Chapter 188: Fall
High above the battlefield, Seraphel Dawn hovered with blazing wings of holy light, the sky behind him burning gold.
"He's doing it…" he whispered, watching Sora's overwhelming precision below — every movement clean, lethal, absolute.
But down on the ground, under the shadow of the tower—
Ashveil Kenny glared upward, blood dripping from his shoulder, eyes filled with hatred.
"Come down here, coward," he growled through gritted teeth.
Orimo still lay on the execution platform, unmoving… breath shallow… consciousness fading.
Then — a blast of cold air.
Seraph Admiral Lyra Solvane crashed onto the ground.
Silver hair drifting like frost… expression cold as death.
She lifted one finger and pressed it to the back of Orimo's head.
Dravon's heart stopped.
"Shit… he's my captain's son…" he whispered. "I must fulfill my promise…"
But before he could move—
Sora Nithel's blade clashed against his own with explosive force.
"Just let me go—I beg you, Sora!"
Sora's smirk was thin and cruel.
"We're rivals, Dravon. But no… I can't let you pass."
Their blades collided, sparks flying, cracking the ground beneath them.
Dravon pushed harder. Sora pushed back twice as hard.
At the same time—
Lyra whispered.
"Bullet."
Swish.
BOOM.
A bullet of starlight erupted from her fingertip —
A blinding flash —
A wet spray of crimson —
And Orimo's head snapped forward.
The execution platform was painted in blood as Orimo's body collapsed.
For a second, the whole battlefield fell silent.
Dravon's pupils shrank.
His breath froze.
His world shattered.
"ORIMO!! … CAPTAIN—RYUTA—!!"
His scream tore through the island.
He dropped his sword mid-battle and sprinted, stumbling, almost crawling toward the execution stand.
Sora didn't chase.
He only watched… eyes dimming with something close to regret.
"I won't kill you without your sword, Dravon," he murmured quietly.
Dravon ran faster than ever in his life—
But suddenly a strange glowing mark appeared on his chest.
Lyra pointed again.
"Lock—On."
Boom.
A beam of pure light drilled clean through Dravon's chest.
He staggered.
Coughed blood.
Collapsed to his knees, trembling, vision blurring.
He smiled weakly… broken.
"I failed… Captain.
I didn't keep my promise.
I'm a failure…
All these years were a failure…"
From the distance, Sora whispered without turning:
"…Dravon… Goodbye.
You were a great rival."
Then—
ALAAAAAAAAARM—
Sirens across the entire navy headquarters erupted, drowning out the battlefield.
A siren loud enough for the entire island.