Chapter 82

The hum of the Mirror World presses in on Ace, a dull drone that grates on his nerves. Zebraskull waits, a predatory stillness radiating from its skeletal frame. The air crackles with tension, a prelude to violence.

Zebraskull breaks the silence, a guttural growl rumbling from its throat. Its swords flash, catching the dim light like polished razors. It explodes into motion, lunging towards Ace with blinding speed.

Ace reacts on instinct, the Dragsaber rising to meet the attack. The clash of metal rings out, a deafening echo in the desolate mall. Sparks fly as the blades grind against each other, a shower of light in the oppressive gloom.

Zebraskull is agile, darting around him like a crazed dancer. Its swords slash and thrust, forcing him to block and parry with every ounce of his strength. He's good, but this Zebraskull isn't holding back. This is going to be harder than he thought.

The Mirror Monster spins, its swords a whirlwind of death. Ace ducks under a high strike, feeling the wind of the blade graze his helmet. He counters with a sweeping slash of the Dragsaber, aiming for Zebraskull's legs.

The Mirror Monster leaps back, avoiding the blow with ease. It lands lightly on its feet, its eyes glinting with amusement. It's toying with him.

He has to change the rhythm.

He glances around, taking in the layout of the mall. Cracked pillars, overturned mannequins, shattered storefronts. It's a mess, but it's also an opportunity.

He feints left, drawing Zebraskull forward, then pivots sharply to the right, darting behind a massive support pillar. The Mirror Monster follows, its swords slashing through the air where he had been moments before.

Using the pillar as cover, he circles around, keeping the obstacle between himself and Zebraskull. The Mirror Monster snarls in frustration, its attacks blocked by the solid concrete.

He sees an opening.

As Zebraskull rounds the pillar, he bursts forward, the Dragsaber a blur in his hand. He slashes at the Mirror Monster's exposed flank, scoring a shallow hit.

Zebraskull recoils, hissing in pain. It leaps back, creating some distance between them. It's no longer toying with him. Now, it's all business.

Ace presses his advantage, driving the attack. He uses the environment to his advantage, leaping over overturned benches, sliding under shattered display cases. He's faster, more agile, forcing Zebraskull to react to him.

The Mirror Monster is cornered, backed up against a wall. Its skeletal face is contorted in rage, its eyes burning with a furious intensity.

It is a cornered animal, and those are the most dangerous.

Suddenly, Zebraskull does something unexpected. It rears back, its body contorting in a bizarre, unnatural way. Its torso stretches, elongating, as if its bones are made of rubber.

Ace watches in astonishment as the Mirror Monster's body splits apart, separating into vertically stacked segments. Each segment hovers in the air, suspended by some unseen force, like a bizarre totem pole of zebra-striped horror.

The swords from its forearms are now attached to each segment, creating a barrier of spinning blades. It's a defensive formation, designed to keep him at bay.

"What the…?" Ace mutters, staring at the floating segments. This is a new one. He is reminded of a zebra totem pole with swords for some reason.

He circles around the floating segments, trying to find an opening. The spinning blades make it impossible to get close. Any direct attack would be suicide.

He needs a plan. Fast.

Thinking is interrupted as the segments dart around him, the sword edges threatening to cut him at any moment.

Okay, time to test this thing out.

[Strike Vent]

He inserts the card in the Dragvisor, the gauntlet materializing over his right hand. The head of Dragreder roars, its maw opening and closing, ready to strike.

He aims the gauntlet at one of the segments and fires a blast of fireballs. The fireballs connects, but the segment barely flinches. The spinning blades deflect the energy, dissipating the force.

This is not working.

He needs a different approach. A more direct approach.

He glances at his Dragclaw. An idea begins to form in his mind. Risky, but it might work.

He has to get closer.

He lunges forward, darting between the spinning segments. The blades whir past him, missing him by inches. He reaches out, grabbing one of the segments with his Dragclaw.

The segment is surprisingly light, almost weightless. He pulls it towards him, yanking it out of the stack.

The rest of Zebraskull's body collapses. The floating segments lose their support, crashing to the ground in a heap.

The main body slams into the ground.

The tactic worked! He does a silent cheer.

Ace doesn't let up. With the body collapsed on the ground, this is his chance. Ace runs toward Zebraskull's main body and delivers a punch, making Zebraskull flail around on the ground.

