Balgora...!

(Serpengate Valley was silent due to the evacuation of civilians as the remains of the Phantasm Hunter Force was active along with Aoki as one of the Phantasm Hunters while Reika and Vuella was kept in the dark on what's going on.)

"Eterne: Phantasm Hunters, you ten are all that are left. The last time Balgora attacked us, we've lost everyone for the Spirit Region was almost destroyed."
"Aoki: ..."
"Eterne: We have to give it our all against him."
"Aoki: Lady Eterne, is it wise to leave Reika and Vuella out of this?"
"Eterne: If we involve two Gods in a region's affairs, there will be a lot of paperwork involved for not just us, the Gods and the counsel as well."
"Aoki: I see..."
"Hu-Mai: Toshiharu, just do what you're told. We'll win if we play it smart."
"Elvire: Yeah Aoki, we'll survive this..."

(She held Aoki's hand but was hiding the fact she was terrified after remembering a traumatizing memory that the mention of Balgora forced her to shiver. As the team were making final preparations, Aoki was shadow boxing throughout the halls then noticed a slight sobbing sound coming from Elvire's room as Aoki knocked on the door and entered, noticing Elvire crying on the floor with her tears flooding on her voodoo doll.)

"Aoki: Elvire...?"
"Elvire: ...!"

(Aoki immediately was hugged on by the broken Elvire as she couldn't control her emotions. As Elvire then dumped all of her sadness on Aoki, he and her then sat down for a talk before the team would leave for their fight.)

"Elvire: Aoki... The truth is, I'm scared... I really am..."
"Aoki: Is Balgora that terrifying...?"
"Elvire: ...Mhm.."
"Aoki: I know it might be a sensitive topic but... What exactly did he do...?"
"Elvire: ...He devoured my family whole in front of me..."
"Aoki: ...!"
"Elvire: I've always been scared of him as a child... And I still am to this day. I tried to conquer my fear and fight him once but.. it was useless... And now I'm afraid of the fact I might let the team down if I don't go out there..."
"Aoki: You should sit this out if this is how you really feel."
"Elvire: ...But if I don't fight, we all might not win.."
"Aoki: Don't forget Elvire, I have Banri under control now. We'll survive this. I promise we will."
"Elvire: ..."

(As an explosion goes off in the distance, Elvire held her voodoo doll tight as she was still afraid. Hu-Mai then opens Elvire's room door, alerting the two Balgora has arrived.)

"Hu-Mai: He's here. Time to go."
"Aoki: ...I'm coming Hu-Mai."

(As Hu-Mai and Aoki rushes off, Elvire remained in her room until the fighting ended. Meanwhile on the battlefield outside Serpengate Valley was the four armed Balgora with bloodthirsty smirk on his face as he stares down only ten of the remaining Phantasm Hunters. As he'd then take one last step, he'd rush towards the ten as Hu-Mai summons a spiritual barrier with enough density to withstand his incoming attacks as two hunters plans to attack with talismans. Suddenly, Balgora then blasts the two away along with destroying the sealing talismans as Hu-Mai thinks quickly and strikes first with the barrier before reshaping it into two useable swords then gives his next command.)

"Hu-Mai: Formation 13, Attack Pattern 8!"

(As the veteran hunters understood the command, several talismans were thrown onto the ground and sticks in midair as Hu-Mai then redirects spiritual energy through the smallest of roots around them and connects each talisman before the formation was an C-shaped trap for Balgora who was then being blasted with Hu-Mai's spiritual energy from all directions which were stinging and damaging his unprotected body but then was currently being attacked by ongoing slashes of wind blades protected by spiritual energy which were enough to weaken him. Before Balgora could fall to his knees, he'd then roar and smash both fists into the ground, smashing the area and destroying the formation while he then pounces towards an off-guarded Phantasm Hunter but was stopped by Aoki with an incoming kick.)

