Facing nearly a thousand opponents and their weapons would put anybody on edge; and yet, the one on the edge was the thousand people facing one enemy. That was because this enemy was giving off a stifling pressure with a bright smile on his face.

“What’s wrong? The target of your anger is here.”

Miko’s slit eyes started glowing with a dangerous light.

“Or do you want me to come at you.”

He took a step forward and Shòu ran pass his men and charged at him.

“Miko!”

Miko grinned and shouted.

“Come!”

Shòu jumped into the air and aimed at stomp at his chest. Miko threw a punch and clashed with his foot. Shòu felt a sharp pain surge through his leg.

“What the hell was that, Shòuxíng?!”

Miko grabbed his leg and lifted overhead.

“You dare challenge me with such a flimsy kick?!”

Miko slammed Shòu onto the ground and kick him away like a ball.

“Next!”

“………”

He got no response.

“I see. So that’s how you want to play? Then I’ll force you all to come at me like your lives depend on it!”

*BAM!*

The ground burst open underneath him and thin black light covered him.

(This is Vita…But how can it be this? I’ve never seen Vita so dense and vast but so calm and under control at the same time…)

Jin put on a serious expression.

“This is gonna be a problem.”

Miko took another step forward and was about to dash towards his enemies, but he halted when a giant laser hit him. The laser hit the fortress and caused a massive explosion. Jin, who had fired the laser transformed into his light form and started floating in the air.

“Solar Arsenal!”

Dozens of light cannons appeared behind him. He swung his hand and the cannons fired giant beams of light at Miko. The cannons fired continuously without any signs of stopping.

“Those with long-ranged weapons fire at him from a distance! Don’t let up even if you think you might hit your comrades! Don’t give him any freedom to move as he pleases!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

The soldiers manned their armored vehicles and fired their cannons at Miko. Those with machine guns and rifles mounted their guns and added their own firepower. Some of the soldiers started throwing explosives and using projectile launchers as well.

“Close ranged fighters, equip your powersuits or whatever gear you have!”

Shòu walked forward and shouted.

“Be prepared to be hit by your allies every now and again! But don’t falter or you will be killed by him before dying from a stray bullet!”

A red aura surrounded Shòu’s body and he pulled out his glaive.

“Throw all caution to the wind and fight until you’ve breathed your last breath!”

“Ohh!”

The soldiers roared and prepared themselves for a battle to the death. Without realizing it, Shòu and Jin were leading both armies into battle as if they were one group and not hateful enemies.

When faced with a threat great enough even archenemies will come together to defeat them. And the enemy that they were about to face was one worthy of teaming up.

*BAM!*

An explosion of sinister aura erupted and devoured all the attacks aimed at Miko. He was seen with burns over his body and a bloody grin on his face. His top was burnt off and his long hair was flowing in the air like a tattered flag.

“I see. So you’ve all prepared yourselves?! Good, then die!”

Miko broke out in a sprint.

“Attack!”

Hundreds of soldiers charged towards Miko while roaring at the top of their lungs.

“Hahahaha!”

Miko leaped into air and headed straight for Jin who created a sword out of light and swung it at his neck. Miko lifted his arm and blocked it with Vita and slammed his fist in Jin’s face. Jin swung his leg up and kicked him under the chin before being forced to the ground. Miko’s head flung back after getting kicked. When he straightened his back he was kicked out of the sky by Shòu.

*Bam!*

Shòu stomped him into the ground and thrust his glaive at his chest. Miko punched the side of the glaive before it could reach his chest, changing its path and caused it to stab into the ground. Miko sprung to his feet and duck under a punch from Shòu and countered with an uppercut that sent him flying.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Miko was bombarded by soldiers’ artillery and was swallowed up by a storm of flames.

*Swoosh!*

Something flew out of the storm of flames and pierced through a tank and forced its crew out in the open. The soldiers saw three corpses skewered together on a glaive like they were meats on a kabob. They turned their head back to the flames and saw Miko running out kicking and punching away the projectiles fired at him. The soldiers dressed for close combat charged at him.

“Die, monster!”

“Make me, humans!”

Miko accelerated and punched a soldier who was wearing a powersuit and bore a hole through his chest. He then used his body to shield himself from spear thrusts from five soldiers. He grabbed one of them by the head.

“Black Ruin!”

*Bam!*

The soldier’s body cracked like broken glass before bursting apart. This caused his comrades to freeze up for a second. Miko swung his hand to the side their body broke apart like figurines.

“Savage Fist!”

Miko was forced into the ground after getting punched in the back by Shòu. He leaped back and swords of light rained down on Miko from above. Jin spread his arms and the soldiers were gently forced away, exposing Miko’s position. A large fireball that was like a miniature sun appeared above his head.

“Sun Drop!”

The sun rushed down and fell on top of Miko and caused a huge explosion. The heat and shockwaves from the explosion was quickly contained into an invisible dome, preventing any of the soldiers from getting hurt.

