The night air crackled with tension, the rain now a torrential downpour, blurring the world into a mess of shattered glass and blood-soaked concrete.
Reo's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Every muscle in his body screamed for respite, but there was no time. No time to stop. No time to rest.
Kael was only a few meters away.
Every movement from the mutated Kael sent shockwaves through the ground, sending fissures through the street beneath them. His eyes glowed with an inhuman light, his grin stretched wide and full of venomous glee.
He was faster, stronger, and more brutal than any opponent Reo had ever faced.
But he was still Kael.
His brother.
And Reo wasn't about to let that beast have the final say.
Reo's fingers clenched tighter around the Dimensional Cutter, his mind racing as he calculated the next move. His instincts screamed at him to find any opening — no matter how small. Kael had become a creature of pure violence, but he was still bound by a flaw. A weakness.
All Reo had to do was expose it.
Kael lunged again, a blur of motion that caught Reo off guard. He barely managed to twist away, but Kael's fist slammed into his side, sending him flying into a nearby wrecked car. Metal crumpled and glass shattered on impact.
Reo's vision darkened for a moment, but he gritted his teeth and pulled himself up, forcing his legs to stand beneath him. Blood dripped from his lips, but he was not about to surrender.
Not now. Not ever.
"Still standing?" Kael taunted, his voice like a growl. He cracked his knuckles, taking a slow step forward. "You're weaker than I thought, Reo. You can't win this."
"You're wrong," Reo muttered, wiping the blood from his face. "I always win."
Kael's eyes narrowed as he began to charge, too fast for Reo to fully track. The ground beneath his feet cracked under the pressure of Kael's steps. But Reo was prepared. He waited. Focused.
And then, just before Kael struck, Reo moved.
The Dimensional Cutter sliced through the air like lightning, its edges glowing with blinding energy.
Kael snarled, bringing up his arm to block, but it was too late. The blade cut through his forearm like butter, slicing deep into the silver-infused flesh. Kael screamed, the sound full of rage and pain, but the wound healed almost immediately, tendrils of metallic liquid rushing to seal the injury.
But Reo was relentless. He didn't stop. He pressed forward, the Cutter flashing in his hands with precision, slicing at Kael's body with brutal force. Each strike was designed to expose more of the unnatural weakness — to break through the nearly indestructible defenses Kael had developed.
Kael roared in fury as the blade struck his chest, tearing open a large gash that spilled glowing, silver blood.
"You're not a god, Kael!" Reo shouted, his voice steady, unyielding. "You're a monster!"
Kael's face contorted in pure hatred. He swung wildly, fists crashing down with all the power he could muster, but Reo danced out of the way, his movements swift, precise, like a predator hunting its prey. He felt the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, but it wasn't just the power of his body that he relied on — it was his mind. His genius. His ability to predict and outsmart.
Kael's rage was his downfall.
Kael took another swing, and Reo saw it.
The opening.
The moment of vulnerability.
With a cry of determination, Reo lunged forward, the Cutter held high, aiming for the one place Kael had neglected — the small gap in his chest where the silver blood was just beginning to coagulate.
It was a shot in the dark, but it was his best shot.
Time seemed to slow as Reo's blade descended. He could see Kael's eyes widen in realization, but it was too late. The Cutter struck true.
Kael let out a howl of pain, his body jerking violently as the blade sank into his chest, cutting through the mechanical and organic layers with an explosive force. Kael staggered backward, the silver blood splattering onto the ground like molten lava.
For a moment, Kael stood there, breathing heavily, his body twitching, the damage from the strike spreading like a ripple across the surface of his enhanced body.
Reo stepped back, his hand still gripping the Cutter. His eyes were fixed on Kael, heart pounding, waiting for any sign of weakness.
But Kael wasn't finished. Not by a long shot.
He snarled, his voice a guttural growl. "You think you've won?"
Before Reo could react, Kael rushed forward once more, the ground shaking beneath his feet. His arm reached out, grabbing Reo by the throat, lifting him off the ground with terrifying ease. Reo struggled, his breath constricting in his throat, but Kael's grip was like iron.
Kael's glowing red eyes stared into his.
"You never understood, did you, Reo?" Kael hissed. "You'll never be better than me. No matter how hard you try. I am the future. You're just a flaw."
Reo's world was spinning as he gasped for air, the weight of Kael's words pressing down on him. His mind raced — there had to be a way out. There had to be something he hadn't thought of.
Then, a flash of brilliance hit him.
The recall device.
In his pocket, the tiny silver cube Doraemon had given him.
He could feel it, pulsing with energy, just within his reach.
Reo's hand shot into his pocket, fumbling for the device. He barely managed to grab it, but as his fingers closed around it, his heart skipped a beat.
He pressed it.
The world went white.
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