Kevin lunged forward without hesitation.
The strike came straight at Ray.
Ray merely tilted his body, almost lazily, letting the attack pass within inches — as if he already knew exactly where Kevin would strike.
Before Kevin could react—
Azazel descended from above.
The kick landed cleanly.
The impact was brutal, dry. Kevin was thrown backward, his feet scraping against the ground as he forced himself not to fall, carving deep marks into the concrete.
Ray gave him no room.
He advanced like a shadow, unleashing an absurd sequence of punches and kicks — too fast, too precise. Kevin dodged by reflex, blocked what he could, feeling the wind of the blows brush past his face.
Still, it wasn't enough.
He jumped back, opening distance, his chest rising and falling in a controlled rhythm.
Silence.
For a moment.
Leonardo watched everything without moving.
No hurry.
No emotion.
Then he smiled.
— I see… — he finally said.
— …let's fight properly now.
The air around him seemed to grow heavier.
Kevin commented, keeping his guard up:
— Three against one… doesn't seem very fair.
Azazel laughed without humor.
— Don't talk about justice around us.
Leonardo added, far too calmly:
— We make our own justice.
Kevin prepared to jump — but behind him, the ground trembled.
A roar.
A presence.
The creature he had killed before was there again, standing upright, with a new head. Its body trembled, stepping back slightly, as if being forced to obey.
Ray shot it a cold look.
— You're not running. Attack the boy… and maybe I'll let you live.
The creature lowered its posture, almost as if agreeing.
In the same instant, it charged.
Ten tentacles fired at once, trying to seize Kevin.
He formed his greenish sword in his right hand and began cutting, carving a path as he charged straight toward the monster.
He got close — and then Ray's punch landed squarely.
Kevin was hurled away, but he planted the sword into the ground, teeth grinding, preventing his body from being thrown even farther.
Kevin (thinking):
I forgot… it's four against one.
Leonardo watched with interest.
— Fight, boy. I want to see how strong you are… and decide whether you're worth keeping alive.
Kevin took a deep breath.
— I want to fight you. I want you to show me the power of the first Dinark.
The creature spat a fireball.
Kevin dodged by leaping into the air — and from his body, four greenish chains emerged, whipping through the space.
Azazel advanced, attacking with a barrage of rapid strikes. Kevin dodged some, but others landed cleanly.
When he tried to retreat to gain space, a voice stopped him.
Ray raised his hand.
— Neo jutsu: Mugen no Enkō.
A black-and-red wave of pure energy — like sulfurous smoke mixed with corrupted flames — struck Kevin head-on.
The ground vibrated and cracked, spreading destruction and thick, black smoke.
Azazel watched closely.
— Is it over?
Ray replied without taking his eyes off the smoke.
— No.
The creature in the black suit — far too stylish for something so grotesque — advanced toward the explosion. From its head, where a face should have been, four black holes opened.
From them, countless fireballs were launched at once.
Amid the destruction and smoke, Kevin emerged almost intact, leaping, dodging the flames by mere inches.
Leonardo smiled.
— Yes… — he murmured. — Show me that we're still relevant.
Kevin moved in zigzags, evading the fireballs the monster spewed relentlessly. The heat scorched the air around him, grazing his skin.
Kevin (thinking):
I can see it…
In the distance, Julian and Sebastian are trying to come back, slowly suppressing Ray and Azazel.
Leonardo is still the weakest.
If I endure… I win.
I just need to endure…
Suddenly, the monster stopped attacking.
Ray and Azazel charged at Kevin at the same time.
The monster followed right behind, like a dog unleashed from its leash.
Atop a semi-destroyed building, a masked figure watched everything in silence.
Beside them, a shadow peeled itself off the wall, taking shape… until it became a man dressed in black with blue details. He pulled the fabric from his face.
Juan.
The masked figure spoke:
— Good work, Juan. The boy was definitely traumatized by what he saw.
Juan crossed his arms, staring at the chaos below.
— Honestly, it was hard not to kill that creature.
— What matters is that it worked — the masked one replied, satisfied. — Leonardo has a new host. That means his dimension is no longer in my way.
Juan tilted his head, watching Kevin being overwhelmed.
— Look… the kid's getting wrecked. Four against one. Think we should help?
The masked one answered without even looking.
— No.
— The less we get involved in this kind of thing, the better.
Juan sighed.
— And now? What's the next step?
He placed a hand on the masked figure's shoulder — and both disappeared.
They reappeared inside a damp, poorly lit cave, water dripping from the ceiling.
— With Leonardo's dimension out of the way — the masked one said — all that's left is to wait until October.
Juan frowned.
— October? Why?
— During that period, dimensions naturally weaken. Warriors with dimensional abilities lose up to fifty percent of their power.
Juan's eyes widened.
— Then it'll be easier to remove Luís Clent Dinark from the board…
— And Leonardo too.
Juan stayed silent for a moment.
— And if someone discovers your plans before then?
The masked one laughed softly.
— Relax, my friend.
— I've thought through every step for thirty years.
— Everything will work out.
---
On the battlefield, the situation was brutal.
Kevin could barely stay standing. His clothes were torn, his body covered in cuts. Blood ran down his arms, legs, and face. Even so, he held his sword firmly.
Ray was missing his left arm — which was regenerating before everyone's eyes.
Azazel, beside him, wielded one of Kevin's own greenish swords.
