Chapter 26 – No Sacrifice, No Victory

The roar of the resurrected dragon shattered the skies.
Its wounds—once burned and broken—had vanished completely. The Black Dragon stood tall, its obsidian scales glinting like polished stone under the blood-red sky.

The commander of the Liberation Forces dropped his binoculars in disbelief.
“N-No way… it’s completely healed. We’re all going to die.”

The Black Dragon’s voice thundered across the heavens.
“You chose to save a human instead of saving yourself. You bring shame upon us all.”

“It speaks…!” cried one of the soldiers, trembling. “I knew it—this isn’t a beast. It’s a curse.”

The dragon’s roar made the entire army stagger. Across the battlefield, Soul Beasts howled in unison, their screams merging with the echo of despair.

Kohaku clenched his fists and took a step forward.
His armor cracked, his mask shattered—revealing his face once more beneath the storm.

“GET AWAY! ALL OF YOU!!! THIS IS MY FIGHT!!!” he roared, voice echoing like thunder.

Rika’s eyes widened.
“Kohaku! Don’t you dare—”

But before she could finish, Meiyun stepped forward, determination blazing in her crimson eyes.
“If he’s going to sacrifice himself… then I’ll fight beside him.”

Eva loaded her weapon, Seo nodded, and Agnes readied her systems. None of them would turn back.

The Black Dragon sneered, eyes glowing like molten fire.
“YOU SEE MY FACE—YOUR LIFE IS DONE!”

A wave of dark energy burst from its wings, hurling soldiers aside like rag dolls. Yet the defenders stood their ground. Flame, bullets, and blades filled the air as the Liberation forces unleashed everything they had.

Above them, the White Dragon dove once more, clashing with its corrupted kin in a storm of fire and lightning.

Yolanda watched the chaos unfold, her face pale. Her body trembled as visions of her ancient prophecy flashed before her eyes—everyone dead, even Kohaku, swallowed by the flames.
“No… not again. Not this time!”

Her body began to glow.

“Yolanda! What are you doing?!” Meiyun shouted, running toward her.

“Don’t tell me—you’re going to sacrifice yourself!”

Yolanda smiled sadly, wiping away Meiyun’s tears.
“Meiyun… do you remember the old saying? ‘No sacrifice, no victory.’ That time has come.”

“No… please—” Meiyun’s voice cracked as she hugged her tightly.

Yolanda placed her hand on Meiyun’s shoulder.
“You are chosen now. From this moment, you are the Guardian of China. Carry our flame forward.”

Then, with a final smile, Yolanda’s body turned into pure light and merged with the White Dragon above.

A deep, echoing voice rang across the skies—the voice of Yolanda, amplified through the White Dragon itself. Her words resounded through every communicator, every city, every trench in the war-torn land.

“I know fear. I know how cold it feels when it crawls into your bones every time the Black Dragon darkens our skies.
He has crushed our hope, stolen our light, and tried to extinguish the fire that has burned in the heart of China for thousands of years.”

“The world expects our end. They whisper that our rebirth has failed. But hope… hope is not a gift from the heavens.
Hope is a vow we make when we are at our lowest. Hope is the fire that runs through the veins of every dragon’s heir who still stands today!”

“I will fly now. I will face this monster alone. This is not suicide—it is sacrifice for a chance!
I will become the golden chain that binds him, the final shield that protects you all!”

“When you see me fall—do not turn back. Do not despair!
Use the space I create. Turn your grief into an unstoppable force!”

“Show that dragon—show the entire universe—that the true China will never kneel!”

“You are the heirs of an eternal struggle!
Fight! Open your eyes—and seize the dawn that awaits!
I will open the path. You must run through it… into the future!”

With that cry, the White Dragon surged forward, enveloped in holy light.
It rammed the Black Dragon head-on, wings glowing brighter than the sun itself. The two collided in a cataclysmic explosion that split the clouds apart.

Meiyun screamed, tears streaming down her face.
“Yolanda!”

The White Dragon’s final blast consumed both creatures in a blinding inferno. The shockwave leveled the ruins for miles.

Kohaku, trembling with fury and grief, picked up two massive steel pillars. His eyes burned with crimson rage.

“You took too much from us…” he whispered.

He leapt forward, driving both pillars into the dragon’s eyes. The Black Dragon shrieked in agony.

“Now—end this!” he shouted.

Lightning cracked across the sky—striking the steel like divine punishment. The current surged through the dragon’s skull, searing flesh and bone. The beast convulsed violently as thunder roared across Beijing.

“It’s working!” screamed a soldier. “It’s dying!”

The dragon’s body began to glow, light pouring from every scale.

“Is… is it over?” one of the troops whispered.

“Look—the dragon’s turning to light…” another murmured, voice trembling.

No one cheered. No one celebrated. They fell to their knees in silence, whispering prayers.

Kohaku lowered his weapon, exhaustion consuming him. His lips moved quietly—

“Honor to the end…” he said, his Mandarin heavy with reverence.

Across the nation, soldiers, civilians, even the demi-human races bowed their heads and repeated his words.

“Honor to the end.”

The clouds parted. Sunlight poured over the broken city.
For the first time in years, the people of China saw a blue sky.

Cheers finally erupted—shouts of victory, relief, and sorrow all at once.

Meiyun collapsed, crying into her hands. Kohaku approached her silently and knelt beside her. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she wept.

Days later, the heroes returned to base.
The soldiers lined up in rows, saluting as the survivors walked through the gates.
“Commander Kohaku,” they whispered, reverence in their voices.

Even Eva, Rika, and Seo raised their hands in salute. Kohaku nodded humbly.

Seo soon prepared to return to Korea, while Eva approached Kohaku.
“You promised me, Commander. Hawaii and America are still waiting to be freed.”

Kohaku sighed but smiled faintly. “I don’t break promises.”

Before he could leave, Meiyun called out to him.
“Kohaku—there’s something you need to see.”

In her courtyard, sitting beneath the cherry blossoms, was a small child with dark hair and red eyes.
Yolanda—reborn, smiling softly.

“I’m still here,” she said. “My role isn’t over yet. I still have to guide Meiyun… and you.”

Kohaku knelt, smiling faintly. Meiyun hugged the small Yolanda tightly as the wind carried petals through the air.

From that day forward, the world hailed Kohaku not only as “The Revenant” — but as “The Commander.”

And though peace returned for now…
The journey of the Commander had only just begun.