Shirogane stepped out of the cabin, breaking through the door that connected the carriages. The wind whistled, but it did not seem to bother him.

Kuroyami, having slipped back into the boy’s shadow, continued to communicate with him.

«Why not let the knights handle it?» the spirit asked, trying to understand Shirogane’s decision.

Shirogane lifted his gaze to the sky for a moment, then answered in a grave tone: «The knights should have already won.»

He paused briefly: the memory of their first meeting surfaced in his mind. —Even without a spirit, he fought with extraordinary skill. And that last attack… pure spiritual power.—

The boy reflected for a moment, his words followed by a heavy silence. «Kaito is a real unknown… an obstacle that could ruin my whole plan.»

«Your plan… to kill every member of the Mugentamashii,» the spirit said.

Shirogane didn’t answer right away. His face remained impassive as he leapt nimbly onto the train roof; the wind tousled his hair, but he adapted quickly. Then he saw him.

Kaito. Standing, covered in wounds, yet incredibly alive. That wasn’t what surprised Shirogane, though. —Just as I thought— he thought.

Of the fifteen knights sent against him, Kaito had defeated them all.

Kaito slowly raised his head and met Shirogane’s gaze. In a low but steady voice he said, «You came for me…»

Shirogane looked at him with a challenging air. «I see my ‘puppets’ didn’t do their job,» he observed, indicating the broken helm of one of them. «But aside from that, I want to ask you something… Why did you come back even though I gave you a way out?»

Kaito watched him for a moment, then replied firmly, «I’m here to take you down. But the main reason is another. You must let Yume go home.»

A dry laugh escaped Shirogane’s lips; he couldn’t help but be amused. «Do you really think I will? Don’t be ridiculous: she’s useful to me.»

Kaito sighed, his face turning serious. «If you leave me no choice, I’ll kill you.»

He positioned himself, gripping his blades with both hands, ready to fight.

«I figured it would go like this…» Shirogane replied, with a smile that did not hide his confidence. «You know, I’ve figured out how you didn’t die even without a spirit.»

He paused, as if gathering his thoughts, then raised his voice. «That power I feel… it doesn’t come from you, does it? It comes from your blades!»

Shirogane shouted, his gaze growing even more menacing. «Your blades absorb spiritual power and you use it like it’s your own! Isn’t that right, Kaito?!»

Kaito stood still for a few seconds, thinking. Then he answered calmly, «And if it were true? What would that change?»

Shirogane looked at him with contempt. «You’re not strong. Everything you can do you owe to your blades. Nothing more.»

«Think what you want. It doesn’t change anything. Call me weak if you like, but I promise you this won’t be my last fight with you. I have a goal… and I won’t die until I achieve it!» the boy replied.

With a cry of determination, Kaito planted one of his blades into the roof and lunged at Shirogane. His speed closed the distance in an instant; Shirogane readied himself to respond.

The fight began with a flurry of Kaito’s slashes, but they failed to reach Shirogane.

«You won’t beat me like that!» Shirogane murmured, then struck him with an uppercut, sending him flying.

Mid-air, Kaito tried to strike the opponent by throwing his blade. But at the moment he was about to hurl the weapon, it vanished.

—Where did it go?!—

Shirogane reappeared suddenly in front of Kaito and charged a kick that hit him in the abdomen.

The blow was so violent that Kaito’s body bent the train roof on impact.

On the ground, the boy clutched his stomach, trying to withstand the pain.

Meanwhile Shirogane landed with agility. «Is that all? I expected more,» he said, a few centimeters away.

Kaito didn’t give up. A smile spread across his face. «Didn’t you learn anything from our last encounter?» With speed he struck Shirogane’s leg, toppling him to the ground.

Kaito tightened his grip on the blade and rose. His weapon was about to pierce the opponent’s chest when, suddenly, he was flung away. His body rolled for several meters as pain shot through his bones.

Shirogane stood up quickly, surrounded by an enormous amount of spiritual power; Kuroyami appeared beside him. “This time I won’t let you live, know that,” the veins on the opponent’s face visible.

Kaito picked himself up and pointed the blade at his foe. The clash continued.

Shirogane watched him. «Kage no Itsuwari,» he said, and Kaito’s body halted abruptly. With a lunge he closed in on the boy, charging a punch infused with spiritual power. «Die!»

The blow was about to hit when, to Shirogane’s astonishment, Kaito moved. He jumped and struck him squarely in the face with a kick. The opponent was thrown backward; his shoes scratched the roof.

«Shirogane!»Kuroyami called, worried.

«I’m fine…»he answered, his gaze falling on bright red stains on the train metal. He touched his nose and noticed his gloves stained with blood… his blood.

«Bastard!!» he shouted, seized by rage.

Kaito moved toward the blade he had planted earlier on the roof. «You know,»he said, looking at Shirogane, «in our last fight I learned how to counter your immobilization technique…»

He added, «The secret was in my blade. I planted it here so it could absorb the spiritual energy you emit.»

«And it’s precisely that energy that, through the enemy’s shadow, allows you to lock down the target. Right?»Kaito added.

Shirogane listened and realized he had underestimated him. “You guessed it. That’s exactly it. However, if I can’t kill you using that technique, I’ll do it the old-fashioned way.”

«Kage no Itsuwari kan.» The shadow blade appeared beside Shirogane, and he gripped it tightly.

«Tell me,» Shirogane began in an icy voice, «you said you have a goal. What is it?»

Kaito looked at him, serious. «I… want revenge. I will kill every member of the Mugentamashii.»

Shirogane froze for a moment; even Kuroyami seemed surprised by the declaration. «Really…?» he said, a cynical smile painted across his face.

«This must be a joke of fate. I, too… have the same goal!» He stepped toward Kaito, his voice lower but laden with malice. «I want to kill you, Kaito. But I’ll admit you have potential. I suppose you know that right now, you could never come out a winner against them…»

Kaito looked him straight in the eyes, unafraid. «So I propose you join me: in exchange I’ll forget your disrespect. What do you say?»

Kaito didn’t hesitate for a moment. «Forget it. I want to kill them, but I would never accept help from a psychopath like you.»

«Before coming here I investigated what was so interesting about Shinkase to mobilize you. I discovered there’s a human trafficking ring…»

Kaito felt disgust: he didn’t care whether they shared the same objective. «They even sell children. I don’t care what happened to make you like this: I despise you, Shirogane. And I will kill you for it.»

Hearing those words, Shirogane tightened his sword. The veins in his hands trembled with rage, then slowly he became calm and serious again. «Good. You’ve made your choice.»

The final clash between the two was about to begin.