And behind them, far too calm for such carnage, Leonardo watched as if enjoying a private spectacle.
The creature lay on the ground, torn apart, covered in purple blood.
Kevin (thinking):
They might be suppressed…
But they're still stronger than me.
And to make it worse… since Azazel took my sword, I can't even get close.
Azazel advanced.
The slashes came fast and precise, so sharp they tore the air itself, creating invisible rifts. Kevin dodged not only the blades, but the fractures in space.
On impulse, he stomped the ground.
Two shapes appeared at his side.
Two wolves.
One blue.
One green.
They weren't huge, but they had presence. Fierce eyes. Bodies made of pure aura.
Azazel raised an eyebrow.
— Is it just me, or is he creating all this without enchantments?
Ray replied, attentive.
— He's a bearer of healing aura. That's why he doesn't need enchantments.
The wolves charged.
Kevin followed immediately, leaping high, drawing Ray and Azazel upward with him.
Mid-motion, the wolves split off and went straight for Leonardo.
The green wolf unleashed flames.
The blue one responded with a violent jet of water.
Leonardo didn't move.
He simply looked.
— Impressive… — he said, with a faint smile. — Still, I'll have to show you what I'm capable of.
He raised his left hand.
Just that.
The water and flames evaporated before him.
In the same instant, both wolves were cut in half by something invisible.
They dissolved in the air, turning into aura dust.
Leonardo lowered his hand.
— Now… — he murmured. — continue.
Kevin (thinking):
Alright… Melisa, give me a bit of your power.
— Sure… take it — her voice sounded calm, almost affectionate. — You know I've got your back.
Kevin smiled.
It was the first time he smiled in that fight.
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the wind on his face. His body relaxed — and the wounds began to close one by one. Flesh knitting itself together rapidly.
Only the torn clothes remained.
The sword in his right hand dissolved into green particles.
In its place, two daggers formed.
From the ground, green shadows began to rise.
Two wolves.
An owl.
A tiger.
Ray, Azazel, and Leonardo only watched.
The animals charged at once toward Ray and Azazel, attacking without hesitation, with real ferocity.
Kevin didn't waste time.
He fired straight at Leonardo.
Leonardo didn't move.
When Kevin got close, everything changed.
The world became heavy.
Slow.
As if the air had turned to mud.
Leonardo's voice echoed inside Kevin's mind.
— You shouldn't have done that…
— But since you did, I'll give you the fight you want so badly.
Everything went dark.
For a few seconds, Kevin heard only his own breathing.
I know I won't die.
In a blink, the light returned.
They were somewhere else.
Dark walls surrounded everything, illuminated by a viscous, dim, constant glow.
— Where am I…? — Kevin asked.
— In my home — Leonardo replied. — Welcome.
Kevin turned.
Leonardo was different.
Bigger.
Broader.
Four arms.
Six watchful eyes.
— How…?
— Surprised by my complete form? — Leonardo tilted his head. — I may be weak… but you're still weaker.
Kevin spun the daggers.
— Let's see.
He charged.
The slashes came fast, aimed at vital points. Leonardo dodged with ease, his four arms moving almost elegantly.
— Even with four arms… you're pretty agile — Kevin remarked.
Leonardo smiled.
— I don't have six eyes for nothing.
Kevin stepped back a few paces.
He created an aura serpent in front of him. From his back, four green chains emerged, slithering like living snakes.
— Come at me, Leonardo.
The serpent lunged. Leonardo grabbed it with one hand.
Kevin appeared at his side, attacking relentlessly.
Some strikes landed. Others didn't.
Too late, Kevin realized.
Leonardo's two left hands came together.
He tried to dodge — failed.
He was grabbed.
In a single breath, he understood.
Leonardo had never used his left hands until now.
— I warned you — Leonardo said. — This is my home.
— Here, I decide everything.
— Don't trust your Hagan anymore… I altered it.
Leonardo hurled Kevin upward.
His fists were coated in black aura.
What followed was a brutal sequence of punches. Each impact generated shockwaves that tore through Kevin's body.
The daggers fell.
Blood followed.
Kevin slammed into the ground, thrown into a corner of the dimension.
Leonardo remained untouched.
---
A flash crossed Kevin's mind.
Children running. Laughing.
— What are you playing?
— Warriors and monsters. Wanna play?
— I do… can I be a hero?
— Of course not. You'll be the monster.
— Okay.
The game turns into violence.
Kicks.
Punches.
Pain.
Hidden, Kevin watches.
I wanted to be a hero…
But if I have to be a monster… then I'll be an incredible villain.
The fight begins.
And ends in blood.
That was the only fight I ever won.
Death came for me.
---
Leonardo approaches.
— It's over for you, boy. Severe internal injuries. In minutes, you'll die.
Silence.
Leonardo turns away.
— Heat.
He stops.
— What?
— Heat.
Kevin is standing.
Uninjured.
White hair.
A small sun spinning above his head.
The Hagan burns in his eyes.
— Incredible… — Leonardo murmurs. — You reached Prime.
— Prime?
— When the user fully connects with the universe.
— So I connected to the universe?
— My dimension did that to you. Now your fate is sealed.
— You'll have to fight the dimensional fragments.
— Fragments… of what?
Leonardo lifts his gaze, consumed by rage.
— That, you'll find out on your own.
— If you manage to survive.
— Because my desire to kill you just grew even stronger.