Zeco intends to provoke Predator's anger even further—
He draws his sword back once more. Both of them are already preparing to attack again.
—hoping to drive him into an even wilder state of fury, causing his power to spiral out of control and drain his stamina more rapidly.
However...
The two of them continue swinging their swords forward, cleaving through the air—
He cannot simply belittle him with words, as doing so would prevent his spirit from remaining at its lowest point.
"How am I supposed—"
CLANG! CLANG! CLING! SWASH!
—their blades collide, evade one another, slash through empty air, and exchange attacks relentlessly.
"—to defeat a monster like this?!"
And he continues thinking deeply amid the overwhelming pressure.
Both swiftly draw back their swords, preparing to attack again and again.
CLING! CLANG! CLING! SWUSH! SWISH!
Their blades clash, exchange strikes, evade, block, and defend.
"You are not an opponent I was ever meant to face!"
Both draw back their swords, take a brief breath, and immediately lunge back into the fight—again, again, and again.
"Because I will never be your equal."
CLING! SWISH! CLING! CLANG!
The two blades continue colliding, slicing through empty air, being intercepted, pressing forward, and being pushed back.
If Albert merely praises him over and over, it will never make him furious.
"EHMPH!!"
Zeco suddenly freezes in shock as both of his legs go numb for an instant.
His brows knit tightly.
"EKH!!"
The gigantic blade before him—
CKHAAAAAAAAHMNH!
—slams into the ground, instantly shattering it as cracks spread outward in every direction.
Zeco completely avoids the attack. Without the instincts guiding his body, he would have been too late.
"—You almost killed me."
Taking a short breath, he quickly draws back his sword, preparing to attack again. Again. Again. Again and again.
"—But that opportunity will come another time, won't it?"
CLAAANG! CLIINGG! CLAAANG! CLAANGMN! SWASH! SWAAASH!
The two blades collide continuously once more, attacking, defending, and evading while slashing through empty air.
"I can't defeat you."
Both pull back their weapons, take another brief breath, and immediately swing forward again—
SWUHHMNH! SWAAAHHMNHHH!
Both slash through the air, aiming to cut each other down—
"There is no way for me to do that."
SWASH! SWAAASH! SWUUSSHH! CLINGHH! CLAANNG! CLAAAMHNG!
Evading, defending, attacking—their blades throw off sparks with every collision.
"I should just surrender."
SWUUSHHH! CLIIING! SWAAASH! CLAANNGM!
Attack. Evade. Overcome. The cycle repeats endlessly as Predator's savage style is met by Zeco's calculated and disciplined Inferior Mode.
"But that would never honor you or this battle."
CLAANNNG! SWAASSH! SWUUUSH! SWAHSHH!
Searching for openings, finding openings, cutting through empty air, calculated movements steadily guiding and controlling the wildness before him.
Zeco begins pressing Predator back once again.
"Of course, I will die by your hand, won't I?"
SWAAASH! CLIINGH! CLAAANNGGMN!
He is now forcing Predator backward, gaining ground through the relentless exchange of blades.
"Even while fighting this carefully..."
CLINNGHH! CLIIINGN! CLINNNGMN! CLAAANNGHH!
Predator is driven back several steps. He is being matched and is beginning to struggle against Zeco. Both of them breathe heavily within a battlefield so tense that neither has a moment to draw a proper breath.
"...I still find it difficult to suppress you."
Their breathing grows increasingly ragged until—
"...let alone cut you down—"
"—EHHKKKH!!!"
Zeco's heart suddenly seizes.
A crushing grip seems to clutch it.
His entire body goes numb.
He freezes completely in shock.
STCKWAAAAAAAAASH!
A devastating slash tears across his entire body.
"BLUARKK!!"
A mouthful of blood bursts from his lips.
HLAHMN! SWHAAHMH!
He is immediately hurled into the air.
Gritting his teeth, he realizes he has reached the very limit of his abilities...
"Damn you—and damn me," he forces out.
His sword can no longer be held firmly.
His entire body weakens until it feels completely numb.
SCLAAANNGHHH!
His sword is knocked from his grasp and sent spinning into the air.
Predator unleashes his finishing attack once again.
This time, it will end Zeco's life.
...Extreme exhaustion, countless deep wounds, and repeated ventures beyond his limits have finally caught up to him.
A faint smile appears on Zeco's face.
"Ekh. So it really comes true, doesn't it?" he mutters.
There is no hope left for his survival.
Predator prepares another finishing attack.
CKTHAAAMHNHH!
One foot steps forward.
SLHAAAAHMNH!
He draws his sword behind his body, settling into a stance before delivering the final strike.
Zeco turns his head and looks sincerely at Olivia, who has risen to her feet and is running desperately toward him...
"I never wanted to die in front of the person I like."
...She continues running—
SCKWANGHN!
—swiftly snatching up her massive sword from where it stands embedded within reach, creating the faintest glimmer of hope for his survival.
Predator's gigantic blade swings through the air at tremendous speed, about to carve through Zeco's entire body—
"Forgive me, alright?"
Death stands directly before him.
The blade is only inches away.
Predator furrows his brows and stares at him sharply—
...and Zeco closes his eyes, a sincere smile still etched upon his face.
"Goodbye."