Chapter 18: Journey to Paradise: Blood of My Blood

The center of the dead city shook beneath the weight of endless footsteps.

Kamito and Amanai fought back-to-back, blades dripping with black ichor as wave after wave of abyss-touched monsters surged toward them. Sonobe Kirigaya stood above the battlefield on a collapsed rooftop, her violin tucked gracefully beneath her chin.

Her bow danced.

Every note twisted the air like a puppet string.

She watched Kamito with a soft, delighted smile—an expression too calm for the carnage she orchestrated.

“Still standing…? Good. Show me more, Ark’s successor.”

Kamito cut down another Dirge Goblin.

Amanai detonated another troll with a perfectly placed grenade.

And still, they traded quips through exhausted breaths.

“Amanai—how many is that now?”

“Fifteen! And you’re still behind, Kamito-kun!”

“You’re counting the ones that exploded together! That’s cheating!”

“War never asked for fairness!”

But their laughter grew weaker.

Fatigue crept into their bones.

Their arms trembled.

Their breathing roughened.

Still—they fought.

Until Sonobe’s music abruptly ceased.

All the monsters froze like statues.

A chilling silence washed over the ruins.

Sonobe lowered her violin slowly.

“The warm-up is over.”
Her smile widened.
“Let the real performance begin.”

The ground trembled violently.

Kamito staggered.
Amanai widened her stance.

“What the—?!”

Ark’s voice echoed sharply in Kamito’s mind.

“Kamito. Brace yourself. Something colossal is approaching!”

Amanai stepped closer.
“Kamito? What’s coming?”

“I know. I can feel it too. He’s here.”

And then the sky darkened.

From behind the ruined skyscrapers, wings unfurled—vast, leathery, and dripping abyssal sludge.

Gouma Gyuryū descended.

No longer the brute they first encountered.
He had evolved—horns longer, fangs sharper, wings stretching wide enough to cloak an entire block in shadow.

Sonobe spread her hands proudly.

“Beautiful, isn’t he? A beast touched by my blood… forged to obey my will.”

Kamito glared.
“You… what did you do to him?”

“I shared with him a fragment of my blood. My lineage. My curse.”
Her eyes glowed green like stained glass.
“He is mine to command now. And his first order—
—is to kill you both.”

Gouma roared, shaking the foundations of the city.

Amanai raised her katana.
Kamito tightened his grip on Ark.

“Amanai! I’ll handle Gouma. You take the others creeping up again!”

“Got it! Don’t you dare die, Kamito-kun!”

Kamito inhaled deeply.

Then—

He activated Ark.

“<Ark Revelation: Astral Sever>!”

The blade erupted into silver-white light, starlight swirling around it like a galaxy in motion.

“<Ark Resonance>.”

The sword vibrated with a deep hum. Symbols—ancient, glowing—slid along the blade’s surface.

Kamito smiled through blood and exhaustion.

“Round two, you overgrown ox.”

He charged forward.

Gouma lunged.

Their clash exploded through the city like a meteor strike.

—

Mikoto and Airi were being overwhelmed.

Ironmaw Behemocrocs burst from the ground.

Bloodmark Howlers circled with throat-splitting roars.

A massive Scorponok monster raised its tail—aiming directly at Mikoto’s spine.

Airi screamed:
“MIKOTO!!”

BLAAAAST!

A torrent of emerald wind obliterated the Scorponok entirely.

Airi’s eyes widened.
Mikoto gasped in relief.

Standing before them, staff raised—Masahiro Yuki.

Behind her marched dozens of TUADF soldiers.

“Masahiro-san…?” Mikoto’s voice cracked.

Airi stumbled forward.
“Y-you came… thank goodness…”

Masahiro knelt, checking their injuries.

“Where is Kamito?”

Airi swallowed hard and explained everything.

Masahiro’s expression darkened into pure resolve.

“All units! Prepare to advance toward the city center!”

But their VTOLs never reached the sky.

A swarm of red-skinned Bat Rifts dive-bombed them, ripping into metal.

Two VTOLs crashed into burning wreckage.

Masahiro’s eyes turned razor sharp.

She lifted her staff.

“Out of my way.”

Wind blades spiraled into the heavens—

SHRAAAANG!

The entire flock of Bat Rifts disintegrated.

Still, Masahiro felt it—
A presence.
Someone was preventing them from reaching Kamito.

“Someone wants the center of the island sealed off…”

She tightened her grip.

“Kamito… hold on.”

—

Kamito crashed into a pile of concrete, coughing blood.

His arms shook uncontrollably.

He was almost at his limit.

Sonobe pointed at him, furious.

“Finish him, Gouma! Tear Ark’s successor apart!”

But Gouma did not move.

He growled—a deep, thunderous vibration.

Then—

He spoke.

“I will not be commanded by a fragile human like you.”

Sonobe froze.

“W–what…?”

A voice—both male and female layered together—rumbled:

“I am born of abyss. Not your slave.”

Gouma swatted Sonobe with a massive claw.

CRAAAAASH!

She slammed into an overturned car, blood splattering the metal.

Kamito’s eyes widened.

“He… talked…?”

No monster had ever spoken.
Not like this.
Not with contempt.

Gouma turned his gaze to Kamito.

“Human. You do not belong in this land of death.”

Kamito wiped the blood from his lips and rose again.

His legs trembled.
His lungs burned.

But he stood.

“If you want me gone…”
He raised Ark, starlight erupting again.

“…then come make me leave.”

Gouma roared—an earth-shattering bellow.

Kamito braced himself.

His life was now the gamble.

The battle for survival continued—

And only one of them would walk away from this hell.