Although hurled aside by the Mind Spirit leader, Kaito gritted his teeth and forced himself back onto his feet. Dust clung to his clothes, his chest ached, but his grip on the sword never faltered. He steadied his breath, eyes narrowing toward the towering enemy.
The Mind Spirit leader was no longer focused on him. Instead, it roared to the sky, both massive hands clutching its own head. Where its palms pressed against its skull, a bright light blazed. The glow spread, pulsing across its cracked body while it's strength started dropping. Kaito recognized it instantly it was forcing its own vitality to heal its injury. Although his attack's effect would be healed somewhat it still had lowered the strength of the mine spirit leader and even now it had dropped from rank 1 high to mid-grade making it easier for Kaito to destroy it.
But still Kaito's heart thumped hard. He couldn't waste a moment. Around him, Marcus and the others were already staggering under the weight of the remaining Rank 1 Mind Spirits. Their hands moved slower, their steps heavier. If this dragged on, the entire team could collapse.
With resolve tightening his grip, Kaito surged forward. He activated Wind Veil Steps once again, his body blurring into motion. The Rank 1 mine spirits lunged at him, trying once again to stop him with their reaching, but he twisted, sidestepped, and slipped past their strikes like smoke once again dodging them. They couldn't catch him. Even whenever one tried to follow, Marcus and the others struck with everything they had, forcing them back. The team understood if Kaito could not kill the leader, the battle would never end.
As he passed, Kaito even slammed his fist into the chest of a Rank 1 spirit. The force caved in its rocky torso, cracks spreading through its body. Marcus and the others immediately seized the chance, cutting the weakened creature down into rubble. After this the battlefield instantly opened, and Kaito darted straight toward the glowing figure of the leader.
Closing in, he steadied his stance. His sword swept forward in a clean arc. The edge struck the Mind Spirit leader's knee with brutal force. The creature, still clutching its head, never saw it coming. The sound of stone splitting echoed, and the massive body buckled. One knee slammed into the ground, sending tremors through the cavern floor.
Kaito's eyes flashed. He didn't hesitate. Using the bent leg as a stepping stone, he leapt high into the air. His body spun, feet light as wind. The leader's massive hands still clutched its skull, light pouring between its fingers. Kaito saw the cracks small gaps between its fingers and aimed without mercy.
His sword plunged downward, piercing through the opening and into its head.
A roar exploded from the leader, shaking the cavern walls. Its attempt at healing shattered midway, the white glow faltering. The injury Kaito had inflicted earlier the crack in its skull had never fully healed, and now his sword dug directly into it, tearing the wound open once more. The giant thrashed violently, trying to rip him off.
But its strength was no longer the same. The forced healing had drained its power, reducing it to the level of a mid-stage Rank 1. Kaito seized its wrist with one hand, anchoring himself. As it swung wildly, he braced, then kicked hard into its forehead. The impact snapped its head backward, the sound of stone grinding filling the air. Already bent on one knee, its balance gave way completely.
The massive body crashed to the ground, a cloud of dust exploding outward. For the first time, the leader lay vulnerable.
Kaito landed lightly on the ground, eyes locked on the sword embedded deep in its skull. With a burst of Wind Veil Steps, he darted forward, wrapped his hands around the hilt, and wrenched it free. The sword tore stone apart as it came loose, widening the cracks in its head. The Mind Spirit leader screamed again, its voice filled with both fury and agony.
He didn't stop. With precise motion, he drove his sword once more into its forehead. The weapon sank deep, breaking through hardened stone and striking at its core.
That strike broke the chain. The leader's control over the other Mind Spirits shattered instantly. Across the battlefield, every spirit stiffened mid-attack. Marcus and the others braced instinctively, but instead of being struck, the creatures around them crumbled. Stone bodies collapsed into rubble. In the space of a heartbeat, the battlefield grew silent except for the roar of the leader itself.
Marcus and the others looked around in disbelief. One moment, they had been struggling for their lives. The next, their enemies were gone. Their heads turned almost as one toward the fallen giant, where Kaito stood, sword buried in the creature's forehead.
The leader thrashed, its hands clawing for him, but he was too fast. With Wind Veil Steps, he slipped out of reach every time, vanishing and reappearing with deadly precision. Again and again, his sword flashed, striking the same target. The Mind Spirit leader, already collapsed, had no footing to defend itself. Its resistance weakened with every slash.
Stone cracked. Dust poured from the widening fissures. The mighty body that had towered above them now seemed fragile under the relentless rain of strikes. Kaito's breathing grew harsher, but his strikes never slowed. Each cut was sharper, heavier, more determined.
Minutes passed, though to the exhausted fighters it felt like hours. Finally, with one last deafening roar, the leader's skull gave way completely. Stone crumbled into powder beneath the weight of his sword. Grey dust scattered into the air, and the giant's massive arms dropped lifelessly to the ground.
Silence followed.
The cavern echoed only with the sound of Kaito's rough breathing. His chest rose and fell, his grip trembling faintly around his sword. Sweat mixed with dust across his face. The body before him what was left of it was nothing but rubble and powder. Even the smallest fragments had been crushed beyond recognition.
He stood there for a long moment, staring at the remains of his opponent. Victory, yes. But the fatigue in his bones reminded him how narrow the fight had been.
A slow exhale escaped his lips.
Next time, he thought grimly, he definitely won't fight something like this alone. If things go wrong anywhere, he'll call for help immediately.
Behind him, Marcus and the others finally lowered their weapons, relief etched across their tired faces. The danger was gone. The battle was over.
And at the center of it all stood Kaito dust-covered, battered, but unbroken his sword still steady in his hand.
As soon as the Mind Spirit Leader's body finally collapsed into rubble, Kaito leapt down and landed near Marcus and the others. His sword hung at his side, his chest rising and falling heavily. The roar of the battle was gone, leaving only silence and the faint sound of dust settling across the cavern floor.
For a moment, Kaito simply lay back on the cold ground beside his comrades. His body felt heavy, but the sight of the shattered remains of the Mind Spirit Leader eased the tension in his chest. He let out a long sigh of relief. This battle had been brutal, but his plan had worked. Another step of his larger goals had been fulfilled.
Not only had he saved his family from what could have become a devastating tragedy, but he had also secured the Spirit Stone Mine. The thought of what that would mean for the future of his family made him smile faintly, even through his exhaustion.
When he turned his head toward Marcus and the others, he saw them sprawled on the floor, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. For a moment, Kaito wondered if this battle had been too much for them. Perhaps he had pushed them beyond what they were prepared for.
But before he could say anything, Marcus suddenly sat upright and stared at him with wide eyes full of excitement. "Brother Kaito! That was the first time I've seen anyone fight like that. It was incredible! Even if I broke through to Rank 1, I don't think I could ever beat a monster like that!"
Kaito blinked at his cousin's excitement, then gave a small helpless smile. Maybe he was overthinking things. Without the experience he carried from his previous life, he himself wouldn't have been certain how many moves he could have lasted before being killed by the Mind Spirit Leader.