Quad staggered, gasping as he hit the ground.
"T-This… isn't enough… to take me down…"
Auransa smiled, stepping forward, blade dripping red.
"You want more?"
Quad's grin widened. Blood slid down his chest like ink.
"Yes."
His arms darkened—blackening like obsidian—as they expanded, swelling into monstrous gorilla-like limbs, veins bulging, muscles twisting unnaturally.
Auransa tilted his head, smiling.
"This won't be saving you."
Quad lunged with a claw strike, the air shrieking as his talons cut through it.
Auransa didn't move until the last second.
"Try your best."
BOOOOM—!
Quad's claw smashed into the wall behind Auransa, collapsing it entirely, but Auransa had already slipped aside like a shadow.
Auransa countered—
Swish!
A clean slash. Quad staggered back… but stayed standing, barely affected.
He smirked. "Is that all you got!?"
He slammed his fist into the ground.
THUD!
Cracks spidered out violently, shaking the entire facility.
Auransa's eyes widened.
I can't hurt him…? If that's true, I might lose.
Quad roared and slammed another punch into the floor.
THUD!
Walls split. The ground shook. Dust exploded everywhere.
Auransa evaded again, sliding across rubble, and steadied himself.
"I would end it."
He channeled his Aegis Mantra into his sword—crimson aura flaring, distorting the air.
Quad coated his monstrous arms with Aegis, black flames shimmering over his skin.
Auransa lunged—
His crimson aura sparkled violently, lighting up the battlefield—
And then he leapt high.
Quad stared up, meeting Auransa's eyes, grinning.
Auransa raised his blade overhead.
"Moonfall Slash!"
THUDDD!!
The sword crashed against Quad's arms—
Sparks exploded across the battlefield like fireworks gone berserk.
Auransa gritted his teeth, pouring everything into the strike, every muscle burning—
But he couldn't pierce through.
Quad's grin widened.
"That's not even my full power."
He pushed.
A single shove—
And Auransa was launched.
CRAAASH—!!
Auransa's body tore through the wall, blasting a massive hole through it, stone and steel flying outward.
He flew outside the facility—
And landed on the burning island, flames reflecting off his battered body as smoke rose around him.