The night sky crackled as two streaks of sword light carved through the darkness, colliding again and again in a deadly dance. Each clash tore the air apart with sizzling sparks and violent shockwaves.
One of the blades belonged to Ellen, her weapon, the high-powered lightsaber [Caledfwlch], shone with a brilliance that could blind the blade entirely. The other was [Wolftail], its sharpness as a chainsaw, wielded by Mana Takamiya.
Ellen moved like a phantom, her strikes weaving through the air with mechanical precision. She blocked every one of Mana's slashes from above, from below, from the front, no angle caught her off guard. When Mana's offensive rhythm faltered for the briefest instant, Ellen's counterattack was merciless. She painted the air with an arc of blinding light, her blade screaming through the wind.
Mana reacted instantly. Her sword flashed countless times in that critical heartbeat, intercepting Ellen's assault with a storm of steel. But Ellen was not known as the world's strongest wizard for nothing. Her defense was flawless, her parries effortless, her counters sharp as a needlepoint. Even when Mana broke through, Ellen's unbreakable Territory nullified the attack as if it were nothing more than a ripple against iron.
Mana had yet to leave so much as a scratch. As her weapon has a lower Maryoku consumption, it isn't as strong as Ellen's weapon.
But Mana wasn't here to win. That wasn't her goal. Her goal was to buy time for Kotori and the others to solve Shidou's uncontrolled spiritual power. Hurting Ellen would require risking her own life, a trade she wasn't willing to make. She focused on prolonging the battle, seeking the perfect balance between attack and defense.
Mana's mind raced, a cold, focused calm settling over her despite the chaos around her. Her only goal was to buy time. At this rate, she thought, her blade a blur of motion, we should be able to achieve our objective. All Kotori and the others need to do is find a way to solve Shidou's out-of-control spiritual energy.
She danced through the air, her [Wolftail] clashing against the high-powered [Caledfwlch]. Ellen's movements were as precise and elegant as ever, a stark contrast to the raw, visceral fury of their battle. This wasn't about winning, Mana knew that. It was about survival, about drawing out this deadly ballet just long enough.
Then, without warning.
A brilliant flash of light erupted far below from the Ratatoskr facility. A beam of overwhelming energy split the heavens, searing the sky and filling the air with scorching heat. The shockwave tore upward like a tidal wave.
"...What?!" Her eyes widened in shock, her concentration shattered. She wasn't knocked away, her Territory holding firm against the blast, but the unexpected event forced her attention away from Ellen. It was a momentary lapse, a split-second flicker of focus.
That split second was all Ellen needed. A cruel, knowing smile touched her lips.
"It's full of loopholes," Ellen's voice was as cold and sharp as her blade. She lunged, her [Caledfwlch] aimed directly for the heart of Mana's exposed defense.
"Ugh..." There was a burst of impact. Although Mana managed to defend herself, she was unable to completely neutralize its power. Mana's body fell to the ground like a smash.
"Mmm…!"
Mana used the Territory to reduce the impact of landing and landed on the ground. The ground was tilted and twisted as if it were squeezed by an invisible sphere.
"Hhh… damn…" Mana coughed, forcing herself upright. "You're unbelievable. Ellen. But what was that light just now?"
She raised her head and froze.
Floating not far away was Shidou. His body glowed faintly, wreathed in unstable spiritual energy that shimmered like moonlight.
"Brother!" Mana trembled. Shidou slowly looked at her, his gaze dull, as if he were in a daze. He opened his lips slightly.
"Ah. Mana. Good, you're okay." He murmured in a gentle voice.
"Brother...?" Hearing this, Mana felt something was wrong and frowned.
If you interpret this sentence literally, it sounds like he is simply worried about Mana's health. Because in fact, Mana was fighting with Ellen and had just received a heavy blow.
However, for some reason, Mana had a strong feeling that Shidou's words contained other meanings.
Shidou still maintained his tone as if he was in a state of ecstasy, and continued to speak from his lips: "I was... worried about you. You were kidnapped by those guys from DEM... But, it's really good you are okay."
"...I was kidnapped? Brother, what's going on?"
