Chapter 116
"Januza-sama!"
Sakura, the Witch of Andor, screamed telepathically through the chaos, her voice cutting through Renji's mind like a dagger.
Renji's eyes snapped open. In an instant, he teleported to her side, leaving the rubble and destruction behind in a golden afterimage. Sakura was kneeling beside Choji's lifeless body, hands glowing with faint magical energy, her lips whispering incantations in an ancient tongue.
She looked up and froze, her violet eyes wide as she recognized him.
" Januza-sama!" she whispered in awe.
Renji knelt beside her, voice calm but heavy with urgency.
"Sakura… please… can you bring him back?"
Sakura paused, her hands hovering over Choji's chest.
"Januza-sama…" she began softly, hesitating.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out, straining through the storm.
"Ooooi… Renji!"
Renji's head turned. Hiroto was running toward him, boots splashing through the rain-soaked streets.
Renji blinked. "Ehh… Hiroto?"
Hiroto skidded to a halt just short of him, panting, face shadowed by doubt and anger.
"Ooooi… Who… who really are you?" Hiroto yelled, voice cracking. "Januza… or Renji?"
Renji rose to his full height, golden aura rippling over his white hair.
"Let me explain," he said calmly.
Hiroto's voice exploded. "Explain?! You've been lying about your identity! You fooled us, me, and the entire country with your scam… your sorcery!"
Takeda and Dracan, just behind Hiroto, exchanged worried glances. Takeda stepped forward, placing a steady hand on Hiroto's shoulder.
"Ooooi… calm down, Hiroto," Takeda said gently.
Hiroto ripped Takeda's hand away sharply, spinning on him with fury.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Hiroto shouted. "Look around you! Dead bodies, hundreds of them! Families, friends, neighbors… and your precious student...he lied about his identity to keep his secret!" If he was always januza from the beginning why lie that he is Renji I'm pretty sure you faked the story about your parents death.
Renji's voice cut through the storm like a blade.
"SHUT UP!!"
Hiroto froze mid-breath, staring at him.
"You're telling me to shut up?!" ..Hiroto spat, fury igniting in his eyes. He grinned, teeth flashing in the dim light of the storm, and launched a thunderous punch at Renji. The force sent Renji sliding back across the wet asphalt.
"Januza-sama!" Sakura screamed, as her aura flared violently, energy sparking around her like storm lightning. Pure murderous intent radiated from her, making the hairs on hiroto and the others' arms stand on end.
"Ooooi… how dare you!" she shouted through the storm.
Takeda's eyes widened as he felt the sheer pressure of her presence. She's stronger than the Pillars… even stronger than me…..
Renji cut through the tension, voice steady.
"Enough, Sakura!"
Sakura's aura dimmed, the murderous energy dissipating under his calm command. She nodded, understanding.
Renji began walking slowly, each step echoing in the rain-soaked ruin.
Step.
Step.
Step.
"Sorcery? Scam?" Renji's voice was soft, almost mocking.
Then, with a speed that Hiroto couldn't even track, Renji closed the distance in an instant and delivered a brutal punch to Hiroto's stomach.
Hiroto's eyes widened. He spat blood, flying backward, landing heavily on the wet street with a painful cough.
"Renji…" Takeda's eyes widened in shock. He lunged forward to attack, aiming at Renji's face, but Renji caught his hand mid-swing. In one swift motion, he dragged Takeda toward him and slammed a punch into his torso, sending him crashing into a burning car.
Tears streaked down Renji's cheeks as he spoke, voice trembling with restrained rage.
"Don't you dare talk about my parents and this people? don't flatter yourself! You blame me for their deaths?"
He bent down to hover over Hiroto, who struggled to push himself up from the ground.
"Blame your own weakness," Renji said coldly.
Hiroto's eyes widened, blood dripping from his lips. "You…!" he coughed, staggering under Renji's presence.
