The teleportation completed with a quiet, pressurized pop—a sudden ripple of displaced atmospheric air washing outward as Raphael Arzenon and Sion Eltnam Atlasia materialized on the outer perimeter of the Tohsaka Estate.
The mansion before them was undeniably grand. Built into the sprawling hillside, its classical architecture fused traditional Japanese woodwork with reinforced stone masonry, surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens. Lit lanterns lined the cobblestone paths, their flames flickering brightly despite the midday sun—a clear sign of ongoing ceremonial preparations.
A handful of private guards in pristine, formal crest-adorned uniforms patrolled near the primary entrance, their hands resting near their sidearms. Servants hurried back and forth along the walkways carrying elaborate wedding decorations: silk banners, imported floral arrangements, and traditional wedding tokens. Every movement underscored the ticking clock; the forced union was fast approaching.
The air felt thick with structured tension.
Raphael paused at the edge of the estate, turning slightly toward his companion.
"Sion, wait outside for a few minutes," Raphael instructed, his voice low and firm. "I will go inside and call you when necessary, okay?"
Sion offered a single, precise nod—asking no questions and raising no arguments.
Stepping backward, she melted into the deep shadows cast by a towering maple tree at the perimeter of the estate grounds, blending effortlessly with the environment. Her dark traveling coat swallowed her silhouette, leaving no visible magical signature or trace to alert the guards.
Raphael turned toward the mansion's main entrance, stepping out into the open alone.
The patrolling guards didn't recognize him, but their sharp eyes immediately locked onto his presence, tracking his approach with cautious suspicion. Raphael paid them no mind, walking forward with a measured, calm confidence—neither rushing frantically nor attempting to conceal his path.
Inside that grand estate, high up in the primary suite, Akane Tohsaka was being prepared for her wedding.
The massive, floor-to-ceiling window of the bridal chamber offered a sweeping view of the manicured estate grounds below—lush green hedges, marble fountains spraying arcs of crystal-clear water, and towering cherry blossom trees whose pink petals drifted downward in the mountain breeze.
Akane stood motionless before the glass.
The bridal gown hugged her figure—a flowing white dress with delicate lace sleeves, an ornate bodice encrusted with pearls, and a long veil trailing behind her like a pale shadow. Her hair was intricately styled, half-up with cascading curls adorned by tiny white blossoms matching the veil. Her makeup was applied flawlessly, soft blush on her pale cheeks and glossy rose-pink lipstick, yet beneath the cosmetic perfection, her eyes remained hollow. Faint dark circles showed through the concealer despite the hours spent trying to hide them that morning.
A gentle draft slipped through a slight gap in the window pane. A single cherry petal drifted inside, settling silently on Akane's bare shoulder.
Then, space fractured.
Raphael Arzenon materialized in the middle of the room, stepping smoothly out of thin air.
"Hello, Akane. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Raphael said softly, a quiet smile gracing his lips. "I came here to free you."
The moment his voice resonated through the quiet room, the atmosphere froze. The draft stilled. The falling cherry blossom petal hung suspended in the air for a fleeting second.
Akane's breath hitched in her throat.
Raphael...? Akane thought to herself, her mind short-circuiting as she stared at his figure. Is... is this a dream? Is my mind finally breaking from the stress?
There he stood, dressed in an impeccably tailored dark suit that fitted his slender frame perfectly. The soft light filtering through the window illuminated his silver-white hair, framing those mesmerizing eyes that had occupied her every silent prayer during her nights of captivity. He looked precisely as she remembered, yet carryed an undeniable presence.
And he was smiling at her.
A single, ragged gasp escaped Akane's lips—a raw sound born from sheer disbelief and overwhelming emotional pressure colliding within her chest.
Raphael took in her appearance, his eyes tracing her silhouette in the elaborate wedding gown. His gaze softened, a sly, familiar grin spreading across his face.
"Well," Raphael teased with a lighthearted smirk, "it seems you have developed in other aspects I didn't know about until today."
That shameless, playful smile she knew all too well hit her like a physical strike. Akane felt a wave of crimson heat flush across her face, burning all the way to her ears.
Oh no! No, no, no! Akane screamed silently in her mind, her cheeks burning furiously. He noticed! Of course he noticed! How can he say something like that at a time like this?!
Her figure—the fuller softness around her waist and hips, accentuated by the tight tailoring of the bridal dress—had matured over the months they had been separated. And Raphael, despite his gentle demeanor, had pointed it out without an ounce of hesitation.
Before her embarrassing thoughts could spiral further, Akane lunged forward with both hands raised.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
A rapid flurry of light, harmless smacks rained down on Raphael's head—a desperate, playful scolding from an emotionally overwhelmed woman who was equal parts flustered by his teasing and overjoyed by his actual presence. Each hit landed softly against his silver-white hair as she pouted fiercely, her face flushed red.
