Imperial Palace – Hallway
The thunder of battle had not yet ceased in the Gathering Hall, but in the labyrinthine hallways of the Imperial Palace, the tide had already turned entirely. From the moment Udongein arrived—with Sakuya and Sanae at her flanks—and shortly after joined by Reimu, Marisa, and Youmu clad in their Lunar Armor, the remaining youkai forces had been reduced to little more than scattered resistance.
The corridor shook under the roar of explosions and the sharp crack of spiritual gunfire, but for the first time since the assault began, the noise carried a sense of control rather than panic.
Reimu darted overhead, her Lunar Armor boosters streaming brilliant light as she spun midair with a laugh that bordered on feral delight. The twin ofuda pistols in her hands barked consecrated bullets in all directions, shredding anything unfortunate enough to cross her line of sight.
Below her, Marisa glided confidently on a conjured trail of stardust, her massive rocket launcher braced on her shoulder. With every gleeful cackle, another set of homing missiles swarmed outward like predatory birds, curving elegantly through the air before reducing enemy clusters to smoke and blue fire.
Ahead of them, Youmu and Sakuya carved a path of shimmering silver. Youmu's twin blades flickered like moonlight, cutting down youkai with surgical precision, while Sakuya moved as though time bent itself politely out of her way. Her knives flashed, reflecting the flames of Marisa's explosions, each strike leaving faint afterimages in the air.
What had once been a desperate defensive corridor had transformed into a battlefield dominated by elegant destruction.
The news reporters and cameramen who had been cornered earlier watched with slack jaws. They had braced themselves for death... yet the chaos had become a dazzling display of supernatural power and unyielding heroism.
"Sword Skill—Cherry Blossom Flashing!"
Youmu vanished.
A pink shockwave rolled down the corridor as a storm of ethereal petals burst into existence. The petals danced like drifting snow—beautiful, gentle... and lethally cutting. The petals stretched far past the next turn in the hallway. When they finally fell, dozens of youkai collapsed simultaneously, sliced cleanly before they had realized what hit them.
Youmu reappeared at the distant threshold, sliding Hakurouken back into its sheath as the final petals dissolved into pale light. A single exhale escaped her—steady, disciplined.
Behind her, applause rang out. The reporters had forgotten they were standing in a battlefield.
"That was magnificent, Youmu~." Yuyuko floated gracefully to her retainer's side, patting her head as if she had just finished a household errand rather than a battlefield execution.
"Thank you, Yuyuko-sama." Pride slipped through Youmu's normally calm expression—subtle, but unmistakable.
Above them, Reimu and Sanae covered each other's blind spots with fluid synchronicity. Reimu shot an incoming youkai in the forehead with a flick of her wrist, spinning her pistols once before realigning them.
"You're pretty good with that cannon, Sanae." Reimu fired a burst of ofuda rounds, clearing a path as she dove forward.
Sanae practically sparkled.
"This is EVERYTHING I ever dreamed of! Flying in power armor—shooting lasers—this is literally a Gundam fantasy come true!!" She unleashed a beam from her Cannon Pillar with such zeal that even Reimu chuckled.
Jaffar and Legault who were slicing up youkai at an inhuman speed sweatdropped as they heard Sanae's happiness.
"Looks like someone is enjoying this too much." Legault teased as Jaffar scoffed.
"More like too much fun. But at the very least, it gets the job done." Jaffar said as he sliced the neck of an incoming youkai without looking.
Tina on the other hand was providing support for Yuugi, Suika and Shou. Whenever an enemy is right behind them, Tina fires a shot towards them.
The news outlets that were with them were recording all of this, for the world to see. At the outskirts of Moscow, at one of the reinforced buildings, Sergey who was watching all of the chaos happen sees his daughter, Tina protecting the people important to her.
"You're doing great, my child." Sergey said as he puffed a smoke from his cigar.
Back at the Imperial Palace, behind the front lines, Eirin walked briskly with a tablet-like medical interface, her eyes flicking across holographic graphs of vitals, spiritual wavelengths, and system diagnostics.
"Armor response stable. No irregularities in their lunar synchronization. All weapons showing normal output."
A satisfied smile curved her lips. "Excellent."
Kaguya, gliding beside her, let out a rather dramatic sigh.
"Your project is performing so well, Eirin. Truly impressive."
Eirin didn't look up but the mirth in her voice was clear.
"Kaguya-sama, you sound jealous."
"I am," Kaguya muttered, crossing her arms. "I want one."
Emperor Naruhito, escorted safely amidst the now-cleared hallway, nodded with deep gratitude.
"Your contributions have protected countless lives. Japan is fortunate to have the Lunarians with us."
Eirin, Kaguya, and Toyohime bowed gracefully.
"Your country provided Kaguya-sama a home," Eirin replied. "That alone earns our loyalty."
Before the Emperor could respond, a thunderous shockwave rolled through the hall. Dust drifted from the ceiling. Everyone turned toward the source.
"Outside," Youmu said sharply.
The hall was cleared, and the group moved into the open palace courtyard.
The moment their feet hit open ground, a pulse washed over them—warm, electric.
Yukari lifted a hand. A small gap flickered open beside her.
"My magic is back." The satisfaction in her voice was palpable.
Satori nodded. "That confirms it. The anti-magic field only covers the palace interior. But if we go back inside, we can't use our magic."
But Satono frowned. "Then what caused that noise earlier?"
"Look!" Utsuho pointed upward.
All eyes rose.
All heads snapped upward.
Two figures clashed in the sky—one a shining white draconic silhouette with glowing blue accents, wings spread wide like a celestial being.
The other was a dark-cloaked man with gold eyes and short, sharp dark-violet hair—his aura radiating murderous tension even from a distance.
Rinko's voice cracked in shock. "That's Riku's Balance Breaker! And—is that...?"
Kyoya's reaction came first. He froze, eyes widening before his voice—quiet, almost broken—escaped him.
"Shinichi...?"
Mafuyu tugged on his coat, worried. "Grandfather... who is he?"
Kyoya exhaled heavily, gaze never leaving the projection screen Yukari conjured.
