Athena uses the swords around her like strings attached to their grips to attack Ryota, taunting him with, "What's wrong? Is that all you've got?"
Ryota responds by starting to speed draw on his paper, but Athena's flying swords cut each sheet in half before he can finish.
"You're very weak, Ryota," Athena says, controlling two flying swords that cut him down and leave him bleeding on the ground.
But Ryota doesn't give up. He casts a spell, <"Fire Magic: Fire Phoenix!"> without using his hands and aims it at Athena with only his eyes. A bird with a fiery body appears and flies swiftly toward her.
Athena retaliates with "Ice Magic: Shard Icicle," creating an icicle from her palm that aims at the fiery Phoenix. The phoenix disappears, but Ryota is already on the move.
He dashes toward Athena, with dual blades in hand. "I see, so that was a distraction for me. So you can use your <"Art Style: Sword Summon">, but these blades are much stronger than yours!" she declares.
The clash of their weapons echoes throughout the area as they engage in a fierce battle of strength and skill. Their magic spells collide, creating dazzling bursts of light.
Ryota takes to the air, assuming a stance mid-flight. "Sword Style: Skyrend!" he unleashed a devastating attack on Athena. But Athena blocks the attacks easily as the blades that are surrounding her block his attacks.
"Very...Very...WEAK!" Athena casts a spell while Ryota is in mid-air, saying, <"Light Magic: Heaven's Wrath!">. A powerful beam of divine light descends from the heavens and hits Ryota.
"...!" Ryota is hit by the powerful beam of divine light and loses consciousness.
"Ryota!" Kanna shouts in alarm, quickly using her magic. <"Wind Magic: Slow Fall!"> The wind heads to Ryota but it's slow.
"Oh no, it's not enough! Ryota!" Kanna cries out anxiously.
"...I'm falling... to the bottom," Ryota mutters to his mind.
As Ryota fell through the air, a deep voice resounded in his mind. "You look pathetic... Are you the one who defeated me? Well, your powers are only borrowed, so that is understandable. Kid, you learn from every mistake. Remember this one."
"But..."
Suddenly, a memory flashed in Ryota's mind. "Brother! Look! I drew a picture of you!"
"Oh? That looks beautiful, Yukari."
"Really? But your drawing is much better! But I won't give up! One day, I'll draw you the best picture you've ever seen!"
"Then that's a promise."
"Right! A promise!"
Both of them made a pinky promise as they looked at each other, smiling.
"Yukari."
As another memory of Ryota surfaces in his mind, he finds himself in a hospital near the entrance of the emergency room. The sound of doctors and surgeons talking can be heard inside, and Ryota hangs his head down in sorrow. Suddenly, he notices the figure of Yukari looking at him.
"Why do you draw?" the figure of Yukari asks.
"Why...?" Ryota replies, taken aback by her sudden question.
"Is it fun? Does it make you feel better?" She presses on.
"I don't know," Ryota admits.
"...Brother, forget the promise then," She says before running away.
"Wait, Yukari!" Ryota calls out after her, but she disappears before he can reach her.
"I hate you, brother!" Ryota hears her voice ringing in his ears.
"You made me become this way." Another version of Yukari appears before him, her body covered in blood.
"I hate you. You're a liar. I hate you, Brother. You're the worst." The words of his little sister echoed in his mind, accusing him of being responsible for her condition.
Then, suddenly, Yukari appears in front of him and says, "Stop drawing. It doesn't suit you."
"...!"
After that, Ryota looks around and sees only darkness, an infinite void except for a piece of paper and a pen lying on the ground. He picks them up and takes a closer look. Staring at the paper for a moment, he snaps the pen in half and crumples up the drawing of himself that his little sister made.
"It doesn't suit me." Ryota's eyes were blank.
Another memory of Ryota surfaces in his mind again, This time he's standing beside her little sister's hospital bed.
"The condition of her is starting to get light." The Doctor says reassuring Ryota.
"Thank god."
"Her condition though... she was just hit by a vehicle, right?"
"Yeah... I should've have protected her."
"Don't blame yourself."
Ryota remained silent as the doctor left the room, leaving him alone with Yukari.
