Chapter 26 - War Against a True Hero

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???????????"

I raged through the airport, slashing and tearing at everything in sight, even after no one remained alive. The emptiness and fury continued to burn, driving me to unleash my hatred on everything around me—even the massive airships were nothing more than toys, shredded to pieces just to ease the suffocating anger consuming me.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

With every scream, my spirit energy surged stronger, radiating outwards and destroying everything in sight. The nearby mountains were flattened, the entire Ratatoskr base reduced to rubble, completely leveled by the terrifying power of . All that remained were echoes of explosions and the ashes hanging in the air.

As everything around me lay in ruins, I stood in the midst of the desolation, my body still trembling with an unresolved rage. But even after destroying everything, the hollow emptiness inside me hadn't faded—it was like an endless void within me.

"..."

The world was gone from my view. My parents, Ratatoskr, even my self—nothing remained.

"..."

I looked up at the sky, where the last rays of the setting sun still lingered. Among the oppressive black smoke, the faint light seemed mocking, as if it was laughing at me—the one who had turned everything to ash because I couldn't bear the truth.

"What… what am I even doing?" My voice was quiet and hollow, devoid of the fury that once consumed me. The sword in my hand, the weapon that had once granted me unimaginable power, now felt meaningless.

"Is this the ending I wanted? If this keeps going… how am I any different from the spirits that once ravaged everything?"

I asked myself, but there was no answer. Among the ruins and the howling wind through the wreckage, I was the only one left—alone and lost.

"No, what the hell are you thinking, self—"

And then, from the distance, a soft voice broke the silence:

"Watano…"

I froze and turned toward the voice. A familiar figure emerged from the ashes and smoke. Those eyes, that face… there was no mistaking it.

"Shido… Is that really you?"

He walked toward me, not in haste, not in fear. Despite knowing the threat I posed, he approached, his eyes filled with compassion.

"It's enough. You don't have to continue anymore—"

"Don't talk like you understand everything," I muttered, my voice rough. "You don't know me… you don't know what I've been through."

"It's good that you came here on your own, now I can deal with you and the spirits!"

Shido kept his gentle smile as he stopped in front of me, saying nothing more, simply looking at me with those soft, understanding eyes.

"What the hell are you smiling about? Don't you see what I did to those stupid Ratatoskr agents? Don't you remember that I killed Nia? And your sister… have you forgotten her too?"

I gripped tighter, the cold steel digging into my flesh, but this time… I couldn't lift it anymore. My body began to go numb as I stood before Shido, his eyes still full of sympathy.

Shido shook his head gently, his voice calm yet determined. "Don't worry, I'm here to save you, Watano. I won't let you carry this pain alone."

His words felt like a blade stabbing into my chest, tearing open the emotions I had long suppressed. The rage, the loneliness, and the tears I had held back for so long.

"You're too good, Shido… But it's because of people like you that this world is filled with so much suffering… because of the damn spatial quakes."

I chuckled bitterly, recalling everything that had transpired between us. "At first, I wanted to be friends with you, wanted to stand by your side, wanted to have peaceful school days like everyone else. But then… you're the one who paved this path of misery for me."

I paused, feeling the burning anger in every word, but I couldn't blame him anymore. "But now I don't hold it against you, Shido. It's thanks to you that I've seen how filthy, and corrupt this world truly is. It was never as bright as I thought…"

At that moment, materialized in the sky, as if awaiting my command.

"And today, I, , will complete the final purge!"

Shido stood still for a moment, his eyes unwavering. "Is that so? If that's the case… then I have no other choice." He raised his hand and summoned four angels: , , , and . The spirit energy from Shido surged, nearly overwhelming, causing the very ground beneath us to tremble.

"Impressive…" I smirked, unable to hide my surprise. "But where are your spirits?"

Shido remained silent, his eyes locked onto mine, his hand gripping . His determination and compassion made me feel uneasy, but at the same time, a twinge of jealousy. Jealousy that he could still fight for something he believed in, while I had nothing left but hatred and destruction.

We stood across from each other, the tension in the air thick. Two people, two worlds, two fates… there would only be one conclusion.

I couldn't hold back any longer. All the emotions, the rage, and the madness boiled inside me, forcing me to act.

