The north district had gone silent.
The civilians nearby hid inside broken homes watching through cracks in their windows.
Dust drifted through the streets.
And in the middle of the ruined road—
Darius stood calmly facing Drake and Number 7.
The shadows around him moved unnaturally beneath the morning light.
Then—
BOOM!!
Number 7 and Drake burst forward simultaneously.
They moved in zig-zag patterns across the street trying to throw off Darius's perception.
Left.
Right.
Cross.
Switch.
Their movements were fast enough to leave afterimages.
But Darius's eyes followed them calmly.
Number 7 reached him first.
BAM!!
He threw a right punch directly at Darius's face.
Darius immediately raised his palm and struck Number 7's wrist upward.
The punch missed completely.
Without hesitation—
Number 7 twisted his body and threw a left punch toward Darius's ribs.
But Darius ducked beneath it smoothly.
Then used his left foot to kick Number 7's supporting leg off balance.
THUD!!
Number 7's body tilted sideways.
Darius immediately kicked his foot again—
sending Number 7 spinning through the air.
And before Number 7 could recover—
Darius lifted his right leg and brought it down violently.
BAM!!
His heel smashed directly into Number 7's face.
The impact slammed Number 7 into the ground hard enough to crack the street.
Blood sprayed from Number 7's lips as his body bounced across the road.
But Darius didn't stop.
He folded his right fist preparing another strike.
Then suddenly—
Drake appeared above him.
A downward kick aimed directly at Darius's skull.
Darius's eyes shifted upward instantly.
Then instead of blocking—
he followed the motion of Drake's kick.
His body flipped forward fluidly.
And in the same motion—
he kicked upward toward Drake's face.
BAM!!
Drake crossed his arms and blocked.
But the force still blasted him backward several meters across the street.
He slid to a stop near a broken building.
Silence followed briefly.
Then—
Drake slowly stood upright.
His expression darkened.
"…I'm done playing nice."
He spread his arms outward.
"In the name of my Lord Prince Luther…"
"I release the Curse of Light—"
"…Luminous Destruction."
BOOOOOOM!!
Light erupted from Drake's body.
His form became transparent.
His eyes closed completely.
But his entire body illuminated with blinding white light.
The pressure around him intensified instantly.
At the same time—
Number 7 slowly got back up.
Blood ran down his face.
But he smiled.
"In the name of my Lord Prince Luther…"
"I release the Curse of Illusions—"
"…Loki."
Dark energy spiraled around him.
His body became slimmer.
A long black staff formed in his hand.
His aura changed completely.
The air around him distorted unnaturally.
Darius watched both of them silently.
Then—
he smiled.
Rolled his shoulders once.
And cracked his neck.
"…I will enjoy this."
The shadows around the city suddenly started moving.
From alleys.
Buildings.
Under bridges.
Inside broken homes.
Shadows stretched unnaturally toward Darius from every direction.
Darkness engulfed him completely.
Then—
two glowing purple eyes appeared within the darkness.
Chains erupted outward around him violently.
The air became heavy.
Darius slowly spread his arms.
"All shadows…"
"…are mine."
SHADOW EMBODIMENT.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The street exploded apart from the pressure.
Even Drake's light flickered briefly.
Number 7 narrowed his eyes immediately.
Then vanished.
His body blurred across the battlefield leaving multiple illusions behind him.
Ten.
Twenty.
Thirty copies.
All rushed Darius simultaneously.
Each illusion attacked from different directions.
Staff strikes.
Kicks.
Punches.
Darius calmly stood still.
Then—
CLANG!!
A staff strike came from behind.
Darius blocked it with one chain.
Another strike came from the left.
He leaned slightly.
A kick came from the right.
He stepped back.
The illusions attacked relentlessly.
But Darius moved calmly through everything.
Then suddenly—
one of the attacks carried real weight.
Darius's eyes shifted instantly.
"There."
BAM!!
He grabbed the real staff with his left hand.
Number 7's eyes widened.
Then Darius yanked him forward.
And drove his forehead directly into Number 7's face.
CRACK!!
Blood exploded outward.
Before Number 7 could recover—
Darius spun and kicked him in the ribs.
BOOOOM!!
Number 7 crashed through a nearby house wall.
But at that exact moment—
Drake moved.
Or rather—
light moved.
A beam of white light shot across the battlefield instantly.
Darius crossed both chains.
BOOOOM!!
The impact blasted him backward through the street.
The ground melted beneath the beam.
Drake appeared several meters away.
His transparent body glowed brighter now.
"You rely too much on close combat."
Darius smirked.
"And you rely too much on glowing."
Drake disappeared instantly.
Then—
multiple beams of light attacked from different directions.
Buildings exploded apart.
Roads melted.
Everything Drake touched detonated.
Darius vanished into the shadows repeatedly.
Appearing.
Disappearing.
Dodging.
Countering.
The battlefield became a blur of darkness and light.
Then suddenly—
Number 7 burst out from the rubble behind Darius.
His staff extended unnaturally.
The end split into multiple illusionary copies.
All attacking at once.
Darius blocked several with chains.
But one slipped through.
BAM!!
The strike landed against Darius's shoulder.
Number 7 smiled.
"Got—"
But Darius suddenly grabbed the staff.
Then smiled back.
"You talk too much."
BAM!!
Darius pulled Number 7 directly into a knee strike.
Blood sprayed from Number 7's mouth instantly.
Then Darius twisted his body and slammed Number 7 into the ground.
CRAAAAASH!!
The street shattered apart.
Before Darius could continue—
Drake appeared again.
A light blade formed in his hand.
He slashed downward.
Darius immediately raised both chains.
CLANG!!
The impact shook the entire district.
Drake pushed harder.
The light around him intensified violently.
"You can't block light forever."
Darius stared at him calmly.
Then the shadows beneath Drake suddenly moved.
Drake's expression changed.
Chains erupted from his own shadow and wrapped around his legs.
"What?!"
Darius smirked.
"You forgot something."
"Light creates shadows too."
BOOOOM!!
Darius headbutted Drake directly in the face.
The impact sent Drake flying backward.
At the same time—
Number 7 appeared behind Darius again.
His staff aimed toward Darius's neck.
But Darius spun instantly.
One chain wrapped around the staff.
Another wrapped around Number 7's arm.
Then Darius yanked hard.
CRACK!!
Number 7 screamed as his shoulder dislocated instantly.
Darius kicked him in the stomach.
Then slammed him into Drake midair.
BOOOOOOM!!
Both men crashed through multiple buildings together.
Dust exploded into the sky.
Darius slowly walked forward through the smoke.
Chains dragging behind him.
Purple eyes glowing within the darkness.
The shadows around the district pulsed violently.
Drake slowly stood back up coughing blood.
Number 7 beside him breathed heavily.
Both looked exhausted now.
Darius stopped several meters away from them.
Then tilted his head slightly.
"That all?"
The shadows behind him twisted higher.
Like living creatures waiting to devour everything nearby.
And for the first time since the battle began—
Drake and Number 7 felt imminent death.