Renji's voice grew sharper, more cutting, as he continued:
"You are weak! Even after a thousand years, you humans remain weak… helpless pathetic! Always blaming someone else for your failures and misfortunes. Your weakness caused these people's deaths! And my weakness… caused Choji's death."
Takeda crawled from the burning car, a grin on his bloodied face. "Renji… calm down."
But Renji wasn't listening. He reached down, dragging Hiroto by the collar.
"You say they had family, friends, neighbors?" Renji shouted, his golden aura flaring brighter, illuminating the ruined city. "LOOK AT ME!!"
Tears streaked his face. His voice broke, filled with grief, fury, and love.
"CHOJIII was my family! And you dare blame me… of sorcery?!"
Dracan fell to his knees, hands pressed to the ground.
"Renji-sama… please… let him go… this isn't you, my king… don't let despair cloud your judgment…"
Renji's eyes softened for a moment as he glanced at Dracan, taking his words to heart.
Sakura spoke sharply, pointing at Choji's lifeless body.
"Enough, Januza-sama! Look at the boy! There's no time!"
Renji released Hiroto, who collapsed to the ground coughing violently.
He turned to Sakura, voice firm but pleading.
"Can you… bring him back?"
Sakura paused, looking down at Choji. Then she nodded.
"Yes… but there's something wrong."
Takeda's eyes widened, stepping closer. "You can really bring back the dead? Who… who are you?"
A soft smile crossed her face.
Even the humans of this era still doesn't know Ancient history... I'm the bridge between the gods and Humans ."I'm the Witch of Andor…forgive my king for he speaks the truth I reincarnated Januza-sama one thousand years into the future," for a purpose she said "I bounded my soul into the Rings of Creation, and only Januza-sama knows how to break the seal.
Don't get the wrong idea he had no idea who he was. His power was meant to awaken only if he fell into despair, and his memories awaken only if his brother awakened. Don't worry, at his current level, he's not stronger than me. To surpass me, he would need four of his eye patterns… which he cannot obtain unless he falls into despair repeatedly, again and again."
Hiroto clenched his teeth.
She continued, her violet eyes glinting in the storm.
"Januza-sama was born into a normal family… because I deemed it so."
Renji's patience returned. "Enough, Sakura. Can you bring him back?"
She nodded. "Yes… I'm guessing that's why you broke the seal to resurrect your friend."
Hiroto struggled to his feet. "So… you really can resurrect him?"
"Yes," she said, voice firm. "But I can only resurrect someone who died immediately or has been dead for no longer than five minutes."
Takeda's face fell. "Then we can't bring him back…"
"I didn't say we can't bring him back," Sakura replied, eyes narrowing. "But there's something wrong. Although he's been dead for more than five minutes, his soul was corrupted before he died. That corruption has sent his soul into the Authodox Plane. If we bring him back, there's a slight chance he'll reawaken with the power of corruption inside him. But the possibility is very high that he will."
Renji's fists clenched. "Shit… this is bad."
Hiroto's voice trembled. "Ehh… what is the Authodox Plane?"
Dracan's voice was calm but grave. "It's a void. A plane that keeps lost souls… dead monsters… gods… and beasts alike… preventing them from returning or reincarnating."
Renji's jaw tightened. He stared at Choji's lifeless form, golden aura shimmering around him as he prepared for what must be done.Takeda blinked, stunned by Sakura's earlier words.
"Reincarnating…??" he asked, confusion tightening his voice.
"Yes!!" Sakura replied sharply, brushing her purple hair aside. "When gods die, they are able to reincarnate again and again. But it's not possible anymore, because their souls are dragged into the Authodox Plane to prevent them from returning. Only the Mother of Creation can bring them back…"
Her gaze shifted toward Renji.
"Or… if Januza and Azerin join together, they can drag their soul out."
The air fell silent. Even Takeda had no words.
Meanwhile, Back at the Bureau
The command center was in chaos. Dozens of monitors flickered with live footage of the destroyed city, the battle, and most shocking of all Renji's transformation. Every officer stared wide-eyed, speechless.
