As dusk settled, cold winter winds began to lash at the dry branches of the trees.
In the midst of that great forest, glowing with the beautiful colors of sunset, a battle was about to begin.
While Hiro stood ready to attack the old man, the latter looked at the monster, contemplating how to deal with it. "(He's cautious; his instincts must be warning him not to get any closer. But it's not like he's afraid. He's just pinpointing the target he'll kill first.)"
After a few seconds, Hiro moved his right wing, which was black and made of some kind of shapeshifting material. His wing transformed into something resembling a massive, sharp blade and began to extend rapidly towards the old man, attempting to decapitate him.
"He's very fast. But his attack is too simple."
Just before the wing touched the old man, its trajectory changed swiftly, heading towards Wendy and Stella. Before the attack reached them, the old man was already standing in front of them, extending his hand forward to reverse the strike's direction. "As I expected, he understands the power difference between us. That's why he targets the weaker beings first." In the instant the wing was reflected, Hiro appeared rapidly before the old man's face, leaving him regretting lowering his guard for that moment. Hiro punched him forcefully in the face, breaking some of his teeth and sending him crashing through several pine trees, landing a hundred meters from his original spot.
Wendy looked at Hiro with fear, trying to protect Stella with her life, but he didn't care about them. His full concentration was on the old man. "(Is this fear, the feeling of dread and helplessness? The inability to think, making wrong decisions, panic, and stomach pain – all this just because he's someone superior in strength? Are feelings like these important? Why would I need to feel fear if death is the end anyway? In the darkest days of my life, in the most difficult situations I've endured, I could only remain calm. Thanks to that, I managed to survive until today. I never thought this weakness and shame could afflict me just because I feel fear.)"
The old man stood up, wiping blood from his mouth. From his eyes, a massive red light flared, illuminating the entire forest for a second. Before Hiro's instincts could sense the danger, the old man returned the punch with double the force, shattering Hiro's nose. As Hiro's body flew through the air, the old man stood before Wendy again, saying, "I didn't think he'd be that smart. Is he really a monster? What do you think, yellow-haired girl?"
Wendy composed herself after seeing what the old man had done. She returned to her usual calm demeanor and said, "I have no idea. But I'm sure dealing with him won't be as easy as you think."
"It seems you noticed it from the beginning. Despite knowing my strength, you showed no significant reaction. Am I right?" Wendy remained silent, not responding, as if ignoring him. "That seems to be true. You perceive your surroundings at first glance. It seems to be some kind of ability, but that doesn't matter now. Listen, girl, I want you to help me deal with this monster." "Why would I help you kill my friend?" These words escaped her, suppressing the intense anger within her, without knowing the reason for that anger.
"You know this has just begun, right? And its end won't be happy. At best, you won't get out of here alive. Even if I could control my power, I don't think that rogue would care about your presence in this battle. I also don't like wasting time on a meaningless fight. I need three minutes without using my Aka. Just three minutes, and this battle will end."
Wendy knew he wasn't lying. She had no choice but to agree.
"I have one condition: if you promise not to kill any of us or obstruct us again, I will help you." The old man smiled and raised his hand forward, and raging red lights began to emanate from his hand, rising towards the sky, dyeing the pine forest red. Horizontal circles began to emerge near the old man's hand.
"As I expected, it's the real one. The man who led his people to corruption. The first Warlord who never lost. The one who declared war on all creatures in this world and was later dubbed the King of War. The one who made the name Akana ominous in all corners of the Earth. The strongest King, Ryo, King of the Akana."
The winds began to rage around the place, and the sky filled with clouds laden with red lightning. It looked like a short cinematic display of a natural disaster. Then it calmed down the moment he spoke.
