Chapter 87: Resentment and Rebirth

"No one is born hating. Hate is the result of wounds that do not heal, of truths hidden in the shadows, of betrayed loves, and of dreams shattered before they bloom."

In every era, there are those who carry scars that time cannot erase.
Some hide them behind smiles. Others turn them into fire.
But there are also those who embrace them…
and allow them to become something new.

Can a soul born in light be reborn in darkness?
Can resentment give birth to a new will?
And what happens when the decrees that forged the gods begin to fracture?

In a world where betrayal and sacrifice have become common currency,
where identity becomes a prison and faith a weapon,
the line between what must be destroyed and what must be saved grows thinner and thinner.

Today, the masks will fall.
Resentment will reveal its true face.
And from the chaos… something that never should have existed will be born.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The ground trembled.
Shockwaves thundered through the earth, making every corner of the battlefield vibrate.

Shun and Yogen clashed at a speed even divine senses struggled to follow.
Every collision of power was a violent symphony—
a declaration of absolute strength.

After a brutal impact, both were forced back.
They stood facing each other.
Two colossal presences… without fear. Without doubt.

—Hate to tell you this, —Shun said, exhaling calmly,— but the game ends here, Yogen.

Yogen curved his lips into a disdainful smile.
—Don’t make me laugh. Now you’re going to pretend you weren’t fighting seriously?

He paused, eyes sharpening.
—Even if you’re the strongest man alive, you don’t even reach my feet. You haven’t managed to land a single scratch on me.

He stepped forward.
—Sorry, Shun… but you’ve lost.

Shun let out a dry, ironic laugh.
Yogen frowned.

—What’s so funny?

—That bastard…

It was then he felt it.

A suffocating, abyssal aura approached at terrifying speed.
Yogen turned, eyes widening as an unknown presence tore through the battlefield’s balance.

—What the hell is this…?

A shiver ran down his spine.

—This power… it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt. It’s terrifying…
If we keep fighting… we’re going to lose.

At that moment, every member of Black Lights received a direct signal in their minds.
An urgent call.

Moments earlier.

In another part of the battlefield, Edén’s scream tore through the night.
—Bastard!

An overwhelming surge of energy erupted from his body like an uncontrolled storm.
Cracks opened beneath his feet.

Puppet watched with fascination.
—Impressive… truly impressive. This guy… will make an excellent puppet.

Zipacna didn’t hesitate.
—Takahashi!

He flew straight toward his fallen comrade—
but one of Puppet’s threads intercepted him.
With a sharp slash, Zipacna managed to deflect it, though he was forced to retreat.

—That bastard… he won’t let me get even a centimeter closer, —he thought, panting.

He looked again at Puppet—
and then he saw it: the tattoo on his neck.

—Those guys…

—Yes, —Yohei answered, voice low.— That bastard belongs to Black Lights.

He studied the enemy with solemn eyes.
—Though he doesn’t resemble any of the ones we fought that night… he’s on par with the one who introduced himself as their leader. He’s a damn monster.

—Yohei, I need your help. If we don’t rescue Takahashi soon… he’ll die.
—I know.

Both focused their power. Their auras rose like golden and silver spears.

—We give it everything! —Yohei shouted.
—Yes!

Edén, meanwhile, did not take his eyes off Puppet.
—You… you were there, weren’t you?
Yes… now he remembered.
You were there that damned day.

The image of Iss—her lifeless body—flashed through his mind like lightning.

—That’s right, —Puppet said with a mocking smirk.— Now I remember you.
You’re the son of that filthy whore.

Edén’s aura exploded.
He appeared in front of Puppet in a blink, throwing a devastating punch.
Puppet stopped it with a barrier of threads.

—Take her name out of your mouth, bastard!

—I remember she was obsessed with you. She wouldn’t stop saying we had to “retrieve you.” It was annoying.