“Hahahaha!”

A burst of mad laughter reverberated through the area and a silhouette could be seen in the dome of flames.

“This is it! This is the fight I need to beat this body into shape! This is the fight I need to reach the next level!”

“That monster! He’s able to talk in that hell?!”

The soldiers clenched their weapons tightly in preparation for the next phase of this battle.

“He’s coming!”

Shòu shouted after retrieving his glaive from the corpses it was lodged in.

*BOOM!*

The dome exploded and twisting flames rose to the sky forming a flame twister. Miko flew out of this twister with a savage grin. Shòu and Jin both charged at him from different directions. Miko leaped over Shòu’s glaive and twisted his body to avoid Jin’s lasers. He landed on the ground was immediately attacked by soldiers. He threw a punch and shattered the armor of a soldier and his bones at the same time. Shòu came at him from behind while soldiers came at him thrusting their weapons. Miko spun around and grabbed Shòu’s glaive. He pulled Shòu towards him and hit him with a headbutt while kicking out behind him and blowing away the soldiers. Miko grabbed Shòu’s head and flung him into the soldiers. He then spun around and lifted his hand in front of him and swallowed up a gigantic beam before firing it back at Jin.

*Bam!*

Jin was shot out of the sky and was forced to the ground. Miko accelerated towards him. Jin stomped on the ground and the earth lifted up and formed a wall in front of him. Miko broke through the wall but his vision was obstructed by the falling pieces. Jin hit him with a kick to the side of his head.

“Too light!”

Miko slammed his fist in Jin's stomach so hard he vomited. He then lifted Jin off the ground with a kick under the chin and then slammed his palms in his midsection.

“Azure Dragon Style: Inflow Burst!”

*Bam!*

An azure dragon burst out of Jin’s back and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Miko grabbed his head and mercilessly slammed it into the ground. He then turned his back to him and started walking towards the soldiers.

“Boss!”

“How dare you?!”

“Kill him even if you have to die in the process!”

Hundreds of soldiers started charging towards him. A demonic smile appeared on his face and a sinister crimson aura started flowing out of his body. An image of a terrifying crimson beast appeared behind him. He then moved his arms in a circular motion

“Demon Art: Destructive Wave!”

A spiral crimson light rushed towards the soldiers and vaporized at least a hundred soldiers; weapons, vehicles, armors, everything. A smoking trench was left behind. Even so, the remaining soldiers showed no signs of letting up.

“Go to hell, monster!”

They roared and pounced at Miko.

“Hahaha! That’s it! Run towards your death!”

Miko’s fists got covered in a black light.

“Black Ruin: Death March!”

Miko started throwing punches. These punches shattered whoever got hit like glass. They were fast enough to compete with a machine gun, so the soldiers’ bodies were broken piece by piece before turning into shards of meat. Blood splashed on Miko’s face and body as he reduced the army into shards with his fists.

*Bam!*

“What the hell do you think you’re doing to my men?!”

Shòu hit him in the side with a punch and caused severe pain to surge through Miko’s body. Miko stopped and threw a punch at him but Shòu ducked under it and hit him with another body blow.

(The fuck? He’s suddenly stronger?)

Miko was kneed in the face and forced to stumble back.

“Ahhh!”

He was kicked in the back of the head by Jin, who fell back to the ground immediately after. Miko tumbled over and looked at Jin with shock. There he saw him pressing a Golden light at his stomach.

(Oh, I forgot that he knows how to heal people.)

While he was thinking that, he was kicked into the air by Shòu. He flew into the path of the soldiers, who started raining down attacks on him.

“Oi, Oi. Do I look like a punching bag to you?”

*BOOM!*

The soldiers burst apart and their blood rained down and stained the earth.

“A one-sided beat down isn’t fun. Don’t you two agree?”

Jin and Shòu didn’t say a word so Miko continued.

“It looks like I can’t fight you with just basic moves alone. So how about I take it up a notch?”

“Basic…Moves?”

Jin and Shòuxíng both had shocked expressions on their faces. They recalled their fight against Miko and came to a realization.

(He didn’t use any of his signature techniques! Not even his swords!)

A chill ran down their spines. Miko smiled and a thin black light covered his body again.

“This is what I achieved after improving my Vita Control.”

An image of a bloodstained asura appeared behind him. This was his Battle Avatar. The asura suddenly overlapped with Miko and his body started glowing until it was hard to look at him. When the light faded Jin and Shòu saw a different being in front of them. This being had brown skin with black tribal tattoos on his limbs and chest. He was shirtless and wore red baggy pants with golden anklets on his bare feet. He had six arms, a golden eye in the center of his forehead and a crown made of black bones on his head.

“Behold, humans. This is Avatar Embodiment.”

“….He turned into an asura?”

Everyone froze when faced with the being in front of them.

“I believe it’s time I send you all back home.”