"But this time, no one will die in this place. Instead, let me show you a magnificent show." A waterfall of red lightning descended upon the old man. It lasted for a short period, then vanished with a flash of red light that illuminated the entire place. It was then that Wendy saw the splendid spear embedded in the ground and immediately knew the old man had become serious. "This is one of the Calibration weapons. Twilight at Dusk. Sword of Summer." From amidst the rising dust, Ryo extended his hand towards his spear to pick it up. Behind that curtain of dust, a young man in his early thirties appeared. His long red hair and exposed, unarmored chest revealed his fierce nature in battle. As he draped his cloak over his shoulder, he chuckled softly and said, "Life as an old man isn't bad, but... this form is still the best for battles. So, I guess I'll enjoy myself a little."
As Wendy looked at him, she understood what was happening. She began to create a simulation in her head to analyze the situation.
"He reversed his body's growth process to return to his youthful appearance. But aging doesn't show quickly. If he reversed the time affecting his body, his body would go back in time for one hour at best. But the difference between his appearance a moment ago and his current appearance can be estimated at least thirty years. To what extent can his ability to reverse affect what he feels? Even in this case, his ability is supposed to be limited to external effects. If he could reverse anything, he wouldn't need to activate the third level to reverse the nature of each of us. This means that this is his King's authority, making everything fall under the influence of his ability without limits. Thanks to this authority, his reversal ability can turn a gentle breeze into a massive storm. His victory is certainly inevitable, given our current situation, he can kill us without moving a finger. But he is waiting, but for what exactly? For some reason, he has two abilities. The first is reversing things, and it is clearly a Yin and Yang ability. His acquisition of it is strange, as he is clearly not human, after all, he is the King of the Akana. The second is his primary ability, which is absorption. In his fight against Stella before activating the third level, he absorbed all kinds of attacks he received. It seemed like his natural reversal method, but after he absorbed the attack, no counter-attack appeared afterward, and at the same time, he was reversing attacks without needing to move his body. If it were a mere reversal effect, he wouldn't need to raise his hand to block those attacks. He was known to be the strongest king in this world, but given the type of abilities he possesses, he is more like an absolute, impenetrable defense force. This means that it is likely that the ability of that weapon is an unstoppable attack. I fully understand the end of this battle. From the beginning of this battle, he has refrained from using his Aka (absorption). Most likely, he is trying to use a wide-range ability. And it seems it needs a massive amount of Aka. But what needs to be absorbed in this place? It is certainly his main goal from everything he is doing. The special things we lacked and obtained in this place. He is trying to get them for himself. It's unfortunate that the moment I got a heart, I am forced to give it up now. Well, this is better than dying here."
At the same time, Hiro was slowly advancing towards them, his face already healed. He suddenly stopped as his body began to evolve. Black symbols appeared all over his body. Then his third wing emerged from his right side. Unlike his first wings, this wing was incredibly beautiful; its transparent, straight appearance and the shimmering colors within it could have been a symbol of beauty on its own. But on the back of that monster, it was more like an omen of doom.
Both Wendy and the King felt a sense of dread from that wing, which made the King recalculate before advancing. "A third wing!! I need to be a little cautious at this stage. Until I at least discover the type of ability he has acquired."
The moment he moved forward, something hurled the King into the sky, flying. And without realizing what was happening to him, Hiro touched the ground with his hand, and the earth began to transform into a collection of swords and blades made of stone. Hiro launched them towards the King suspended in the sky. The swords rained down like arrows towards the King, but he completely reversed them.
Wendy was protecting Stella with a transparent shield emanating from her hand, surrounding them to prevent the flying weapons from hitting her.
"Was he hiding his third wing from the beginning? Or did his body evolve rapidly? This is very bad. I was confident of the War King's victory due to the power difference between them, but if his body is evolving rapidly, we have a big problem. But it depends on the type of his ability. Does he produce these weapons from somewhere? Or are they just many teleportation gates? He could have approached the King and delivered close-range blows, but his hand doesn't leave the ground. Is it some kind of contract, or is his ability activated by touching the ground? But this is strange; he continues to attack for minutes even though his swords don't reach that old man."