"COME AT ME, SHIDO!!!"

I swung with all my might, dark energy swirling from it, forming a massive vortex that tore through the ground around us. The first strike ripped through the air, aimed straight at Shido with terrifying speed. Light and darkness clashed in an instant, shaking the very space between us.

Shido reacted immediately, glowing brightly as he raised his angel to block my devastating blow. The sound of impact echoed like thunder, both of us pushed back slightly, but neither of us lost any power.

"..." I smirked, but my cold gaze never left him. Without giving Shido a chance to counter, I swiftly moved toward him again, swinging down once more, this time infused with the power of . Countless pages appeared around me, filling the space with magical matrices.

"Don't think you can escape!" All the matrices fired dark energy beams, targeting him from every angle.

"!"

Shido didn't flinch. He activated , and a massive shield of ice formed around him, blocking my energy blasts. The cracks spread across the frozen barrier, but it held firm.

"You're always this strong, Shido…" I muttered, watching him as I prepared to unleash the next strike.

Just then, Shido summoned another angel, , a pair of brilliant wings allowing him to dodge my attacks with incredible speed. The battlefield was shrouded in smoke, but I pressed on, summoning hundreds of magical circles to surround him.

"Let's see how you handle this!"

The circles unleashed a storm of dark rays, each homing in on Shido with deadly precision.

"Ah!" He gasped as one of the blasts finally caught him, sending him crashing to the ground with a heavy thud, a cloud of dust rising around him.

I knew it wouldn't be enough to defeat him. Shido, with his angels and immense spirit energy, wasn't so easily taken down.

As the dust began to settle, Shido slowly stood up, his body bearing a few wounds, but they were quickly healed by the angel . His determined gaze remained unshaken. His hand still tightly gripped , while the wings of twitched slightly, signaling his readiness for a counterattack.

"Watano... You're strong, but I won't back down."

"Is that so?" I gritted my teeth, tightening my grip on , feeling the ultimate power coursing through each breath. "Then I'll make you regret standing in front of me this time."

", "SHADOW LEGION"!"

As I called out the summoning command, responded instantly, creating hundreds of shadowy clones, each identical to me in form and strength. These dark figures rushed at Shido from all directions, surrounding him from above and below like an unstoppable army.

"????!"

Shido's brow furrowed as he sensed the impending threat from all sides. He swung with force, slicing through dozens of clones in one swift motion, shattering them into fragments of darkness. However, with the overwhelming numbers and 's infinite regeneration, my army of shadows kept reforming and launching relentless assaults.

"Watano, you can't win by just relying on numbers!" Shido shouted, his eyes flashing a pale blue as he summoned another angel, . Massive ice blocks descended from the sky, crushing the shadow clones under Shido's control.

"Then let me show you, I don't rely on numbers alone!" I swung powerfully, unleashing a massive wave of dark energy from the great sword, aimed directly at Shido. The strike was so strong that it seemed to tear the very space apart, carrying with it an unstoppable force of destruction.

Shido reacted instantly, his wings of spread wide as he flew up at blinding speed, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack.

"Damn, he's tough..."

"I'll end you here—" I roared, preparing to deliver the finishing blow to Shido. But at that moment, a colossal shadow suddenly covered the sky, cutting off the sunlight from directly above.

"What the—" I muttered, freezing as I looked up.

Before my eyes was an unexpected sight. Familiar figures slowly appeared from above, descending next to Shido.

"Shido, sorry we're late." Tohka's gentle voice rang out, standing by his side, her eyes filled with concern.

"I-I'm sorry, things didn't go so well." Yoshino appeared as well, her hands trembling slightly, but her gaze was resolute.

"If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself." Natsumi, though shy, was clearly worried about Shido.

"Darling, I'm glad you're okay," Miku landed gracefully, her charming smile holding deeper meaning.

"Kaka, we can always count on Shido!" Kaguya laughed confidently, with Yuzuru right beside her, cold but showing clear concern.

"Relieved. It's good you're safe," Yuzuru added in her calm voice.

They had all arrived, surrounding Shido, forming an impenetrable wall.

Above me, the enormous thing blocking the sky began to reveal itself more clearly as its cloaking dissipated.

