The dimension trembled.Dust swirled in the air, lit by faint streaks of energy that flickered like lightning. Klein and Oban stood side by side, facing Nijack — the man whose grin was sharper than his blade.
Oban's breathing was heavy, his armor cracked from the last round. Klein's aura glowed faintly gold, flickering across his arms as he took his stance.
Nijack looked between them, smirking."So, this is what it comes down to? Two Heroes versus a shadow?"
Klein's voice was calm, almost too steady. "Heroes? No. Just two people tired of monsters like you."
Nijack chuckled, tapping his sword against the ground. "Then come. Show me you're worth my time."
And they moved.
Oban dashed first, his vampiric blade cutting through the air. Klein followed immediately behind, his fists glowing with light energy. Nijack blocked Oban's first swing easily, the two blades sparking with heat, but Klein came from the side — a punch straight to Nijack's ribs.
BOOM!The impact made Nijack stumble — only for a second — then he twisted his body, slashing his sword outward. Klein jumped back just in time, the blade slicing through the air where his chest had been.
"Good reflexes," Nijack said, smiling again. "But not enough."
He vanished in a blink.Oban's eyes widened. "He's gone—!"
Before he could finish, Nijack reappeared behind Klein and slammed his elbow into his back, sending him flying into the cracked wall. The entire surface shattered, and Klein grunted, forcing himself back to his feet.
Oban lunged at Nijack again, fury blazing in his eyes. Their blades clashed once more — metal ringing like thunder. This time Oban didn't hold back. He swung relentlessly, each strike heavier than the last.
Nijack blocked and dodged, his shadow stretching and moving like a living creature, deflecting blows from every direction. His calm face never changed."Still wild," he taunted. "You fight like a beast cornered."
Oban growled, slamming his foot into the ground and thrusting forward. His blade met Nijack's midair, creating a burst of red and black energy that tore through the dimension.
Klein appeared from above, hands glowing. "Oban, move!"
Oban jumped back instantly — and Klein unleashed a golden blast from his palms, hitting Nijack square in the chest. The explosion ripped through the air, scattering debris and light.
For a moment, they couldn't see him.
Then, slowly, from the smoke — a figure emerged.Unharmed. Smiling.
Nijack brushed dust off his shoulder. "That was cute."
Klein frowned, panting slightly. "You've gotta be kidding me."
"Did you think light could erase shadow?" Nijack said softly. "Light only feeds it."
He extended his hand, and the shadows around him surged outward like waves. They wrapped around the ground, climbing the cracks, spreading fast. Oban and Klein jumped onto higher ground, avoiding the creeping dark mist.
Oban muttered, "He's spreading it faster than before…"
Klein nodded. "He's feeding on our energy."
The shadows formed spikes, then hands, then distorted faces — screaming silently. Nijack stood in the center, absorbing their power, his aura flaring violently."This," he said, "is what a real soul looks like."
Oban clenched his teeth. "You call that a soul? It's nothing but corruption."
"Corruption?" Nijack tilted his head. "No, Oban. It's freedom. I don't bind myself to laws or guilt. I take what I want."
He swung his blade, and hundreds of shadow shards shot out, sharp as glass. Klein created a barrier of light instantly — most shattered against it, but some broke through, cutting Oban's shoulder and cheek.
Oban ignored the pain and jumped down, charging directly through the assault. He slashed once — twice — his third hit connecting with Nijack's blade. The collision echoed like a cannon blast.
Behind them, Klein jumped forward again, light coalescing in his palms. He swung both hands, sending two golden arcs toward Nijack. The impact pushed Nijack back a few steps, his smirk fading slightly for the first time.
"Nice teamwork," Nijack admitted. "But let's see how long you can keep it up."
In an instant, he disappeared again — reappearing behind Klein this time. His blade sliced down, but Oban was faster. He intercepted the strike, sparks flying again.
Klein spun, punching Nijack in the face. The impact echoed, sending the shadow man sliding backward.He wiped blood from his lip, grinning wider. "Oh… now we're having fun."
