**Chapter 6: The Name Beneath the Light**
The rain hit like needles.
Tensei's skyline glowed faint blue under stormlight as another rift tore open above the financial district — this one *massive*, its edges crawling with veins of red.
Aiki and the team stood at the center of it, facing down what could only be described as a nightmare.
A beast stitched together from armor and shadow, dozens of limbs, glowing eyes, and a voice that scraped through the air like broken glass.
> "This one's huge," Enji said, gripping his staff. "Like… skyscraper huge."
Sen cracked his neck. "Bigger target, easier to hit."
Sakura didn't even look up. "You said that before the last one broke your ribs."
"Yeah, but I *won*, didn't I?"
Aiki stood silent, his sword humming faintly in his hand. The Spirit Edge's glow was brighter than ever — gold bleeding into white. His skin looked pale, too pale, and his heartbeat was uneven.
"Alright," Enji said. "You've been twitchy since last time, man. You sure you're—"
"I said I'm fine," Aiki interrupted. "Let's just end this."
He charged forward before anyone could stop him.
---
The monster's first swing shattered the street, sending cars flying. Aiki darted between debris, slicing through its limbs — each cut flashing gold, burning through the rain.
But every time the sword connected, the light spread *into him*.
Sakura yelled over the storm, "He's drawing too much power!"
"Then cut it off!" Enji shouted. "Before it cuts *him!*"
Sen leapt onto the creature's back, slashing his chains through its armor. "He's not listening!"
He wasn't.
Aiki's breathing was ragged, his pupils completely golden now. He struck again — and the world blurred.
The Spirit Edge screamed, and Aiki vanished in a flash of light.
When he reappeared, the monster's head was gone — vaporized. Its body crashed down, scattering ash like a dying star.
But Aiki didn't stop. He kept swinging, even as there was nothing left to kill.
---
"Aiki!" Sakura grabbed his arm. "Stop—"
The sword turned toward her on its own.
Enji reacted instantly, slamming his staff down. "Barrier!" A wall of energy burst between them as Aiki's blade struck, sending shockwaves through the street. Sparks and blood flew — Enji's barrier cracked.
"Damn it, he's gone full resonance!" Enji shouted. "He's not controlling it anymore!"
Aiki's voice came out fractured, layered with another — something ancient and cold.
> "You cannot cage the light."
Sen froze. "That's not him."
Sakura's eyes widened. "No… that's *the sword.*"
The Spirit Edge lifted Aiki's arm again, pointing at his friends. Gold lightning flared along its length.
*"You were never meant to share his power."*
Before the blast could fire—
A black blur dropped from the sky, slamming between them.
The ground split.
A figure in a dark cloak stood in the crater, holding a **crimson-bladed sword** that hummed with the same energy as Aiki's — but inverted, dark instead of gold.
They looked up, eyes glowing faintly red. "That's enough, Aiki."
The Spirit Edge pulsed, almost… flinching.
"Who the hell are you?" Enji shouted.
The stranger ignored him. "You don't even know what you're wielding, do you, boy?" Their voice was calm, almost gentle. "That blade isn't your ally. It's a prison."
Aiki's body trembled, voice breaking between his and the spirit's. "Who are you…?"
"I'm the reason that sword exists," the figure said. "And the only one who can stop it from eating you alive."
The Spirit Edge screamed — a sound that cracked every window on the street. Aiki dropped to his knees, clutching his head as golden light poured from his mouth and eyes.
Sakura screamed his name. Enji and Sen tried to rush forward, but the stranger raised a hand. "Don't. You'll only get burned."
The storm intensified — rain hissing against raw energy.
The stranger raised their sword, crimson light coiling like flame.
> "Sleep, Spirit Edge… or should I say…"
They stepped forward — blades crossed — and whispered a name that made the air itself shatter:
> "**Eryndor.**"
The golden aura around Aiki erupted, and everything went white.
---
When the light faded, the street was silent.
Aiki lay unconscious, the Spirit Edge dark for the first time. The stranger stood over him, cloak torn, eyes dimming.
Sakura took a cautious step forward. "You knew its *real name.* Who are you?"
The figure looked up — faint smile, tired eyes.
> "Someone who made a mistake… a long time ago."
And before they could ask anything more, the stranger dissolved into smoke.
---
Enji knelt beside Aiki, shaking him. "C'mon, man. Don't make me drag you out of another crater."
Aiki's eyes opened halfway — faint gold still flickering. "Did we… win?"
Sakura exhaled shakily. "We survived. That's enough."
But none of them noticed the faint red sigil glowing beneath the Spirit Edge, pulsing once like a heartbeat.
*Eryndor was awake.*