Wendy raised her head to see the King, whose body was covered in wounds. "Impossible! His attacks are hitting him. The King reverses the wound and regains his health. But how did he manage to penetrate his ability?"
A gentle breeze blew near Wendy. She then realized what Hiro was doing.
"Wind... Right, wind, that's his ability then."
Wendy signaled the King to approach. He decided to abandon his defensive stance, raised his spear, and swung it towards Hiro. His attack destroyed the flying stone weapons and reached Hiro's head. He tried to evade the attack, but it cut off his hand, stopping Hiro's swords. He retreated slightly for his hand to heal. Then the King returned to Wendy's side and said, "That rogue was using these weapons for distraction while attacking with invisible weapons from different places. It wasn't like a type of attack; the wounds appeared without me realizing what was happening. So, did you notice something?"
"Yes. His ability is very simple. But his ability to shape and control at such speed is terrifying. Is he really one of the monsters?! Anyway, his ability is simply to transform anything he touches into his own weapon, and it seems there are no exceptions to this ability. He touched the ground to direct your attention to the weapons coming from below, while he touches the air with his other hand and makes it his main weapon."
"Anything he touches? Does this apply to living beings as well, or only inanimate objects?"
"I'm not sure yet. But for now, don't let him touch your weapon. We don't know what might happen."
When Ryo began to advance, Hiro's body stopped healing for a moment. Black color began to cover his body as he looked up at the sky. A strange silence fell over the place, and as the two watched, concern visible on their faces, and a light breeze blew through the area. Amidst that silence, a sound emerged, piercing the clouds with its echo, startling even the sleepers in their graves. This sound was accompanied by black fire that burned everything around it, gradually shrinking to settle under Hiro's left wing.
"What just happened?!" As Ryo uttered those words, he looked at Wendy's face, which was pale and showed signs of fear and terror.
"What's wrong with you? What happened to you? Do you know what's going on here? Are you listening to me? I'm talking to you."
"You told me a moment ago that you would end this battle in three minutes. I still believe your words. This monster here is not comparable to your strength yet. But this applies only for this period. Currently, you are the strongest here. But in a few minutes, it will be difficult to differentiate. Let's say you failed to end the fight after three minutes. Well, you have to realize that you have only one chance. If there is a chance for failure, know that it won't end with our deaths here only. Perhaps it might be the end of this Dream Forest."
Ryo was panicked by what Wendy was saying. Despite his short acquaintance with her, he knew she wouldn't say anything that would affect the outcome of this battle without thinking.
"What are you trying to say then?"
Hiro raised his left hand, and a ball of fire appeared above it. The fire ball began to slowly expand while its heat increased.
"A moment ago, I thought he was adapting to his new body, but I was wrong. The monster has already taken over his body. What's happening to him now is nothing more than natural evolution. This fire coming out of his side, it's the fourth wing. And it seems it won't stop here."
"A fourth wing, then. A few seconds ago, his third wing came out. And now a fourth wing. So what you're trying to say is that in a few seconds, we'll see a Jinn with five wings. It's not funny, even if it's just a joke."
The fireball grew to an enormous size. Its color turned white, adorned with black flames on the outside.
As Wendy watched what he was doing, she noticed something strange.
"These flames, they are Hiro's original ability. And the monster is strengthening it with its power, but there's something strange. No matter how powerful the attack he launches directly at the King, it will return to him with double the force. And he knows that. But now he's directing his attack directly at Ryo."
Hiro unleashed a massive fireball, glowing crimson mixed with white sparks, launching it towards Ryo at an unbelievable speed. The fire roared like a raging beast, tearing the air around it, and in moments it was about to collide with its target.
On the other side, Ryo stood firm, his features as rigid as stone, an absolute look of confidence on his face. His eyes gleamed with unwavering determination, as if confident that nothing could harm him.
Then, suddenly... the fireball collided with an invisible barrier – the Reflection Barrier, a defensive technique beyond comprehension, separating life and death by a thin thread.
