Chapter 8: Awakening of the Forgotten Hero

After that, Kamito put on a futuristic black mask to conceal his identity.
The TAD forces, overwhelmed by the monster attack, began to panic.

“Commander, should we retreat? Our ammunition is insufficient—!”

“Hold your positions!” Sera Amanai ordered sharply.

A goblin suddenly leapt toward a TAD soldier—

“Damn—!”

Shoot!

A single bullet pierced the goblin’s skull.

Natsume Airi had arrived earlier than expected.

“You…?” one soldier gasped, recognizing her.

Sera narrowed her eyes.

“Natsume Airi, loyal bodyguard of Lady Masahiro Yuki. Why are you here?”

“I was sent by Lady Yuki to assist you all… and also to help someone who will arrive soon.”
She glanced at her watch.

“Someone…? Don’t tell me Lady Yuki herself—?”

“No. But he is on our side.”

And right then—

Kamito arrived on the opposite side of Shibuya.

“Alright, Ark—ready to go?”

“Of course! Now say it—Buddy Go! That will activate all your magic.”

“What kind of ridiculous spell name is that…?”

“Just do it!”

Kamito sighed.

“<Buddy Go>.”

A surge of power tore through his body. Every magic circuit within him fully activated.

“Don’t overdo it, Kamito-kun. You remember what the Goddess said, right?”

“Yeah, yeah—I know!”

Kamito leapt from the rooftop—

Sleet—!

Goblin heads flew, bodies split apart, blood scattering like dark rain.

Meanwhile, TAD forces struggled against Stonehide Ogres and Granitebreaker Ogres.

Kamito slammed into the ground with a crushing kick, drawing the ogres’ attention.

“You guys—get out of here, now!”

“W–who are you!? How dare you order us around—”

“Move, or these ugly ogres will flatten you!”

The soldiers had no choice. They retreated with the wounded.

Kamito swung Ark—

Sreeet—!

With impossible speed, he slaughtered every ogre nearby.

Meanwhile, Airi assisted Sera, finally using her own magic.

“If this keeps up, we’ll lose!” Airi growled.

“<Bullet>.”
“<Rampage>.”

With dance-like precision, she spun and fired, bullets weaving between her steps, eliminating goblins with artistic brutality.

Kamito fought from the other side.

“There’s no end to them…”

“As long as the Ground Wave remains open, they’ll keep spawning. The tragedy from ten years ago will repeat.” Ark warned.

“No. This time—I’ll stop it myself.”

“Then—<Veilbreaker>!”

Ark triggered a technique:

A slicing strike that left cracks in the air itself—
a barrier-destroying magic.

“<Pulse Slash>!”
A blue shockwave burst from the blade with each swing, flinging monsters away without touching them.

Airi paused, sensing the change.

“This attack… as I thought, he’s here.”

“What was that?” Sera asked, tightening her grip on her pistol.

Airi smiled—genuinely—for the first time.

“Reinforcements have arrived.”

Sera finally understood.
Someone else was fighting with them.

“Kamito, I’ve found the Ground Wave’s exact location! It’s in a dark alley—south side! Hurry or the hell-gate won’t close!” Ark warned.

“Leave it to me, partner!”

Airi saw Kamito heading toward the Ground Wave and immediately followed.

“Natsume-chan! Where are you going?” Sera called.

“I have something I need to do!”

When Kamito reached the alley, he froze.

Standing guard over the pulsating Ground Wave was the monster that killed his father—

Volcanic Boar – “Firebelly Tusker.”

Kamito’s blood boiled.

“Tch… now I’m really fired up.”

But then—

“Wait. Before that, there’s something I must do.”

A familiar voice startled him.

“Natsume-san? Why are you here?”

“I knew you’d come. Lady Masahiro ordered me to help you—and collect Ground Wave fragments for research.”

“So you want me not to destroy the Ground Wave!?”

“Of course. Lady Masahiro needs samples to prevent another disaster.”

Kamito’s grip tightened around Ark.

“I don’t care. I won’t allow monsters created by humans—or birthed from the Ground Wave—to exist!”

Airi pointed her pistol back at him.

“I knew it… you’re impossible to negotiate with. No wonder your father died for this—”

BLAST—!

Kamito’s slash nearly tore her in half.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Airi screamed.

“What did you just say? Don’t act like you understand what my father did that day!”

The air trembled.

Kamito closed his eyes.

Ark panicked.

“Oh no—Kamito, stop! Listen, girl! Wake him up! If not, something terrible will happen!”

“What do you mean!?”

“Noa is awakening!”

At that moment—

Kamito’s black hair turned silver.
His yellow eyes became crimson.
The bright moon above them turned gold.

Airi’s breath froze.

“If this continues, the tragedy from ten years ago will look small…”

Kamito raised Ark—

He moved impossibly fast, slashing Airi.

Blood scattered across the ground.

“His speed… doubled… no, tripled—!! I didn’t expect him to become this strong!”

“<Ark Ascendant>.”

The blade seemed longer, surrounded by spinning magic circles.
Its destructive power multiplied.

“<Ark Resonance>.”

The sword vibrated—symbols glowing—linking Kamito and Ark’s mana.
His physical power and perception soared.

Shibuya shook.

“An earthquake!?” TAD soldiers panicked.

“Is this… coming from the Ground Wave?” Sera muttered, watching the trembling earth.

Far away, Masahiro Yuki dropped her teacup—the glass shattered.

She grabbed her magic staff, face pale.

“Natsume… what have you done? You’ve awakened Noa!”

Back in Shibuya—

Airi stared, horrified.

Kamito was no longer Kamito.

He was Noa—the forgotten Hero reborn.

Every Volcanic Boar panicked, climbing buildings in fear.

With a single swing—

SHUUUOOO—

Dozens of Firebelly Tuskers were split apart.
Buildings behind them collapsed from the pressure of his strike.

Airi could only stare—

Silent. Frozen.
Witnessing true devastation unfold before her.