Chapter 41: Clashes

At the highest ridge of the Void, five figures stood atop a jagged hill. Aku, Sicrus, Mayzen, Zan, and Scray overlooked the valley below where ten thousand Zagons writhed and snarled in restless formation, their eyes glowing dimly in the dark. The monstrous army stretched as far as the haze would allow, a tide of chaos waiting to be unleashed. All five wore black hooded cloaks, the fabric fluttering faintly in the unnatural wind, but only Aku’s hood remained up—his face shrouded, unreadable. Sicrus stood just behind him, arms crossed, expression carved from tension. Mayzen’s eyes glowed faintly as he calculated in silence. Zan stretched his arms in boredom, acid flicking from his fingertips, while Scray leaned slightly forward, one hand on his blade, staring at the chaos below.

Mayzen: When did you have the time to make the other ten thousand?

Aku: This is why I was gone for so long while you were all in Allatora.

Mayzen: Can you really hide the presence of these many Zagons? I couldn’t sense a single one.

Aku: Just blankets of shadows over them.

Mayzen doesn’t say anything.

Zan: Shiiiit. Kyto is totally not prepared for this. Not just ten thousand Zagons, but another ten thousand? Twenty thousand in total? You almost don’t need us!

Aku: The number doesn’t compare to the amount of death Kyto’s caused.

Mayzen: And we have the Komodo as well.

Zan: Krutone isn’t going to be recognizable anymore. It’ll be another Yumitra or something, and I turned that place into a complete shithole!

Sicrus: So, what now?

Aku: I will release all the Zagons into Krutone then go after all the world leaders. I’ll need everyone here to keep the military completely busy.

Sicrus: I thought you wanted to see Sen once more? What changed?

Aku: Last we spoke, he said he was going to support Kyto… but he was also unsure if he wanted to follow through with it. He learned about the truth.

Sicrus: Then, what do we do about him?

Aku: If he’s with Kyto, I’ll do what I can to hold him down. If he’s not with Kyto, then Mayzen will find him for me. Him not being with Kyto will only mean he’s still considering us.

Zan: Any kill restrictions aside from Sen and Josar?

Aku: None. Everyone here can unleash everything they’re capable of. Kyto will end.

Sicrus: What do we do if we find Josar?

A pause.

Aku: Offer him a hand back home.

Sicrus nodded.

As the others turned from the ridge, ready to descend into war, Aku remained still, his hood casting a shadow over his face. He didn't blink. He didn’t breathe deep. Then, he raised his hand forward and a portal opened. They were ready.

Prism Tower. Kyto, Cayten, Lessa, Osin, Andin, Forim, and Esren stand watching their military through their monitors prepare for attack.

Cayten: When do you think they’ll make their move?

Kyto: At any time now that Penim is dealt with.

Cayten: And how will we handle Josar?

Kyto: We’ll have Josar here in Prism Tower. Aku will come for him, and when he does, our generals will kill him. In fact, bring Josar now.

Cayten looked at Kyto then stepped forward, the screen before him flickering to life with a soft pulse. With a few deliberate taps, he accessed the security command line, eyes narrowing.

Cayten: He’ll be here soon.

Osin: So, now we prepare our forces and wait.

Almost half an hour passes. In the shadow of Krutone’s outer walls, near the long-forgotten gate they once crossed through with Luria, the air split like torn fabric. A silent ripple bent the light, and a portal of swirling black and silver bled into existence, pulsing with threads of unstable Intergy. The wind around it stilled. Then, without sound, five figures stepped through. Aku, Sicrus, Mayzen, Zan, and Scray Came walking through. The portal closed behind them.

Aku: I will release the Zagons at the top of this wall. As soon as they’re released, you know your duties.

Aku said nothing more. He didn’t wait for acknowledgment or approval from the others. His form wavered, then collapsed into a swirling mass of black mist that clung low to the ground. The shadow pulsed once, then slithered upward like liquid smoke, scaling the towering wall with unnatural speed and silence.

Prism Tower. The world leaders are watching the monitors, witnessing Aku’s arrival.

Osin: What is that marking climbing the wall?

Lessa: Oh, has Aku already arrived?

Kyto remained stoic.

Cayten: Josar isn’t here yet. Shall we grab Sen and use him instead?

Kyto doesn’t answer.

Forim: Mr. President. What is the plan? Aku arrived sooner than ex—

Kyto: Let him.

Osin: Are we not going to do something about him?

Kyto pulled forth his wristband and channeled Intergy through it.

Kyto (into his wristband): General Esako, the invasion has begun. Deploy our forces immediately.

