Chapter 3: Convergence

Abandoned Cathedral - 10:50 PM

The moment Shinobu flipped the hourglass, the entire cathedral shifted.

The walls twisted, elongating like a living organism. The debris-strewn floor began to tilt, the stone groaning as gravity itself distorted. Stained glass windows melted like wax, reforming into spiraling corridors that stretched into infinity.

Akira's breath hitched. "This isn't an illusion..."

Hiroshi drew his katana in a flash, stepping into a defensive stance. "What the hell is this?!"

Daisuke's sunglasses reflected the shifting environment. "Something tells me this guy's Stand isn't just for show."

Kenji planted his feet, fists clenched. "Stay together."

Above them, Shinobu Kuroda stood on the shifting balcony, completely unfazed by the chaos. He smirked, watching them struggle against the sudden shift in reality.

"I see you're already beginning to understand," Shinobu said casually, adjusting his cuffs. "Concrete Jungle doesn't just manipulate space-it reshapes reality itself."

Akira's mind raced. A Stand that could physically alter the entire environment? If this wasn't an illusion like Cetz's, then this battle was going to be far more dangerous.

Shinobu gestured lazily. "Shall we begin?"

The walls collapsed inward.

---

The Fight Begins

WHOOSH!

Massive stone pillars erupted from the ground, nearly impaling Kenji as he leaped back. The once-solid floor fractured, breaking into floating platforms suspended in midair.

Akira barely dodged as a chunk of pews shot upward, flipping violently. The cathedral was no longer a structure-it was a battlefield shifting at Shinobu's whim.

"Scatter!" Akira yelled.

Hiroshi leaped onto a rising platform, katana flashing. "If he's controlling the terrain, we need to move fast before he boxes us in!"

Daisuke took off in a blur, using the shifting debris as stepping stones. "Got it!"

Kenji, however, stood his ground. His muscles tensed, and his Stand Titan Soul materialized behind him-a towering, armored figure with stone-like fists.

Kenji slammed a fist into the ground.

BOOM!

A shockwave rippled outward, breaking the rising debris and forcing the terrain to stabilize.

Shinobu arched an eyebrow. "Oh? You're more resourceful than I thought."

Akira took the opening. "Echo Chamber!"

A distortion wave pulsed from his Stand, sending invisible sound frequencies rippling through the air. The vibrations disrupted the unstable platforms, momentarily freezing their movement.

Shinobu smirked. "Interesting."

Then-

He flipped the hourglass again.

The entire cathedral inverted.

Gravity shifted.

Hiroshi and Daisuke plummeted sideways, slamming into what was once the ceiling. The floating debris realigned, forming spiked barriers between them.

Akira barely caught himself, grabbing onto a stone ledge that was now pointing downward. His stomach twisted.

He had flipped the battlefield itself.

Shinobu casually stepped onto the air, as if gravity meant nothing to him.

"You're clever," he admitted. "But you're still thinking in three dimensions."

Akira gritted his teeth. "Tch...!"

Daisuke groaned from his new position on the ceiling. "This is getting real annoying!" His Stand, Gale Phantom, flickered around him, small cyclones forming beneath his feet to stabilize him.

Hiroshi was already moving, using the inverted gravity to launch himself straight toward Shinobu.

SHING!

His katana flashed, aiming straight for Shinobu's throat-

CLANG!

A wall erupted between them at the last second. The blade barely scratched the surface before the structure absorbed the impact.

Shinobu chuckled. "A valiant effort."

Then he simply-

Rotated the entire battlefield again.

"DAMN IT-!!"

The team was hurled through the air once more, slamming into new surfaces as the terrain continued to warp.

Akira barely managed to roll to a stop, his body aching.

This isn't just terrain manipulation. It's complete environmental dominance.

Shinobu's Stand was overwhelming.

---

A Plan Forms

Akira forced himself to think. Shinobu's power was strong-but there had to be a limit.

He watched closely. The hourglass-every time Shinobu flipped it, the terrain shifted.

That's it.

The hourglass wasn't just a symbol of his ability-it was the trigger.

Which meant-

"We need to stop him from flipping it!" Akira shouted.

Hiroshi wiped blood from his lip. "Oh? Easier said than done!"

Daisuke smirked. "Yeah, but now we got a plan."

Kenji cracked his knuckles. "Then let's take that thing from him."

The battle wasn't over yet.

But now, they had a chance.

---