Lily, Arisa, and Wang Chi stood shoulder to shoulder, eyes locked on the screen where Renji punched Hiroto across the street.
Wang Chi's jaw tightened. His teeth ground together in anger.
Then he shouted:
"I want every possible man, hunter, soldier, and Bureau officer deployed to that area. Bring me Renji Kurogane. GO! Spread the order!"
Arisa's eyes widened. "Wait—wait! Don't do that!"
Wang Chi slowly turned toward Lily.
"Take the sister too."
Lily froze. Fear crept up her spine, cold as death.
"Huh?! Are you kidding me?!" Arisa stepped in front of Lily, aura igniting around her like a brilliant storm. "You touch her and—"
The officers marched closer, hands ready to seize Lily by force.
Arisa's eyes glowed dangerously as she released her full aura.
"Come if you dare."
The officers staggered backward instantly. Her killing intent was suffocating.
"Stay behind me, Lily," Arisa ordered without looking back.
Then she glared at the soldiers.
"Come. I'll kill every last one of you."
Wang Chi raised a hand sharply.
"Enough! All units — go bring me Renji Kurogane!"
The soldiers stopped closing in on the girls… but their orders were absolute.
Back at the City Ruins
"Bring him back," Renji said firmly, voice trembling with emotion.
"Wait, Renji," Takeda replied urgently. "There's a chance he'll wake up like that monster we just fought!"
"And there's a chance he won't," Renji fired back instantly. "Please, Sakura… save him. Please. If there's a chance—any chance—save him. I can't lose another family."
Sakura's expression softened.
"And if he becomes corrupt?" she asked quietly.
Renji clenched his fists.
"Then… I will end it myself."
Hiroto raised a trembling hand. "B-But… how will you resurrect him? How is that possible? You said no one can escape or reincarnate if they're in the Authodox Plane!"
"True," Sakura answered. "But they don't call me the Witch of Andor for nothing."
A small, confident smile touched her lips.
"I have a connection to the Authodox Plane itself."
Why do you I'm the bridge between gods and Humans?
Then she turned to Renji, her starlit eyes brightening.
"Januza-sama… it's your call."
Takeda shook his head, turning toward Renji with desperation.
"Renji… think this through. It's not worth the risk. If he wakes up like that monster please, Renji."
Renji lowered his gaze. Silence fell.
His fists trembled. His shoulders shook.
Then he gritted his teeth.
"Takeda-sama… when I was weak, when I had no family… when everyone ridiculed me… he was the one who gave me hope."
Renji's voice cracked.
"He became my brother. Tch… he gave me a family. He's not just my best friend… he is my brother. And if there's a chance to save him, then I will take that chance."
Takeda's stern face shifted into a small smile.
"It doesn't matter who you are… Renji or Januza… you never change."
He stepped back.
"Alright. It's your call."
Renji inhaled deeply.
"Do it, Sakura."
Sakura smiled gently.
"Alright. Move back."
She stepped forward, drawing in a long breath.
Then she opened her eyes
Her starlike pattern blazed alive, swirling with cosmic brilliance.
She lifted her hands, and magic flowed like a living river through her fingers.
"Heed me…" she whispered.
A massive purple magic circle formed beneath Choji's corpse, glowing brighter and brighter with each arcane symbol that lit up.
Her voice echoed with divine resonance:
"O flame that dies yet rises anew,
Follow my voice beyond the veiled night.
Let the lost soul answer my call,
Return, reborn, to the vessel of life."
"ARISE!!!"
The circle exploded with radiant light, shaking the entire street.
Winds whipped violently. Sparks of arcane lightning tore through the air.
The energy was overwhelming and crushing.
Hiroto shielded his face. "W-What terrifying magical energy!!!"
Choji's body, still motionless with a hole through his chest
began to heal.
Muscle and flesh rewove themselves.
Skin sealed.
The fatal wound disappeared completely.
Then
Slowly…
terrifyingly…
Choji's eyes opened.