Dust drifted through the air near the southern side of the City of Dawn.
The broken streets were cracked from the pressure of the battles happening across the city. Pieces of stone floated for moments before falling back down. The wind carried the smell of smoke, sea salt, blood, and burning curses.
Near the palace wall, three figures stood facing each other.
Eryndor stood calmly with his hands lowering from his fighting stance.
Across from him were Number Zero and Number One.
The pressure around the three alone was enough to make the nearby air heavy.
Number Zero slowly spoke.
"Why did the Black Sun Syndicate choose to come to the City of Dawn? Wasn't Atlas enough?"
Eryndor looked at him without emotion.
"For all your misdeeds and wrongdoing toward the poor citizens… all of you will die. Including the lord you serve."
Number One immediately stepped forward.
"How dare you disrespect the Round Table!"
Eryndor looked toward him.
"Why do you even serve someone like that?"
Zero answered instead.
"Because when the world discarded us… he took us in. He gave us power and a reason to live."
The masked man's voice remained steady.
"And for that… we of the Round Table devoted our lives to him."
Eryndor suddenly laughed.
Not loudly.
But enough to make the atmosphere colder.
"That's just saying you're mentally weak."
The words hit hard.
"Grow up. The world didn't promise you anything. You fight for what you want."
The wind shifted around Eryndor's feet.
"And this is exactly why people are easily led astray. Because of emotions. You feel something in the moment and suddenly decide your choices are righteous."
His eyes narrowed.
"It's truly despicable."
Number One clenched his fist.
"Shut up!"
He ripped off his glove.
The symbol of "1" was marked across the back of his hand.
"I am Isumi, Number One!"
Zero stepped beside him.
"I am the Nameless Blade… Zero."
Eryndor slowly got into stance.
"Let's throw hands."
BOOM.
The ground beneath Isumi shattered first.
He vanished like a flash and appeared directly in front of Eryndor.
A right punch exploded toward Eryndor's head.
Eryndor tilted slightly left.
The punch missed his face by centimeters.
At the same moment Eryndor kicked upward toward Isumi's jaw—
—but Isumi twisted his body mid-motion and blocked with his forearm.
THUD.
The impact still sent pressure across the street.
Eryndor immediately planted his left foot and shifted his hips.
His next kick came lower.
Directly toward Isumi's leg.
BAM.
Isumi's balance shifted.
Eryndor spun instantly.
His heel smashed into Isumi's temple.
The force launched Isumi sideways into the palace wall.
CRAAASH.
Stone exploded outward.
But before the dust even settled—
Zero moved.
He ran forward, jumped into the air, rotated once, and brought his right heel downward toward Eryndor's skull.
A clean axe kick.
Eryndor raised both arms.
BOOOOM.
The street beneath him cracked from the force.
Eryndor pushed upward immediately.
Zero flipped backward through the air and landed several meters away.
The two stared at each other for a brief second.
Then Zero vanished.
Eryndor's eyes sharpened.
Behind.
Zero appeared directly behind him and threw a punch toward the back of Eryndor's head.
Fast.
Clean.
No wasted movement.
Eryndor ducked instantly.
His palms touched the ground.
Then he pushed upward with explosive force.
WHAM.
His rising kick struck Zero directly beneath the chin.
Zero flew backward through the air before skidding across the broken road and catching his balance with one hand.
At the same time—
Isumi stepped out from the broken wall.
Blood dripped from the side of his mouth.
But he was smiling now.
"You're good."
Eryndor rolled his shoulders once.
"You talk too much."
Both Isumi and Zero rushed him simultaneously.
One from the front.
One from behind.
Isumi attacked first with a fast combination.
Left jab.
Right straight.
Left hook.
Eryndor weaved the jab.
Blocked the straight.
Then caught the hook with his palm.
Zero appeared from behind during the exchange and drove a knee toward Eryndor's spine.
Eryndor twisted while still holding Isumi's arm.
The knee barely missed him.
He used Isumi's trapped arm and yanked him directly into Zero's attack.
BOOM.
Zero's knee smashed into Isumi's ribs.
"Tch."
Isumi gritted his teeth.
Eryndor released him and immediately stepped forward.
A punch flew toward Zero's chest.
Zero parried outward.
Eryndor spun with the motion and elbowed him in the face.
Zero blocked with both arms.
Still, the impact pushed him backward several meters.
Isumi rushed back in.
He jumped and spun mid-air—
—a tornado kick.
Eryndor leaned backward.
The kick missed his face by inches.
Before Isumi landed, Eryndor stepped in close and slammed a palm strike into his abdomen.
THOOOM.
Air burst from Isumi's lungs.
Eryndor followed immediately with a knee to the chest.
Then a spinning backfist.
Isumi blocked the fist barely.
But the force still sent him sliding across the ground.
Zero appeared again.
This time lower.
Sweeping kick.
Eryndor jumped over it.
Zero used both hands to support himself and spun upward into another kick.
Eryndor blocked with his forearm.
The impact echoed.
Zero's fighting style was precise.
Minimal movement.
Deadly timing.
The Nameless Blade indeed.
Eryndor landed and instantly countered.
Three punches.
Fast enough to leave afterimages.
Zero blocked two.
The third struck his shoulder.
CRACK.
Zero slid backward.
Eryndor stepped forward again—
—but Isumi grabbed his arm from behind.
Zero immediately took advantage.
A sharp punch drove toward Eryndor's ribs.
Eryndor twisted his body just enough.
The punch grazed him instead of landing fully.
Eryndor drove his head backward.
BAM.
Headbutt.
Isumi's nose broke instantly.
He stumbled back.
Eryndor turned and kicked Zero in the stomach.
Zero blocked with crossed arms but still got launched backward through a street vendor stand.
Wood shattered everywhere.
The pressure from the fight spread through the district.
Nearby windows cracked.
The sky above the City of Dawn remained dark from the lingering power released throughout the city.
Isumi wiped blood from his nose and laughed.
"So this is the successor of the Black Sun."
Eryndor looked at him calmly.
"No."
Lightning crackled softly around his body.
"This is just me throwing hands."
BOOOOM.
The ground shattered beneath him as Eryndor rushed forward again.
This time he attacked first.
A straight punch toward Isumi.
Blocked.
A low kick toward the knee.
Dodged.
Eryndor suddenly shifted rhythm and used his shoulder to ram Isumi directly in the chest.
Isumi flew backward.
Zero appeared from Eryndor's left and slashed downward with a hand coated in curse energy.
Eryndor caught the wrist.
The shockwave alone split the street.
Zero's eyes widened slightly.
Eryndor twisted his arm and slammed a punch directly into Zero's stomach.
WHAM.
Zero coughed blood.
Eryndor then grabbed him by the face and threw him directly into Isumi.
Both crashed together through part of the palace outer wall.
Dust exploded outward.
For a moment—
silence.
Then footsteps.
Slow.
Steady.
Zero walked out first.
His mask had cracked slightly.
Isumi followed behind him.
Blood stained his shirt now.
But both were still standing.
Eryndor smiled slightly.
"Good."
Lightning flashed across the sky above the city.
The pressure around the three began rising again.
Then Zero slowly raised his hand.
Dark curse markings spread across his arm.
Isumi did the same.
The air suddenly became heavier.
Eryndor narrowed his eyes.
And Zero finally spoke.
"Then let us stop holding back."