But what happened was not what anyone expected.
Instead of the fireball bouncing back towards Hiro as it usually would under the influence of the Reflection ability, it began to vibrate before instantly exploding with terrifying force... but towards Ryo himself!
The explosion roared like a scream from the heart of hell.
White flames erupted with immense breadth, emitting bone-chilling heat.
The air burned, trees evaporated, and the earth's surface peeled away, turning into ash. At that moment, the forest looked as if a miniature sun had exploded within it, devouring everything around it indiscriminately.
The fiery storm lasted for seconds that felt like eons before suddenly subsiding, leaving behind a terrifying silence.
What remained was a horrifying sight: blackened, charred earth, devoid of life, a vast deep crater as if a meteor had fallen from the sky, splitting the forest in half.
And at its center... Ryo's body, or what was left of it, lay motionless.
No blood, no screams, no moans.
Only his head and chest remained, covered in hot ash. His eyes were barely open, between life and death, breathing with an inaudible struggle.
But, before anyone realized what was happening, a silvery-blue light glowed from his body – the Reflection ability had activated automatically, as an instinct for survival.
And in the blink of an eye, the body rebuilt itself piece by piece: bones forming, flesh weaving itself, skin returning as pristine as it was.
Ryo slowly rose, his eyes speaking silent rage, his power vibrating around him like invisible pressure waves.
On the side, Wendy and Stella, despite Wendy protecting herself with her shield, her body was already damaged. Her right half was completely burned, and unlike that man, she couldn't do anything about those wounds; her body was already on the verge of death. Despite being in that state, she kept thinking about what she could do. She was already far from Ryo's location, and with that monster present, moving was not a good option for her. On the other hand, Ryo was cautious in his movements and was trying to figure out why his ability didn't work at that moment. Then Wendy shouted at the top of her voice for Ryo to hear her and said, "Don't you dare use Reflection again. This monster sees everything now!!"
When Ryo heard what she said, he didn't grasp it at first. But he felt a strange sensation in the space around him and realized what was happening. And when he stood up, he gripped his spear, and his shining clothes returned to their best condition.
"Damn, I didn't expect anyone to push me this far. It's been a long time since something like this happened. So, I guess I should stop being lenient about this. But I didn't expect that rogue's ability to reach this extent. The Reflection ability has no visible form in this world. But that doesn't mean it's shapeless. It usually takes the form of a barrier, but this barrier can only be seen by me, and that's what makes it more annoying for those who deal with it. The emergence of that wing didn't just increase his strength; it took his ability to a different level now. Most likely, he doesn't need to touch anything to make it his weapon; he just needs to see it in front of him to make it his own. That girl just said he can see everything. Most likely, she means he can see my Reflection barrier. So, when he launched that fireball, he was waiting for my ability to reflect it so that its power would double. Then he would make the Reflection ability his weapon through his own ability, reversing the fireball again to return with greater force towards me, and what happened, happened. Well, these are just theories, but if they are true, I won't be able to use Reflection again. In this case, if I reflect a small wound, he can use the reflection to split me in half. So, it seems permanent healing won't be possible anymore. And the same applies to that girl; if something happens to them, I won't be able to help them. Things are getting worse every second."
In that seemingly bad situation, the Warlord laughed out loud, signs of happiness and excitement on his face.
"You did a great job, monster. I've had enough of defending. Now that I have a clear idea of your nature, there's no reason to retreat. Advance, you abomination, let's see which is hotter: the flames of your wing or the blade of my spear."
Hiro senses the danger Ryo poses in those moments. His white flames form a giant sword and he launches it towards Ryo at supersonic speed. In fractions of a second, Ryo counters the attack on Hiro, his attack dissipating the sword of fire. Before he realizes it, the attack has reached Hiro's chest, causing him great damage. Hiro prepares a counterattack, but he doesn't see Ryo's form in front of him. The moment his instincts sense Ryo's location, he has already cut Hiro's back from behind. Before his body falls to the ground, Hiro manages to see his face, and swords begin to emerge from the ground, heading directly towards Ryo. But Ryo's speed was increasing tremendously, so even with thousands of swords heading towards him, he dodged them all with perfect precision. Even the air attacks didn't touch him.
