Kuoh Town was a reasonably developed regional city where several pockets of lush, green nature still remained. Its residents managed their lives at the large shopping mall near the station, enjoyed simple conversations with shopkeepers in the shopping district, and found the location ideal for commuting to nearby metropolitan areas. In the parks scattered throughout the town, one could usually see children playing and laughing.
While many held such positive views, there were occasionally things that would make an outsider tilt their head in confusion. For instance, there was a mysterious part-timer handing out magic circles instead of tissues in front of the station. Kuoh Academy had an inexplicably high number of foreign exchange students. Priests and sisters from the local church were always out proselytizing. One might spot people or creatures with eccentric personalities and appearances, or witness truly bizarre phenomena.
Those who felt these things didn't suit them quietly left the city. As a result, the people who remained in Kuoh were mostly those who thought, "Well, whatever," and lived easygoing lives. Since the town wasn't particularly remarkable beyond its convenience, the residents didn't pay the oddities much mind. At least, to the locals, this was normal. It made them a broad-minded bunch.
Kuoh Town was an artificial city created through a contract between Japanese organizations, the Devils, and the Church, following the wishes of the supernatural beings and monsters living in Japan. Even the insular Japanese organizations realized that, given the current world state, it was impossible to expel every supernatural entity unrelated to Japan. Thus, they entrusted the management of certain lands to the Devils and the Church on the condition that they would not interfere with Japanese affairs.
Because Kuoh was a massive territory spanning an entire town, the Bael and Gremory houses—the elite among Devils—undertook a joint management contract. Balance was maintained by the permanent stationing of veteran exorcists. Over many years, various adjustments were made to ensure the city remained peaceful and livable for psychics and supernatural beings.
To allow those who could not normally appear before humans to live freely, there were certain open spaces in Kuoh. Protected by barriers that blocked human perception, these areas allowed for the use of magic and Onmyoji arts, for demon beasts to run wild, for spirits to hold banquets, and for monsters to hold athletic festivals.
Currently, the final battle between the Vortex Bunch—an evil organization boasting forty years of history—and the Magical Girl and her Merry Friends of Kuoh—a group of heroes labeled as demons by said evil organization—was taking place in one of these very spots. What was once a peaceful field had turned into a scene from the end of the world.
"Hmph. I never imagined I would fight a Ninja, a legendary psychic warrior of the underworld, in a place like this."
"I do indeed come from a lineage that follows the main branch of Iga-style ninjutsu, but why are foreign perceptions of us always so extreme?"
"Long ago, I discovered the ways of the Onmyoji. I was so moved by the ancient Japanese arts that I spent years training. Now, Ninja! Let us settle which is more fit to rule the Japanese underworld: Onmyoji or Ninja!"
"The ninja have never ruled Japan from the shadows... and if you're going to study Japan, I really wish you'd studied the ninja while you were at it..."
The man with bronze skin, Onmyoji robes, and a pentagram painted on his face was Count Pentagram. As his name and appearance suggested, he was purely a foreigner. He was an executive of the evil organization who had visited various temples and shrines in Japan only to be banned from every single one of them. Facing him was a man in shinobi attire, Tanmon Momochi, who looked utterly bewildered. Thus, the fated(?) duel between Onmyoji and Ninja began.
"To do evil in this peaceful town where I dwell... you are truly lawless. My bowl parches with rage. When I protect the smiles of the children, bid your soul-orb farewell."
"Nyah-nyah-nyah! So you're the rapping Kappa I've heard about. As a man from Kansai, I respect performers... but I'll show no mercy on the battlefield!"
"Hmph. No need for concern. My name is Salamander Tomita. My family grows cucumbers, but I rebelled against the family business to become a lonely rapper. I've walked the path of carnage to master my flow. Underestimate me and you'll pay the price."
"I see. You're a warrior who has mastered his craft... Then I, too, must face you with everything I've got!"
