The legendary Twin Flow Blades, now broken, became weapons of destruction in his hands.
Chills ran down Dalton's spine looking at kaito.
The clones charged at him. Not a single attack landed on kaito.
He tore through the clones.
Before they could even touch him.
A blur. A butcher. A storm. Leaving petals whirling behind.
Kaito continued to charge forwards, slicing down the clones, muttering numbers under his breath.
Then Kaito closed the distance.
A blur.
The broken blade in his right swung in a clean horizontal arc—straight for Dalton's neck.
Dalton flinched—stepping aside just in time.
As if he hadn't moved, it would've landed.
With urgency, Dalton's fingers crossed—
"Guu!"
A fierce roundhouse struck Kaito in the thigh, carving a slash.
Another hit—his boot slammed into Kaito's chest, slicing as it made impact.
Kaito staggered back.
But the clones didn't stop. New ones arose out of Dalton.
They kept coming.
Kaito grew irritated, cutting through the projections again and again—
Each time they disintegrated into petals before touching Kaito.
Something was different.
Soen narrowed his eyes.
Kagen leaned forward.
Something was off.
"…He's cutting every clone…" Soen whispered.
Kagen's voice was tight with realization.
"…in the exact same spot."
Then—
A sudden x shaped slash burst across Dalton's chest, who was standing across the chamber.
A perfect, clean gash—mirroring the one Kaito had dealt to each clone.
Blood soaked into his white shirt, blooming like ink in still water.
Dalton gasped.
He looked across the chamber.
Kaito stood still. Petals floating around him.
"This bastard…" Dalton muttered.
He charged.
Both warriors collided.
Dalton is still in his Guu, unleashed slashes, beating Kaito down with brutal precision.
Kaito fought back, but Dalton had the edge now.
He battered him, each hit digging deeper.
Then with a charged up blow Dalton sent kaito staggering back.
Then—
Silence.
The two stood meters apart.
Backlit by the light entering the chamber, Kaito's face was shadowed.
He was still, as if he had died standing.
On the other hand, Dalton lit a cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating his bloodied features.
He took a long drag… and exhaled slowly.
They stood right next to the Buddha mural, parallel to it.
Dalton stood on the golden Buddha's side.
Kaito stood on the crimson demon's.
Petals floated gently and got carried away by the breeze flowing through the broken chamber. An indistinct sound of bells ringing were heard from the temple down hill.
Dalton began walking forward.
His expression unreadable.
He rolled his sleeve up just a little higher than before— rolling it up his elbow.
Each step echoed through the chamber.
The monks at the sideline watched in stunned silence.
They thought it was over. There is no way kaito was winning this.
Then—
A laugh broke the stillness.
Sharp. Dry.
It cut through the silence like a blade.
It was Kaito.
All eyes turned toward him.
Even Dalton slowed his steps, one brow lifting mid-stride.
Kaito stood there, bloody and battered…
…and laughing.
Then he moved—
Sliding both of the broken twin blades back into their chipped sheaths.
The sound was soft. Clean. Final.
He pulled the blades off his obi with both hands, holding the sheathed weapons horizontally—one in each hand, arms slightly raised.
Turning slightly, he looked over his shoulder at Soen and Kagen.
"Oii," he said, voice low but clear.
"I'm done with these."
The old men were astonished by this, the fight wasn't over yet. What's with that nonchalant behaviour?
They were puzzled by his actions.
Thud. The legendary blades landed on floor
He dropped them both.
The sound echoed through the chamber.
Kaito began to walk.
Slow. Deliberate.
Toward his sword—
The one he had driven into the ground earlier.
His true weapon.
He reached it, wrapping his fingers around the hilt.
"Fifty!!," he said out loud, bold, lifting the sword elegantly.
Dalton froze mid-step.
His eyes widened.
A tremor passed through him.
Kaito unsheathed the sword fully in one smooth, practiced motion.
He raised it into an overhead stance.
His body centered.
His stance… absolute.
And then—
With eyes sharp and unwavering—he spoke:
"That's your limit."
The words echoed through the chamber.
Dalton
For the first time something was seen on Dalton's face throughout the duration of this fight.
That something was fear.