"Mari…"
Vector watched his sister's body fall before his eyes. He ran to her and held her in his arms. The woman was trembling, her skin was burned, but she was still smiling.
"I'm sorry, little brother. I didn't mean to cause you so much pain. This was my fault…"
"No, it wasn't your fault! I'm the one who failed to protect you! I should have done something! I… I failed as a brother."
"No, Vector, you were the best I could ever have. I'm so lucky, the luckiest person in the world…"
As her heartbeat began to fade, Vector hid his face against Mariane's chest, sobbing.
"I couldn't do much for you, Vector, but I'm happy I could hold you one last time…"
Using her last strength, she pulled him close. Her horns began to crack little by little.
"Live, Vector. See the beauty of this world, show everyone how amazing you are…"
With her final words, Mariane's hand fell to the ground. Her eyes closed, her heart stopped. Vector wept quietly against his sister's chest, feeling the forest's darkness swallow him, unaware of the chaos around.
***
At the hotel, Lucy was struggling to enter the last digit of the code.
"1,8,0,1 – 1,8,0,2, damn it!"
She whispered each number. The safe would only allow one more attempt before the alarm went off. She searched frantically, knocking things over. The screams of people in the corridor echoed in her ears as they rushed to escape.
Suddenly, a piece of paper fell into her hand. She opened it and read:
***
"Don't forget, Leydra, the safe code is our daughter's birthday: September 18."
"I know you thought it was Vector's date. But, honestly, he doesn't deserve that. He's responsible for our daughter's death."
***
"No, you bastard…"
Lucy clenched the letter tightly. Even after discovering the password, Roid Sybenkiosk's contempt for his own son filled her with rage.
She entered the code, and the safe opened. Inside were some items: fabric, documents, and a few… receipts?
***
The fabric was stained and torn, as if ripped off to forge false evidence. It was delicate, likely from a woman's clothing.
The documents revealed the family's plan. With the media's attention turned toward Vector, the leaders would gain money and privileges if they spoke publicly against him.
In other papers were scripts of their statements, every word rehearsed like scenes in a movie, every gesture detailed.
One specific document described the origin of the shirt.
"When Vector touched my shoulders to move me aside, I tore the fabric and used certain chemicals to preserve the DNA. Then I rubbed it all over my body, including my chest and my vulva."
Every cruel detail made Lucy feel dizzy. She grabbed a bag and began collecting all the evidence.
But not everything could go perfectly.
Roid Sybenkiosk entered the room. He saw his unconscious wife and the supposed "caretaker" gathering documents.
"You… you killed my wife!"
Furious, his hand released a blast of wind that hurled Lucy into the glass wall, scattering the papers.
Groaning as she got up, Lucy tried to explain.
"I didn't do it! She was already sick! What were you thinking? Trying to kill her too for more power?!"
She showed him the receipts.
"You made thousands off your son's pain, you monster!"
"Watch your tongue!"
He kneed her in the chin, slamming her head against the glass.
He grabbed her by the neck, choking her. Lucy struggled weakly to pry his hand away.
She didn't know how to control her mana well, even after awakening the Mana Liberator. But she tried to channel magic into her hands.
"Damn it!"
Loid felt his hands twist under Lucy's growing strength. She broke free, gasping for air.
"I've never seen anyone use magic to strengthen their own body…"
Lucy, now in a combat stance, replied briefly.
"I'd hate to explain it to someone like you, but I'll show off a little."
She wiped her lips, her muscles tensing, her bones hardening.
"Someone taught me this technique. It's rare in this world. As far as he knows, only he and one other person can use it."
"That man must be special."
Roid glanced one last time at his wife, then turned to Lucy.
"Unfortunately, you won't teach it to anyone else, because you'll die tonight."
With a scream, they charged at each other.
***
In the café, Skyler placed a hand on the waitress's head.
"You're going home early, right?"
Aurora and Ferinish stood up, signaling to Skyler. He understood and took the girl's hand.
"Come with me."
He led her out.
Under the pouring rain, Aurora snapped her fingers, summoning her mecha beside her in an instant. Ferinish rested her sword on her shoulder, staring at the figure emerging in the sky.
NeonyRain no longer shone. The only thing glowing was the terror spreading across the city.
A four-armed figure floated in the sky, its hollow eyes fixed on the two Pillars. Beside it, two colossal demonic hands spiraled down from the heavens, slamming toward them at incredible speed.