"Nagae Shinichi... He was a Branch Family member. Kind. Faithful. One of the few who treated the Main Family warmly." Kyoya's expression twisted with grief. "Riku looked up to him as a brother... I never imagined he'd end up like this."
"But why would Riku take him into the sky?" Rinko asked, watching the two exchange blows.
Okina answered instead, tone grave.
"Because Nagae Shinichi wields red lightning. The deadliest type. If it strikes you, you burn from the inside out in mere minutes—unless you possess magic to shield yourself."
The implications hit the group hard.
And before they could process the tragedy above them, Yukari's expression sharpened.
"...It appears that we have ourselves some company."
Two silhouettes approached—one floating gracefully, the other gliding with ghostly stillness.
The first wore a flowery robe that drifted as though caught in a wind no one could feel. His golden hair framed a soft but dangerous face, and each step left a trail of luminous chrysanthemum petals.
He is Yue Guan—the Chrysanthemum Douluo.
The second was a wraithlike man dressed in pitch-black robes, a bone-white mask concealing his features. Silver pauldrons glinted on his shoulders, and shadows rippled unnaturally at his feet.
He is Gui Mei—the Ghost Douluo.
Both were Titled Douluo. Both directly served Bibi Dong.
The pressure rolling off them hit like a tidal wave.
Rinko, Eli, Miyu, Rei, Tina, and Mafuyu immediately huddled behind Kyoya, struggling to breathe.
Yuyuko drifted forward, folding her fan elegantly. "Elder Chrysanthemum, Elder Ghost. Japan was not informed of your arrival."
"We aren't here for politics, Mistress of the Netherworld," Gui Mei responded, his voice hollow, warped slightly through the mask. "We act on the Supreme Pontiff's orders. An anomaly must be eliminated."
Yukari stepped forward without flinching as a massive magic circle lit up behind her.
"If you're planning on hunting Riku," she warned, "you'll face all of us first."
But Yue Guan raised a hand calmly.
"We are not here for the White Dragon Douluo." His golden eyes sharpened as he pointed toward the sky projection.
"It's the one he's fighting."
Gui Mei continued coldly, "That creature is neither human nor spirit beast. It is something that should not exist. Therefore..."
His killing intent spiked. "...we will erase it."
The courtyard fell silent.
In the sky—far above them—Riku and Shinichi clashed in bursts of red and blue light, each impact cracking the heavens themselves.
And everyone watching now understood:
This battle would not end without tragedy.
Someone up there would not return.
And Riku...
Riku carried that weight alone.
High above the Imperial Palace, where the sky was split between burning red and blinding bluish-white, Riku and Shinichi clashed again and again like twin comets caught in each other's orbit. Every collision of their lightning sent a deafening shockwave rolling over the palace grounds, rattling windows, shaking the tiled roofs, and forcing even the most seasoned Spirit Masters below to shield their eyes from the sheer radiance of the duel.
Riku kicked backward through the air, boots skidding across invisible platforms of compressed lightning as he forced distance between them. He raised his arm, and a red spell card flared into existence between his fingers, crackling with heat.
"Thunder Sign: Heaven's Sky Mine!"
His voice cut sharply through the sky. The spell activated in a violent burst of red light, sending hundreds—if not thousands—of small lightning orbs scattering in every direction. They darted across the heavens like fireflies on the verge of eruption before winking out of sight entirely. A trap laid in an instant.
Across from him, Shinichi streaked forward, one of the eight black Spirit Rings around him flaring like an eclipse. The ominous glow signaled a Soul Skill—powerful, dangerous, and twisted by the corruption surging through his veins.
Riku read his timing perfectly.
As Shinichi closed in, Riku drove a clean punch into his gut, the impact thundering through the air. Shinichi's body bent violently, his breath ripped from his lungs as he went flying backward.
And then the sky detonated.
One of the "vanished" orbs re-manifested right behind Shinichi and erupted in a vicious burst of red electricity, swallowing him whole. The thunderclap shook the clouds themselves, and Shinichi convulsed as wave after wave of lightning tore through him.
Riku didn't waste a heartbeat.
He materialized the Destroyer in his right hand—its massive barrel humming with contained destruction—while a black spell card spun between the fingers of his left.
"Destroyer: Shooting Star!!"
The spell ignited.
Fifty missiles—each infused with Riku's lightning—launched in a spiraling, star-shaped formation. Their trails tore through the sky as they curved, locked, and homed in with merciless precision.
The barrage hit Shinichi like a meteor storm. Explosions overlapped into a single blinding sunburst that swallowed his silhouette entirely. Sky and sound evaporated for a moment into pure white.
But when the dust thinned... Shinichi was still standing.
Barely.
But standing.
His body shuddered, breath uneven, eyes unfocused. Dark, ink-like veins spread across his skin, crawling up his neck and slowly weaving their way toward his face. Riku's stomach tightened.
He's running out of time. If the corruption reached Shinichi's brain, then his brother—whatever was left of him—would be gone.
"Damn it..." Riku muttered through his helmet, teeth clenched. "I thought weakening him would slow it down."
He sensed something.
A spike of power. A foreign radiance.
And then—
The sky split open as a volley of golden beams rained down from above.
Riku moved reflexively. His wings ignited, and he weaved through the descending light with razor-sharp precision, twisting and pivoting between the blasts. The beams carved burning scars into the air where he had just been.
As the bombardment ceased, someone descended through the fading light.
A young woman, her long blond hair flowing behind her like a comet's tail. Violet eyes sharp, regal, and unyielding. Her presence shifted the entire battlefield, commanding attention by existence alone. And her six angelic wings were in full sight as she shows absolute dominance.
Riku recognized her instantly.
"Renxue... what are you doing here?"
Qian Renxue, the Seraphim Douluo. Rank 97 Titled Douluo. One of Spirit Hall's most gifted prodigies. A young woman whose beauty, power, and reputation could overwhelm most who met her.
But to Riku, she was something different.
Renxue's expression softened slightly. "I am here on Spirit Hall business. I apologize that our reunion has to happen under these circumstances." Then she gave a sincere smile. "And congratulations on becoming a Titled Douluo, Riku."
