Ryu reached down and drew the sword from his waist.
He stared toward the sky.
"Association."
A voice responded through the communication device.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Use the Beam."
"Understood, Sir."
Moments later—
The sky above the castle began to distort.
A massive aircraft emerged from the clouds.
It was so enormous that its size dwarfed the entire realm beneath it.
A brilliant light began gathering at its center.
The weapon was charging.
"It's going to take a while, Sir."
Ryu remained calm.
"Alright."
He glanced back toward the Architects.
"Send in the Red Corps Commanders to deal with them."
"Understood."
Ryu turned to leave.
But before he could take another step—
"Ryu."
He stopped.
Nexus stood behind him.
"Do you really think I'll let this go unresolved?"
Ryu slowly turned his head.
"Of course not."
Ryu raised his blade.
The instant the sword left its sheath, the space around them began to distort.
Cracks appeared throughout the air.
Ryu vanished.
Nexus's eyes widened.
A slash came toward him.
He narrowly dodged.
But before he could react—
Ryu appeared behind him.
Slash!
Nexus was sent crashing to the ground.
Blood escaped his mouth as he coughed.
Kural immediately reacted.
He raised his hand.
"Box."
A massive barrier formed around Ryu.
But Ryu simply swung his sword.
The box was instantly sliced into countless pieces.
Mao raised her hand.
Chains emerged and attempted to bind Ryu.
He cut through them with ease.
"Nexus!"
Kural looked toward him.
Nexus slowly pushed himself off the ground.
"Kural."
He looked at Mao.
"Get Mao out of here. Now."
"But—"
"GO!"
Kural gritted his teeth.
"Fine!"
Nexus turned toward Ryu.
Then he closed his eyes.
He began chanting.
"O Gods of this world..."
The air around him began to tremble.
"Bestow upon me my youth of ever so glory."
Energy began gathering around his body.
"That I may strike down my foe."
His voice grew louder.
"I, the Overture, command my youth!"
A tremendous surge of energy erupted from Nexus.
The entire battlefield disappeared beneath the dust.
Silence.
Then—
A figure emerged.
Nexus.
But he was no longer the old man everyone knew.
His glasses were gone.
His gray hair had returned to its original dark brown.
A watch rested upon his wrist.
A blade hung from his waist.
And around his body—
Time itself was breaking.
Blue silhouettes of clocks and fragments of passing moments flowed around him.
Nexus opened his eyes.
"Let's end this, Ryu."
Ryu smiled.
"Indeed."
He raised his sword.
"This will end in your demise."
The two disappeared.
BOOM!
Their weapons collided.
The Infinite Realm shook from the impact.
Kural immediately created another barrier around himself and Mao.
But the barrier began cracking almost instantly.
Kural's expression changed.
"It's useless!"
He looked toward Mao.
"We need to escape!"
Mao nodded.
"Okay."
She held out her hand.
"Touch my hand."
Kural grabbed it.
In an instant—
The two vanished.
They reappeared at the entrance of the Architects Domain.
Kural immediately looked around.
"We need to call for help."
Mao remained silent.
"There is no way Nexus will ever beat Ryu."
Kural looked at her.
"Why is that?"
Mao opens her umbrella
"Because Ryu is the Sword Saint."
She paused.
"He's one of Tar's vessels."
Kural's eyes narrowed.
Mao thought for a moment.
Then her eyes widened.
"I know someone."
Kural looked at her.
"We need to find the Sage."
"You think the Sage can defeat him?"
"No."
Mao shook her head.
"But she can most definitely hold him off."
Kural stared at her for a moment.
"Fine."
The two opened a rift.
"Let's go."
They stepped through.
On the other side, they immediately began searching for the Sage.
Then—
Mao spotted someone sitting beneath a tree.
"There."
She approached.
"Hello, Great Sage. We have come here for your assistance."
The woman looked up.
"Greetings."
Then she saw Mao.
Her eyes widened.
She immediately stood.
"Mao?"
She smiled.
"It's been so long! How have you been?"