Edén attacked again—this time with such fury that the threads snapped and Puppet was forced to retreat.
His eyes shone with a rage cold enough to freeze blood.

—I told you to take her name out of your filthy mouth.

—Magnificent… —Puppet thought— His strength keeps increasing… when he’s angry… it keeps rising.

A disturbing smile stretched across Puppet’s face—
so intense that even Edén trembled.

—Now I understand. I get why the powerful want you so badly. You… are the key.

At that moment, a beam of pure energy shot across the field, forcing Puppet to raise his defenses.
Yohei seized the opening. So did Zipacna.

—Nice work, Yohei!
—Yeah!

Zipacna, crouched beside Takahashi’s wounded body, inspected him quickly.
—He’s still breathing… luckily that guy didn’t hit the mark. The heart is intact.

—What a shame, —Puppet whispered behind them.— They stole my only hostage… but that doesn’t matter.

Dozens of threads shot through the scene like nightmare spears.
Yohei and Zipacna were struck instantly, their bodies collapsing onto the ground.

—Guys! —Edén shouted.

Puppet floated a few centimeters above the ground, his body beginning to radiate a grotesque, dark energy.
—No more games, key. It’s time for you to come with us.

Edén felt the weight of the moment.
If he moved toward one… the other would die.
If he hesitated, they would all die.
And still—
he couldn’t let Puppet escape.

Then he saw him.
Gen.
His grandfather.
Like an echo.

—Hurry, move!

That voice snapped him out of his trance.

He turned.
—Alexbold!

The man emerged from the mist with a serious expression.
—How long do you plan on running, Puppet?

—Another nuisance arrives…

—What the hell are you doing here? —Alexbold growled, not taking his eyes off the enemy.— Get out and take those three with you!

—But you can’t handle him alone…

—Didn’t you say I was the hero?

Edén fell silent.
Those words resonated with force.

He looked at his master one last time.
—Then… let me act like one.

—I’m sorry… —Edén whispered.

He lifted the bodies of his companions.

In that instant, Puppet appeared in front of him.
—Where do you think you’re going?

He launched a direct attack—
but Alexbold intercepted it with his sword.

—Can you stop getting in my way?

—Go! —Alexbold shouted.

Edén ran.
He ran like never before.
As if his life—
and everyone else’s—
depended on it.

—So… it’s just you and me now, Puppet, —Alexbold said firmly, pointing his sword at the enemy.
Puppet smiled… that disturbingly sweet smile.

—Sorry to disappoint you, but…

The sky cracked open.

Thousands of puppets burst out of the shadows, from the ground, from the rooftops, from impossible fractures in space.
Like a living plague, they swarmed the area, sealing every escape route in a single breath.

Edén and Alexbold stood at the center of the swarm.

—This was never a one-on-one, —Puppet said, raising his arms like a sick god.— Finish them, my precious marionettes!

The creatures shrieked in metallic, distorted tones as they launched forward—

But at that very instant, everything stopped.

An invisible, suffocating pressure crushed the air.
The heavens shrank.
The threads froze.

And the order thundered directly into the souls of every Black Lights member:

—Retreat! —Yogen’s voice echoed inside every connected mind.

Puppet’s eyes flew wide open.
—What…?

In another sector of the battlefield, two titans continued their relentless clash.

Every strike between Bestia and Tiresias made the earth tremble.
Their muscles roared, their auras collided like galaxies.

With a war cry, Bestia landed a punch that forced the old sage back, making him stagger.

Then, Bestia stopped fighting.
His body vibrated… and shifted back to his original form.

—What a shame, —he said, disappointed.— I was hoping to enjoy this more, old man…
But for now, it won’t be possible.

He flashed a feral smile.
—I hope we meet again.

Tiresias stood still. His arms bled, his face bruised and battered.

—What were you hiding…? —he wondered, narrowing his eyes.

Meanwhile, another battle reached its end.