Despite the battlefield tension, Riku's tone eased. "Thanks. You've become even more beautiful, too."
A flush of pink dusted her cheeks. She turned her eyes away for a moment, unable to hide her reaction.
Their bond was... complicated to say the least.
Their story began two years ago, the week before The International 2019 in Shanghai. All the participating bands had already arrived, with OG visiting Spirit Hall as part of the event arrangements—Spirit Hall was, after all, one of the organizations hosting the tournament to demonstrate its unity with the world.
There, within Spirit Hall's grand training grounds, Renxue and Riku met for the first time.
And promptly fought each other.
At the time, Renxue was a Rank 77 Spirit Saint aiming to prove her qualifications for becoming a future Spirit Hall elder. Riku had just reached Relic Rank. She challenged him out of pride, ambition, and the desire to measure herself against the famed Prodigy of the East.
Riku accepted because it was easier than dealing with her refusing to let it go.
The duel lasted three hours.
Three exhausting, brutal, exhilarating hours that pushed both to their limits. In the end, Riku endured and won—but the real impact was on Renxue. Something in her changed that day. She opened up, softened, and began seeking Riku's company. Even with the Nagae and Ning families' close alliance, she found her own place among them, bonding especially with Ning Rongrong.
Bit by bit, Riku saw her feelings growing.
They both did.
But duty and political position held them at a careful, bittersweet distance. Close, but not crossing that final line.
Below, in the gathering hall, Yue Guan and Gui Mei watched their young mistress appear on the projection screen, both caught off guard.
"Well, this is unexpected," Yue Guan murmured. "The young mistress has joined the battlefield. Old Ghost, did you feel her presence?"
Gui Mei snorted. "No. It appears that she hid both her Spirit Power and her aura without us noticing. But it seems she truly wanted to see the White Dragon Douluo... kukuku..."
Kyoya leaned in as Eli whispered, "Who is she?"
"That is Qian Renxue," Kyoya explained quietly. "Spirit Hall's young mistress. She met Riku two years ago. They've been close friends—and sparring partners—ever since."
Rei tilted her head. "So she's a Spirit Master too?"
"Very much so," Kyoya replied. "And incredibly strong. Their first fight lasted three hours."
Riku's fiancées—aside from Rongrong who was still fighting at the gathering hall—stared at the screen in shock. Three hours of nonstop fighting was unthinkable for them.
Then Miyu pointed at the screen.
"...Is she blushing?"
They all leaned closer.
Renxue was indeed blushing—bashful, softened, and unmistakably flustered.
Tina opened her mouth, "Don't you think that—"
"Yes," Kyoya cut in calmly. "She has feelings for Riku. But their positions in the supernatural world prevent anything further. Even so, they remain close."
The girls exchanged silent looks, each recognizing the truth of Kyoya's words before continuing to watch.
Above the palace, the tension between Riku and Renxue shifted into something more serious. Shinichi still hung suspended, paralyzed by Riku's earlier spell.
Riku spoke first. "Renxue, why did you attack all of a sudden?"
Renxue's expression hardened, the Seraphim Douluo taking precedence over the young woman. "My grandfather saw everything. That... thing you call a brother is something Spirit Masters cannot allow to exist. Under orders from him—and my mother—I am to eliminate that abomination immediately."
Her words cut sharply.
Duty over sentiment.
And Riku respected her for it, even as the reality weighed on him.
"I see..." Riku replied quietly. "Then let me handle this. As the next head of the Nagae, it's my responsibility to deal with potential threats."
Renxue's eyes widened slightly behind her calm mask.
"Even if it means killing your own kin?"
Riku didn't hesitate.
He nodded once.
Renxue knew how deeply Riku valued family. For him to say that... showed the severity of the situation.
She exhaled softly. "Then... I leave this matter to you. This is a Spirit Master threat, yes—but it is also your family, and that must be respected." Her gaze lifted toward Shinichi. The black veins had nearly reached his temples. "Go. He does not have much time."
Riku gave a small, grateful nod.
"Thank you, Renxue. After this... let's have a cup of tea. For old times' sake. And—I'd like to introduce my fiancées to you."
Renxue blinked.
Her composure cracked.
"...I would like that."
She turned away quickly, regathering her calm before descending toward the battle below. Her golden wings unfurled as she flew toward the gathering hall, radiant and unyielding.
Riku remained in the sky, staring at Shinichi's trembling figure.
The veins were almost at his eyes now.
No saving him.
No more time.
"...Looks like I have to do it one way or the other," Riku whispered. "Albion, you ready?"
The ancient dragon's voice resonated within him.
[I am more than ready, partner. Let us give your brother peace.]
Two black Spirit Rings manifested beside Riku, their energy swirling violently. His wings erupted with power, raw lightning surging along their edges.
Riku propelled himself upward.
He grabbed Shinichi's limp form, holding him firmly but gently—one last gesture of the brother he once knew.
Then, with a burst that shattered the clouds, Riku carried him higher and higher, toward the edge of the atmosphere...
Toward the place where a final farewell could be given.
----------
Riku continued to ascend, streaking upward like a lone comet cutting through the thinning blue. Below him, the world shrank—first the Imperial Palace, then the city, then the curve of the Earth itself. His breath steadied, not from calm, but from resolve. What he was about to attempt was either recklessly suicidal... or the only brilliant, merciful choice left to him.
Inside his consciousness, Albion's voice resonated with quiet certainty.
[Partner, I think this is a good distance.]
Riku nodded silently. Only then did he realize he had already broken past the upper atmosphere. There was no wind here, no sound—only the stillness of outer space. Stars flickered around him, distant and cold, while Earth glowed below like a serene blue giant, unaware of the tragedy unfolding just above it.
His grip slipped, and Shinichi drifted away from his hands, floating helplessly in zero gravity. Magic sustained Shinichi's breathing, but movement was gone—paralysis chaining him completely.
Riku, balancing himself with Albion's help, stared at his brother drifting before him. In this silent void, the weight of his decision felt heavier than any battlefield he had ever stood upon.
"Albion," Riku murmured. "Do you think our Spirit Rings can handle a Last Word?"