"Aoki: You're okay?"
"Male Phantasm Hunter: Yeah.. thank you.."
"Aoki: Don't mention it."
"Balgora: Huh...? You.. reek... Why do you.. smell.. awful..?"
"Aoki: ...!"
"Hu-Mai: He talks..."
"Balgora: No matter... I hungry.. so I.. eat... YOU!"

(As Balgora then pounces towards Aoki, Lou's kunai then homes itself towards Balgora as it then thrusts through the skin and begins poisoning the inside of Balgora whom then Lou concentrates with enough mental energy to attack from the inside. As Balgora was then taking severe hits from within its body, the kunai then thrusts through Balgora once again to escape as its body began to recuperate at a fast pace.)

"Aoki: A Phantasm with regeneration..?!"
"Hu-Mai: It's one of the reasons we lost. Aoki, you and Lou work together, the rest of you, with me!"
"Lou: Right!"
"Aoki: Commander Pritchett, what's our fighting strategy?"
"Lou: I can cover for you from a distance, there are three weak spots on Balgora. Target them the moment he opens them!"

(As Aoki understand, he'd rush towards the recuperated Balgora and begins fighting hand to hand combat while his fists are engulfed with spiritual energy as Balgora was slashing and dicing anything in its path while focusing on Aoki. As Balgora then tornado spins and fires incoming ammunition of its claws, Aoki blocks and dodges as many as he could before reinforcing his stomach from taking a fatal blow by Balgora. As Balgora then connects, he'd quickly chomp down on Aoki's left shoulder as he screamed loudly in pain before bell clapping Balgora's head with spiritual energy to create distance. As Aoki's left shoulder was completely bitten off, he was immediately losing strength in his left arm as he was badly hurt as Lou was finished setting up a trap.)

"Lou: O' Spiritual Guardians, bless this battlefield with the barrier from divinity, LINEMO!"

(As the chant was complete, Balgora was then trapped within a barrier strengthened by a divine presence from above. Suddenly, a bright light began to circle the barrier in a large radius as Hu-Mai and the 9 other Phantasm Hunters were casting a spiritual spell powerful enough to erase Balgora in one shot.)

"Hu-Mai: O' Spiritual Guardians, may you curse this rouge phantasm into eternal suffering with the wrath of those who has met their doomed fate due to this spirit...-"
"Balgora: Humans... weak... Phantasms... strong..! Must.. overwhelm... humans!"

(As Balgora was purposely generating enough negative spiritual energy, Aoki was then slowly regenerating his wound as he got back to his feet and noticed Balgora's power rising to escape the exorcism.)

"Aoki: He's going to break through!"
"Hu-Mai: -...May you suffer the rest of your time in the depths of purgatory! LINEMO!"

(As the casting was done, Balgora was then hit by a massive beam of spiritual energy as Balgora was taking immense pain while suffering damage from the massive attack. As Hu-Mai's was aware that his energy was being absorbed, he'd strengthen his mental capacity to damage Balgora faster than he could absorb.)

"Hu-Mai: ...!"
"Balgora: Humans.. weaker...!! You. Mock. The. STRONG!"

(As Balgora then fires an extending arm-sword at Hu-Mai, he'd thrust the blade through his right arm socket for him to lose focus as he took the damage but managed to remain focused.)

"Lou: Captain!"
"Aoki: HU-MAI!"
"Hu-Mai: ...! Tch...!"

(As Hu-Mai then manages to manipulate the area around him, he'd fight Balgora in a battle against mental strength and begins to expand the battlefield into a growing radius from where he stands. As Aoki, Lou and the remaining Phantasm Hunters immediately avoided Hu-Mai's powerful and expanding mental barrier, Aoki was amazed at the power Hu-Mai has.)

