The plaza had become a war-torn arena. Streets cracked, fountains shattered, and pillars toppled from the sheer force of their clash. Citizens fled, but their eyes remained glued to the duel: Kaito, the shadowed storm, and Aurelius, the radiant champion of the Empire.
Ryuu circled above, a red comet against the sunlight, flames trailing like whips of destruction. Kaito's eyes never left Aurelius, every muscle coiled, ready.
Spell Creation Unleashed
Aurelius launched a torrent of holy energy, each strike meant to overwhelm. Kaito barely moved, letting the energy smash into an illusory copy of himself—a creation conjured in the instant by the Grimoire of Imagination.
In a heartbeat, Kaito molded the plaza itself. Obsidian spikes erupted from the ground, floating platforms shifted midair, and columns twisted into spears of crystal. Every surface was now both weapon and shield, bending light, fire, and energy around him like a living battlefield.
Ryuu dove into the fray, flames cutting arcs in perfect synchronization with Kaito's strikes. Together, man and dragon became a single unstoppable entity.
Aurelius' Hidden Power
Aurelius gritted his teeth, sweat beading beneath the divine aura. With a shout, he drew a relic hidden within his armor: the Celestial Aegis Blade, a sword infused with the spirits of ancient heroes. Its radiant energy warped the battlefield, negating Kaito's illusions and sending shockwaves through stone and air.
Kaito paused for the first time, noting the sudden surge. The relic's power was immense, amplifying Aurelius' abilities beyond what he had predicted.
"So the Empire still hides toys," Kaito murmured, smirking. "Let's see how well you play."
He whispered a word, and the Grimoire glowed.
From the pages sprang a storm of obsidian dragons, constructs born of imagination and fire, their wings black as night, eyes glowing. They shrieked and dove at Aurelius, forcing him to focus on survival rather than offense.
Clash of Titans
Steel met steel. Magic met magic. The plaza shook with each collision. Kaito moved like liquid shadow, striking with god-tier precision. Aurelius countered, radiant energy slicing the air, pushing Kaito to adapt constantly.
Ryuu, sensing the tide, swooped low, melting the ground beneath Aurelius' feet with jets of fire. Kaito followed, summoning shifting platforms to redirect Aurelius' momentum, creating openings with surgical precision.
The crowd, from a safe distance, could only stare in awe. Even the Holy Empire's soldiers whispered prayers, unsure whether they were witnessing salvation—or annihilation.
Tensions Rising
Aurelius' voice rang out, sharp with fury. "I will not fall to the unworthy!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "And I will not be forgotten. You'll learn why the shadows are never merciful."
The Celestial Aegis Blade blazed, carving through Kaito's constructs. But with every strike, Kaito's spell creation adapted in real-time. Columns twisted into chains, illusions became traps, and obsidian dragons shifted form, relentless in their assault.
Ryuu roared, flames exploding around Kaito like living armor. Together, they pressed Aurelius back, forcing him to reveal the full extent of the relic's power.
The First Glimpse of True God-Tier Combat
The air split as Aurelius channeled the spirits of ancient heroes into one massive strike—a beam of light that threatened to consume the plaza entirely.
Kaito didn't flinch. He extended his hand, imagining the impossible: a mirror of shadows, reflecting and amplifying Aurelius' light back at him. The beam twisted, fractured, and shattered in midair. Shockwaves tore through streets, buildings, and monuments alike.
For a heartbeat, the world itself seemed to pause, caught between light and shadow, fire and steel.
Foreshadowing the Next Threat
As the dust settled, Kaito and Aurelius faced each other, neither wounded, both panting from exertion. But Kaito sensed something deeper—a hidden layer of the Empire's power, beyond Aurelius' relic.
"They're hiding more," Kaito murmured to Ryuu, wings flicking with impatience. "And when they strike… it won't just be him."
Aurelius' chest rose and fell rapidly, the light of his relic dimming slightly. "You… you were never meant to exist," he hissed. "Yet here you are. And now… I must finish this!"
Kaito's lips curved into a shadowed grin. "Then finish it. I've been waiting for someone to try."
The battle was far from over—but the world had just glimpsed the storm Kaito had become.