The battle raged with a ferocity I had never imagined.
Thalor lunged at us, and for a brief moment, Rin's blood-curdling scream echoed through the air. I saw her fall to the ground... her right leg had been severed. In the blink of an eye, Daichi threw her into the rift.
Fear and confusion gripped me. I didn't understand why Daichi was throwing all of my brothers into the abyss.
He, consumed by rage, was a whirlwind of emotions, hurling himself at Thalor without mercy. But it all seemed hopeless.
—"You bastard! I'll kill you!! Aaaaaaah!!"
While Daichi fought Thalor, Kurayami came to me. He offered his hand to help me up; without realizing it, my wounds had already healed. He handed me his sword and said we needed to join forces to defeat both enemies. In that instant, he picked up another blood-stained sword from the ground.
We immediately launched ourselves at Draekon. The pressure was overwhelming. I could feel the fatigue tearing through my muscles.
Aiko, who had been fighting for a long time, was showing clear signs of exhaustion. I knew he wouldn't last much longer.
The anguish in his voice filled me with concern. I had to act quickly, but Draekon was cunning. He dodged our attacks with inhuman agility, and he hadn't even used the sword he summoned with his special ability. Every one of his movements felt like mockery.
The battle grew darker.
Daichi was still facing Thalor, but fate had turned against him. His sword shattered in an instant… and I saw Thalor impale him through the abdomen without a shred of mercy.
That image was burned into my mind like a cursed painting—impossible to forget.
—"Ken! Quickly! Cut off that god's head, now! Go!"
Daichi's scream shook me to my core. But the horror only intensified as I saw Ken fall before Draekon, who disarmed him with a single move.
Helplessness tore me apart. I couldn't accept that none of my brothers could stand against these monsters.
Despair clouded everything. Aiko collapsed, exhausted, but within seconds, he rose again, gripping his sword with unwavering resolve.
Every blow Thalor landed on Daichi was returned with another…
But Thalor's smile was terrifying. With each strike, Daichi looked more dazed, more worn down.
In a surge of fury, Kurayami charged at Draekon, aiming for his throat. But Draekon reacted just in time and activated his summoned sword.
Kurayami blocked the blow, but his blade was starting to crack.
I couldn't stand still anymore.
I ran toward Aiko and Kurayami and shoved them toward the edge of the rift, saving them from Draekon's next strike. In that moment, Daichi and Ken arrived as well.
The five of us stood at the brink of the abyss… at the edge of hope.
And when they all let their guard down—even if only for a moment—I took that chance.
I pushed them.
I pushed my four brothers into the depths of the rift…
...where the others had already fallen before.
So that they could live.