"—RAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
Fracture burst out from behind cover with a furious roar. His twin grenade launchers roared to life, unleashing a hail of explosive shells around Revy.
"So... you really won't give up. Used the cover to reload, huh?"
Revy casually dodged the blasts, weaving through explosions like a shadow. Shards of stone and dust were sent flying, but somehow not a single piece touched him.
"Die! Die!! DIE!!!"
Fracture screamed, venting his rage—or perhaps just the frustration of being completely outmatched. He turned his hatred into bullets and flames, turning the battlefield into a blazing inferno.
Yet Revy said nothing. He didn't fire a single shot. He simply appeared and disappeared in Fracture's field of vision, provoking him, drawing his fire again and again.
Twelve rounds—emptied once more.
But this time, to Revy's surprise, Fracture didn't retreat to reload. Instead, he ejected the empty drum with a flick of his finger, let it clatter to the ground, and with a quick motion, reconfigured the weapon into a bladed chainsaw form.
He now stood like a warrior wielding dual sword-blades, issuing a clear challenge.
"You Rhodes Island bastard! Fight me!"
Fracture's teeth gnashed as he stared at Revy. As much as he hated to admit it, this man—this "brother" his sister had spoken of—radiated an overwhelming, invincible aura.
But he had to buy time—for Kingslayer. If he failed here, everything—himself, his comrades in Reunion—would be lost.
(Sister… I'll apologize later. But not now.)(So please… forgive me.)
"Fine then. Since you're this brave, I'll entertain you."
Revy smiled faintly, narrowing his eyes.
He dropped his dual pistols to the ground and reached behind him. From his back, he drew his sword case once again, and slid it to his waist. Then, slowly, the snowy white blade of Yukihime emerged from the upper right of the case.
Fracture didn't move.
Only when Yukihime was fully drawn and gleaming in his vision did Revy return the case to his back. He then raised the sword in his right hand, pointing it straight at Fracture.
It was an insulting posture—not just a provocation, but a gesture of superiority. A clear statement: You are beneath me.
SWOOSH—!
Fracture didn't bother replying. He flung both of his heavy bladed weapons at Revy with all his might. Their weight, combined with his Originium-powered strength, gave them terrifying destructive force.
But what met his attack—was the sharp, pristine blade of Yukihime.
The deathly white blade clashed with the bloodstained, rusted chainsaw weapons. Fracture instantly felt like his weapons weighed a ton. His confident, heavy strikes felt like they were caught in mud—no impact, no effect.
Revy hadn't even attacked yet. He was simply defending. Because Fracture's assault wasn't even worthy of a response.
"DAMN YOU! Don't underestimate me!!"
Fracture screamed, swinging wildly, imagining Revy as a training dummy, a sandbag—anything to pour his fury into. But slowly, his powerful strikes weakened. His stamina drained. His attacks lost speed, precision, and rhythm.
Revy, until now, had only deflected—not attacking even once.
Until—
"You never had even the slightest chance. Why are you so blind to reality?"
Revy blocked another overhead strike. The counterforce knocked Fracture back, panting heavily.
"...Let me show you what real power looks like."
Revy finally made a move.
Fracture saw a single dot—and then it grew larger, and white.
(No—that's not a dot. That's the sword tip!)
Revy hadn't used any special technique. He simply leveled his blade parallel to the ground—and stabbed forward.
A basic thrust, something even kids could mimic. But at a speed faster than the eye could follow, it became lethal.
Fracture raised his twin blades instinctively.
(Too fast—can't block in time!!)
This was the first time Fracture felt like his heavy weapons were a burden. The next instant, the blade was already in front of his face.
But it didn't pierce his skull.
The sword tip stopped—a breath away.
In Revy's hand, Yukihime could be a force of destruction or a perfect shield. But most terrifying was his precise control—how he could stop even an unstoppable thrust.
CRACK—!
A sharp crack rang out.
The air pressure from Yukihime's thrust had crushed Fracture's gas mask. The mask split and fell, revealing a face twisted in hate—and recognition.
(No… this can't be… Alex? Alex should be dead…)
Misha froze.
She had struggled free of Amiya's arms, her voice trembling with shock and joy:
"Alex?! Is that really you… Alex?!"
"It's me, Sis!"
Fracture's voice carried manic glee.
"I've come for you! But first—I need to wipe out these pests, especially the man who dares call himself your brother!!"
"No! That's not right! Revy is—"
"…Sorry, Sis. Please, bear with it for now."
There was something strange in Fracture's eyes. Amiya noticed it immediately and stepped forward, preparing to protect Misha.
"—Kingslayer, do it!"
At that instant, a shadow shot from behind the wall, streaking straight for the unguarded Misha.
"No! Misha, look out!!"
Amiya shrieked, readying her arts—but she was too late. Kingslayer was already upon Misha, hand brushing her clothes.
However—
"Did you really think I wouldn't see through your plan?"
A powerful force yanked Kingslayer from the side. Her vision flipped upside-down—and suddenly, she was pinned to the ground, staring up in horror at none other than—
Revy.