Typhon's expression twisted into something unfamiliar.
Fear.
For half a heartbeat, Ryosen thought they had finally broken the unbreakable—until Typhon's grin returned, wider, sharper, cruel.
"Just kidding."
He snapped his fingers.
The sky split apart.
Tornadoes howled to life. Thunder cracked against the earth. Rain hammered down in sheets so violent it stung like blades.
"Damn it. WE HAD HIM!" Ryosen yelled, shielding his face from the wind.
Aegis grabbed his shoulder. "We need to fall back. Warning the others is more important right now!"
Ryosen swallowed his frustration. "Fine. Let's go!"
Typhon rose into the sky, storm swirling behind him. His massive wings pushed the air so hard it shook the trees around them. Then, he shot off toward the north like a comet.
Aegis' eyes narrowed. "North… That might be important later."
Back at the Haven of Six
Two hollow houses stood proudly, crude but standing.
Shichiro pointed at one. "Middle house is mine. Obviously."
"Then this one's mine," Katsu said with hands on his hips, taking the right side. "Right next to yours."
Kentarō pointed at the empty plot farthest away. "I want this one. The far left. Peace and quiet."
"You're still gonna hear me yell your name wrong from here," Katsu muttered.
"It's Kentarō, bub!"
Ryosen clapped once. "Everyone, brace yourselves, tornadoes and storms incoming.. that damn typhon. Stay close to me and Aegis. We'll shield the area."
"But the houses…" Kentarō looked back nervously.
Aegis smiled reassuringly. "I'll protect those too. Don't worry."
Before anyone could respond, a soft glow drew their attention.
Rokuro's chest pulsed with cyan light.
"Huh? Why's it glowing?" Rokuro asked, backing up.
"I've never seen that before," Katsu replied.
The glow intensified, brighter, deeper, until Rokuro's feet left the ground. He floated upward as the light engulfed him completely.
"Rokuro!!" Shichiro shouted.
The cyan burst flashed.
And Rokuro vanished.
Inside the Heart Dimension - Rokuro's Soul
A frozen world stretched endlessly.
Snow.
Ice.
Silence.
Rokuro hugged himself. "Where… am I? It's so cold…"
Footsteps crunched behind him.
Rokuro turned, and froze.
An ice-formed copy of himself walked forward, glowing veins of cyan swirling through its body.
"You don't use it right," the ice-double said, pointing at Rokuro's chest.
"My Heart?" Rokuro raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure chopping down trees with it is pretty efficient, heh."
His double didn't laugh.
Instead, it raised its hands, forming a circle.
Between them, cyan light gathered, brilliant, pulsing, alive.
Two massive ice dragons burst out of the light, roaring silently as they spiraled upward.
Rokuro's jaw dropped. "…What… is that?"
"You," the double said simply. "What you're capable of."
The ice-double spread its hands again.
Two ice archers formed beside him. They pulled back their bows and released.
Two arrows became ten.
Ten became a thousand.
A thousand became a storm, an entire sky full of shimmering projectiles.
Rokuro stared upward, breath stolen by awe.
"I… I can do this?"
The arrows melted into water the moment they touched the icy ground.
"Yes. You keep acting like a support. Like freezing enemies is all you're good for."The double leaned closer."But your heart… with creativity… you are nearly a god."
Rokuro shakily raised his hands, forming the shape of a spear.
Cyan light glowed between his palms.
Slowly… beautifully… an ice spear materialized.
Rokuro's eyes widened.
"Woah…"