With green skin, a plate on his head, a bird-like beak, and a turtle shell on his back, the man was a genuine Kappa. He was characterized by his sharp, pointed sunglasses and was the composer and lyricist of the Magical Ballad of the Soul-Orbthat played in Kuoh's shopping district. His opponent was Director Tiger, a beastman wearing an Osaka Tigers uniform. As an executive of the evil organization and a Kansai man who loved comedy, he raised his fists without an ounce of carelessness.
"Here I come, Salamander Tomita! Dotonbori Claw!"
"I'll show you my soul... Rapper Killing Arts: Verse One!"
The battlefield expanded. Conflict roared. Conviction howled. Each combatant poured their heart into the fray. Humans, psychics, monsters, and spirits—all who lived in the same city—found their hearts becoming one despite their differences. This wave of unity gradually spread to the ancient clans living in secluded corners of Kuoh.
The Abe Family, a venerable clan of monster tamers capable of commanding many demon beasts. The Kamo Family, a clan of Onmyoji who saved citizens daily through exorcism. Recently, the Kamo eldest daughter had charged in, eyes sparkling, declaring, "That magical girl is a worthy rival!" and through a series of twists and turns, had joined the Young Girl Brigade. It seemed the number of people available to offer a sane rebuttal had not increased.
Not only these famous clans, but also the families of the Kuoh Four Heavenly Kings and other prominent houses declared their participation, joining forces. To an onlooker, it was a miraculous sight. There were no barriers of bloodline or race, only the shared desire to protect their town. It was a total war where everyone gave their all.
Men's muscles bulged, the roars of magical girls and white gorilla-snow-women echoed, ninjas and dullahan sprinted through the field, and a kappa sang as clenched fists rose in a surge. The front lines of Kuoh were a fierce clash between demon beasts, beastmen, and combatants surgically modified into monsters by the evil organization, versus the unleashed heroes and civilians of Kuoh Town.
"Hmm. The enemy is quite impressive."
"My Lord, what are your orders?"
"We wait a little longer, Takahashi. The stalemate will continue for now, but once they get serious, the wind will shift. That is when I shall step out myself."
A massive man wearing a horned helmet and a fine mantle sat astride a whinnying black horse that snorted in excitement at the battlefield air. His appearance and aura were that of a warrior from a land ruled by strength. The avian-human called Takahashi gasped at the atmosphere swirling across the battlefield but nodded at his lord's majestic presence. This warrior, who looked like he carried the end of the century on his shoulders, was the current head of the Abe family and the father of Kiyome Abe, the commander of the Young Girl Brigade's Chestnut-Haired Division.
Currently, his familiar, a snow woman named Stephanie, had used her special Snow Clone technique to fill the field with countless gorillas. Their mother, Josephine, had also joined the fray, attacking with freezing breath and frozen bananas.
With the two gorillas leading the charge, the tide of battle slowly turned. The Merry Friends of Kuoh gained momentum, while the evil organization fought back, shouting, "Why are there gorillas running loose in the city?!" In the distance, the leader of the organization looked at Kuoh's "modified gorillas" (a misunderstanding) and mused, "Perhaps I should have made gorilla monsters too..." However, he had no intention of letting the front line crumble and prepared to unveil his organization's true power.
"Bu-hi-hi-hi! I don't know why gorillas are being kept as pets in this town, but what I command is the hot blood of passion! Take this, you muscular primates! My ultimate cooking special: Pork Meteor Shower!"
A pig dressed as a ramen chef appeared on the battlefield filled with white gorillas. This was General Genkotsu, one of the Four Supreme Generals of the Vortex Bunch. Narrowing his eyes, he spun his body at high speed and descended into the fray with noodle strainers in both hands. Boiling water poured from his strainers like bullets, striking Stephanie's snow clones and erasing them one after another.
Noticing this, Josephine moved to intercept, but General Genkotsu smirked. The battle between gorilla and pig was joined. As the snow woman unleashed her freezing breath, he produced a bowl of ramen from nowhere.
