When the mind and body are in synch

When your soul works with the desire from within

What you seek will become within your reach

And all you'll have to do is stretch your hands

Kato: (to himself) Damn it. I have to get up. I can’t let it end here. (tries to get up but fails)

Kato looked up and saw Arou towering over him, claiming his victory.

Arou: (sighs) I didn’t want it to end this way. You made me fight you, Kato. And where did that get you? Since you can’t move now, it’ll make taking you back to the hideout way easier. [BLACK: SHADOW FRAGMENTATION]

Two clones emerged from Arou’s shadow, moving to pick up Kato. But then……

Kayomi burst through the roof of the abandoned house, landing between Arou and the clones. In an instant, Kayomi destroyed the clones and caught Kato before he fell. Both Arou and Kato were stunned by Kayomi’s sudden appearance.

Arou: (to himself) He took out my clones in an instant? He’s as strong as they say… but why now?

Kayomi: (to Kato) Are you okay Kato?

Kato: (still in pain) Yeah… I’m fine.

Kayomi: (to himself) They were already fighting before I found them. Kato’s badly hurt. I didn’t believe it when Dana told me this, but after seeing that… (to Arou) What’s the meaning of this, Arou!?

Arou: So you figured it out. Saves me the trouble of explaining again. How did you find us?

Kayomi: Kinara’s technique allows her to teleport people. Even after she teleports people her energy will still linger on the person she teleports for a while. The same thing happened to you and I tracked her energy on you to this place.

Arou: For real? Maybe I shouldn’t have let Kinara teleport us.

Kayomi: How long have you been with the Kaimi Daja?

Arou: Hmm… about a year now. But why does that matter?

Kayomi: Why are you doing this? Ervin took you in, cared for you. We all shared the same dream to change the world. What changed? Why did you join them?

Arou: I still want to change the world but not the way you all want to. ALL of you have the same mindset, same goals and want to use the same methods and it’s all because Ervin told you that He could. I eventually got fed up with this because I wanted to chase something different but there was NO ONE who could understand me. But the Kaimi Daja d and I’ve chosen to follow those who understand me and I will do everything possible to make OUR goals come to fruition.

Kayomi: Your goals are hurting people. Don’t you—

Arou: (interrupting) See? This is why I hated all of you. The same speeches, the same questions. Nothing unique about any of you. I’m done with you. I’m not part of your group anymore. Treat me as your enemy. [BLACK: SHADOW FRAGMENTATION]

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Arou summoned two clones and prepared to fight.

Kayomi: Not happening, Arou. (to himself) His technique tips battles in his favor, but I can handle him.

Kato: (trying to stand) I’m fighting too, Mr. Kayomi.

Kayomi: Huh!? No way. You’re too injured to fight. You can barely even stand.

Kato: It’s fine. I can push myself. (tries to move but collapses)

Kayomi: This isn’t the time to be stubborn Kato. I’ll fight Arou. If you manage to gain enough strength, get out of here. I already called for backup and they’ll be here soon. But until then, stay put or if you can, RUN. [BLACK: SHADOW HARDENING]

Kayomi hardened the skin around his arms and legs, engaging Arou in battle. Kato, too injured to fight, could only watch, a deep feeling of helplessness washing over him.

And as Kato battled with this feeling of helplessness, his mind raced with Arou’s earlier words:

“EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME ANSWER!!!!! YOU ALL SAY THE SAME SHIT BECAUSE ERVIN TOLD YOU THAT WAS WHAT HE BELIEVED IN. YOU ALL THINK THAT THIS CAN BE RESOLVED BY TALKING THIS OUT AND CHANGING OUR WAYS EVERYBODY GETS A HAPPY ENDING. BUT I DON’T BELIEVE IN THAT. BUT THERE IS NO ONE WHO BELIEVES OTHERWISE ASIDE FROM ME AND THAT’S WHY I HATED ALL OF THEM AND JOINED THE KAIMI DAJA. WE DESIRE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.”

At that moment too, Kato remembered what Ervin had asked him after his meeting with the elders back in July:

Ervin: Back there you said you want to change the way the world views Shadows. Do you mean that or you just said it to get in the Elders good graces?

Kato: Huh?? Of Course I did. I really want to change it so we all don't have to hide from the world.

And as if on queue, Gaki’s words also echoed in his mind:

“Sorry to break it to you but the world doesn't work according to your desires”

These memories replayed as Kato watched the fight, immobilized by his injuries and doubts.

