Tengu City's night sky was split by a dense purple light that burst out from Tohka's giant sword in an inversion. The dark aura radiating from him was like a suffocating wave, making the air around him tremble.
Tohka's eyes, now glowing dark purple, stared intently at the figure clad in a black coat with a futuristic mask, Noir Blade. As soon as their gazes crossed, without hesitation Tohka swung her angel, Nemehah, down.
"──!!"
A wave of purple energy instantly exploded, splitting the air with a roaring sound. The surrounding buildings creaked, glass shattered, and the ground shook as if the world itself was resisting its destructive power.
But Noir Blade did not back down. His body moved at a speed that ordinary eyes would never be able to capture. In an instant it disappeared from its original spot, leaving only energy ripples in the air. The destructive wave shot down and destroyed the highway, leaving behind a huge crater of dense smoke.
Before the smoke disappeared, a black shadow appeared right in front of Tohka. Yamato, the sword always sheathed at Noir Blade's side, was now half-sheathed. With a cool swing, he launched a strike straight at Tohka's chest.
CLANG!!
Two forces collided. Yamato's sword and Tohka's angel sword clashed, producing a blinding flash of energy. The booming sound caused the entire building to shake, while the pressure from the impact spread like a hurricane, ricocheting around the surrounding buildings, causing some to collapse.
But Noir Blade didn't stop there. In a split second, his body vanished from sight. Tohka's eyes widened as she felt a cold aura appear behind her.
WHOOOSH!!
A powerful kick struck her in the back. Tohka underestimated it, raising only one arm to block the attack. But her mistake was quickly repaid.
"Agh—!!"
It wasn't an ordinary kick. The attack was imbued with a strange, invisible, yet devastating power. It was a High-Level Weapon Haki. Tohka's body felt a tremendous shock from within. It wasn't just superficial pain, but a direct impact that shook her vital organs.
Tohka's eyes widened. Her mouth gasped, fresh blood spurting slightly from her lips as her body flew toward the building. She violently smashed through the wall, smashing through the steel beams, and finally came to a stop inside a shattered room.
"TOHKA!!!"
Shido's voice echoed. He ran from his hiding place with Miku, his face pale as he saw blood trickling from the corner of the girl's lips he was protecting. Worry filled his eyes, as if the world had collapsed at the sight of Tohka in pain.
Meanwhile, Noir Blade stood tall on the edge of the open building, a few meters from where Tohka had fallen. His coat fluttered in the night breeze, his futuristic mask reflecting the moonlight. He lowered his sword for a moment, then returned it to its sheath with a calm movement, as if what had just happened was just a quick game.
In the rubble, Tohka slowly stood. Her breathing was heavy, and her hand wiped at the corner of her lip, leaving a red stain that contrasted sharply with her pale skin. Her fiery purple eyes stared intently at Noir Blade, but this time there was something different. A piercing pain, not just physical, but also to his pride.
To him, the attack wasn't just a wound. It was an insult. That someone dared to make him bleed, even when he was in his inversion form—his most powerful and feared form.
Shido was still shouting, "Tohka!! Are you okay!? Don't push yourself!"
But his voice was almost drowned out by the suffocating atmosphere emanating from Noir Blade. The man's single step forward was enough to make the floor creak, as if even the earth refused to withstand his presence.
Miku, standing beside Shido, covered her mouth with her hand. "This power... even spirits... can be made like that?" she whispered, her breath hitched by the pressure of the aura enveloping them.
Noir Blade didn't say a word. His gaze remained focused on Tohka, like a hunter assessing whether his prey would rise for another round. His silence was more intimidating than a thousand threats could ever be.
Tohka groaned softly, then gripped her angel sword tighter. She wiped the blood from the corner of her lips with the back of her hand, leaving a faint stain on her cheek. Slowly, a faint, angry smile appeared on her face, even though her body still ached from the previous attack.
A wave of purple energy enveloped her again, the room trembling, the air hissing as if about to explode. Tohka ignored the pain in her body. All she knew was that she couldn't allow herself to be underestimated by Noir Blade.
Shido, seeing this, could only clench his fists. He knew Tohka would force herself. And before them, Noir Blade stood still, ready to greet him with the same cold gaze, unwavering.
The night air seemed to freeze as Noir Blade stood ten meters before Tohka, still in her inversion form. The smoke and dust from the previous explosion hadn't completely dissipated, but their gazes pierced the darkness without hesitation.
Tohka raised her angel, a large, dark purple sword gleaming with an inversion aura, and her lips curled into a cold smile.
"You're quite strong for a human," her voice echoed, low yet powerful. "But don't misunderstand. I will destroy you."
Noir Blade, or Kaito behind the mask, didn't answer with words. There was only a brief silence before the air around him trembled. His body filled with surging energy, and with a slow but decisive movement, he opened the Fourth Gate.
An instant later, a deep blue aura mixed with a torrent of black energy enveloped his body. The pressure of the force caused the floor to crack and the already fragile walls to crumble. In an instant, Kaito vanished from sight.
Zraaak!
The sound of clashing metal rang through the air as Kaito's Yamato met Tohka's angel sword. Purple and blue sparks exploded, illuminating the already devastated room.
Tohka growled, swinging her sword with destructive force. Kaito parried, his body moving like a wind that was invisible to the naked eye. They exchanged blows with such speed that the floor and surrounding walls were sliced out of sight.
The DEM main building shook as if about to collapse. The supporting pillars snapped, the remaining glass shattered from the vibrations of their collision.
"Kuahahahaha!" Tohka's laughter echoed, her eyes gleaming with inverted madness. "This is fun! Let's show you again, human, how far you can go against my power!"
Kaito didn't respond. His movements remained cool, measured, perfectly precise. Every slash was aimed at pressure, every step calculated. When Tohka tried to press down with brute force, Kaito instead took advantage of the small opening to sneak in close.
Bang!
A powerful kick landed in Tohka's stomach, sending her reeling back several meters. But she quickly planted her sword on the floor and stopped her advance, her dark purple eyes blazing with anger.
"Hmph! You really are different from other humans," Tohka hissed. "But that won't save you."
Kaito didn't wait any longer. His hand shifted Yamato slightly to the side, his index finger moving quickly, forming a barely visible pattern.
"Judgment Cut."