THE END

Surprisingly, Monday arrived faster than Yuto expected.
Knock… knock…

“Yuto-boy, are you done in there?” Bruno called from outside the door of Yuto’s new room in the underground base.

"Yeah, give me a second..."

"See, that's the problem. We don't have it. The assembly is about to star—" Before he could finish his sentence, Yuto opened the door and confidently stepped out.

"Finally! Come on, let's go."

Then, he and Yuto started walking down the hallway.

"Are you scared?" Bruno questioned him.

"Nope," Yuto replied nonchalantly.

"Come on, don't lie to me." Bruno tapped Yuto on the shoulder.

"Not one bit. If anything, I'm happy."

"Huh, happy? Oh, I see—you’re excited. I get it. You’re on both sides, scared and excited..."

Yuto nodded in agreement, though deep down he knew the correct answer.

Soon after, they entered an elevator that went upwards, taking them to the surface.

Minutes later, Yuto and Bruno stepped out of the elevator, sunlight hitting their faces. But after a few seconds, their eyes adjusted to the lighting.

Then Yuto swallowed twice; the sight in front of him was both nerve-racking and breathtaking.

The whole Yoyogi Park was filled with helicopters, cars, and other divine officers he had never met.

"Haha... amazing," Bruno murmured.

"How did you guys get all of this?" Yuto exclaimed.

"We were given—" Bruno raised his eyebrows.

"Given?"

"Yes, by Akira-sama’s believers in the government." He responded.

"Wow," Yuto was truly impressed.

"Over here!" Himari waved excitedly near a helicopter.

Then Yuto and Bruno shielded their eyes from the dust and wind blown by the helicopter fans as they walked up to Himari and met her.

"Where is Captain Chihiro?" Bruno asked, squinting his eyes. 

"She’s here," Himari said, pointing at Chihiro, who was coming out with Hana, Akira-sama, and the other division captains...

Instantly, the environment seemed to slow down and distort around them, as if time and reality itself were bending. The helicopter fans spun more slowly at Akira-sama’s hand gesture.

She and the other division captains stopped in the middle of the park.

Her golden eyes could be felt by every member of the divine teams, then she began speaking...

"My beloved children, hear me well. I cannot promise that the path ahead will be easy—there will be a lot of pain, fear, and moments that test the very core of your hearts. But I can promise you this: you are stronger than you know, braver than you feel, and loved beyond measure.

Carry your courage like a shield, your honor like a sword, and your compassion like a fire that even the heaviest wind cannot extinguish...

You are loved and cherished, my children. Remember… I am always with you."

"Ahhhhh."

The entire group of divine officers shouted in unison. One by one, division by division, they began boarding the helicopters and vehicles.

Immediately, Chihiro and Hana briefly waved at Yuto, Bruno, and Himari, gesturing toward the Division X armored bus...

Soon after, all five of them climbed aboard. The gates opened up, and the bus slowly rumbled forward, moving out of the base...

After a couple of minutes, while inside, Yuto sat upright, his hands resting on his knees, while Himari was on the other side, reviewing a map of the city and marking the route.

“Central Tokyo is under heavy lockdown,” Chihiro said, breaking the silence. “Military checkpoints, barricades, and zones heavily infested with anomalies. God, this isn’t going to be easy,” she added, biting her lips.

Yuto nodded, gripping the edge of the seat. “How many piglets or anomalies are we expecting?” he asked.

Himari adjusted her blue-light glasses. “Intel reports estimate at least thirty strong anomalies, plus dozens of standard zombies in some sectors. The military has set traps, too, so we have to be careful.”

“Himari, please check for a safe route,” Hana sighed. “I don’t want those things near me.”

“Ohh,” Yuto murmured with a smile. “She’s still a girl, after all.”

Bruno leaned into Yuto’s ear. “Don’t be fooled by her playfulness—she’s the strongest one here.”

“Huh.” he swallowed his saliva.
Hana looked at Yuto with her mouth open...

“Yuto-kun, what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me? Is something on my face?”

“Hmph. Don’t lie to your big sister. Tell me—did Bruno say anything about me?”

“Nope,” he nodded twice...

“Alright, I will trust you.” She turned to Bruno and gestured, mockingly cutting his throat.

“Okay, guys," Himari called out to them. "I’ve found the safest route, and the one closest to the military base, with little to no anomaly radiation. But it still has regular zombies.”

“That should not be an issue,” Chihiro said.

Finally, the bus stopped in an alley behind a large building...

"Let's go, we moved on foot," Chihiro explained... 

Then the armoured bus door opened, and all five of them got out, continuing on foot.

Himari ran in front, checking the handheld scanner in her palm. “No anomaly radiation nearby,” she said in a low tone. “But there are movement signals ahead. I think it's regular zombies.”

Bruno raised his hands, signaling them to stop...Everyone froze up...

Then A loud roar suddenly echoed from the rooftops above the alley.

Instantly, Chihiro shouted, “Everyone, take cover—now!”

Bruno quickly summoned his angelic spear and slashed into the wall beside them, carving out an opening they immediately used as cover...

