Gillian moved first.
No warning. No wasted motion.
A clean step-in, shoulder rotation, elbow strike flowing into a palm thrust—textbook martial supremacy, refined over decades. His movements were sharp enough to cut air.
And yet—
John wasn't there.
He was, but not where Gillian expected.
Every strike was weaved, redirected by the smallest margin. A tilt of the head. A half-step. A forearm placed at the exact angle to dissolve force instead of stopping it.
Again.
And again.
Gillian's breathing deepened.
John spoke calmly, almost casually.
"If you want a better fight," he said,
"you'll have to use your circuit."
Gillian frowned, withdrawing slightly.
"But not right here," John continued.
He glanced at the sky, then closed his eyes.
"…It's been a while since I created a new technique."
The air stilled.
John's Soul Circuit activated—quiet, profound. He didn't force energy outward. Instead, he listened.
To matter.
To position.
To existence itself.
In his perception, all things were composed of the same foundational substance—location, relation, presence. Space wasn't distance. It was agreement.
John imagined that agreement… and then rewrote it.
Two points.
Two existences.
Not moved.
Exchanged.
He opened his eyes.
"Inverse."
Reality folded without resistance.
They stood now in a vast, open land—mountains stretching endlessly under a wide sky. No people. No structures. Only earth strong enough to endure what was coming.
John turned to Gillian.
"Use your circuits."
Gillian straightened, brushing dust from his shirt.
"…I once banned myself from using them," he admitted.
"I don't know if I can control it without going overboard."
He met John's eyes.
"But I have a feeling… you'll survive."
John smiled.
"Don't worry about it. Go wild."
Gillian inhaled deeply.
"Then… here I go."
His aura surged—not chaotic, but disciplined fury.
"Transcendent Martial Circuit—Activate.
Hachiman."
The land answered.
John's smile widened.
"Come, Gillian. You're worthy of my spar."
Gillian vanished.
The clash that followed shook the world.
Fists met fists.
Knees collided midair.
Shockwaves tore through the earth, pulverizing four mountains in seconds. The land cracked, half the terrain collapsing into canyons from the sheer pressure of their exchanges.
John blocked a strike and spoke mid-motion.
"To make this fair—I won't use my sword."
Gillian laughed, exhilarated.
"If you know martial arts," he said,
"then use it."
John's eyes gleamed.
"…Did you just show me?"
He shifted.
Same stance.
Same breathing.
Same center of gravity.
From their first clash at the Liones estate, John had already read it all.
They moved as mirrors.
Gillian felt it immediately.
His own techniques—reflected back at him, perfected, refined. Each counter subtly guided his circuit output, correcting excess, stabilizing flow.
That was when Gillian understood.
This wasn't just a fight.
It was teaching.
Why he initiated the spar became clear.
One—he would never entrust his daughter to someone weak.
Two—John had dismantled the ten Guardians without effort.
He wasn't rash.
He wasn't greedy.
Because John Merciless was not someone to threaten—or misunderstand.
Minutes passed. Then longer.
Finally—balance.
Gillian landed, steady.
John stopped.
"It seems," John said,
"you've gotten what you wanted."
Gillian bowed his head.
"…I apologize for earlier. A father's role is to make sure his daughter will be okay—now and in the future."
John looked at him evenly.
"If you weren't her father," he said calmly,
"I wouldn't have helped you."
A pause.
"You—and the Guardians—wouldn't have survived Koketsu."
Gillian's eyes widened slightly.
"…So that eye truly exists," he murmured.
"I heard of it in myths. Even in my prime, I never thought it would see the light again."
He smiled.
"You have my approval, John."
Then, firmly—
"You may marry Tessandra someday. When you're both ready."
John nodded.
"Thanks."
They reappeared back at the Liones estate.
Gillian laughed loudly.
"Tess! You'd better make sure I get my grandkids soon!"
"Gillian!" Isis scolded, flustered.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, dear."
She turned to John.
"…Thank you."
John inclined his head.
"It's nothing. I help those I consider family."
He stepped beside Tessandra, kissed her forehead gently.
"I'll be in Karveth for a while," he said.
"There are things I need to take care of."
Tess hugged him tightly.
"Come visit when you're free."
John smiled.
"Of course."
He vanished.
HOSHIGAWA/HOSHIKAWA -
The doors slid open as Kaelen, Alzwalt, and Kael stepped out.
"Come again!" Mitsuki called.
"Visit anytime, big bro!" Rei added.
Asar and Nax waved silently but warmly.
Arata leaned by the doorway, smiling.
"Don't forget," he said lightly,
"come take that spoon again, Kaelen."
Kaelen waved back, smiling.
…What else should I expect on this planet?
Seriously.
Alzwalt and Kael arrived home together.
And far away—
Kaelen returned to the City of Virelia, back to his parents, back to the place he once called ordinary.
The world, however—
Was no longer waiting.