Part 1: Pure Carnage
The crimson streaks of light radiating from Takuto's Limit Breaker form and the ink-black darkness of the Dark Phoenix User tore the sky in two, each claiming half of the horizon.
Takuto abandoned all energy blasts. He clenched his fists tight and charged forward with raw intent.
"BOOM!!!"
The collision of their fists sent a shockwave so violent it didn't just crack the island—it vaporized the surrounding clouds instantly. Takuto's strikes moved at the speed of light, each punch trailing jagged red lightning fueled by the Limit Breaker's aura.
The Dark Phoenix User matched him blow for blow. Retracting his dark wings, he relied on nothing but pure, unadulterated strength to counter Takuto. They moved like flashes of lightning—from the cracked earth to the high heavens, then down to the ocean surface—exchanging a blur of punches and kicks.
"BANG! BANG! ROAR!"
Every point of impact caused the air to combust. Sonic booms shattered the environment, grinding everything in their path into fine dust. Fresh wounds opened on Takuto's face, while blood trickled from the corner of the Dark Phoenix User's mouth. Yet, both were smiling as if they were immune to the pain.
Dark Phoenix User: (Roaring with exhilaration mid-combat) "Yes... This is it! The battle I have waited centuries for! Takuto... you are truly of my blood!"
Takuto didn't waste breath on words. He delivered a devastating Limit Breaker Punch straight to the enemy's jaw. Before the opponent could fly back, Takuto vanished and reappeared behind him, driving a heavy kick into his spine.
Takuto: "Hhhrrrhh!!"
"CRASH!!"
The fight had transcended a mere clash of powers; it was now a war of wills. The sheer force of their engagement felt as though it might disturb the very rotation of the earth. From a distance, Kaori and the others couldn't even keep their eyes open against the blinding pressure.
Kage recoiled in pure terror, backing away slowly.
Kage: "This... these aren't humans anymore. This is a walking catastrophe!"
Takuto concentrated the overflowing energy within his body into his right fist. His time limit was rapidly approaching, but instead of fading, his offensive grew more ferocious. The life-and-death struggle reached its absolute zenith.
Both warriors planted their feet firmly on the ground, trading blows with a purity that lacked any trace of malice—only the drive to overcome. Takuto's body glowed like molten lava, while the enemy burned with a torrential dark flame.
"BAM! BOOM! THUD!"
With every exchange, the ground beneath them sank hundreds of meters. Takuto landed a gut-wrenching kick; the Dark Phoenix User countered with a heavy strike to Takuto's shoulder. Their clothes were reduced to rags by the surging pressure, their skin covered in bruises and blood.
Then, they both drew back for a final burst and lunged simultaneously.
"KABOOM!!!"
Both fists connected squarely with the other's cheek at the exact same moment. Their heads snapped back from the force, but neither retreated. Instead, they grabbed each other's collars with their remaining strength and—
"CLANG!!!"
They slammed their foreheads together with everything they had. For a split second, the world went silent. Then, a massive shockwave erupted from the point of impact, pulverizing every remaining rock on the island into powder.
Watching from the sky, Ryu grinned widely at the spectacle.
Ryu: "Look at that... glorious! That is the power I've been looking for. Takuto... you've reached a truly magnificent level."
Ryu: "To think you are fighting on par with your own ancestor!"
The force of the headbutt sent both of them flying in opposite directions. Takuto skidded across the dirt, gasping for air. The Dark Phoenix User dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged and heavy.
However, a look of complete satisfaction crossed the Dark Phoenix User's face.
Dark Phoenix User: "Hahaha... good... truly good. In hundreds of years, you are the only one who could satisfy my thirst for battle like this."
Takuto: "I... I learned a lot from this fight too. But... it's time to end this now."
They both stood up slowly, facing one another. Takuto channeled every last drop of his Limit Breaker energy into his right fist, the red light becoming terrifyingly dense. The Dark Phoenix User followed suit, gathering his dark essence into a single fist for the final strike.
Part 2: The Legacy of the Phoenix
A heavy silence fell over the island's center, though the air itself vibrated with tension. Takuto and the Dark Phoenix User locked eyes and took one final, deep breath.
"HAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
They roared in unison, kicking off the ground and charging.
Takuto: "This is the end!!"