"What matters in ramen is a burning, hot soul! The warmth and deliciousness of ramen are most effective in the cold!"
"Uho?!"
He ate the ramen. He ate it with single-minded intensity. Even as the freezing breath struck him, he continued to eat with incredible speed. In the midst of the sub-zero chill, his hands never stopped; instead, steam began to erupt from his body. Gradually, the steam melted the ice and snow, and the pig marched through the freezing breath, still eating his ramen.
Josephine stared in shock, unleashing an even more powerful blast to push back the enemy closing in on her. But his advance could not be stopped.
"Not enough. It's not enough! Do not think a chill of this level can break through my ramen's defense!"
"Uho! Uho-ho?!"
Finally, the distance closed. Facing the pig who was now right in front of her, the snow woman swung a frozen banana. Combined with a gorilla's strength, it was a lethal weapon. However, General Genkotsu summoned a fresh, piping-hot bowl of ramen in his right hand and thrust the frozen banana into the soup before she could strike.
Josephine's favorite frozen banana was melted by the ramen's heat. Seeing the soggy remains of her banana soaking in the soup—its attack power gone—her spirit took critical damage. Even as a veteran warrior who could wield a frozen banana with a hardened heart, she could not suppress the sense of loss at its destruction.
"Customer, in my shop, once you dip your banana chopsticks into the ramen, the rule is you must finish the whole bowl."
General Genkotsu raised the bowl of ramen containing the soggy banana, preparing to pour the hot soup into Josephine's mouth. She was still in shock, paralyzed by the loss, while her daughter Stephanie let out a grief-stricken roar. To force snow women to eat hot ramen (with banana) was a truly villainous act. This was the true power of an executive of an evil organization.
"I won't let you!"
A gust of wind swept across the battlefield. If there was a voice crying for help, if it was to save a mother and protect the smile of a daughter, the hero would arrive. Before the ramen could enter the gorilla's mouth, a figure caught the bowl with both hands and diverted it into his own mouth. The General's eyes widened in horror.
"You... you actually ate it?! The banana ramen?!"
"...Leaving food on the plate is bad."
"—?! Bu-hi-hi! As expected of a magical girl! That is truly the way of a hero!"
Standing before the paralyzed gorilla was a magical girl. Stephanie rushed over to pick up her mother, bowed to her savior, and quickly retreated from the front line.
The battlefield shifted in an instant. While the sounds of combat continued in the distance, silence fell around the two of them. Two top-class warriors had finally met.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Magical Girl. I am General Genkotsu! One of the Four Supreme Generals of the Vortex Bunch!"
"To protect the peace of this town, to save everyone's smiles, if there is a voice calling for help, a magical girl will rush from anywhere. A healing type who beats vicious demons to death with dazzling magic! Milky Yellow, arriving on the scene!"
The pig monster struck a pose with his ramen and strainers, while Milky Yellow posed with his magical wand, glittering with star effects. A sudden gust blew between them, fluttering the pig's apron and the yellow frilled skirt. Milky Yellow wiped a drop of soup from his cheek and quietly readied his magical wand.
Suddenly, a giant monstrous bird descended from the sky. Atop the bird sat the Abe family head, still mounted on his horse. His love for horses was apparent. (Takahashi the bird-man had been left behind because his Nagoya Cochin couldn't fly).
"I thank you, Magical Girl."
"Are the snow women okay?"
"Yes, I gave them a fresh frozen banana just now. I intend to let them rest for a while."
It had been a poor matchup. A snow woman's traits were useless against an enemy who controlled ramen, a natural enemy who could melt their greatest weapon and double-edged sword. Because both sides used food as power, the compatibility difference was stark. If Issei had been there, he surely would have yelled, "Don't fight with food in the first place!"
"Milky Yellow. Leave this one to me. As a monster tamer who travels the world, I cannot simply back down..."
"Lord Abe..."
"Bu-hi, bu-hi-hi. I see... That suits me just fine!"