Raphael didn't dodge or block her light attacks. Instead, a soft, genuine laugh rumbled from his chest—a gentle sound after weeks of grim silence.
He looked down at her, his expression softening into pure sincerity.
"Is it wrong for me to admire the woman you've become?" Raphael asked softly, his tone devoid of teasing, carrying only quiet affection and awe.
Akane froze mid-swing. Her hands hovered in the air right above his shoulders, her fingers trembling slightly where her last hit had landed.
Her flushed cheeks deepened in color—not out of embarrassment now, but from a sudden, crashing wave of emotion.
He... he really came for me, she thought to herself, her throat tightening as her pulse hammered against her ribs. Through all of this chaos, through everything keeping us apart... he stood up and walked straight into the viper's nest just to get me back.
Her lower lip trembled violently. The flustered annoyance vanished entirely, replaced by a surge of raw, unadulterated emotion she could no longer hold back.
Without warning or hesitation, Akane threw her arms around Raphael's neck and pulled him into a desperate, crushing embrace. Her body collided with his slender frame, the heavy fabric of her bridal gown pressing tightly against his suit jacket as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.
She couldn't speak. She couldn't form words. She simply held onto him with all her strength, anchoring herself to his presence like a survivor clinging to a lifeline in a storm.
Tears spilled from her eyes—silent at first, then giving way to quiet, violent sobs that shook her shoulders as weeks of built-up fear, isolation, and despair poured out against his neck.
Raphael slowly raised his hand, reaching up to gently stroke her hair in a soothing, comforting motion to calm her tears.
The moment his fingers brushed against her head, Akane flinched.
It wasn't a violent movement, but a subtle, instinctual pull away from his touch. Her eyes, glistening with fresh tears, immediately cast downward toward the floorboards. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't bring herself to meet his bright eyes.
Instead of leaning into his warmth as she always had in the past, she pulled her upper body back sharply, her hands clenching tightly into the white lace fabric of her gown as shame washed over her.
Raphael froze, his hand resting in mid-air as his warm smile faded into quiet confusion.
"What's wrong?" Raphael asked softly, his voice laced with gentle concern. "Why are you looking away from me?"
There was no judgment in his voice, only worry. Akane had never avoided his gaze since they were children—not once.
Akane's breath hitched at his quiet question. She could still feel the lingering warmth of his hand near her cheek, making her chest ache even more severely.
I can't look at him, Akane thought to herself, horror gripping her heart as terrifying memories resurfaced in her mind. Samuel's vile touch... the degradation... If Raphael looks closely at me now, he'll see how ruined I am. He'll realize I'm not the pure person he remembers.
A fresh tear escaped her lash line, tracing a clear path down her makeup-stained cheek. The wedding dress felt less like a garment and more like heavy iron chains binding her limbs.
Raphael watched her stoic avoidance, his brow furrowing as the silence between them stretched awkwardly. The air in the room grew heavy with unspoken pain.
He reached out slowly, cupping her cheek with his hand, trying to gently guide her face back toward him. His thumb brushed away a tear.
Akane stiffened under his touch, but she didn't pull away completely. She remained still, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes stubbornly fixed on the floor near his shoes.
"Akane..." Raphael pleaded quietly, his voice softer than before. "...look at me."
Those three words hit her like a physical blow. Her heart battered against her ribs as the internal struggle raged inside her: part of her desperately wished to look up and lose herself in his comfort, while another part screamed that she was no longer worthy to stand by his side.
Raphael stared at her turned face, a sudden, dark thought crossing his mind. His voice, when he finally spoke, was laced with genuine, heartbreaking confusion and wounded vulnerability.
"Are you avoiding me because you actually want to be with my cousin, Samuel Arzenon, instead of me?" Raphael asked quietly.
Akane's head snapped up so fast it nearly gave her whiplash.
Her eyes, wide and brimming with tears, locked onto his face. The expression she saw in his eyes shattered her heart into pieces.
Raphael looked deeply, profoundly hurt.
He didn't look angry or possessive, but wounded—as if the mere thought of Akane choosing Samuel over him, of her willingly becoming his cousin's bride, had pierced his chest.
A sharp gasp tore from Akane's throat.
No! NO! Absolutely NOT! she screamed internally, her mind recoiling in horror.
Akane's hands shot forward—one gripping his suit lapel while the other slammed flat against his chest—and she shoved him backward with surprising, desperate force.
"HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT?!" Akane screamed, her voice cracking violently in the middle of her shout.
