YUGO'S INNER WORLD
Back in Yugo's inner world, the battlefield had become a graveyard of broken blades. Fragments of shattered swords littered the ground as Yugo struggled just to remain standing. Across from him, Kuro stood tall, barely injured, his presence calm and merciless.
"Why don't you just give up, this battle is over," Kuro said as he began walking slowly toward him.
"You managed to break all of your weapons and now you're unable to stand."
Yugo forced himself upright, pain surging through his body. "This battle isn't over until I die."
"So be it."
Kuro raised his sword, ready to strike the finishing blow.
"I said this battle isn't over until I die and I won't be dying today."
Yugo slammed his hand toward the ground in front of Kuro's feet. Seven glowing points of spiritual energy appeared around Kuro, connecting in an instant before exploding into a circular beam of spiritual energy.
"Why you fox."
Kuro dropped his sword as the attack detonated. When the light faded, he struggled to stand, severely injured.
"This is the….."
Yugo grabbed Kuro's fallen sword, pouring a massive amount of spiritual energy into the blade before swinging downward.
"END!"
But before the sword could reach Kuro, a hand blocked the blade.
"What the…?"
"That's enough Yugo."
"Thorfinn Why are you stopping me."
"There is no need to continue."
Outside of Yugo's inner world, in Hell, June, Zeke, Aries, and Martha sat outside the room Yugo had entered.
"Its been 3 hours since he's been in there," Zeke muttered.
"Its 2 hours not 3," Martha corrected.
"What matters he's been in there for a long time now."
At that moment, a powerful Reiki surged from the room. The door opened, and Yugo stepped out, covered in dark energy shaped like a body.
"Hey kid are you in there," June asked.
"Grrrrr."
The dark body shattered, leaving a dark mask that dissolved moments later.
"I am finally done with that exhausting battle."
"Would you say you're good to go."
"Yeah, I'm good."
"Okay take these."
"A new uniform."
"Yeah it's made for extra protection."
"Cool I'll wear them now."
"No not yet, you must get healed up first."
BACK IN THE HUMAN WORLD
Akira is sent flying, crashing violently into a wall.
"Are you going to take me seriously," Kokuki said as he rushed forward and stabbed him.
SECTOR 2 BARRACKS
In Sector 2 barracks, officers screamed in despair and pain as they were mercilessly killed by a sword spirit wielding a dagger.
"You're all weak, where is your captain."
A storm of shuriken and kunai flew toward the spirit. It dodged effortlessly, grabbed one mid-flight, and hurled it back—but the attacker caught it cleanly.
"Enough, your battle is with me so leave my officers alone."
The sword spirit looked up to see Veronica, captain commander of Sector 2.
"Ahh so you've finally came, I thought I would have to kill more of your allies to get your attention."
"You truly are bloody for my sword spirit, huh Shitanshin."
"I'll make sure that I'll kill you."
Veronica sighed and leapt into the air, drawing her sword and attacking. Shitanshin vanished. As Veronica landed, Shitanshin reappeared behind her, aiming to stab—but Veronica switched her blade to her right hand and blocked the strike behind her back. Shitanshin pulled away and leapt upward, launching two kicking strikes. Veronica spun and mirrored the movement, the two forcing each other back.
"I'm surprised your keeping up."
"Please you know damn well I would prove a challenge to you in hand to hand combat."
"Well of course I knew, after all you aren't the captain commander of the assassination sector for nothing."
"Well then shall we continue."
"Gladly."
Shitanshin rushed forward and hurled her dagger. Veronica raised her blade just in time to block it—but in the same instant Shitanshin appeared at her right side and kicked her in the face, sending Veronica sliding back. Veronica steadied herself, regaining her composure just as Shitanshin appeared above her, thrusting downward. Veronica lifted her sword and blocked.
Their blades clashed. In a blink, Shitanshin used spirit flash to appear directly in front of Veronica, slashing toward her face. Veronica barely retreated in time.
"Dammit."
A small cut appeared on Veronica's cheek.
"You pulled a fast one on me, shita."
"You should be more worry about that cut or have you forgotten."
