The incident happened so quickly that everyone nearby didn't have time to react. Hundreds of Bandersnatch units that had split apart in the sky were still falling, creating a suffocating rumble. Amidst the chaos, a pair of sharp eyes turned toward the dark-robed figure atop the building.
Mana Takamiya, currently facing off against one of the DEM Witches, immediately fixed her gaze on Noir Blade. Her chest felt pressed by the cold aura the man radiated—cold, heavy, and suffocating, as if the atmosphere around him were being restrained by something invisible.
Her jaw clenched. She knew who this Noir Blade was. The name had reached her ears long before: a mysterious man capable of defeating even Kotori, whom she considered a sister because she was Shido's younger sister. Every time she recalled that news, her blood boiled. For her, this wasn't just a battle. This was a matter of pride.
Without a second thought, Mana dashed toward Noir Blade, Photon Sword in her grip. The air whistled behind her, Mana's body shot like a bullet, and when they were only a few meters apart, she swung her sword with all her might.
"HAAAA!" she screamed, unleashing all her fury in a single slash.
But Kaito, aka Noir Blade, didn't flinch. Calmly, he raised Yamato, still sheathed, and parried the attack.
Clang!
A metallic clash echoed through the air. Mana gasped. It felt as if she had just slashed through unbreakable steel. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "W-what…?!" she said softly.
To make matters even more embarrassing, Noir Blade's sword was still sheathed. To Mana, this was a clear insult. Her face flushed, not from ordinary embarrassment, but from the feeling of being belittled. Her pride felt as if it had been trampled upon.
In an instant, Kaito pushed her body with controlled force. Mana was sent flying, rolling across the rooftops, before quickly adjusting her position and returning to her feet. Despite her trained body, her heart was still shaken. How could she, the strongest member of the AST, be thrown around so easily—like a worthless puppet?
"Noir Blade… A-are you underestimating me!?" she exclaimed, her teeth clenched. She growled, but she actually looked like an angry kitten, her face flushed with emotion.
Kaito stared at her calmly. From behind the futuristic mask, his lips curled slightly, suppressing a smile. 'She's quite cute, after all,' he thought, enjoying Mana's stubborn expression.
"I will defeat you, Noir Blade! You've hurt Kotori!" Mana shouted, then launched herself again with her Photon Sword.
This time Kaito didn't even block. He simply dodged, taking a light step to the side, leaning back slightly, and then pivoting slightly on the tip of the sword. It was all done with incredible composure. Thanks to his perfected Observation Haki, he could read Mana's attack trajectory as if he were seeing a glimpse of the future.
To Kaito, the attack was nothing but slow motion.
"Hmph… is all you can do, Noir Blade?" Mana tried to provoke, her voice trembling with frustration.
Behind his mask, Kaito almost chuckled. "This little cat is trying to provoke me," he thought, amused.
"Because you're too weak to withstand my attacks." His cold voice cracked through the air, both authoritative and piercing. Mana froze for a split second, shivering. There was an inexplicable charm in that voice, though it was filled with a frightening chill.
"You're too arrogant!" Mana snorted in annoyance, though that expression only made her look more adorable in Kaito's eyes.
He attacked again, faster, more wildly. But the result was the same. Noir Blade dodged with fluid movements, not even giving Mana a chance to touch him. Each time his slash missed, the frustration on his face grew more apparent.
"Ahhh... stop dodging!" Mana shouted, her breathing becoming heavy.
Kaito, instead of being annoyed, felt amused. He felt a strange pleasure in seeing Mana growling in annoyance like that. It was as if he'd discovered a new game, a small amusement amidst this chaotic stage.
However, he couldn't continue that pleasure. Through his Observation Haki, he saw something else unfold. Origami, who was dueling with Ellen, was now thrown and trapped in one of the buildings. Ellen herself was hurting towards the DEM main building. Kaito knew a crucial moment was about to happen. Shido was injured, and Tohka's inversion was unavoidable.
"Enough playing."
As soon as Mana took a breath, trying to close the distance again, Kaito moved. One step from Soru, and in a split second, he was right beside Mana. The girl's eyes widened, shocked by the speed she couldn't keep up with.
Before she could react, Kaito swung his hand with a swift and precise movement. A palm strike to the nape of her neck, light, yet perfectly controlled.
"Ugh..." Mana's eyelids felt heavy. Consciousness began to fade, her body losing strength.
"Go to sleep for now… little kitty." Kaito whispered, softly, almost warmly in contrast to his usual cold tone.
