The battlefield was scorched.
Cracked earth, shattered ruins, and broken weapons littered the field like the remains of a dying world. Raven was gone. The storm of sonic chaos silenced forever.
Lilith stood frozen—expression unreadable, face splattered with blood and dust. For the first time, the emotionless tactician of time… trembled.
She glanced at Raven's last spot.
Then at Kael.
"You killed him…" she whispered. "You actually killed him."
Kael said nothing, his eyes glowing dim with the fading remnants of Will.
Lilith's fists clenched, violet mist beginning to pulse around her as Chrono Veil flickered to life—her time distortion warping the very space around her.
"I'll make you pay," she said coldly. "Even if I have to rewind every moment of your existence and erase you before you ever drew breath."
A hand landed on her shoulder.
Veyron.
Bloodied, breathing hard, but still standing. His cloak of void shadows flickered as he spoke.
"Enough. We've lost this round."
She turned to him, lips tight. "He killed Raven."
Veyron's eyes flicked to Kael. Then Ryuu. Tetsu. Hana. Kaede. Raizen.
And finally… to Kurojin, still standing in the distance. Still silent. Still smiling.
"We weren't supposed to win this fight," Veyron muttered. "He never planned to reveal everything."
Lilith froze. "What?"
"He's holding back," Veyron said. "Didn't you feel it? The pressure? It's like his presence alone is suppressing us. He never even moved."
Kael narrowed his eyes. Kurojin stood exactly where he'd been the entire time—arms behind his back, cloak fluttering in the wind, gaze locked on Kael as if watching a chess piece cross into danger.
He hadn't lifted a finger.
He hadn't even blinked.
Kael felt it now too.
Something was wrong.
Veyron grabbed Lilith again, more forcefully this time. "We leave. Now."
Lilith hesitated, gaze flicking one last time to Kael. Her eyes burned with cold vengeance.
"This isn't over, Kael Kurai."
And with a burst of Voidstep, Veyron vanished. Lilith followed in a shimmering distortion of time.
They were gone.
The battlefield fell quiet—only the wind whispering across the carnage.
Kael turned slowly.
"Kurojin," he called out.
The corrupted Wielder gave a faint smirk, his eyes gleaming like molten gold under shadow.
"You've grown, boy."
Kael's fists clenched. "Why didn't you fight?"
Kurojin tilted his head.
"Because war is not won by fists alone."
He turned away.
"The game has just begun."
And then, just like his elites, Kurojin vanished—leaving only silence behind.
Kael stood frozen, his heartbeat loud in his ears.
Everyone was alive. They had won.
But something deep inside told him this was far from over.