The air grew thicker as Shifu led the group through the winding tunnels of the sewer. His broad shoulders tensed with every echo, every soft footstep of the group as they followed in silence. Kirara, still a little unsure about the situatio gng back at Kaede's st words. The weight of the decision to leave her behind didn’t sit right with the young girl, but she kept moving, fog on guiding the others to safety.

  The damp, suffog air of the tunnels eventually gave way to the starlit night sky as they reached the exit. The moonlight revealed the barren, war-torn ndscape of Falmuth’s outer limits, with destroyed buildings and crumbling infrastructure stretg across the horizon. A bitter wind picked up, sweeping across the group, but they moved quickly and quietly, keeping low as they passed through the final remnants of the city’s outskirts.

  “Keep moving,” Shifu urged in a hushed voice, his sharp eyes stantly sing their surroundings. The former prisoners, still rec from their ordeal, were stumbling from exhaustion, but the sight of the open air spurred them onward.

  Kirara remained close to Shifu, keeping a careful watch over the group. As they moved through the destroyed remnants of the outer city, she kept gng at the virtual map on her wrist even as her mi returning to Kaede and the situation she had left behind. She’ll be fine, right? Kirara couldn’t help but think. The woman had always been strohan she looked, but fag someone like Razen alone? Even Kirara had to admit it was a dangerous gamble.

  As they he edge of the city, the silhouette of a heavily armored squad appeared on the horizon, cutting through the night like shadows in the dark. They were heavily armed, their movements methodical and precise, clearly a well-disciplined unit. Leading them was her than Folgen, his t figure cutting an imposing figure as he stood at the front, his cold gaze sing the area.

  Shifu’s muscles tensed, notig the figure immediately. Folgen, the infamous general of Falmuth's military, was not someoo be uimated. His reputation preceded him, ahis frontation was unavoidable.

  “You think they’ll notice us?” Kirara muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with unease.

  “They have,” Shifu replied sharply, his haing on his sword’s hilt. “But we have no choice but to face them. Get the others moving.”

  As they approached the group, Kyoya appeared from the shadows behind Folgen, his ever-watchful eyes log onto Shifu with curiosity. He stood tall, the edges of his uniform flowing behind him in the wind, his sharp features barely illuminated in the pale moonlight. Uhe usual warriors of Falmuth, Kyoya had an aura of quiet power, his stance calm yet unyielding.

  “General Folgen, I assume?” Shifu addressed, his voice steady and trolled, despite the mounting tension.

  Folgen’s gaze shifted from Shifu to the group of former prisoners, his eyes calg and cold. “You’ve made quite the mess,” he said with a hint of disdain. “This is a fool’s errand, ogre. You think you escape?”

  “Ogre?” Shifu’s voice was low, but it carried weight. “Sorry but you're mistaken. I have evolved into a kijin. Oh a purpose.”

  Kyoya spoke up then, his voice smooth and measured. "What are you doing Kirara? I get how you feel, but running away seems pretty stupid. You'll have aire nation after you. You're basically trading away a life of luxury for a life on the run. you even protect yourself?" His eyes flicked to Kirara briefly before returning to Shifu. "Or are you expeg moo protect you. Rather ironic, really.”

  Kirara, who had been watg this exge with increasing irritation, crossed her arms. "Luxury, Kyoya? Like, are you dumb or something? There's no fug i here, where's the damn luxury? Besides, that curse really sucked, if you join us, I'll ask Kaede to remove it for you. She didn't tell me, but I know it's her, she's amazing like that.”

  Folgen’s lips curled into a thin smirk. "Oh, is that how it happened? We wondered how you were able to rebel. The young dy must be pretty skilled to be able to undo the curse?”

  Kirara froze when she realized she had said something she shouldn't have said.

  Shifu’s stance shifted slightly as he subtly readied himself for what was i. “I don’t care what you think, general, but I advise you move.”

  The air around them seemed to hum with tension as Kyoya took a step forward, his gaze locked oana on Shifu's hip. "A swordsman huh? The's settle this with our swords."

  “For your sake, boy, I suggest you stand down. I wouldn't want to cut dorout so early,” Shifu responded, his voiwavering. "Raise your swainst me and you will die.”

  For a moment, the two stared at one ahe sileretched thin as the forces of Falmuth squared off against the ragged group of survivors. Kirara, feeling the growing strain imosphere, could tell something was about to break.

  “Take formation men,” Folgen’s voice rang out, his voice hard and anding. “It’s clear that you won’t listen. We’ll bring you to justice, for humanity's sake.”

  With a swift motion, he drew his on, his long swleaming in the dim light. The squad around him instantly fell into formation, their ons raised in preparation. Kyoya’s eyes narrowed, his haing on the hilt of his sword, ready for the slightest provocation.

  Kirara grit her teeth. 'The extra point is so close, just around the er, dammit!' She pced her hand oility belt feeling that she had two more fsh pulse grenades.

