As the wormhole crackled open, Ehrek stepped through, the tear in space folding behind him as he emerged onto the battlefield. A second rift split open at his side, unfurling his banner like an ethereal proclamation of his arrival. The banner planted itself firmly in the soil, standing rigid and defiant. With a single, sweeping gaze, Ehrek took in the chaos that surrounded him. The banner faded, leaving only the echo of its presence, but the world around him raged with fireballs and gunshots, the clashing sounds of machinery and spells weaving a cacophony of war.
He stood between two clashing armies, the ground vibrating beneath him as magic users and soldiers collided with ferocious force. In the blink of an eye, a stray projectile hurtled towards him—a searing spiral of arcane energy. It slammed into his armor, the impact sending a shock through his stance. Though the blast left no mark on his formidable armor, the force staggered him for a heartbeat, enough to jar him into action. With a subtle command, he activated his barrier, an orange shimmer enveloping him just as a sniper shot whistled from the opposite direction, splintering on his shield with a thunderous crack.
The battle’s frenzy drew closer, the chaotic frontlines inching toward him as soldiers with iron and sorcery charged toward each other—and to him. Amid the mass of soldiers, one figure, wielding a pair of dark blue blades, broke through and closed in on Ehrek. In a seamless motion, the twin blades struck his barrier, lighting it up in a brilliant orange flare. Without hesitation, Ehrek seized the man by the head, lifting him effortlessly before slamming him into the ground, the crushing blow echoing across the battlefield.
His brutal display caught the attention of nearby magic users, who turned their fury toward him, converging like a swarm. Sensing the onslaught, Ehrek reached into a portal at his side and drew forth his sword, gripping the hilt with a firm, lethal purpose. Each swing sent sparks scattering as his blade cleaved through enchanted weapons, breaking steel and shattering spells alike. With his free hand, he caught blades mid-air, crushing them in his grasp before retaliating, leaving opponents in his wake, gutted and defeated.
Amid the chaos, a sensation prickled his instincts—a presence lurking behind him. He turned, catching sight of a figure in the distance, a man standing on the edge of the conflict. The figure wore a kimono that flared elegantly in the wind, calm amidst the storm of gunfire and sorcery. With a calculated movement, Ehrek seized a nearby foe, hurling the body like a cannonball in the stranger’s direction. The thrown body veiled Ehrek’s vision for a split second, but when it cleared, the man in the kimono had vanished.
In that instant, the man reappeared mere inches before him, his katana flashing like a thunderbolt in the storm. Ehrek barely had time to raise his arm as the blade struck, the clash igniting his armor in a fierce orange glow. With a powerful sweep, Ehrek swung his sword toward the man, but his blade passed through empty air—his opponent had already anticipated the strike, leaving a mere afterimage. The two warriors’ weapons locked in a furious struggle, each testing the other’s strength.
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Ehrek’s voice, cold and threatening, reverberated from within his helmet. “Your blade will make a fine addition to my collection.”
A sinister aura pulsed from him, filling the air with an almost tangible bloodlust. But the man’s expression remained unmoved, his gaze steely. In a calm yet biting tone, he replied in his native tongue, "その鎧の後ろに隠れるのはやめたほうがいい" — "You should stop hiding behind your armor."
With a deft leap, he pulled back, the blade gleaming as he anticipated Ehrek’s next move. Ehrek swung, but his sword carved through the air, meeting only emptiness as the man slipped beyond his reach, poised for the next exchange.
As the mysterious swordsman retreated, his blade began to exude a peculiar mist. The fine vapor grew rapidly, spreading with a supernatural urgency until the entire battlefield was obscured in a dense, ghostly fog. Ehrek’s opponent vanished into the haze, his form fading from sight, yet Ehrek could still sense the man’s presence, the faint pulse of energy from the magical conduits swirling around him.
The fog churned, charged with a strange potency, as strikes came swift and sudden from all directions. Ehrek swung, parrying each assault as best as he could. Each deflected blow sounded like a sharp chime, and with each clash, the roar of the battle began to muffle, the world around Ehrek growing strangely muted. Finally, with a powerful swing, he sliced through the dense mist. The fog dissipated in an instant, leaving him no longer on a chaotic battlefield but in the midst of a serene, surreal scene.
He found himself in an open field blanketed in delicate cherry blossoms, the soft pink petals fluttering in a gentle breeze. The sky above was a tranquil shade of blue, and a distant mountain range framed the horizon, capped with snow that glinted in the sunlight. A stark contrast to the chaos he’d just faced, the scene was eerily calm, designed to lull an opponent into dropping their guard.
But Ehrek's focus was unshaken. From the distant mountains, a sudden eruption echoed across the field as one of the snowy peaks fractured, forming a deep crater. Ehrek barely had time to process the shockwave when the swordsman emerged from the explosion, hurtling toward him faster than sound itself. The figure cut through the air like a bolt of lightning, his sword raised and blazing with intent.
Ehrek braced, his armor glowing as he prepared to block the incoming strike. But the swordsman’s speed and precision were unmatched. The blade met Ehrek's barrier with a deafening crack, shattering it instantly. Before he could react, the sword plunged through his armor, piercing clean through his chest and emerging from his back.
Ehrek staggered, feeling the cold bite of steel through his body for the first time, as the man stood before him, unwavering, his blade embedded deep in Ehrek’s chest. The cherry blossoms continued to fall.