Krutone Walls. As the shadow reached the summit of the wall, it curled inward, coalescing into the figure of Aku. His cloak billowed softly in the rising wind, and his hood fell back, revealing a face both calm and resolute. He stood still, framed against the sky, and looked out over Krutone. For just a moment, he allowed himself to be still, looking at the place that shaped so much of the world’s cruelty. Then, his expression sharpened. One of his eyes darkened into absolute black, the other turned pure white. He opened his arms, and the air around him twisted violently. A massive portal tore open above the wall, and then they came. Zagons surged through the portal like a tidal wave of terror.

As the first wave of Zagons erupted into the city, Sicrus was in motion, his Intergy igniting the air with sharp pulses as he streaked north toward the war machines. Zan followed next, running with blazing speed, leaving a trail of hot steam behind, heading south toward the Intergy Power Plant. Scray leapt down silently behind them, his blades gleaming, slipping through shadows and rooftops as he made his way toward his targets. Amid the chaos, Mayzen did not rush. He walked with quiet certainty, weaving through the encroaching Zagons, his eyes fixed on Prism Tower in the distance.

Prism Tower. The radar from the monitors began to alert rapid beeps. Cayten turned and observed.

Cayten: Unknown Intergy detected in different locations.

Cayten watched the screen closer.

Cayten: Sicrus and Scray… and there’s Zan… and there’s… Mayzen! He walking to us!

Kyto: Send troops towards each of them immediately. Deploy all robots now.

Josar walked in silence, his pace steady, hands loose at his sides. A Krutone guard escorted him through the corridor, saying nothing, guiding him forward. The towering silhouette of Prism Tower loomed ahead. Josar’s eyes, once dull from confinement, lifted slightly toward it. Then he heard it. A sound like tearing thunder. Then came the second sound, unmistakable: roars and shrieks of Zagons.

Josar (to the guard): Sir. The Zagons… Aku is here.

Guard (into wristband): Mr. President. I have Josar, but I believe we’re under attack.

No response.

Guard: Mr. President? Cayten?

Still no response.

Josar: Sir. You’re going to have to call for backup. Forget about reaching Kyto. 

The guard’s fingers hovered over the wristband again, beads of sweat forming at his temple despite the coldness of the tower's interior. Static crackled, but no voice returned. He looked at Josar, then back toward the corridor they’d come from, eyes narrowing. For a brief moment, he considered drawing his weapon, but there hadn’t even been an order. He was only supposed to escort Josar. Nothing more, but the sounds outside were growing louder—closer.

A thunderous crash echoed through the building, followed by the grinding shriek of metal being torn apart. The floor vibrated beneath their feet. Somewhere down the hall, a light shattered and went dark. Then came the scent, burned concrete, acid, and something fouler, hot, monstrous breath. The guard stepped forward, weapon now drawn, but it was already too late. The wall behind them burst open in a concussive blast, shrapnel slicing through the. A cluster of Zagons spilled through, their bodies writhing and snarling, eyes blazing with chaos. The guard raised his weapon, but one Zagon lunged and it’s claws met metal and flesh. The guard barely managed a final breath before he was impaled, lifted from the ground, then hurled aside like debris. His body crashed against the wall, unmoving.

Josar's instincts were fast. The Zagons turned toward him, their growls deepening, but with a sudden gust, he exploded upward, the corridor beneath his feet erupting in a swirl of spiraling wind. Glass shattered, tiles cracked, and with a single burst, he launched himself on top of a tall building. Below him, Krutone descended into chaos. The city screamed. Fire and shadow tore through the skyline. Zagons rampaged in every direction. From where he stood, he could see the portal that Zagons poured from, and there stood Aku.

Meanwhile, Zarnem, Makota and Shera sat together at a public table. Still unaware of what was happening yet.

Makota: So, Sen is just going to lock himself away like that?

Zarnem: Give him time.

Makota: He didn’t even show up to Dain’s burial… I’d imagine he’d be there of all people.

Shera: Maybe this is how he grieves.

Makota: I think I should check up on him. Maybe he needs someone to talk to?

Zarnem: Let him be. He’ll talk when he wants to talk.

Makota didn’t argue any further.

Shera: So, what now?...

Zarnem kept quiet.

The conversation halted. A second later, a deafening boom echoed from the city’s outer district, then another, louder and closer. The sky pulsed faintly with red light, and a column of smoke rose like a wound opening across Krutone’s skyline. Then came the roars. Zarnem’s head snapped toward the source. Shera shot up from her seat. Makota stood frozen for a second, eyes wide. They all knew that sound. Zagons. Krutone was under siege.

Makota: Wait… is the time now?

Shera: Already?