  "Kirara." Shifu's voice was loud as he called out to her. "Take the people ao the extra point. Acer is waiting for you there. I'll deal with these men and join you."

  Kirara shook. "What?" She grabbed one of the grenades from her belt. "You want to fight them alone. Like, that's incredibly stupid."

  The air suddenly ged as a purple aura suddenly enveloped Shifu, with his purple hair billowing as if on fire. "I am more than capable of handling these gentlemen."

  Kirara found her breath caught in the se. "O-Okay, like, whatever." She turo the group behind her. "Alright let's go. Leave the boys to do boys stuff."

  Folgen snarked a ugh. "I don't think so. Men make sure none of them escape while I deal with this nuisance."

  This time, Kirara was the one ughing. "Men, attack the general. Fight until your st breath." She immediately turned, leading the people away, even as Folgen's eyes widened a fra.

  The chaos unfolded almost immediately. Folgen’s soldiers hesitated for only a breath before succumbing to Kirara’s and, their movements being meical aic. With a sudden, unified shout, they turheir ons against their general, rushing at him with uncoordinated ferocity.

  Folgen’s smirk twisted into something darker. “Treachory.” His voice cut through the cmor like a bde itself.

  The first soldier, a wiry man with a short sword, lu Folgen with a clumsy swing. Folgen sidestepped with practiced ease, his long sword humming through the air as it cleaved ly through the man’s chest. Blood sprayed in a wide arc, the lifeless body crumpling at his feet.

  Another soldier, a younger recruit, barely out of his teens, charged at him with trembling hands. “I... I don’t want to—!” His plea was cut short as Folgen thrust his bde through the boy’s heart, the tip emerging from his ba a single, brutal motion.

  “Such pitiful dispy.” Folgen growled, yanking his bde free. For a moment, his eyes glowed with a cold, violet light, the telltale sign of his Unique Skill: [Spearhead] activating. The remaining soldiers froze mid-step, their ons shaking in their hands as if waking from a nightmare.

  “Snap out of it!” Folgen barked, his voianding and sharp. The glow in his eyes faded, and the soldiers staggered back, fusion and terror etched across their faces. “Or you’ll meet the same fate as them.”

  The surviving men looked at the bodies of their rades and then at Folgen, their faces pale. Still trembling, they nodded and fell bato formation, awaiting his orders.

  “Chase them,” Folgen snapped, pointing toward the fleeing Kirara. “Do not let a single one escape. Leave the ogre, or kijin, to me and Kyoya.”

  The soldiers hesitated, gng between Folgen and Shifu, whose aura had grown even more menag. “Move!” Folgen bellowed, and they obeyed, rushing toward Kirara’s group with renewed determination.

  ---

  Kirara led the survivors with as much speed as she could muster, practically dragging one of the older prisoners who had stumbled. “Keep going!” she shouted, her voice sharp. “We’re almost there!” Her heart pounded in her chest, half from exertion, half from the nagging worry about Shifu fag both Kyoya and Folgen alone.

  ---

  Back at the battlefield, Shifu’s purple aura flickered and burned like wildfire, illuminating his sharp features and the deadly focus in his eyes. His katana gleamed in the faint light, ready to taste blood.

  Kyoya stepped forward, drawing his one-handed sword with a deliberate, almost zy motion. “A monster with a katana. You’re either extremely fident or extremely stupid,” he remarked, his tone amused.

  Shifu smirked, his voice calm but edged with steel. "Rather cocky, aren't you boy. Draw your sword properly, or you won’t have time tret it.”

  Kyoya’s smile didn’t falter. “Fine, let’s see how long you st.”

  Without warning, Kyoya dashed forward, his speed enhanced by [Mind Acceleration] his bde cutting through the air in a precise arc aimed at Shifu’s nebsp;

  Shifu stepped back just enough for the bde to miss him by a hair’s breadth, his katana fshing upward to ter. Kyoya twisted his body unnaturally, dodging the strike with inhuman grad retaliating with a low sweep aimed at Shifu’s legs.

  Shifu jumped back, his katana held steady, the tip pointed directly at Kyoya’s chest. “Your form is good, but your sword cks vi.”

  Kyoya chuckled, his stance rexing as if they weren’t in a life-or-death battle. “vi, huh? Let’s see if yours keep up.”

  He charged again, this time with a series of rapid strikes, eae faster and more precise tha. Shifu’s katana moved like a dance, parrying every blow with calcuted precision. Sparks flew as their bdes cshed, the sound ringing out like a deadly symphony in the night.

  ---

  Meanwhile, Folgen watched the duel with narrowed eyes, his haing on the hilt of his long sword. His soldiers had disappeared into the darkness, chasing Kirara’s group, but he had no iion of leaving things to bsp;

  “Kyoya,” he called out, his voice calm but firm. “Don’t py with your food. Finish this.”

