Kai observed as his uncle vanished before his eyes. It was evident that his uncle possessed some kind of ability, yet there was no mask on his face. Kai had heard rumors about individuals without masks having abilities, but he had dismissed them as mere speculation. Despite the questions swirling in Kai’s head, he chose to set them aside and hurriedly ran in the direction his uncle had gone.

Rick dashed away on his dragon, gripping his spear, as his irritating past finally caught up to him. He had hoped that Kai would reach adulthood first, but life seemed indifferent to hope. Looking down at the man in the black cloak from atop his dragon, Rick remarked, "Dagon, are you still stuck on me leaving? That was nearly fifteen years ago." He spoke with a smirk across his face, adding, "I thought I made it clear that I never intended on staying in your group."

A tremendous wave of purple energy surged from the cloaked man's body. "Don’t try to play me for a fool. You were our second in command for three years, but you ran off when that worthless brother of yours was exiled from your family," the man accused. He condensed all the energy he had gathered into a small, dark purple ball and then uttered, "Daikokuten's Wrath." The ball emitted a loud humming sound as it swirled in the man's hands.

"I have toiled for all these years to defeat you," Dagon declared as he raised his hand. "Now, witness the fruits of my labor." The small ball slowly drifted forward, still humming with energy. After a while, it abruptly halted, ceasing its buzz and dissolving into the air. The only remnants of the attack were the lingering traces of purple energy swirling around the area.

Rick looked on in confusion. "The attack didn’t even work; what were the fruits of labor you were going on abo—” Before Rick could finish his thought, all three of his dragons disappeared, and he rapidly plummeted to the ground. With a heavy smack, Rick collided with the ground and groaned as he rose to his feet. "What the hell kind of ability is that?" Rick raised his hand, attempting to use his power, but nothing happened. Dagon let out a triumphant laugh. "Do you get it yet? This attack prevents all outward use of kao energy until the person leaves or I take direct damage."

Rick grinned and deftly twirled his spear in his hand. "What is it with B-grade villains explaining their techniques?" he remarked, assuming a stance. "So, no outward use of kao energy, annoying, but I can work with it." A surge of energy gathered within Rick's body as he closed the distance, creating a resounding boom. In response, Dagon unleashed a barrage of energy waves toward Rick. Swiftly, Rick advanced, spear in hand, and with a well-timed jump and swing, he deflected the oncoming waves. Seizing the moment, Dagon ascended into the sky, conjuring two orbs that he hurled downward at Rick. Reacting quickly, Rick smacked the first orb with his spear and expertly dodged the second. Launching off the ground, he charged spear-first at Dagon, who was momentarily taken aback by Rick's seemingly undiminished skills. There was little time for Dagon to regret his actions as Rick closed in at Mach One.

.

Dagon extended his arm, commanding, "Acceleration cancel." Purple tendrils of energy surged forth. In the airborne confrontation, Rick, unable to evade, swiftly hurled his spear toward the approaching tendrils. Upon contact, the tendrils instantly dissipated. Seizing the advantage, Rick pressed on, catching Dagon off guard. Closing in, Rick seized Dagon by the neck and forcefully hurled him to the ground.

Dagon plummeted to the ground, creating a sizable crater upon impact. Gazing skyward, he saw Rick already perched atop his red dragon. Rick raised his hand, and the spear he had thrown seamlessly returned to him. "Really, that was your trump card? I expected better of you, Dagon," Rick taunted as he twirled his spear. A purple dragon emerged from Rick's chest, encircling the weapon before gradually melding into it. The spear transformed, taking on the form of the purple dragon while swirling black energy danced around it. "I'll show you what power looks like," Rick declared. As he finished speaking, a third black dragon emerged from his chest, contracting in size before wrapping around his arm. Rick's arm underwent a profound transformation, turning pitch black, with an eyeball embedded in the center of his hand.

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Twelve pitch-black orbs were expelled from his back as he leaped forward. Rick swiftly materialized before Dagon, seizing his face almost instantaneously. "This won't last for too long, so let's make this interesting," Rick declared. A pulse of black energy emanated from Rick's hand, propelling Dagon backward.

