"Hah! So you're finally using your trump card?"
Ryuuto grinned as a storm of glowing cards hurtled toward him like razor-edged darts. Instead of dodging, he leaned forward, aura flaring.
"Ninja Art — Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
He flicked his wrist, unleashing a handful of spinning shuriken that multiplied midair, colliding head-on with Gambit's charged cards.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions roared through the bar, shattering every lightbulb. Shards of glass rained down like glittering ash. But even through the chaos, Ryuuto didn't retreat—he charged in.
The Adamantine Staff (formerly Enma, the Ape King) whirled in his grip, batting away flying cards that sizzled with kinetic energy. Each swing left a glowing arc through the smoke-filled air.
Watching from behind the wreckage, Gwen's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't help it—her heart swelled with pride and relief. That idiot of hers, facing death head-on like it was just another game.
"Kid! Quit swinging me around like a toy!" the voice of the Ape King grumbled from the staff. "Those things hurt!"
More cards streaked toward them like glowing meteors. The weapon vibrated angrily in Ryuuto's hands.
"Fine, fine, stop whining. I don't need you for this part anyway."
With a seal of his hands, the staff vanished in a burst of smoke. "Time to end this farce."
"End it? You won't get the chance!" Gambit snarled, both hands flashing.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of cards erupted from his grip, detonating in midair before they even reached Ryuuto.
KABOOM!
Fire swallowed everything. The bar's ceiling cracked. Flames licked the walls, consuming what was left of the furniture. Gambit stood there, breathing hard, smirking as he adjusted his hat.
"Poor fool. Should've folded while you had the chance."
The smirk froze.
A silhouette burst through the smoke—Ryuuto, unharmed, his body sheathed in a shimmering layer of black sand-like armor. The remains of molten cards slid off him harmlessly.
"You done?" Ryuuto's voice was cold, his grin sharp as a blade. "My turn."
"Expansion Jutsu — Human Boulder!"
His body expanded in a heartbeat, muscles and chakra swelling into monstrous strength. With a thunderous roar, he spun forward, a living wrecking ball of flesh and fury.
"Wha—!?"
Gambit barely managed a yelp before Ryuuto slammed into him like a tank, crushing him through the cracked floor tiles. The ground cratered, dust exploding outward.
When the dust settled, Gambit was sprawled out cold, eyes rolled back, foam bubbling at his lips.
Ryuuto exhaled, shrinking back to normal size. "Finally. You're done."
He dusted off his hands and caught Gwen as she ran into his arms. She buried her face against his chest, trembling with adrenaline. He held her close for a moment, before the familiar chime echoed in his head.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You've defeated Gambit!]
[Rewards: 15 Ninja Shuriken, 10 Life Potions!]
Ryuuto's face darkened. "That's it? No character upgrade pack? You stingy piece of junk system!"
[Denied. Rewards are automatically assigned based on performance.]
"Performance? I just punched a mutant into the floor!"
[Please don't argue with system policy.]
He sighed. "You seriously treat me like a disposable worker, Shion."
[Correction: you're a beloved disposable worker! Oh, and heads up—new enemies approaching. You might wanna, you know, not die.]
"What a considerate feature," Ryuuto muttered. "Who needs an alarm system that insults you?"
[It's not an insult if it's true.]
Before he could retort, Gwen's voice cut in. "Ryuuto... I can sense more energy signatures. Fast ones. They're closing in."
Ryuuto's expression hardened. "Let them come. The party's not over yet."
Outside, under the dim New York skyline, a blur of shadows sped across the rooftops.
"Target's inside the bar," barked a voice at the front. "We take him alive. Move!"
The silver-haired figure at the lead—Quicksilver—accelerated, vanishing into a streak of lightning.
Behind him, a gruff man loaded his gun with a scowl. "If you weren't Magneto's kid, I'd have shot you already."
Beside him, Erica smirked, dark energy pulsing in her palms. "Heh. Don't worry. By the time this is over, none of them will be walking out."