The words echoed off the walls of the bridal chamber. Fresh tears poured freely down her face, dragging dark streaks of smudged makeup down her cheeks. She wasn't furious at Raphael; she was consumed by rage at herself for allowing him to entertain such a horrifying thought—that she could ever willingly give herself to Samuel, or that her love for Raphael had ever wavered.
Before Raphael could recover his balance from the sudden shove, Akane lunged forward again. She threw both arms around his neck in a frantic, desperate embrace, burying her face into his shoulder as violent, uncontrollable sobs wracked her entire body.
Raphael staggered back a half-step from the impact, but the moment her arms locked around his neck and her body pressed against his, he thawed completely.
The lingering insecurity and misunderstanding vanished, replaced by relief, deep sorrow for having doubted her, and love for how fiercely she clung to him.
Raphael wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest with equal intensity. One hand cradled the back of her head, pressing her face securely into his shoulder, while his other hand rested against her back, anchoring her to him.
"Shhh... shhh..." Raphael whispered softly against her hair, his own voice trembling. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to say that..."
He rocked her gently in his arms, his hand tracing slow, comforting circles over her back to ground her overwhelming emotions. The faint scent of her floral perfume filled his senses, mixed with the dampness of her tears soaking through his suit jacket.
He felt every sob that shuddered through her frame, every ragged breath she took against his collarbone, and it filled him with deep regret for having voiced his doubt.
How could I have doubted her for even a second? Raphael thought to himself, his heart aching as he felt the sheer desperation in her grip. She didn't want this. She never wanted any of this.
"Akane..." Raphael murmured softly, pressing a tender, quiet kiss onto the top of her styled head before resting his cheek against her hair. "I know you wouldn't choose him... I was just scared of losing you."
Slowly, Raphael pulled back just enough to look down at her tear-stained face, his expression calm and reassuring.
"Akane, I am taking you out of here," Raphael declared softly, his voice steady with unshakeable resolve. "Though where we go next... even I don't fully know yet."
With gentle movements, his thumbs reached up to carefully wipe away the smudged makeup and fresh tears running down her cheeks, his touch impossibly tender.
"I don't know where our final destination is yet," he admitted with a small, quiet smile. "But I do know one thing."
He leaned in slowly, closing the remaining distance between them, and pressed his lips gently against hers.
The kiss was quiet, chaste, and tender—devoid of demand or force, filled with quiet devotion and promise. It was a kiss meant to heal, a quiet reaffirmation of a bond built over a lifetime that no tragedy or distance could sever.
His lips were warm against hers, his hands cradling her face with ultimate care. For a brief, lingering moment, the impending wedding, the surrounding guards, and the looming threats of the world ceased to exist, leaving only the two of them reunited in the quiet chamber.
Back at the Church sanctum, Sora Starfall retreated into the secluded sanctuary of her private chambers. She pulled the heavy wooden door shut behind her, the lock engaging with a deliberate, heavy click.
The moment the latch caught and she was truly alone, the regal composure she maintained before her subordinates crumbled. She sank heavily into a high-backed velvet chair positioned beside the window, her gaze fixed blankly on the darkening horizon outside.
Raphael Arzenon... she reflected in her mind, her jaw tightening as bitter frustration welled up inside her chest. An elite of the Atlas Institute. An untouchable powerhouse whose current authority completely eclipses the jurisdiction of the Holy Church itself.
A sharp, acrid taste filled her mouth—a bitter potion composed of envy, wounded pride, and helpless disbelief. It wasn't merely his meteoric, impossible ascension through the ranks that burned her, but the maddening realization of how effortlessly he had slipped out of her grasp. She had been granted no voice, no power, and no influence to prevent it.
Her trembling hand reached out, picking up a small, crystal decanter resting on the side table. She poured a measure of deep crimson wine into a fine glass, needing the bite of alcohol to process this horrific reality—a reality where Raphael Arzenon walked among the gods, utterly untouchable and permanently out of her reach.
Sora brought the glass to her lips and took a slow, deliberate sip. The rich, heavy liquid burned down her throat, searing away a fraction of the suffocating frustration clogging her lungs. The glass clinked softly against the wooden tabletop as she set it down.
Her thoughts drifted back across the years, summoning the ghost of a boy who had once looked at her with pure, unvarnished adoration. Back then, Raphael would have moved mountains for her; he would have crawled through glass just to earn a single approving smile.
And now? He was undoubtedly surrounded by high-tier Atlas mages and alchemists, individuals ten times more powerful, refined, and influential than anyone standing within the ranks of this rigid Church.
A hollow, humorless laugh escaped her throat, echoing off the stone walls of her quiet room.
How absurdly ironic, she scoffed in her mind, her knuckles whitening around the stem of her glass. After all these years, after all my scheming and posturing... I am the one left behind in the dirt with nothing, while he thrives at the pinnacle of the world.
