Romero's claws dug deeper into Sasaki's neck, sinking into flesh, tearing muscle, and ripping veins from the inside. Sasaki gasped, his regeneration straining to keep up. His eyes burned red as the world blurred around him. The grip threatened to choke away his breath, his body twitching against Romero's monstrous strength.
"Struggle all you like," Romero growled. "Your regeneration won't save you from me tearing you apart piece by piece."
Sasaki's chest heaved. His vision darkened. But in that suffocating moment, he unleashed it.
A cyclone of crimson burst from his body, spiraling in reverse. "Blood Renshi—Tornado Domain!"
The vortex ripped Romero away, dragging him backward with violent force. Freed from the crushing grip, Sasaki collapsed to his knees, gasping hard before steadying himself. His hand rose, summoning forth a massive blade of burning scarlet energy—a greatsword forged from pure blood Renshi.
His eyes locked on Romero and Pascal with eerie calm. "Enough tricks. Enough claws. It's time to fight like men… not cowards."
The domain widened, a dome of swirling red storm sealing all of them inside. Within, shadows moved. Dark silhouettes clawed their way out of the blood-tornado walls—dozens at first, then hundreds. Twisted forms, warped reflections of the Darkside Spirits themselves. Beta- lookalikes crawled forth on all fours, shrieking. Behind them, hulking Alpha- lookalikes emerged, their jaws dripping with the energy of corruption.
Onamuchi froze, his metallic arm trembling. "W-What… what is this?! I've lived a long life… and never seen a bloodline technique like this…"
"Don't panic!" Romero barked, his fury steadying the others. He jabbed a claw toward Sasaki. "Onamuchi, Voldigo—clear those things out. Pascal and I will crush him."
"Got it," Voldigo snarled, already charging his destructive waves as he and Onamuchi engaged the flood of abominations clawing toward them.
Romero switched into midair, striking where Sasaki floated—but Sasaki blinked down to the ground in an instant. Romero followed, switching back down with claws at the ready.
Pascal wasted no time. He drew his wolf-forged sword and blurred forward, his body a streak of feral movement. He didn't use switch mode—he didn't need it. His wolf speed made him faster than most could even track.
Steel clashed against scarlet as Pascal's blade cut into Sasaki with merciless precision. Dozens of blows fell in seconds, tearing into flesh, forcing Sasaki onto the defensive. His body regenerated, but slower than Pascal's assault.
"Keep pressing him!" Romero roared, joining in with his claws, slashing across Sasaki's ribs and tearing strips of flesh.
Sasaki staggered, blood spraying. His eyes glowed with madness, and suddenly, he summoned massive shurikens of condensed blood Renshi above him. They spun violently, screaming through the air as they descended.
Pascal turned to intercept, slashing the first, but Sasaki smirked. With a flick of his wrist, the shurikens split into countless fragments and curved back in unpredictable angles.
"Behind you!" Pascal shouted—too late.
Several shurikens slashed deep into his back, blood spraying as his body lurched forward. Romero let out a guttural growl.
"You bastard…!" He roared, eyes blazing. "I've had enough of your games!"
He and Pascal pressed harder, forcing Sasaki back. Romero seized Sasaki by the neck once again while Pascal lunged forward, his blade piercing straight through Sasaki's stomach. The steel emerged from his back, dripping with gore.
Yet Sasaki smiled. His blood-soaked face twisted into a grin.
"All of this… meaningless. You may be stronger… but I'm the one who's invincible. This duel… is already mine." His voice dripped with deranged confidence.
Pascal growled, twisting his blade inside Sasaki's gut, ripping his side open in a spray of crimson,she regenerating huh. "Then I'll just cut you in two and end your delusion."
Romero released Sasaki and stepped back. "Do it. End this now."
Pascal raised his blade high, swinging to bisect Sasaki. But at the last instant, Sasaki roared and summoned his red sword, clashing steel to steel. The impact cracked the air as sparks of blood Renshi sprayed out.
He switched away, reappearing a short distance across the domain, his breathing ragged yet eyes alight with bloodlust.
Pascal instantly switched again, appearing before him, his strikes relentless. Each cut carved chunks from Sasaki's flesh, but still he laughed, regenerating as fast as his body would allow.
Finally, Pascal's fangs clenched, his fury boiling over. "I'll finish you here and now!" He lunged—only for Romero to raise a claw and halt him.
"Stand back, Pascal," Romero growled. "This ends with me."
Pascal's eyes narrowed, but he obeyed, retreating.
Romero inhaled deeply, his body glowing with power. His bloodline flared to its ultimate state.
"Ultimate Bloodline Form… Twin Wolves, Arise!"
The air ruptured as a colossal wolve appeared above Romero, wolves with two heads, it's purple maws dripping with Renshi. their snarls shook the ground, it's eyes locked on Sasaki.
Romero raised his fist, channeling their essence into a devastating strike. "Go!"
The double-headed wolves lunged, their four jaws open wide, surging toward Sasaki like an avalanche of fangs.
Sasaki's eyes widened. He slammed his red blade into the ground, summoning a massive blood shield before him. The wolves struck it with a thunderous crash, their maws grinding against the barrier, cracking it apart piece by piece.
His teeth grit, sweat dripping down his forehead. "Damn it… if I switch away, Romero and Pascal will shred me the moment I move. But if I stay, this thing will tear me to threads. What… what do I do!?"
The cracks deepened. The shield splintered. His domain storm flickered, its tornado walls unraveling as the blood-spawned Darkside Spirits dissolved into nothingness.
The wolves pushed closer, their fangs moments from devouring him. Sasaki's lips curved into a grim smile.
"So this is it… huh? After everything, I'll finally die a meaningful death."
The shield shattered. The wolves' maws closed in—
FWOOOSH!
From the distance, a black blur cut through the sky.
A blade of dark Renshi, radiating pure malice, streaked into the battlefield. The sword cleaved straight through the twin wolves, dispersing them into shards of fading energy.
Everyone froze. Sasaki's eyes widened. Romero and Pascal staggered back, disbelief written on their faces.
From the sky, a figure descended at terrifying speed.
Lucy.
Her eyes burned like embers, and from her back spread enormous black wings, each feather pulsing with dark Renshi. She landed with a shockwave, dust and wind blasting outward.
She raised her hand, smirking coldly at Sasaki. "Nice job, Sasaki. I knew you wouldn't disappoint."
Sasaki dropped to his knees, the last of his strength fading. His body collapsed, unconscious, his grin lingering even in defeat.
Lucy sighed. "I expected as much. You burned too much Renshi."
Her gaze turned on the remaining enemies. She spread her five arms wide, wings unfurling fully, casting a shadow across the entire battlefield. Her voice rang with dreadful finality.
"Now then… you brats are short-handed. One of you has to guard Fushira if you want him alive. That leaves three of you against me." She smirked, her killing intent radiating. "What can you really do?"
Romero snarled back, wiping the blood from his mouth. "We got you once before, Lucy. Don't think too highly of yourself."
Lucy chuckled darkly, tilting her head. "Oh, of course. But maybe you should ask yourselves one thing…"
Her wings spread further, her Renshi pressure doubling as the ground cracked beneath her feet.
"…why did it take me that long to even start fighting seriously?"