Zarnem looked over to Prism Tower.

Zarnem: We need to head to Kyto now.

Makota: What, why? Shouldn’t we find Sen?

Zarnem paused.

Zarnem: As Josar said, we know Aku is after the world leaders, not Sen. We need to defend them now.

Makota and Shera looked at each other with uncertainty.

Zarnem: Let’s go, now!

Without needing a word more, all three of them bolted from the table, sprinting toward Prism Tower, hearts racing, the world around them already beginning to fall apart.

The ground shook with calculated purpose. From the underground bays beneath Krutone’s city surface, platoons of combat robots emerged in seamless formation. Each one gleamed with polished metal plating, their limbs reinforced with Intergy channels. At their cores, bright discs of glowing Intergy pulsed like artificial hearts. The robots moved without hesitation, without voice, their directives wired deep within. Marching in unison, they filled the avenues like a mechanical tide. With a single synchronized jolt, the front line of robots launched upward, rocketing over buildings, clearing rooftops in perfect arcs. Their reinforced legs compressed and released with explosive power, propelling them like missiles through the air. The glow of their Intergy cores left streaks of light in their wake as they descended into enemy zones, landing with shuddering force that cracked pavement beneath their feet. More followed, waves of them, blitzing across Krutone’s skyline with terrifying speed, their cold precision cutting through the chaos as they raced to intercept the Zagon invasion.

Sen lay flat on his back, eyes unfocused, staring at the ceiling. The silence in his room was heavy, broken only by the occasional hum of the air vents and the distant echo of the city breathing outside. Then, a faint sound but unmistakable. An explosion muffled by distance, but sharp enough to catch his ear. He blinked once. Slowly, uncertainly, he rose. He walked to the window and reached for the curtain, its fabric cold beneath his fingers. With a small pull, he cracked it open. From his view, he saw smoke far off, but clear. It was rising in thick black plumes against the open sky. He knew something was happening.

Krutone was beginning to burn.

Zagons swept through the districts like a divine plague, ripping through concrete, steel, and flesh without hesitation. Entire buildings collapsed under their claws as streets split open. Citizens scattered, screamed, and fought. Anyone with the will to survive summoned whatever power they could. Streams of water surged from public fountains, molded into whips and blades by those trained in aquatic Intergy. Fire-users erupted in blazes, drawing heat from the air itself, hurling fireballs and creating temporary barriers to hold back the swarm. Ice clashed against claws, freezing limbs and forming jagged barriers down city streets. Lightning surged from rooftops, dancing across metal walkways and grounding itself in the bodies of shrieking Zagons. Wind users formed cyclones to hurl debris or shield families in retreat. Even those without formal training hurled stones or forged crude weapons with Intergy sparks.

At the Krutone Military Base, Esako and Jaze stood above the chaos, their eyes locked on dozens of projected battle maps that shifted by the second. Esako’s voice cut through the command room like thunder, issuing rapid orders to units scattered across the city grid. Jaze, wind coiling at his heels, moved between terminals, relaying coordinates and formations, coordinating strike groups of Intergy soldiers and mechanical infantry. Air divisions were launched from elevated towers. Tank-like automatons powered by Intergy surged from underground garages. The base shook as artillery fired from the northern ridge, raining controlled blasts into pockets of Zagons tearing into Sector Five. Esako raised a fist clenched, and entire battalions moved with precision. There was no time to hesitate. Only time to hold the line.

Across the battlefield, atop the edge of the Krutone wall, Aku stood facing Prism Tower. The air around him was dead still. Light and dark Intergy surrounded him, spiraling around his arms and casting shadows in every direction. His cloak billowed from the force of his own energy. From beneath his hood, his eyes burned—one black, one white—as he stared at the tower that housed every lie, every tyrant, every legacy he meant to destroy. The chaos before him did not faze him. He was ready.

Josar sprinted through the shattered streets of Krutone, his feet striking cracked pavement as shadows lunged at him from all directions. Zagons of every size and shape howled behind him, scaled beasts with twisted limbs, mutated fangs, and eyes glowing. He ducked under a crumbling support beam, wind swirling at his back to propel him forward. Each breath was sharp. Each second was a choice.

Josar (thinking): Damn it… Do I fight back?

No one else was coming. There was no backup. No cavalry. Only more Zagons.

Josar (thinking): I have to. 

Josar pivoted mid-run, digging his heel into the dirt, and launched himself into the air with a gust of wind beneath his feet. The Zagons screeched, uncoiling toward him with monstrous speed. He spun his body in midair, extending a leg into a flying roundhouse kick. Lightning burst from his heel on impact, striking the jaw of the lead Zagon with explosive force. The creature’s head snapped back, brown blood spraying into the air before its body crackled and began to evaporate.

