It exploded outward.

Genzō was hurled into the air, several meters high.

Just before he hit the ground, he thrust his hand against the earth, stopping his body with a sharp impact.

«As I suspected... this won't be easy at all.»

From the fracture in the monastery, the figure of Reon stepped forward.

He placed a hand on the top of the wall, remaining balanced.

«Is that all the strength of the second-born of the Fuyumi?» he looked down at him.

Reon jumped down, landing in the garden.

His shadow moved.

«Appear, Shingan!»

Three enormous ocular bulbs opened in a line, one above the other, with vertical pupils that trembled.

From the ends of the lateral eyes burst two wings of black, stiff feathers.

—So that's his spirit...—

Genzō moved immediately.

He tried to close the distance by moving sideways.

«Quick Sight!»

In an instant, Reon struck his opponent square in the face.

Genzō's body smashed through the main gate.

—How did he do that?!—

He rose at once.

«Valley of Smoke.»

A black vortex began to swirl around his body.

«You think that will be enough to keep me from seeing?!»

Genzō found him in front of him.

«You're finished!» he charged an uppercut of spiritual energy.

When Reon looked at Genzō, his confidence faltered.

His gaze transmitted pure murderous intent.

The smoke concentrated at once, enveloping Reon until he was immobilized.

«Tsk!» The cloud began to squeeze him.

—Now!—

With an open palm, Genzō grabbed the opponent's face.

Reon was hurled backward.

The impact was so violent he tore through the monastery's entire structure.

Some guards, unaware of the fight, were swept away.

—Bastard!!—

Reon was covered in rubble.

He tossed it aside with a sudden move.

His left arm was completely bloodied.

—If I hadn't strengthened myself with spiritual energy... I'd be dead by now.—

All of a sudden, his spirit's eyes trembled.

Without hesitation, he leapt high.

Beneath him Genzō reappeared.

«Mark: Black Eye.»

He extended his fingers toward his opponent.

Genzō's eye changed completely color.

A searing pain exploded across his face.

«Good!»

As soon as he touched the ground, Reon struck Genzō's flank.

He unleashed ten consecutive blows laced with spiritual energy.

Genzō's body slammed into various shrubs, uprooting them.

«Tsk... my right eye...»

He brought a hand to his face.

«Why... am I seeing myself?»

He raised his gaze.

Reon was above him.

A blow sent him flying into the air along with a snapped tree.

«Mark: Red Eye.»

As before, the other eye changed too.

Genzō crashed to the ground.

Another blow hit him squarely.

«So you like my technique?!» Reon smiled.

«What... did you do to me?!» Genzō asked, on his knees.

«The mark makes you see what I want you to.»

Before his eyes appeared the image of the monastery destroyed.

«What...?!»

Another blow struck him.

Genzō reeled. His vision was a jumble: he saw the monastery garden from above, as if he were flying behind Shingan's black wings, but he felt Reon's fists smashing his ribs in reality.

«I'll explain it more simply... your vision...»

Reon crushed his body with his shoe.

«Now it belongs to me.»

Some guards arrived behind them.

«You really got him?!» one of them remarked.

«Yes. The commander you all feared is nothing compared to me.» He smiled, pleased.

—Kokuen...— Genzō thought.

—Tell me.—

—Let's use all our remaining spiritual energy.—

—Are you sure? After that you won't even have the strength to move.—

«Hey... Reon...»

Genzō's body turned as black as pitch.

«Black Bomb!.»

An explosion of smoke engulfed the entire area.

The dark cloud spread, sweeping through part of the monastery and toppling several trees.

When the smoke cleared, Reon lay on the ground; a long wound crossed part of his face.

The guards still alive were unconscious, with cuts all over their bodies.

Genzō, lying on the ground, was breathing with difficulty.

—He's not responding...—

He tried to stand.

—I'm stuck...—

He tried to drag himself with his arms.

—I have to reach her...— He thought of Aoi.

His complexion was slowly returning pale.

He kept crawling, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.

«You!»

A voice behind him stopped him.

He saw Reon standing.

«Impossible...» he murmured.

«You thought something like that would be enough to beat me?!» His shadow trembled.

«Maybe you don't know, but my spirit lets me enhance my visual abilities beyond all limits.»

Shingan reappeared at his side.

«I can think faster... Tsk...» He put a hand to his wounded face.

«You concentrated the smoke inside your body, then compressed it and finally released it through your skin's pores.»

Genzō stared at him.

—It's the second time I've risked my life because of you...— Reon's hand wrapped in spiritual energy.

«Finish this now.»

He approached slowly.

—I only have the Spirit Block left to use...—

Genzō tried with all his strength to get up.

As soon as he managed to stand, his body froze again.

—So that's how it is...— His vision showed him himself from the outside.

—I'll see my death in the first person...— He smiled bitterly.

—After a life spent killing those I was ordered to... maybe that's what I deserve.—

Around him he seemed to perceive all the people he had killed.

—Aoi... I hope you make it...—

He made no further attempt to move.

«Genzō Fuyumi! Your life ends now!» Reon moved his arm.

—Alright... it's fine like this...— He resigned himself.

He half-closed his eyes for a moment.

Then he heard footsteps.

Everything happened in an instant.

When he opened them again, he saw Aoi's face in front of him... and her body pierced by Reon's arm.

Genzō saw everything.

A wave of nausea hit him.

«You... damned thing, what have you done...» Reon snarled.

Genzō's vision returned to normal.

Aoi fell to the ground, a trickle of blood running down her lip.

«AOI!!»

Genzō dropped to his knees beside her, holding her head in his hands.

Her breathing was irregular.

«There's still... there's still time...» he whispered.

—I have to get her out of here!—

He turned toward Reon.

«Kokuen, appear!»

The spirit manifested.

Because of Genzō's physical state, his body vomited blood at the moment of the summoning.

«Smoke Curtain!»

His silhouette began to dissolve into the black cloud.

«Run, Genzō!» Reon shouted. «You have nowhere left to go... ahahah!»

«Who did you want to save will die, and your brother, as soon as he finds you, will wipe you out!» he continued to shout.

Genzō kept his eyes fixed on Aoi... then vanished into the smoke.