"He's trying to keep me away from him to heal himself and counterattack with a wide-range attack. But I won't even let him breathe."
A smile plays on Ryo's face amidst the rain of swords that have turned the pine forest into a battlefield. In the blink of an eye, Ryo's spear pierces Hiro's heart. Hiro creates a pillar of fire rising around him to prevent him from moving. With a flick of his spear, Ryo extinguishes the raging flames.
"What happened to you? Can't you keep up with this old man? Young people these days need some physical fitness. You need to put in some effort, or I'll get bored."
Ryo's spear pierces Hiro's head and cuts it in half. However, Hiro's body no longer possesses the same organs needed to stay alive. Despite being split in half, his body reattaches itself.
"Killing him won't affect him now. But it buys me some time and seems to slightly delay his growth. There's less than a minute left for me to use Aka at its full potential. So, in this minute, I must prevent his heart from beating."
Ryo's attacks continue at a tremendous speed, giving Hiro no chance to counter. As Wendy tried to alleviate the pain of the burns, she couldn't take her eyes off what was happening. Despite realizing her current situation, she didn't stop trying to gather information from everything happening in front of her.
"He's immeasurable. Without his impenetrable shield or a second chance at healing. No matter how bad the situation is, he shines on the battlefield. He is the King of War at his peak. Even with the loss of defense, he is close to winning just by brute force. That spear, with its unique ability to land a sure hit, has many combat styles. Just by Ryo holding the spear, the heat of its blade rises steadily and continuously, and with a sure hit, the blade's temperature increases by fifty degrees Celsius. If he takes damage from an enemy, the temperature increases by one hundred degrees Celsius. Given the number of injuries in this battle and the time elapsed, the temperature of his spear is 2500 degrees Celsius; it's not surprising that it turned everything in this area into ash. If this battle continues longer, his spear will turn into a small sun. Despite all this, the spear provides its wielder with various enhancements. When facing a single enemy, the enhancements focus on speed, observation power, and the ability to send his attack over long distances. When facing many enemies, the enhancements focus on endurance, physical strength, and turning his attacks into massive explosions. It is truly a weapon befitting someone who loves battles."
After several skirmishes, Hiro begins to match Ryo's speed. Within thirty seconds, Hiro begins to dodge Ryo's spear, and his body starts healing again. Ryo rushes forward to give him no room to attack. But Hiro unleashes flames from the ground around him, forming a massive pillar of fire that reaches the clouds, its end barely visible. He succeeds in pushing Ryo away.
"Only twenty seconds left; I just have to prevent him from growing at all costs."
As Ryo charged forward, particles of ash flew around him, and the burning flames behind him gradually faded.
Suddenly, without warning, the sun went out.
The daylight that had filled the Dream Forest turned into pitch-black night in the blink of an eye.
Dense black clouds covered the sky, with no sound but a heavy silence, as if nature's very breath had been held.
The wind stopped, sounds dried up, and all the creatures inhabiting the forest—birds, beasts, talking trees, even the shadows themselves—stared towards the sky in astonishment and fear, as if they sensed that something greater than the world itself was about to happen.
Then, amidst this ominous silence...
A golden glow erupted from the depths of the pine forest.
It wasn't ordinary light, but pure energy, so bright that it tore through the darkness itself.
The sky was illuminated again, not by sunlight, but by a greater light, a light that seemed to be from ages created before time.
And in the heart of this light... stood Hiro.
But it was not the Hiro they knew.
His form had changed...
His body exploded with superhuman power, and his features became harsher, more brutal, more... inhuman.
His face remained the same, but his eyes glowed amber, as if stars were imprisoned within them.
And from his right side, specifically from his lower back, a massive wing emerged.
