The vault lay in ruin. shards of shattered reality floated midair, each reflecting moments from kaito's past lives—his first battle, his final betrayal, and the silent vow made in the dark before his rebirth.
Kaito stood firm, nightcleaver pulsing with dormant energy. the echo king's form twisted between flesh and shadow, each movement leaving trails of memory behind. the air was heavy with presence, like a thousand souls whispering at once.
"You carry many sins," the echo king said, voice like wind tearing through glass. "but it is not guilt that binds you—it is denial."
"Then let's see if truth can cut as deeply as a sword," kaito replied, charging forward.
Their blades met with a resonance that shook the vault. power surged with each strike. the echo king wielded history like a weapon, using echoes of kaito's own techniques against him.
kaelyra formed sigils around them, trying to anchor the collapsing space. her magic trembled as fragments of the past broke through—illusions of kaito's brother, blood-soaked fields, screams of fallen allies.
"You're not fighting him alone," she said through gritted teeth. "we're here too."
Kaito grunted, forcing the echo king back. "i know."
The echo king stepped through a tear in space, reappearing behind kaito. but this time, kaito was ready. he turned, letting nightcleaver absorb the momentum and drive it forward—piercing shadow.
A hollow gasp escaped the king. but instead of falling, he split into seven forms—each one a version of kaito from his different lifetimes.
"Face your past," they whispered in unison.
And with that, the true battle began—not with steel, but with memory, will, and the strength to accept who he had been in order to become who he must be.