Shunji was exploring the area outside the house where everyone seemed trapped, it didn't feel like there were any traps around, but he didn't dare move carelessly. Things had happened so suddenly, and he didn't even have time to prepare, nor could he warn Akari, although he really didn't want to involve her. It almost seemed unreal that he was able to find them so quickly; it was almost certain that Naoki had done it on purpose.
However, Shunji knew that he didn't have much time, quickly decided to enter. He tried to hide his presence while searching for Takeshi and the others. Even though a trap in the corridors caused him to be detected, Shunji swore under his breath.
"You arrived earlier than expected." Naoki, who had appeared, said.
Shunji didn't even answer and tried to hit him. Naoki nimbly dodged and began to lure him to a specific place. Shunji knew it was a trap, so he tried to get away, but at that moment, Naoki yelled at him before disappearing into the hallways.
"You'd better follow me obediently, or your friend is going to die!" Shunji clenched his teeth and followed him.
When he arrived, he saw Takeshi badly wounded in the middle of an array that was absorbing his demonic power.
Naoki walked over and stood beside Takeshi, laughing as he watched him suffer.
"Now what are you going to do? Are you going to let me absorb his demonic power until he's drained dry, or are you going to give me yours?" Shunji clenched his fists. He sighed as he apologized to Akari in his heart. He knew that as long as he had Akari's protection, he wouldn't die, but if he left Takeshi in those conditions, Takeshi would die.
Just as Shunji was about to take a step forward, an arrow suddenly appeared aimed at Naoki. He quickly dodged it, but it managed to wound his abdomen. Naoki covered the bleeding wound and shouted furiously.
"Damn it, why is that bitch here?"
Although he had deliberately let Shunji follow him, he had made sure to eliminate all traces so that that damned human couldn't track them. He had also set up a barrier and traps around the area to contain her in case of failure. As far as he remembered, although she was very skilled in combat and in wielding spiritual power, her spiritual power was limited and easily depleted. She didn't have enough strength to break through his defenses so quickly.
Outside the barrier, Akari wiped the blood from her lips. Releasing the first layer of the seal was an impulsive decision but she didn't regret it. Even though her power had increased, she was straining herself too much, using all her strength to break through the defenses, but she had no time to hesitate. She raised her sword and finally shattered the barrier protecting the house.
She opened the door and saw Naoki wounded. Also Shunji was healing Takeshi's injuries. Akari observed the array on the floor and guessed Naoki's plan: it was all or nothing. Now, with her heightened perception, she could sense it. Beneath the energy absorption array, there was a deadly formation. If he couldn't fill it with energy, he planned to activate it to kill everyone inside.
Akari lunged at him without hesitation. Naoki was weak and afraid of her attack, so he did everything he could to avoid her, throwing poisoned hidden weapons at her. Akari did her best to minimize the damage, but still received several wounds.
"Akari, stop it!" Shunji yelled at her, but Akari ignored him. When he tried to intervene, Akari held him in place with her spiritual energy.
Akari didn't back down and pressed Naoki until a moment of carelessness—seeing that she didn't care about getting covered in blood—Akari managed to cut off his left arm. Naoki stepped back, and Akari did too, spitting blood. Shunji freed himself from his bonds and approached her.
"What do you think you're doing?! Look at the state you're in! Why don't you stop?! Do you want to die?!" Akari saw the hurt look on his face and didn't answer; it was true that she had let herself be carried away by anger, but she hadn't completely lost her reason. There was a slightly crazy but effective reason why she had decided to fight without worrying about getting hurt.
Naoki was stunned by the loss of his arm, and as he felt his strength leaving him, he began to laugh and shout like a madman.
"Hahaha! Since I can't win, then everyone comes with me to hell!" Naoki activated the killer array. The place was about to explode until Akari completed the seal drawn with her blood on the ground, injecting her spiritual power into it. The seal activated, stopping the explosion.
"What's happening?" Naoki murmured, and Akari sighed in relief. Her current power wasn't enough to stop an explosion of such magnitude, but with the help of her blood imbued with spiritual power spread throughout the array, she had weakened it enough to stop it.
Akari got up with Shunji's help and approached Naoki, saying.
"It's your loss. I'd like to make you suffer more before you die, but for trash like you, it's better to die right away." Naoki chuckled.