The white dragon hesitated.
[I don't know, partner. But... if our Spirit Rings were able to serve as a medium for Juggernaut Drive without breaking you, then using a Last Word might be feasible.]
"Might," Riku echoed with a faint, grim exhale.
He drew out a golden spell card with silver linings—the mark of a Last Word, a technique meant only for ultimate resolve. His Destroyer cannon materialized into his hands, its white metallic frame glowing faintly beneath the starlight.
He looked at Shinichi's limp form, the black corruption still pulsing along his limbs.
"The paralysis from earlier should keep you from moving... Shinichi..." His voice broke slightly. "I'm sorry. Truly. I'll take care of Sayori-san for you. Me and grandfather—we'll protect her. I promise."
His wings unfurled fully, scattering particles of white-blue light that drifted like cosmic dust. Energy gathered around him—not from the atmosphere, but from the very fabric of space. His nine Spirit Rings materialized, forming a radiant halo behind him. Four black, five red—all shining with a solemn, sacred glow.
The Destroyer's barrel opened, shifting through several mechanical layers as it began charging. The starlight bent toward it, drawn by the sheer gravitational pull of the power being condensed.
Riku's chest tightened.
One last look... one last chance to turn away.
Instead, something unexpected happened.
Shinichi—paralyzed, breaths shallow, corruption crawling up his neck—smiled.
A soft, gentle smile. A brother's smile. A "thank you" more sincere than any words could carry.
Even with death closing in... Shinichi understood.
And he accepted it.
The sight stabbed through Riku like a blade. Tears brimmed beneath his helmet, the weight of duty and grief colliding all at once. But he was the heir of the Nagae. And there were moments where an heir had to be a judge, not a brother.
No matter how much it tore him apart.
His voice cracked as he whispered, "Shinichi-nii... I love you. Always."
He steadied his aim.
"White Dragon Star Pulse Cannon!"
The cannon ignited.
A colossal beam of bluish-white energy erupted forth—silent in space, yet powerful enough to eclipse the stars behind it. The light swallowed Shinichi instantly. He didn't resist. He didn't even flinch. He welcomed it like a final embrace.
The beam washed over him, and his body began to crumble. First his limbs, then his torso. The black Spirit Rings shuddered violently before collapsing into fragments of darkness that scattered like ash.
When only Shinichi's head remained, he looked at Riku one last time. Even without seeing Riku's real face behind the armor, he smiled again—a soft farewell etched with gratitude and love.
His lips moved.
"Ri... ku..."
And then he shattered into stardust, scattering into the void.
Silence reclaimed the sky.
Riku slowly lowered the Destroyer, canceling the attack. His breathing turned ragged, trembling. He stared at the space where Shinichi had been, where the last piece of his brother had vanished. No trace remained. Not even magic residue. Nothing.
It was over.
Absolutely, irrevocably over.
Inside his consciousness, a voice whispered—from not Albion, but Iku.
[Riku... don't bottle it up. It's okay to cry.]
Another voice, calm and gentle, followed.
[Iku's right, partner. Let it all out.] Albion said.
He clenched his fists. His chest tightened further. His wings flickered.
And then Tenshi's soft, sisterly voice added—
[Go ahead and cry, Riku... It's just us.]
That was all it took.
The dam broke.
Riku's body trembled violently as sobs tore free from him. Tears streamed inside his helmet, hot and blinding. His voice cracked again and again, choked by grief he had tried so hard to suppress. Out here—far from the world, far from expectations, far from the eyes of allies and enemies—he wept like the young man he still was.
He cried for Shinichi.
For the brother who laughed with him.
For the brother who protected him.
For the brother he was forced to destroy.
The weight of the Nagae name crushed him, heavier than any armor he had ever worn.
And within his consciousness, Iku, Tenshi, and Albion remained silent guardians—watching him, not with judgment, but with understanding.
For in this moment, he wasn't the White Dragon Douluo.
He wasn't a champion.
He wasn't an heir.
He was just Riku.
A boy grieving the impossible choice he had been forced to make.
And in the cold stillness of space, his cries echoed only in the hearts of those who shared his soul.
Back in the Imperial Palace's front garden, Yukari's projection screen rose higher and higher—first through the clouds, then past the edge of the atmosphere—until the camera feed finally locked onto the silent black of space. A hush fell across the entire estate. Reporters, nobles, and Celestials alike stared with a kind of collective disbelief: the White Dragon Douluo had flown into space with nothing but his armor and his own magic, as if the heavens were nothing more than another battlefield.
The journalists scrambled for better angles, their cameras trembling as they zoomed in. Every eye watched as Riku hovered in the void, motionless, facing the drifting form of Shinichi. And then they saw him summon something unmistakably devastating.
A gold spell card.
Shining silver linings.
A Last Word.
Yuyuko's fan lowered in front of her face, her expression dimming. "Riku-kun is using his Last Word."
Eli blinked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Last Word?"
Kyoya adjusted his glasses, his tone carrying the weight of a lecturer explaining a taboo. "A Last Word is our strongest spell. Think of it as... the ultimate technique. Its power is so overwhelming that it drains practically all of our magic the moment it's cast."
The reporters scribbled at lightning speed.
Eirin, calm as ever, added, "And if you use it too early, you're done. You can't cast anything else afterward. Not even a basic spell."
Umi swallowed. "So... it's something you only use when there's absolutely no other choice?"
Every Celestial family head nodded in solemn agreement.
Attention snapped back to the screen as the image sharpened. Behind Riku, nine Spirit Rings manifested—four black, five red—forming a radiant corona. Their glow illuminated even the cold emptiness of space.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei lurched forward, both nearly losing their balance.
"Unbelievable..." The Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice trembled with awe. "His Spirit Rings... they outclass even the young mistresses'. And the color—so pure, so refined. They're... beautiful."
Gui Mei snickered darkly, though his usual smugness was absent. "Japan's first Titled Douluo is terrifyingly strong. Anyone foolish enough to challenge the White Dragon Douluo is going to regret it."
