Koharu secretly approached the area where the attacks were happening and began watching from behind a rock.
The silhouette standing before the golden barrier was wrapped in black smoke.When it spread its wings, the sky darkened.
With a single motion, the smoke twisted—forming a massive sword.
And then—
BOOM!
It slammed into the golden dome.
Sparks scattered like rain.The barrier trembled… but it showed no visible damage.
The silhouette rose again.
It swung its wings, and this time the smoke transformed into chains.Like whips, the chains lashed against the dome again and again.
Each impact sent bursts of golden sparks across the surface.
But after several strikes, the chains shattered—dissolving back into black smoke.
The silhouette ascended once more.
The dark aura sharpened, forming a spear that stretched toward the sky.
When it was thrown, a piercing scream tore through the air—
BOOM!
At the moment of impact, the sky lit up.Light and smoke collided, twisting into each other.
The barrier still stood.
Unbroken.
The army of the Land of Angels began to take formation on the inner side of the dome.
Once positioned, they launched a coordinated assault toward the silhouette.
Arrows of light.Sacred flames.
Their attacks passed through the barrier without resistance—
But as they reached the silhouette, they were swallowed by the smoke spilling from its wings.
As if they had never existed.
Seeing their attacks fail, the soldiers shouted in panic:
"That demon… it must be Koharu!""We should have executed her! Sending her into the Void wasn't enough!"
Koharu's chest tightened.
At that moment, a voice rose above the chaos.
Commander—
Prince Kaito.
Her brother.
"Hold your formation!" he shouted."The golden barrier has protected us for a thousand years—it will protect us today! No matter what happens, stand your ground!"
The soldiers regained their composure.
Praying, they continued their assault.
But the silhouette deflected their attacks with ease.
At the same time, it continued striking the golden dome with different techniques—
Yet even it seemed unable to inflict any visible damage.
Koharu watched the battle with narrowed eyes, caught between shock and awe…
Until—
Her gaze locked onto the silhouette's chest.
There was a light.
Small—
Yet impossibly bright.
Hidden within the black smoke… a heart.
And within that heart, a white aura burned—
Far purer than anyone Koharu had ever seen in her life.
Her breath caught.
"Is this… possible?"
She stared without blinking.
How could something they called a "demon" carry such light?
How could it feel… so peaceful?
She no longer heard the sounds of battle.
She only watched that light.
And with every pulse of it, a single thought echoed within her—
like a whisper:
"That… cannot be a demon."