With the General's roar, a high-energy wave was suddenly fired at Milky Yellow from the side. Milky Yellow instantly coated his fist in magical power and thrust it toward the incoming energy.
"MILKY THUNDER CRUSHER!"
A lovely punch marked with a heart and wreathed in lightning collided with a black beam that seemed to swallow everything. A violent shock shook the battlefield as their powers clashed. Neither side yielded. The magical girl was slowly pushed back by the power, but the stalemate continued. Finally, with a shout of spirit, Milky Yellow thrust his magic-infused wand upward from beneath the beam, knocking the black energy into the sky.
White smoke rose from his fist. He had been separated from his allies by the blast. Realizing he was isolated, Milky Yellow calmly readied his fists and looked for the enemy who had fired the shot. He could see the Abe family head in the distance, already engaged with the General. He would have to handle this alone.
Then, the sound of loud, mocking applause echoed through the clearing.
"Impressive, Magical Girl. Truly worthy of being the hero recognized by the Vortex Bunch."
"...Are you the boss of the bad guys?"
"Indeed. I am the leader of the Vortex Bunch—Emperor Vortex."
Wearing a helmet designed like a dragon, his mantle, adorned with a vortex pattern, flapped violently in his aura. Beside the Emperor stood a small, pitch-black sisa, and they stared at Milky Yellow as if confirming his existence. Finally, the Magical Girl and the Leader of the Evil Organization had met.
Without a word, Milky Yellow raised his fists, and Emperor Vortex raised his staff. No more words were needed between these arch-enemies. Their auras surged, and a crushing pressure filled the air.
Then, Justice and Evil collided.
+++
Emperor Vortex's strength was on a level incomparable to the Four Supreme Generals. Milky Yellow was forced to move with more caution than ever before due to the sheer weight of the blow he had just received. Despite the organization's eccentricities, the Emperor was a man whom even Issei—after defeating Rizevim—had acknowledged as a "formidable foe" and fought while wearing his armor. He hadn't gained the loyalty of so many subordinates for nothing.
Even the magical girl had to admire the strength the Emperor had honed over forty years. His black waves gouged the earth, and his mastery of the staff kept his enemies at bay while he steadily cornered them. Even when Milky Yellow threw a punch that created shockwaves, it was lightly evaded. Worse, a reckless attack invited a counter-strike, so Milky Yellow could not afford to swing blindly.
Lightning-infused kicks, fire-wreathed punches, and clods of earth launched by the wind—he combined magic with every martial art he knew, but he could not find a finishing blow. He had the power to end the fight with a single hit, but that hit was far out of reach.
Milky Yellow realized his magical power was slowly being depleted while Emperor Vortex still seemed to have plenty in reserve. His stamina was fine, but his magical energy was lacking. He was still an apprentice who had been practicing magic for less than a year. Until now, he had finished his enemies with a single punch, but this opponent wouldn't fall so easily. He knew that if this became a battle of attrition, he would lose.
"Minyo...!"
In that case... Milky Yellow readied his magical wand and activated a spell he had learned from his friend, Milky Blue. Magical power overflowed from the wand, enveloping his body. Suddenly, the large orange ribbon on his back began to move as if it had a will of its own, spinning like a propeller. The ends of the ribbon scraped against the ground, making a high-pitched grinding sound.
In the first season of the Magical Girl Milky anime, the girls fought on the ground. But starting from the second season, the stage shifted to the sky, and recently they had even traveled into space. To get closer to his idol, Milky Yellow had resolved to train. His first goal was to reach the sky.
As Milky Yellow stepped forward, the propeller ribbon released a shockwave of air pressure against the ground. This launched his massive body into the air. He raised his fist, intending to end the fight with a single decisive strike. This jump technique was something he'd created by observing Milky Red—a spell born of friendship and inspiration.
"Absurd! But...!"