The energy gathered in their fists threatened to tear the fabric of space itself. A split second before the fists collided, Takuto executed a lightning-fast pivot, dodging the enemy's strike by a mere centimeter.
With the full weight of the Limit Breaker behind him, he buried his right fist deep into the Dark Phoenix User's chest.
"THUD!!!"
The impact was so profound that the darkness within the Dark Phoenix User was blasted out of his body in a violent surge. He didn't fly back; he froze in place before Takuto, his eyes widening. The black aura around him began to flake away like ash.
As his strength failed and he began to collapse forward, Takuto immediately caught him, holding him up. The ancestor and the descendant stood in the center of the battlefield, leaning on one another.
Dark Phoenix User: (In a faint, calm voice) "You... you really did it, Takuto. Thank you... for pulling me out of that darkness."
He smiled warmly through the blood on his face.
Dark Phoenix User: "From now on... protect those you hold dear... with your very life. You now possess the power worthy of that task..."
He looked up slowly at the sky. His eyes were no longer filled with rage or malice, but with a deep, peaceful longing.
Dark Phoenix User: "Finally... I can go... Sayuri... I'm coming to you now..."
As his words faded, his body began to dissolve into shimmering particles of crimson light.
The light particles drifted through the air, ascending toward the heavens. Takuto's hands were left empty as a profound silence reclaimed the battlefield.
Watching the last of his ancestor's essence vanish into the sky, Takuto clenched his fists. The radiance of his Limit Breaker form flickered and died, and his body, drained of every ounce of stamina, collapsed to its knees.
The silence lasted only a few seconds. It was shattered by the rhythmic, taunting sound of Kage's applause.
"Clap... Clap... Clap..."
Kage: "What a magnificent drama! Tell me, Takuto, how does it feel to kill your own ancestor?"
Kage: "Finally, that useless old man has turned to dust."
His mocking laughter ignited a fury in everyone present.
Kaito: "You monster... shut your mouth!"
Kaito, Mei, Ayano, and Kaori charged at Kage simultaneously. But Kage merely raised his dark grimoire and pressed his hand down against the air.
Kage: "Kneel... you insects! [Gravity Domain]!"
"BOOM!!!"
The gravitational pull around the four of them intensified a hundredfold, slamming them face-first into the dirt. They struggled to rise, but the pressure was so immense that the ground beneath them began to spiderweb with cracks.
In that desperate moment, Aoi regained consciousness. She activated her Void Oculus, neutralizing a portion of the pressure. Seizing the opening, Shina and Hana launched a coordinated assault.
Shina: "Hana! Now!"
Shina swirled blue lightning around Hana's body, using her own energy as a launchpad. With a surge of power, she hurled Hana toward Kage like a living projectile.
Hana streaked through the air like a bolt of white lightning. Kage tried to intercept her with gravity, but Shina's electrical acceleration was too fast.
"SLASH!!!"
Hana's claws tore a jagged gash directly across Kage's left eye.
Kage: "AAAAAGH!!!! My eye... MY EYE!!!"
Kage clutched his face, screaming in agony. His sanity snapped, and his dark book began to glow a gore-red hue.
Kage: "Fine... you will all die screaming! I offer my soul... Wake up... Abyssal Devourer!"
Black liquid oozed from the grimoire, swallowing Kage's body whole. Within seconds, his human form vanished, replaced by a hundred-foot-tall Dark Behemoth—a nightmare of multiple eyes and obsidian scales.
The roar of the Abyssal Devourer shook the entire island, turning trees and ruins into powder. Kaito, Mei, and the others were blown back by the sheer pressure of the beast's dark aura.
Takuto remained on his knees, gasping for breath. His Limit Breaker sparks were fading, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably. He tried to stand, but his muscles refused to obey.
Kage: "You... you will all be fodder for my belly!"
A sphere of concentrated black energy formed in the beast's maw, preparing to incinerate everything.
Suddenly, Aoi reached Takuto's side despite her own injuries. She gripped his shoulder, pulling him up. Her eyes burned with an unbreakable resolve.
Aoi: "Nii-san... don't give up yet. We have one last chance."
Takuto: (Gasping) "Aoi... you mean..."
Aoi: "Yes... just like before. I will transfer all my power to you. Let's use our Resonance to end this beast once and for all!"