Then the cannon opened its barrel, expanding layer by layer like a mechanical flower. The bluish-white charge built rapidly until it was blinding even on the screen. A massive beam erupted, crossing the distance between Riku and Shinichi in an instant.
Rinko stiffened. Eli's breath caught. Miyu covered her mouth. Rei's eyes widened in helpless desperation.
To watch the man they loved—so gentle, so earnest—kill his own blood with his own hands... it tore them apart.
The attack finally ceased, leaving only drifting motes of light where Shinichi had been moments earlier. Riku didn't move. He hung there in space, frozen, staring into the void as though trying to see something that was already gone forever.
And then it happened.
Through Yukari's projection, faint at first, but growing unmistakably clear—they heard him.
They heard Riku sob.
Not a subtle, dignified tear. Not the stoic grief expected of a clan heir.
It was raw.
Painful.
Breaking.
The heir of the Nagae Family was crying his heart out in the emptiness of space, his voice cracking under the unbearable weight of responsibility, guilt, and loss.
A nineteen-year-old forced to kill his own brother.
The sound shattered the garden.
Rinko's legs gave out first. She dropped to her knees, the world around her blurring. Miyu immediately followed, collapsing beside her as she clawed at her chest, trying to breathe through the ache tearing her apart.
Eli and Rei rushed to hold them, but their own composure faltered. Tears spilled freely down their faces as they listened to the grief of the man they loved.
Honoka held Umi and Kotori close, the three of them trembling. Umi wiped her face but the tears continued falling, and Kotori covered her mouth as if trying to keep her own sobs silent.
Reimu raised her eyes toward the sky. She holstered her guns slowly, almost ceremonially, before bowing her head. Marisa removed her baseball cap, pressing it to her chest, her gaze distant and somber.
Sakuya clasped her hands behind her back and closed her eyes. She remained still—not out of coldness, but as a silent tribute. A butler's moment of mourning for a man who had just sacrificed a piece of himself.
Sanae broke completely. She leaned forward, tears streaming relentlessly. "Riku... you idiot... you're not supposed to carry all of this alone..."
Udongein lowered her rifle, adjusting her hood to hide the wetness gathering in her eyes. She stared at the projection as if wishing she could pull Riku back down to Earth, away from that unbearable loneliness.
Youmu's phantom half wrapped around her protectively while Youmu hugged it tightly, trembling. A single tear slipped down her cheek, glistening like a pearl.
Kaguya inhaled slowly, closing her eyes as Riku's sobs continued echoing faintly from the screen. The sound pierced even her ancient heart. Beside her, Eirin placed a steady hand on her shoulder. Kaguya didn't need to say a word—the heaviness in her silence was enough.
Jaffar and Legault just looked down as they closed their eyes in respect.
One by one, heads of the Celestial Families lowered their gazes. Their attendants followed suit. They had all seen battles, wars, even massacres—but this... this was different. This was intimate. Personal. Sacred. A moment too human and too painful to be consumed like spectacle.
Slowly, quietly, the cameramen lowered their equipment. Many turned off their cameras entirely. Not because they were ordered to. Not because anyone told them.
But because they felt it.
This wasn't news.
This wasn't material for broadcast.
This was the grief of a young man who bore the weight of a title, a lineage, and an impossible choice. And showing his pain to the world would be nothing short of cruelty.
In the front row, the reporters stood frozen, their notepads slack in their hands. No one whispered. No one shouted questions. No one dared break the silence.
Riku's cries continued faintly over the projection, wavering and broken. The kind of sound a person made only once in their life—when something inside them shattered.
Rinko clenched her fists on the ground, her tears falling like rain. "Riku... please... it's not your fault..."
Miyu echoed her, her voice nearly lost in her sobs. "You did what you had to... you did what no one else could..."
Eli hugged them both from behind, pressing her forehead to their shoulders, her voice trembling. "Please dear….don't blame yourself for this..."
Rei bit her lip until it almost bled. "He shouldn't have had to choose..."
The garden became a place of mourning—not for Shinichi alone, but for Riku's innocence, for the weight now carved into his soul.
The projection flickered slightly as Riku's sobs began to soften, not from healing, but from exhaustion. Yet even then, no one looked away.
The world had just witnessed the strongest warrior of their generation crumble—and instead of disdain, all they felt was heartbreak.
And respect.
For in the moment Riku cried, he became something far greater than the heir of a legendary clan.
He became human.
Back in the gathering hall of the Imperial Palace, the anti-magic field continued to pulse like a suffocating pressure dome. Despite its invisible weight, Aichi, Byakuren, Kasen, and Yorihime pushed forward with sheer physical mastery, blades and fists striking sparks against the morphs' armored hides. Even with Rongrong's boosts strengthening them and Kuroka guarding the rear with Senjutsu, they all felt the truth clawing at the back of their minds—this couldn't go on forever.
Magic suppression turned the battle into a brutal slugfest. Every swing, every dodge, every breath burned twice as much stamina. And with their enemies still using magic freely through the anti-magic cores in their bodies, the balance was steadily tipping against them.
Ephidel watched the struggle with the smug calm of someone convinced victory was already assured—until his expression twitched.
"Hm... My connection with your grandson is gone, Kouya." His voice carried a faint edge of surprise.
Kouya froze. "Don't tell me—"
"It appears," Ephidel continued, leaning on his staff with a smile that was almost pitying, "that the young Nagae heir truly killed his own kin."
The words hit Kouya like a hammer. His face drained of color. Shinichi had been his trump card, his guarantee, the blade forged through Nergal's power that would cut down everything in their path. And now—gone. The plan he had stitched together for years was falling apart thread by thread.
He didn't get long to grieve. A surge of divinity rolled through the hall, pressure so intense that every morph present flinched. A radiant brilliance illuminated the chamber as a figure descended from above like the sun incarnate.
Clad in white robes lined with gold, six angelic wings unfurled behind her, each feather shimmering with sacred light. Her violet eyes glowed with an overwhelming sense of judgment.
"Renxue!" Rongrong cried out, stunned and relieved.
Renxue waved casually despite her divine aura. "Hey there, Rongrong."