Emperor Vortex was shocked to see his opponent's ribbon turn into a propeller and launch that mass of muscle into the sky, but he quickly calmed his panic and surged his aura to counter-attack. Though the high-speed aerial assault had caught him off guard, his years of experience guided him. Laughing at the enemy for attempting a high-risk move in the air where they couldn't evade, the Emperor aimed a concentrated black beam at Milky Yellow.
"Regrettable, but this is the end!"
The black wave fired from the staff raced toward the descending magical girl with perfect accuracy. Certain that Milky Yellow could not escape in mid-air, the Emperor smiled in triumph.
"Milky Red once said..."
But there was no despair in the magical girl's eyes.
"A heart that never gives up creates miracles! The true answer lies beyond your expectations!"
Just before the beam could pierce him, the ends of the orange ribbon suddenly extended and struck the ground below. The recoil launched the yellow giant even higher. A double jump in mid-air. The beam destined for the magical girl missed its mark and vanished into the sky.
By feigning a desperate charge, he had lured the enemy into a false sense of security. To finish a magical girl, an enemy would always use their strongest move. Emperor Vortex stared in shock, having fallen into the trap. Even he couldn't recover instantly after such a large attack; he was frozen for a few seconds. He realized that Milky Yellow had been aiming for that exact opening.
Milky Yellow's outfit had been crafted by a certain Devil and Wizard duo. To support their comrade's dream of flying like a real magical girl, they had packed the costume with advanced rituals. While Milky Yellow wasn't yet strong enough as a wizard to fly freely, this outfit was designed to assist him.
Milky Yellow was not fighting alone. He had the allies he'd sworn to fight with in Kuoh, the comrades who supported him even when they weren't there, and the inspiration of Red and Blue. And for the children who believed in a magical girl's victory, he could not afford to lose.
With this strike, he would finish it. To end this war, the fist of the magical girl soaring through the sky was launched at the defenseless Emperor Vortex.
"...A shame."
"—?!"
Milky Yellow's fist did not land. It was stopped by a barrier just thirty centimeters in front of the Emperor. The leader hadn't reacted. The timing had been perfect. And yet—
"A shame. Truly a shame, Magical Girl. But just as you fought with the strength of your allies, I too have wonderful companions. That is all."
At the Emperor's feet stood a small, black sisa. To protect his boss, he had taken the full force of Milky Yellow's strike. This was the final executive of the Vortex Bunch, the symbol of protection: Final Death Sisa. His defensive barrier could not be broken even by the combined attacks of all the other executives. Enveloped in the power of exorcism, he had perfectly blocked the magical girl's ultimate move.
"You are strong. You are undoubtedly the greatest foe I have ever faced. Therefore, I shall not be careless again. Like a true evil organization, we shall take a certain victory: two against one."
Milky Yellow immediately put distance between himself and the Emperor, but the gap felt wider than ever before. Emperor Vortex placed the Final Death Sisa on his shoulder and pointed his staff forward.
"Round two."
For the first time, the Emperor took the offensive. Milky Yellow reacted instantly, but his fists were blocked by the anti-magic barrier, and his remaining magical energy was being scattered. He tried to break through with raw physical strikes, but the Emperor's relentless attacks gave him no opening.
Destruction and Protection. The destructive power that gouged the earth wore down Milky Yellow, while the absolute defense slowly cornered him. This seamless combination of offense and defense was the true strength of Emperor Vortex. He and his partner of many years attacked as one.
Milky Yellow was forced into total defense. He never gave up, looking for an opening again and again, but his fists could not reach. The people of Kuoh tried to join the fight, but they were held back by the executives and combatants. The minor skirmishes in Kuoh had all been to draw out the town's strongest fighters. Having gathered that data, the organization had set a perimeter to ensure the magical girl would be crushed in this final battle.
Anyone who stood out in the previous fights was marked, and numerous combatants blocked the path to the Emperor. No one could reach Milky Yellow. Those who lacked the strength would only be a burden, so they could do nothing but watch with clenched, trembling fists.