Miko lifted his right hand in front of him and balls of black light appeared on his fingertips.

“Shit!”

“Retreat!”

Jin and Shòu sensed danger and shouted at their men.

“Too late!”

Miko spun around and swung his hand to the side. The balls of light rushed towards the soldiers and suddenly grew to the size of a truck. The soldiers' eyes widen as the balls came at them.

*BOOM!*

Five explosions of light started devouring the army before combining together to completely obliterated them. When the explosion faded the only thing that was left was a huge crater. The entire army vanished without a trace. Jin and Shòu stared at the crater in shock.

“MIKO!!!!”

Jin roared at the top of his lungs and rushed towards Miko, surrounded by a burning red light. Miko looked at him and his body flickered. He reappeared again with three arms piercing through Jin.

“……..!”

Jin looked at him in shock while Miko looked down at him in contempt.

“If you’re not willing to give it your all then the result will forever be the same.”

Miko pulled his arms out of him and caught Jin, who was collapsing backward and held him by the neck.

“I don’t know if it’s because New Era ordered you not to use your power or because you fear something relating to it why you’re not using it, I don’t care. As long as you don’t use it, you’ll never defeat me.”

Miko lifted him up.

“Go back and think hard about what you need to do!”

Miko threw Jin like a javelin and he disappeared into the distance.

Back at Newgate City, people were walking the streets when something crashed into a building near the main gates.

“Is it another enemy attack?!”

The people started panicking.

“Give way!”

Axel and Sapphire led some soldiers to see what was happening. When they got there they were shocked speechless. They saw someone lodged into the side of a building. Sapphire put her hand over her mouth as tears started pouring out of his eyes. As for Axel, his body was trembling. He didn’t know if it was out of anger or fear but his voice was coarse as he spoke the name of the man whose blood was staining the building.

“Jin!”

“Well, he should be fine with those strange powers of his.”

He turned and looked back at Shòu who looked like he was glued to the spot he was standing.

“Your problem is the same as Jin’s. You have immense power lurking inside of you but you just refuse to let it loose.”

Miko started walking towards him.

“Do you think you can protect Hana being like that? Do you think she’s happy with you being a lapdog for her sake?”

Miko stopped in front of him.

“No! You’re just hurting her!”

He grabbed Shòu by his neck and lifted off the ground.

“Stop being a fucking coward! If it’s to protect her, who cares what you become! She’ll still love you! Just don’t throw away your pride for her, that will only make her hate herself!”

Shòu felt like his neck was on the verge of snapping but he kept glaring at Miko.

“F-Fuck you…Give her back!”

Miko gritted his teeth.

“Stop asking and take her back yourself!”

He lifted him and threw him in the air just like he did Jin.

“Huh?”

Suddenly he saw someone riding on what seemed like a sword slash. It was Isabel Luna. She grabbed Shòu and started running. Miko smirked and stretched his hand to the side.

“Regis.”

Regis appeared in his hand and leaped into the air.

“?!”

Isabel looked behind her and saw him lift his sword overhead. She increased her speed and start jumping from building to building and ran in the direction of Romix.

“Hybrid Sword Style…”

A dark blue glow wrapped around his sword.

“Hell Cut!”

He swung his sword and an explosive sound shook the air. Isabel dove to the ground like her life depended on it with Shòu in her arms and looked up.

*BAM!*

She saw the tall buildings around split into two and their top halves falling towards the ground. A single look and she could tell that they were cut. She got up ready to run again but froze when she saw the scene in front of her.

“….No way.”

She saw buildings that were more than a mile away with their top halves falling towards the ground. They too had been cut.

“Such incredible cutting range….”

Her hands started trembling as she placed her hand on her sword.

(I want to fight him!)

She screamed in her mind. As she was about to turn back around her phone started ringing. She looked down and saw Gear’s caller ID. She sighed and turned back around. She picked up Shòu, who was strangely quiet and obedient enough to let her carry him. She then continued to head to Romix.

“What? She’s turning down my invitation?”

Miko returned to his normal form.

“Too bad. At least I got to smack some sense into them.”

Newgate City. Jin was being rushed to a hospital after getting removed from the wall. He slowly opened his eyes.

“Jin, you’re awake! Thank god!”

Sapphire shouted with tears flowing from her eyes.

“….Sapphire.”

Jin weakly held her hand.

“I’m here. It’s gonna be alright.”

Sapphire started rubbing his hand on her face. That’s when she suddenly felt Jin’s grip tightened.

“Sapphire.”

“….Yes.”

At the same time, Isabel was carrying Shòu over her shoulder when she suddenly felt him grab her shoulder and squeezed it hard.

“Isabel.”

“….Yes.”

Despite being separated by dozens of miles, Jin and Shòu spoke in unison.

“I’m gonna get stronger and kill that motherfucker!”

As for Miko, he was laughing while heading towards the fortress. He looked behind him and smiled.

“Bring it on, you bastards.”