The battlefield fell into a deep silence. The destruction caused by the Alpha's explosion had eradicated all the remaining Manticores, as if what had multiplied so suddenly had been reduced to nothing.
Shizuhana, still kneeling and gripping her Ame-no-nuboko, watched as the shockwave dissipated. Her breathing was uneven, but her gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the presence of something far more ominous lingered. "This isn't over," she murmured, though her words were barely audible.
High above, in the sky overlooking the battlefield, a figure shrouded in shadows observed the scene. It was Ereshyka, the leader of the Gods of the Dusk. Beside her, Semyazza, the Goddess of Patan, crossed her arms with an indifferent smile.
"How interesting," Semyazza remarked, her voice a whisper. "Even amidst all this light and chaos, Shizuhana remains… different. There's something about her that doesn't quite fit into this system."
"Silence," ordered Ereshyka, her tone calm yet laden with authority. "We've seen enough."
Around her, the other Gods of the Dusk began to appear, emerging from the shadows. Mivernag, the God of Nirarthakata. Yozora, the God of Tuchchata. And Baalzebub, the God of Seema. All were gathered alongside their leader Ereshyka, watching everything unfold from above.
"What a pity," said Baalzebub. "Ceres and his followers fight with such fervor, and yet they have no idea what they're truly up against. So tragic… and so entertaining."
Ereshyka raised a hand, silencing any further response. Her gaze remained fixed on Shizuhana, who was now slowly rising, leaning on her weapon. The divine blood dripping from her wounds seemed to glow with an otherworldly intensity, as if each drop contained a fragment of the cosmos.
"She is the key," Ereshyka said, almost to herself. "The crack in the white… and the first step toward the end of balance."
Mivernag tilted his head, his expression neutral. "You mean this battle has been enough? Wouldn't it be wise to intervene now, while they're weakened?"
"No," Ereshyka replied firmly. "It's not our time. What comes next requires patience… and a deeper understanding of the forces at play. The White Pole has not yet reached the edge of its fracture."
With a wave of her hand, Ereshyka began to retreat into the shadows, and the other gods followed her. Before disappearing, Semyazza cast one last glance at the battlefield, her eyes glimmering with a mix of curiosity and malice.
"We should thank them," she said with a twisted smile. "After all, they're doing our work for us."
As the Gods of the Dusk vanished, leaving behind an unsettling sense of emptiness, Ceres gathered the remaining warriors. He spoke with authority, though even he seemed aware that something far greater was at play. "This is not a victory," he declared. "This is only the beginning. Stay vigilant; what we faced here is merely a manifestation of something much deeper."
Amayori, with the Kusanagi sword still in hand, approached Shizuhana, concerned about the goddess's wounds. "We need to retreat and regroup," she said seriously. "If these creatures were sent by someone, we must prepare for whatever comes next."
Shizuhana, her smile weary but defiant, responded: "Don't underestimate the desperation of chaos, Amayori. If this was just a test, the real challenge will be far greater… and far crueler."
Amayori remained by Shizuhana's side, her concern evident as she observed the goddess's wounds. "I can't let you keep ignoring your condition," she insisted. "We must return to the central base before it's too late."
Shizuhana raised her gaze to the sky, where the figures of the Gods of the Dusk had vanished. Something tightened in her chest, not from physical wounds but from the certainty that this would not be the last time their paths would cross. They were watching, evaluating, waiting. That kind of patience was more terrifying than any destructive force she had faced.
"Amayori," Shizuhana said, her tone a blend of exhaustion and resolve. "Whatever comes next... we won't be ready, not now."
"That's why we must return." Amayori placed a firm hand on the goddess's shoulder, trying to impart some calm. "Ceres will guide us. If there's a strategy to face this, he will find it."
However, before they could move, an echo resounded across the vast battlefield. It was like a distant whisper, coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. A cold, neutral voice, laden with an inhuman weight.
"Shizuhana..."
Amayori stepped back, unsheathing the Kusanagi instinctively. "Who's there?" Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of doubt in her words.
Shizuhana closed her eyes, sensing a wave of unknown energy permeating the air. It wasn't divine, chaotic, or even natural. It was something entirely different, as if the very void had taken on an audible form.
"It's just an echo," she finally said, opening her eyes with a disquieting calm. "One of many. Nothing we can face directly... not yet."
Ceres, who had been observing from a distance, approached them. The light radiating from his presence was a balm to the remaining warriors, but his face reflected a gravity rarely seen.
"Both of you," he commanded with authority. "Let us retreat now. This is not a place where answers can be found, only more questions."
As they withdrew, the sensation of emptiness lingered, as if the battlefield itself resisted letting them leave. Each step they took carried an invisible weight, and the shadow left behind by the Gods of the Dusk seemed to grow with each passing moment.
『Undoubtedly, it was a great war, one that generated more questions than answers. A significant clash of dualities: Gods of the Dawn against chaos in its purest form. A battle that sparked the emergence of an irregularity on the canvas of creation. What was that symbol that appeared at the beginning of the battle? ─ From the moment it formed, anomalies began to arise… No one could perceive it. It wasn't black, nor was it white… It was an irregular, anomalous energy alien to this universe. What on earth was that? ─ There are no words to describe such an incomprehensible moment!』