They dodged. Ferinish leapt, Aurora flew with the mecha. The genderless figure hurled the scientist away and slammed the warrior into the ground.
Aurora stabilized herself midair and unleashed a wave of vibration. The being absorbed it and sent it back. In a flash, Ferinish sliced the creature in half, but it regenerated instantly and gripped her neck.
In the next second, she was hurled into the lava of Inferius. The impact was so fast she pierced through the molten surface and was thrown back into the city, crashing through a building and destroying it completely.
Her fall was broken by five claws that grabbed her in time. The figure descended in a blink and prepared to strike Ferinish again.
But its body froze under the touch of a cane.
"I'm fast, aren't I?"
Before Ferinish could react, the claws shoved her aside and Skyler's mocking smile was met with a heavy punch from the creature.
Dazed, he was flung away, the creature leaping after him.
His glasses shattered, revealing a blind mechanical eye.
"Damn…"
His mechanical hand propelled him backward, slamming him into the ground.
Aurora appeared ahead, her mecha unleashing a barrage of strikes. From afar, she called for reinforcements, summoning other robots to NeonyRain.
As Ferinish regained consciousness, a massive hand fell over her…
***
The hand lifted, forced upward by Ferinish, who struggled to her feet with pain etched on her face.
Throwing it aside, she grabbed her sword, spun, ignited it in flames, and slashed, cutting through the hand's center.
Rushing through the gaping wound, Ferinish caught her sword midair and sprinted toward the eye, a wild grin spreading across her face.
With a leap, she slashed the eye open. From within, it cried out and fired Renkai Energy back at her.
Her smile vanished as she was thrown away, crashing into a large rock outside the city. (The portal expanded.)
Groaning, Ferinish tried to purge the Renkai Energy from her body but failed. Blood dripped from her mouth and eyes, her chest turning a dark crimson.
With no other choice, she grabbed her blade and impaled herself, forcing the energy out.
Coughing, she clawed at her chest, forcing her skin and flesh to knit back together. It was excruciating.
The mechas swarmed the figure, attacking in unison. Lucy detonated a few in the sky, making the being disintegrate and reform again.
"Damn it, how do you kill this thing?!"
"We need to take that thing out first."
Skyler appeared beside her, pointing his cane toward the massive eye and its arms.
"Looks like Ferinish did a good job to start with."
Aurora stared at the man's true form, stunned.
"I never thought a shopkeeper could be so… unique."
"You'll make me blush."
He smirked, then turned serious again.
"Let's weaken it first."
One mecha lifted Aurora while Skyler clung to it with his mechanical claws, taking flight.
But in the blink of an eye, one giant hand appeared before them to crush them…
A thunderous sound ripped through the sky. A bolt of lightning tore through the wrist of the hand. Smiling, Aurora shouted,
"Faller's here!"
***
Still holding his sister, Vector looked up and saw a handsome man.
"Vector Sybenkiosk, I presume?"
"Faller Noughter?"
He stepped back, still holding his sister.
"Don't you dare…"
"I won't. But I know who you are."
He extended his hand.
"We can't stay here. If you fight, I can give you a chance to reduce your sentence, or I'll put you in prison myself."
Vector couldn't go through that again. Placing Mariane's body down, he swallowed his tears.
"I'll prove I'm innocent. I won't let the efforts of those I love be in vain."
"Impressive."
Faller chuckled.
"I hope you're the good man you claim to be."
***
At the hotel, Lucy and Roid were exhausted. The man dropped to his knees, the woman collapsed, watching the destruction of the city unfold outside.
"Is this how it ends for me?"
A surge of energy exploded through the mansion, shattering the glass, tilting the top of the hotel as it began to collapse.
"No…"
She looked at the evidence and crawled toward the bag, grabbing it, but fell.
Her fall was free, beautiful, and deadly, like plunging into a dark abyss. Her eyes closed, accepting her fate.
"You're safe."
When she opened them, a woman with blue hair and a caped dress was holding her in her arms.
Then she pulled Lucy close to her chest, praying for the souls lost in the mansion.
"I'm sorry. I could only save you."
"Thank you… Miss Victoria Noughter."
***
The mechas gathered into one massive form. Skyler launched himself forward, his claws piercing through the being's body, followed by a giant punch.
