"It's Miles… it has to be them!"
The Imperial warship landed. Though Ren hadn't seen Locke Slint stopping it barehanded, the return of the ship was hope itself—the last lifeline in this sea of death.
As long as he was there, no matter the despair, Miles would always find a way through.
Even without reason, to Ren—who'd seen him overturn impossible fates—Miles was that invincible figure.
"I must go! To find Miles, even if just a little, I'll face this darkness with him!"
Better to fight again than sit idle in stillness. Perhaps fate had kept her conscious while all others fell.
Placing her unconscious brother down, Ren whispered, "Brother, I'm going. This time, as a true hero… to protect everyone!"
A card shone. From Ilon's Spirit Eye Deck floated a pure white HERO card. It fell to the ground, gleaming against the dead darkness.
"This card…"
Drawn to the light, Ren picked it up.
"Edigo's card!"
It was the card Edy Austin had entrusted to Ilon—after losing her Spirit Eye, she gave her soul's card to her brother, asking him to protect Ren in her stead.
Now, it appeared before Ren—perhaps a sign that both Ilon and Edy acknowledged her resolve. The true hero who could protect everyone.
"Thank you… brothers! I will win!"
She tucked the card into her Deck and sprinted toward the fallen warship.
"Kaima, what are you—?!"
Miles was caught off guard as Kaima suddenly clung to him, her hand grasping the Millennium Puzzle at Aisha's chest.
After a moment, he understood. The Sacred Beasts' power had already weakened Kaima's soul and body. Just as he expected… the darkened capital was worse than any Shadow Game.
The Beasts drained real life force.
Aisha was safe only thanks to the Puzzle. Only Millennium Item holders could resist such darkness.
Kaima likely didn't even know this. Her body simply clung to the Puzzle out of a primal survival instinct.
"Survival instinct, huh. Terrifying."
Miles turned to Aisha. "You understand, right?"
"I don't!"
"…Uh, fine… I hate this, but I understand."
Kaima was still forcing herself upright, but they couldn't afford to lose her strength here, not against Locke Slint with his Millennium Eye and eternal life.
Anyone who had held the Puzzle gained resistance to Shadow Games. When Miles borrowed Irena's body, Aisha had still moved freely despite losing it—that proved it. Even Ren's HERO awakening tied back to contact with the Puzzle.
"As long as you promise to return, Miles, I'll agree no matter how many times! Go! Hurry—Kaima can't hold on!"
Brave Aisha still put the greater good above herself, even with tears in her voice.
"I promise, Aisha! I'll be back!"
With that, Miles swapped souls with Kaima through the Puzzle. Her weakened state made the exchange easy.
— Soul Exchange!
A new body.
Compared to Nova's childlike frame earlier, Kaima's tall, voluptuous figure was another world entirely. Mature, commanding, surpassing even Aisha, Ren, and Irena. Maybe not as strong as Nia, but Kaima could probably pass the Academy's Sealed Test.
It was… overwhelming.
"M-Miles?!"
Even Aisha, pouting before, softened as Kaima's warm embrace pressed against her. After all, inside, it was still Miles.
"Shallow woman," Miles muttered.
Meanwhile, Kaima's spirit—drawn into the Puzzle—gradually regained clarity.
"What's this? I can't move my body. And… this place? My hand on the Puzzle? Miles… is that you?"
"Damn, you figured it out?!"
Miles was shocked. Of all his swaps, only Kaima guessed before he explained. Her quick reasoning impressed him.
"Irena too… it was you fighting alongside her against the Sacred Beasts, wasn't it?"
"Kaima, has anyone told you? A woman too clever is dangerous."
That said, Miles preferred clever allies. It saved him trouble and time.
...
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