"Why are you here? I thought you were in the middle of a trial!" Rongrong asked, trying to process the sudden appearance.
"I am," Renxue replied as if discussing the weather. "And the trial happens to bring me here. I met Riku on the way down and volunteered to help. Elder Ghost and Elder Chrysanthemum have arrived as well."
Rongrong let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Reinforcements—powerful ones—were finally here.
Renxue then turned her attention to Ephidel and Kouya. When her gaze sharpened, the air itself trembled.
"I am Qian Renxue, Successor of Spirit Hall!" she declared, her voice ringing through the hall like a divine decree. "By the authority of the Grand Elder and the Supreme Pontiff themselves—I shall eliminate you."
Nine Spirit Rings descended around her. Three red. Six black. Their radiance filled the chamber with an oppressive, unchallengeable force.
For Ephidel and Kouya, dread set in instantly. Their anti-magic field was useless now. Against someone who walked with divine power, this entire trap was crumbling apart.
But the worst was still to come.
A thunderous crash roared above them as a spatial shockwave shook the entire hall. A blazing mass shot from the ceiling like a meteorite and smashed into the floor, scattering dust and debris everywhere. When the cloud parted, Riku stood at its center—still clad in his Balance Breaker armor, motionless and ominous.
Aichi's heart tightened. Kasen and Byakuren's expressions shifted to worry rather than relief. If Riku had returned, that meant one brutal truth: Shinichi was dead. Riku had done the very thing that would tear him apart inside.
Kuroka felt something else—an off-note in his movements, an odd tension in his aura. But she stayed silent, waiting. Watching.
Renxue stepped closer. "Riku... are you alright?"
The helmet dissolved, revealing crimson eyes—not Riku's usual blue. The stare that met hers wasn't overwhelmed with grief. It was sharp. Focused.
"Riku ain't here," the figure said bluntly. "So I'm taking over."
Tenshi.
Inside the Dragon Palace within Riku's consciousness, Tenshi sat at the center throne, fully in control.
Aichi's face paled. "Nee-san? Why are you controlling Riku's body?"
"Because Riku broke after he killed Shinichi," Tenshi said, her tone firm yet tinged with sorrow. "Albion is watching over him right now."
Byakuren stepped forward, her voice calm but heavy with concern. "Then why are you here, Tenshi? What do you intend to do?"
Tenshi grinned—far too wide, far too alive for someone speaking through another's body.
"I've been watching everything," she said. "And I noticed one morph that looks just like me. Same frame. Same attributes. Perfectly preserved."
Her finger lifted and pointed directly at a single morph standing near Ephidel and Kouya. That one had not moved from the start. A pristine vessel designed to mimic her perfectly.
Kasen frowned. "Tenshi... what exactly are you planning?"
"Something either absolutely genius," Tenshi said with a spark of excitement, "or catastrophically stupid."
Before anyone could stop her, Riku's wings spread wide under Tenshi's control. She launched forward in a flash of white and blue energy, grabbed the unmoving morph, and slammed it into the center of the hall with a force that cracked the marble floor.
"Nee-san!" Aichi shouted, panic rising. "Stop! What are you doing!?"
Tenshi only laughed—a laugh overflowing with determination and longing.
"Simple, little brother! I'm making a comeback!"
Her aura flared wildly, rippling with soul energy that wasn't entirely her own.
"With this body, and the soul magic Albion taught me," she continued, her voice vibrating through the chamber, "I'm bringing myself back to life!"
She lifted Riku's arm, and the gauntlet shattered at the wrist, revealing a swirling orb of azure light—Tenshi's soul, condensed and stabilized.
"Albion!" Tenshi shouted. "Divide that core!!"
A massive dragon roar echoed, shaking the hall.
[DIVIDE!!!]
Waves of white light surged as the Divine Dividing activated, tearing into the morph's anti-magic core. The core began to split, half its essence siphoned away with each pulse. The morph glowed brighter and brighter, its body vibrating with unstable energy nearing detonation.
Tenshi—still inside Riku's body—held the soul orb close, her voice softening for the first time.
"Iku... I leave Riku to you. I'll miss our time in the Dragon Palace."
Iku's voice answered gently inside the consciousness they shared.
"Don't worry about him. Albion and I will watch over him. Go... live the life you lost."
Tenshi smiled through Riku's lips.
Then she thrust the soul orb into the morph's chest.
A sound like a heartbeat—deep, resonant, ancient—echoed through the hall.
Everything turned blue.
A pillar of deep sapphire light erupted upward, engulfing Tenshi, the morph, and half the chamber in swirling cosmic brilliance. The divine aura of a Celestial, the raw force of the morph's mimicked body, and Tenshi's liberated soul all collided in one overwhelming fusion.
The pressure was so intense that even Renxue braced herself. Ethereal feathers scattered. Byakuren and Kasen shielded Aichi. Yorihime cut down an approaching morph without even turning her head, eyes locked on the impossible resurrection unfolding before them.
Ephidel staggered back, horror dawning. "No... no, this is impossible—she should be dead! Her soul should've scattered long—"
"You underestimate Celestials," Byakuren said coldly. "Especially those who refuse to fade."
The blue light intensified, whipping through the air like a typhoon. The marble floor cracked. The ceiling trembled. The anti-magic field flickered violently, unable to contain the force.
And at the center of it all—Tenshi's voice rang out, fierce, emotional, defiant.
"This is my comeback... my life... my future!I refuse to disappear!"
With a final, explosive surge, the deep blue radiance burst outward, washing over the entire hall like a tidal wave of rebirth.
Everything turned white.
At the palace gardens, Yukari's projection flickered violently as a pillar of pure white light tore into the sky from deep within the Imperial Palace. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and every head snapped toward the sudden radiance.
Yukari's eyes narrowed. Whatever had happened inside, it was massive—far beyond what any of them anticipated.
She turned sharply to the six armored girls beside her. "All of you—return to the gathering hall. Now."
Reimu didn't question a thing. She launched herself into the air instantly, her Lunar Armor gleaming. Marisa followed a heartbeat later, broom roaring with power. Youmu sprinted forward in a burst of speed, Sakuya vanished in a flicker of silver light, Udongein zoomed ahead with rifle in hand, and Sanae soared upward with winds swirling at her back.