But within seconds, all the mechas were thrown back by a roar that shook the entire city.
Skyler felt a sharp pain, like needles in his ears. Aurora couldn't cover hers, her eardrums bursting, blood streaming down her face.
She screamed louder than ever.
The being was seized by the hands, which regenerated, wrapping it in Renkai Energy to strengthen it further…
A bite stopped it.
Appearing in the middle of the city, followed by countless Renkai Creatures, a massive fox burst through the portal, roaring a command that made every demon freeze.
Ferinish, staggering toward the city, looked up in shock.
"Shaphira…"
And standing upon the fox, raising her father's sword toward the enemy, a woman shouted,
"Forward, soldiers! We will win this war, even if it costs our lives!"
It was Elisa Fainer.
Behind her came an army of soldiers wielding guns, blades, and magic. They crossed the dimension with courage and charged into battle.
"Yes, ma'am!!!"
Their weapons fired, blades cut down demons still uncontrolled, and magic lit up the city once more.
Shaphira's Renkai creatures destroyed the remaining monsters, focusing on the arms. From the wound, the eye grew teeth and screamed, pushing everyone back.
Demons staggered. Humans covered their ears.
Lucy and Vector found each other again, embracing.
"Vector."
"Lucy."
It was like two siblings, not by blood but by bond, reuniting. Faller smiled softly at Victoria.
"Good luck, my dear."
"The same to you."
She smiled back. Lucy broke from Vector's arms, her face serious.
"I'll take the evidence to Skyler's shop. Come with me."
"I will. Thank you."
They ran toward the Renkai Well Used.
But…
The vessel falling from the sky turned its head toward Lucy…
When it hit the ground, it launched itself with impossible speed at her. She saw its hollow eyes before it dragged her to the top of the structure.
"Lucy!"
The impact sent Vector flying. Faller tried to reach her with a thunder jump, but a technological barrier stopped him.
"My God…"
***
Among the machines, the creature pulled its hand from Lucy's chest and tried to strike again, but Skyler appeared behind it and hit it with his cane, blasting it through the barrier.
"Lucy…"
He caught her in his arms. Lucy handed him the bag.
"I did it, Skyler… I got the evidence…"
"I saw. I'm so proud of you."
His hand brushed her face. His broken claws cradled her gently.
"Claws… that's so cool."
She smiled faintly, admiring the engineering.
"Someone told me I'd die tonight. Guess they were right."
Her hand touched her chest, feeling the emptiness. Skyler, unable to cry, stroked her hair, accepting her fate.
"I have knowledge that could destroy worlds, protect myself from any danger, but I have none to protect the people I care about…"
He held her as her strength faded away.
"I… I wish I had known you better, Luciana."
He leaned against the wall beside her body, watching the battle raging across the city.
"Elisa… Shaphira… it's so good to see you again."
His voice weakened.
"I'm so proud of you both. You've become incredible women."
Using his last strength, his mechanical arm falling apart, he reached for the bag, attached it to his workbench, and began writing a message.
"I guess I don't have much choice…"
After everything, he walked into another room, one that had never been used before.
"I wish I could locate them. Maybe I can do that while I eliminate all threats."
The room lit up. It was empty except for a small compartment. Entering it, he pressed a button. Straps wrapped around him, a seat rose from the floor, and from the walls, a small pointed craft formed.
He sighed, picked up a phone, and dialed a number.
"Alice."
***
Alice, in her room calming her child, answered the phone with fear in her voice.
"What's happening?"
"It doesn't matter now. Please, protect yourself with your magic and let me handle the rest."
"What happened?!"
"… Lucy's dead. I have to do something dangerous. Please, I beg you, protect yourself."
The news struck Alice's heart like a blade. She threw the phone against the wall, shattering it. Her child cried again. She held him close, her small belly beginning to glow faintly.
"Please, my love, don't cry… mommy's here."
She began singing a lullaby. From afar, the broken phone still worked, letting Skyler hear her song.
"She has the voice of an angel…"
Breathing heavily, he activated a mechanism. Outside the shop, a metallic tip began forming. The fighters noticed it, confused, but couldn't afford to stop.
The tip aimed at the eye and fired, making it scream in agony. The vessel seemed to feel the same pain.
With incredible speed, the structure opened, targeting the vessel, and launched Skyler's ship, slicing the being in half. It split again, continuing to fight Ferinish and Aurora, who moved in perfect sync.
