The giant figure descending from the sky was none other than Baku.
The moment his feet smashed into the ground, the battlefield trembled.
Stone shattered. Bodies were crushed beneath the impact. Several Hokori clan members were killed instantly, their screams cut short as the earth swallowed them.
Fear spread like wildfire.
Before anyone could react, another figure moved.
Nobu entered the battlefield.
His blade, Kagemaru, flashed through the air, slicing cleanly through enemy necks. Heads rolled across the ground as blood sprayed in violent arcs. His movements were sharp, precise—merciless.
Beru, however, saw none of it.
His body finally gave in.
The wounds, the exhaustion, the near-death battles… his consciousness faded, and he collapsed into darkness.
The war did not stop.
Baku charged forward, his monstrous presence overwhelming everyone around him. His eyes locked onto Nobu's father, and without hesitation, he attacked.
At the same time, Nobu turned his attention to the Hokori Clan Leader.
Their clashes split the battlefield.
Nobu moved.
Too fast.
His cursed power surged through his body, twisting reality around him. In a single breath, he closed the distance and slashed across the clan leader's chest.
Blood spilled.
The clan leader staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief.
How… is he this strong?
Even Nobu was shocked.
He could feel it—the power coursing through his veins, far beyond what he remembered. His body moved before his mind could catch up.
But the Hokori Clan Leader was not weak.
With a roar, he caught Nobu mid-motion and smashed his head into the ground.
The impact echoed across the battlefield.
Dust rose.
Silence followed.
Then—
Nobu stood up.
Blood dripped down his face, but his eyes were steady. Unshaken.
He retaliated instantly, landing kick after kick against the clan leader's body. His speed became overwhelming, his movements blurring. Every time the leader tried to grab him, Nobu was already gone.
The Hokori Clan Leader's frustration exploded.
He lost control.
With uncontrollable rage, he slammed his fists into the ground again and again, crushing everyone nearby—enemy and ally alike. His own clan members were not spared.
Screams filled the air.
Nearby, Baku had fully transformed into a beast.
He grabbed Nobu's father by the leg and hurled him into a wall. Stone shattered as the body crashed through it. Baku attacked relentlessly, fists falling like meteors.
But Nobu's father endured.
With a roar of his own, he drove a powerful punch straight into Baku's stomach.
Baku staggered—and fell backward.
His massive body collapsed onto Nobu.
For a brief moment, chaos paused.
Nobu pushed himself free and looked up at Baku.
"We need to end this," Nobu said. "Help me defeat him."
Baku didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward and grabbed the Hokori Clan Leader, locking him in place with terrifying strength.
That was all Nobu needed.
In an instant, Nobu appeared behind the leader.
Kagemaru flashed.
The blade sliced cleanly through the clan leader's neck.
The head fell.
The body collapsed.
The Hokori Clan Leader was dead.
Silence swept across the battlefield.
The other clan leaders stopped fighting.
Weapons lowered.
Eyes turned toward the fallen leader.
Baku and Nobu were confused.
"Why did they stop?" Nobu asked.
Nobu's father stepped forward.
"They were fighting for the Hokori Clan Leader," he said calmly. "Now that he's dead, they have no reason to continue."
One by one, the clan leaders signaled their retreat. Their members followed. No more blood was spilled.
The war had ended.
Only the Hokori clan's women and children remained.
They were terrified.
The leader's sons trembled, barely able to stand.
Nobu stepped toward them.
"Where are Beru's wife and children?" he asked.
Shaking, they obeyed.
Chains were released.
Leashes fell to the ground.
Beru's wife rushed forward the moment she saw him lying there, broken and unconscious. Tears streamed down her face as she held him close.
Nearby, Baku looked at Nobu.
"What should we do with the remaining Hokori clan members?"
Nobu didn't hesitate.
"Let them live," he said quietly. "Let them carry this loss for the rest of their lives."
With that, Nobu and Beru were taken away.
Beru woke later, tears pouring from his eyes as he held his wife and children. He cried not only from pain—but from relief.
And from seeing Nobu, after so many years.
His gang members admitted him into the hospital. His injuries were severe, but his heart was full.
Because once again, Nobu had come.
And saved his family.
Elsewhere, in a quiet house, Nobu sat with Baku, drinking tea.
But Nobu wasn't smiling.
His chest felt heavy.
"I killed him," Nobu said softly.
Baku looked at him.
"If you kill to protect your family," Baku replied, "there is nothing wrong with that. You killed someone who tried to destroy your brother's family."
Nobu stayed silent.
Then his father placed a hand on his head.
"You've grown well," he said.
For a moment, Nobu smiled.
But Baku leaned closer.
"Now you're powerful," he said quietly. "That's why your family wants you back. Not because they care—but because they need your strength."
Something shifted inside Nobu.
His eyes darkened.
The warmth faded.
He didn't reply.
But deep inside—
Baku's words began to take root.