  Kyoya’s grin widened as he sidestepped another ssh from Shifu. “I’m just getting warmed up, General. Besides, this guy’s actually pretty good.”

  Shifu’s aura fred even brighter, the air around him growing heavier. “If you think this is a game, I’ll be sure to end it quickly.”

  He shifted his stance, his katana glowing faintly with a purple hue. The strike came faster than Kyoya expected, a horizontal ssh that forced him to block with both hands. The impact sent a jolt up his arms, and for the first time, his smile faltered.

  “You’re strong,” Kyoya admitted, his tone serious now. “But strength alone isn’t enough to beat me.”

  Shifu didn’t respond, his focus razor-sharp as he prepared for the exge. The battlefield seemed to hold its breath as the two warriors squared off, their auras g like storms in the night.

  From the shadows, Folgen stepped forward, his long sword raised. “Let’s see how you hawo oppos.”

  Shifu’s eyes darted betweewo, his grip tightening on his katana. “Two against one? I expected as much.”

  Kyoya ughed, his usual arrogaurning. “This is going to be fun.” He vanished in a burst of speed, the world slowing down to a crawl as he moved unimpeded, a malicious grin graced his face as he raised his sword to ssh at the monster.

  'I wanhe look on your face when I pletely crush you!' His gaze remained moved to the ogre's face as he swung down his sword.

  Kyoya felt his heart cease beating when he saw the ogre's eyes. After all, they were looking right at him, following his movements. "Wha..."

  Shifu had a disappointed look on his face. "Is that it then? You're rather slow." He then took a step ba the slowed down world, dodging Kyoya's attack.

  Missing his attack, Kyoya stumbles but quickly regains himself, before using his momentum to twist into a horizontal ssh. 'What the hell? He see me? No way!!'

  Shifu took aep back, the bde missing him by a hair's breath.

  Kyoya pulled his sword, befoing for a thrust. "Who are you calling slow? My eyes see in all dires, 300 times faster than normal. You're the one who's slow, you might as well be standing still."

  Shifu sidestepped the attack, log eyes with Kyoya as they passed each other. "No. Your eyes 't see anything. Not yet."

  Kyoya's mind raced 300 times per sed. 'Shit, this is bad. No choice then.' [Severer] the moment they passed each other, Kyoya swung his sword as he turned, sending tiny dummy swords at the ogre, each of them made entirely of spatial energy, ign distao immediately tear through the ogre.

  Seeing his attack reach the ogre in an instant, Kyoya knew he had won, and his grin reflected that. “Hahahaha! You lose. With my skills, not even that old dy, Hinata could challenge me, much less some random monster like you!”

  KA-G

  When using [Mind Acceleration], Kyoya had noticed that sound was always muffled, and while he could still talk, and listen in slowed time, the sound was still dulled, which is why the sharp sound of steel hitting steel was surprising to hear in this slowed down world.

  "What just..." He gazed at the ogre who was unharmed even after he was certain his attack had ected. "What did you do?!"

  Shifu's eyes settled on Kyoya, and Kyoya felt a chill. "Oh? You didn't see it. Well that's iing, to not see your own skill. That means you didn't see my attack either."

  The ogre's voice was calm, but his words terrified Kyoya to his core. "Your what..?" Thin lines suddenly drew across his uniform, most of them in his arms, before erupting in purple fmes. "AAAAARGH!!!" Kyoya screamed as the pain of being cut and burned registered at the same time, although his voice was muffled in slowed time.

  This was the effect of Shifu's unique skill [Genesis], using the subskill [Divine Insight] he was able to pletely analyse all of Kyoya's abilities, including his unique skill. And then using another subskill [Facsimile], was able to create a replica of those abilities, adjusting them to his own.

  Using a version of unique skill [Severer] Shifu was able to see the spatial bdes ing, parry them and then send back his own fme covered spatial bdes. All in an instant.

  "sider this your pehrough his pain, Kyoya heard the ogre's voice as clear as day. As he felt a sudden chill on his neck. His skill finally deactivated, and he colpsed to the floor, trembling, as the fmes went out.

  Folgen sighed, his long sword trembling as it held back Shifu's katana, the only reason, Kyoya's head was not rolling on the floor. "You'll terrorise the boy no longer."

  All in all, the fight had sted for few seds and before Folgen could catch up, it was over, and he was barely able to save Kyoya's life. His eyes flitted over to Kyoya for an instant before returning back the ogre. 'This majinnis much strohan I thought. Kyoya isn't very strong but is quite capable, if not for his disgraceful arrogahinking he beat Hinata with skill like his?'

  He and the ogre leaped backwards, creating distaweewo, before cirg eachother. 'I'll have to go all out it seems. Unfortunately I 't just let the boy die until he grows some more. His unique skill is bound to make me even stronger.'

  g his sword tightly, he took a deep breath. "Have at me, monster."

  And thus, the newly evolved Kijin, Shifu, and the otherworlder, general Folgen cshed.