“Because of you”

Winter's grip around Yuui’s throat, once unyielding and firm, begins to weaken as her words sink into his mind.

“Monika… you killed my sister.”

The words echo in Winter's head, louder and louder until they drown out everything else. His eyes flicker, the smirk wiped from his face as his mind spirals into chaos.

How does she know?

The question gnaws at him, his usually calm and calculating demeanor crumbling as confusion and panic set in. He has been so careful. He has buried the memory of Monika deep within him, a secret never to be revealed. Yet here Yuui stands, broken and defeated, spitting out the truth as if she has known all along.

“When did she find out?”

Winter’s thoughts race as his memories flash back to that night—the night he took Monika’s life without hesitation, without remorse. Her final breath still lingers in his mind like a shadow he can’t shake.

“Who told her?” His panic deepens.

“Could someone have survived that night? Or has Yuui pieced it together herself?”

“Why now?” Winter’s gaze falls upon Yuui’s tear-streaked face, her eyes filled with rage and sorrow.

“Why confront me here, when she knows she’s lost?”

His mind is a whirlwind of questions, doubts, and fears. For the first time in as long as he can remember, Winter feels the cold grip of uncertainty. His chest tightens with unease, his heart pounding as the realization of what she knows sinks deeper.

“Why did she become my friend… even though she knew?”

The thought strikes him harder than any attack ever has. Yuui has fought beside him, trusted him, even smiled at him.

“Has it all been a lie? A facade to get close, waiting for this moment of confrontation?”

His grip around her throat slackens further, his hand trembling as he grapples with the weight of her accusations.

Yuui, gasping for breath, can feel his hesitation. She sees the confusion in his eyes, the turmoil gripping him as he falters. Her moment has come.

She gathers what little strength remains in her battered body, her fingers twitching as she summons the last of her mana. With his mind spiraling into panic, Winter doesn’t notice her soft whisper.

“Phantom Blade,” Yuui breathes.

In an instant, a translucent blade of pure energy forms in her hand, glowing with ethereal light. She doesn’t waste another second. With a surge of desperation, Yuui thrusts the blade forward, driving it into Winter’s side with everything she has left.

Winter’s eyes widen in shock, the sudden pain pulling him from his trance. His body jerks, but it is too late. The Phantom Blade has already pierced through his blood armor and into his flesh.

"Argh!" Winter grunts, stumbling back, his hand instinctively releasing Yuui’s throat as he staggers from the blow.

The Phantom Blade explodes with a violent burst of energy, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. A massive hole is torn through Winter’s left lung and side, blood spraying into the air as he stumbles backward. His body hits the ground hard, collapsing under the weight of his wounds.

Winter’s vision blurs as he lies on his back, staring up at the dawning sky. The once-mighty blood demon, now broken and fragile, can do nothing but watch the faint colors of sunset slowly wash over the world. His chest heaves with each labored breath, the air thin and cold, his strength draining from him with every passing second.

Yuui, despite the agony coursing through her broken body, forces herself to stand. Her leg twists awkwardly, her arm barely functional, yet she moves forward, determined. Each step is a battle of its own, but her resolve carries her. With her mana drained and her energy flickering, she reaches into her inventory with her one good hand.

Her fingers wrap around the hilt of a glowing green dagger, etched with ancient runes that glimmer faintly. The blade pulses with a soft, eerie glow, a power long forgotten yet undeniably potent. It is a relic, something she has kept for this moment alone.

Winter, lying in the dirt, his breaths shallow and ragged, turns his head slightly, his eyes locking onto her as she approaches. He can feel his life slipping away, the cold fingers of death reaching out for him. There is no escape, no blood magic left to save him now.

“Sorry…” Winter croaks, his voice barely a whisper, filled with a quiet, sorrowful regret. His once-cold, unfeeling eyes now soften as he looks up at Yuui, the realization of his actions weighing on him.

Yuui stands above him, her expression hard but not without emotion. The pain of her sister’s death, the betrayal, the lies—it all swirls within her, but there is no more time for forgiveness. No more second chances.

“It’s too late,” she replies, her voice steady, though her heart aches with the weight of it all.

Without hesitation, she raises the green dagger high, its glow intensifying in her hand. Then, with one swift motion, she plunges the blade deep into Winter’s chest, straight into his heart. The ancient runes flare, the power within the dagger surging as it pierces through his flesh.

Winter gasps, his body tensing as the blade steals the last remnants of his life force. He can feel the darkness closing in, his strength fading faster than he can comprehend.

“Take… care…” Winter manages to whisper with his final breath, his eyes glazing over as the light in them dims.

And then, silence.

Yuui stands there, trembling from exhaustion and pain, her hand still gripping the hilt of the dagger lodged in Winter’s chest. His body lies lifeless beneath her, the dawn breaking over the horizon, casting long shadows over the battlefield. She can feel the weight of it all—the victory, the loss, the emptiness that follows.

The world is silent, save for the soft whisper of the wind as it carries away the remnants of the battle. Winter, the blood demon, is no more. And Yuui, though victorious, is left with the heavy burden of everything that has been lost along the way.

Tears fall silently from her eyes, but she makes no effort to wipe them away. There is no time for that. Not yet.

As Winter’s lifeless body lies before her, Yuui feels a surge of power welling up inside her. She snaps her fingers, her voice steady and resolute.

“Ignite.”

A flame erupts from her fingertips, spreading quickly to engulf Winter’s body. The fire crackles and roars, consuming him in a blaze of fiery fury. The smell of burning flesh fills the air, an acrid reminder of the life that has been snuffed out.

As the flames dance around him, Winter’s mind drifts. At least I die in her hands, he thinks, the warmth of the fire contrasting sharply with the cold emptiness that has begun to envelop him.

“But there is so much to do...”

He feels the anger and hunger that have driven him for so long beginning to dissipate, fading into the ether along with his life. At last, I can’t feel it anymore, he realizes, the weight of his dark desires lifting from his shoulders like a shroud.

“Monika, wait for me… I will soon be with you...”

The flames lick higher, consuming the last remnants of his earthly form, and Winter embraces the end with a bitter smile.

“Fuck this life… at least I brought some destruction.”

The chaos he has caused, the blood he has spilled—it all rushes back to him, memories of battles fought and lives lost.

But more than that, he feels the remnants of his existence slipping away.

“Fuck you, Goddess Uranus,” he curses, not out of hatred but resignation. He has tried to defy the very fabric of his fate, to carve his own path in a world that has turned against him.

As his body burns away, Winter accepts his fate. He feels his soul begin to detach from the pain, the fire, and the chaos that has defined his existence. In those final moments, he lets go of his anger and desires, surrendering to the inevitable.

The last flickers of consciousness fade, and he feels himself drifting into a vast expanse of light, leaving behind the world he has known. And as he vanishes into the ether, he whispers one last thought:

“Monika, I’m coming.”

The flames continue to burn bright, illuminating the battlefield as Yuui watches, her heart heavy with the weight of what she has done. The fire roars around her, a furious dance that echoes the storm within her soul. She has won, but the victory feels hollow, a bittersweet reminder of the cost of their struggle.

With Winter’s ashes swirling in the air, Yuui turns away, wiping the tears from her cheeks. The dawn has fully risen now, bathing the world in a soft golden light. It is a new day, but one shadowed by loss.