He landed with precision, knees bent, and one hand touching the ground to stabilize. Three more Zagons came from the flank, but Josar’s body was already moving. He weaved between them. His fists lit up with electricity as he delivered a blinding combo of jab, kick, elbow, knee. With each strike, lightning arced from his skin, slamming into bone and tendon. One Zagon staggered back, smoking from the mouth. Another tried to lunge, only for Josar to step aside and slam his knuckles into its temple, a flash of electricity erupting point-blank and frying its brain. Brown blood gushed and hissed as it touched the street, its form disintegrating mid-collapse.

Josar (thinking): There are so many… I shouldn’t use everything I have yet.

Josar used wind to redirect his movement hovering an inch above the surface as he slid into perfect striking distance. He flowed like a practiced martial artist, footwork tight, eyes razor-sharp. His fists weren’t just fists. They were lightning rods. His legs were blades of air. One Zagon charged at him from above, leaping off a rooftop, mouth unhinged. Josar crouched, twisted his hips, and sent a spiraling kick upward, shattering the creature’s spine in the air. Lightning danced from his leg, finishing it before it ever touched the ground.

Then came the swarm. Zagons burst from alleyways, vaulting over rubble and abandoned vehicles. Josar didn’t flinch. He inhaled once, centered himself, and erupted. He sprinted straight into them, fists lighting up with blue arcs as he ducked, rolled, and delivered surgical hits. He delivered hooks to the throat, hammer fists to the skull, and elbow spikes to the neck. He spun on one foot, lightning sweeping outward, knocking back five Zagons at once before he electrocuted them mid-air with thunder from his fingertips. The scent of ozone and charred flesh mixed with the acrid steam of their evaporating corpses.

Even when outnumbered, Josar fought with surgical rhythm. He was not wild. He was a tactician. He redirected claws, caught jaws mid-bite, and sent blinding surges of electricity up their spines. One particularly large Zagon attempted a full-body slam, but Josar launched himself into a handspring, flipped over it, and cracked it across the back with both fists glowing like supernovae. The body shuddered and burst into ash, no time for even a death cry.

His body was a blur of movement. Every strike was a painting of technique in raw electrical force. Zagons screeched, fell, and vanished in waves, each death punctuated by violent brown sprays and smoky disintegration. Yet Josar remained poised, a controlled tempest, his breath steady, sweat cutting lines down his dirt-streaked face. There was no hesitation. More Zagons approached.

Josar (thinking): There’s still so many more.

Just as a fresh wave of Zagons surged in from the shadows, snarling and snapping through the debris-strewn streets, the thunderous clank of metal feet shattered the rhythm of battle. Krutone’s defense robots dropped from above. They were three-ton machines of alloy and Intergy, landing with enough force to crater the asphalt beneath them. Their glowing cores pulsed with light as they stomped forward, blades extending from their arms and metal limbs rotating with brutal precision. Without hesitation, they charged into the Zagons, slicing through them with terrifying efficiency. Brown blood splattered across the battlefield before evaporating into steam, the remains of Zagons vanishing with each fatal blow. For a brief, disorienting moment, Josar paused. It seemed as though reinforcements had arrived.

From the top floor of Prism Tower, Cayten stood with arms crossed behind his back, eyes narrowed as he watched the chaos unfold across the city. Kyto, Lessa, Osin, Andin, Forim, and Esren were gathered behind him, murmuring among themselves, but Cayten remained silent, transfixed by the display on the massive panoramic screen. Josar’s movements were like lightning incarnate, a spectacle of speed and force that didn’t belong to someone so calm, so human. Cayten's face was unreadable, neither impressed nor threatened, but his eyes gleamed with quiet calculation. Every punch Josar threw, every Zagon that fell, added a new layer to Cayten’s thoughts.

Cayten (to Kyto): We can get rid of him now, right? He and Sen are no longer useful now since Aku’s here.

Kyto nodded.

Cayten (into his wristband): Order the bots to kill Josar as well.

Lessa: Oh, wow. Just like that?

Cayten was expressionless.

Cayten: Just like that.

As the last Zagon fell, its body vanishing into a mist of brown vapor, Josar lowered his stance, breathing hard, ready for whatever came next, but the robots didn’t power down. They didn’t retreat. Instead, their glowing visors pivoted toward him in perfect, synchronized motion. One robot stepped forward. Then, without warning, the entire unit lunged. Josar’s eyes widened.

Josar (thinking): Me!?