Its feathers were not of bone or skin, but a strange mixture of pure gold and pristine crystal.
Every feather in it was like a precious treasure, polished, shimmering as if reflecting scenes from other worlds.
And when the wing moved slightly, it emitted a sound like the gurgling of meteors breaking through the atmosphere.
Its beauty was overwhelming... and terrifying.
Hiro began to descend slowly towards the ground, his body floating in the air as if gravity feared him.
His hair flew with the golden winds generated around him, and particles of light wove threads behind him like the tail of a falling star.
On the ground, Wendy stood beside Ryo, both frozen in place.
There was an absolute silence... but it was not the calm of peace.
It was the calm before the storm.
"Only a little left. Yet these seconds feel like hours now. This shield won't be able to protect anything now. If they both start fighting, Stella and I will surely die here. I just pray that nothing happens."
As Ryo and Hiro stood facing each other, Hiro began to speak to him.
"King of War, the battle with you was very entertaining. You are the strongest warrior I have ever faced. I respect the name you earned for yourself with your own strength. So, I think it's time to end this battle."
Those words dispelled the anxiety that had plagued Ryo. He relaxed his shoulders and smiled cunningly, saying,
"You can talk after all. But you didn't try to communicate or understand us. What a arrogant rogue. So be it, let's end this boring battle, monster."
Hiro raises his hand and points his index finger at Ryo. Then, a mass of circles begins to form in front of his finger. Each circle contains orbits, all revolving around the center of the mass of circles as if they were a group of atoms intertwined with each other. Then, the atoms begin to split.
"Now he's making the latent energy in atoms his weapon. To what extent can his power reach exactly? Just one strike from this and this forest will disappear from existence, and perhaps the damage might even reach neighboring cities. There's no escaping death now, even with my ability forming a shield. It can't withstand the energy generated by this explosion."
As Wendy lost hope of survival, she heard a voice calling her.
"I promised you, didn't I? No one will die in this battle. So try to survive this explosion for only five seconds. And I promise I will heal you."
He puts his spear aside, and his black horns begin to glow a deep red.
"He's using Aka. Is he planning to absorb this explosion? Is he crazy? If he does that, he'll never win, and there might not be a second chance to deter that monster."
"Don't worry, I will definitely win. So trust me, human girl."
With slow steps, Ryo gripped his spear again. He took a deep breath, focusing all his energy into his grasp, his eyes sharply watching Hiro, as if anticipating an unavoidable end. He knew what was coming was not just an attack… but a catastrophe.
As for Wendy, she felt something strange in the air. She quickly retreated, raising her hands, and around her, multiple layers of her magical shield formed, interlocking like turquoise glass circles. In a moment of tenderness amidst all that madness, she pulled little Stella towards her, hugging her tightly, enveloping them both in a double shield, as if her heart was screaming: "I won't let the world touch you with harm."
Then… everything began to change.
The atoms in the air, which moments ago danced like luminous dust, gradually turned a deep crimson. It wasn't ordinary red, but a red resembling starlight, dense, pulsating, and charged with primordial energy that did not belong to this world.
Hiro raised his hand, and roared with terrifying calmness, without words, without screams… just a pure intention of annihilation.
And the energy was unleashed.
A great beam, like a river from hell, surged from his palm towards Ryo. The air tore from its intensity, and space itself fractured in the beam's path, as if the laws had abandoned their place.
Ryo did not retreat. He raised his spear with all his might, planted his feet on the ground, his eyes burning with resolve.
But he didn't know… that this was not ordinary energy, but atomic energy, feeding on matter itself.
And the moment the beam touched the spear's blade…
Everything exploded.
It wasn't just an explosion… but annihilation.
Energy leaked in all directions, scattering like waves of cosmic fury, and the sky ignited with colors never seen by human eyes before. The great pine forest, which stretched over fifty thousand square kilometers, a forest inhabited by talking trees, immortal spirits, and sacred beasts… turned to ash.
