Leon's voice was weak, almost a whisper. "This can't be..."

"It is," Ken replied, stepping forward. "It's over, Leon. Your time has come."

With a final, agonized scream, Leon's monstrous form disintegrated completely, leaving only his original self behind. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath, the power that had sustained him gone.

Ken stood over him, the weight of the battle heavy on his shoulders. "You fought hard, Leon," he said quietly. "But this is where it ends."

Leon looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of rage and despair. "No... I can't..."

But he could no longer fight. The energy that had driven him was gone, leaving him powerless. Ken knew the battle wasn't truly over yet, but for now, he had gained a crucial advantage.

Ken stepped back, his gaze unwavering. "It's time to end this, once and for all."

As the battlefield fell silent, the weight of what had transpired hung heavy in the air. The final showdown was nearing its conclusion, but the fight wasn't finished. Ken prepared himself for the final push, knowing that victory was within reach but not yet guaranteed.