"I guess your plan is to climb that tree and watch the fight from above," Marcel said, looking up at the massive trunk. "That explains why you stopped at one of the last tall trees still standing."
"Exactly," Jackson replied with a nod. "We'll have a clear view of the battlefield without getting caught in the middle of it."
"Great. So now we're risking our necks in a tree instead of on the ground. Fantastic plan, Jack."
"Stop complaining and climb."
The two boys grabbed the rough bark and began making their way up. After a short climb, they reached a thick branch high enough to give them a clear view of the battlefield. They settled against the trunk, keeping their bodies low as they watched the fight unfold.
---
Meanwhile, on the battlefield...
Bash stood amid the wreckage, his blue sword firmly gripped in his right hand. Across from him stood Daimo, whose body had transformed into a monstrous creature.
I can't believe this is happening...
Bash narrowed his eyes, carefully studying the creature's movements.
How can a human transform into a Darkside Spirit? And who is this woman Daimo keeps talking about? Whoever she is, she must possess terrifying power.
His grip tightened around his sword.
If I were still serving as a Shinra of Guhan, I would've reported this directly to Exca. An existence like this can't be ignored.
A strange cracking sound interrupted his thoughts.
Daimo's body began to change once more.
The sword embedded in his chest sank deeper into his flesh. Its steel spread across his torso, extending toward his arms before forming blades along both elbows and down to his wrists. His hands gradually fused with the metal, while his fingers twisted into sharp, claw-like points.
Bash's expression hardened.
He's turning his entire body into a weapon...
"Hehehehe..." Daimo's voice emerged as a deep, distorted growl. "Here I come, Bash."
WHOOSH!
Daimo vanished.
Switch Mode?
Bash barely had time to react before Daimo appeared behind him.
So fast.
He twisted around, raising his sword to defend himself, but Daimo had already launched his attack. Bash managed to deflect the first strike, only for Daimo to swing his bladed elbow across his back.
SLASH!
"Gah!"
Blood sprayed from the wound as Bash stumbled forward. He tried to regain his footing, but the force of the attack sent him crashing chest-first into the dirt.
Dust burst around him.
Daimo gave him no chance to recover.
He activated Switch Mode again, appearing directly in front of Bash with one blade raised for a downward strike.
Damn it!
Bash rolled sideways and activated Switch Mode at the last possible moment.
BOOM!
Daimo's blade slammed into the ground, carving a deep groove through the earth where Bash had been lying.
Bash reappeared several metres away. He landed in a crouch before slowly rising to his feet. Pain burned across his back, and blood had begun soaking through his torn clothes.
He drew a careful breath.
That was close...
His eyes returned to Daimo.
There's no humanity left in that thing.
Bash tightened his grip on his sword. Then, using its edge, he cut across his palm.
Blood welled from the wound and ran down his hand, coating the blade.
Daimo tilted his head.
"Oh? Planning to use that old technique?"
"Sorry, Bash. I can't let you finish whatever you're planning."
Daimo disappeared again.
But this time, Bash was ready.
"Sorry, Daimo. Neither can I."
Bash activated Switch Mode, reappearing behind his opponent. Before Daimo could turn around, Bash shifted his weight onto his supporting leg and drove a Renshi-reinforced kick into his back.
BOOM!
The impact sent Daimo hurtling forward.
He crashed through one tree, then another, snapping their thick trunks as he flew through the forest. By the time he reached a third, he twisted his body and drove both bladed arms into its trunk. The impact slowed his momentum, allowing him to drop heavily to the ground.
The earth cracked beneath his feet.
Daimo straightened and pulled his blades free from the shattered wood.
Several metres away, Bash stood with his chest rising and falling. His wounded back throbbed, but he forced himself to remain upright.
He dragged his bloody palm along the length of his sword.
Gradually, the blue aura surrounding the weapon faded, replaced by a deep crimson glow. The red light spread across the blade like flowing liquid. At the same time, one of Bash's eyes turned blood-red.
He raised his sword.
"Phase one to the Chronicles: Manipulation of Blood."
A faint crimson mist gathered around the blade.
Bash swung once.
SHING!
A sharp wave of Renshi shot across the clearing, cutting through everything in its path. Several trees split apart, their trunks giving way as branches came crashing down around them.
Daimo watched the destruction with a crooked grin, easily avoiding the attack.
"Oh, that old technique..."
He rolled his shoulders, allowing his bladed arms to hang at his sides.
"If I remember correctly, every cut you inflict allows you to manipulate your opponent's blood. A troublesome ability, I'll admit."
His grin widened.
"But you're still stuck at the First phase?"
He burst into mocking laughter.
"Hahahaha! No wonder Exca never sent you on elite missions. You're weak, Bash. There's no place for weaklings among the Shinras."
Bash remained silent.
Daimo began walking toward him, each heavy step crushing the branches beneath his feet.
"The strong always win. Willpower alone won't save you when you're facing someone stronger. You need power... and the will to use it."
He raised both bladed arms.
"If all you've got is determination, you'll die a pathetic death. But if you have the power to back it up, you can rise above everyone else."
He pointed one blade toward Bash.
