—
The skies above Tokyo writhed with celestial fury. Amaterasu reeled from the crack in its divine mask, unleashing a pulse that shattered windows for miles. Energy arced through the clouds, turning night into blinding daylight.
High above, Hoshiro hovered—his aura now a roaring tempest of blue fire. His body trembled not from fear, but from raw power coursing through him, barely contained.
Kazuki's voice crackled through the comm-link. "Whatever you just did—it pissed it off!"
"No kidding," Hoshiro muttered, eyes narrowing. "But I saw it… beneath the mask. It's not a god. It's afraid."
Below, Ayame raced across rooftops, her katana glowing faintly. She was drawing sigils in the air, channeling the forgotten arts of her clan. "Buy me three minutes!" she called through the link. "I can bind its movement!"
"I'll give you two," Hoshiro replied.
Amaterasu roared. Its wings folded inward, charging another beam. But this time, Hoshiro met it head-on. He didn't dodge—he *absorbed*.
The light wrapped around him, but his body didn't break. His aura expanded, lashing back with pure kinetic force.
"WHAT ARE YOU?" the entity shrieked.
Hoshiro's mask cracked slightly at the edge, revealing a faint smile. "I'm the ghost this city forgot," he whispered. "But I never forgot it."
He surged forward—blade drawn, blue lightning dancing from his fingers.
The god flinched.
And the sky exploded.
—