Kate's heart was still racing. Her body trembled — not from fear, but from relief and disbelief.
Before she could even speak, Shingo stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
Without a word, he crouched, scooping her up effortlessly and placing her over his shoulder.
"H-Hey! Put me down!" Kate protested, her face burning red.
Shingo smirked, his voice playful despite the tension all around them.
"Sorry, miss… but I'm not planning to do that anytime soon."
Kate froze, her cheeks flushed as she caught a glimpse of his teasing smile.
She sighed, then relaxed, letting herself rest against him.
From ahead, one of the Tag Force soldiers barked, "How did you escape?! And what are you doing with the boss's girl?!"
Shingo turned his head slightly, revealing one glowing half-demon eye.
The guards instantly stepped back, a shiver of dread crawling up their spines.
"Don't just stand there!" another shouted. "Attack! Retrieve the girl!"
They rushed forward in a blur of motion....
But before their blades could strike, a thousand spears of light pierced through them like falling rain.
Each soldier froze mid-step, eyes wide, before collapsing to the ground.
At the corridor's far end stood Fate, calm as ever, his voice quiet yet laced with fury.
"Light Rain."
The air crackled with leftover sparks of divine energy.
Yamato glanced back. "Now that's settled. Let's move."
They broke into a run. The metallic floor echoed beneath their feet as Kate, still on Shingo's shoulder, turned her head toward him.
"How did you guys even break out?" she asked breathlessly. "That cell was built for capturing Jinju. How could you possibly escape?"
Shingo smiled, closing his eyes. "It's all thanks to you."
He looked toward Yamato, who led the way silently ahead.
"He's the reason we got stronger. The reason we unlocked Senkai."
Kate's eyes softened. "You did all that… to save us…"
Tears welled up again, but this time, they weren't from fear, they were from pride and hope.
Shingo's smile faded into something more genuine. What an incredible person, he thought, looking at Yamato's back. To change others' hearts just by being himself… And to think he's a bounty hunter.
As they finally burst into the open field, the night air hit them—cold and heavy.
But what awaited them froze their blood.
There, lying in the dirt, was Kate's father. Blood soaked the ground around him.
And standing a few feet away, wiping his blade clean, was Draken.
Kate's heart stopped.
"F-Father!" she screamed, slipping from Shingo's shoulder and sprinting past Draken before he could react.
She knelt beside her father, clutching his hand, tears pouring freely.
"Father, please! I'm here with them now — everything will be okay!"
Her father's eyes fluttered open weakly. His breathing was shallow.
"Kate…" he whispered. "I'm sorry… I couldn't protect you… not then, not now…"
"Don't say that! Please, save your strength!"
But his words were fading. "Live well, my daughter… live free…"
Yamato's hair shadowed his eyes as he stepped forward, silent.
Draken smiled darkly, expecting Yamato to attack, but instead, Yamato walked past him and knelt beside Kate's father.
He pressed his glowing hand to the man's chest, murmuring, "If only… if only I had enough energy, I could bring you back immediately."
He kept trying, again and again, but nothing happened. His power wouldn't respond.
Kate's father gave him a faint smile and lifted a trembling hand, resting it gently on Kate's head.
"Yamato Ishida… please… take care of my lovely daughter."
His hand fell limp.
Yamato's eyes widened as the life faded from the man's face.
"NOOO!!!" he screamed, his voice tearing through the air as tears streamed uncontrollably.
Kate cried against her father's chest, her body shaking.
Fate and Shingo stood behind, silent. Then, wordlessly, they parted ways, sensing what was coming next.
And then—
Lightning split the sky.
The heavens roared.
Bolts rained down across the island, tearing through the ground, ripping apart the farmlands and sending shockwaves through the villages.
Draken flinched, eyes narrowing. "What… is this power?!"
He glanced at the old scar across his chest, the one Heline had given him years ago. It burned as if it had come alive again.
When the lightning stopped, Kate collapsed unconscious, her energy spent.
Yamato stood, his face hidden by shadows.
He gently laid Kate and her father's body under a nearby shelter, then turned back toward Draken.
His aura burned blue. His eyes glowed, one clear sapphire, the other bleeding crimson light.
Draken grinned, baring his teeth. "Finally… it's time to finish this."
Yamato said nothing. The wind howled, and the earth beneath them cracked.
The storm had just begun.
Far away, deep in the slave quarters, thunder echoed across the island.
The skies burned with streaks of blue lightning. The ground trembled.
One of the slaves looked up nervously. "What's with this racket? I haven't seen the boss since morning…"
Another replied, voice weary, "Three bounty hunters are on this island. Maybe the boss is handling them… that's the only thing that makes sense."
A silence fell between them.
"Only if we could be free," one muttered, looking at the storm-filled horizon. "Free to live a normal life…"
Elsewhere.
Rain poured down hard.
Shingo walked across the muddy plain, his steps slow but firm. Suddenly, he stopped.
From behind him, two overwhelming auras appeared, sharp, heavy, suffocating.
Shingo turned, his drenched hair covering half his face. His eyes, filled with sorrow and rage, glowed faintly red.
Two men stood a few meters away, both wearing the black crest of the Super Tag Force.
The taller one spoke first, voice deep and prideful. "I'm Shin, Super Tag Force Commander."
The other smirked. "And I'm Baro. You should remember the names of those who'll end your life."
Shingo lifted his head, the rain dripping from his chin.
"That's none of my business…" he said coldly. "…since you'll both be dying anyway."
At the same time...
Fate stood at another end of the battlefield, lightning flashing across his calm face.