One more hit.

A roaring blast of fire erupts from the gauntlet. The fireball engulfs Zebraskull, the Mirror Monster screaming as its body disintegrates into nothingness.

The flames dissipate, leaving behind only a faint wisp of smoke. The body of Zebraskull vanishes, not even leaving behind any residue.

With Zebraskull gone, Ace takes a breath, the adrenaline slowly fading. He's still got that Mirror Monster hum to contend with. He looks up and watches the Zebraskull's life energy float up into the sky.

Huh. He had never seen that before. He wonders what will happen to that life energy.

Suddenly, Dragreder appears. The dragon makes quick work of it, snapping up the life energy in one gulp and flies away.

The Mirror World is silent once more.

With the monster defeated, the area began to disintegrate. Ace is relieved that the fighting is over and prepares to leave the Mirror World.

This time, he wants to ensure that everyone is safe.

But the words barely escaped his lips when the mall disappeared and returned to reality.

He is back.

The real world snaps back into focus, the desolate mall of the Mirror World replaced by the familiar storefronts of the department store. The Ryuki armor shimmers, fading away as he stumbles forward, back into his normal clothes.

He spots Yuri first, standing near a cluster of paramedics. Her face is tight with worry, but relief floods her expression when she sees him. Then, he sees Koji, lying on a gurney, a bandage wrapped around his chest. The detective gives him a thumbs up, a goofy grin plastered across his face.

Ace approaches them, a mix of relief and frustration swirling within him. He's glad they're both okay, but Koji's recklessness still grates on his nerves. He could have died in there.

"Guess I owe you one, huh?" Koji says, his voice slightly strained but his grin unwavering.

Ace crosses his arms, trying to maintain a stern expression. "What you did was reckless," he says, his tone firm but not unkind. "You could've gotten yourself killed."

Koji laughs it off, wincing slightly from the pain. "Hey, I'm still here, aren't I?" He waves his hands around, "Besides, I'll do better next time. Promise."

Yuri shakes her head, but Ace catches a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "You're lucky Rider was here to save your hide," she says, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.

Ace sighs, the tension slowly easing from his shoulders. He can't help the small smile that creeps onto his face. "Just… don't do that again," he says, his gaze meeting Koji's. "I can't always be there to bail you out."

Koji extends a hand, his grin widening. "Deal." The detective pauses, and then asks, "And hey, maybe we can team up next time. You, me, and Yuri—unstoppable trio, right?"

Ace hesitates for a moment, considering the offer. Koji is reckless, impulsive, but he also seems genuinely determined to help. And Yuri clearly trusts him. Maybe, just maybe, they could work together.

He shakes Koji's hand, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, maybe," he says, his tone cautious. "Just… try not to get in my way."

Yuri rolls her eyes, but Ace catches the glint of amusement in her gaze. There's a sense of camaraderie in the air, a shared understanding forged in the heat of battle. The tension from earlier dissipates, replaced by a quiet sense of connection.

The setting sun casts long shadows across the parking lot, painting the scene in hues of orange and gold. Sirens wail in the distance as the last of the paramedics load their patients into ambulances. The yellow tape flutters in the breeze, cordoning off the entrance to the department store.

Koji claps Ace on the shoulder, the gesture surprisingly forceful. "You know, for a guy in a fancy suit, you're not so bad," Koji says, his grin still plastered across his face.

Ace raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He glances down at his tailored jacket, a stark contrast to Koji's rumpled trench coat. "And for a reckless detective, you're not the worst," Ace replies, a hint of amusement lacing his voice.

Yuri chuckles, shaking her head as she surveys the two of them. "You two are going to be trouble, aren't you?"

Koji shrugs, his grin turning mischievous. "Maybe. But hey, at least we'll have fun."

Ace can't help but laugh, the sound surprising even himself. He hadn't expected to find himself… enjoying Koji's company. The detective's energy is infectious, a stark contrast to Ace's own cautious nature. "Yeah, maybe we will," Ace says, his gaze meeting Koji's.

As they walk away from the mall, Ace feels a sense of unexpected warmth settling in his chest. The tension from the fight has faded, replaced by a sense of camaraderie he hadn't anticipated. Despite Koji's recklessness, there's something about his energy that's… refreshing. Maybe, just maybe, they'll make a good team after all.

***

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