The monster's muscles bulged, and with a violent roar, the glowing ropes of Voltra around its body snapped apart like fragile threads.
Lothar froze for a moment, his eyes wide in shock. No way… it broke free?!
Beside him, Light's grin had already faded. His flashy mistake had cost them their one real chance. Both of them felt the heavy truth—this Kaiju wasn't going down that easily.
The Kaiju's massive head turned toward the terrified citizens huddled in the distance.
"No…" Lothar's heart sank. He remembered the kings words echoing in his head: Make sure you keep as many citizens safe as possible.
The beast roared and lunged.
Lothar didn't think twice. He dashed forward, planting himself right in front of the attack. The Kaiju's strike sent him flying, his body crashing hard against a nearby building.
"Lothar!!!" Light's scream tore through the chaos.
The monster's massive fist swung down toward Lothar, unstoppable. Light leapt, planting himself between Lothar and the Kaiju's punch. His sword dug into the ground as he braced both hands against the monster's massive knuckles.
The ground cracked beneath his feet. His muscles trembled. Sweat poured down his forehead as the sheer force pushed him back inch by inch.
"Damn it… I won't let you touch him!" Light growled, every nerve in his body straining.
The Kaiju's strength was overwhelming, the fist edging closer toward Lothar despite Light's desperate resistance.
And then—a flash.
A girl landed gracefully in front of them, twin swords gleaming in the sunlight. She crouched low for a moment, perfectly poised. Light blinked, unsure if he should be relieved or amazed.
With a swift, precise motion, she slashed at the Kaiju. The massive creature's body split cleanly into eight shimmering forms, each hovering like fragments of pure Voltra energy. The citizens gasped, and Lothar and Light froze in shock.
Before anyone could react, the eight forms vanished into a glowing aura, leaving nothing behind but a faint hum in the air and the terrified silence of the city.
Behind her, a small rescue team moved quickly among the citizens, helping the injured and guiding them to safety.
She turned her head slightly, meeting Light's eyes.
"Everything's fine now," she said calmly.
Light's lips curled into a grin, relief and excitement flooding him.
"Hikari…" (to be continued)