The six descended through the corridors, hearts pounding. As they reached the gathering hall, the remnants of the dissipating light scattered like falling stars. The scene before them made all six freeze in mid-stride.
First, standing beside Rongrong was a golden-white figure—blonde hair flowing, violet eyes serene yet radiant. Qian Renxue. Her divine presence filled the hall like sunlight after a storm.
Second, lying unconscious near the center was Riku. His Balance Breaker armor had vanished, replaced once more by his torn OG jersey. Aichi knelt protectively beside him, gripping Riku's limp hand as if grounding him to the world.
And finally... at the center of the hall...
A woman with long, flowing blue hair stood tall. Her dark ruby eyes glimmered with life—true, breathing life. Her presence was unmistakable.
Hinanawi Tenshi.
Alive.
Sakuya's daggers nearly slipped from her hands. Sanae's breath caught. Reimu and Marisa stared wide-eyed, unable to speak.
Tenshi smirked as she flicked her hair back. "Sup! I'm back from the dead, baby!"
Marisa, naturally, recovered first. "How the hell did you pull that off, ze?! Is it from a spell book?! Last I checked, you can't even finish a book without complaining!"
Tenshi shrugged as if her resurrection had been a minor afternoon project. "Patchouli's books are more interesting than you'd think. I picked up some soul magic here and there. Oh—by the way, magic works here again."
Reimu and Marisa immediately felt the difference—the oppressive weight from earlier was gone. Their spiritual pressure and magical flow returned in full.
But the hall itself painted the aftermath of a brutal war. Renxue's Angel Domain had annihilated nearly all remaining morphs. Only two figures remained standing amid the shattered marble tiles:
Ephidel.
And Kouya.
Every surviving member of the Celestial Families turned toward them, expressions hardening. Tenshi rested the Sword of Hisou on her shoulder, eyes narrowing dangerously.
She didn't say a word. She didn't need to.
Before anyone could react, Tenshi strode forward, grabbed the blade from Aichi's hand in a single fluid motion, and sprinted toward Ephidel and Kouya with that familiar ferocity.
Aichi didn't even try to stop her. "She's doing it again..."
Byakuren sighed. "She always was the type to strike first and ask later."
Kasen nodded grimly. "And she's been dead for years. That's a lot of lost patience."
Just as Tenshi was about to reach them, reality split open. A swirling black portal appeared in front of Ephidel. An arrow shot out, forcing Tenshi to halt mid-charge and twist aside.
"Tch—coward," she hissed.
Ephidel had already moved, stepping toward the portal's center. Kouya staggered forward, trying to follow—but Ephidel shoved him back with a cold, dismissive force.
"You—You're betraying me?!" Kouya shouted, his voice cracking.
Ephidel didn't even look remorseful. His expression remained calm, almost bored. "Betrayal? Hardly. You've simply served your purpose. Nothing more."
Kouya froze, horror dawning across his face. "Ephidel—wait—!"
But Ephidel lifted one gloved hand and plunged it straight into Kouya's chest.
Everyone in the hall recoiled in shock.
Kouya convulsed, eyes wide with agony as Ephidel slowly withdrew his hand—clutching a glowing black stone pulsing with malicious energy.
Kouya collapsed instantly, lifeless, hitting the marble floor with a dull thud. And in an instant, his body crumbled and disappeared like dust blown by the wind.
Reimu clenched her fists. Marisa's aura cracked with rage. Even Renxue's expression sharpened into a cold, divine fury.
Ephidel turned the stolen core in his hand as though examining a gemstone. "I will take this as compensation."
Tenshi raised her sword, but the portal expanded between them, sealing Ephidel safely beyond reach.
He looked at the Celestial Families, eyes glinting with mocking amusement. "Now then... I believe this is where I take my leave."
Renxue took a step forward. "Ephidel—"
He smirked. "If you seek me or my master, you know where to find us."
With that, he vanished into the darkness. The portal snapped shut behind him with a thunderous crack.
Silence followed.
The hall was in ruins. Riku lay unconscious. Tenshi stood reborn. Kouya was dead. Ephidel had escaped with something precious—and dangerous.
The battle was over.
But the cost...
The cost lingered heavily in every breath the survivors took.
The front gardens of the Imperial Palace had fallen into an uneasy stillness. After everything that had transpired inside, even the breeze seemed to hesitate as Yukari and the others waited for the Lunarian-equipped girls to return. The moment Reimu, Marisa, Udongein, Youmu, Sakuya, and Sanae stepped into view, an exhale of built-up tension escaped the group.
Yukari was the first to approach. "I take it everything is over?"
Reimu didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked to the nearest bench and sat down heavily—too heavily for someone who had supposedly just won. "Yeah... but I think you might want to wait for the rest to come out."
There was no need to ask what she meant. The grim uncertainty in her voice said everything.
Marisa raised a hand next, pulling at the chest plate of her Lunarian Armor. "By the way, Eirin—do we gotta take these off?" Her tone was casual, but the flicker in her eyes made it clear she wanted the armor gone now that the adrenaline had faded.
"No," Eirin answered with her usual calm. "Just imagine yourself no longer wearing it. The armor will shift into accessory form. In that state, you can summon the full armor whenever necessary."
Marisa blinked. "That easy?" A moment later, her armor dissolved into shimmering particles, leaving her once again in her familiar black-and-white magician outfit. When she tugged off her hat, she noticed the new orange pin with the white star logo fixed neatly onto the ribbon. "Huh... fancy."
The others followed her lead. One by one, the armors dissolved:
Youmu's became a small teal orb with a phantom emblem resting on her ribbon.
Sakuya's transformed into a navy-blue pocket watch cover marked with a clock insignia.
Sanae's settled as a vivid green orb with a wind-fan emblem on her frog hairclip.
Udongein's turned into a violet pin shaped like a carrot on her coat pocket.
And Reimu's armor crystallized into a red pin with a yin-yang emblem, attached to the ribbon at her chest.