No fire remained, no smoke… only gray ash slowly drifting in the air, flowing through the silence as if mourning those who had departed in eternal stillness. The sky returned to darkness, and a cold breeze swept across the scorched earth, dragging the echo of the explosion behind it.
And when the dust settled, Hiro appeared. Standing with difficulty, his body covered in deep wounds, dark blood oozing from his shoulder and ribs. But his eyes… still glowed. As if the fires he unleashed were not only to annihilate his enemy…
In the moment he lowered his guard.
Ryo stood behind him, his body shattered, holding his spear. A mass of red energy was at the tip of his spear. Behind him, Stella and Wendy's bodies were completely burned. Ryo struck Hiro with his spear in the middle of his face, causing a powerful fiery attack that erased the upper part of Hiro's body, leaving his legs floating in the air. In that second, Ryo used his Reflection ability to return his body to health and full vigor. He then applied Reflection to both Wendy and Stella's bodies, returning them to their normal state. Wendy woke up in a state of terror, unaware of what had happened.
"Did you use your ability to heal us? But how did you manage to survive that explosion? Did you really use Aka to absorb the attack?"
"No, it was simple. This Summer Spear has one last trump card. When danger accumulates on the spear wielder, it uses all the energy in that body to deliver a sure strike. To achieve that strike, the body becomes immortal for a short period, allowing it to survive under any circumstances until it launches its attack. Thanks to that, we all survived. And it seems my Aka technique has indeed been perfected. This battle is over."
The smoke receded, and the earth settled, while Hiro stood in the heart of the chaos, his burned body rebuilding itself with terrifying serenity. Bones forming from nothingness, muscles knitting together, pristine skin returning as if never touched.
Hiro returned to his form, but he was not as he was. He stood still, motionless, breathless, as if a statue of a destiny yet to be understood.
Then...
The crown appeared.
Threads of light, faint at first, began to gather above his head. Golden lines spiraled as if writing celestial symbols, belonging to no language known to ancient kingdoms. In an instant, a crown of golden twilight formed.
And suddenly...
The trumpet sounded.
It emerged from nowhere, its source unknown, but it filled all the spaces between heaven and earth. A sound that was not only audible but felt, shaking souls to their depths.
Then the stars fell.
In broad daylight, the blue veil of the sky tore, and shards of light began to fall from above.
And on the other side, the moon… was approaching. It was no longer a distant disc in the sky, but a giant celestial body looming over the forest, as if the sky itself was bowing towards the earth.
Amidst this overwhelming cosmic scene,
Another light emerged.
Not the light of an explosion, nor the glare of battle, but a warm, gentle beam, flowing into the heart before the eye. An inexplicable tranquility, flowing through souls despite the devastation, despite the ash, despite the trumpet's cry.
That light did not come from the sky… but from Hiro himself.
And from his sixth wing.
The last wing was different from the rest of his wings. It was not made of gold, nor crystal, nor even energy… but of pure light. Light that wove itself from the core of life, from absolute truth.
And when he spread his sixth wing, light filled the forest,
And the creatures trembled.
There, in the sky of the Dream Forest, stood the first Jinn…
He was no longer a boy. His long white hair fluttered like a curtain hiding the past, his face devoid of human features, and his body radiated power beyond comprehension.
Six wings, and a crown of light.
That entity was the beginning… and the end.
"Six... they are six. Wait a moment, is this even possible? Can we still call him a monster in the meantime? Even I can't tell what this thing standing above us now is."
Ryo raises his hand towards the sky, and Aka energy begins to emanate from all over his body, gathering in his palm. With determination and confidence, he says to her,
"What is that look on your face? I told you, after three minutes, I'd end this battle. And here I am saying this fight is already over. I am the victor... No matter how much power you gain, it's useless if it becomes mine. Isn't that right, monster? That wasn't your power from the beginning, so allow me to take back what I gave you."
