The moment Rin lunged—
Saito moved.
BOOM!
The two collided in the center of the clearing.
Sword against scythe.
The impact created a shockwave that tore through the ground.
Trees swayed violently.
Dust exploded outward.
Even Matt and Selena had to brace themselves.
"W-What the hell..."
The yellow auris surrounding Saito had become wild.
Almost alive.
Wing-like streams of energy spread behind him.
Rin's grin only grew wider.
"Yes!"
"This is what I wanted!"
With a burst of strength, Rin shoved Saito backward.
Then raised his scythe high.
Red auris gathered around the blade.
The pressure in the air skyrocketed.
"Death Wrath."
The scythe descended.
SLASH!
A massive wave of red energy shot forward.
As it traveled—
it transformed.
The red auris twisted and formed the shape of a dragon.
A roaring dragon made entirely of destruction.
It charged straight at Saito.
Matt's eyes widened.
"Boss used that already?!"
The dragon crashed into Saito.
BOOOOM!
The ground exploded.
Saito crossed his sword in front of him.
The impact dragged him backward.
One meter.
Three meters.
Five meters.
The dirt beneath his feet shattered.
But eventually—
he stopped.
The dragon disappeared.
The dust settled.
Saito stood there.
Completely unharmed.
Rin stared.
Then laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"That was my special move."
"And you blocked it well."
Without another word—
he rushed forward again.
The scythe cut through the air.
Fast.
Deadly.
Rin closed the distance in an instant.
Meanwhile—
Saito simply raised his palm.
Rin laughed.
"Oh?"
"Trying something new?"
The scythe was only inches away.
Then Saito spoke.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
An invisible force erupted outward.
Rin's eyes widened.
For the first time.
His entire body was launched backward.
He smashed through a wall.
CRASH!
Wood and stone exploded everywhere.
Matt and Selena stared in disbelief.
A moment later—
Rin slowly stood.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
He wiped it away.
Then smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Oh..."
"You dare do that to me?"
His red auris erupted again.
He lunged.
Faster than before.
More vicious.
But Saito remained still.
His glowing yellow eyes never left Rin.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
A crushing force slammed down from above.
The ground beneath Rin shattered.
His body was forced downward.
Unable to move.
"What—?!"
For the first time—
Rin looked surprised.
Then—
Saito vanished.
A flash of yellow.
And suddenly he was standing directly in front of Rin.
Sword drawn back.
Yellow auris concentrated around the blade.
Saito's voice remained calm.
"...Rush Spear."
THRUST!
The sword shot forward like a lightning bolt.
SHHK!
The strike pierced into Rin's side.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Rin was thrown backward.
He rolled several times before stopping.
Clutching his wounded side.
The clearing fell silent.
Matt and Selena couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Meanwhile—
Rin slowly looked up.
Then smiled.
"...Well done."
For the first time in the battle—
Death had been wounded.
Rin slowly stood up.
Blood dripped from the wound on his side.
He looked at it.
Then laughed.
"Heh."
"Time to get serious."
Red auris erupted around him.
The pressure shook the clearing.
Matt and Selena immediately stepped farther away.
Neither wanted to be caught in what was coming.
Rin lowered his stance.
Then launched forward.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
His scythe cut through the air.
Fast enough to blur.
But—
Saito vanished.
Rin's blade hit nothing.
"What?"
A yellow flash appeared behind him.
Saito.
His palm was already raised.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
An invisible force slammed into Rin.
His body shot upward.
Launched high into the sky.
Before he could regain balance—
another yellow flash appeared.
Saito was already waiting.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
Rin was blasted sideways.
The air around him exploded.
"What the—?!"
Then another flash.
Saito appeared on his left.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
Rin flew in the opposite direction.
Another flash.
Right side.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
Above.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
Below.
"...Repel."
BOOM!
Each impact struck before Rin could recover.
The sky became a battlefield of yellow flashes.
Matt stared upward.
"...Boss is getting tossed around."
Selena could only watch.
For the first time since joining Hollow Gang—
she had never seen Rin completely unable to counterattack.
Then—
the final yellow flash appeared.
Directly above him.
Saito looked down.
His glowing eyes showed no emotion.
Only determination.
His palm lowered.
"...Repel."
BOOOOOOM!
A colossal force crashed down.
Rin's body became a red streak.
He plummeted toward the earth.
CRASH!
The impact shattered the ground.
Rock.
Dirt.
Wood.
Everything exploded outward.
A massive crater formed where Rin landed.
The entire clearing trembled.
Dust filled the air.