The machines charged, unleashing a barrage of Intergy blasts that erupted around him like meteor impacts. He twisted, ducked, and slid beneath a volley, wind being used from his fingertips to propel him backward. He struck out when he could, leaping into the air to plant a glowing lightning knee into the chest of one bot, flipping off its dented body, and landing with a burst of wind that knocked two others back. He ducked under a spinning blade, elbowed a machine in its glowing core, and sent a current of lightning through its frame, watching it crackle and jolt before collapsing in a heap of metal.

Josar (thinking): Destroy their Intergy source. 

But more kept coming. Josar realized the situation and retreated. He sprinted through the shattered streets of Krutone, his feet skimming the pavement as streaks of lightning sparked beneath each step as the robots chased him. He vaulted over debris, flipped off broken columns, and ducked beneath collapsed metal awnings, leaving behind scorched trails of wind and static. At last, he found a narrow alley half-buried under a broken skybridge, slipping behind a rusted air filtration unit cloaked in shadow. His chest rose and fell in tight, quiet bursts as he pressed against the wall, every muscle tense, ears sharp for even the smallest echo.

Josar (thinking): Safe here, I think… 

But then came the hum, a low synthetic resonance that vibrated through the air. Red lights pulsed in the distance. The robots had found him.

Josar (thinking): How did they find me?

Josar looked up and saw a surveillance camera pointed directly at him.

Josar (thinking): Do they have access to all of Krutone’s security?

Dozens showed up at every corner. The silence broke with a synchronized mechanical screech as all the nearby robots locked onto Josar’s position. Their glowing Intergy blinked in unison, and within seconds, they charged, not with the stiff, awkward clunk of machines, but with the grace and brutality of a perfectly calibrated kill squad. The alley lit up as the first wave lunged. Josar didn’t hesitate. He spun sideways, ducked low, and delivered a punishing elbow to the closest robot’s knee joint. The limb cracked with a metallic shriek, and before it could fall, Josar vaulted off its chest and kicked its head clean off.

They kept coming. Ten, then twelve, then fifteen more made their move. Josar slipped through them like lightning personified. He weaved around razor-edged limbs, caught a spinning blade mid-air, and drove it into a robot’s optic cluster with a burst of wind to force it deeper. One unit launched a high-speed punch, but Josar caught the arm, twisted, and snapped the joint backward with a knee strike that shattered both the elbow and the robot’s balance. He used its falling body as a springboard and spun through the air, heel-dropping onto another machine’s head, caving it inward with a crunch. Flickers of lightning trailed behind his fists as he punched through a chest plate, then arced bolts along the metal frame to fry internal systems before blasting it backward with a gust of wind. The robot crashed into two more behind it, causing a chain reaction of sparks and collapse. Josar landed on all fours, pivoted to the side, and swept a leg outward, toppling three more that had tried to surround him. He launched himself forward, fists flaring with restrained lightning, and broke through a wall of machines like a one-man demolition unit, tearing off limbs and spinning midair to land crushing double kicks to their torsos.

He didn’t waste Intergy recklessly. Every lightning strike was timed with a blow, every gust of wind a redirection, not a spectacle. Sweat dripped down his brow, but his body moved with crisp, brutal precision. He ducked beneath a mechanical blade, delivered an uppercut charged with voltage, and then followed up with a flurry of blows that shattered armor plating in bursts of brown mist and metal. He flipped over a closing group, crushed their heads on landing with a shockwave-assisted stomp, and kicked off again before more could corner him. One robot tried a grapple from behind, but Josar leaned into the hold, then channeled lightning through his entire back. The bot seized, twitched, and exploded in a burst of glowing scrap. Josar didn’t stop moving, spinning into a roundhouse kick, shattering another bot’s chest cavity, then slamming its body into the next with pure kinetic force. It was beautiful chaos— raw, blistering, and unrelenting. Even as he fought to conserve power, Josar proved himself a storm incarnate.

Josar (thinking): How much longer? 

From the shadows, Zagons of all kinds showed, twisted limbs and jagged bodies snarling with hunger. Their yellow-glowing eyes locked onto Josar, sensing his weakened state. They lunged with primal speed, but before they could reach him, some were intercepted mid-charge by the very robots that had been hunting Josar moments before. Steel met claw in an explosion of sparks and gore as the battlefield erupted into disarray.

Josar spun back into motion, barely dodging a set of hooked Zagon claws before landing a brutal electric-enhanced backfist to its jaw, snapping its head sideways with a crack. Another lunged from above, but he launched a bolt of lightning straight through its torso, frying it in midair, watching its form evaporate before it hit the ground. But he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t rest. Every second, something new barreled toward him.

