The sky above cracked with dark clouds as violent winds howled across the battlefield. Dust swirled, and debris floated unnaturally—twisting from the immense pressure of clashing forces.

  Standing on opposite ends of a shattered plain were two figures—once inseparable, now poised to fight.

  Kazuki, eyes cold, his dark blade pulsing with restrained fury.

  Kairyuuha, cloaked in swirling blue and black energy, his heterochromatic eyes glowing—one crimson, one ocean-blue. His expression was calm, yet something deep boiled beneath the surface.

  For a moment, neither moved. The silence between them was more deafening than the storm.

  “You knew,” Kazuki muttered, voice low and tight. “You knew everything. The prophecy. The seal. Lumina’s fate. And you said nothing.”

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  “I tried to fix it all myself,” Kairyuuha replied evenly. “Because I didn’t want you to suffer for what *I* broke.”

  Kazuki’s grip on his blade tightened. “That wasn’t your choice to make.”

  The ground beneath him shattered as he lunged—an explosive burst of shadow-mana propelling him forward. Kairyuuha countered instantly, flickering from sight, reappearing midair as his hand lit with azure flames. The shockwave of their clash ruptured the surrounding terrain, sending chunks of earth skyward.

  Every movement was artful, calculated—Kazuki’s strikes ruthless and direct, Kairyuuha’s defense fluid, almost graceful. They danced between blows, their combat reflecting the painful memories they both carried.

  “You’re holding back,” Kazuki snarled, their blades locked.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Then *you’ll lose*.”

  He kicked off Kairyuuha’s guard and unleashed a wave of darkness—dozens of ethereal blades spiraling toward his brother. Kairyuuha spun, flicking two fingers, and a radiant barrier rose, absorbing the hit before shattering into light.

  “Stop talking like this was ever about protecting me,” Kazuki said through gritted teeth. “You’re scared, Kairyuuha. Scared of what I’ve become. Scared of what *you* did.”

  For a moment, something cracked in Kairyuuha’s composure. A flash of grief crossed his face—but then, he exhaled.

  “I am scared,” he admitted. “But not of you, Kazuki. I’m scared of losing you.”

  The storm stilled for just a heartbeat.

  Kazuki’s voice dropped. “Then prove it.”

  The final clash surged—Kazuki’s darkness and Kairyuuha’s radiant surge met in a violent collision. The earth trembled, skies split, and for a moment… all the world held its breath.