"Aoki: Such power...!"
"Lou: That's Hu-Mai Alohasis for you, the man who notoriously has slain over two hundred thousand Phantasms, a large number of them being Category 0's!"
"Aoki: Is he really that strong?!"
"Lou: He wasn't gifted at birth. When Hu-Mai was around, he applied for the Phantasm Hunter Force at age 18. But on one of his missions, it was revealed he actually has a contract with a curse. That curse allows him to manipulate the area around him to his very liking with immense energy and power but the cost is.. he has to sacrifice the one place he was mostly injured at."
"Aoki: So that means-"
"Lou: He'll sacrifice his entire arm to win this fight."

(As Hu-Mai was struggling with an opponent powerful, he'd allow the curse to gnaw away at his right arm from the inside out while being fed enough energy to eradicate and crush Balgora as Aoki then rushed to his side and holds Hu-Mai's arm, transferring enough mental energy to him instead of relying on his curse.)

"Aoki: You can't give up your arm for power! Take my strength, Hu-Mai!"
"Hu-Mai: ...!"
"Lou: I shall transfer you my energy as well!"

(As Lou then concentrates, he'd transfer his energy towards Hu-Mai as the Phantasm Hunter Force does the same. As Hu-Mai felt the energy being transferred, he'd cancel the curse and forces the entire area his mental barrier now controls to blast powerful energy from all sides and corners, damaging the powerful Balgora for it was heard screaming and howling in pain.)

"Aoki: He almost got it!"
"Hu-Mai: HAAAAAA!!!"

(As Hu-Mai pushes down once more, the mental barrier then implodes from inside and explodes, resulting in a powerful explosion outside Serpengate Valley as civilians underneath the city were aware of the rumbling and thunder outside the walls along with Eterne whom was worried for the force. As the debris cleared away, Aoki coughed and searched around for Hu-Mai and Lou as Lou was coughing by too much dust from the explosion but regrouped with Aoki while Hu-Mai was found unconscious from exerting too much mental force from his head which resulted in him bleeding while still living.)

"Aoki: Hu-Mai! ...He's still breathing.. We have to get him back in the city..!"
"Lou: But what about Balgora? We don't know if he's-"

(As rumbling was heard from the battlefield near them, a severely hurt Balgora was screeching and blinded by the debris for it was searching for Hu-Mai to kill.)

"Balgora: WHERE-... HUMAN...! GREEN.. HAIRED HUMAN..! I... KILL HUMAN.. NOW...!"
"Aoki: ...! How... How did it even survive...?!"
"Lou: Balgora's much different than any Category 0 we've faced before... It's definitely a monster to never challenge face to face. It's why we must strategize and think of a plan..."
"Aoki: ...I was afraid of reawakening him for fear that I might be taken over again... But I'm going to finish this."
"Lou: ...!"
"Aoki: If he takes over my body on his own free will, you know what to do, Commander Lou."

(As Lou nodded, Aoki then walks towards Balgora as he allowed Banri to retake control of his body to finish off Balgora. As Balgora then picked up a powerful scent, he'd then notice Banri, the Magician of Darkness which forced it to back away in fear.)

"Banri: Aw... What's wrong, scared to see your old creator hm?"
"Balgora: GO... AWAY... YOU... M-MADE... ME...!"
"Banri: I may have made you but you're my child by a biological fact. But what's sad is you've turned into a rouge one. And like a mother has to discipline the baby, the father has to discipline the child."

(As Banri then generates negative energy in one hand, he'd flick it at Balgora which connects and blasts his own child with enough deadly energy to eradicate its entire body in one blow without leaving any traces behind.)

"Banri: I may be evil, but I care enough to place my own young out of its misery."

(As Banri then shifts control, Aoki looked around and notices the smoldering remains of Balgora who is no longer here.)

"Aoki: ... He-... He did it..?"
"Lou: Yes.. he did..."

(Aoki was then chuckling which turned into a small laugh before losing consciousness on what happened. As time passes, Aoki then awakens Serpengate Valley's medical bay as he awakens to see Reika by his side, sleeping on his bed as Aoki then pats her head with a smile.)