Veronica suddenly collapsed to her knees as purple veins pulsed outward from the wound.
"I guess I forgot about Mahi-giri."
"How did you forget a technique that can literally render you motionless."
"Maybe I was focusing on my own self improvement, I forgot about your techniques."
"Are you being serious."
"Mahi-giri, a technique when someone gets cut by your dagger you become paralyzed for 10 minutes, a very effective technique for assassination."
"I can't even bear to look at you."
Shitanshin reverted her dagger into a sword and raised it high.
"I shall now put an end to your bloody life."
She swung downward—but at the last moment Veronica caught the blade with her left hand. Blood spilled from her palm.
"How?, you shouldn't be able to move."
Veronica grabbed her sword and lunged, aiming for Shitanshin's heart. Shitanshin shifted, the blade impaling her shoulder instead.
"You really are a nuisance."
"A nuisance I may be, but I am also your master making everything you do my responsibilities."
"Don't you dare give me that crap."
Veronica pulled her sword free and released Shitanshin's weapon. Both jumped back, creating distance.
"I guess I forgot to tell you, today will be the last day of your freedom."
"Cocky are we."
"And what if I am."
Shitanshin's expression twisted into fury.
"I'll shatter that overconfidence of yours."
Elsewhere, Shinra and Enma continued their clash, blades colliding as waves of flames exploded outward with every strike.
"This clash will never end at this rate."
Shinra shot into the air, Enma follows in a blaze of fire. Shinra stopped and slammed his foot into Enma's face, sending him crashing back to the ground.
"It seems even though his personality has changed his fighting habits haven't."
Shinra landed as the dust settled.
"I really underestimated you, I should've been more alert there."
"I agree, you can never let go of your habits."
"Well then I'm gonna have to kill you with yonkai."
Shinra grinned mischievously. "Be my guest."
"Flames of fury burning deep, ignite my soul burning with rage, burn hot and rise above."
Flames engulfed Enma's arms. When the fire faded, his sword had transformed into a glove—red palms, white top, and layered white armor at the wrist with a red segmented band along half his arm.
"Remember, you wanted this."
Flames spread from Enma's gauntlets across the ground. Shinra's eyes glowed bright red, a haunting smile forming. Four hexagons formed around Enma, lines extending outward until a fifth hexagon completed the pattern.
"You greatly underestimated my abilities."
Harpoons erupted from the ground—two piercing Enma's legs, two his arms, one through his chest, and the final one through his neck.
Enma with a furious voice.
"You foxy brat."
Shinra remained composed.
"You were reckless, and now you ended up in this situation."
"Why do these things hurt so much."
"Its quite simple, Those harpoons hit your Critical Spirit Stars."
Enma said with an annoyed look.
"Impossible, no normal harpoons can do that and even if they could you would need to know how to see the spirit network to pull this off."
"I don't know how to see them but my brother can."
"You're brother."
Tesai emerged from the rubble. "I can't believe that worked."
"I guess that means you got your sword spirit back."
"Yeah, then I decided to rush over here."
"Just look at you, all beat up."
"Shut up."
Enma struggled to speak. "Hey, how did you even pull this off to catch me like this."
"I'll tell you when you reform as my sword spirit again."
"Well good luck because you still have to hit one more star."
Shinra threw a canister onto the hexagon lines. A black substance spread across the pattern, glowing with a black-purple hue.
"See you soon enma."
The hexagon lines erupted into a beam reaching the sky, triggering a massive explosion.
"That's a larger explosion then predicted."
As the flames faded, only Enma's arm weapons remained before dissolving into spiritual energy.
"Did we get him."
"Yeah, we beat your sword spirit."
Shinra and Tesai collapsed onto the ground and shouted together.
"Yeaaahhhhh."
"We defeated two sword spirits and now many more to go."Tesai said.
Shinra exhausted
"Yeah, but I wouldn't mind taking a little rest."
BACK TO VERONICA VS SHITANSHIN
The battlefield trembled as the clash between master and sword spirit resumed.
Veronica narrowed her eyes and declared,
"If you think that, then I'd like to see you try."