The red light from Ryo's hand glows and swallows Hiro's light. In a few moments, both of their lights vanish, and with its disappearance, Hiro falls unconscious to the ground. Meanwhile, Stella's body returned to its normal state, but she was unconscious. There was no trace of Wendy in that place. The only person standing there was Ryo, alone. The six black wings adorned his back. While markings filled his body. His white hair and the scales under his red eyes. All of it suggested that he was no longer a king or even a monster. From his tired eyes, tears began to fall heavily.
"Ah, I understand now... So this is what they call sadness. What an interesting feeling."
And while Ryo was examining his new body, someone jumped towards him and burned his chest with a sword of white fire.
"Hoh, I thought you were finished already, but I didn't expect you to survive after all that happened to you. So, are you the monster now, or is that boy?"
The boy standing there was Hiro, carrying a sword of white flame, and he had one wing on his left shoulder. A wing of white flames that melted everything. "Did you think the fight was over, old man? I saw everything. But I couldn't do anything; it was like facing the sun. But that doesn't change the fact that you exploited us all."
Before a new battle could begin, there was a Phoenix girl waiting for her turn. Just then, Stella's body rose into the sky, and the clouds began to gather and thicken. When Hiro saw what was happening, he realized what Stella was about to do.
"One of the three Swords of Light, isn't it? Not bad, a worthy opponent against whom I can test my new strength. Isn't that right, boy?"
As Stella began chanting her words, and before the Phoenix Sword descended to the ground, Stella sustained a severe injury to her back and fell to the ground. A person in rural clothes with white hair and intensely green eyes caught her. His straw hat shielded his face from the sun's rays. His four wings made his simple appearance something that brought fear. With a smile on his face, he said, "Will you stop here now, King of War? This battle is already over."
Astonishment filled Hiro's face at what he saw. His resolute eyes and cold face turned into a calm smile and a look filled with sadness. Then he said to him, "Titus. Why are you here?"
The boy looked at Hiro with a smile on his face and said, "Hayami. What are you doing here? Don't tell me you were fighting that old man."
Ryo's body was in chaos, and he wasn't sure if he could control all this power in his current state. He then decided to leave that place.
As Ryo began to move away, Hiro couldn't accept that it would end without understanding anything.
"You're not escaping now. After all you've done, you're trying to leave as if nothing happened. Tell me, what was the purpose of everything you did? You already had immense power, so why do you want more? What are you trying to achieve?"
Ryo smiled and replied, looking into his eyes, "It's something silly. Perhaps some might consider it foolish or even madness. Nevertheless, I don't mind, for something like this is only done by a madman. But if you ever thought of trying to kill the White Raven, then doing something like this to gain power is not strange. Isn't that right, green-eyed one?"
"Fighting the White Raven, then. I didn't expect the King of War to have such a grand goal. What a noble goal. Have you become arrogant after reaching the peak of the mountain, and now you raise your hands to reach the sky? How greedy are you, old man?"
The young man, Titus, spoke with full confidence before the King of War, without signs of fear or tension, which made Ryo pay him some attention. Meanwhile, Hiro was in shock from the King's reply. Their talk about fighting the White Raven left him speechless.
"Your name is Titus, isn't it? Even though you're just a little child, you have eyes that look towards the sky. Eyes like mine. Or perhaps you're just a fool. In any case, there's no reason for us to fight now. Those who look forward to the twilight are destined to see it at least. Our paths will cross again one day, that's what I feel. Let's see who you become then."
Ryo disappears from their sight, leaving Hiro bewildered.
"Brother, what is that man saying? Fighting the White Raven, is that even possible? And what did he mean by that? Did you understand what he said?"
Titus looked at the sun, finding it difficult to answer his brother's questions.
"I'm sorry, Hayami, I hurt your friend. But I had no other choice. If I hadn't stopped her, she wouldn't have survived the aftermath of that battle. And don't worry about what that man said. It's not something you can prevent, so thinking about it will only cause a headache. All you need to know is that this summer will be very hot."