The clash between the two was unyielding, each strike reverberating like thunder across the battlefield. Takeshi moved like lightning—precise, controlled—his sword ablaze with green energy. His opponent, wild and brutal, countered with vicious force, each blow sparking raw power that lit the darkened sky.
Takeshi bellowed, "1st Hour, Decelerate!"Time itself twisted. The demon's movements faltered, slowed as if wading through water. Seizing the moment, Takeshi surged forward, his blade cutting not just through flesh but through the very fabric of time itself.
The demon snarled, caught off guard by the shift, and Takeshi's sword—empowered by his temporal gift—tore clean through its defense in a burst of light and wind.
But the demon wasn't done.
It roared—guttural, primal—as it shattered the grip of time. A deep red aura exploded around it, crackling with chaotic intensity. The ground trembled as the demon charged, faster than before, its fury incarnate.
Takeshi raised his arm. "1st Hour—"Too late.
The demon struck with overwhelming force. Takeshi's body bent from the blow, ribs cracking, breath leaving him in a sharp gasp as he was thrown back.
Pain flooded his senses. But through it, he refused to yield.
Muscle memory and sheer resolve took over. Even without invoking time again, his body moved, mirroring the demon's newfound speed. It wasn't perfect—he was slower, heavier—but he endured. The clash continued, their movements now blurs that left sonic booms in their wake. Every hit shook the ground. Every swing distorted the air.
But Takeshi was fading.
His grip on time, on reality, loosened. His vision blurred, his limbs trembling.
If this fight continues... I'll lose myself.I'll die before I ever reach her.
Then, through the haze of blood and light, he saw her.
Nyx.Collapsed. Still. Mana-depleted. Vulnerable.
A surge of desperation flared in his chest. His heartbeat thundered louder than the battle.
I can't let it end like this.I need to end this… now.
With trembling fingers, he pressed his palm lightly against her arm. A dim glow spread from his hand into her body—a slow stream of his final reserves of mana, transferred silently, selflessly.
Just enough to give her a chance.
His body screamed in protest. He stumbled forward, every muscle burning, and drew his gun. It was cracked, half-broken, but it would have to do.
He took aim.
"Eat this!"The words left his lips in a breathless growl as he fired.
A blinding surge of mana erupted from the barrel, a streak of white-green light that tore through the battlefield and slammed into the demon. The shockwave flattened trees, kicked up dust, and cracked the earth beneath their feet.
For a moment—just a moment—everything was still.
Then the smoke cleared.
The demon still stood.
Only minor scratches marred its obsidian hide.
Takeshi's heart sank. His knees buckled. His strength was gone.
The demon grinned, stepping forward."That was a great fight," it sneered, voice like a blade dragging on bone. "But this is your end."
Takeshi gave a broken laugh. "Guess you're right..." he muttered before collapsing, his vision dimming to black.
The demon turned away, wings unfurling, preparing to fly.
But the air shifted. Something changed.
It stopped, eyes narrowing.
Behind it, a hum of mana.
The demon turned—slowly.
Nyx stood, barely upright, yet unwavering. Her eyes glowed faintly, and in her outstretched hand, a sphere of black energy spiraled violently. Dark matter surged, warping the air around her.
Her voice was low, calm, final.
"Goodbye.""Dark Matter: Black Hole."
A singularity burst into existence behind the demon, its gravitational pull immediate and merciless. The sky itself bent toward it. The demon's eyes widened with true fear for the first time.
"No—!"
Too late.
The black hole tore through reality, pulling the demon into its spiraling void. Its roars were silenced in seconds. Then, with a quiet implosion, the dark matter vanished—leaving nothing behind. Not even dust.
Silence fell.
Nyx staggered, her knees trembling, but she remained standing. Her gaze turned to Takeshi.
He lay still.
Her lips trembled."Takeshi!" she cried, running to him. Her voice cracked as she fell beside him, her fingers pressing to his bloodied chest. "No, no—don't you dare leave me now..."
His eyes fluttered weakly, just once.
A flicker of life remained.
And then, darkness.