"If only... I didn't break that promise." Ryota muttered to himself, lost in thought. Suddenly, the room went dark and another version of Ryota appeared behind him.
"Pathetic. How about I lend you a hand?" the other Ryota sneered.
"Who are you?" Ryota demanded.
"I'm you," the other Ryota replied with a twisted smile.
"There's no point in myself lending a hand to myself," Ryota said with a hint of desperation.
"Don't be like that, I'll help you and even help your little sister recover," the other Ryota insisted.
"...No, Leave me alone." Ryota shook his head.
"Alright... if you say so. Although you don't have a choice anyway," the other Ryota chuckled.
Ryota turned around, but before he could react, his other half was sliced by Yukari.
"Isn't that sad? Getting killed by your little sister," the other Ryota sneered.
"Yuk...ari," Ryota's hand slowly rose to touch Yukari's cheeks.
"Die, Brother," Yukari stabs him in the forehead.
"...In the end, I'm a person who breaks promises. This time."
Back to the present where Ryota was about to hit his head on the ground. He muttered to himself. <"Sword Style: Whispering Blade."> Ryota disappears in the air.
Athena's eyes widen as she tries to find Ryota. Soon he reappears on her left side. She blocked the sword style with the flying blades she was controlling but then Ryota takes another stance.
"Another?!" Athena was surprised and shocked by Ryota's fast sword styles.
<"Sword Style: Lunar Blades"> He mutters to himself again. The Lunar Blades technique was known for its swift and precise strikes, enhanced by the lunar energy imbued in the sword. With every swing, Ryota was able to unleash a flurry of attacks that left Athena barely any time to counter. The bright aura around his sword made it difficult for her to keep up with Ryota's movements, and she found herself struggling to keep the flying blades under control.
<"Time Magic: The World"> The world pauses as Ryota takes another stance, his bright dual blades ready for another sword skill. <"Sword Style: Lunar Lightning Thrust"> is a mix of <"Sword Style: Lunar Blade"> and <"Sword Style: Lightning Thrust">, and Ryota's movements are swift and deadly. But as he prepares to strike, his hands begin to shake uncontrollably.
"Why can't I do this?" he mutters to himself.
Suddenly, a figure appears beside him, holding his hand. "Yukari?" Ryota says, surprised.
"Brother, don't," Yukari says, her voice calm but firm.
"But... I..." Ryota trails off, unsure of what to say.
"Don't do this," Yukari repeats, squeezing his hand gently.
The world resumes, and Athena watches as Ryota's eyes fill with despair. She steps back, giving him space to work through his emotions. "Look at ya, facing the truth early head-on," she says, casting a spell. <"Light Magic: Light Bind"> chains emerge from the ground, preparing to bind Ryota.
"Brother, please stop this," Yukari pleads to him.
"But... I..." Ryota grits his teeth, trying to resist the overwhelming despair that threatens to consume him.
"It's not your fault!" Yukari tells him.
"But, It was my fault," Ryota says, his voice breaking.
"I always admired your drawings!" Yukari says, trying to lift his spirits.
"Drawings don't suit me," Ryota replies, his head hung low.
"You were the best brother I've ever had in my entire life!" Yukari says, as tears welling up in her eyes.
Ryota remains silent, tears streaming down his face. He then looks up at Athena. "So this is the truth?" "Athena-sama, you're mean for making me face my dark past again... You wanted me to learn how to forgive myself with this truth but thank you," he says before collapsing to the ground.
Kanna only watches as she suddenly gets approached by a figure. "And that guy over there sure is lucky to have his special reward."
"Dad, You really are a big idiot."
"It is a way to be stronger, Kanna... He won't get stronger unless he faces his past."
Kanna looks at the man. A young old man with white hair and a white beard wearing a magician's robe. "What will you do from now on?"
"Hm? Of course, I will support that young man from now on."
"What about me?"
"Pfft, You already know a lot. There's no need for me to teach you. Miss Night Reaper."
"Stop calling me by that nickname."
Athena then lays Ryota's head down on her lap as she rubs his head. "Good job, Ryota... But this is the only start you will face... from now on, you will walk down a thorny path... but you are not alone... After all as a goddess. I won't let you carry these burdens by yourself." She smiles