[70] Darkness falls

Under the darkened sky, the battle between Hotaru and Edwin, the Dark King who had transformed into a demonic figure with three eyes and four arms, unleashed catastrophic destruction across Yomihara. Buildings crumbled, streets shattered, and the air trembled with the force of their attacks. Every sword slash and burst of energy tore through the ground, obliterating anything in its path.

Asagi, having secured her position with the Masked Taimanin, shifted her gaze toward the sky, observing the battle. Though the Masked Taimanin had begun to gain control over the ground skirmishes, Asagi knew the true threat came from Edwin. She could feel the dark energy radiating from his body, which had grown immensely powerful after transforming into an Archon-Majin. Even Hotaru, with all his abilities, seemed to be at a disadvantage.

"Their battle… it's on a whole different level," Asagi thought, her eyes following each rapid movement in the sky, trying to analyze Hotaru's strategy. Despite appearing to be under pressure, Asagi sensed something strange about Hotaru's fighting style.

Amidst the fight, Hotaru stood still, calm, even as several of his Kage Bunshin were obliterated by Edwin's devastating gravitational attacks. One by one, his clones were destroyed, but not a trace of fear showed on his face. His eyes were sharp, watching Edwin's movements, searching for an opening.

Edwin, now immensely stronger with gravity-controlling powers that could reshape the battlefield at will, laughed wickedly. "You think you can challenge me with those outdated ninja tricks? A thousand years have passed, and you're still relying on those ancient techniques. You stand no chance!" he bellowed, pointing one of his hands at Hotaru. A blast of dark energy surged toward him, wiping out the remaining Kage Bunshin still present on the field.

Yet Hotaru remained unmoved, his body calm even as Edwin's attacks rained down from all directions. Instead, he simply lowered his head slightly and took a deep breath. Beneath his mask, a small smile began to form. "You think I've shown you everything I've got?" he muttered softly, his voice almost drowned out by the roaring destruction around him.

At that moment, Asagi, watching from afar, noticed something. "He's not fighting at full power…" she realized, understanding that Hotaru was holding back. "He's waiting for something."

Hotaru—rather, Kaoru—had planned this from the beginning. His fight with Edwin was merely a tactic to buy time and create the right moment. He knew that in his form as Hotaru, his powers were still limited. To truly defeat Edwin, he would need to revert to his true identity, Kaoru, where his full strength could be unleashed.

However, he had to wait for the right moment—a moment when Edwin would become overconfident and let his guard down. And now, with Edwin raging, unleashing all his gravitational power in fury, that moment was fast approaching.

"Your arrogance, Edwin," Hotaru said calmly, his eyes flashing sharply. "That's your weakness."

Suddenly, in a swift movement, Hotaru vanished from Edwin's sight. At the same time, a shadow appeared behind him. "Heh, fool," Edwin sneered, hurling a gravity ball as heavy as a mountain at the spot where Hotaru should have been.

Hotaru deliberately allowed the attack to hit, sending him flying into one of Yomihara's skyscrapers, destroying the building in a ground-shaking explosion.

Masked Taimanin and Asagi watched in horror, thinking that Hotaru might have been killed. However, as Edwin's wicked laughter echoed, proclaiming his victory, a dark red flash shot into the sky.

But.

Kaoru emerged from a different side, donning the shining Charlemagne armor. With an aura that felt entirely different, and the power of a demi-god, he appeared like a legendary figure reborn. Edwin, shocked by this appearance, tried to ask the identity of the mysterious figure. But before his question could leave his lips, Kaoru's sword, Caliburn, swiftly slashed through the air, severing two of Edwin's arms in an instant.

The strike was so powerful it collapsed the sky above Yomihara, which was an underground city. The sound of the impact thundered throughout the area, and dust filled the air, casting everything into darkness.

Kaoru, with remarkable composure, watched Edwin, who lay on the ground, powerless and weakened before him. "Yo… May I join the fun?" he said nonchalantly, a smile visible behind his helmet.

Edwin, unaware of who this man was who had suddenly intruded on his enjoyment, became enraged. "Who are you?! Where did you come from?! Why are you interfering?!" he shouted, his patience already worn thin. He couldn't believe that, after all the difficulties he had faced, he now had to deal with a new threat.

The moment of victory he had hoped for over Hotaru was now shattered with Kaoru's appearance. "DAMN IT! DAMN ALL OF YOU WHO RUIN MY FUN!" Edwin screamed, frustrated. With his remaining hand, he raised it, issuing a command to his army.

"TO ALL MY FORCES IN YOMIHARA, I, EDWIN BLACK, COMMAND YOU TO JOIN THE BATTLE! DESTROY THE INTRUDERS AND BRING ME THEIR HEADS!"

"Oh, well. That's a desperate move," Kaoru muttered, turning to glance down at the streets. Instantly, countless demons and soldiers with advanced weaponry emerged from the shadows, accompanied by demonic worms crawling from the darkness.

Masked Taimanin and Asagi felt a cold sweat trickle down their foreheads as they witnessed the terrifying number of enemies. Three against hundreds, and their chances seemed increasingly slim.

Ingrid and Kaliya, who had been knocked down earlier, now rose again, seemingly inspired by Edwin's speech. The two readied their weapons, prepared to fight with renewed vigor. "We won't retreat! This is our chance to destroy them!" Ingrid shouted, her voice full of determination.

Kaoru watched all this with a smile on his face. "Looks like they want to play a bit more. Very well, let's make this show even more interesting."

Kaoru took a deep breath, and the atmosphere around him changed drastically. The air grew heavy, filled with an unseen power. Facing a now-pressured Edwin Black, Kaoru raised his sword high, with a movement full of grandeur. "Time to stop playing around," he muttered, his voice echoing throughout Yomihara.

With calm precision, Kaoru assumed a knight's stance, holding his sword before his chest with both hands, his position exuding a sense of majestic honor. "To the servants of the king, the honorable warriors, the brave knights who fear no death. In my name, Kaoru Rasputin, I call upon you. Join me, and we will conquer evil!" His call thundered like lightning splitting the sky, and instantly, a powerful surge of energy radiated from his body.

The explosion of power was so immense that Edwin, who had stood confidently just moments before, was thrown back by the overwhelming force. His body was hurled into the wreckage of a building, and for the first time, he felt fear.

"What… What is this power…?" Edwin whispered, his breath labored, eyes wide in disbelief at the sight before him.

Meanwhile, Kaoru slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm but deadly. "Come forth, the twelve knights of Charlemagne," he said in a low, yet commanding voice.

The space around them trembled, as though torn apart by an unstoppable force. From the cracks in the air, powerful silhouettes in grand armor emerged one by one. The twelve knights of Charlemagne now stood in formation with Kaoru, exuding an aura of immense power, as if they were the embodiment of honor, courage, and limitless strength.