In the realm of the death shrine, Paulo faced off against Alfie and a group of vampires.
Alfie tried to ambush him using his vampire speed, but Paulo blocked the strike and countered with a Lightning Punch, hurling Alfie into the realm's wall.
"This is my realm now, vamps. You play by my rules," Paulo said with a smirk.
In a flash, Paulo appeared before Alfie, launched him into the air, then grabbed his wrist mid-flight to halt his escape.
Alfie opened his eyes, thinking he had gotten away, until he saw Paulo's fist cocked and ready. Panic set in.
Paulo unleashed a rapid barrage of punches to Alfie's stomach, forcing him to cough up blood.
He released Alfie, then delivered a brutal kick to his head, sending him flying across the realm.
One of the remaining four vampires leapt into the air, arms outstretched, attempting to summon a blood dragon. But nothing happened.
"That won't work," Paulo said, charging forward with a grin. "Techniques don't function in here."
His sword began to glow as he raised it to his face. "Realm Technique: Death Decapitation."
With a single slash, the vampire's head was severed, leaving Alfie and the other three vampires stunned.
Another vampire stepped forward, taking a battle stance.
Paulo glanced back at Alfie and smirked.
"You are lucky Yuki Fujimoto is not here to help me Alfie. You would already be dead from the power that I can have from her," Paulo said with a cocky smirk on his face as he looks at Alfie's discouraged and agonised face of lose.
Alfie scoffed and lunged at Paulo.
Meanwhile, the others remained unaware of the chaos unfolding beyond the realm.
***
Back at the cosmic base, tension was mounting as Riku and the other tengu warriors, Amy Mori, Rajin Mori, and Jack Mori, they prepared to set out on a critical mission.
Their objective was clear: locate Paulo and assist him in his battle against the vampire threat that had begun to destabilize the region.
With determination etched into their expressions, the group launched into action, soaring across the rugged terrain toward the last known location of their ally.
As they crossed the jagged mountainside, a shimmering, dome-like structure loomed ahead, pulsing with an intense, otherworldly energy.
The massive spherical barrier blocked their path entirely, radiating a force that felt both ancient and formidable.
Riku's eyes narrowed as he recognized the technique. "This… this is Paulo's doing," he muttered, astonished. "He's created a realm barrier."
Without hesitation, Riku surged forward, channelling his Light energy into a powerful kick aimed directly at the barrier. The impact was explosive, but the sphere did not budge.
Instead, the concentrated light rebounded off its surface, ricocheting into the mountain behind them with such force that the cliffside trembled, sending loose rocks tumbling down in a cascade.
The group stared in awe as the mountain nearly fractured under the redirected energy.
"How tough is this barrier anyway?" Jack Mori exclaimed, stepping back and shielding his eyes from the residual glow.
His voice carried a mix of frustration and admiration.
Amy Mori stepped forward next, her hands glowing with concentrated tengu energy.
She planted her feet firmly and unleashed a focused blast at the barrier.
The energy surged forward like a comet, but upon impact, the sphere remained unscathed, its surface rippling slightly before returning to its pristine, impenetrable state.
Rajin Mori, never one to back down, took to the skies.
With a fierce cry, he summoned his blood dragon, a crimson, serpentine force forged from his own life essence.
The dragon roared and spiralled toward the barrier, crashing into it with a thunderous impact.
For a moment, the air crackled with tension. But the barrier did not break from the dragon's assault.
Instead, a faint fissure appeared, triggered not by the attack itself, but by the realm barrier's time limit nearing its end.
As the final seconds ticked away, the barrier began to shimmer and dissolve, its energy dispersing into the wind like scattered stardust.
The group braced themselves, unsure of what they would find beyond the veil.
When the mist cleared, the scene was grim but revealing.
Standing amidst the wreckage were Paulo and five vampires, battle-worn and bloodied.
Three of the vampires lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies twisted in defeat.
The remaining two stood defiantly, their eyes locked onto the newcomers with a mix of fury and desperation.
Paulo, though visibly exhausted, remained upright, his aura still flickering with residual power.
The tengu warriors rushed to his side, ready to finish what he had started and bring an end to the vampire menace once and for all.
***
As the shimmering remnants of the realm barrier faded into the wind, Riku and the other tengu, Amy, Rajin, and Jack, they rushed forward across the scorched earth toward Paulo.
The air was thick with tension, the scent of blood and ozone lingering from the battle that had just taken place.
Paulo stood at the centre of the devastation, his body bruised and his breath shallow.
He leaned heavily against Riku's shoulder, barely able to keep himself upright.
His eyes flickered with exhaustion, but also with urgency.
"Riku… you made it," Paulo said, voice hoarse. "I had to deal with those tengu hunters. They were relentless."
Jack stepped forward, scanning the battlefield. "You look like you've been through hell, man."
Before anyone could respond, a mocking voice cut through the silence.
"Well, well, look at this," sneered Alfie Morningstar, one of the two remaining vampires.
His crimson eyes gleamed with malice as he stepped forward, flanked by his last surviving ally. "Paulo needs his little tengu buddies to bail him out. How adorable."
Amy narrowed her eyes. "You must be Alfie."
Paulo nodded weakly. "Yeah… Alfie Morningstar. He is Izumi's brother. And he is not just any vampire; he is one of the strongest I have ever faced."
Rajin clenched his fists. "Then we finish this now."
But Paulo was not listening. Something had shifted in him.
As he stood among the tengu, he felt a familiar warmth begin to stir in his chest, a gentle, radiant energy that reminded him of Yuki.
Her presence, her strength, her serenity. It was tengu energy. Pure, ancient, and transformative.
He closed his eyes, letting the sensation wash over him. "Yuki… I remember now. The only way to become like you… to truly awaken the tengu within… is through tengu energy."
He opened his eyes and looked around.
Three sources surrounded him, Riku, Amy, and Rajin. Each pulsed with their own unique aura.
But it was Rajin's energy that called to him most. Wild, raw, and balanced. It matched Paulo's own chaotic spirit.
"I need your energy, Rajin," Paulo said, stepping toward him.
Rajin nodded without hesitation. "Take what you need."
Paulo placed his hand on Rajin's chest, and a surge of crimson light enveloped him.
His body began to glow, his wounds mending, his stance straightening.
The transformation was subtle but powerful, his aura sharpened, his senses heightened, and his speed… unimaginable.
Alfie's companion, sensing the shift, lunged forward with a snarl. "I'll rip that power out of you!"
But Paulo did not flinch. In a blur of motion, he vanished from sight.
The vampire's eyes widened in confusion, until Paulo reappeared upside down in midair behind him, silent as a shadow.
With a single, fluid motion, Paulo unsheathed his vengestone blade.
The edge shimmered with deadly precision as it sliced cleanly through the vampire's neck.
The creature's body crumpled to the ground before it even realized it was dead.
The others stared in awe.
Jack whistled. "Okay… that was insane."
Amy smirked. "Looks like Paulo's finally tapped into his true potential."
Paulo landed gracefully, his eyes locked onto Alfie. "One down. One to go."
Alfie's grin faltered for the first time. "You think you're ready for me?"
Paulo's blade gleamed in the fading light. "I do not think. I know."