Battle to Save Koharu

The hot wind cut across the sky.

The two hovered side by side, still feeling the echo of the white flash coming from below.

"So you suspect... that if you kill Hiroshi, Elfherinsei will be notified and try to capture you?" Shana clenched her fists.

Alisiya gave a small smile, the kind of smile that reveals nothing.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked . Shana , suspicious.

"I didn't expect such intelligence from a young queen," she replied , amused.

Shana sighed.

"I imagine you want to negotiate, right?" Shana asked.

— You got it right. — Alisiya crossed her arms.

"And what would the negotiation be?" Shana asked.

"If I go down there to try and stop Koharu , I'll only make the situation worse," he said . Alisiya .

"What do you mean?" Shana frowned.

"The artifact inside me limits part of my power. And if Koharu saw me, she would react by increasing her own energy. That would only accelerate her collapse," he explained . Alisiya .

Shana lowered her eyes.

"But she hates me too," he said . Shana .

— Continue. — he said Alisiya .

"If I use this form for too long, the traitorous demons will find me," her voice wavered.

"And what about the barrier of Elfherinsei ?" he asked . Alisiya .

"They have an item that prevents the barrier from reaching them," he replied . Shana , dark.

Alisiya 's smile returned.

"Then use it as you wish. If they come... I'll kill them all," he said . Alisiya bursting into laughter.

Shana's eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" he asked . Shana .

"More than ever. Go there, stop Koharu , and keep Hiroshi alive," he replied . Alisiya .

Shana remained silent for a moment.

She nodded.

"Okay," he said . Shana .

And it flew back, breaking through the ceiling of the labyrinth.

Right Wing. Inside the Labyrinth

The white light still lingered in the air when Koharu opened her eyes.

Her gaze was empty, golden and silvery at the same time.

"Kill Hiroshi and Fujimoto ," he said . Koharu .

Hiroshi, wounded, pulled out a small stone artifact and held it up.

"I... I'm going to stop you!" Hiroshi shouted .

The ground trembled. From it emerged a colossal golem , fused together from all of his former slaves.

"Come on, my golem ! Destroy this monstrosity!" Hiroshi shouted , laughing desperately.

The monster roared and lunged at Koharu .

She didn't even move.

With a single punch, the golem shattered into pieces.

Dust and rocks scattered like ashes in the air.

Everyone fell silent.

(Oh my God… Koharu …) — I thought, my heart racing.

Yumi bit her lip. Filna held her breath. Shouta merely murmured: Cassandra clenched her fists. Kairo lowered his head.

Koharu began to focus her energy in her hands. The entire ground vibrated.

The light turned white, so white it hurt to look at.

Kairo turned to Cassandra.

"You already said you wanted to die fighting, right?" Kairo asked.

She frowned.

"Yes. But why ask that now?" Cassandra replied, completely confused.

"Remember when I said that if you died, I would go with you?" He smiled weakly.

"Stop stalling and just say it, you idiot," Cassandra said .

"I know how to delay Koharu . But we'll have to make sacrifices," she said . Kairo .

Cassandra chuckled softly.

"Then explain how to me," Cassandra said .

"The first bet is with the Edygil suit . It amplifies our abilities. If I use Intangibility, I can protect the others from her attack," he explained . Kairo .

"And me?" Cassandra asked.

"You'll use Sahōkuri to strengthen the suit," he explained . Kairo .

"I understand. And the second bet?" Cassandra asked hesitantly.

"May Shana appear... before it all ends," he replied . Kairo .

Cassandra took a deep breath, and then smiled.

"Alright. Then let's die fighting," said Cassandra.

"That's it. Push everyone away with Mahõkaze ." Kairo nodded.

They walked side by side to the center.

Everyone else shouted.

"Are you all crazy?!" I yelled , unable to move my legs.

Kairo looked back .

— Thank you for everything. Even though it was a short time, every moment was incredible. — he said gratefully . Kairo .

Cassandra smiled, with tears in her eyes.

"I loved spending these days with you all. Thanks to you, I was able to reconcile with Melissa. I will die without regrets... and without guilt," Cassandra said gratefully .

The wind swirled.

Cassandra raised her hands — Mahõkaze !

The gale threw us all backward, except for Hiroshi.

Koharu raised her hands.

"Kill Hiroshi and Fujimoto ," she said .

The flash split the air, a colossal burst of energy.

— Filna , teleport us! — Yumi shouted.

"I... don't have any more teleporters !" he replied . Filna , desperate.

— Damn it… it's the end! — he said Yumi .

The explosion came, and for a moment, everything went white.

When I opened my eyes, the sound disappeared.

"Are we alive?"

I looked to the side.

Two bodies lay on the ground, split in half.

— Kairo !!! Cassandra!!! — the shout came out on its own.

Tears burned my face. The ground trembled beneath me.

"They... They protected us," Yumi whispered.

Filna wept silently.

Then a shadow fell upon us.

I looked up.

Shana descended, holding Hiroshi with her left arm, her body wounded, her wings vibrating.

"Taking a hit like that up close... it's not good at all," she murmured .

Everyone ran to her.

— Shana ! Deactivate the transformation now! — he shouted . Yumi .

— Why… Why protect that wretch?! — I choked .

Shouta looked confused.