Just as they finished, the doors of the palace opened once again. Kasen, Byakuren, and Yorihime emerged first, their expressions weary but steady. Rongrong and Renxue walked behind them, both visibly tense. The gravity in their steps said far more than anyone wanted to hear.
"Tell me what happened inside," Emperor Naruhito asked, directing his gaze toward Kasen and Byakuren. Though his voice remained even, the fatigue behind it betrayed the long hours of fear, strain, and political pressure he had endured today.
Kasen momentarily met Byakuren's eyes before the nun stepped forward with a respectful bow. "Your Majesty... it would be better if this discussion is held in private."
"Very well. We'll speak tonight." The emperor inhaled slowly. "Where are Riku and Aichi?"
Kasen answered by briefly turning toward the palace entrance.
A moment later, Aichi emerged—carrying an unconscious Riku on his back. Kuroka followed closely, her ears flat, her tail dragging low with worry.
The reaction was instant.
Rinko, Eli, Miyu, and Rei rushed forward. Honoka, Umi, and Kotori followed, grouping around Aichi from the other side.
Eli reached out first, fear tightening her voice. "Aichi, what happened to him?"
Aichi adjusted his grip on Riku, his expression shadowed. "When he made it back... it was nee-san who took control. Riku broke down. Iku and Albion are taking care of him now."
Rinko's knees weakened. "N-No way..."
"Will Riku-san be okay?" Miyu whispered, her hands trembling against her skirt.
Kuroka gently stroked Riku's head. "I don't know yet, nya. Mental scars hit deeper than any wound."
Rei swallowed hard. "Did something else happen inside?"
Aichi hesitated—his eyes flicked toward the doorway again. Clearly, words would not be enough.
Umi stepped closer, her worry for Aichi bleeding through her otherwise composed demeanor. "Aichi... what aren't you telling us?"
Aichi exhaled, lifted his chin, and called out, "You can come out now!"
Every head turned.
Footsteps echoed from the palace corridor—light, confident, almost arrogant. And when the figure finally appeared, a wave of disbelief rippled through the gathered Celestial heads.
Blue hair.
Ruby eyes.
That infamous grin.
Hinanawi Tenshi stepped into the sunlight like someone returning from a vacation rather than death.
"Sup, bitches!" Tenshi declared proudly, hands on her hips.
The scene froze. Even birds overhead seemed to stop mid-air.
Satori's voice broke the silence. "I-Impossible... how did—"
Byakuren calmly stepped forward to explain. "There was a morph that perfectly matched Tenshi's physical attributes. Using one of Riku's Balance Breaker gems, combined with her knowledge of Soul Magic... and Riku's Sacred Gear, Tenshi transferred her soul into that morph. Then, she purified the remaining corruption."
It was a perfectly rational explanation delivered in a perfectly calm tone. And yet everyone stared at Tenshi as if she had personally rewritten the laws of existence.
Okina's voice cut through next. "Are there any side effects?"
Kasen shook her head but remained thoughtful. "Unknown. But with the Sacred Gear assisting the transfer, Tenshi removed the morph's dark influence. Regardless... she will still need tests."
Eirin raised a finger. "Which means I will require blood samples."
Tenshi took three steps back instantly. "H-Hold up—let's calm down! We can talk this out! I just got resurrected and you already want needles?!"
Her bravado crumbled into pure fear, drawing a few tired chuckles from the group. Even in chaos, Tenshi was consistent.
"We've had enough for one day," Emperor Naruhito finally declared, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "We will continue next week. For now, rest. Heal. Especially Riku—he has carried far too much alone."
No one disagreed. They were exhausted—physically, mentally, spiritually.
"As for the media," the emperor continued, turning toward the journalists stationed behind the garden gates, "the next gathering will be closed to public broadcast. Only accredited journalists may attend. I expect your full cooperation."
The reporters nodded immediately. The message was clear: today's events had consequences far beyond headlines.
The Chrysanthemum Douluo stepped forward next, his gaze lingering on Riku's unconscious form. "The target has been eliminated. We will take our leave."
Renxue took a breath as if preparing to join them. "Then I will—"
"Hold on, young mistress." The Ghost Douluo interrupted with a skeletal hand raised. "There has been a change of plans. An order arrived from the Grand Elder. You are to remain here. As Spirit Hall's ambassador."
Renxue froze. "I'm... staying here?"
The realization hit her all at once. Her grandfather was giving her an opportunity—no, a push—to stay close to Riku. Her cheeks flushed crimson, confirming that she understood exactly what he intended.
The two elder Douluo chuckled knowingly.
"Ufufufu~ The Grand Elder moves with purpose," Chrysanthemum Douluo teased.
"Can we go home now?" Ghost Douluo dramatically groaned. "The sunlight is murdering me."
The two departed, leaving Renxue blinking in stunned silence until Rongrong's gentle hand rested on her shoulder.
"If you want," Rongrong offered warmly, "you can stay at the Nagae Estate. I'm sure Riku will welcome your company."
Renxue regained her composure and nodded. "Thank you. I'll accept."
Tenshi had already rejoined Rinko and the others, reveling in the chaos her return caused. Reimu and Marisa took the chance to slip away, exhausted from both the battle and Tenshi's presence. Sakuya left shortly afterward, needing to report everything to Remilia. Sanae excused herself as well, mumbling about dinner preparations for Suwako and Kanako.
One by one, the family heads departed—until only Okina, Byakuren, Yukari, and Yuyuko remained.
Kyoya, meanwhile, found himself surrounded by media, bombarded with questions regarding Riku's condition. The Nagae patriarch raised a hand, silencing them.
"No statements for now. My grandson needs rest."
It wasn't just a dismissal—it was a warning.
They had all seen the heir of the Nagae Clan unconscious and vulnerable. They knew what he carried on his shoulders. But they also knew he would rise again; this was not his end.
There were people waiting for him.
People ready to support him.
People he could lean on instead of fighting alone.
And beyond that—people who believed in the future he was trying to protect.
As the sun lowered over the Imperial Palace, the weight of the moment settled over all of them. August 1, 2021 had dawned like any other day...
...but it ended with the world forever changed.
To be continued...