Kato: (to himself) I formed my goals because of everything that happened after the shadow bug bit me that night. I wanted to change the way the world views shadows so that I and other shadows who are out there and are not evil can have a chance at a normal life without hiding who they are from the world. I started training and getting stronger so I can be strong enough to face and stop the people who put my mother near death. But now, face-to-face with someone responsible for all of this, I can’t do anything.

Kato looked up and saw Kayomi fighting Arou literally ten feet away from where he was.

As he watched them fight each other, a part of him began to feel that maybe it was okay to let Kayomi fight for him because after all “THE WORLD DOESN’T WORK ACCORDING TO HIS DESIRES” so it wouldn’t matter how much he trained.

If he wasn’t strong enough to beat Arou, he wouldn't be able to do it no matter how hard he tried.

But just when he was about to succumb to this notion, images of his mother and Takimo flashed in his mind.

Kato: (to himself) Since when was I ever the type to give up? Since when did I have such a naive and primitive mindset? YOU’RE BECOMING A FOOL KATO. (tries standing up) I won’t let things continue like this. (Images of Mira, Ervin, Isaiah, Yamato, Cookie, Uta and Kenji flashed in his mind) I WON’T LET EVERYONE’S EFFORT AND HELP BE IN VAIN!! I’LL SHOW THE RESULTS OF EVERYTHING THEY’VE DONE FOR ME UP UNTIL NOW!!!

Despite the pain, Kato stood and began walking toward the battle, determination burning in his eyes. Unknown to him, his resolve had triggered something within.

Meanwhile, the fight between Kayomi and Arou intensified. Arou summoned two clones to overwhelm Kayomi. As Kayomi fought them, Arou seized the chance to strike with a shadow rush.

Arou: (to himself) He hasn’t hardened his whole body. I’ll strike here!

Arou then tried to hit Kayomi with the shadow rush but Kayomi saw this and realized he won’t be able to harden that part of his skin on time.

At the last second, Kayomi grabbed one of the clones, using it as a shield. The clone dissipated. Wasting no time, Kayomi threw the second clone at Arou and hit it with a shadow rush, sending Arou flying. But Arou remained unharmed, the clone absorbing the damage.

Kayomi: (to himself) This fight is getting rather tedious. If I drag this out for too long it’ll probably end up badly. Maybe I’ll harden my whole body next. But what I’m worried about is that……..

Arou: (to himself) He was fast enough to avoid getting hit by my shadow rush without even hardening his full body. My guess is that he’ll harden his whole body and it’ll be difficult to land hits on him. And that also reveals the other risk. His hardened arms along with a shadow rush will deliver more decisive and fatal blows which is why I’ve had my clones take the damage for it. If he hardens his whole body, his attacks will be devastating. I’ll use my trump card to end this now.

As they prepared for the next round, Arou sensed someone approaching. Turning, he saw Kato charging toward him.

Kayomi: (shocked) WHAT ARE YOU DOING KATO!?

Arou: (to himself) Attacking from behind? Pointless when I can sense you coming.

Kato, undeterred, continued his advance, chanting:

Kato: [BLACK:...]

Kato had chanted the word “BLACK” and the conclusion that Arou drew out was that Kato was going to hit him with the shadow rush technique. And to protect himself, Arou summoned a clone from his shadow to defend him. But what happened next shocked everyone, even Kato himself.

As Kato threw his right hand to supposedly punch Arou’s clone with the shadow rush, Kato’s arms suddenly hardened, and the force of his punch sent the clone—and Arou—flying.

Arou: (to himself) WHAT!? The force of his blow increased!? (sees Kato’s hands) That wasn't a shadow rush…

Kayomi: (stunned) WAIT! THAT’S MY…

Both Arou and Kayomi stared at Kato, whose right eye now glowed light lavender.

And in that moment it all made sense to them.

Kato: (to himself, determined) I’ll prove my worth. Right here, right now!!

Kato's self-reflection, his goals, and his unwavering determination had all led to the awakening of a power he was destined to unlock from the very beginning. He noticed this shift as he looked at his now-hardened arms, which resembled Kayomi’s. It was then that Kato realized he had awakened the Right God Eye—

an ancient power passed down through the Hamorabi clan before their annihilation in the war. This eye granted him the ability to copy techniques.