Chapter 5 — The Duel of Souls

The ruins of Tokyo fell silent.
Ash drifted in the air as the Revenant faced Nobunaga Beast, their katana gleaming under the crimson sky.

The monster roared, its blade raised high. The masked hunter said nothing. He slid his katana free, his stance steady, his breath calm.

Then, they moved.

CLANG! CLANG! SHHHK!
Steel collided with steel. Sparks lit the night like fireflies. Each strike echoed like thunder, every movement so fast that even the Android observers faltered.

“Impossible,” one Resistance technician whispered, eyes wide as data flooded uselessly across the screen. “I can’t even track his speed… it’s unreadable.”

The Revenant fought not with fury, but with precision. His blade arced clean and sharp, each strike perfectly timed. Nobunaga countered with brute strength, his crimson aura shaking the ground.

SHHHRRAKK! A cut across Nobunaga’s chest.
CLANG! A block that nearly shattered the pavement beneath them.
SHHHK! A flash of steel that split the air itself.

Rika, wounded but awake, whispered hoarsely as she watched. “He’s… fighting like a true samurai…”

The duel stretched on, neither giving ground. Sparks, smoke, blood, ash—until finally, the Revenant surged forward. His katana gleamed brighter than ever, cutting in a perfect arc.

SHHHHRAAAKKK!

The blade cleaved through Nobunaga’s head in a single stroke. Silence fell.

The beast staggered, crimson eyes flickering. Then, from within its dissolving body, a voice emerged.

“…Warrior… thank you… for freeing me.”

It was the echo of Nobunaga’s soul, now released from the Beast. And then, the monster was gone—nothing but ash scattered to the wind.

Tokyo stood still. The Resistance lowered their weapons. Rika pressed her palms together, eyes closed. “Rest in peace… all of you. Your fight is over.”

Her soldiers followed, bowing their heads in silent prayer. For the first time in years, the city was quiet—not because of fear, but because the nightmare had ended.

Koyomi and Brad filmed everything from a distance, their voices shaking. “Viewers… this is history. Tokyo… Tokyo is free.”

In the days that followed, survivors poured back into the city. Broken towers were cleared. Markets reopened. The harbor roared with life. For the first time since the apocalypse began, Tokyo glowed with the lights of humanity’s return.

It was not just a victory—it was a rebirth.

Rika stood atop a half-rebuilt building, her violet eyes shining. “Tokyo is ours again.”

The camera captured her words, spreading them across the globe.

And around the world, hope ignited.

In Paris, survivors struck back, defeating the Beast Napoleon and reclaiming their city.
In Moscow, Russian fighters brought down a colossus and raised their flag once more.
In Berlin, armored divisions marched through ruined streets, their enemy slain.
In Washington D.C., the survivors cheered as their capital was liberated.

The world was awakening.

Days later, at the Tokyo harbor, Rika stood before the Revenant once more.

“Where will you go now?” she asked.

His voice was low, heavy. “Kyoto.”

She straightened, her leg still bandaged but her resolve stronger than ever. “Then I’ll come with you.”

He turned to her. “Without you, who will lead Tokyo?”

Rika’s lips curved into a faint smile. “The people will. They’ve proven they don’t need one leader. They need each other.”

The Revenant was silent. Then, finally, he muttered: “…Do as you wish.”

Agnes, his Android, merely nodded, already adjusting their route.

And so, the three of them departed Tokyo, walking toward Kyoto where a new battlefield awaited.

Back in the city, Koyomi broadcasted one final report. Survivors crowded around makeshift screens, listening.

“Tokyo has been reclaimed. The Lone Wolf, the Soul Beast Hunter, and the Resistance have shown us that humanity can rise again. This victory belongs not to one man, but to all survivors who refused to give up. Tonight… the world remembers that hope is stronger than fear.”

And with that, a spark turned into a fire.
The war was far from over. But for the first time, humanity had won.