The violent energy inside the cave continued to swirl.
Cold mist drifted from Ozaki's body while thick black Ink crawled endlessly beneath Rujer's feet. The cracked cave walls trembled from the pressure pouring off both monsters standing at the center of the battlefield.
Neither moved.
Neither looked away.
The air itself felt trapped between them.
The faint silver glow from Ozaki's scythe illuminated the darkness, reflecting against Rujer's blackened skin. Ink dripped steadily from his body, hissing each time it touched the stone floor.
Ozaki lowered his stance slightly.
Calm.
Focused.
His scythe rested across his shoulder while his sharp eyes locked onto Rujer with deadly precision.
Across from him, Rujer grinned crookedly.
Not friendly.
Not sane.
CRACK.
The ground beneath Ozaki's feet split softly.
Muscles tightened beneath his robes.
Behind them, Team Ozaki remained near the cave walls, watching silently.
No one dared interrupt.
Then—
BOOM!
Ozaki vanished forward.
The stone beneath his foot exploded from the force of his leap.
Rujer reacted instantly.
The Ink coating his body thickened violently, surging toward his arms like living armor. Muscles expanded beneath the dark liquid, becoming denser.
Heavier.
More durable.
But Ozaki disappeared.
A silver streak flashed across the cave—
And suddenly he was behind Rujer.
Still airborne.
Scythe already raised.
Rujer felt it immediately.
That overwhelming presence behind him.
His eyes widened as he twisted around, crossing both massive arms into an X-shaped guard—
Too late.
Ozaki spun midair and brought the glowing blade down with monstrous force.
The cave air resisted the swing itself.
As though the atmosphere refused to let the weapon descend.
But Ozaki forced it through.
Because he was stronger.
A violent wave of silver energy erupted outward.
CRAAAAACK!
The scythe tore through Rujer's crossed arms and slammed deep into his chest.
The impact shook the entire cave.
Rujer's body jerked backward violently as black blood burst from his mouth, splashing across the weapon's handle.
Yet—
He smiled.
Wide.
Dangerously.
"Gone."
SSSSSS—
The scythe handle immediately began melting beneath the acidic blood.
Ozaki smiled faintly.
"Figured so."
Without hesitation, he released the dissolving handle, leaving the blade lodged inside Rujer's chest.
Then—
From thin air—
Another silver pole materialized instantly in Ozaki's grip.
He slammed it directly into the embedded blade.
BOOM!
The added force blasted Rujer backward again.
Black Ink spilled from the wound in thick streams, flooding across the cave floor like oil.
Rujer staggered.
One step.
Two.
Then one knee crashed against the ground.
But he didn't fall.
The severed remains of his arms bubbled violently.
Ink climbed upward from the stumps, twisting and thickening before reshaping into brand-new massive arms.
Behind the battlefield, Yamato narrowed his eyes.
That arm…
His thoughts sharpened immediately.
The same size as the palm marks on those dead S-Ranks.
His expression darkened.
It really was Rujer.
Beside him, Lumei's face lit up—
Not from Ozaki's attack.
But from Rujer himself.
His eyes devoured every movement of the Ink.
Every transformation.
Every shift.
Lumei was the Vessel of the God of Shadow.
And right now, standing before him was a man whose magic resembled the ancient records of the Shadow God himself.
He was learning.
Rapidly.
Sora and Chella remained silent, unconsciously moving their arms alongside the battle as though they themselves were fighting.
Meanwhile, Ichiha's eyes never left Ozaki.
Every movement.
Every shift in posture.
Every timing.
He absorbed it all.
Rujer slowly rose back to his feet.
He wiped the blood from his mouth using the back of his hand before letting out a low chuckle.
"Heh…"
His rough voice echoed through the cave.
"Not bad…"
The grin widened.
"Finally something worth feeling."
Suddenly, shadow Ink spiraled violently around both his arms.
The darkness twisted faster and faster before he thrust both palms forward.
Instantly—
Six spinning black spheres formed around him.
Dark orbs.
Each no larger than a soccer ball.
Yet the space around them distorted unnaturally, pulling dust and loose stones inward as they rotated.
Not true black holes.
But close enough to imitate their function.
And every single one carried acidic properties capable of melting anything trapped inside.
Ozaki's eyes narrowed sharply.
High probability of corrosion.
Rujer's grin deepened.
Because each sphere weighed exactly four hundred and twenty-nine pounds.
And together—
They could absorb up to thirteen human bodies.
"All six are aimed at you, Ozaki!"
Rujer burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Ozaki!"
His voice thundered through the cave.
"Each one of these can absorb two fully grown humans!"
Ozaki's expression didn't change.
"You truly are illiterate."
His tone remained calm.
"You know nothing about gods."
Rujer ignored him completely.
"You have six of them rushing toward you!"
The spheres shot forward.
"One… two… three…"
The darkness tore violently through the air.
