Sona's sudden change caught everyone's attention in the surroundings, except for one. As if Aika was blind to all that was happening in front of her, she could only see two blurry little girls, red and black, offering their hands to her. She couldn't make out their faces, but she could tell that they were giving her an encouraging smile.
[Who are you?] Aika knew that she was the only one who could see them and it could be that they are just a product of her imagination. Still, she asked them in her mind and had a feeling that they'll be able to hear her just fine.
[[You know who we are, mother.]] Both of them simultaneously answered.
[But I've already forgotten...]
[[Then you just have to remember it again. Father's restriction won't last that long.]]
[Father?]
[[You know him.]]
[As I've said, I've already forgotten.]
[[Take our hands.]]
[Why?]
The little girls became silent. It was for this very reason that Kisuke decided to seal them. It was this indecisiveness that restricted her from calling out their true names. They already had a feeling that this was the case, but seeing it so clearly, they had no choice but to agree with their 'Father'. At that moment, these little girls finally came to a decision and discarded their childishness.
Standing at the crossroads, they offered her their hands. They gave Aika, who wanted to have both of her lives, a selfish girl who wanted to live in both worlds of normalcy and excitement and change whenever she wanted, a choice. Because if every time the 'exciting' world bared its fangs called cruelty and terror, she would hide within the innocence and ignorance of 'normalcy', they both knew that she will eventually get rejected by both and cause her destruction.
Finally, they answered her question, [[If you don't, nothing will happen.]]
To walk the world of innocence and ignorance, or to walk the path of cruelty and terror, they wondered where her feet would take her. But regardless of her decision, they would support it fully, even if it meant disappearing forever.
The little girls were prepared to hold out their hands for as long as possible, but contrary to their expectations, the warmth they had been longing for suddenly came. Shocked, both of them looked up at her and saw Aika wearing a serious expression while also making a small smile. At this point, although still just in Aika's eyes, their existence solidified.
[[Why?]] It was their turn to ask.
Aika could now see their eyes clearly and replied, [It looks like the two of you are making an important decision. If you're calling me your mother, the least I could do is to stop acting like a child.]
All of a sudden, Aika's everyday clothes disappeared as it was replaced by a shihakusho (Garment of Dead Souls), and her Reiatsu, with a mix of both Magic Power and Ki, was suddenly released in all of its glory, causing her surrounding to feel extremely heavy.
Medusa immediately moved to protect Riveria from this pressure while Jeanne and Heracles' backs became covered in a cold sweat as they tried to calm down their palpitating heart that was about to burst from this unknown terror.
Everyone looked at Aika who emitted the pressure and could only hear her muttering, "Let's go, Akane, Kaguya." The nodachi she was previously holding had already disappeared and was replaced by twin single-edged red and black blades.
"Welcome back, Aika." Medusa greeted with a happy expression.
But Aika didn't turn around and just said, "Please save it for later. I've only recalled these children's names. I'm still not there yet, but please wait for me."
While crossing her blades, Aika raised her beloved children, "I don't know if I'm going to regret this later or not, but for now, let's go with a bang!"
Swinging down as hard as possible, Aika released two crossing arcs of red and black energy toward their enemies and it only became larger and more extensive the further it traveled. Naturally, their enemies tried to dodge since it was relatively slow moving, but too bad for them, those in its trajectory suddenly found themselves unable to move their bodies, as if something invisible was chaining them down.
Screams erupted, but there was nothing left after the wave of destruction went through them, not even their bodies. She'd just annihilated a few hundred lives.
Aika felt a wave of disgust and was about to exit her mouth but she did her best to stop it. And while she was suffering, she heard Medusa's voice, "While they may be artificial beings, this is the first time you've taken an intelligent being's life. Please never forget this feeling. This will help you stop devolving into an unfeeling monster that only knows slaughter."
"...Got it," Aika replied softly. She then gritted her teeth and used Flash Step to plunge into the midst of enemies aiming for her life. Aika could've used the same move a few more times, but it was clear to her that it was too unforgiving. After seeing the devastation she'd caused, she decided to only take the life of those who were willing to fight and let go of those who had already lost the will to retaliate. It might not be the smartest choice, but it was the best she could hope for.
Aika aimed her blades toward those with clear killing intent. Each time she swung her blades, bits of her memories would return to her, helping her get over the slimy feeling from the resistance of flesh. Although she was distracted, her body moved on its own, taking on multiple enemies that were coming at her from various directions. And soon, she entered a trance, causing her movements to evolve into even finer detail, captivating both enemies and allies alike.
"Another youngster with ridiculous ability. Just how many of them are still hiding?" A bearded old monk muttered in disbelief.
"You should expect a few more Kappa. Aside from having cards of his own, that guy is still being followed by a few people." A short old man covered in golden fur replied to him.
"Wukong. I told you to stop calling me that."
"Old man Wujing, it's about time you give up correcting him." An overweight old man with a pig's head chuckled at him, "Whatever you say, the old monkey won't change."
"Shut up, old pig. I'm a Water Hermit, not a Kappa." The first generation Sha Wujing, a water youkai, snarled at him.
The first generation Zhu Bajie, a pig youkai, just shrugged his shoulders and smashed an approaching Artificial Devil into the ground, "By the way, old monkey, are you referring to the one with Avalokiteśvara? Is it even possible to use that kind of power?"
Sun Wukong took a hit from his pipe and blew its smoke towards an incoming enemy, suffocating him, "It's a wide world, not to mention, it's already proven that there are a lot more out there. What's not possible?"
"That's not the problem, is it? Sakra's temperament has been explosive these days." Sha Wujing interrupted, "Isn't that because of him? Because of what he showed in the invasion of the Underworld, he's been obsessing over him..."
The Monkey King chuckled and replied, "Let him be. The youngster is doing a good job at avoiding him. He could even see a chance to meet him secretly."
"You act like this isn't a problem. What if he just decided to go to the Underworld?"
Wukong discarded the ash in his pipe before answering, "Rudra and Ajuka are keeping an eye on him so he won't be able to do that." Under his sunglasses, he narrowed his eyes, "But it'll be a different story if he suddenly shows up today. I honestly sighed in relief when I realized that he won't be coming today."