The battlefield rumbled in the distance roars of Voidborn, clashes of steel, screams drowned by thunder and flame. The air itself stank of smoke and Shinrei.

Khael stood still in the middle of the broken courtyard, looking at everyone gathered around him. His dragon-blood burned faintly in his veins, his scales flickering on and off his arms like restless embers. His gaze swept across his friends, then hardened.

"You all stay here… I need to go somewhere."

Ceyla's eyes widened, her voice sharp. "Where?"

Khael turned to her, his tone quiet but unyielding.

"Ceyla…"

Her teeth clenched, fists shaking as tears welled in her eyes. "You're going into danger again, huh? …Khael, you bastard. Are we that weak to you?"

The words cut deep. For a moment, Khael faltered, his chest tight.

Juno's voice followed, soft but heavy with emotion. "Khael…"

Shigeo clicked his tongue, arms crossed, frustration clear in his scowl. "Tsk… you're always complicating everything, Khael."

Saya stepped forward, her hand trembling but her voice steady. "Khael, let us join you."

Baek Suwon, though bruised and bloodied, smirked faintly and cracked his knuckles. "Me too… I'm still in top shape."

The pressure mounted. All of them… wanting to follow him, fight beside him, bleed for him.

Khael looked at each of their faces his comrades, his friends, his family in this endless war. His throat tightened, but he forced his voice to remain firm.

"Everyone… those who can't fight, please don't come with me."

His gaze finally turned to the side, where their teacher stood. Shaia Maien, robes torn, her staff dim but her presence unwavering.

Khael lowered his head slightly, his voice carrying both respect and plea.

"Sensei… take care of the others for me."

Shaia's eyes widened, seeing the storm of resolve burning behind his expression. She wanted to protest, to stop him but she also knew… this was Khael's path.

The air went still.

Ceyla's fists trembled harder, her voice breaking. "…Khael…"

He stepped closer, his voice quiet, almost breaking.

"I'm sorry, Ceyla… Will you come with me?"

Her breath caught. For a moment, she only stared at him, then her lips curved into a small, shaky smile.

"…Now you're not acting like an idiot anymore."

Khael felt the tension in his chest loosen. He couldn't help but return her smile—brief, fragile, but real.

He turned his gaze across the others Juno's steady eyes, Baek Suwon's confidence, Shigeo's scowl hiding concern, Saya's clenched determination. They were with him. No matter where he walked, no matter how dark.

His fists tightened at his sides. His heartbeat thundered.

(Sloth…) he thought, a shadow flickering in his mind. (It has to be me.)

The embers of his dragon blood stirred hotter, as if answering his resolve.

Meanwhile Back to Sloth

Kurozawa's blade roared with crimson Shinrei as he swung down.

"Eclipse Art: Mountain Slash!"

The strike carved the air itself, a descending wall of force.

But Sloth only raised a hand, voice a whisper drowned in shadow.

"Void Art: Decay."

The Mountain Slash withered midair, crumbling into dust before it could touch him. A heartbeat later, Sloth was behind Kurozawa. His fist sank into the man's back with the weight of a collapsing star.

"Ghh—!" Kurozawa staggered, tumbling across the blood-stained ground, his blade clattering beside him.

"Sensei!!" Darius and Naomi's voices cracked in panic.

Kurozawa forced himself up, blood running down his lip, his silver and clouded eyes blazing with stubborn fire.

"Get back!! Don't you dare interfere!"

Sloth drifted forward, the air rippling with each step. Their rags dragged across the stone as shadows licked outward like tides. Their voice was soft, slow, but endless.

"What is your name…? I want to know the soul I will take."

Kurozawa steadied his stance, blade trembling in his grip.

"…I am Kurozawa."

Sloth's empty gaze deepened.

"Very well, Kurozawa. You are strong. Be proud of that strength… and then—die."

Their hand rose, shadow coiling like a noose.

"Sensei!!!" Darius cried, lunging forward.

Naomi's flames burst from her fists. "Everyone—help us!!"

And then—

A twin flash. One crimson. One gold.

Two figures crashed between Sloth and Kurozawa, their bodies painted with blood—not theirs, but the voidborn they had carved through to reach this hall.

One rolled his shoulders, magma heat simmering off his frame.

"Sorry," he growled, voice like grinding stone. "We're late."

The other smirked, sparks crawling lazily across his fingers.

"Traffic."

Darius's eyes widened, hope flaring in his chest.

"The Eclipse Vanguard… they're here! Master Zeke and Master Raiden!!"

Kurosawa Zeke – magma flame coiled around him like a living beast, his presence harsh and unrelenting, a soldier forged in fire.

Kurogami Raiden – lightning flickered across his skin, his grin sharp, his eyes half-lidded, a genius wrapped in mischief.

Both only twenty. Both already legends. Both radiating anger.

Raiden glanced at Kurozawa, the former Eclipse Vanguard now kneeling in blood at thirty-eight years old.

"Sensei… you're weak now. To think the mighty Kurozawa would be on his knees."

Kurozawa spat to the side, silver eye flashing.

"Shut up, you brat."

Zeke cracked his knuckles, magma dripping from his fists like molten iron.

"Sensei, don't worry. We'll beat this bastard into pieces."

But Kurozawa growled, dragging his blade upright, his body screaming but his will unbroken.

"I'm not rusty yet… so don't you dare cut me out."

Sloth tilted their head, expression unreadable, shadows pulsing as multiple whispers echoed faintly from within their body.

The strongest Sin… finally faced the strongest generation of Eclipse Vanguards.

Meanwhile — Team Five

On the far side of the battlefield, Team Five fought tooth and nail against the endless voidborn tide. Their breaths came ragged, their formation thinning with every charge.

Lira Valenne's silver-pink hair clung to her cheeks with sweat and ash as her hands glowed lavender, stitching life back into wounded comrades even as her vines lashed outward to fend off attackers. Her voice stayed calm despite the storm.

"Don't worry, everyone. I've got you."

Mei Hoshira stood beside her, water blooming into thorned lilies that erupted like mines. Her glazed eyes sharpened only at the last second, roots and waves snapping into place to halt the swarm.

Daru Venn stumbled as he rushed forward, freckles streaked with grime. He muttered through grit teeth, "I can do this—I can do this—" even as his vines flared desperately, catching a voidborn mid-lunge.

Kiro Tanwen's storm arcs split the air, jagged lightning scattering across broken ground. He laughed nervously as sparks ricocheted wild, but still he forced them into the voidborn's maw. "Hah! That one was… on purpose!"

Yet no matter how many fell, more poured from the dark. Lira's arms trembled, healing and fighting at once, lavender glow flickering dangerously.

Then—

A voidborn lunged straight at her throat.

She raised her arm too late

and a blazing fist of fire smashed through its skull, scattering it into cinders.

Lira's breath caught. She turned, eyes wide.

"…Kaen."

There he stood, flames coiling violet at the edges, shadow flickering in the blaze. His fists burned with renewed defiance.

Beside him, Rael Eluron eyes scanned the field with cutting judgment. He stepped forward, his wings flaring faintly in the gloom. "Hmph. Looks like none of you are in top shape."

And behind them came their mentor Shun Asamaru. His cursed blade dripped with black-red fire, every step carrying the weight of battles survived. His voice was stern, but not unkind.

"Lira. What's the situation?"

The voidborn howled, closing in again, but for the first time Team Five felt their backs steady.

Lira exhaled, lavender eyes brightening as she stood straighter. "…Still holding the line. But barely."

Kaen clenched his fists, violet fire flaring.

"Then we hold it together."

To be continue

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