Josuke gently set Hinata down on the ground, his usual calm demeanor now replaced with an intensity that could only come from a true warrior. His voice, once youthful and unsure, now carried the weight of a seasoned fighter, filled with an unwavering resolve. "Heal the others," he said, his tone steady, almost commanding. "I'll handle the devil."
Hinata, still slightly dazed from the aftermath of her own injuries, nodded quietly, already focused on the others she needed to tend to. Her powers flared to life as she began to heal the wounded, though her eyes never left Josuke. She had seen this shift in him before but never quite like this. It was as if a new force had awakened inside him, one that didn't just come from his powers, but from his very soul.
Josuke's gaze turned toward the devil, his eyes cold and unyielding. The air seemed to thicken as their eyes met, a silent standoff where the tension was palpable. The devil's sinister grin only widened at the sight of Josuke's new form — the mark on his forehead, the single horn, the flames that danced around him. It wasn't just his appearance that was different, but the very energy radiating from him. It felt almost like the air itself was bending to his will.
The devil, with a derisive chuckle, spoke, his voice dripping with mockery, "So you think your little transformation is enough to change the outcome? You think these horns and marks will make a difference? The result will be the same, hybrid… only this time, I'll end you myself."
Without warning, the devil lunged forward, moving with terrifying speed. Josuke barely flinched as he darted to the side, his body flowing with fluid motion, almost like a shadow moving in and out of the devil's reach. Before the devil could react, Josuke appeared behind him, his eyes calculating every move.
The devil swung his massive arm backward in an attempt to strike, but Josuke had already anticipated the move. He was at the devil's front now, fist flying toward the creature's stomach. The punch landed with a sickening crack, and the devil grunted in pain, stumbling back. But as he recovered, the twisted grin on his face only grew wider.
You're fast," the devil growled, his muscles rippling as he prepared to strike again. But Josuke was already retreating, his movements so fluid and precise that it was as if he had never moved at all. He was back to where he had started, standing exactly where he had been moments before.
The devil roared in frustration, but before he could launch another attack, Josuke raised his hand. A glowing orb appeared in his palm, its light casting a faint, eerie glow on his features. Josuke's eyes flickered to the hole in the devil's stomach — the wound from his earlier punch.
"Is this your core?" Josuke asked, his voice now filled with a calm certainty. The orb pulsed with power as he focused his attention on the wound. The devil's eyes widened in disbelief, a flash of panic crossing his features for the first time.
"No," the devil hissed, his voice barely a whisper, a hint of desperation creeping in. "Impossible. I'm the almighty genes… how… how can a lowly hybrid like you even… touch me? You… you can't take my core!"
The devil's anger turned to rage as he clutched at his wound, struggling to regain his composure. His body twitched erratically, sparks of energy surging from the hole in his stomach. He bellowed again, louder this time, his power flaring dangerously.
"Take my core, will you?!" The devil's voice grew distorted, a twisted growl that rattled the air. He charged forward again, determined to destroy Josuke.
But Hinata, now fully healed and standing tall, couldn't help but stare in awe. Her wide eyes were locked onto Josuke, and for the first time, she saw something truly terrifying — a changed Josuke, someone with an undeniable strength that she had never witnessed before.
Even Arthur, still standing in the distance, was caught off guard by Josuke's transformation. His face twisted in both anger and confusion, his gaze flicking over Josuke's form. A question lingered in his mind, one he couldn't shake. He muttered under his breath, barely audible, "What is this…?" His eyes narrowed as he took in the full scope of Josuke's appearance. "Is he a devil now…?"
The scene held still for a moment. Josuke's new form the horn, the markings, the power radiating off him seemed to transcend what they knew of him. Was he truly human? Or had he, in some way, crossed into something far more dangerous? His words, his actions, the power he wielded now… it was no longer the Josuke they once knew. This was someone entirely different, something far more than just a ranger.
Josuke stood firm, the orb in his hand still pulsing with power as he crushed it . "This battle ends now," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had finally discovered his true conviction. "I will protect them. No matter the cost."
As the devil roared in fury, Josuke raised his hand, ready to unleash a heavy blow. But the question lingered in the air what would this new Josuke become after all of this? Could he even survive the battle that was to come? Only time would tell.