As a result of the successful Holy Defense, the Nyxia army had been neutralized. Nyxia's Dark Magic energy level had also dropped to around 20%. They could no longer deploy ships wherever they wanted or spend their energy as aggressively as before. As the Nyxia sorcerers retreated from Shadowia, they had abandoned many of their warships in the middle of the sea. These ships would later become the property of Shadowia.
Kiroschi was doing fine as well. He climbed out of the mud and made his way back to headquarters. He later took command during the Holy Defense himself and successfully fulfilled his duty as a commander.
Meanwhile, the situation of the Silverton nation was getting even worse. The Legion had finally launched an invasion of the Silverton mainland. At the same time, Profinens had launched another invasion from the west. Silverton was trapped. The Legion and Profinens governments were advancing toward each other in an attempt to meet up, squeezing Silverton between them. On top of that, Profinens had reclaimed all of the islands it had lost at the beginning of the war in 561. They were waiting for an action from Shadowia before launching an invasion of the Nyxia mainland.
Meanwhile, in Nyxia:
On the night the Holy Defense ended, Fukaru swam to another ship and returned to the mainland. He was furious when he arrived. He kept snapping at everyone and couldn't stand being around anyone. He was also dizzy from losing so much blood, but he refused to let it affect his posture.
Fukaru was admitted to a hospital, where his arm was bandaged. Shortly afterward, a Dark Magic-enhanced prosthetic arm was quickly prepared to replace the one he had lost. He would be able to use the prosthetic just like his old arm. It had neither an advantage nor a disadvantage compared to his previous arm.
Hirosato Yunkei was waiting in the hospital courtyard, deep in thought.
''At this rate, my homeland, Silverton, is going to fall... All of this happened because of that damn selfish idiot named Fukaru, who doesn't even know what he's doing!''
Yunkei felt terrible watching his homeland slip away from his hands. His conscience was also being crushed under the weight of everything he had done.
''I want to withdraw from this war... I'm so tired... Every day... I'm so tired of slaughtering hundreds of people every single day. I'm done. I'll talk to Fukaru. I'm withdrawing from the war. I want to return to my homeland and start teaching jujutsu again.''
Yunkei left the courtyard and began walking through the hospital corridor. Eventually, he reached the door of the room specially reserved for Fukaru and knocked.
Knock knock
''Come in.''
Yunkei entered.
''Wow... Yunkei, how are you?''
Yunkei frowned.
''I'm not fine, Fukaru.''
''A-ah... Why?''
''I-I... I'm tired, Fukaru. Look, you're going to get angry about this, but I'm genuinely exhausted. I don't want to kill hundreds of people every single day anymore!''
Fukaru turned his face toward the window.
''I understand you, Yunkei... War can really destroy a person's mental state. But you get used to it eventually.''
Yunkei became angry.
''D-Do you even take what I'm saying seriously?''
Fukaru turned his face back toward Yunkei.
''I assume you must have made up this lie just to make yourself feel better, right?''
''I-I'm telling you very clearly, Fukaru... I'm tired. I don't want this anymore.''
Fukaru frowned.
''D-DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU SILVERTONIAN?! DIDN'T EVERYONE SWEAR UPON THEIR HONOR WHEN THEY ENTERED THIS WAR?! THIS IS WAR, YUNKEI! THIS IS WAR! OF COURSE BLOOD WILL BE SPILLED! PEOPLE WILL DIE! PEOPLE WILL TRY TO ASSERT THEIR DOMINANCE OVER ONE ANOTHER! OTHERWISE, WHY ARE WE EVEN FIGHTING?! THIS HAS BEEN THE WAY OF THE WORLD SINCE THE BIRTH OF HUMANITY!''
Yunkei raised his voice as well.
''I DON'T WANT TO, ALRIGHT, FUKARU?! I'M SICK OF YOUR STUPID MILITARISTIC MINDSET! I'M WITHDRAWING FROM THIS WAR! YOU'LL NEVER FIND ME ANYWHERE AGAIN!''