Around him, the world dissolved into chaos. Robots that once targeted him were now locked in brutal combat with Zagons, tearing into them with machine precision. Yet others, as if confused or under separate commands, still pursued Josar, firing Intergy bursts and slicing with whirring blades. The battlefield was madness incarnate: Zagons screeching, brown vapor erupting, robots collapsing with crushed limbs and shattered cores, Intergy bolts flying wildly across the landscape.

More machinery charged Josar, but Josar tore through them, wind curling around his limbs and lightning flashing from his fingertips. Sparks and gore flew in every direction. Zagons shrieked, robots malfunctioned, and steam hissed from ruptured cores. Amid the chaos, a pulse of red light built behind him. Josar turned too late, and an Intergy blast struck his side with a deafening crack, sending him flying across the street and slamming into a half-buried support column. He winced, pain searing through his ribs. Before he could regain his footing, three Zagons lunged from the smoke, jaws wide, but Josar twisted, launching himself backward in a gust of wind just in time. He spun midair, aiming to land, only for another Intergy blast to strike him square in the back. His body arched with the force, crashing through a metal railing and tumbling into the debris-strewn road below.

Josar (thinking): Damn it… I can’t tell which ones are targeting me or each other.

Zagons screeched as they closed in, their claws glinting and jaws unhinged, aiming to tear into Josar while he was down. He braced himself, ready to unleash a surge of lightning, but before he could move, a sharp whistle cut through the air. In a single blink, a blade of pure light carved across the battlefield, slicing the approaching Zagons clean in half. Their bodies didn’t even have time to collapse before they disintegrated into vapor. Then came the darkness, a wave of crushing heavy shadow that slammed down the robots charging from behind Josar. They were flattened in an instant, their cores imploding as tendrils of dark Intergy ripped through them.

Josar (thinking): Aku? 

Josar looked up and saw him. Sen, surrounded by swirling veins of light and dark, stepping forward from the smoke.

Josar (breathing heavily): Sen.

Sen said nothing back, keeping his eyes on any possible incoming danger. Josar stood.

Josar: Aku made his move, and Krutone is fighting back. These machines are aimed at me and the Zagons. I think they see me as part of them.

From the far end of the broken avenue, a new pack of Zagons erupted from the smoke. They sprinted toward the two, shrieking with animal fury. Sen raised his hand and summoned blades of pure light, slicing through the horde. Their bodies split mid-charge. From above, the thunder of alloy hit stone as Krutone’s machines leapt down from a rooftop, targeting both Josar and Sen with synchronized force. Josar reacted instantly, his fists crackling with electricity. He raised his hand and unleashed a massive shockwave of lightning, arcing outward in a spiraling burst. The impact blew the robots back like ragdolls, their metal bodies convulsing and shorting out before they crashed into the rubble.

Josar (to Sen): We need to get to Kyto somehow, or at least some place we aren’t dealing with these things alone.

But more Zagons and Krutone machines revealed themselves from the corners, looking down as Sen and Josar as their prey. Their fight was not ending anytime soon.

High above the war-torn city, within the steel-glass confines of Prism Tower’s command deck, the world leaders stood in grim silence. Holographic projections flickered across the dark room displaying images of Zagons tearing through districts, robots fighting back, and Intergy storms detonating in the skyline like unnatural lightning.

Kyto (calmly, eyes still on the holograms): Now is the time. Deploy the soldiers. All remaining units. No more waiting.

Lessa: Oh, so it finally begins.

Kyto: I will move to the basement floor to order commands. We can’t afford disruption.

Cayten: I’ll head to the Intergy Powerplant. The mutation system needs reinforcement, and the core regulators must remain untouched.

Kyto (glancing at him): Zan will be there according to Josar’s report.

Cayten (smirking slightly): I’m aware. He’s exactly the kind of problem I’ve been waiting to eliminate. I’m his weakness.

Osin: When should we expect your return?

Kyto: I only need to give orders. I will be here on basement grounds.

Cayten: I’ll remain at the Intergy Powerplant. No one will end what my history has created.

Andin (to Kyto): You want us remained here still?

Kyto: For your safety and protection, it’s recommended. Prism Tower is filled with Krutone’s soldiers.

Andin (nodding once): Understood.

Osin: And if all else fails, we can always kill whatever comes our way.

Kyto: Let’s remind the world why Krutone built its walls so high. Let them all come. We’ll bury them under their illusions of rebellion.

Kyto turned without another word, his coat shifting lightly with each step as he moved toward the elevator at the far end of the command deck. Cayten followed beside him, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed ahead. The elevator doors opened with a low mechanical hiss, casting a brief glow across the dark floor. As the doors slid shut behind them, the hum of descending machinery filled the silence.

