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The coordinated assault began with devastating precision.
Novachro moved first, his faster-than-light speed creating multiple afterimages as he struck from every angle with Kōken. The blade hummed with deadly energy, each strike aimed at vital points with surgical accuracy.
Novelius maintained his Seishin no Shōten transformation, the cosmic energy pouring from the galaxy above creating a constant barrage. Tenjō no Kagayaki beams lanced down like divine judgment, while meteors crashed around Kaipo in thunderous explosions.
Arion, his Imperial Aether Tyrant form blazing with dark authority, coordinated their movements like a conductor directing a symphony of destruction. "Spectral Legion Command!" he roared, summoning waves of spectral entities to harry Kaipo's flanks.
For the first time, Kaipo was forced to defend seriously.
He caught Novachro's blade with his bare hand, the stress fractures spreading further up Kōken's length. But before he could counter, Damasin materialized behind him, driving another Yami no Chūnyū into his spine. Blood sprayed from the impact point.
"That's three hits that drew blood," Damasin analyzed internally. "The dark infusion bypasses his natural defenses somehow. But each hit is getting harder to land—he's adapting to my timing."
Kaipo spun to backhand Damasin, but Arion was already there, intercepting with his own fist. The collision sent shockwaves rippling across the white expanse, the force of their clash causing the very air to crack like glass.
"Now I have your attention," Arion growled, his imperial aura flaring.
What followed was a brutal exchange of hand-to-hand combat. Arion's Imperial Aether Tyrant form granted him cosmic-level strength, but Kaipo's raw power was still overwhelming. They traded blows that would shatter planets, each strike precise and devastating.
Arion landed a solid cross to Kaipo's jaw, the impact creating a sonic boom. "Dimensional Annihilation!" he followed up, opening rifts in space around his fist to amplify the damage.
Kaipo's head snapped back slightly—the first time he'd visibly reacted to pure physical force. But his counter was immediate and merciless. He grabbed Arion's extended arm, spun him around, and drove his knee into Arion's ribs with enough force to create a crater beneath them.
"Good technique," Kaipo acknowledged as Arion doubled over, coughing up blood. "But technique without sufficient power is just choreography."
He grabbed Arion by the throat and slammed him into the ground so hard that the impact sent tremors across the entire white expanse.
But the other three weren't idle.
"Chikara no Arashi!" Novachro unleashed his Power Storm, chaotic energy bolts erupting from all directions while Damasin used Shin'en no Nisshoku to plunge part of the battlefield into artificial eclipse, amplifying his own power.
The combination attack was spectacular. Energy storms, cosmic rays, dark lightning, and spectral armies all converged on Kaipo simultaneously. The white expanse was consumed by a maelstrom of conflicting energies.
When the chaos cleared, Kaipo stood at the center, his black kimono tattered but his form unbroken. However, there were multiple small cuts across his arms and chest—evidence that their coordinated assault was having an effect.
"Working together, we can actually touch him," Damasin realized, wiping blood from his own mouth. "But we need perfect timing. Every attack has to land simultaneously, or he'll adapt and counter."
"Kuroi Kaminari!" Damasin launched another series of black lightning bolts, each one precisely timed to strike just as Novelius's Tenjō no Kagayaki beams reached their target.
The combination created an unexpected effect—the celestial energy and dark lightning fused mid-flight, creating a spiraling helix of power that struck Kaipo before he could realize it. He actually took a step backward from the impact.
"Interesting," Kaipo mused, examining the new burns on his arm. "Opposing energies creating interference in my absorption. You're learning."
Arion struggled to his feet, his Imperial form flickering but holding. "Temporal Dictate!" He attempted to slow time around Kaipo again, but this time Novachro was ready with Kyomu no Issen, his reality-warping slash tearing through the temporal field to create openings.
The four began to move with increasing synchronization. They communicated through glances and subtle gestures, each understanding their role in the emerging strategy.
Novachro would create openings with his speed and reality-cutting attacks. Damasin would exploit those openings with his blood-drawing Yami no Chūnyū strikes. Novelius would provide covering fire and environmental control with his cosmic powers. Arion would coordinate and engage in direct combat when needed.
But even as they found their rhythm, Kaipo's adaptability became increasingly apparent. He began predicting their combination attacks, positioning himself to minimize damage, and countering with devastating precision.
When Damasin tried to phase behind him again, Kaipo was already turning, his fist meeting Damasin's face as he materialized. When Novachro attempted another Kyomu no Issen, Kaipo caught the reality-warping energy in his palm and redirected it back at Novelius.
"He's learning our patterns faster than we can create new ones," Damasin thought desperately as he rolled away from another devastating counter. "But those hits I've landed—he's definitely feeling them. The blood doesn't lie."
The realization struck all four of them simultaneously: individual attacks, even coordinated ones, weren't enough. They needed something more—a perfect, unified assault that would overwhelm even Kaipo's ability to adapt.
"We need to create one massive opening," Arion called out, dodging a casual swipe that would have decapitated him. "Everything we have, at the exact same moment."
"Agreed," Novachro replied, teleporting away from Kaipo's reaching grasp. "But the timing has to be perfect. One mistake and he'll counter-attack while we're vulnerable."
Novelius's cosmic transformation pulsed with renewed energy. "Then we make our own opportunity. Force him into a position where he can't dodge or absorb everything."
Damasin wiped more blood from his mouth, his dark aura crackling with determination. "This is it. One shot. If this doesn't work..."
The four began to spread out across the battlefield, each taking position for what they all knew would be their most crucial attack. The white expanse around them pulsed with anticipation as cosmic forces gathered.
Kaipo stood in the center, watching their preparations with what might have been approval.
"Show me," he said simply. "Show me the power of unity."
The final gambit was about to begin.
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