Chapter 86: The Breakthrough
The instant Champagne disappeared—
The battlefield erupted once again.
WHOOOOOOOSH!!
A violent gust of wind exploded behind him as he shot forward, his movements becoming almost impossible to follow.
Even Daito could barely keep track of him.
"...He's gotten faster," Brandon muttered.
"No..." Wei-Wan replied quietly, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. "He's become more precise."
Champagne appeared beside Zachia in a blur.
No dramatic entrance, no roar, just movement.
His fist shot forward.
BAM!!
It slammed into the side of Zachia's armored chest.
The phantom samurai barely moved.
A sword immediately answered.
SHIIING!!
Champagne ducked beneath it.
His leg swept upward.
THUD!!
A kick struck the ghostly horse's shoulder.
The beast stumbled half a step before recovering instantly.
Champagne was already moving.
Palm strike.
Elbow.
Knee.
Another punch.
Each attack landed with surgical accuracy.
Not to injure nor to kill.
Every strike targeted balance.
Momentum and control.
Every movement pushed Zachia slightly farther from perfect synchronization with the phantom horse.
Zachia retaliated with frightening precision. His blade carved through the air again and again. Every slash carried multiple invisible cuts layered within it.
BOOOM!
CRAASH!
Buildings behind Champagne split apart. The streets shattered. Lamp posts collapsed.
Even missed attacks devastated everything around them.
Yet Champagne continued adapting. He flowed around every strike like water moving around stone.
His breathing never broke rhythm.
"...Come on..."
He whispered to himself.
"...Show me..."
The dragon aura surrounding him pulsed gently.
Its ancient eyes never left the phantom horse.
Then Champagne noticed it.
Every attack...Every movement... Every shift in Zachia's balance... Originated from one place.
Not Zachia but the horse.
SWOOSH!
Its movements dictated everything. Its charge generated every devastating strike. Its rhythm controlled the battle.
Champagne smiled.
"...There you are."
He finally understood.
"...Your center of gravity..."
His voice remained calm despite the chaos.
"...It's the horse."
The ghostly samurai charged again sword raised, and horse galloping.
Champagne lowered himself.
SHING!
The blade swept over his head. He slid beneath it. The horse's massive body thundered overhead.
Then—
GRAB!!
Champagne seized one of its front legs with both hands.
The beast immediately fought back, kicking violently. Its ghostly body surged with dark energy.
CRAACK!
The street beneath them cracked.
But Champagne refused to release his grip.
"...Got you."
Every muscle in his body tightened.
The dragon aura roared around him.
ROOOOOOOOAR!!
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
With a tremendous burst of strength, Champagne twisted his entire body and hurled the enormous phantom horse sideways.
The impossible happened as the horse lost its footing and it's s charge collapsed.
The sudden disruption shattered Zachia's perfect balance.
For the first time since entering the Ghost of the Seven Samurai state the armored warrior wavered.
His body tilted only slightly, but it was enough.
Champagne's eyes sharpened.
"...Now."
He exploded upward.
WHOOSH!!
His hands seized Zachia's shoulders before the samurai could recover.
"...WAKE UP!!"
Then—
He drove his forehead forward with every ounce of strength he had left.
HEADBUTT!!
BOOOOOOOM!!
The impact echoed across the battlefield like a cannon blast.
A visible shockwave rippled outward.
For one endless second everything froze.
Zachia's body stopped moving. His ghostly horse became transparent. His sword slipped from his fingers.
CLANG...
The blade struck the broken street as the horse flickered violently it's outline distorted.
The ghostly armor cracked.
Crack...
Crack...
Crack...
One fracture.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
Ancient symbols shattered across its surface. Dark energy leaked from every crack.
The horse let out one final mournful cry.
NEEEEEEEIGH...
Then—
It dissolved into countless particles of fading light.
The samurai armor followed as the helmet fractured first, then chest plate split apart, then lastly the shoulder guards crumbled into smoke.
Piece by piece...The legendary armor disappeared.
Leaving only Zachia.
His unconscious body fell from the empty air.
CATCH!
Champagne reached out instinctively. He caught him before he struck the ground.
The battlefield...finally became quiet.
The dragon surrounding Champagne slowly faded.
Its enormous body dissolved into streams of shimmering light before disappearing into the night.
Only the sound of heavy breathing remained.
Champagne looked down at his friend.
"...You good?"
For several seconds—
Nothing.
Then—
"...Ugh..."
Zachia groaned painfully.
His eyelids fluttered.
"...You..."
He slowly opened one eye.
"...Hit like a damn truck..."
Champagne laughed despite his injuries.
"...Had to."
He shifted Zachia onto his shoulder.
"...You weren't listening."
Zachia looked around.
The ruined streets. Collapsed buildings. Deep sword scars carved across the city. The destruction slowly came into focus.
"...Did I..."
His voice grew quieter.
"...Cause all this?"
Champagne nodded honestly.
"...Yeah."
A long silence followed.
Finally—
Zachia sighed deeply.
"...My bad."
Champagne couldn't help smiling.
"...Next time try apologizing before leveling half the city."
A faint chuckle escaped Zachia.
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Moments later several familiar presences approached.
Daito arrived first, followed closely by Brandon, and Wasabi.
Daito stopped before them.
His sharp eyes carefully examined both men.
When he saw that Zachia had returned to normal he gave a small nod.
"...Nice work."
Champagne waved dismissively.
"...Don't mention it."
But no one missed what had truly happened.
This hadn't been a duel.
It hadn't even been a victory, it had been a rescue.
For several terrifying minutes Zachia had ceased to be their comrade. He had become a force of destruction with no friend or enemy.
And if Champagne had arrived even a few moments later.... No one wanted to imagine the outcome.
Daito finally broke the silence.
"...Don't relax."
Everyone looked toward him.
His expression remained cold.
Focused.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his blade.
"...This battle isn't over."
The mood immediately changed.
"...We still haven't dealt with the rest of the Silver Moon."
The reminder settled heavily over the group.
Mirage.
Shogun.
Baekho.
Three enemies still remained.
And judging by everything they had witnessed tonight...Their true strength had yet to be revealed.
The wind swept quietly through the ruined streets.
Somewhere in the distance...Sirens continued to echo across Kingsville.
The night was far from over.
Chapter 56: Ghost of the Seven Samurai (Final Part)
The silence that followed Zachia's recovery lasted only a few seconds.
Daito's instincts refused to let him relax.
His hand remained firmly wrapped around the hilt of his blade as his sharp gaze swept across the ruined battlefield.
"...Don't lower your guard."
The others immediately understood that this battle wasn't over not even close.
Mirage...
Shogun...
Baekho...
The leaders of the Silver Moon were still out there.
Somewhere watching, planning and waiting.
Before anyone could speak again a voice crackled through the communication device.
Static hissed loudly.
KRRRSHHH...
Then—
Wei-Wan's voice.
"...Too late."
Everyone froze.
Daito's expression hardened.
"...Wei-Wan?"
A brief silence followed before the reply came.
"...I found them."
The entire team's attention sharpened instantly.
Daito stepped forward.
"...Where are you?"
Only static answered at first.
Then—
"...Doesn't matter."
Wei-Wan's voice had become unusually calm.
"...They found me first."
Daito's eyes widened.
"...Do NOT engage!"
His command echoed through the communicator.
"...Hold your position!"
"...We're coming to you!"
For several seconds—
Nothing.
Then a quiet chuckle came through the speakers.
"...Too late for that."
To Be Continued...