''The moment you take one step outside that door, Yunkei, whatever happens afterward is none of my concern.''
''Oh, really?! Is that how it's going to be?!''
Yunkei turned around and walked out of the room. The moment he took his first step into the corridor, Fukaru quickly disappeared into the shadows and attacked Yunkei with his dagger.
''W-WHAT?!''
Yunkei blocked with his arms, avoiding the attack, but the force sent him flying into the hospital wall. The wall collapsed beneath the impact, and Yunkei coughed from within the rubble.
''HA-HA! THEN LET'S BEGIN! RISING DREAMS!''
Yunkei put on his mask. His hands immediately became enchanted, and he prepared himself for battle.
Yunkei quickly charged at Fukaru. The two began fighting in the hospital corridor while everyone inside the hospital fled screaming.
Fukaru deflected every one of Yunkei's punches. However, when he attempted to block one of them with his dagger, he was instantly blasted backward by the shockwave of Rising Dreams.
He crashed into the bottles inside his room, shattering them all.
''A-AM I REALLY GOING TO FIGHT THIS BASTARD WITH ONLY ONE ARM?! IF I HAD BOTH OF MY ARMS, I'D SHOW YOU WHO'S BOSS! FIGHTING WITH ONLY ONE DAGGER IS TOO DAMN DIFFICULT! IT COMPLETELY TAKES AWAY THE ADVANTAGE OF USING A DAGGER!''
Yunkei quickly charged at Fukaru again. This time, Fukaru didn't even attempt to block. He simply dodged the attacks.
Every place Yunkei's fists struck was completely destroyed, sending enormous shockwaves throughout the area. Within seconds, everything inside the room had been crushed, pierced, and shattered.
Fukaru dropped down to the lower floor of the hospital and immediately ran toward the electrical room.
''If I destroy the lights, I'll be invisible everywhere in the darkness!''
Fukaru reached the electrical room and destroyed it with his dagger.
The hospital's electricity suddenly went out, plunging everything into complete darkness.
''That bastard must have cut the lights so he could hide in the shadows! I need to get outside quickly. The sun will rise in about fifteen minutes.''
Yunkei quickly jumped through a window and escaped outside the hospital. Fukaru secretly followed behind him through the darkness of the night.
Yunkei landed safely and moved into an open area.
''You could be anywhere around me right now... I'll keep you from moving. If I punch the ground, you won't be able to get up from the vibrations!''
Yunkei began rapidly punching the ground. The shockwaves created a seismic effect across the surrounding area.
Fukaru couldn't get off the ground because of the constant shockwaves.
''T-This guy is actually pretty smart! But I'm smart too. I won't use Re-Verse immediately. I'll wait for the air manipulation!''
The punching continued for approximately fifteen minutes.
Then, the sun rose.
Fukaru's invisibility suddenly disappeared.
''Haha! There you are, Fukaru! What happened? Couldn't get off the ground?!''
However, Yunkei's hands were in tremendous pain and had swollen badly. He couldn't keep punching anymore.
''I have no choice but to use Air Manipulation. If he uses Re-Verse, I won't be able to use Air Manipulation again. But he'll escape immediately this time. I can't afford to lose track of him!''
''Come on! Use it, Yunkei!''
''RISING DREAMS: AIR MANIPULATION!''
The air around Yunkei suddenly began crystallizing. Dark Magic started spreading across the ground.
The whites of his eyes completely turned black.
''C-COME AT ME!''
The air suddenly filled with poisonous gas, and Fukaru began to feel its effects.
''T-There it is... (cough) R-Re-Verse!''
The dimension tore apart, and another dimension emerged from within it.
The atoms returned to the arrangement they had two minutes earlier.
Yunkei's Air Manipulation was reset, and he suddenly found himself punching the ground again. Since the sky had not yet become bright two minutes earlier, Fukaru was invisible once more, although his silhouette could still be seen.
Fukaru quickly began fleeing toward the military base.
''T-THERE HE GOES! I HAVE TO CHASE HIM!''
Yunkei immediately began chasing after Fukaru.