Seconds later, zombies began falling from the rooftops.

Yuto and the others stood frozen in disgust as bodies crashed down one after another, hitting the ground like rain.

Then, after a while, it stopped...

The alley floor was completely covered in zombie flesh, bone and brain matter.

Quickly, Bruno flicked Himari on the forehead.

“Ouch! What was that for?” she protested, raising her hands up.

“For relying on that scanner more than your angelic senses,” Bruno replied.

“Hana-senpai, help me,” Himari said, rubbing her head.

Hana folded her arms across her chest. “Sorry, Himari, but you were in the wrong this time.”

Himari’s eyes welled up slightly. As she holds back her tears.

“We’re not saying you shouldn’t use the scanner,” Bruno continued, “but don’t rely only on it. Remember that.”

“Uh… Bruno, what were those zombies?” Yuto asked.

“They’re anomaly-class zombies called kamikaze,” Bruno casually replied. “They—”

“Testing, testing. Division X, have you reached the military base?” A hologram appeared from Chihiro’s hand.

“We’re almost there,” Chihiro answered.

“What’s taking you so long?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“We encountered kamikaze zombies, but we’re fine and heading there now. Over.”

"Alright, best off luck, division X." The hologram faded out...

“Come on, let’s move,” Chihiro said, clapping both her hands.

Then they continued running until they could now see the military base in sight...

Tall concrete walls reinforced with steel and aluminum plating, that stretched across the area, lined with two watchtowers and mounted floodlights... 

Armed soldiers stood along the perimeter, their eyes constantly on the lookout for anything strange...

Chihiro raised her fist, signaling them to slow down. One by one, they withdrew their angelic weapons, which dissolved back into their skin.

“Act normal, I mean helpless, ” Chihiro whispered with the side of her lips.

They adjusted their posture, lowering their guard as they approached the main gate on foot.

As soon as they were within range, several soldiers caught sight of them and targeted them with red laser beams, inches above the ground near their feet.

“Don’t move!” a male voice shouted from the watchtower. “Identify yourselves!”

Chihiro raised both hands calmly and stepped forward. “Please don’t shoot—we are civilians seeking shelter,” she called out. “We came from Shibuya.”

The soldiers on the watchtower kept aiming down at them...

“Please,” Hana added, straining her voice to sound helpless. “We’ve been running for days.”

For a moment, there was only silence...

Then the sound of heavy machinery began to echo all around them. Its heavy gears turned, and the reinforced gate began to open.

“Proceed forward slowly,” the armed soldier ordered. “Any sudden movement and you will be fired upon.”

Chihiro nodded. “Understood, Mr.” 

Then, slowly, they all walked toward the opening gate at a steady pace.

Once inside, they were handed over to a different group of soldiers dressed in distinct red uniforms. The new soldiers guided them into a well-lit room.

“Now, the rules are simple,” one of the soldiers said, holding a small, black sphere. “Each of you will touch this. If it remains black, you are free to go.”

One by one, they stepped forward. Himari went first, then Hana, Bruno, Chihiro, and finally Yuto. The sphere remained black each time.

Everyone knew the test was for detecting angelic radiation, but thanks to the blessed clothes Akira-sama had given them, their presence went undetected.

“Good. Corporals, escort them to the camp,” the officer said.

But this time, only two guards were assigned to accompany them.

As soon as they passed a desolate corridor, Yuto’s instincts took over. He summoned his golden angelic gauntlet and punched both of the soldiers, sending them crashing unconscious to the ground.

“Yay! Nice one, Yuto-kun!” Hana cheered him up, bouncing on her feet with excitement.

Bruno quickly retrieved a key from one of the unconscious soldiers.

“What key is that?” Himari asked curiously.

“idiot, how should I know?” Bruno replied, holding it up.

Himari pinched his arm... "Ouch ouch..."

After a few moments of confusion, Yuto and the others finally found the control room.

Chihiro slowly raised her hand, and a holographic figure appeared.

“Testing, testing. This is Division X Captain Chihiro. We have successfully infiltrated the control room.”

“Good,” the unknown voice replied. “We’re waiting for your call.”

Chihiro turned slightly. “Bruno, open the back gates now.”

Immediately, the security monitors showed the reinforced gates unlocking. One by one, the armored vehicles of the Divine Division Captains began entering the base.

Hana yawned. “Well, looks like our job is done.”

Soon after, they all exited the control room building. Chihiro and Hana both went to speak with the other Division Captains, leaving only Yuto, Himari, and Bruno together, near the center of the secured area.

All around them, Yuto could see Divine Officers securing the area. Everything looked somewhat peaceful—but his senses wouldn’t stop warning him of something nearby.

“Ahh… I’m so tired,” Himari said, stretching her arms and yawning loudly. She rubbed her eyes behind her blue-light glasses. “I didn’t think today would be this easy.”

Bruno smiled happily as he stepped closer and tapped Yuto on the shoulder. “No major losses.”

Yuto barely reacted. His eyes were fixated on the campsite ahead...

