The enormous beam finally disappeared.
Silence.
Leo's body had completely lost its strength.
He was about to fall.
"Leo!"
Lily rushed forward.
She caught him before he hit the ground and immediately lowered herself to the battlefield floor.
She carefully placed Leo's head in her lap.
"Leo…"
She looked at his unconscious face.
"Please…"
Her voice trembled.
"Please wake up."
A short distance away, Chenwei was barely conscious.
His old wounds had opened again, and the new injuries from the beam had left him in terrible condition.
Yuna rushed toward him.
"Chenwei!"
She grabbed him tightly.
His body could barely respond.
Yuna was so exhausted that she almost collapsed on top of him.
"Chenwei… please…"
His eyes slowly opened.
"Yuna…"
"You're alive…"
Yuna hugged him even tighter.
"I thought I lost you…"
Chenwei gave a weak smile.
"I'm still here."
Yuna closed her eyes.
She didn't let go.
On the other side of the battlefield, Kaito Jin was still standing.
But something was wrong.
His body was trembling.
A black aura slowly began circling around him.
It moved around his body like a living shadow.
Kaito looked toward Aoi.
For a moment, his expression softened.
He gently moved her to the side.
Then he created a small barrier around her.
The barrier protected her from the remaining energy on the battlefield.
Kaito placed his hand against it.
A small amount of energy flowed through.
Aoi's condition stabilized slightly.
Kaito then turned away from her.
Behind him, another battle was happening.
Renge Akihana—the Flower Boy—was unconscious.
The medical team was treating him.
They had no idea when he would wake up.
Shion Kisaragi—the Poison Girl—was in the same condition.
She was also unconscious while the medical team continued treating her.
The battlefield had become almost impossible to understand.
Leo was unconscious.
Lily and Yuna were badly injured and could no longer fight.
Chenwei was barely conscious.
The Demon Queen was lying on the ground.
Kaito Jin was standing.
But nobody knew whether the man standing before them was still their friend…
or their enemy.
Then Mei Lian stood up.
She still had a glucose packet in her hand.
One of the support members immediately noticed her.
"Madam, where are you going?"
Mei Lian looked toward Kaito.
"I have to go."
"You can't!"
"You need treatment first!"
Mei Lian opened the glucose packet.
"I know."
She drank it.
Then she picked up her weapon.
"But I can't stay here."
She started walking.
"I have to find out what happened to Kaito."
The scene shifted.
Kaito slowly raised his head.
His dark aura became stronger.
He looked directly at the Demon Queen.
"You…"
The Demon Queen slowly looked up.
Kaito rose into the air.
"You gave me everything…"
His voice was cold.
"And today…"
His eyes became darker.
"…you'll take her away from me."
The Demon Queen stared at him.
Then she laughed.
"Oh my…"
She stood up.
"I thought you were already dead."
She looked at Kaito with amusement.
"So you survived."
"I didn't think you could withstand that attack."
She smiled.
"And now look at you."
Her smile widened.
"A man crazy in love wants to fight the very master who helped him obtain the person he loves."
She laughed again.
"Fine."
She raised her hand.
"Come and fight."
Kaito disappeared.
The Demon Queen jumped.
Kaito jumped as well.
BOOM!
Their fists collided in mid-air.
Kaito immediately followed with another strike.
BOOM!
The Demon Queen was knocked backward.
Kaito appeared beside her.
Another strike.
Then another.
The Demon Queen tried to counter.
Kaito dodged.
He struck her again.
He kicked her upward.
She flew into the air.
Kaito appeared above her.
His hand began glowing with dark energy.
The Demon Queen looked down at him.
"You fool!"
She laughed.
"Even if you kill me…"
Her energy exploded.
"…I'll come back!"
Kaito stared at her.
"I will return to Earth."
"I have possessed other planets before!"
"I'll possess this one too!"
"You and everyone here will pay the price!"
Kaito raised his hand.
"Then disappear."
A gigantic beam erupted from his body.
The Demon Queen was swallowed by it.
Her voice disappeared inside the light.
The beam continued for several seconds.
Then—
Silence.
The light vanished.
There was nothing left.
Not even a fragment of the Demon Queen remained.
Kaito slowly lowered his hand.
He stood there.
Then—
His knees hit the ground.
"No…"
His hands grabbed his head.
"No…"
The black aura around him became even darker.
"Stop!"
Kaito screamed.
"NO!"
He clenched his teeth.
"Get out of my body!"
Inside Kaito's consciousness, darkness filled everything.
Two enormous creatures were fighting.
One was the terrifying Hell of Black Hell Dragon.
