Ruins of the Old Library - Higashigumo Academy Battle Countdown 00:00:00 The night was thick, the clouds heavy. The perimeter of Higashigumo Academy had been sealed off for a long time. The outside world was unaware that a battle powerful enough to tear reality apart was about to begin.
In the underground tunnels, four figures moved swiftly.
Leading the way was Kyōichi Tendō, his hands resting on his sword, his gaze sharp as ice. Behind him, Hakuran, Karuma Midō and Saya Ōdō moved in synchronized silence, matching their breathing.
The air was thick with a powerful force - interdimensional energy. This was no ordinary force, but a corrosive, mind-eating field, as if calling out to something.
01｜The Interdimensional Manifestation Appears]
Deep underground, metallic walls burst apart - A colossal iron fist smashed through the darkness!
"It's here!"
Karuma growled, his light blade igniting as he rushed to intercept the blow.
Emerging from the black mist was a towering figure, over three meters tall, clad in cracked metal armor. His arms were like columns of iron, and a violet-cored crystal pulsed from his chest - the Interdimensional Iron Fist: Fully battle-ready!
"This is no longer human..."
Saya's illusory bow shimmered to life, seven magical arrows aimed and ready.
"Be alert. She's entered her first paranormal phase - a fusion of power and psychic systems," Hakuran warned.
The giant fist came crashing down!
Karuma narrowly dodged it. A magical arrow flew toward the core - only to be shattered by a single backhand strike!
"It has spatial distortion - its movements are unpredictable!" Hakuran shouted.
"I'm going to close in!" Tendō vanished in a flash, his sword aura roaring to life- -Heart Blade: Soul-Piercing Flash!
A silver-white slash split the darkness, aimed directly at the core- But the Iron Fist suddenly vibrated- A second phantom body split off, hiding the true form in a ripple of emptiness!
"A decoy core!" Karuma gritted his teeth.
"Hakuran-!"
"Got it." Hakuran waved his hand outward - a dozen visual deception fields unfolded, trapping the enemy in an illusion.
Meanwhile, Saya stood still, eyes closed. She took a deep breath.
"Before I hit the real core... I only get one shot..." She opened her eyes. Her bow glowed with prismatic light- -Phantom Bow: Phoenixfall Obliteration!
The arrow soared through the illusion like a meteor - just as the phantoms dispersed, it hit the real core.
The purple crystal shattered.
The Iron Fist froze, its body twisting violently, warping like collapsing space- And then it began to vaporize... The battle was over.
[02｜Collapse and Fracture]
Everyone was breathing heavily.
Gōzanjirō Retsu arrived just in time to catch Karuma before he fainted. Hakuran fell to his knees, his mana completely drained.
Tendō sheathed his sword and stood at the heart of the shattered core.
"This is not the end," he said flatly. "It's the beginning."
As if on cue, the ground trembled - where the Iron Fist had vanished, a small dimensional rift opened. Inside, echoes of devoured disciples and fragments of the otherworld shimmered.
Hakuran's voice trembled:
"This is... the Otherworld. They used that monster as a beacon - to materialize a gate!"
Saya stared in shock, her gaze wavering.
"It was only bait," Tendō said coldly. "The real storm is just beginning."
[03｜The Shadow of Black Godblade]
From a distance, a pair of black eyes watched coldly as the rift faded.
Black Godblade stood silently behind a reinforced viewing screen. His body was bound with enhancement equipment, and his stats had long since surpassed human limits.
He grinned. "Still not enough... Nightmi Kuro, will you come?"
Beside him, a senior member of the San'iku Foundation whispered:
"The next phase of the experiment is ready."
"Target: Higashigumo Academy."
(Character Monologue - Kyōichi Tendō)
"So it got out of control after all."
I stood at the edge of the collapsing battlefield, my sword sheathed, my hand still slightly shaking.
The Interdimensional Iron Fist - this thing wasn't just a monster. It had thoughts. Emotions. Even... will.
That rift, deep in the void, was laughing at me.
I used to believe that if my sword was fast enough, if my resolve was strong enough, I could cut through any unknown. But this battle forced me to see the truth - we're being pulled into someone else's story.
I, Kyōichi Tendō, do not believe in fate.
But if fate has a form - I will cut it.
Nightmi... come back.
We're not just here to protect the academy.
We're here to bring the real enemy out of the shadows.
Character Monologue - Saya Ōdō
"I almost... killed myself."
I know my aim is true. I know my bow won't miss. And once I shoot - there's no turning back.
But when I released the arrow, what filled my heart wasn't victory - it was a single thought:
"If Nightmi were here... what would he have done?"
I don't want to be a warrior who only shoots, who only commands herself to grow stronger.
But in this moment, I had to be.
Because you weren't here.
Nightmi Kuro, where the hell are you?
Did it ever occur to you that while you're out there carrying everything all by yourself, we're here fighting with everything we've got to protect your world?
If you really intend to disappear- I'll drag you back myself, even if it means chasing you to the ends of the otherworld.
Character Monologue - Gōzanjirō Retsu]
"I'm not strong enough."
My fists were raw, broken. But that monster... didn't even flinch.
I thought that if I trained hard enough and hit hard enough, I could stand at the front and protect everyone.
But today, it was Karuma who took the hit. Tendō who held the line. Saya, who took the last blow.
And me?
I was in the back, just gasping for air.
I hated it.
"Why... am I not strong enough yet?"
I hate weakness.
I hate feeling helpless even more.
But now I understand.
It's not just that I'm weak - the enemy is too damn strong.
And this war can't be won by any one of us alone.
I swear, the next time the Otherworld comes, my fists won't lag behind. Not even one step.