Skyler pushed forward, spinning across the entire city, then shot upward, piercing through the eye.
Everything shattered before him: buildings, demons, everything dissolved mercilessly.
The speed grew beyond what his mind could grasp.
"I hope this all ends happily…"
"Goodbye, everyone. For now."
A peaceful smile spread on his lips. Everything he wore disintegrated, the dark mark on his chest fading, and the collapsing reality in his mind vanished into…
Pure darkness.
***
The eye unleashed Renkai Energy in all directions like violent lasers. Aurora retreated, Faller and Victoria stood on rooftops, Elisa ordered her troops to fall back, and Shaphira roared for the demons to stop.
Ferinish remained in the center, with no way out. She looked up at the sky, lost.
"Skyler… did you sacrifice yourself?"
She didn't know the answer.
But regardless of her feelings, she had to make a choice.
Lifting her greatsword horizontally, she placed her left hand on the blade. With a surge of courage, she began to wear it down with her own fingers.
Blood poured from her hand, dripping over her. The blade began to change, taking on a more definitive form.
Everyone watched, eyes wide.
"Ferinish is sacrificing her blood for victory," Faller said.
"We can't interfere," Victoria confirmed.
Aurora stayed silent, absorbing the weight of her comrade's act.
The sword was complete. Her left hand destroyed, her eyes veined with strain.
"May my pain become the cure for others."
Time seemed to stop. A burst of fire struck the eye as she swung the blade. The impact unleashed a blinding white light.
The cut tore not only the sky but the moon, maybe even beyond it.
And it also cut through a great lie.
The vessel, the eye, and the arms began to disintegrate. Reality fractured, revealing the true NeonyRain.
The rain ceased. Skyler's mansion vanished, the Renkai Well Used disappeared too.
And a wave of memories flooded everyone's minds.
Alice had killed all the cruel men of the city, including her ex-husband, whom she had kidnapped and murdered herself.
Vector had long escaped prison, seeking evidence on his own, fighting his father, and witnessing his mother's death.
Lucy, in truth, had been the founder of their small group. She sought family and connection and had found the best friends she could ever wish for.
Ferinish had never met Skyler, never danced with him, and had forged her sword through her own hard work.
Aurora had suffered worse injuries than she realized: her hearing, both arms, and both legs. In a forgotten moment, she fought a Destroyer that nearly killed her, saved only by one of her own robots, where her body now remained.
Mary had lost her mother long before these events and had once tried to take her own life. She was in a hospital that, by luck, survived the destruction.
Now, with reality revealed, it was too late for salvation.
She died with a smile. Perhaps the lie had given her a "happier" ending than anyone else.
Ferinish knelt, a dark flame mark spreading across her chest.
In that moment, she had not only reached her limit but had been marked by the gods as a "Sinner."
She looked up at the blue sky, where a crack of Inferius was closing. Every movement burned her from within, sparks flying from her hair. With one final leap, she shattered the ground and entered Inferius.
No one had the strength to stop her. Aurora, within her machine, murmured in a robotic voice,
"Ferinish…"
She flew after her.
***
Far away, a figure sat on a plastic chair, staring at an amulet showing images of Ferinish, Shaphira, and Elisa.
"How did something I created, a dream, manage to reach reality? Well, Skyler, you "Well, Skyler, you really managed to do something impressive."
A figure with long black hair stared at the faint crack that still lingered in Inferius. Somehow, it was as if Skyler had become real and escaped the confines of reality itself.
"I suppose you're dead now. Still, I have to admit, your abilities reached farther than I ever expected. You even managed to touch me."
Both of his eyes were mechanical, glowing faintly as he gazed upon a massive structure pulsing with pure Renkai Energy. Countless portals surrounded it, as if trying to pull something from an unreachable distance.
"But I'm still the master of my craft. To be honest though, I'm tired."
He rested his hands on a small table, one hand human, the other metal.
"The vessel of Satan was defeated thanks to Ferinish and the others. My attempt to manifest through that cursed eye failed. I lost control of it completely."
He sighed, then leaned on a cane similar to Skyler's, though clearly more advanced.
Two figures appeared behind him.
"I knew you two would come."
His tone was calm, touched by something between resignation and nostalgia.
"We have much to discuss, don't we?"