The other was Kaito's own Spiritual Beast.
The Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon stared at the Hell of Black Hell Dragon.
"Oh…"
A sinister smile appeared.
"Look who came."
The Hell of Black Hell Dragon roared.
The Black Dragon laughed.
"What did you think?"
"You thought you could possess me?"
"You thought you could possess my master's body?"
The Black Dragon opened its enormous jaws.
"You made one mistake."
It attacked.
The Hell of Black Hell Dragon tried to fight back.
But the Black Dragon swallowed it completely.
The darkness shook.
The Black Dragon emerged from the darkness.
Its power had increased.
Its eyes burned with hatred.
"Now…"
Its voice echoed.
"I'll show the son of the bastard who sealed me thousands of years ago…"
"…how powerful I have become."
Outside, Kaito screamed again.
"STOP!"
His body became darker.
"NO!"
"YOU CAN'T COME OUT!"
He looked down at his own hands.
His body slowly began rising.
His feet left the ground.
He floated slightly in the air.
Then he looked at his hand.
A strange smile appeared on his face.
"This body…"
He laughed.
"The warmth of this body…"
He slowly touched his own skin.
"This warmth…"
Then he made a small cut on his hand.
He looked at the blood.
He touched it with his finger.
He tasted it.
His eyes widened.
"Warm blood…"
He smiled.
"This feeling…"
He looked around.
"The voices…"
His smile became wider.
"The sounds…"
Then—
He began laughing.
"Hahahahaha!"
His laughter echoed across the battlefield.
Leo's eyes suddenly opened.
Lily looked down.
"Leo?"
Leo slowly raised his head.
He heard the laughter.
Then he looked toward Kaito.
His expression changed.
"Lily…"
"Yes?"
"Run."
Lily froze.
"Leo…"
"I told you."
Leo slowly tried to stand.
"Run!"
Lily looked toward Kaito.
Leo stepped toward her.
He gently placed two fingers against Lily's forehead.
"Don't worry."
A golden light surrounded her.
"Leo—"
In an instant—
Lily disappeared.
She was teleported directly to the healing camp.
The medical team immediately caught her.
Back on the battlefield, Leo turned toward Yuna.
He walked toward her.
Chenwei was barely able to stand.
Leo reached him and grabbed him with one hand.
He supported Chenwei's weight as they began walking.
Yuna followed beside them.
Leo looked at her and smiled slightly.
"Hey, Yuna…"
Yuna looked at him.
"Your husband is alive, right?"
Yuna gave a tired smile.
"Yes."
She looked toward Chenwei.
"He's alive."
Leo laughed softly.
"Good."
He looked at Chenwei.
"He promised me he'd survive."
Chenwei weakly raised his head.
"I did?"
Leo smiled.
"Yeah."
Chenwei sighed.
"You make things up even when I'm injured."
Leo laughed.
Then he looked toward Yuna.
"He's alive…"
His smile became weaker.
"But I don't think he'll be waking up anytime soon."
Yuna looked at him.
"So…"
Leo placed his hand against Yuna's forehead.
"…you'll have to handle the new threat."
Yuna's eyes widened.
"Leo—"
A golden light surrounded Yuna and Chenwei.
They disappeared.
A moment later, they appeared inside the healing camp beside Lily.
The medical team immediately rushed toward them.
Now Lily, Yuna, and Chenwei were all inside the healing camp.
The battlefield was left behind.
And Leo remained there.
Alone.
The healing camp became busy again.
The Mask Men slowly began waking up.
One by one.
Raizen Kuro opened his eyes.
Shirogane Rei slowly sat up.
Vega pushed herself off the bed.
Akane Tsukishiro opened her eyes.
Jinro groaned.
Mika slowly looked around.
Raven stood silently.
Darius pushed himself upright.
Noir opened her eyes.
Kurohane slowly removed himself from the medical bed.
They looked toward Mei Lian.
Raizen spoke first.
"Thank you for treating us."
Shirogane Rei nodded.
"When this battle ends, we won't deny our crimes."
Vega looked toward the others.
"We'll face what we've done."
Akane looked toward the battlefield.
"But there's something more important right now."
Jinro nodded.
"Our leader."
Mika clenched her fist.
"We have to save him."
They began moving.
One after another, the Mask Men returned to the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Leo was still standing there.
Only one hand was holding him upright.
He looked toward Kaito.
Kaito was laughing.
"It's been a long time…"
His dark aura moved around him.
"…since I felt the warmth of this body."
He stretched his fingers.
"I won't die."
"I won't be suppressed again."
His eyes became completely dark.
"And today…"
He looked directly at Leo.
