The battlefield lay in ruins. The air crackled with residual energy, the ground torn apart from the sheer force of the battle. Smoke drifted through the air as Ryuketsu slowly stood up, his body trembling—not from exhaustion, but from something far more unsettling.

  His crimson eyes locked onto Raizo.

  Calm. Untouched. Unbothered.

  The wind howled around them, but Raizo simply stood there, hands in his pockets, his head slightly tilted as if this entire fight was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

  Something inside Ryuketsu snapped.

  His fingers curled into a fist, his teeth clenched, and then—he whispered, slowly, with pure hatred:

  "I… hate… this guy."

  His voice was low, controlled—yet dripping with venom.

  He clenched his fist tighter, his dark aura swirling violently. Enough was enough.

  He lunged forward at blinding speed, his fist aimed directly at Raizo’s face. The air itself burned from the sheer force of the attack. This wasn’t just a punch—this was a strike meant to crush mountains, to tear apart existence itself.

  But then—

  Something impossible happened.

  His fist stopped.

  Just inches away from Raizo’s face.

  Ryuketsu’s eyes widened. His hand wouldn’t move forward.

  His entire arm trembled, as if some unseen force had denied his very existence.

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  "What…?" Ryuketsu gritted his teeth, trying to push forward. His muscles flexed, dark energy surged through his veins—but his fist remained frozen in place, hovering in front of Raizo.

  Raizo slowly turned his gaze toward him, his golden eyes filled with something terrifying—indifference.

  "You done?" Raizo asked casually.

  Ryuketsu growled. He tried again—but his body refused to move forward.

  It was as if an invisible wall had formed between them.

  Then, realization dawned on him.

  His mind raced. This wasn’t a barrier. This wasn’t raw power.

  This was infinity.

  Raizo wasn’t even dodging. His body was simply untouchable.

  Ryuketsu’s breath hitched. This was beyond broken.

  A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. For the first time in centuries, he felt something unfamiliar—fear.

  Raizo sighed, tilting his head. "Man, this is getting boring. If you’re gonna fight me, at least try to be entertaining."

  That was the final insult.

  Ryuketsu’s eyes burned with fury.

  He had to get out of here.

  With a final snarl, he clenched his jaw and—vanished.

  In a flash of crimson lightning, Ryuketsu teleported out of the battlefield, disappearing into the abyss of the underworld.

  Deep within Hell's Dominion, a dark throne sat atop a colossal mountain of bones. The air reeked of sulfur, and the sky was filled with endless firestorms.

  Gathered before him were his most fearsome warriors, demons and warlords who had slaughtered thousands in their lifetimes. They kneeled in silence as Ryuketsu appeared before them, his eyes filled with a cold, burning rage.

  They could feel it—something was different.

  The usually arrogant and untouchable Ryuketsu looked… unsettled.

  One of his generals, Draeven the Executioner, stepped forward. His monstrous frame towered over the others, his jagged blade dripping with cursed energy.

  "My lord," Draeven rumbled, his voice like thunder. "You return from battle… but not in triumph. What happened?"

  Ryuketsu exhaled slowly. His jaw tightened. Then, his voice—dark, calculating, deadly—

  "I have a plan."

  The generals exchanged glances.

  Ryuketsu lifted his gaze, eyes glowing with crimson fire.

  "I will find a way to touch Raizo. And when I do… I will crush him."

  Silence filled the chamber.

  Then—dark laughter erupted.

  The demons grinned. The warlords cracked their knuckles.

  A new war was coming.

  The Dangerous Age was far from over.