**Chapter 17: The Fractured Spirit**
The city lay in ruins beneath a twilight sky, the remnants of Tensei smoldering with eerie blue fire. Shadows twisted unnaturally, crawling along the cracked streets as if the world itself were alive and angry. Aiki's team stood among the debris, breathing hard, sweat and ash covering their faces.
"Is… is everyone okay?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling as she scanned the area. Sparks flickered from her runes, forming a faint protective barrier.
"We've been better," Sen muttered, wiping blood from his lip, chain blades clinking in frustration. "But at least we're still standing."
Before anyone could answer, the air shivered like a disturbed pond. A deep, unnatural growl echoed from above. The ground cracked, and from the rift emerged a spirit of unimaginable power — massive, its form flickering between human and beast, eyes burning like molten gold.
Aiki's hand went instinctively to the Spirit Edge. "Stay behind me," he commanded. But even as he swung the blade, the spirit struck. A shockwave of energy slammed into him, lifting him off the ground, and for a moment, the world spun into darkness.
"#Argh!" Enji shouted as he rushed forward, but even his staff's barrier was barely enough to shield him from the residual blast.
The spirit's presence was overwhelming, crushing the team's resolve. Sakura's runes sparked violently, Sen staggered, and Enji gritted his teeth. Aiki lay motionless, his body scorched, the Spirit Edge sliding from his grasp.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. The spirit tilted its head, as if inspecting a trivial insect, before beginning to retreat into the rift.
Then, something inside Aiki stirred. The faint glow in his chest blazed, spreading through every vein and sinew. He gasped, inhaling sharply, and his eyes snapped open — gold flames bursting to life. The Spirit Edge leapt into his hand as if drawn by some invisible magnet.
"I… I'm not done yet," Aiki whispered, voice steady, burning with newfound power.
The spirit froze mid-step. The air vibrated, the shadows recoiling from Aiki's aura. Light clashed against darkness in a deafening hum as he rose, unbroken. His revived form radiated energy that made even the crumbling city tremble.
Enji, Sen, and Sakura looked on in awe as Aiki's presence became impossible to ignore. The Spirit Edge pulsed violently, resonating with the awakened power within him.
"Let's end this," Aiki said, voice calm but filled with authority. "Together."
And as the spirit hissed and prepared to strike again, the four friends surged forward, their resolve like a blade cutting through the night.