Dagon enveloped himself in a shroud of purple energy and ascended into the sky. Releasing six black orbs, he acknowledged, “I underestimated your strength. Now, I realize you didn't inherit the Mendoza clan for no reason. Unfortunately, you've underestimated me as well.” A vortex of energy spun around Dagon as he declared, “FULL RELEASE, FORTUNATE SOUL.” An orb manifested above Dagon's head, expanding rapidly to cover a three-hundred-meter radius. As it grew, all the buildings and trees in the vicinity were lifted from the ground, suspended in the air.

"Behold the extent of my power," Dagon proclaimed. Suddenly, all the buildings and trees in the vicinity transformed into steel projectiles, hurtling towards him. In response, Rick elevated his purple dragon spear, thrusting it forward. A shockwave of energy radiated from the spear's tip, obliterating the oncoming barrage. Closing in on Dagon, Rick extended the eye on his hand. Despite another onslaught of launched trees, the eye emitted a brief, powerful glow, causing the trees to collapse. However, the second wave proved to be a cunning decoy, and two energy spears pierced through Rick's stomach.

Kai sprinted in the direction of his uncle, and a sizable purple dome materialized over the area his uncle had vacated. Concern gripped Kai as he watched the scene unfold. Although his uncle exuded confidence, the abrupt appearance of the dome raised apprehension. His uncle covered a substantial distance in flight, yet Kai reached the dome after a short while. Tentatively tapping his finger against the barrier, he found it intangible. Stepping inside, Kai was taken aback by the surreal sight that met his eyes—dozens of trees and houses suspended in mid-air. Gazing towards the center of the dome, he spotted his uncle on the ground, gasping for breath, clutching a purple spear resembling a dragon. His free hand was entirely black.

Kai dashed towards his uncle, his heart pounding with worry. "Uncle Rick, what's happening? That wound looks serious," Kai exclaimed as he examined the stab wound in his uncle's stomach. Rick, catching his breath, reassured him, "Yeah, I'm fine, but you need to get away from here. It ain't safe." With that, Rick tightly grasped his spear and propelled himself into the air once again. Kai watched in awe as his uncle vanished with a burst of speed, only to be abruptly halted as a purple tendril snaked around his leg, hurling him into buildings that transformed into steel structures.

It was happening again. Kai observed helplessly as his uncle was ruthlessly thrown around within the dome, visibly struggling to contend with the cloaked man's peculiar ability. Whatever that black arm was, it seemed to be sapping his stamina at an alarming rate. Kai felt a sense of despair, realizing he was on the brink of losing someone else, and he lacked the power to intervene. If only he were a bit stronger, he could have assisted his uncle, but in the face of this formidable adversary, he recognized that this was a challenge surpassing his current capabilities.

Kai clutched his hair, and memories inundated his mind, causing him to hyperventilate, his chest heaving. He relived the traumatic day he lost his father, witnessing the man strangling him until the light faded from his dad's eyes. The memory looped incessantly, and after a while, his uncle's face replaced his father's. It was his uncle losing his life, the light gradually dimming from his eyes. The scene replayed, over and over again, each time his uncle being the one strangled before him.

Then everything went black. In the void, a peculiar man emerged, his hair an almost pristine white and his skin a deep blue adorned with white, star-like glowing dots. "Do you wish for power, child?" inquired the blue-skinned man. Kai, puzzled, questioned, "Who are you, and where did everything go?" The blue man furrowed his brows, responding, "Who I am is of no consequence. Do you accept this power?" Kai, adopting a determined expression, declared, "I'll do anything to save my uncle." The blue man smirked and placed his hand on Kai's face. "Now, do what you must."

Kai rose from the ground, a mask now covering his face—a pristine white with glowing blue cracks traversing its surface. In his hands, he wielded two guns; the left one bore the etching of the Little Dipper, and the right displayed the Big Dipper. Holding the Big Dipper aloft, the constellation on its side illuminated as energy surged within the gun, propelling a beam of energy from its barrel. Kai turned his gaze towards the cloaked man, ready to confront him and rescue his uncle.