NARRATOR:
The weight of dominance... against the never-dying will of defiance.
Who will prevail?
The crimson glow of the chamber flickers. The Red Knight towers over Dante, Ada, and Raen—its helm tilts, glassy and unblinking.
SFX: "GHHHNNN—CLINK..."
The Knight extends one massive arm and smashes it into the mirrored walls. Shards explode outward in a storm of jagged light.
SFX: "KRRRRSHHHHH!!!"
The airborne shards swirl midair, merging into a single blade—its edge glowing crimson.
SFX: "VMMMMMM... CHINK!"
The Red Knight grips it.
It raises the sword, pointing it toward Dante, who kneels with Raen still in his arms.
The crimson light paints both their faces.
SFX: "HHHHHHMMM—" (low hum of cursed resonance)
Close-up: Dante's eyes reflect the blade's glare.
DANTE (thoughts):
There's no way out... Not unless I fight.
I have to protect her—no matter what.
He gently sets Raen behind him, standing between her and the Knight. His breathing steadies.
SFX: "HAAAHHH... (slow exhale)"
Close-up: Dante's hand glows blue as asmall black dagger with a white edge and a hilt made out of bones. his palm—shimmering with dense dark energy.
SFX: "CHHHHIIINK—FWOOOOOM!"
Their gazes lock. The tension thickens.
The Red Knight walks. Then jogs. Then—dashes.
SFX: "THUD. THUD. THUD. WHOOSH!!"
The sword swings down in a wide arc—
SFX: "KRRRAAAAASHH!!!"
—only for Dante to block with his dagger. The impact shatters nearby mirrors into raining shards.
SFX: "CLAAAAANG!!! SHHHHRAAASH!!"
The two blades grind against each other, sparks flying as the Knight presses down.
SFX: "ZZZZT—GRRRNK!"
The Knight leans closer, crimson aura flaring—arrogant, almost amused.
SFX: "HHHHNNNN..."
Dante strains, veins bulging, sweat dripping down his temple.
Raen watches in horror, frozen.
DANTE (thoughts):
No... not yet... I won't lose here.
SFX: "THUMP... THUMP..." (heartbeat)
He roars, pushing upward. Energy bursts through the chamber as shards explode outward.
DANTE: "RAAAHHHHH!!!"
SFX: "BOOOOOOOM!!!"
The Knight retaliates—slamming his sword downward. But Dante blurs out of sight.
SFX: "FSSSHHHHH!"
The blade crashes into the ground, shattering the floor.
SFX: "KRRRAAASHHH!!!"
The Knight looks around—but too late.
Dante appears behind him, slashing across his shoulder.
SFX: "SHHHK—SPLAT!"
Blood arcs across the air.
The Knight growls, wrenching his blade free, turning with fury.
RED KNIGHT: "Grrrrrr...!"
SFX: "GRRNNNNK—!"
It swings horizontally—splitting the air with terrifying speed.
SFX: "SWOOOOOSH—CRRRAAAACK!"
Dante barely leaps back in time, the blade grazing past his face.
SFX: "FWWWWOOOOOOM!"
He lands, frowning, dagger up.
DANTE (thoughts):
That was too close... Another inch and I'd have no head.
The Knight roars, lunging again.
SFX: "RRAAAAAHHH!!!"
Dante ducks under the swing, slides forward, and slashes across the Knight's torso.
SFX: "SHHHHRAAACK—!!!"
Blood splatters, hissing against the ground.
The Knight stumbles but spins, furious. Their weapons collide again—dagger against greatsword.
SFX: "KRRRSHHH—SKRRAAAA!!!"
Sparks shower the air.
The Knight kicks Dante backward—sending him crashing into a wall of mirrors.
SFX: "THUDDD!!"
The Knight summons shards midair—turning them into spikes aimed at Dante.
SFX: "VMMMMM—TCHK TCHK TCHK!"
Raen gasps in terror as Dante is about to collide—
—and suddenly his body dissolves into shadow, passing through the mirror.
SFX: "SHHHHHHHHHHH—"
The Knight freezes, realizing what happened. Yamada stares wide-eyed, speechless.
RED KNIGHT: "What... trickery is this—!?"
The Knight turns, ready to strike Yamada—then stops, trembling.
The air thickens with crushing pressure.
SFX: "DOOOOOOMMMMMMM..."
Two glowing eyes appear in the darkness. Dante steps out—his body armored in living shadow, a violet crystal pulsing on his chest.
SFX: "ZZZZZZHHHH—FWOOM."
DANTE: "Time to end this."
Water begins to flood the ground, rippling at his feet.
The Knight panics, swinging wildly.
RED KNIGHT: "NO! I won't die here!"
Each strike cuts only through illusion and mist.
SFX: "SWOOOSH—SHHHHHHHK—WHAM!!"
Dante fades, then reappears at arm's length.
The world slows.
Dante's shadow armor flares—purple light slicing through darkness.
SFX: "VVVVVRRRRMMMM... SHHHK!"
One clean motion.
Purple energy tears through the panel.
SFX: "KRRRSHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
The Red Knight's head separates from its body. Both crash to the floor.
SFX: "THUUUUD."
Silence. The shadow armor drips off Dante like smoke. Raen stares—half terrified, half awed.
NARRATOR:
For the first time in centuries, the Shadow Blade Hunter falls.
And from his ashes rises... the Shadow Mancer.
Dante kneels, raising one hand over the fallen Knight.
The body trembles as its shadow is drawn out, twisting and reshaping into dark flame.
SFX: "WHOOOOOOOOSH—SHHHHHHHHHH..."
The crimson fades into purple.
The resurrected shadow kneels before Dante.
NARRATOR:
Thus awakens the Redd Knight's shadow—
bound in eternal servitude... to its new master.