Pascal slammed face-first into the floor, cracking it apart from the sheer force of the punch. Rhino stood over him, grinning with pride.
"They don't call me the Rhino just for show, you moron. That title is earned," Rhino barked as he twisted the handle of the massive safe.
The meeting room trembled. Walls shifted, floors collapsed, and in seconds the chamber reformed itself into a colossal battlefield beneath the main castle.
"Don't be too surprised, Pascal," Rhino muttered, tightening his fist. "I knew you'd come. I never face a rat like you unprepared."
A slow clap echoed from behind.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Not bad… not bad at all. I didn't expect my cover to be blown this soon," a calm voice teased. "And this arena? Perfect. Nothing better than a grand stage for your funeral."
Rhino snapped around.
Standing there was Pascal, strolling forward with a smug smile. The "Pascal" Rhino had punched into the ground flickered, then crumbled into dust.
"You're surprised?" Pascal's grin widened. "You think I'd risk my real body walking into your den? Don't make me laugh. Only an idiot fights without a backup plan. You're the fool here, Rhino."
Rhino's expression hardened, but he chuckled. "You bastards never disappoint… and neither do I."
With a roar, he charged, manifesting a giant hammer from raw Renshi.
Pascal tilted his head lazily. "A Special Darkside Knight who can't even use Switch Mode? Pathetic. You're just a bulky Shinra pretending to be strong."
In a blink, Pascal vanished, reappearing behind Rhino. The beastly special darkside knight spun instantly, swinging the massive hammer down with brutal force.
CLANG!
The hammer clashed with Pascal's slender longsword, sparks raining down as steel groaned against steel.
The duel erupted—hammer against sword, brute force against blinding speed. Pascal's constant switch mode strikes forced Rhino into a desperate defense, the battlefield quaking under their exchanges.
Then Pascal's voice whispered through the chaos:
"Kaizen Kumano…"
He vanished again, this time reappearing at a distance. His form split and multiplied until the battlefield swarmed with countless Pascals.
Rhino blinked, stunned. "What the—?"
The clones encircled him, every one smirking the same mocking smile.
"This is The Art of Mojito," Pascal explained smoothly. "A technique far beyond your comprehension. I've mastered the East, West, and North signs… the South sign is still incomplete, but even this much is enough to humiliate you."
"Bloodline abilities too?" Rhino's jaw clenched.
"You're nothing special, Special darkside Knight," all the Pascals mocked in unison. "I expected more. Guess you really are just a brainless tank."
"Shut your mouths!" Rhino snarled. "All of you, shut up! You sound more foolish the more you speak!"
Slamming his hammer into the ground, he clasped his hands together. A surge of Renshi flared violently around him, his body swelling with raw power.
His skin hardened into plates of glowing armor. His chest, arms, legs, and head became encased in shimmering Renshi steel. His body doubled in size until he stood like a towering juggernaut.
"The start of a new bloodline begins with me," Rhino growled, hefting his hammer once more. "Let's end this charade."
The Pascals only laughed louder.
"You never change strategies," one clone sneered. "Brute force, brute force, brute force. Always the same boring trick. Truly pathetic."
Rhino hurled his hammer skyward, leapt into the air, and kicked it mid-flight. The colossal weapon rocketed forward, smashing through one of the clones.
BOOM!
The fake Pascal dissolved instantly. The hammer boomeranged back, and Rhino caught it in a single hand upon landing.
The swarm of Pascals lunged from all directions.
"COME!" Rhino roared, spinning his hammer in a brutal arc.
Steel clashed against steel as he smashed, blocked, and crushed his way through the clones. Each hit obliterated a clone in a burst of dust and light, but more kept coming, surrounding him in a storm of blades.
Then—SWOOSH!
A longsword sliced down from above, aiming to split his skull. The blade screeched against Rhino's helmet but failed to even scratch it.
The real Pascal landed lightly in front of him, sword raised, smirking.
Without hesitation, Rhino swung. Pascal dodged and weaved effortlessly, his Switch Mode speed far outpacing Rhino's raw power.
The battle turned feral—hammer swings crashing down with thunderous force, sword slashes cutting back in sharp retaliation. Sparks and shockwaves filled the battlefield.
"Rhino!" Pascal shouted, vanishing mid-swing to reposition. "This has dragged on long enough."
Reappearing above him, Pascal's eyes glimmered with deadly calm.
"Anyone who witnesses my true bloodline technique… never lives to speak of it."
He switch in midair, reappearing behind Rhino in a perfect strike position. Rhino didn't hesitate, hurling his massive hammer straight toward Pascal's chest at terrifying speed.
CRACK!
The hammer connected.