"Aoki: ...I'm sorry if I worried you, Reika."
"Reika: ..."

(She'd then grab Aoki's hand with a gentle grip and looks up.)

"Reika: You're such an idiot... Assuming I wouldn't know what's going on."
"Aoki: Well.. I didn't want you to use any of your power to waste on something you could kill instantly, you know?"
"Reika: Well, fair point. But still, you should have been honest with me."
"Aoki: I wanted you to enjoy your day with Vuella."
"Reika: Aoki... I'll tell you the truth, I couldn't stop worrying about you. I was aware of the fighting going on and I still let you be. Because I had faith you could've handled it the way you are now, but I don't like that you never told me the truth."
"Aoki: I'm sorry..."

(She'd pat Aoki's head with a smile of relief.)

"Reika: I'm glad you're okay now though..."

(As the two smiled at one another, Vuella would appear unexpectedly appear at the wrong time which she'd then smirk at the romantic scenario.)

"Vuella: Ooo~ Did I walk in at the wrong time?"
"Reika: Get. Out, VUELLA! And you've never saw this!"
"Vuella: Got to get me to make me forget!"

(As Vuella then runs, Reika chases after her as Aoki laughed a little and was visited by Eterne then as Aoki salutes to her.)

"Eterne: How are you holding up, Toshiharu?"
"Aoki: I did just wake up so I'm okay now... ..! Wait! How's Hu-Mai..!"
"Eterne: He's currently being given an energy transplant. The amount of mental force being used was so powerful, he almost destroyed his entire body. As of this moment, he's not to receive any visitors until he's gained consciousness."
"Aoki: I see... Everyone else...?"
"Eterne: Commander Lou at the moment is currently resting after the battle, he may not have done much but even doing exorcism castings can cause too much stress to his brain. And Elvire, there's no clue where she is right now."
"Aoki: I'll go look for her.."
"Eterne: Toshiharu, you suffered a lot of mental damage from this fight, it would be wise for you to remain in bed."
"Aoki: I'll be alright. I need to tell her its over..!"

(As Aoki then forces himself out of bed, he'd immediately feel dizzy and fall back to the ground, trying to refocus his sight.)

"Eterne: I told you.."
"Aoki: I have... to find her...!"
"Eterne: ...If you're that determined, she's actually waiting for you outside of this room."
"Aoki: ...!"

(As Aoki then slowly walks towards the door, he'd look at a worried Elvire who looked up to see Aoki out of bed and begins crying tears that he's alive as well.)

"Elvire: You're alive... YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ALIVE...!!"

(As Elvire began sobbing into Aoki's apron, Aoki hugged her as things were once again at peace for Serpengate Valley and the Spirit Region. As two months pass, Aoki and Hu-Mai were training together one last time before Aoki plans to travel to another region.)

"Hu-Mai: You've done well these past years, I no longer consider you a weakling, Toshiharu."
"Aoki: Thank you, Hu-Mai. I'm grateful I was able to learn so much under you three.."
"Hu-Mai: It was the least we could do. Because of you, we've managed to dispose a threat even I couldn't do alone."
"Aoki: The thanks really goes to Banri, he had the final blow."
"Hu-Mai: So tell me, where will your journey go now?"
"Aoki: I plan to learn more and train more with my mental energy, so I'm going to the Nation of Wisdom."
"Hu-Mai: The Nature Region?"
"Aoki: Yes. I'm told that the region has experts in certain combat arts and one of the most expensive universities for scholars too."
"Hu-Mai: Hm... Take this."

(Hu-Mai then gives Aoki a passport for the Nation of Wisdom.)

"Aoki: What's this?"
"Hu-Mai: Due to certain incidents, the Nation of Wisdom no longer allows outsiders without an entrance pass to the main city."
"Aoki: I see, I'll keep this in hand. Thank you."