Meanwhile, in the observation room, Gabriel reassured everyone that their safety was guaranteed, that no harm would come to them. Lisa and Koichi were working nonstop, doing everything they could to protect the people inside.
Out on the battlefield, a mountain of ice suddenly erupted from the ground where Marlo stood. In seconds, it towered over the ruins, and Marlo was at its peak, his figure framed against the frozen storm he'd created.
Below him, Shadow monsters were locked in solid ice, some frozen mid-charge.
Marlo's eyes narrowed and he immediately knew something was wrong.
Some of them didn't look normal.
Marlo: Some of them are made of ink? This has to be someone's Shadow technique. Probably a technique that allows them to bring drawings to life. No wonder, they were able to bring in more Shadow monsters into this place.
A low rumble reached Marlo's ears and he quickly turned his head.
Another swarm of Shadow monsters was charging straight at him. These weren't like the others. They were massive, much bigger than the ones he had just killed. Each step they took shook the ground beneath the ice.
Marlo let out a slow breath.
Marlo: [WHITE:....]
The word left his lips like a command and cold surged through the air as two daggers of pure ice formed in his hands, their edges glinting with lethal clarity.
He tightened his grip, eyes locked on the incoming giants. Whatever came next…
He was ready for it.
Marlo Kiroshima's Clarion Technique is called Frozen Arts. It allows him to instantly freeze anyone who comes too close to him, encasing their body in solid ice.
The moment an enemy enters his range, the temperature around Marlo drops violently, air crystallizes, movement slows, and in a heartbeat, they're trapped, unable to advance any further.
A technique made for absolute control of the battlefield.
******
Meanwhile, Haruto was locked in a fierce duel with Veto, a psychopathic member of the Kaimi Daja. Haruto's sword clashed repeatedly with Veto's claws. He managed to counter every sword strike, but Veto's speed made it increasingly difficult to land a critical hit.
Veto: (laughs) This is exhilarating! I haven't had this much fun fighting in ages! What's your name?
Haruto wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Haruto: Haruto…. Haruto Myogu.
Veto grinned.
Veto: Haruto Myogu. I'll make you remember your name after I kill you.
Haruto: (puzzled) Huh? That's not fair! You didn't even introduce yourself. How am I supposed to remember it when I kill you?
Veto: The name's Veto! Now that we've exchanged pleasantries, let's keep fighting!
He then assumed a battle stance and readied his claws.
Haruto: (to himself) The problem is his insane speed. If I'm going to have any chance of beating him, I'll need to stop his movements.
Haruto dropped his needle sword and removed his jacket, gathering light energy into his hands. The jacket he removed dispersed into numerous threads that converged through the hole in his dropped needle sword.
Haruto: [WHITE: STITCH CRAFTING]
The threads surged toward Veto. He leaped into the air, thinking he could evade capture, but the strings followed, snaring his left leg and pulling him to the ground. Though he quickly cut the strings with his claws, another set wrapped around his right hand, making it difficult to move. Soon, his legs and left hand were bound as well, the threads tightening around his throat.
Veto: Damn it! I can't breathe... What is this technique?
Haruto: It's my Clarion technique that controls the fibers of any cloth I touch, strengthening them with my light energy. A pretty useless technique, to be honest. Don't get me started on its perfect manifestation, it hurts like hell, and I hate using it.
Veto began to struggle to break free and Haruto sighed.
Haruto: Trying to break free will hurt a lot more, though. But don't worry, I need you alive for questioning.
Veto: TSK!! WHY NOT JUST KILL ME???
Haruto: We need to interrogate you to understand why you attacked us.
Veto: Damn it!! Let go of me
From that vantage point, the outcome looked obvious. The victor was already decided.
But what Haruto didn't know was that trapping Veto had triggered something far more dangerous; his past.
Veto had no memory of his parents. He'd been raised by a guardian who ruled through cruelty and control. The constant abuse taught him one thing above all else: never let anyone get close enough to hurt you again.
So when Haruto's technique bound him in place, that lesson came roaring back.
Memories he'd buried clawed their way to the surface, collapsing his sense of control and whatever restraint he had left with it.
Veto: (to himself) NO!! IF IT'S PAIN I CAN TAKE IT! IF IT'S PAIN I CAN TAKE IT!! IF IT'S PAIN I CAN TAKE IT!!!!!!!
He then began his attempt to break free once more much to the annoyance of Haruto. But then he realized that something was wrong.
Haruto: His energy is surging?! This is…
Veto began to strengthen the light energy around his body and began to break free from the strings. At the same time, Haruto began to strengthen the light energy around the strings to restrain him further but Veto despite the tremendous pain, roared like an animal and began to overpower Haruto's strings and he eventually broke free but not without some injuries.
Once he broke free, Haruto realized that Veto's energy had completely changed to something different and once he looked at Veto's eyes, he immediately realized that there was no one behind them.
Haruto: He went into an imperfect Manifestation state?
Even while he was bleeding from different parts of his body, Veto lunged forward and began to attack Haruto with a rush of slashes forcing Haruto to defense stance. However, Veto was moving faster than he was earlier and was able to land slashes that Haruto couldn't counter on time.
Both combatants were now bleeding from numerous cuts.
Haruto: (to himself) Damn it. He broke free from that and took all that pain? And to make things worse, he's triggered his imperfect manifestation.
Veto laughed hysterically and loudly which Haruto has expected since the moment you trigger imperfect manifestation, you lose control of yourself.
Haruto: : (sighs) I really didn't want it to come to this, but you pushed me too far.
Haruto rose to his feet and began to undo the stitches on his arms and once he did, blood began to flow freely from the openings.
Unbeknownst to Veto, just as Haruto had unknowingly driven him into an imperfect manifestation, Veto had done the same to Haruto, pushing him toward a power he never wanted to show.
Light energy began to surge inside Haruto, gathering, compressing, burning through his veins. The air around him warped as his presence changed.
Veto felt it and he panicked.
With a roar, he charged, desperate to end Haruto before the transformation could finish. But it was already too late.
As Veto approached him, Haruto lifted his head, as his eyes glowed with a deeper, crimson light.
Haruto: [PERFECT MANIFESTATION: CRIMSON BINDING]