"Hahaha! How does it feel, Magical Girl? This is our true power! The strength of the organization we built! It seems the power of your bonds ends here!"
Finally, a beam from the Emperor grazed Milky Yellow's leg, knocking him off balance. He fell to one knee, his eyes widening as he realized he couldn't stand. He poured strength into his arms and legs, but the fatigue from the extreme combat had finally caught up to his body.
Move! No matter how much he willed it, his trembling body wouldn't obey. He couldn't end like this. He could still fight. He didn't want to give up... The overflowing frustration and the desire to scream that their bonds were not losing made his soul vibrate. The magical girl could only clench his fists in silence.
Understanding that Milky Yellow had reached his limit, Emperor Vortex paid his respect to his rival and gathered his final blow into his staff. Without a shred of carelessness, he prepared his greatest flow of power. As the staff was slowly lowered toward the magical girl, a black beam was ruthlessly unleashed. Cries of grief echoed across the battlefield.
The black light swallowed Milky Yellow, threatening to erase all hope.
"...Honestly, since when did Kuoh Town become a set for a special effects movie?"
A voice suddenly rang out through the silence and the rising dust. It was the voice of a middle-aged man, sounding somewhat tired. Yet, it came from the very spot where the magical girl had just been consumed. As everyone stared in shock, a gust of wind blew the smoke away to reveal the truth.
Milky Yellow was unharmed. Someone had stood in front of him and blocked the Emperor's black wave. Normally, no one capable of taking a direct hit from the Emperor should have been there. Every known powerhouse in Kuoh had been pinned down. But the man who stood there was someone the Vortex Bunch didn't know.
He hadn't been hidden. Rather, neither the magical girl nor the people of Kuoh had expected him to appear. He had simply happened to return to Japan today and stumbled upon the chaos. But the man who had been entrusted as the guardian and deterrent of this town decided to do his job—all while clutching his stomach, which he had only recently managed to heal.
With light chestnut hair, purple eyes, and wearing a black priest's outfit, he looked exactly as he did six months ago when he left Kuoh for medical treatment. Milky Yellow's eyes welled up with tears of joy. The residents of Kuoh cheered for the man who had finally returned.
"...Who are you?"
"Actually, I'm the one who wants to ask that. I want to know how the town became a nightmare after only six months... but I suppose actions come before questions right now."
The man readied his sword against Emperor Vortex without hesitation. He felt like his stomach would start hurting again if he asked for details, so he focused on the situation at hand.
"To be honest, I have no idea what's going on... but I owe that magical girl a debt I can never repay. To settle that debt even a little, I shall be his shield today."
Strength miraculously returned to Milky Yellow's body. If this man was going to fight beside him, sitting on the ground was out of the question. He slowly stood up, feeling his spirit swell. He could move. He could still fight!
The magical girl stood on the battlefield once more.
"...Can you move?"
"I'm okay now. This time, I'll finish it."
"Understood. Then I shall clear the path."
If Emperor Vortex and Milky Yellow were the spears of destruction, then Final Death Sisa and the newcomer were the shields of protection. The conditions were equal. The fatigue from before vanished, replaced by a surge of vitality in the magical girl's eyes. The atmosphere of the battlefield changed entirely.
"...As a warrior of the Church entrusted with Kuoh Town, I shall strike down the root of this chaos."
In a swirl of chaos, the final battle rose to a crescendo. Two former enemies now fought side by side. What remained was a bond forged from a direct clash of convictions. The final chapter of the battle in Kuoh was about to begin.
Touji Shido joins the battle.
+++
"Don't you dare underestimate me!"
With forty years of experience, Emperor Vortex realized that the current he and the organization had created was starting to flow backward. He knew that if he didn't land a blow powerful enough to whip up a storm, he would lose the momentum for good. He infused his staff with a black aura and fired waves like bullets.
"Do not think you have a monopoly on long-range attacks."