"So wake up. There's no way you can defeat me like this. Come at me with everything you've got."
"Daimo... I don't know what that woman did to you, but don't forget what you once stood for."
Bash tightened his grip on his crimson sword.
"You were a Shinra. You fought to protect humanity. We shared the same dream... to eliminate the Darkside Spirits threatening our world."
His voice grew firmer.
"We never dreamed of becoming the very things we swore to destroy."
Daimo suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hah! Don't lecture me about dreams, Bash. That was your fantasy, not mine."
He spread his arms, displaying the monstrous body he had willingly embraced.
"Do you remember that mission in the Middle East? The one where we encountered that Special Darkside Spirit?"
Bash's jaw tightened.
"Of course I remember."
How could I forget?
Daimo's laughter faded, replaced by a bitter snarl.
"We were supposed to be powerful Shinras, weren't we? Yet the moment that creature showed us the difference between its strength and ours, we fell to our knees like cowards."
He stepped closer.
"We begged for mercy, Bash. We begged that monster to spare our lives."
His bladed fingers scraped against each other, producing a harsh metallic sound.
"That day, I swore I'd never feel powerless again. Never again would I kneel before something stronger than me."
His voice grew increasingly intense.
"I wanted to climb to the top of the food chain. I didn't want to be prey anymore. I wanted to become the predator."
He leaned forward, baring his sharp teeth.
"I want humans to experience the same terror we felt that day. I want them to understand what it's like to be helpless before something they can't defeat."
"So that's it..."
Bash lowered his sword slightly.
"At first, I thought someone had manipulated you. I thought that woman had forced you into this."
His eyes narrowed.
"But I was wrong. This is what you've wanted all along."
He raised his crimson blade once more.
"Then there's nothing left to discuss."
Bash stepped forward, ignoring the pain in his back.
"I'm no longer an active Shinra, but I still know what my duty is. If you've chosen to become a threat to humanity, then I'll eliminate you myself."
Daimo's expression twisted with rage.
"Then come and try, you weakling."
He lowered his body, preparing to charge.
"I've been waiting for an excuse to destroy you... and Guhan. I'll start by tearing you apart."
Bash adjusted his stance, keeping his sword between himself and his opponent.
For a brief moment, neither man moved.
Then---
BOOM!
Both activated Switch Mode.
They vanished from their positions and collided in midair, their weapons meeting with a deafening metallic clash.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks scattered through the darkness as Bash deflected Daimo's first two strikes. He twisted his wrists, redirecting the blades before attempting a quick cut across Daimo's side.
Daimo pulled back just enough to avoid the crimson edge.
Before Bash could follow up, Daimo drove his other blade toward his shoulder.
Bash ducked beneath the attack and countered with a thrust aimed at Daimo's torso.
His sword scraped across the creature's body, leaving a shallow cut.
Daimo snarled and slammed his elbow against Bash's guard.
CRACK!
The impact numbed Bash's arms and forced him backwards.
He landed on a broken tree trunk, bending his knees to absorb the impact. But before he could steady himself, Daimo's next strike came crashing down, splitting the wood apart.
Bash immediately leaped away, reappearing several metres from his opponent.
His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath.
He's faster than before. And with two blades, he can attack from angles that are difficult to defend against.
Across from him, Daimo flexed his bladed arms.
"What's wrong, Bash? Where's that confidence you had earlier?"
Bash didn't answer.
Instead, he watched Daimo's shoulders, carefully tracking the slightest movements that preceded each attack.
I can't keep blocking him directly. Every clash is wearing me down, and my back is already injured. I need to land a clean cut before this gets any worse.
Daimo suddenly vanished.
Bash turned and raised his sword just in time to block a strike aimed at his neck.
CLANG!
The force drove him down onto one knee.
Daimo immediately followed with his second blade, forcing Bash to abandon his guard and roll away. The weapon's tip struck the ground beside him.
Bash sprang back to his feet and slashed at Daimo's exposed arm.
This time, the crimson blade connected.
A thin line of blood appeared across Daimo's transformed flesh.
Bash's red eye gleamed.
But before he could take advantage of the opening, Daimo drove his knee into Bash's stomach.
"Gah!"
Bash doubled over.
Daimo seized the opportunity, striking him across the chest with the side of his blade. The blow sent Bash crashing into the remains of a fallen tree.
The impact knocked the air from his lungs.
For several seconds, he struggled to rise.
Daimo stood over him, his monstrous body towering above the shattered wood.
"You see, Bash? This is the difference between us. You keep holding on to the past, while I've embraced the power needed to shape the future."
Bash planted his sword against the ground and forced himself upright.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Don't flatter yourself, Daimo..."
He raised his crimson blade despite the trembling in his arms.
"This fight isn't over yet."
Daimo's grin widened.
"Then get up, you fool. I'll gladly finish what I started."
High above the battlefield, Jackson and Marcel watched from their hiding place in the tree.
Jackson's hands tightened around the branch.
The old man is losing...
Marcel swallowed hard.
"Jack," he whispered, "I think we seriously underestimated that monster."
Jackson didn't respond.
His eyes remained fixed on Bash, who was struggling to keep his sword raised.