"Fraxinus..."

Looking up at the massive ship becoming visible in the sky, a surge of anger welled up inside me. Those Spirits—those who took everything from me, those who stood by Shido—had appeared again, standing by his side as if everything was right. The sight of it all drove me to the brink of losing control.

"Finally all here, huh?" I muttered through gritted teeth, my red eyes blazing with fury. The power from boiled within me, dark energy engulfing my entire body, fueling the storm of rage inside.

A sharp voice echoed through Fraxinus's communication system—none other than Commander Kotori. "We'll make you pay for this, Watano."

I scoffed, my tone dripping with disdain. "Oh, will you now? Ha... ha... How laughable."

Tohka took a step forward, her eyes glowing, but they were filled with unwavering determination. "Watano, I've felt the same pain you do... but Shido helped me through it. He can help you too—"

"SHUT UP!" I roared, my voice seething with rage and hatred. My hand tightened around as I glared at them, eyes full of vengeance. "All of you, siding with Shido... But you're the ones responsible for this chaos!"

I knew that in a one-on-one battle with Shido, I could match him with skill and combat prowess. But now, with the Spirits and the crew aboard supporting him, the situation had changed completely.

Yet, I wouldn't let this be a repeat of that night at the D.E.M. building. That fateful night was burned into my mind, reminding me of the crushing defeat I suffered at their hands. It would never happen again. I had grown stronger, and this time, I would not falter.

Knowing I couldn't take them all on alone, I quickly contacted the forces stationed on the other side of the mountain.

"Everyone, fall back to the tunnel entrance! The enemy has gathered here!"

A few seconds of silence passed before a cold, emotionless voice responded, "Sorry, sir, we cannot follow your orders."

"What?! Don't joke with me! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I shouted, my anger flaring uncontrollably.

"We only take orders from Lady Miku," the voice responded calmly, unmoved. Clearly, Miku had used her angel to hypnotize the entire squad.

"Damn it..." I growled, clutching the radio. "So, you planned this betrayal all along, didn't you?"

I lifted my head, my blood-red eyes locked onto Kotori. "Well played, Kotori. This must have been your scheme, huh?"

From above, her voice echoed from the Fraxinus, filled with confidence and mockery. "Thanks for the compliment. But it's not too late to surrender, Watano."

I laughed—a dry, bitter laugh, filled with wrath.

"Surrender? After everything I've endured, do you think I'll just give up so easily?" My gaze flared with unwavering resolve, leaving no room for hesitation or retreat.

"I don't need anyone's pity!"

I raised , its swirling dark energy radiating through the space. This would be my final battle—a single fight to end everything, once and for all.

I charged forward, the power of spiraling around my body, creating black vortexes. Each step crushed the ground beneath me, sending shockwaves reverberating outward. The very air seemed to tremble under the pressure, but none of them backed down.

Tohka was the first to step forward, her eyes blazing with determination that matched mine.

"Watano!" she shouted, raising , its brilliant light gleaming like a divine thunderbolt. "If you're determined to fight, then I won't hold back either!"

Our swords clashed, creating a deafening explosion. Tohka's strength was no joke; each of her strikes was powerful and precise.

But I was undeterred. My spirit energy had no limits like hers, and I poured all of it into every swing. Sparks flew as and clashed.

"Watano, don't let hatred consume you! You're not like this!" she cried out, but I dismissed her words as nothing but nonsense.

"Shut up and focus on the fight!" I growled, swinging my blade with all my might, forcing her to step back.

But before I could take advantage of the opening, I was attacked from behind. A freezing gust of wind sliced through the air—Yoshino, wielding , had launched her ice from afar.

"Damn it, I'm surrounded—"

I twisted to dodge, but only managed to avoid most of it. Sharp ice shards still pierced my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you continue like this, Watano!" Yoshino said, her clear eyes filled with determination.

"Shit!" I gritted my teeth, slashing toward Yoshino, but Kaguya and Yuzuru intercepted. The twins worked in perfect harmony, their attacks a seamless combination of strength and strategy. I couldn't find an opening to retaliate.

"Don't forget about us, Watano!" Kaguya shouted, while Yuzuru, in her calmer tone, added, "You're losing control, you need to stop."