Kyto: Don’t be reckless.

Cayten: Of course not.

Kyto: More importantly, don’t forget the monster you created.

Cayten: I’ll finally be able to correct it.

The elevator doors slid open with a sharp chime. A squad of Krutone guards stood waiting in the stark white corridor, saluting as Cayten stepped out. He gave Kyto a short nod, then turned to follow the guards to a vehicle heading toward the Intergy Powerplant. Kyto remained inside, his face unreadable as the doors closed once more with a hiss. Minutes passed in silence. The elevator did not descend further. The doors parted again, and Kyto stepped out and walked forward, dialing something into his wristband with Intergy. It buzzed.

Kyto (into the wristband): General Esako. Both you and Lieutenant Jaze prepare the airship at once.

Kyto looked to the left and right, only seeing a few guards and soldiers, then moved forward. He stepped outside of Prism Tower ready to enter his vehicle, but someone was waiting for him.

Mayzen: You’re leaving as expected.

Kyto was startled. He turned to the corner and saw him. Mayzen.

Mayzen: A pleasure to meet once again, President of Krutone.

Mayzen stepped forward from the shadows.

Kyto’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Kyto: I should’ve known you'd betray us eventually. Even without ever lifting a weapon, you were one of our most dangerous assets. You could’ve changed the tide of any war, but you chose treason. Why is that Mayzen?

Mayzen let the question sit, the wind blowing faintly between them.

Mayzen: After you’ve lived a thousand deaths, Kyto… felt the last moments of heroes and cowards, of lovers and murderers… you begin to see the same truth over and over.

Mayzen looked to the ruined city beyond, where screams and flames danced in the distance.

Mayzen: Everyone is fucked in the end. Whether they fight for kings or gods or revolution, death turns them into bitches and forgets their names.

Kyto studied him, expression unreadable.

Kyto: And yet you side with an angry bastard orphan, Aku? You of all people know how many tried to change the world before him. They all failed. We erased them. Efficiently.

Mayzen: True. But Aku… believes.

Kyto: So, did the rest.

Mayzen: Yes. But Aku is willing to genuinely die for it. And that’s… cute. Noble, even. Though, it’s still stupid.

Mayzen smiled faintly.

Mayzen: But make no mistake, what separates Aku isn’t belief. He’s different. He has something the rest didn’t… He has The Orb. You and I both know belief only matters when it rides the back of a bomb. That’s the cheat code, isn’t it? Belief added with power. That's the recipe for collapse… And you’re scared of that shit.

Kyto: So, you're not loyal. You just want to back the winning side. You didn’t choose Aku for his ideals. You chose him because you thought he might win.

Mayzen laughed quietly.

Mayzen: And isn’t that your metric for value? Is that why you’re sneaking off, Kyto? Leaving the other council behind while you apparently reconfigure orders? Are you not doing the same?

Kyto didn’t flinch.

Kyto: I don’t run. I adapt.

Mayzen: Hm. So do parasites. Tell me, Kyto. Do the rats flee the ship because they’re weak, or because they’re the only ones who know it’s sinking?

A long silence.

Mayzen: I’m not here to back the winning side. Don’t ever mistake me for being a sneaky bitch like you. I’m here to finally watch a fight where both sides are equal. For centuries, Krutone was a rigged game. The rich. The clean. The powerful. You had every advantage. Now, for once, the coin is in the air, and I want to see how it lands.

Kyto: So, this is about spectacle to you. You talk like a philosopher, but you behave like a bored child. This isn’t about what you think is justice. This is about feeding your entertainment.

Mayzen: Partly. But more than that… it’s about honesty. This world is full of illusions. Nations lie to their citizens. Families lie to their children. You lie to yourself. But death? The Orb? They don’t lie. For so long, Krutone was the only side with power. It was quite boring. Quite predictable. Now? Now we have two gods standing on the same chessboard.

Kyto took a slow step forward.

Kyto: Fascinating. You’re quite a nihilist. When did you become this cynical?

Mayzen (quietly): Before I ever stepped foot in your office.

Kyto’s voice sharpened.

Kyto: Do you really believe Krutone will fall?

Mayzen: I believe it as much as you do. That’s why you’re running.

Kyto (sternly): I told you, I’m not running. I'm issuing commands.

Mayzen tilted his head.

Mayzen (sarcastically): Of course you are. You’re the most powerful man in the world, remember? Gods don't run. They reconfigure. I suppose the flames behind you are just fireworks for the occasion?

A small smirk crept up Mayzen’s face.

Kyto: What are you getting out of this? Did Aku promise you something? Is it really just… entertainment?