"That's approximately twelve humans!"
Yet Ozaki showed no panic.
No strain.
SHING.
Six silver blades suddenly surfaced into existence around him.
Not drawn.
Not summoned through movement.
They simply appeared.
Ozaki spun his scythe smoothly, hooked one blade toward himself, and hurled it directly into the first sphere.
CRACK!
Dark mist exploded violently.
He ducked beneath the second orb while redirecting another blade upward into it.
BOOM!
The third approached from behind—
A floating silver blade pierced through it instantly.
Ozaki twisted sideways gracefully.
The fourth sphere descended.
He kicked off another floating blade midair and drove it straight into the orb.
CRACK!
The fifth slipped past him completely.
FOOOOM!
It slammed into the cave floor behind him.
SSSSSS—
The stone vanished instantly.
A crater nearly four hundred and twenty-nine pounds deep formed in the ground as the surface blackened from corrosion.
The surrounding rock hissed violently.
Ozaki landed lightly.
Scythe in hand.
Body lowered.
Focused.
The sixth orb rushed toward him.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the final silver blade and thrust it forward.
BOOM!
The last sphere detonated into black smoke.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Everyone except Yamato.
Only he understood what had just happened.
Rujer's grin faded slowly into confusion.
"How…?"
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"How did your blades survive? Do they contain acid suppressants?"
Ozaki giggled softly as he straightened his posture.
"You exposed yourself the moment you explained what your spheres could destroy."
Silence filled the cave.
Then he continued calmly.
"I simply used my most common blades."
He raised one slightly.
"They each weigh four hundred and thirty pounds."
The realization hit instantly.
Behind him, Ichiha slowly turned toward Yamato.
"If I heard correctly…"
His voice sounded almost disturbed.
"Master Ozaki said those were his common blades."
Sora looked over immediately.
Chella's eyes widened.
Even Lumei stopped watching the battle for a moment.
Ichiha swallowed slowly.
"The blade Yamato used to sever my arm…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…was fancier, heavier than four hundred and thirty pounds."
Back at the battlefield, Rujer smirked again.
"You're smarter than you look, Ozaki."
Ozaki smirked back.
"No."
A pause.
"You're simply dumber."
Then Rujer slowly raised both arms.
Ink bubbled violently across his body.
"Case Form…"
The darkness spiraled upward.
"Form One—"
Two massive spheres formed above him.
Larger.
Denser.
"Rujer's Shadow Bird."
The twin orbs rotated faster and faster until the cave winds began screaming.
The darkness folded into itself violently.
Twisting.
Merging.
Stretching.
Then—
A shape emerged.
Wings.
Claws.
A long curved beak.
A gigantic shadow bird materialized above the battlefield, its body formed entirely from flowing black mist and condensed Ink.
Its wings stretched across the cave ceiling while trails of darkness leaked from every feather.
Then it screamed.
PREEEEEEW!
The sound resembled shattered glass dragged through a storm.
Behind the battlefield, the students froze.
Sora covered her mouth.
Chella stumbled backward.
"Wait…"
Her eyes widened.
"Hold on a second…"
Lumei stared blankly.
"You mean Yamato lifted a blade heavier than that…"
His voice lowered.
"…without any enhancement magic?"
Ichiha nodded slowly.
Then his eyes snapped back toward the massive bird overhead.
The creature circled slowly above Rujer, its glowing black eyes fixed entirely on Ozaki.
Unblinking.
Watching.
Ozaki didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
His feet shifted slightly apart.
Both hands tightened around his scythe.
His body lowered.
Ready.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Let's see…"
His eyes sharpened.
"…if this one is just another acid bird."
Behind the fight, Lumei suddenly frowned.
His gaze shifted downward toward Rujer's body.
The Ink covering him was beginning to bubble strangely.
Almost melting.
Lumei's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Is he dying…?"
A pause.
"No…"
Understanding struck him instantly.
"He's becoming the bird."
The others immediately turned toward him.
Lumei kept staring.
"If he reverts back afterward…"
His expression darkened.
"…he'll return even stronger."
Yamato stepped forward suddenly.
"There's something wrong."
Everyone looked toward him.
Yamato's sharp eyes remained fixed on Rujer.
"He's powerful…"
His voice lowered.
"…but unstable."
A pause.
"The more magic he burns…"
His eyes narrowed further.
"…the more something else starts forming."
Sora looked at him nervously.
"Do you think Master Ozaki can stop him before that happens?"
Lumei never looked away from Rujer.
"We don't know."
His voice grew tense.
"We may need to join the fight ourselves."
The group turned back toward the battlefield.
Above the cave, the gigantic shadow bird screeched once more, spreading its wings wider.
And beneath it—
Ozaki raised his scythe calmly.
Cold mist rolled from his body.
His expression remained steady.
But his eyes carried war itself.
The battle was far from over.
It had only just begun.