Paulo Satoshi paced back and forth in the cosmic base's control room.
Screens flickered with data on his rivals.
He needed a real plan to smash Oliver Sly. Their huge match sat just three days out.
Thick tension filled every corner of the room. Sweat beaded on his brow.
He stopped dead.
A strong aura slammed into him. It felt as powerful as his own raw strength.
The energy rushed straight for the base like a storm.
Paulo froze in place. His senses sharpened to a razor's edge.
Far across the base, that aura came to a halt.
It hung right at the main entrance gate. Paulo's muscles tensed hard. Who had the nerve to show up now, of all times?
A man stepped into clear view under the harsh lights. Paulo's eyes went wide with shock.
It was Izumi Morningstar. The entire universe thought he lay dead in a grave. Riku Masusa had faced him in a brutal match before.
That fight ended with no body in sight.
Rumours spread that Izumi vanished for good. Yet here he stood, whole and breathing.
Paulo's top aide, Riku Masusa, had left the base days earlier. Riku pushed his training to the limit for the big team clash ahead.
The lineup packed heavy hitters.
Oliver Sly teamed with Kane and two fierce Ghostface members.
They faced off against Paulo, Riku, Yuki, and Rajin.
Stakes towered sky-high. One mistake could doom them all.
Rage boiled up inside Paulo like hot lava. He charged at Izumi at full speed, feet pounding the ground.
Izumi dodged with one quick sidestep, smooth as silk. Paulo smirked, confidence surging.
He shifted in a blink to his pure light form.
Light bent around him in a blinding flash.
He spun fast and slammed a crushing kick right into Izumi's side.
Izumi shot back like a cannonball.
He crashed hard into the jagged mountains past the base.
Rocks broke loose and tumbled down in a roar.
Paulo popped up right nearby in seconds. His hair now gleamed bright silver under the sun.
He had tapped into the Wind Monarch form. He copied it straight from a tough foe in a past battle.
Sharp winds whipped around his body. They cut like hidden blades, ready to slice.
Izumi shook off the pain and stood tall. He lunged forward with fierce speed. Paulo drew his death katana in a flash.
The blade sang through the air.
His death slice cut deep into Izumi's flesh.
Blood sprayed out in a red arc. Izumi staggered back, grip loosening.
Paulo blinked behind him in an instant, gone and back like a ghost. He wound up for a brutal kick to finish it.
But Lucy Lightheart leaped in front of the blow. She blocked it dead with her glowing shield.
The clash shook the ground under their feet. Dirt flew up in clouds.
"Chill out, Paulo. Listen to us first please, Izumi is not a threat anymore," Lucy said.
Worry cracked through her steady voice.
She knew the full risks of his blind fury all too well.
Paulo's eyes flashed with wildfire. Murder burned deep in the core of his soul.
He brushed off her words like dust. A swift kick launched Lucy through the air.
She smashed into a nearby mountain face. Dust and debris billowed high into the sky.
Paulo's hair shifted to a deep blood red hue. He unlocked the demon king form next.
He copied it from the monarch of blood in an old fight. Dark power surged through every vein.
Shadows twisted and coiled at his feet like living snakes.
He twitched, ready to strike again. Riku Masusa moved like lightning.
One solid punch dropped Paulo cold to the dirt. Paulo slumped down, out cold.
Lucy coughed hard from the ground. Blood flecked her lips in dark spots.
"Was that really necessary, Riku?" she asked, voice rough.
Riku nodded with a grim look. "Yes. If I held back even a bit, you'd be dead right now."
Paulo still led their group, no doubt. But evil festered deep in his soul these days. Confusion clouded Riku's face. What had changed their once-steady leader so fast?