Then the ground split open beneath them. Shadow tendrils burst out, wrapping around Oban's leg, dragging him down. Klein tried to free him, but another tendril shot up, snaring his arm.
Nijack raised his hand. "You two move well together, but you're still predictable."
The tendrils started pulling tighter, draining their strength. Oban's hand trembled as he tried to swing his blade, but the pressure was immense.
Klein gritted his teeth. "He's… sucking our life force—!"
Oban looked up, eyes glowing faintly. "Not… today!"
With a roar, he swung his vampiric blade down, cutting through the tendrils in one powerful motion. The energy blast blew them apart, freeing both him and Klein. They landed a few meters away, panting.
Nijack tilted his head. "You broke my seal. Impressive."
Klein raised his fists again. "You talk too much."
This time, it was Klein who charged first. His fists moved faster than before, glowing brighter with each strike. Oban followed in sync, attacking from Nijack's blind spots.For a while, the three were a blur — fists, blades, and shockwaves colliding in every direction.
Nijack parried Klein's punches with one hand while deflecting Oban's sword with the other. His movements were graceful, effortless, almost inhuman. Every strike they landed was met with equal force.
Oban swung low. Nijack jumped. Klein followed up from above. Nijack blocked both. The air rippled, space cracked, and the floor beneath them began to collapse.
They landed on a floating chunk of ground as the rest of the dimension fell apart around them — endless black void stretching below.
Klein shouted over the roaring wind, "We can't win if we hold back!"
Oban nodded, eyes burning. "Then don't!"
He jumped forward again, his weapon igniting with blood energy. Klein followed with a blinding light strike. Nijack laughed, spinning his sword and creating a spiral of dark energy that collided with both attacks.
The explosion ripped through the battlefield.
Oban and Klein were thrown apart, slamming into the distant fragments of rock. Smoke filled the air. Oban's vision blurred, his blade cracked in half. Klein struggled to stand, blood dripping from his lip.
Through the haze, Nijack walked toward them — calm, unhurt.
"You two did well," he said. "But this is the difference between mortals and beings who've embraced the soul's true form."
Oban gritted his teeth, trying to stand. "Shut up…!"
He swung his half-broken blade, but Nijack easily dodged and kicked him in the chest, sending him sprawling.
Klein yelled, "Oban!" and charged, landing a powerful punch that made Nijack stagger. But Nijack grabbed Klein's arm and twisted it, slamming him into the ground.
He placed his blade against Klein's throat."Maybe I should start with you."
"Try it," Klein hissed.
Before Nijack could strike, Oban appeared behind him — dragging himself forward, bleeding but still alive. He grabbed Nijack's wrist, holding it tight."Don't… touch him."
Nijack looked back, eyes cold. "Still standing? You vampires really don't know when to die."
He swung his free hand, stabbing Oban through the shoulder. Oban grunted in pain but didn't let go. Instead, he tightened his grip. Klein took the opening — punching Nijack again, point-blank.
The impact sent Nijack crashing backward, sliding across the fractured ground.
Oban fell to one knee, coughing blood. Klein pulled him up, his hand glowing faintly to heal him a little.
"Still breathing?" Klein asked.
"Barely," Oban said, forcing a grin. "But he's not walking away clean either."
They looked toward the smoke — Nijack was standing again, brushing his shoulder, smiling faintly but slower this time.His eyes narrowed, a small flicker of seriousness now replacing the arrogance.
"Fine," he said. "You've earned my respect. Not many can make me use more than half my strength."
He raised his blade again — its color shifting from black to deep violet. The ground shook, and his aura expanded like a storm. "Now let's see how you handle the real fight."
Klein steadied himself beside Oban. "You ready?"
Oban lifted his cracked blade. "Always."
The three stared at each other across the shattered battlefield — light and shadow clashing, the air vibrating with energy so strong it made the dimension groan.
And just as Nijack stepped forward —Klein's eyes flared with determination, his aura rising again.
The moment before they collided again, time seemed to freeze.