"No, I haven't lost yet." Naoki's severed arm suddenly transformed into a blade and hurtled toward her at incredible speed. Akari tried to dodge, but just as she thought it was going to stab her, it changed direction toward Shunji.
"No!" Akari tried to create a shield, but she was too slow; she could only watch in despair as the blade struck Shunji's chest.
Just as Akari was filled with terror, a light activated from within Shunji, protecting him and directing an arrow of light toward Naoki, piercing his neck and completely severing his soul thread, killing him instantly.
Everything happened so fast that no one could react. Naoki still had a malicious smile on his face when he started turning to dust. Then he realized he was dying and was filled with fear, saying.
"No...I don't want to die..." Those were his last words before turning to dust. Shunji watched him closely until he disappeared, then looked at Akari, who still didn't seem to have reacted.
"Akari." Shunji said. Akari didn't answer; her thoughts were a mess. She clearly recognized that power; there was no way she wouldn't—it was hers. But how could Shunji possibly possess it? Only someone who wasn't even in this era had that power.
How was it possible that he appeared in Shunji? Akari didn't understand.
"Akari, listen to me. The reason I was so confident that nothing would happen to me, no matter what I did, was because a long time ago, a very special person gave me a protection spell—The most powerful in the world. That person was my friend, who used to visit me often and bring me food. She always told me about her adventures and friends. However, one day she said goodbye and said she couldn't come back. I felt very sad because I wouldn't have anyone to visit me and talk to me about the world, so I fell into a deep sleep that lasted many years. I didn't even wake up when I needed to gather energy; my body did it on its own. Eventually, food stopped coming, so I had to gather energy on my own, and I didn't even realize how much time had passed. However, about forty years ago, I finally broke out of my shell and was born." Shunji sighed nervously and asked.
"Akari, do you believe me?" Akari was stunned; her brain was trying to process the large amount of information she was receiving. So, despite having many questions, all she could say was, stupidly.
"Little Black..." Shunji burst out laughing and said.
"I haven't heard that name in a long time. Although I prefer you call me Shunji."
Upon hearing Shunji say that, Akari couldn't help but have her eyes filled with tears, bursting into sobs. Seeing her cry, Shunji suddenly panicked.
"I'm sorry... It's all my fault. Don't cry." Shunji said incoherently in an attempt to comfort her.
Seeing that she couldn't calm down, Shunji stopped talking nonsense and hugged her. Akari hit him several times on the chest, indicating that he should let go, but he wouldn't let her go. Finally, Akari stopped trying to break free, but she said.
"You are an idiot, idiot, idiot...It's all your fault." Shunji nodded.
"Yes, it's all my fault." Akari felt even sadder when she saw that he simply accepted her scolding without a word, and finally returned the hug, sobbing uncontrollably. She was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions: surprise, joy, anger, and sadness. She couldn't release them in any other way than by crying.
Akari didn't know how long she cried; when she stopped, she already felt dizzy. Shunji saw that she had calmed down a little and asked her cautiously.
"Do you feel better?" Akari didn't answer; now she felt a little embarrassed by her loss of composure.
"Be quiet..." Shunji remained silent until he heard Takeshi shout from outside.
"Brother, I've found them all. We're on our way back. Are you coming?" Shunji heard the movement outside and looked at Akari, saying.
"Shall we go back?" Akari nodded, but she said.
"Turn around and don't look at me, or I'll hit you." Shunji unconsciously obeyed, Akari jumped onto his back, and Shunji quickly caught her.
"Let's go." Akari said.
Shunji went outside and joined the others. They all looked somewhat injured and disheveled, but in good spirits, especially Takeshi. While everyone else walked ahead, Shunji stayed behind, walking at the back of the group with Akari, who hadn't spoken to him. A little uneasy, he asked her.
"Are you angry with me?" A few moments later, Akari said.
"No, I'm not." Shunji sighed in relief. With this in mind, he decided to be bolder.
"So if that's the case, what do you think about going out with me?" Akari slightly tightened her arms around his neck and replied.
"Okay." Shunji was so surprised that he froze in place; he had only said it to test her mood, and he hadn't expected a positive response.
He thought it was a hallucination, so he asked again.
"Seriously? Did you agree to go out with me?" Akari nodded and said.
"Mmm..." Shunji smiled stupidly.
He continued walking, feeling that today was the best day of his life.