Behind him, three figures appeared, the same men who had once beaten and imprisoned him, Yamato, and Shingo.
The first spoke confidently. "Because of that quick fight back then, I never introduced myself properly."
He smirked. "The name's Hajigawa."
The second said, "Kubu."
And the last stepped forward with a blade resting on his shoulder. "I'm Rein. Super Tag Force, elite division."
Fate exhaled slowly, his eyes glowing faintly with divine light.
"I see… three-on-one."
He smiled faintly. "I was hoping for a real challenge."
Rain poured harder. Lightning flashed again.
Three battles were about to erupt across the island.
Meanwhile.... the storm's heart.
Yamato and Draken stood face-to-face.
Hatred burned in Yamato's blue eyes.
Arrogance shone in Draken's.
Their auras clashed, shaking the ground beneath them like an earthquake.
Draken sneered, "You've got some nerve, brat."
Before Yamato could reply, both surged forward—
Boom!
Their fists collided, shaking the entire courtyard. The shockwave shattered the ground beneath them.
Yamato followed up with another punch, aiming straight for Draken's jaw, but Draken caught it effortlessly, slamming him into the earth.
A crater split open.
"Pathetic," Draken said coldly, smiling down at him. "Don't tell me you broke out of prison just to die here. One of your disciples is already dead. What a waste."
But before he could finish speaking—
Crack!
A fist smashed across Draken's face, sending him flying backward.
Blood sprayed from his nose as he crashed into a wall.
He wiped his mouth, stunned.
Yamato stood tall, steam rising from his arm. His right fist glowed faintly blue.
For the first time, he had landed a hit — using Senkai.
He didn't celebrate. His eyes remained sharp, calculating.
So that's it, he thought. I've only mastered the basics of Senkai through my blue eye… but that's not enough.
Yamato clenched his fists tighter, whispering under his breath, "Think, Yamato. There's got to be a way…"
Draken stood up slowly, the rain washing the blood off his face.
His grin returned, sharper than ever.
"I see…" he muttered. "You're adapting."
He rolled his neck, muscles tightening.
"If I don't crush you now, you'll become a problem."
Draken raised his arm to the sky. "Titan Vein!"
His veins bulged grotesquely, muscles doubling in size. His aura darkened, heavy, monstrous.
In a blink, he vanished.
Yamato's eyes widened. "He's... behind—!"
Draken appeared behind him, both fists clasped together.
"Titan's Hammer Clutch!"
He brought them down with monstrous force.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the ground and nearby buildings, sending shockwaves rippling through the island.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Yamato rolled out at the last second, blood trickling from his forehead.
His breathing was heavy, but his eyes glowed brighter.
Through the chaos, he'd noticed something.
A delay… in his Senkai flow… whenever he attacks.
Yamato smirked slightly despite his wounds.
"So that's your weakness…"
The rain kept falling. Lightning illuminated the two figures, the tyrant and the boy destined to end him.
The night on the island was heavy with thunder. Even the moon hid behind the clouds, as if afraid to witness what was happening between Yamato and Draken.
Yamato wiped the blood from his mouth, breathing heavily as thoughts ran through his head. If I'm right about this, I'll finally get a clue on how to defeat him. His glowing blue eyes flickered sharply in the dark. Thanks to the Blue Eyes' ability of learning, I can analyze someone's fighting pattern, even though I haven't fully mastered it yet. I've been too focused on surviving that cursed forest the old shaman threw me into, building my stamina, my strength, but not my control. Well… I'll just try anyway.
Without hesitation, Yamato charged straight at Draken.
But Draken's reflexes were beyond human. Before Yamato could even react, a brutal punch slammed into his face, throwing him backward. His vision went blank for a moment as blood spilled from his mouth. Yet, in that same instant, he launched a counterattack. His fist drove straight into Draken's stomach, hitting with a force that shook the ground.
Draken froze in disbelief, pain shooting through his body as he fell to one knee.
"What… did you do to me?" he groaned.
The night wind howled, brushing across the shattered ground. Yamato's blue eyes glowed fiercely as he stood tall, looking down at Draken.
"I tested my hypothesis," Yamato said coldly. "And it was correct. I noticed that when you activate your Titan Vein, it takes three seconds before it reactivates. During that time, you're just a normal human."
Draken's eyes widened in shock. For the first time in years, he felt fear. He analyzed me mid-battle? This boy… he's terrifying.
But forcing a grin, Draken stood up. "You think that matters? You can't stop me. I've never been defeated, not once in my life! I am the strongest! The king of this island!"
Yamato's hair covered his face, his voice calm and sharp. "King? You don't act like one."
"Don't mock me!" Draken roared, launching forward with fury. Their fists clashed, the sound like thunder. Yamato endured every hit and countered with precise, powerful strikes. Each collision shattered the earth, split trees, and tore the sky apart.
The tremors reached the farmlands.
A slave farmer dropped his basket, staring at the horizon. "Someone's fighting Lord Draken!" he shouted, panic in his voice. "Their power..., it's not human! I couldn't even follow their movements!"
Fear spread among the workers as flashes of blue and red light burst from the mountains.
"What's going on?" one whispered.
A little boy clung to his mother. "Mum, I'm scared."
The mother knelt and smiled softly, hiding her trembling. "It'll be alright, my child. Everything will be fine… I can feel it."
Soon, the Tag Force soldiers arrived, surrounding the frightened workers to keep them from running. The air grew thick, not only with fear, but with something else.
For the first time in years, the slaves felt something new rising within them....
Hope.