The guardian, Touji Shido, did not flinch. Despite occasionally vomiting blood after receiving letters from his daughter, his health had mostly recovered at the overseas facility. My stomach will probably hurt again soon,he thought, but for now, he focused on the present.
He coated the sword in his right hand with a wave of white light and readied a shimmering white gun in his left. His holy sword, shattered by Masaomi six months ago, was still being repaired. He only had his trusty sword and gun. But he was not afraid. He had survived more battles with these weapons than he had with any holy sword.
He moved without hesitation. He calmly gauged the black bullets and sprinted through them. The white waves painted over the black, the sword cut through the evil, and silver bullets cleared the darkness. The high-speed consecutive strikes were second nature to an exorcist trained in rapid combat. Since most Devils and Vampires were wizard types, he was used to handling long-range attacks.
The techniques he'd honed over years of fighting monsters were coming back to him. Without even looking, he aimed his gun backward and precisely shot down a beam that was approaching from behind. He then intercepted a strike aimed at Milky Yellow by firing a wave of light. Even attacks designed to target both of them simultaneously could not disrupt his sword-dance.
"...Why does a man like you aid a magical girl? Your sword belongs to a warrior of carnage who deals in life and death. A sword of fanaticism, far removed from the ideals of a magical girl. To you, a hero must be a tepid existence."
"That might be true. I admit my sword was polished to take lives. However—"
Touji Shido erased the final strike with a single swing. The shield that had blocked every spear aimed at them gave a fearless smile and pointed the tip of his sword at the Emperor.
"Lately, I've come to think that such 'tepidness' isn't so bad. I've learned that there are things that can only be saved through such kindness."
"I see. Your sword was changed by the magical girl."
"...Yeah, I guess you could say that."
He wanted to say it was actually the words of a boy who was friends with Masaomi, but then he remembered that boy was also a magical girl, so he couldn't deny the Emperor's words. It was incredibly frustrating, but it was a fact that a magical girl had changed his outlook on life. His eyes grew distant. His stomach hurt a little.
"Father, the dog on the boss's shoulder is setting up a barrier."
"I see. Wait, that's a sisa, right? I've only seen photos... so Japanese sisas actually move."
Touji Shido looked at the live sisa with interest. I'll have to tell my daughter that sisas move when I get home,he thought. Since he had traveled the world before coming to Kuoh, his understanding of Japanese common sense was slightly skewed. Truly, he was Irina Shido's father.
"Hmm, it seems to have strong resistance to magic. And with that hardness, it would be tough for you alone."
"I'll do it. But I need to charge my power. So..."
"Understood. Then it's a contest of whose shield is superior."
If Milky Yellow charged his power, Emperor Vortex would surely try to interfere. Touji Shido's role was to guide and protect the magical girl so he could land the finishing blow. He understood that what was needed here was not a sword to take life, but a fist to protect smiles. Both turned their eyes toward their opponent, choosing a direct, frontal breakthrough.
"So you will try to overcome my destruction and the Sisa's shield head-on. ...Interesting!"
"To declare that you will overcome me, the symbol of protection... I accept your challenge!"
Emperor Vortex and the Final Death Sisa stared back at the heroes. If they ran now, they would never recover their momentum. They had to crush them here. This clash would settle everything. They, too, steeled their resolve.
The center of the vortex was set.
"VORTEX DRACONIC ROAR!"
Emperor Vortex thrust his staff into the ground and concentrated all his remaining aura. As he chanted the incantation, a black current erupted from the earth around him, forming several slender necks. At the end of each neck was a black dragon made of water. With the Emperor at the center, the dragons glared at the heroes.
This was the ultimate technique Emperor Vortex had created—the symbol of the evil dragon he had chosen to embody as the leader of the Vortex Bunch. In response to his emotions, the dragons' eyes filled with the spirit of combat, and they opened their massive jaws to swallow the magical girl.
"Honestly, this is the kind of situation where you really want a Dragon Slayer..."