Takuto smiled, reaching out to clasp Aoi's hand.
Takuto: "Alright... let's do it. Our final strike!"
Aoi pushed her Void Oculus to its absolute limit, channeling her deep-blue Stella Flow into Takuto. It was like pouring oil onto a dying ember; red and deep-blue lights erupted from Takuto's body with renewed violence. A massive energy field expanded around them, piercing through the darkness and shooting a pillar of light into the sky.
Part 3: The Unyielding Wall
As Takuto and Aoi stabilized their surging energy, the Abyssal Devourer raised a gargantuan claw to crush them. But the limb stopped mid-air, frozen.
Kaito: "As long as we breathe... you won't take another step toward Master Takuto!"
Kaito swung his folding fan with everything he had, manipulating atmospheric pressure to bind the beast. Simultaneously, Mei slammed her spear into the earth; dozens of metallic pillars erupted from the ground, wrapping around the monster like divine chains.
"Now... Everyone, ATTACK!" Kaori commanded.
Her Violet Gauge Eye flared as she merged her Phoenix energy with purple lightning. She leapt onto the beast's back using her 5 Seconds Strategy, pinpointing weaknesses and delivering a barrage of crimson-lightning punches.
Ayano opened several Amethyst Gates around the battlefield. Through these portals, Shina blinked in her Overdrive Bolt form, shocking the beast's eyes with high-voltage strikes. Hana, in her Wolf Eye Step 2 form, tore through the beast's scales with her razor-sharp claws.
The monster roared in pain and frustration, but Kaito's Vacuum attacks left it gasping for air, unable to focus its power.
Ryu watched from above, nodding in approval.
Ryu: "Incredible... individually, they are no match for this beast. But when they synchronize like this, even a Moon Level creature is cornered. This is perfect teamwork."
The beast attempted a desperate energy burst to clear the area, but the group held their ground, teeth gritted against the pain.
"Hurry, Takuto! We can't hold it much longer!" Kaori screamed.
The energy around Takuto and Aoi reached critical mass, vibrating like an impending volcanic eruption. Their joined palms glowed with a light brighter than the sun.
Takuto: "Now... Aoi!"
Aoi: "Yes... Nii-san!"
Together, they thrust their palms forward.
"Celestial Eclipse: Genesis Ray!"
"BOOM!!!!"
A colossal wave of red and deep-blue energy spiraled toward Kage. The beam was as beautiful as it was lethal. It tore through the beast's darkness in a fraction of a second, piercing the center of its chest.
Kage: "This... this is IMPOSSIBLE!!!!"
Kage's final scream was swallowed by the explosion. His massive body and the dark grimoire disintegrated into the light. Within moments, the darkness vanished, and Kage's physical form dissolved into black ash, scattered forever by the wind.
Silence returned to the crater. The light of the Limit Breaker faded, and Takuto reverted to his normal state. His legs finally gave out, and he began to fall.
"Takuto-kun!!!"
Ayano was the first to reach him, catching him in a tight embrace. Tears of relief and exhaustion streamed down her face.
Ayano: "Are you okay? I... I was so scared!"
Soon, Kaori, Shina, Hana, Kaito, and Mei surrounded them.
Kaori: "You did it, Takuto! That was an unbelievable fight!"
Shina: (Smiling through ragged breaths) "I don't know what we would've done without you. I'm just glad everyone is safe."
Despite their wounds, every face wore the smile of victory. Aoi stood by Takuto's side, looking up at the sky as the first rays of dawn began to break through the clouds.
As the group celebrated, Aoi's eyes caught something on the ground. The Demon Book, which everyone assumed was destroyed, lay scorched but intact. Aoi walked over and picked it up. As soon as her Stella Flow touched it, the charred cover shimmered and regained its dark luster. She silently tucked it away.
High above, Ryu looked down at Takuto. His gaze was no longer just curious; it was a challenge.
Ryu: "You've truly grown stronger, Takuto. Among the Phoenix descendants, you have the most potential."
He leaned back into the air with a cold, sharp smile.
Ryu: "But... if you want to truly stand against me, you still have a long way to go. Keep striving. I'll be waiting for you."
With those words, Ryu dissolved into the air, his presence vanishing like a mist.
[END OF CHAPTER 39]