Chapter 66: The Final Clash!

The warriors stood

battered and exhausted, their bodies barely able to hold themselves up. Their

power had vanished, leaving them vulnerable.

The man watched them

carefully, his expression unreadable. "You both have impressive

control over your core," he mused. "But I'm guessing

you lost your form because you're still learning about Phase Three."

Senjuro clenched his

fists. "By just observing us, he can already analyze our level of

mastery… This guy is more than a fighter—he's a strategist."

Akira, panting heavily,

turned to Senjuro. "What now?"

Senjuro didn't

hesitate. "I'll finish him."

Summoning the last of his

strength, he lunged forward, his Celestine Aurum Scythe

glinting under the shattered moonlight. His target: the man's exposed

chest.

But the man didn't

flinch.

Just as Senjuro's blade

was about to tear through his torso, the man casually slid his hand

into his pocket.

And then—

CLANG!

A sharp,

spear-like dagger appeared at the last second, stopping

Senjuro's attack with nothing but its tip. The sheer force of the block

sent a sharp vibration through the air, forcing Senjuro to retreat.

Without a word, the man

pulled out a bamboo stick, swiftly attaching the dagger to the end.

With a flick of his wrist, he spun the weapon and pointed it forward.

"Come at me,

fool!" he taunted.

Senjuro took a step back,

assessing his enemy's stance. The man smirked mockingly. "What's

wrong? Are you scared, punk?"

Senjuro tightened his grip

on his scythe. "No. It's just better to retreat than to charge in

like an idiot."

Kyrin stepped beside him,

his breath still heavy from exhaustion. "So, what do we do? We

can't use energy-based attacks anymore. Do we fight him with raw

strength?"

Senjuro nodded. "Yes.

The others are in no condition to fight. It's just us now."

Before they could

strategize further, the man lunged forward, unleashing a lightning-fast

slash with his makeshift spear.

Senjuro reacted instantly.

With perfect timing,

he sidestepped the attack and shoved Kyrin out of

harm's way, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.

The man's eyes

widened. "That dodge… That movement… How did you—"

Then, something changed.

A pulse of energy erupted

from Senjuro, not from his core, but from his very presence. His

stance shifted, his breathing steadied, and his eyes burned with a newfound

clarity.

The man took a step

back, his smirk faltering for the first time.

This wasn't just any

power-up.

This was something far

more dangerous.

A tense silence fell upon

the battlefield, broken only by the labored breathing of the exhausted

warriors. The air was thick with power, an invisible storm raging

between two titans standing at the brink of their limits.

Senjuro's eyes began to

glow—a radiant golden hue, shimmering with an intensity that sent shivers

down everyone's spine.

The man, still standing

tall despite the brutal battle, narrowed his eyes. "That form… How

did you master it?"

Senjuro remained silent,

his gaze locked onto his enemy.

Then, he finally spoke,

his voice carrying an unnatural weight.

"Dark and ominous

aura."

Kyrin turned to him,

confused. "Wait… you can see his spiritual aura?"

Senjuro exhaled, his

golden eyes still burning as he whispered:

"The Divine

Dragon."

A sudden shift in

energy.

The man's expression

darkened. He took a slow breath before whispering under his breath:

"Emerge."

In an instant, his

entire form changed. His already formidable presence became

suffocating, colder than ice, darker than a moonless night. His body

pulsed with raw, malevolent energy, his muscles tightening as veins

of pure darkness coursed through his skin.

His eyes, once deep

crimson, now glowed an eerie, unnatural purple—void-like and endless.

The battlefield seemed to crackle under

the pressure of their opposing forces.

Two warriors. Two

overwhelming forces of nature.

They stepped forward.

One would stand.

One would fall.

The man vanished.

A split second later, he

reappeared behind Senjuro. His spear-like dagger slashed through the air at blinding

speed, aiming straight for Senjuro's spine.

But Senjuro was already

gone.

A golden flash erupted as he

countered in an instant, twisting mid-air to parry the

strike with his scythe. Sparks exploded from the clash, their

combined force sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

BOOM!

The sheer impact shattered

the ground beneath them.

Kyrin dashed forward, his

Platinum Chroma Scythe igniting with Celestine Argent Flux. He swung

at the man's ribs, but the enemy bent his body in an unnatural way,

narrowly dodging the strike before retaliating.

A shadow-infused fist

smashed into Kyrin's chest.