“Bruno,” he said quietly, “what about the people at the camp here? What’s going to happen to them?”

Just as Bruno was about to answer—

KaBoom...

The ground shook violently, and a massive explosion occurred at the far end of the military building...

Yuto quickly turned around, his eyes instantly widening as heat and pressure slammed into his face... Flames erupted in the distance, sending dozens of debris flying in all directions.

From what's left of the burning wreckage, a massive muscular silhouette stepped forward...
Thirteen feet tall...Broad shoulders. With heavy chains dragging across the ground.

One of the Division Captains immediately charged forward, summoning his angelic weapon...

“Wait!” a Divine Officer shouted. “That’s Akira-sama’s brother—the angel!”

Another officer yelled back, with his voice shaking, “Can’t you see him properly? He’s corrupted! He’s a fallen angel now!”

The words hit Yuto like a blow to the chest.Corrupted...Fallen angel.

His chest tightened as memories of Morphetous surfaced in his mind—but before he could fully process them, a massive shadow passed over his head.

Yuto looked up.

One of their armored buses was flying through the air, spinning rapidly like a volleyball as it moved straight toward him...

His body reacted before his mind did...

With a very quick gesture, Yuto summoned his angelic gauntlet. He planted his feet and punched forward...splitting the armored bus in half mid-air.

“Yuto! Himari! Bruno!”

Chihiro shouted at them. “Rescue the injured officers!”

Yuto nodded once and moved immediately.

He lifted one injured officer after another, carrying them away from the danger zone. 

Then—Another explosion...

Yuto turned around and saw Hana, Chihiro, and several Division Captains fighting the fallen angel...

At that moment, Yuto realized how powerful the fallen angel was. But he also realized that he carried the power of an Arch Fallen Angel, and if only he had full control, he could fully use it. 

The frustration weighed heavily on his mental health.

Suddenly, the fallen angel swung its arm...with an insane amount of force.

Chihiro and the other Division Captains were smack away like flies, their bodies painfully crashing into an armored bus.
Yuto swallowed twice.

Then he saw Hana.

She was the only one still fighting.

The fallen angel grabbed her kusarigama mid-swing, wrapped its massive hand around the chain, and threw her toward a nearby Division Captain’s helicopter.

The helicopter exploded on impact...

Hana’s body fell to the ground, violently forming a massive crater of dust and debris...

The fallen angel walked toward her. Hana was barely breathing.

It raised its hand for the final blow...In that instant, Yuto's eyes turned red, and he stopped thinking...

He ran, frowned—momentarily breaking the sound barrier—and then he blocked the attack with his left hand. The shockwave sent armored buses flying.

All Yuto could see now was the same red sea of blood, he saw when he first met Morphetous...

His right hand began to twitch violently. Red lightning began to form around it.
Then—instantly—a blood-red axe appeared in his palm...

With a single swing, Yuto beheaded the fallen angel...

Akira-sama’s brother—once the angel—fell to the ground...

Immediately afterwards, Yuto collapsed unconscious beside Hana...

A moment later, slowly, Yuto woke up in a bed inside an unfamiliar room. He blinked once… twice… then turned his head... confused. 

"Is this deja Vu?"

"No, it's not," Hana responded, lying beside him on the bed.

Immediately, he sat up. “Hana, are you okay? Did the—?”

but before he could say anything else, Hana suddenly grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back down.

“Ouch.”

She laughed cutely, her face was inches from his.... “My hero~” Hana exclaimed, smiling. “I heard you defeated the fallen angel… all for me.”

Yuto immediately turned his face away, a little bit flustered. “N-No, it wasn’t like that!” he shouted out loud.

“Shhh,” Hana whispered, pressing her index finger to his lips. “Don’t make too much noise. I want to keep you all to myself for a bit longer.”

“Hmm, Is that so?”

Hana’s eyes widened. She instantly jumped up from the bed.

“Chihiro-chan!”

Chihiro walked over from the door and pinched Hana’s cheeks hard.

“Ouch—ouch—ouch!”

“Hana,” Chihiro said, pouting, “you’re enjoying this far too much.”

“I-I’m sorry!” Hana laughed through the pain. “I couldn’t help it!”

Soon after, Bruno and Himari entered the room with their arms full of snacks...

“Ohhh, Yuto-boy is awake,” Bruno said with a weird smile.

“Senpai~!” Himari waved cheerfully as she stepped inside.

Yuto smiled at the wholesome scene. Then, suddenly, his eyes itched, and slowly tears started running down his cheeks. He quickly lay back against the pillow, covering his face with his elbow, pretending he was listening to their voices—but the truth was that it had faded into the background. He briefly sighed and allowed himself to rest, even if a part of him knew this peace wouldn’t last forever.

And to be honest. It was fine... In the end, he learned a smile doesn’t mean your happy, and a tear doesn’t mean you're sad...

You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending...

Because, not every choice is made to be what’s best for us, but sometimes made out of what is best for our survival, even when that choice isn’t the right one... 

THE END