"…you will die."
Footsteps echoed.
The Mask Men arrived.
They surrounded Kaito.
Raizen Kuro stood in front.
Shirogane Rei took the left side.
Vega stood to the right.
Akane Tsukishiro stepped forward.
Jinro, Mika, Raven, Darius, Noir, and Kurohane formed the rest of the circle.
Kaito looked around.
He laughed.
"So…"
"You all came to stop me?"
He looked at their injuries.
"Your wounds aren't even completely healed."
"Your Spiritual Energy is still almost gone."
"What makes you think you can defeat me?"
Akane stepped forward.
"Our leader's body…"
She raised her head.
"Stop controlling it."
Kaito smiled.
"You don't know how much pain he endured to build this body."
She pointed toward him.
"Those muscles."
"Those scars."
"Every injury."
"Every mark."
"He earned all of them through his own effort."
Her voice became stronger.
"This body was built for fighting."
"Not for someone like you to possess."
"And not for destroying this world."
She stared directly at Kaito.
"So…"
"Get out."
Kaito smiled.
"Fine."
"You want to fight me?"
His body lowered slightly.
"Then let's see…"
"…how long you can last."
Kaito disappeared.
BOOM!
Raizen Kuro was struck.
One attack.
Shirogane Rei attacked from the side.
BOOM!
One strike.
Vega charged.
BOOM!
One strike.
Jinro swung his weapon.
Kaito moved inside his attack.
BOOM!
One strike.
Mika attacked.
BOOM!
Raven.
BOOM!
Darius.
BOOM!
Noir.
BOOM!
Kurohane.
BOOM!
One after another, the Mask Men fell.
Kaito hadn't even needed both hands.
Finally, only Akane remained.
Kaito walked toward her.
He stopped.
"What did you say?"
Akane slowly raised her head.
Kaito smiled.
"You said…"
"This body was built for fighting."
He laughed.
"If I don't use all this strength…"
"What a waste."
His expression became cruel.
"Isn't it?"
Akane tried to stand.
Kaito struck her.
BOOM!
She fell beside the others.
All of the Mask Men were badly injured.
Leo watched.
His expression became serious.
"How evil…"
He stared at Kaito.
"You've really become evil."
"You didn't even spare your own teammates."
Kaito slowly turned toward him.
Then he smiled.
"Hey…"
"I am not Kaito Jin."
Leo's eyes narrowed.
"And I'm not the Hell of Black Hell Dragon."
Kaito pointed toward himself.
"Did you forget me?"
"You wanted to seal me again."
"Remember?"
His smile widened.
"That scar on your left eye…"
"Doesn't it remind you of anything?"
Leo's expression changed.
Then he remembered.
"The Black Dragon…"
The Black Dragon smiled.
Leo clenched his fist.
"You killed my grandfather."
"Yes."
Leo's aura began rising.
"Good."
"You've taken control of Kaito Jin's body."
He smiled.
"Now watch how I defeat you."
The Black Dragon laughed.
But Leo shook his head.
"Don't misunderstand me."
"You're not really my enemy anymore."
"You're my rival."
The Black Dragon stopped laughing.
Leo looked directly into his black eyes.
"Yes."
"You killed my grandfather."
"But I forgave you a long time ago."
"You were my enemy once."
"Now…"
Leo smiled.
"I see you as my rival."
The Black Dragon stared at him.
"Oh…"
"So that's how you see me?"
"I thought we were enemies."
Leo raised his head.
"Not anymore."
The Black Dragon suddenly screamed.
Kaito's body began transforming.
His muscles tightened.
His bones began shifting.
His body started changing.
Dark dragon scales spread across his skin.
His muscles became larger.
His bones rebuilt themselves into something no longer completely human.
A horn emerged from the center of his forehead.
A long dragon tail grew from behind him.
His eyes slowly became completely black.
The Black Dragon's aura exploded.
"Look at this form."
"Feel the strength of this body."
His voice shook the battlefield.
"Now…"
"You will die."
Leo was still standing.
One hand was holding him upright.
He looked at the transformed Kaito.
Then—
Leo laughed.
"Hahaha…"
The Black Dragon stared at him.
"You think you're the only one with another form?"
The Black Dragon smiled.
"Don't laugh."
"I've already seen your God Form."
"You can't go beyond it."
Leo's smile widened.
His eyes became sharp.
"Who said…"
His aura began rising.
"…I can't go beyond it?"
The battlefield fell silent.
To be continued…
"So, guys… the chapter has ended. The story has ended. But someday, somewhere in a new universe, from another corner of existence… we'll remember it again."