Mana slumped, her body falling silently into a deep sleep. And Kaito, without looking back, stood straight, staring at the main building, then quickly disappeared.
…
Inside the Fraxinus command room, the atmosphere suddenly became more tense than usual. The large screen displayed the battle unfolding in the city skies, and all eyes were fixed on the dark-robed figure with the futuristic mask—Noir Blade. The Ratatoskr crew held their breath, some shuddering in horror as they recalled the reports and data on his power. But their primary concern now wasn't just his whereabouts, but the battle that had just taken place between Noir Blade and Mana Takamiya, Shido's biological sister.
Kotori sat in her captain's chair, her eyes wide with a mixture of panic and worry. Her hands gripped the back of the chair tightly. She knew Noir Blade's reputation better than anyone else in the room. She had experienced it firsthand—how the difference in their power was so absolute, how the pain and helplessness still lingered in her body. So when she saw Mana recklessly charging towards Noir Blade, she nearly screamed to stop him, even though she knew there was no way she could intervene directly.
"Mana... don't be stupid!" she whispered, almost like a prayer, though her voice was loud enough to make several of the crew members turn their heads.
On the screen, the battle was fast and brutal. Mana, equipped with her CR-Unit, was trying to pressure Noir Blade with a barrage of high-speed attacks. Her movements were indeed extraordinary by human standards—sharp reflexes, impeccable body coordination, and fighting skills thoroughly honed by DEM. But none of that mattered much when faced with Noir Blade.
With calm yet deadly steps, Noir Blade dodged each of Mana's attacks as if he were simply strolling through the park. His body was almost a shadow, moving too fast for the Fraxinus camera to follow steadily. Every now and then, his sword, Yamato, gleamed faintly, but never actually struck Mana. Kotori swallowed hard, her heart clenching at every opening that could prove fatal for Shido's sister.
"I don't like this..." Kotori muttered, her face pale. "He… isn't the type of opponent you can face with such emotions."
But then, something unexpected happened. After a brief but tense battle, Noir Blade finally closed the distance. Everyone in the crew expected him to deliver a final, decisive blow, just as he had done to Kotori and Kurumi. Even Kotori had closed her eyes, unable to bear the prospect of Mana being destroyed before her eyes.
But contrary to expectations, Noir Blade didn't strike Mana with a sword, a punch, or a kick. He simply moved his body swiftly, pressing a precise point on Mana's neck, causing her to lose consciousness instantly.
A silence fell over the Fraxinus command room. Everyone stared at the screen in shock. Kotori opened her eyes slowly, gasping as if she had just regained her breath after holding it for a long time. She turned to Reine in disbelief.
"Why… didn't he hurt Mana?" Kotori asked, her voice trembling. "And… when he fought me, he didn't hesitate. He could have easily finished Mana off… but why did he only knock her unconscious?"
Reine, standing beside the captain's chair, narrowed her eyes, her expression calm, but something clearly nagging at her. She stared at the screen for a few more seconds, as if trying to read something unseen from Noir Blade's actions.
"I don't know either," Reine replied in a low, almost whispering voice. "This action... is inconsistent with previous reports. He's always been known for his coldness, efficiency, and uncompromising nature. But this time... it's as if something is holding him back."
Kotori bit her lip, her eyes trembling. Something was nagging at her—a strange, odd, and yet vaguely familiar feeling. The Noir Blade she knew was a monster in human form, a figure that even made her feel helpless. But the figure on the screen... while still terrifying, he showed no intention of actually harming Mana.
"Is it..." Kotori paused, then shook her head vehemently. "No, impossible... Could he have... a specific reason?"
Reine simply shrugged quietly. "That possibility is always there. But without more detailed information, we can't conclude anything. What's clear is... this variable is far more dangerous than we thought."
Kotori wrung her hands together, feeling frustrated. She wanted to believe there was something behind Noir Blade's behavior. But her bitter experience prevented her from immediately looking for reasons that might not exist. All she knew for sure was one thing: if Shido were to encounter Noir Blade, the situation would become much more complicated.
"I can only pray…" Kotori lowered her head, her voice low, "…that Shido doesn't encounter him. Or if he must, hopefully… that there's still a way out."
Reine glanced briefly at Kotori, her eyes meaningful. She said nothing more, simply standing there with a deep gaze. But deep in her heart, Reine knew: sooner or later, a clash between Shido and Noir Blade was inevitable. And when that time came, no amount of prayer would be enough to stop the storm that would sweep everything away.