Relentless attacks from the angels left me dazed by the relentless pace of the battle.

"Calm down, Watano… You need to think… Charging in blindly won't work…" I told myself, trying to rein in the fury boiling inside.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, deciding to change strategies. I immediately deactivated , reverting to the basic form of . Dark energy from spread, enveloping my body, the cool yet powerful sensation restoring my confidence.

I focused all of 's spiritual energy into , feeling the swirling, dark energy surging through my hands. This was the critical moment. With the rage and despair festering inside, I knew I had to unleash a decisive strike, one that could turn the tide.

"Endless darkness, consume everything! !"

From , a massive space filled with darkness exploded around me, covering everything in sight. The abyssal blackness swallowed the light, making the angels before me vanish into the void. The space was completely isolated, leaving only me in control within this ominous and terrifying darkness.

"Now... the real battle begins, SHIDO!" My figure slowly faded into the darkness of the space I had created.

"This is..." Shido muttered, his expression tense.

"Be careful, Shido. We're cut off from the outside world," Tohka warned, her worried gaze tracking the shift in space.

"Don't worry! With Yuzuru and me here, we'll blow everything away easily," Kaguya replied confidently.

"Agreed. Let's test our strength," Yuzuru said calmly but with resolute determination.

"〖Heavenly Body "El Kanaph"!〗"

Kaguya and Yuzuru's angels merged, forming a colossal bow with an arrow cloaked in fierce, tempestuous winds. Both of them drew the bowstring tight, their eyes filled with determination, focused on the endless darkness before them.

"Fire, "El Kanaph"!" The two shouted in unison, launching the arrow with the overwhelming power of the Yamai twins' storm.

The arrow shot forward, tearing through the darkness, but as it struck, the abyssal space merely swallowed it silently, leaving no trace behind.

"What?!" Kaguya exclaimed in shock, her eyes wide.

"Question. Nothing has changed?" Yuzuru asked calmly, though doubt laced her voice.

Suddenly, two shadowy figures began to materialize before Shido and the spirits. The group stood stunned as they saw them.

"〖Heavenly Body "El Kanaph"!〗"

"Huh?" Shido gasped, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight.

"No way!" Tohka shouted in disbelief.

"There's two Kaguya and two Yuzuru?!" Yoshino stammered.

The shadowy figures were identical to the Yamai sisters, from their outfits to their angels, but the only difference was that they were dark copies, formed from my shadows.

"Fire, "El Kanaph"!" The shadow clones of Kaguya and Yuzuru shouted in unison, immediately launching an arrow identical to the Yamai sisters' attack, hurtling it straight toward Shido's group.

The massive arrow from the dark clones sped toward them with terrifying speed, its roaring sound echoing throughout the darkened space.

Shido and the spirits had no time to react. The power behind the attack was clearly not just a weak imitation; it felt even more terrifying than the original.

"Watch out!" Shido yelled, activating 's power, generating a shield of sound waves to block the attack.

At the same time, Tohka dashed forward at blinding speed, her sword glowing brightly in her hand. With a powerful swing of , she aimed directly at the massive arrow.

"Damn it! How are they this strong?" Kaguya stepped back, her eyes wide in disbelief, unable to comprehend the strength of the clones. Beside her, Yuzuru clenched her fists, ready to deal with the situation.

"Remark. Their strength is identical to ours," Yuzuru stated calmly, but there was an unmistakable hint of concern in her voice.

The dark arrow collided with Shido's shield and Tohka's sword, triggering a tremendous explosion. The shockwave from the blast knocked both Tohka and Shido backward, leaving the group dazed in the wake of the energy storm.

Just as they were beginning to recover, more shadowy figures began to emerge behind the two dark clones of the Yamai sisters.

"No way..." Shido muttered. "This time it's..."

"All of us," Tohka finished, stunned as she gazed at the shadowy figures appearing from the darkness.

Indeed. Dark clones of Tohka, Yoshino, Miku, Natsumi, and even Shido himself stood before them, their cold, emotionless eyes brimming with cruelty.

"..."

The shadowy clones of the entire group were now facing them, ready to launch attacks with the same strength as the originals.