CRACK!

Kyrin flew

backward, crashing through the ruined walls of the mansion.

"Kyrin!" Akira shouted, barely able to move from exhaustion.

But before he could act,

the man turned and lunged toward him with inhuman speed.

Senjuro intercepted.

In a golden blur,

Senjuro appeared in front of Akira, spinning his scythe in an unpredictable

arc. The weapon clashed against the man's dark energy-infused dagger,

causing an eruption of light and darkness colliding in pure

destruction.

The man grinned.

"You're fast."

Senjuro's expression

remained cold.

"You're not fast

enough."

In a flicker of movement,

Senjuro's scythe slashed downward, aiming to cut through the man's

shoulder.

But—

The attack phased through

him.

"What?" Senjuro's eyes widened.

Before he could react, a black

tendril shot from the man's back, wrapping around Senjuro's wrist and pulling

him in violently.

A devastating knee

strike slammed into Senjuro's stomach, nearly crushing his ribs.

"GAAH!"

Senjuro coughed up blood

as he was sent rocketing backward, skidding across the battlefield.

The man chuckled. "You're

strong… but I can see it now. You're still incomplete."

Kyrin emerged from the

rubble, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Tch… You're pretty damn

arrogant for someone who should be dead."

The man turned toward him,

amusement flashing in his glowing purple eyes. "Death? That

concept doesn't apply to me."

He spread his arms, the dark

aura around him intensifying, warping the air itself.

"You think this is my

final form?"

The battlefield trembled.

Kyrin gritted his

teeth. "Senjuro. If we don't end this now, we're done

for."

Senjuro slowly stood,

wiping the blood from his lips.

His golden eyes

burned brighter than ever.

"Then let's end

it."

Senjuro and Kyrin exchanged

a glance.

No words were needed.

They both knew what had to

be done.

The Divine Dragon energy

surged within Senjuro, intertwining with his very soul. The celestial power

within Kyrin ignited like a blazing star, the Celestine Argent Flux reaching

its peak.

The battlefield roared under

their combined energy.

The man smirked,

tightening his grip on his weapon. "Show me something worthy of my

time."

They charged.

The earth beneath them

shattered as they clashed.

Senjuro's scythe met the

man's spear with a force that could split mountains.

Kyrin followed

immediately, swinging his weapon in a blinding arc, aiming for the

enemy's neck.

But the man twisted his

body unnaturally, dodging by mere inches before countering

with a brutal kick.

Kyrin blocked just in

time, but the impact sent a shockwave rippling through his arms.

Senjuro spun mid-air, switching

his grip on his scythe, and with unparalleled precision, he

struck.

SLASH!

A deep gash tore across

the man's side.

For the first time, he

stumbled back.

Senjuro's golden energy

flared. "Not so untouchable now, are you?"

The man gritted

his teeth. "You…!"

Kyrin rushed in, his

Celestine Argent Flux blazing like a second sun.

The man raised his

spear, preparing to block—

But Senjuro moved faster.

A golden afterimage.

In a flash, Senjuro was behind

him.

The man's eyes widened in shock.

"What—"

Senjuro whispered.

"Dragon's Wrath—Final

Eclipse."

SLASH!

An X-shaped cut carved

through the man's chest.

His body froze.

For a moment, silence.

Then—

"GAAHHHHH!"

The man screamed as

his dark aura violently erupted, spiraling out of control.

His body trembled, unable

to maintain its unstable power.

Kyrin stood beside

Senjuro, both warriors gasping for breath.

"It's over," Senjuro declared.

The man fell to his knees,

his power dissipating into the wind.

With one final, ragged

breath, his purple glow faded.

The battlefield grew

still.

Senjuro and Kyrin

collapsed onto the ground, their strength completely drained.

Their Divine Forms flickered

before vanishing entirely.

The others ran toward

them, barely able to move from their own exhaustion.

Akira was the first to

speak, his voice trembling. "Did… did we win?"

Senjuro smirked weakly. "Yeah."

Kyrin groaned. "Remind

me to never go Phase Three unless it's life or death."

Syvian arrived moments

later, scanning the battlefield. "That energy… the way it

vanished… Are you sure he's dead?"

Senjuro's golden eyes dimmed as

he looked toward the fading remnants of the battle.

"Not dead." He exhaled. "But defeated."

Kyrin nodded. "For

now."

The battle was over.

But the war was far from

finished