"I don't understand either. Is this form of hers our guarantee of victory or not? " he asked . Shouta .

Yumi took a deep breath, trembling.

"If Shana remains transformed for more than seven minutes, all the demons will sense her energy. And those who follow Lucifer will come after her," he replied . Yumi .

Elfherinsei 's system stop them?" I asked .

"No. They have a feature that blocks the system for one minute and thirty seconds," he replied . Yumi , cold.

The silence was absolute.

Shana stood up, her eyes fixed on the spot.

" Alisiya assured me that if they come, she will kill them all," she explained . Shana .

Yumi was furious.

"You... trust Alisiya ?!" she asked . Yumi .

"She seemed sincere. I decided to believe her. It's a risk I'm taking... but it's worth a try," he replied . Shana , tired.

She looked at Koharu , who was still floating surrounded by light.

— ( Koharu … I’m going to save you.) — she thought .

And he took a step forward.

Demon Kingdom

The shadows writhed like living smoke.

A throne of bones stood in the center of the room.

Above it, Gamak , the leader of the opposing demons, gazed at the crystal mirror that reflected the world of humans.

"Well, well, well... We've finally located the queen," he said , smiling.

He stood up, majestic. Behind him, an army of one hundred and fourteen demons bowed.

Gamak pulled out a black object; the object pulsed strongly and was covered in runes.

Shana 's head ," he said . Gamak .

The demons roared in response and departed, tearing a rift in space.

The air trembled. Hell was marching again.

In the heart of the labyrinth

Koharu raised her hands. A colossal sphere of energy formed above her palm, a miniature sun.

— (Here she comes...) — Shana thought , bracing herself.

Shana fired her own beam, and the two attacks collided with a deafening explosion. The ground trembled; fragments of stone and light scattered like rain.

I covered my eyes reflexively.

"Those two are terrifying..." I said.

Yumi , standing beside me, replied firmly:

"According to the records, you have enough power to surpass them, Fujimoto ," he said . Yumi .

"Me, having the power to face both of them? It's... hard to imagine," I said, surprised.

Shouta let out a tense sigh.

"Let's keep watching. Maybe we'll find a loophole," he said . Shouta .

(Or maybe we'll die trying...) — I thought.

But then an idea struck me like a flash of lightning.

— Filna , do you still have any teleportation options ? — I asked.

"None," she replied, her eyes dejected.

"Drug..."

"What are you plotting?" he asked . Yumi .

"It's a risky tactic. I don't even know if it will work," I replied.

"So it's practically a suicidal bet," Shouta smiled ironically and said.

"Yes," I confirmed .

— And what would it be? — Filna looked curious and asked.

"I'm going to try using Cancel on Koharu . Maybe I can break the control inside her," I explained.

Yumi clenched her fists and nodded.

"Okay. We'll help you," he said . Yumi .

She, Filna , and Shouta smiled at me.

I felt my chest tighten.

"Thank you, everyone. Let's... save Koharu ," I said.

Shana and Koharu exchanged blows, energy against energy.

The air was boiling.

— (She's strong ... but what worries me is what comes next...) — Shana thought , dodging a blow that destroyed an entire wall of the labyrinth.

Koharu surged forward like lightning, and the two began to fight hand-to-hand, each impact echoing like thunder.

— (I'm getting exhausted...) — Shana gasped.

Suddenly, Yumi , Filna , and Shouta appeared.

"What are you all doing here?!" he shouted . Shana .

"We came to help! We're going to save Koharu !" he replied . Yumi .

Yumi threw a dozen energy daggers, but Koharu destroyed them with a single circular strike.

The blades turned to dust.

"Idiots! This won't work!" Shana shouted.

Then the ground beneath Koharu cracked.

I emerged from there, covered in dust.

Koharu saw me and reacted instinctively, launching a beam of energy directly at me.

— NOOOOOOO! — she screamed Shana .

The flash swallowed everything.

But when the smoke cleared…

— (A clone?) — Shana realized.

The real self emerged from the tunnel opened by the clone, leaping out behind Koharu .

I touched her face with both hands.

CANCEL!

Koharu was preparing a new attack, the air vibrating.

"Get out of there, that 's suicide!" he shouted . Shana .

But I didn't move.

"Wake up, Koharu ! You're nobody's slave!" I yelled , feeling her energy burning my hands.

The light grew brighter. I felt my body being sucked in.

(He… wants to save me…) — thought Koharu , the real one.

(Damn it...!) — roared the voice of the slave Koharu .

Then the flash disappeared.

We fell together, unconscious.

Silence.

Everyone froze.

Even Yumi smiled, relieved.

— He did it...! — he said Yumi .

Filna smiled through her tears. "Incredible... he really did it..."

Shana landed, looking at me and Koharu, who were unconscious.

But something chilled the air.

She turned pale.

Yumi noticed.

— Shana ! Undo the transformation now! — he shouted . Yumi is desperate.

Shana took a deep breath, dissipating the dark aura surrounding her body.

"Even so, it won't do any good. They've already located me... and they're coming fast," he said . Shana .

Filna gazed at the artificial sky of the labyrinth.

— We can only trust Alisiya . - he said Filna .

Shouta clenched his fists.

"I hope she doesn't betray us..." said Shouta.