Miyamoto's grip tightened mid-air, his face twisting with hesitation. He could already see it in his mind's eye—Lucy and Peaches on the other half of the island.
If I unleash this move now… the kid that summoned the BUDDHA will die too. Damn it!
At the last possible moment, he halted the massive boulder's descent. The rock, already descending with violent momentum, suddenly froze mid-air. The sheer force of it stopping created a devastating shockwave that rippled outward across the sea, sending waves surging in every direction.
But Miyamoto's relief lasted only a heartbeat.
The towering Buddha spirit below him stretched out its last pair of stone arms. The arms clawed toward the suspended boulder, gripping it with divine strength. And then—impossibly—it began to merge with the colossal rock itself.
"What—?!" Miyamoto's eyes widened. The fusion deepened, stone groaning as the Buddha absorbed the massive boulder, growing taller, broader, heavier—until it resembled a kneeling titan of earth itself. Its figure resembled a carved statue of a deity, beads of stone hanging heavy around its neck. Two hands pressed together, the rest spread above its head as if welcoming the heavens.
Miyamoto floated there like a mere insect, dwarfed by the presence of this towering spirit.
"Damn it… I forgot! It was born from earth… of course it can merge with any Renshi-crafted stone. I'll have to give this creature some credit." His fists clenched as he steadied his breathing. "But enough. It's time to stop playing around."
The fusion rocked the sea itself. Waves roared, splitting the island further apart. Below, Raven's gaze sharpened as she fell with the collapsing debris.
With the island split, the hideout is finished… I'm certain they've evacuated to the other branch. Strong reinforcements will come. The doer of this must be punished, she thought grimly.
As the fusion reached completion, the spells woven by the Buddha shattered into fragments of light. The battlefield shifted.
Now it was two against two.
Lucy and Peaches stood opposite Raven and Burning Flame.
"Stay close, Lucy. These two are no joke. Don't give them a chance—if they move, be ready." Peaches warned, his tone serious.
"Okay." Lucy's reply was calm, but her eyes were locked forward with quiet fury. She stepped forward slowly, her grip already brushing the hilt of her sword.
"Hey, what are you doing? Don't make the first move—" Peaches reached out, trying to hold her back.
Lucy brushed his hand aside without looking at him, her steps never breaking stride.
Raven's lips curved faintly. "Don't think about it. You're no match for us, girl."
"You really overestimate yourselves," Lucy shot back, her voice carrying cold fire. "Do you think I'm weaker than my sister? Then you've got the wrong idea."
In one smooth motion, her blade shimmered into her grasp.
Recognition struck her enemies like lightning.
"That's—" Raven's eyes widened. "The Next Emperor's sister."
Burning Flame's jaw tightened. "Impossible…"
Lucy's gaze sharpened further. "I'll ask only one question. The island is destroyed, split into two halves. Is my sister still down there?"
Raven's expression hardened. "I can't answer that. But don't fool yourself—the hideout doesn't exist within this domain. Even if you destroy the island, you'll never reach it. Don't underestimate the Avengers—we never come unprepared."
"Hm. I see." Lucy's grip on her sword tightened. "Then there's only one way to settle this."
In a flash of light, she vanished. Switch Mode.
Her blade screamed toward Raven's head in a direct strike.
But from above, Burning Flame switch in, his weapon blazing with fire as he swung down at Lucy's exposed back.
"Not happening." Peaches' voice thundered as he snapped his fingers. From the shadows erupted a fully armored knight in pitch-black steel, wielding a long sword. The knight blocked the descending strike with crushing force.
"Tch. Summoning techniques…" Burning Flame clicked his tongue, retreating instantly. "Can't expect any less from your kind."
Raven retaliated, frost crackling as she threw up a shield of glistening ice, absorbing Lucy's blade. Both sides disengaged, reappearing beside their allies.
Lucy returned to Peaches' side. Raven regrouped with Burning Flame.
"I didn't think you could wield both parts of your Renshi so fluidly." Lucy's voice carried faint approval.
"Don't get the wrong idea." Peaches smirked faintly. "It's not perfect yet. My dark side's just stronger—that's why I lead with it."
On the opposite end, Raven leaned closer to her comrade. "Eren… listen carefully. Don't you dare die here. That's an order."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it already." Burning Flame—Eren—rolled his shoulders, but his eyes flared with deadly fire. He immediately activates his bloodline true form His body ignited, flames merging into his flesh until his very form became fire itself. His weapon, Stormbreaker, burned brighter in his grasp. "But don't expect me to hold back."
Lucy's activates her light Renshical bloodline true form,wings of light unfurled in an instant, radiant feathers spreading as a Renshi triangle glowed on her forehead. Twin blades of pure Renshi solidified in her hands.
"Be careful, Peaches. Retreat if you must."
"Like hell I will," Peaches barked. His shadow knights multiplied, two more emerging until three black warriors marched behind him. His own body erupted with power as he invoked his bloodline's true form—the fusion of light and darkness. His left arm shimmered with dark Renshi, his right with blinding light, both forces raging together in violent harmony.
"Don't mistake this, Lucy. This is a contest—between you and me. To see who's stronger."
Across from them, Raven spread her arms. Ice blossomed upward, wings of jagged frost exploding from her back. Her eyes glowed like twin shards of frozen sapphire. Activating Her bloodline
true form —Frozen Owl. Razor-edged claws sprouted from her hands and feet, her aura plummeting the temperature across the battlefield. The sea cracked with frost, the island groaned as ice spread in a deadly surge.
Lucy soared upward, wings flaring to evade the spreading freeze. Peaches shattered the crawling frost beneath him with a pulse of sheer Renshi pressure.
The battlefield trembled as four activation of bloodlines true form faced each other.