Willoc stood firm before three titans: Quetzalcóatl, Aphrodite, and Zef.
His breathing was calm.
Almost resigned.

—It seems my mission ends here.
I hope to see you again… Your Majesty.

—Next time, I’ll take you down myself! —Zef shouted.

A massive wave of aquatic energy swept across the field.
Willoc’s body was swallowed whole.

—We have to go after them! —Quetzalcóatl roared, burning with fury.

—No, —Aphrodite said sharply.

—What did you say?

—Right now… we’re in no condition to fight.

—Stop saying nonsense! This is our chance to wipe out those bastards!

—The master is right, —Zef added, still panting.— We probably weren’t the only ones who fought. I could feel it…

Quetzalcóatl clenched his teeth.
—Damn it…

Not far away, the most desperate battle was still raging.

Yosa could barely stand. His body bled from multiple wounds; every bone ached.

—Damn… it can’t go on like this, —he thought.— I barely have any strength left… but I have to help Juana, even if it kills me…

—Die! —roared Unknown 59.

A gigantic fireball shot straight toward Yosa.
He tried to move—
but his body collapsed.
His bones cracked.

He couldn’t move.
—Damn…

Then, darkness wrapped around him.

—Space Technique: Nocturnal Veil, —a new voice whispered.

A barrier of black energy absorbed the attack completely.

Unknown 59 frowned.
—You… I sensed your scent before. But… you don’t smell like them. You… stink.

—A GODS student? —Yosa thought, stunned.— I couldn’t sense her before… was she hiding?

—Yes… you really stink, —the enemy said with a deranged smile.—
I have to kill you.

Eris froze when she heard those words.

Then a stern voice cut through the moment:

—What do you think you’re doing, Azzaun!?

Willoc appeared behind him.

—Willoc…

—We need to get out. Now.

—But—

—Now.

—…Yes.

Both vanished.

Yosa, watching them leave, could only whisper:

—Is it… over? Really?

And he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Very close by, an overwhelming force unfolded.
An entire army stood gathered in silence, like an immovable wall.

—Is it really him…? —whispered one of the soldiers.— I still can’t believe we’re part of his fleet.

—Yeah… though I’d appreciate it if my body stopped shaking.

The trembling didn’t stop.
It wasn’t fear.
It was presence.
A presence that erased logic—
that shattered will.

—Of course… he’s our king for a reason, —said another, swallowing hard.— His power… is incomparable.

—Stop talking and focus! —Ares barked, marching between them.
—Y-Yes, sir!
—Damn it… the things I have to witness…

—Come on, come on, Ares… they’re new. Cut them some slack, —Shiva said in his calm tone.

—Captain Shiva is so kind… thought the recruits, relieved.

—They’ll die soon anyway, Shiva added with a dark smile.

A frozen silence consumed the squad.

—Just kidding, —Shiva laughed.—
I’m counting on you all.

From afar, Drake observed.
—I’m surprised they assembled so many Special Forces captains for this mission…
And not only that… he’s here too…

The air froze when he stepped forward.

An angel.
Golden hair.
Red eyes.
A gaze that seemed to judge creation itself.

Yogen knew.
His entire plan had collapsed.

In front of him, Shun stood with arms crossed and a calm smile.

—You knew this? —Yogen asked, still stunned.

—Maybe, —Shun replied, eyes burning with determination.—
I just had faith.

—Next time… you’ll fall before me.

Shun… the strongest man alive.

—I hope it’s soon, Yogen.

Yogen vanished in a flash.

—With this… —Shun murmured— I think we can finally hunt them down.

The Black Lights retreated.
Defeat clung to their skin like a silent curse.

Yogen, among them, clenched his fists.

—How is this possible…?
Did they already anticipate this attack?

And not just that—

They neutralized space.
They couldn’t use escape techniques.

—Damn it… damn it… DAMN IT!

A faint light flickered inside Puppet.
A device.
A tracker.

Everything was…
under control.