Mao stared at her in confusion.
"I'm sorry..."
She tilted her head.
"But we've never met before."
Oyuki's smile slowly faded.
She understood.
It had happened again.
Mao had forgotten.
"...Yes."
Oyuki composed herself.
"You're right."
She looked toward Mao.
"What is it that you need?"
"In the Architects Domain, the Sword Saint Ryu is battling one of our Architects."
Mao bowed slightly.
"We would like your help, please."
Oyuki raised an eyebrow.
"We?"
She looked around.
"But you are the only one here."
Kural nervously stepped out from behind the tree.
"H-Hello, Great Sage."
He awkwardly bowed.
"I am the Architect of Force."
Oyuki looked at him.
"Ah."
She nodded.
"Very well."
She stood.
"I shall assist the both of you."
"Thank you."
Mao extended her hand.
"Grab my hand, please."
Oyuki and Kural each grabbed one of Mao's hands.
A rift opened.
The three stepped through.
They returned to the entrance of the Architects Domain.
But the moment they arrived—
They saw nothing but destruction.
The castle was in ruins.
The ground had been torn apart.
The air was filled with dust.
And in the middle of it all—
Nexus lay motionless on the ground.
His body was covered in blood.
Above him hovered Ryu.
His sword was raised.
He was about to strike.
Then—
Clang.
The blade stopped.
A strange force held it back.
Ryu looked toward the source.
Oyuki stood there.
Her blessing surrounded the blade.
Ryu scoffed.
"Why are you here, Great Sage?"
Oyuki calmly stepped forward.
"It seems trouble has come upon the Architects Domain."
She looked around.
"I have come to resolve this conflict."
Ryu stared at her.
Then he slowly sheathed his blade.
"I did not come here to fight you, sorceress."
A rift appeared behind him.
Ryu turned toward it.
Before he could enter—
"Ryu!"
He stopped.
He looked back.
Nexus was standing.
Barely.
His body trembled.
But he remained upright.
"I swear..."
Nexus clenched his fist.
"I will find a way to help you."
For a moment—
Ryu smiled.
Then it disappeared.
"There is nothing to save, Nexus."
He turned toward the rift.
"Move on."
Before stepping through, Ryu looked toward Mao.
His eyes narrowed.
Then he smiled.
"I will come back for you..."
He paused.
"...once it awakens."
Ryu disappeared into the rift.
Silence fell over the ruined domain.
Oyuki's expression darkened.
"This is such a mess."
She raised her hand.
"Reverse Recovery."
A wave of energy spread across the Architects Domain.
The destruction began reversing.
Broken walls reconstructed themselves.
Destroyed objects returned to their original positions.
The ruined castle returned to its former state.
Within moments, everything had been restored.
And just as quickly as she had arrived—
Oyuki left.
Mao and Kural walked toward Nexus.
He had remained completely still.
"Nexus."
Kural looked at him.
"Are you alright?"
Nexus didn't respond.
His head slowly lowered.
Then—
A tear slid down his cheek.
"I'm sorry..."
His voice trembled.
"I'm sorry for not being able to protect you guys."
Kural remained silent.
Mao stared at Nexus.
For a moment, something strange flickered within her eyes.
Then Nexus's body suddenly changed.
His youthful form disappeared.
His hair returned to gray.
His glasses reappeared.
The power of his youth had ended.
He was once again the old Nexus they knew.
Mao said nothing.
She simply turned around.
And walked away.
Later that night.
Mao lay quietly on her bed.
She stared at the ceiling.
Her mind was filled with questions.
Ryu's words echoed through her head.
I'll come back for you once it awakens.
"What awakens...?"
She slowly turned her head.
Her eyes landed on her desk.
Something sat there.
A portrait.
Mao reached toward it.
She picked it up.
The picture showed herself standing beside another person.
Someone she didn't recognize.
She stared at the stranger.
Something about them felt familiar.
But she couldn't remember.
Not even a name.
Her fingers tightened around the frame.
"...Who are you?