Mayzen: Entertainment, yes. But also… understanding. The Orb was a bedtime story, Kyto. A myth. A metaphor. But now… it breathes. It kills. I want to see what knowledge looks like when it seeks blood… Your blood.

Kyto gives a smug look.

Kyto: You’re more of a monster than I expected. It fascinates me that Aku even trusts you considering how you turned your back on us when we provided you with everything. You might just be the real villain here all along.

Mayzen shrugs.

Mayzen (gently): And you’re just a tyrant in denial. Don’t moralize to me. Look at how you run the world.

Kyto (voice low): I kept this world from tearing itself apart. You want to call it tyranny? Fine. But under my rule, the streets were clean. Crime was buried. Stability reigned. Without my order, these people are just animals.

Mayzen paused, then nodded.

Mayzen: That’s true. People are animals, but you're the biggest animal of them all, Kyto. You just convinced yourself that your leash was a crown, that your slaughter was mercy, and that your prisons were homes.

He stepped closer, unafraid.

Mayzen: But now, there’s a bigger animal, and it’s not just Aku. It might be me, or maybe it’s every broken human your so called beautiful system discarded and forgot.

Kyto's eyes narrowed.

Kyto: You’re a hidden villain, Mayzen.

Mayzen: And you’re no hero, Kyto. What’s worse? Me, who admits I want to see it all fall… or you, who built a world on chains as your slave and calls it peace?

Then Mayzen leaned in just a bit.

Mayzen: I don't fear dying here, Kyto. I've already done it more times than you’ve slept. But you? You’re terrified. That’s why you’re running. You have something to lose and Aku doesn’t… Because if Aku wins… your entire life, your order, your control, your myth of greatness was just a lie that even you don’t believe. That’s why you’re not fighting with Krutone, right? That’s why you’re the one running.

Before Kyto could answer, a sudden crack of displaced air shattered the tension. From the smoke-filled horizon, three figures sprinted through the wreckage. Zarnem, Makota and Shera came forth with eyes fixed on Kyto and Mayzen.

Zarnem: Mr. President! Are you ok?

Makota: Him. He’s one of them!

Kyto: This is Mayzen.

Zarnem: Sir, why haven’t you called for your soldiers yet?

Kyto: Mayzen is no threat. He has yet to lift a blade at any opponent.

Zarnem looked to Mayzen who is glaring at them.

Kyto: We must escape, but we must handle Mayzen immediately.

Makota: I’ll take him on.

Shera: Makota, no!

Makota (to Kyto): You said he’s never fought, right?

Kyto: There is no database of Mayzen ever fighting, only him failing in his sparring when he was once a student in Krutone.

Makota: Then I’ll handle him and catch up to you later.

Zarnem (to Kyto): Where are the others?

Kyto: They’re safe in the chamber. We must go now.

Zarnem: To where?

Kyto (whispering back): To the Krutone Communications Center. Esako and Jaze will get us to Revano or Clyden.

Makota nodded, hearing Kyto’s words.

Makota (to Shera): Don’t worry. We’ve taken down hybrids. Mayzen shouldn’t be a problem at all.

Shera: I want to stay with you.

Makota: No. I’ll be fine. Trust me.

Kyto: We must go now!

Makota: You all need to find Sen. He might need help wherever he’s at.

Kyto left, entering his vehicle.

Shera (to Makota): I better see you.

Makota: You will.

Zarnem looked at Mayzen once more who seems completely unbothered. Then both he and Shera joined Kyto, and they took off.

Zarnem (to Kyto): I don’t understand. Why didn’t you have any guards or soldiers?

Kyto: It would warn everyone.

Zarnem: Isn’t that the point?

Silence.

Zarnem: Were you going to… leave them behind?

Kyto doesn’t answer. Shera looked concerned.

Zarnem: Mr. President?

Kyto: I ordered Esako and Jaze to prepare the airship. We will head to safety.

Shera: We will wait for Makota, right?

Kyto (looking at Shera): Yes.

Back to Mayzen and Makota.

Mayzen: What a shame. They left you just like that.

Makota: They didn’t leave me. I chose to stay.

Mayzen: Ira was so proud of you, you know that?

Makota: Ira?... Were you… the one that killed her?

Mayzen: Not me. I only extracted her memories. I know every student she favored. You were one of them.

Makota: Is this your way asking for mercy?

Mayzen: Never. I’m only presenting you with a small gift so you can die a little more peacefully. I’m not as evil as you might think I am.

Makota: What’s that supposed to mean?

Mayzen doesn’t answer. His eyes began to glow green and rotten Intergy could be felt spreading across the area.