"Where is Mio... Where is she? Was it Mio who saved you?"
"What are you saying, brother—?" A sharp pain suddenly shot through Mana's mind. She clutched her forehead, a look of agony on her face.
Ahh!" It was obviously not just a simple headache.
Mio
The moment Mana heard Shidou say these two names, several scenes she had never seen before appeared in her mind.
"This is..."
Just like a camera shutter, several scenes kept switching in her mind. The park where she played with her friends, the teacher in the classroom, and her brother Shidou were celebrating her birthday. Something is different; His face was different. His presence wasn't the same as the brother she knew.
Why can't I… remember his face?
Mana's breath hitched. Her vision swam, her thoughts unraveling.
The moment the memories appeared in her mind, Mana felt her vision flicker.
For some reason, Mana couldn't remember the appearance of her brother. Mana clearly knew him, but at this moment, Mana's thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
"—Your opponent is me, and you still have the energy to think about other things. You are looking down on me too much." Ellen's arrogant voice sounded above Mana's head.
"...! Damn it." When Mana came to her senses, Ellen had already landed beside Mana, holding up her lightsaber. Mana hurriedly focused her consciousness, but it was too late!
"...!" However, the lightsaber did not burn Mana's body. Because just before the [Caledfwlch] touched Mana, the spiritual power surrounding Shidou gradually expanded and blocked the magic blade.
"Oh...?" Ellen made a puzzled sound and glared at Shidou with indignation.
"Shidou. I see. I don't know what happened to you, but it's no wonder that Isaac wants you." A wild smile spread across Ellen's face. Shidou, however, only frowned.
"DEM…!" He breathed rapidly and let out a roar like a wild beast. The vortex of spiritual energy surrounding him instantly surged, knocking both Ellen and Mana away.
"...!"
"What!" Mana used her Territory to offset the impact and stopped in the air. "Brother! What is going on! And what did you just say? Who is Mio!?"
But her cries couldn't reach him. Shidou no longer heard. He was consumed, drowning in a tide of spiritual energy that radiated from him like a second sun. His roar shook the heavens as the night sky itself lit up, a blinding moon of pure energy swallowing the darkness.
"Hmm…" Anyone could see that Shidou was in an unusual state. If possible, Mana wanted to ask more questions. However, she was facing the most powerful wizard in the world and could not afford to be careless. Mana gritted her teeth and looked away from Shidou, her focus returning to Ellen.
…
Elsewhere in the sky.
Katsu's sharp eyes caught sight of a figure plummeting through the air. Without hesitation, he dove, catching the girl just before she hit the ground.
Her body was light, her skin pale. She was naked, her short ash-gray hair fluttering in the night wind. She looked delicate, fragile.
Katsu's breath caught. He tried to wake her, shaking her gently. But before he could act further—
Shidou's spiritual energy erupted in the distance. The blast rolled across the heavens like a tidal wave.
Katsu froze. His chest tightened, and an animal growl escaped his throat. His body trembled, and spiritual energy surged uncontrollably from deep within him, boiling to the surface.
If a Spirit had been there to witness it, they would have seen the truth: his power was colossal, an ocean of raw destruction blanketing the heavens like a black cloud. The atmosphere itself shivered. And if that power detonated… the city below would vanish in an instant, reduced to nothing but ash and silence.
Katsu gritted his teeth, clawing desperately at the last threads of his sanity. His eyes flicked down to the fragile girl in his arms, the ash-gray-haired beauty who had fallen like an angel from the heaven.
"…Tch." His jaw tightened. With trembling care, he descended, placing her gently on the ground. He shrugged off his own clothes and draped them over her bare shoulders, shielding her from the cold night air.
Then, with a deep breath, he looked back at the cityscape glittering beneath the stars. His spiritual energy buckled again, howling like a beast desperate to be free.
Without another word, he shot skyward like a comet. Higher and higher he climbed, each pulse of his aura warping the clouds, shredding them into nothing. His only thought was to drag the explosion away from the people, away from the streets, away from innocent lives.
But the higher he went, the more fragile his control became. His body burned, his veins screamed, and the wild power inside him clawed for release.