For several seconds—
nothing moved.
Only the sound of falling debris echoed through the ruined battlefield.
The dust slowly settled.
At the center of the crater—
a figure moved.
Rin.
Slowly.
Painfully.
He pushed himself upright.
Blood covered parts of his clothes.
His breathing had become heavier.
But he was still smiling.
Meanwhile—
Saito descended from above.
The yellow auris around him flowed like a cloak of light.
He landed silently.
Not taking his eyes off Rin.
Nearby, Matt tightened his grip on his hammer.
Selena cracked her knuckles.
Both were ready to jump in.
But Rin raised a hand.
"Stop."
The two froze.
"But boss—"
Matt began.
Rin didn't even look at him.
"I said stop."
His voice became colder.
"This is my fight."
Matt clenched his jaw.
Selena frowned.
Then Rin finally glanced at them.
"Watch and learn, pawns."
The two reluctantly stepped back.
Rin turned toward Saito.
Then vanished.
BOOM!
He shot forward.
Faster than before.
Saito immediately raised his sword.
But something felt wrong.
Too slow.
Rin disappeared from his sight.
Then—
he appeared behind him.
SLASH!
The scythe carved across Saito's back.
A deep wound opened instantly.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Saito stumbled forward.
For the first time since transforming—
he had been hit cleanly.
Rin stepped back and smirked.
"There we go."
He rested the scythe on his shoulder.
"Unfortunately..."
"You have to die."
Then his smile faded.
Because something strange was happening.
The wound.
It was closing.
The flesh reconnected.
The blood stopped flowing.
The injury vanished before his eyes.
Rin blinked.
"...Huh?"
For the first time in a long while—
he looked genuinely surprised.
Then a voice appeared beside him.
"...Repel."
Rin's eyes widened.
Saito was already there.
Standing at his side.
Palm extended.
BOOM!
The invisible force struck instantly.
Rin was launched like a cannonball.
CRASH!
He smashed through a wall.
Wood exploded everywhere.
The entire side of the hideout collapsed.
Silence followed.
Matt and Selena stared.
Neither knew what was more frightening—
the fact that Saito could heal...
or the fact that he was learning how to fight Rin in real time.
Rin struggled against the broken wall.
Chunks of wood and stone fell around him.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
For the first time in years—
Death had been defeated.
Saito stood a few meters away.
His yellow auris slowly faded.
The sword in his hand pointed directly at Rin.
The clearing became silent.
Even Matt and Selena didn't dare speak.
Rin looked at the blade.
Then laughed softly.
"Heh."
He leaned against the ruined wall.
"Do it."
Saito didn't move.
Rin smiled.
"It's an honor fighting you, Blue Scarf."
He closed his eyes.
"Go on."
The sword slowly rose.
Saito's grip tightened.
One strike.
That was all it would take.
Then—
a voice appeared in his mind.
A familiar voice.
"You are a kind one."
Kaito.
Saito froze.
The image of his friend flashed through his thoughts.
The jokes.
The arguments.
The years they spent together.
Slowly—
the yellow glow in his eyes faded.
Returning to blue.
The sword trembled slightly.
Then—
he lowered it.
And sheathed it.
SHINK.
Rin opened one eye.
Saito turned around.
"...I'm not like you, Rin."
Rin stared at him.
For a moment—
then smiled.
Saito began walking away.
His voice remained cold.
"Don't ever attack my village again."
Step.
Step.
Step.
He was already leaving.
Then—
Rin spoke.
"I want to join your gang."
Saito stopped.
The forest became silent.
Even Matt and Selena looked confused.
Saito slowly turned around.
"...What?"
Rin grinned.
"I want to join Blue Scarf."
Saito narrowed his eyes.
"Why should I let you in?"
Rin looked directly at him.
Then said something that froze him in place.
"Your friend."
"The assassin."
Saito's eyes widened slightly.
Rin's grin returned.
"You can bring him back."
The world seemed to stop.
"Kaito...?"
Rin nodded.
Saito immediately stepped forward.
"How?"
Rin chuckled.
Then pointed at him.
"Let's make a deal."
The smile on his face became dangerous.
"I help you bring that assassin back."
"And in exchange..."
"...you recruit me into your gang."
Silence.
Matt looked horrified.
Selena blinked repeatedly.
Neither expected this conversation.
Saito stared at Rin.
Trying to determine whether he was lying.
Trying to understand what game he was playing.
Finally—
he spoke.
"...Deal."
Rin's smile widened.
And somewhere deep inside the forest—
a new and very dangerous alliance began to form.