The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

Blade vs. Iron Will. Part II

Xavier's body crashed against the ground, the force rattling his bones, just as Reginald kept up his relentless assault.

Massive iron fists materialized one after another, pounding down without mercy.

"This is very fun," Reginald murmured, a twisted smile creeping across his face. "I'm surprised he's able to endure so much."

But then, a voice echoed, clear and powerful through the air:

"Black Star Authority: Gravitational Downfall"

In an instant, the very gravity of the world shifted — slamming everything downward. Even Reginald stumbled, dragged toward the earth by the crushing force.

Seizing the moment, Xavier summoned Excalibur back into his hand with a sharp pull of vectors. His eyes hardened as he cleaved through every iron construction Reginald had conjured, carving a straight path forward with ease.

As 'Gravitational Downfall' faded, Reginald gritted his teeth and rose swiftly, launching a barrage of iron pillars at Xavier faster than the eye could track.

Xavier exhaled slowly, closing his eyes — centering himself — as vectors swirled and danced around Excalibur.

"Regokinesis Blade Technique!" he shouted.

He unleashed a devastating vertical slash, splitting the ground beneath them in two with a roar of pure force.

What was that?! Reginald thought, momentarily stunned.

Without hesitation, Xavier released his grip on Excalibur, letting the blade float midair by his will alone. In the same heartbeat, both he and Reginald collided — fists clashing, their auras detonating outward in a storm of raw, uncontained energy.

"Power Fist!"

A violent surge of air force exploded from Xavier's punch, sending Reginald skidding backwards as the ground cracked and heaved under the pressure.

Fighting against the crushing barrage, Reginald slammed his palm to the ground, creating a massive iron platform that launched him high into the sky.

Xavier, not wasting a second, called Excalibur back into his grip. His eyes darted through the chaos — searching — until he spotted her.

Teslaine.

In a flash, he accelerated with vectors, reaching her side almost faster than sound.

He knelt beside her, hands trembling slightly as he held her up. His voice cracked with worry. "Are you alright, Teslaine?"

Somewhat conscious, Teslaine managed a weak smile. "I should be the one asking you that... haha..."

"Now's not the time for jokes," Xavier said, a faint, broken smile tugging at his lips.

From his pocket, he pulled out a small, ornate necklace — the very one gifted to him by Prince Ragnar Flashstride on his ninth birthday. His fingers lingered on it for a moment before he pressed it into Teslaine's hand.

"Break the gem when the moment comes. It'll teleport you far away... to safety," he said quietly.

Wrapping Teslaine in his shimmering vector shield, Xavier stood — leaving himself wide open — but he didn't care. As long as Teslaine was safe, nothing else mattered.

Above them, Reginald observed from his iron platform with a smirk. With a single gesture, he summoned an endless rain of metallic projectiles, enough to blot out the stars themselves.

"Let's see if you can escape from this, Xavier."

Xavier turned, just as a metallic shard struck him, piercing deep into his side. His breath hitched — not from the pain, but from the sheer scale of what he saw overhead. The night sky had turned into a storm of death.