At that moment, Milky Yellow and Touji Shido began their charge. The exorcist leaped to the front, pointing his blade at the dragons blocking their path. One dragon twisted its neck and swung its massive body sideways at Touji. However, the guardian channeled a wave into his sword while running, instinctively found the point where the enemy's aura was thinnest, and cut through the neck in a single stroke.
But even as it was cut, a new water dragon was born, lunging with rage in its eyes. Because it was a large-scale ritual, the Emperor could not move from his spot, but the closer they got to the center, the stronger the dragons became. Touji had to fight off multiple dragons alone while protecting the magical girl.
"As a mentor, I'm happy to see my student grow, but I hate being the one who's always losing!"
Six months ago, under the influence of the berserk Excalibur Nightmare, Touji Shido had faced Masaomi Yae-gaki. Normally, the master who was superior in strength, technique, and experience should not have lost. But the student had overcome the illusions and broken his master's sword for the sake of his dream. It would be a disgrace to his student if he couldn't overcome this much.
It didn't matter if there were multiple enemies. He wouldn't let a single finger touch the person he was protecting. Touji's body became a blur of high-speed movement as he decapitated the dragons one after another. Behind him, Milky Yellow looked only forward, concentrating every ounce of aura and magical power into his fist. He ignored the dragons around him, running straight toward the barrier maintained by the Final Death Sisa. Trusting the shield that protected him, the spear aimed only for what it had to overcome.
The combatants around them stopped their own fights to watch the final exchange. Gradually, everyone began to shout, cheering for their side, sending their souls toward the center of the vortex. The raging torrent of dragons and the sword-dance that cut through everything lasted only tens of seconds, but to everyone watching, it felt like an eternity.
Finally, the climax arrived. Eight dragons closed in on the magical girl simultaneously. They twisted from all directions to ensure at least one jaw would reach its target. Touji Shido narrowed his eyes, judging it impossible to handle all eight heads simultaneously.
"Well, that would be true for a normal swordsman."
But Touji Shido was not just a swordsman; he was a warrior of the Church. He would use any means to win. He had hidden his true hand to deceive the enemy, and by using his final trump card now, he would achieve the maximum effect.
"O Light! By your mysterious power, become the shield that repels all evil!"
Touji Shido drew a cross from his pocket and threw it into the air. As he recited a holy verse, light surged through the cross, instantly forming a barrier that enveloped the two of them. With the preparations complete, the warrior of the Church faced the four dragons coming from the front and cut them down ruthlessly.
The dragons attacking from behind had not expected him to use a spell to buy time. Blocked by the barrier, they gave their enemy the opening he needed. That momentary confusion was their end. Having dealt with half the threat, Touji Shido kicked off the ground and cut down all the remaining dragons in a single continuous motion.
The Guardian of Justice had broken the Spear of Evil.
"MILKY... SPIRAL..."
The Spear of Justice reached the Guardian of Evil. In his fist was the power of bonds—love, courage, and hope. His first fight with the Vortex Bunch had been a lonely struggle. But thanks to the allies in Kuoh Town, he had not been overwhelmed by the organization's strength. Because of Red and Blue, Milky Yellow had become this strong. And because the priest—who taught him that the first impression was everything and he should show his true self—had cleared the path, he had reached this point.
There was no fear, no anxiety. Only the resolve to erase the vortex of conflict. The Guardian, Final Death Sisa, felt a primal sense of danger at the high-energy aura concentrated in Milky Yellow's fist—a power so great it distorted space itself. Even Emperor Vortex was captivated by the brilliance of the power in that fist.
In the shimmer of the blow the magical girl was about to unleash, even the vortex forgot to spin.
"DESTRUCTION!"
The fist shattered the defensive barrier into a thousand pieces, and Milky Yellow's strike reached Emperor Vortex. A blinding light dyed the sky of Kuoh Town.
Thus, the long battle in Kuoh between the Magical Girl and her Merry Friends of Kuoh and the Vortex Bunch came to its conclusion.
***
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