In response, Shitanshin released her spiritual energy outward. It burst from her body in violent waves, distorting the air around her like heat rising from a blazing inferno.
Veronica smiled faintly and said,
"Looks like someone is ready to fight seriously."
Shitanshin's gaze darkened as she replied coldly,
"Get ready to die."
In an instant, Shitanshin vanished. She moved with blinding speed around Veronica, leaving behind afterimages that flickered like ghosts circling prey.
Inside her mind, Veronica steadied herself and thought,
"I need to find a way to not get heavily injured from her attacks."
Shitanshin's voice echoed from somewhere within the shifting mirages as she asked,
"What are you planning over there?"
A grin stretched across Shitanshin's face as she observed her master.
Veronica answered calmly,
"Don't worry, I was thinking on how to humiliate you."
Rage flared in Shitanshin's eyes.
Shitanshin snapped back,
"Humiliate me, huh? Good joke."
Suddenly, thin crimson lines tore across Veronica's body. Multiple cuts opened almost simultaneously, spraying arcs of blood into the air.
Within her thoughts, Veronica realized,
"My eyes are starting to keep up."
At the same time, Shitanshin calculated in her own mind,
"I need to kill her before she starts keeping up with my movement."
Shitanshin lunged forward, aiming her blade directly at Veronica's heart. But just before the dagger could pierce flesh, Veronica's hand shot out and seized Shitanshin's wrist mid-thrust.
Shock overtook Shitanshin's expression as she exclaimed,
"No way, how did you—"
Without hesitation, Veronica swung her blade in a brutal arc. Steel sliced clean through Shitanshin's left arm. The severed limb spun away as blood erupted violently from the stump, splattering across the fractured ground.
Shitanshin retaliated instantly, attempting to kick Veronica away. But Veronica threw her sword high into the air, stepped inside the kick, and delivered a savage uppercut that launched Shitanshin skyward.
Before Shitanshin could even orient herself, Veronica appeared above her. As gravity reclaimed them both, Veronica caught the falling sword and drove it straight into Shitanshin's stomach.
They crashed into the ground with devastating force.
Dust billowed outward in thick clouds. When it finally settled, the sight was merciless.
Veronica stood over Shitanshin. One foot crushed down on Shitanshin's remaining arm. Her other knee pressed heavily against her stomach. The sword remained impaled deep within Shitanshin's abdomen, blood pooling beneath her and soaking into the dirt.
Shitanshin coughed violently, thick blood spilling from her mouth before she screamed,
"Get off of me, you bitch!"
Veronica's face became completely emotionless as she responded,
"You underestimated what I can do without you, and that is your greatest mistake."
Through clenched teeth, Shitanshin spat back,
"So what? You think you can kill me now?"
Veronica slowly pulled her sword free from Shitanshin's stomach. Blood followed the blade as it slid out with a sickening sound. She raised it high, preparing to sever Shitanshin's neck in a single decisive strike.
But then—
Shitanshin's eyes widened.
A grin crept across her blood-covered face.
Shitanshin whispered with chilling confidence,
"You're too slow."
A massive surge of spiritual energy detonated from her body. The explosion of force blasted Veronica backward violently, sending her skidding across the ground.
Shitanshin rose to her feet, blood dripping freely, spiritual pressure roaring like a storm.
Shitanshin declared,
"This is the end game."
She summoned her sword and pointed it toward the sky.
Veronica's face turned pale. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she said,
"No… you wouldn't dare."
Shitanshin's voice was steady and merciless as she answered,
"I told you, I will kill you. Just watch."
The spiritual energy around Shitanshin began to condense inward. It compressed tighter and tighter into her body until the pressure alone created violent winds that tore across the battlefield.
Then she invoked her technique.
Shitanshin proclaimed,
"Gokai: Sōkō kishi-Shitanshin."
The condensed spiritual energy exploded outward in a spiraling eruption. The blast twisted into the sky before gradually dissipating.
When the storm cleared, Shitanshin stood transformed.
Red medieval armor with golden trims encased her body. In her hand rested a black longsword, its blade pulsing with red energy flowing through its center like molten blood.