Nyxxa moved like poisoned smoke. Every touch of her shadow-claws stole fragments of Aero's soul.
"Your wind is empty noise," Nyxxa hissed, raking Aero's arm. Soul-energy bled from the wound like black mist.
Aero staggered, wind-sword flickering. Sido 6: Zephyr Shield deflected a death-strike, but Nyxxa's laughter echoed:
"I've consumed thousands souls. Yours will singin my darkness."
Tamotsu heard them. Screams from inside Nyxxa's shadow-flesh:
"Release us"
"She tore us apart!"
The voices spiked like ice picks in his skull.
As Nyxxa lunged for Aero's heart, Tamotsu took his mask off and leapt into the arena.
Ice wisdom phase 7 : Frost blink!
He vanished—reappeared between them, an ice glaive parrying Nyxxa's claw.
Aero bleeding, gasping: "Fool! She'll devour you—"
Tamotsu silver eyes blazing: "Her soul-pit is full. Time to empty it."
Nyxxa recoiled. "Ice? The forgotten power—"
Tamotsu's glaive swept low: "Glacial Cleave!"
Nyxxa dodged left—exposing her back.
Aero moved.
Wind-swift. Silent.
Her blade Cleaved through Nyxxa's shadow-neck.
Nyxxa's body dissolved into swirling light.
Thousand souls burst free—dancing like starlight over the arena.
A child's voice whispered: "Thank you."
Silence. Then—
SPECTATORS ROARED:
"Ice warden!"
"He mastered the lost art!"
"Aero's blade —Like lightning!"
Medical Bay: Bonds Forged
Tamotsu bandaged Aero's soul-wound with gentle frost stopping the decay.
Aero grinning weakly: "Tamotsu... I never heard you move."
Tamotsu: "Your decapitation strike... cleaner than mountain air."
He looked at the other wounded—Kenji, Ren's. For the first time, he felt it: belonging.
The remaining demon kneeled.
Bone Clan Elder: "The Void King forced this corruption on us!"
Venom Clan Matriarch: "We surrender. We just... want to be human again."
Scourge Warlord: "We'll fight with you—against the real enemy."
Tsuneo stepped forward, stone-sword lowered: "Prove it. Disband your legions. Surrender your void-cores."
The demons bowed—tears cutting through ash on their faces.