Josuke's body was battered, dragged across the cold, unforgiving earth. Every movement was excruciating, every breath a painful reminder that his strength was running out. His once-unyielding resolve had cracked in the face of such overwhelming power. His black katana, the weapon he had relied on for so long, lay shattered on the ground beside him, its broken pieces a grim testament to his failure. The Devil's relentless assault had shattered both his weapon and his will.
Josuke's vision blurred, his body trembling as his breath grew more shallow with each passing second. The weight of the fear he'd never allowed himself to feel now pressed down on him like a thousand tons. For the first time, Josuke truly understood that being a Ranger meant little against an opponent like this. The Devil wasn't just an enemy—it was an inevitability. He was nothing but a fragile human in the face of a being that had transcended mortality as repeatedly said in his head I don't want to die repeatedly as a mix of tears and blood ran down his face. Death loomed, and survival seemed like an impossible dream.
Behind him, the Devil's presence was suffocating. Its laughter low, cruel, and vibrating through the very air resonated in his chest. Josuke could feel the cold touch of its breath against his neck as it loomed ever closer.
The Devil's hand shot out like a viper, grabbing Josuke by the neck with terrifying speed and lifting him off the ground effortlessly. The force of the grip tightened, and Josuke gasped for air, his windpipe crushed in the clutches of the Devil's monstrous strength. The air seemed to grow thinner, the world spinning as the Devil's laughter echoed louder, crueler. Josuke's limbs hung limply, his body unable to fight back.
The Devil leaned in, its voice a mocking whisper in Josuke's ear. "So fragile. So weak. Do you really think you can survive this? You never stood a chance."
Josuke's breath came in ragged gasps, his mind swimming. His broken katana had been of no use. He had no power left. His body was failing,his spirit almost broken, his defiance a little , still burned within him. Through the pain, through the despair, he gritted his teeth, glaring back at the Devil with all the fury he could muster.
"I will never… bow to you," Josuke managed to rasp, his voice barely audible.
The Devil's grin widened, revealing sharp, jagged teeth. "Very well," it hissed. "Have fun with the creatures in the sea."
In an instant, the Devil hurled Josuke into the air, his body spiraling toward the churning waters below. The world seemed to slow as Josuke fell, his scream echoing in the distance, but there was no one there to catch him. The sea, dark and cold, awaited him like a ravenous beast, its icy waters swallowing him whole. The freezing cold gripped him like iron chains, pulling him down into the depths. The last thing he felt was the suffocating weight of the cold before the world faded to darkness.
Far away in the Elder's Meeting Hall, Kyle, Maya, and the other commanders were gathered. No one could leave, and no one could intervene in what was happening outside.
Kyle and Maya sat at the back of the hall, watching the unfolding events on a series of monitors, the sounds of the battle reaching their ears as if they were right there with Josuke. The weight of the situation was unbearable. They could see Josuke on the screen, his broken body being dragged by the Devil, his katana shattered and his spirit visibly faltering.
Maya's heart ached. The screen before them displayed Josuke's struggles, each blow he took, each gasp for air, felt like a knife to her chest. Her hands clenched into fists, but there was nothing she could do. The barrier was too strong, and she was powerless to intervene.
Kyle watched silent, his eyes never leaving the screen. His face was unreadable, but his body was tense, his fists clenched at his sides. He knew the importance of Josuke to Unit Zero, but in this moment, he was helpless. Josuke had always been strong had always fought with determination but this… this was a force unlike any they had faced before. Josuke was not just fighting an enemy. He was fighting for his life.
One of the Elder, seated at the front of the room, turned to them with a cruel smile, his voice laced with mockery. "Isn't that the boy you put your hopes on?" he sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "Look at him now. A broken body, barely hanging on. Even if that Devil doesn't kill him, he'll die on his own. Your precious devil boy is no match for this power next would be that pendragon brat."
Maya's face flushed with anger, but Kyle remained stoic, his silence speaking volumes. He would not let the Elder's taunts sway him. Josuke's fight wasn't over. No matter how grim the situation looked, there was still hope. He refused to believe Josuke's story was going to end here.
The other three commanders in the hall watched the unfolding scene with their own reactions some indifferent, some concerned, but none with the resolve of Kyle. The tension in the room was palpable, the heavy silence broken only by the sounds of Josuke's struggle coming from the screen.
Back at the cliff, the Devil stood tall, watching Josuke's body spiral downward toward the water. Its cold eyes gleamed with satisfaction as Josuke plummeted toward the icy abyss below.
"Let's see how long you can survive down there," the Devil whispered, its voice dripping with malice.
The moment Josuke hit the water, it was as though the sea had consumed him whole. The dark, freezing waters surged around him, dragging him deeper into its depths. His body, heavy with the chill, sank further. His limbs flailed weakly, the cold biting at his skin like thousands of sharp needles. His breath became slower, more labored as the darkness wrapped around him. The cold seeped into his very bones, and the struggle to survive felt more distant with every passing second.
The Devil had cast him into the depths, but Josuke's spirit wasn't so easily snuffed out.
Elsewhere, Arthur, Hinata, Lily, and Ace had pushed through the chaos of the possessed humans, their movements sharp and decisive as they made their way toward Josuke's location. They had fought hard and fast, but when they finally reached the clearing, they were too late.
The Devil stood by the frozen sea, its back to them. The surface of the water was coated in a thick, unnatural sheet of ice, and beneath it, Josuke's body lay frozen, suspended in the water. His form was barely visible, his stillness a grim confirmation that he was no longer breathing.
Arthur's heart sank as the sight before him struck like a physical blow. Josuke was gone.
"Josuke…" Hinata whispered, her voice quivering as her eyes filled with sorrow. She had hoped, hoped with all her might, that they would arrive in time. But now…
Lily stepped forward, her eyes blazing with rage. "This isn't over," she muttered, her tone laced with venom. Ace was already in motion, his eyes fixed on the Devil. No matter what it took, they would fight to bring Josuke back.
The Devil turned slowly, its eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "You arrived just in time," it mocked. "Now you'll see how fragile your little hero truly is."
The cold air thickened, and the fight for Josuke's life would not end in defeat. The battle had only just begun.