A faint, subtle creak echoed from the heavy door. Someone was standing in the corridor outside. It was likely Mike, coming to check on her after how violently she had reacted to Yukio's earlier announcement. Right now, the mere thought of engaging in mindless pleasantries with anyone made her stomach churn.
The door swung open, and Mike stepped into the quiet room. He bowed his head respectfully before speaking in a low, measured voice.
"Lady Sora, I was wondering if we could use my telepathic ability to speak to Raphael Arzenon directly," Mike proposed carefully.
Sora's head snapped up, her icy eyes locking onto Mike's face.
Telepathy...? Sora thought to herself, her heart skipping a sudden, erratic beat. A direct, unmonitored line of communication straight to Raphael—bypassing the Church, bypassing the Atlas Institute's security wards, and bypassing every interference in between?
The suggestion was immensely, dangerously tempting.
Yet, a dark thread of hesitation pulled at her mind. Would Raphael even bother to listen if she reached out? After all this time? Now that he stood as an untouchable titan surrounded by the grandest mages in existence, he might simply ignore her mental signature, dismissing her as a ghost from a past he had outgrown.
Part of her urged her to decline, to protect what remained of her fragile dignity. But another part—stubborn, fiercely prideful, and desperate for control—demanded answers. She needed to witness his reaction, to feel his presence, and to see if the illusion of her influence still held power over him.
After a long, agonizing pause, Sora nodded sharply.
"Yes. Do it," Sora commanded, her voice turning firm and absolute. "If your telepathy can reach him, I want to speak to Raphael directly."
She braced herself internally for whatever response awaited her on the other end of the line. Would he treat her with cold detachment? Mocking hostility? Or... was there still a tiny, lingering fragment of the naive boy who had once loved her, buried beneath that terrifying mountain of newfound power and status?
A volatile mixture of deep nervousness and sharp defiance churned in her chest as she waited for Mike's magic to bridge the impossible distance between them.
Meanwhile, miles away within the quiet, opulent bridal chamber of the Arzenon estate, Raphael Arzenon was still holding Akane Tohsaka in a tender, quiet embrace, his lips gently resting against hers.
Suddenly, a serene, mechanical voice resonated directly within the sanctuary of his consciousness.
(Master, someone is attempting to establish a direct telepathic link with your soul,) Cielux reported calmly inside Raphael's mind. (Should I sever the magical frequency and incinerate the connection?)
Within his inner mental landscape, Raphael's spiritual projection tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"I will answer it," Raphael decided smoothly within his mind. "But take care of my physical body while I speak. Also, activate Thought Acceleration. I want to converse with this person instantly, at maximum cognitive speed, without disturbing Akane for even a single second."
Cielux bowed her head respectfully within his mental space.
(As you wish, Master.)
In that precise millisecond, as time virtually ground to a halt around his physical form, Mike's telepathic circuit successfully locked onto Raphael's spiritual wavelength.
"Who is this?" Raphael asked telepathically, his mental voice cool, flat, and detached.
On the other end of the link, Sora Starfall's breath hitched the moment his voice resonated within her head.
That tone... It was completely devoid of heat. It held no warmth, no underlying anger, and no bitter resentment—just a vast, empty neutrality. He sounded as if he were addressing a nameless stranger on the street.
A sharp, agonizing pang stabbed directly through Sora's chest, but she forcefully swallowed the pain down, refusing to allow a single crack to show in her mental projection. She gathered her posture, infusing her telepathic voice with a regal, commanding poise—the unmistakable tone of a Holy Saintess.
"Raphael," she projected back through the link, keeping her mental presence steady and composed. "It's Sora Starfall."
Raphael's tone shifted, genuine surprise bleeding into his mental response.
"Sora Starfall?" Raphael questioned telepathically. "Why are you calling me via telepathy?"
Sora heard the clear shock in his voice, and for a fleeting fraction of a second, a small, triumphant smirk almost formed on her lips. Good. I caught him off guard.
However, the reality of his reaction settled in immediately after. That surprise contained no affection, no nostalgia, and no warmth. It was wary, guarded, and laced with quiet hostility.
"Because I needed to speak with you," Sora replied evenly, expertly masking the chaotic storm of emotions raging beneath her surface—was it burning anger? Desperate longing? She could no longer tell. "We have... things to discuss."
She paused for a brief beat before adding a subtle, razor-sharp edge to her words.
"...Unless you are far too busy now as an Atlas Institute elite?"
She couldn't stop the faint thread of bitter envy from leaking through her telepathic tone.
Raphael, operating at accelerated cognitive speeds, instantly picked up on the envy embedded in her voice. A sly, amused grin spread across his mental face. Deciding to play along with a deliberate, calculated lie, he injected a tone of artificial annoyance into his telepathic response.
"I am not at the Atlas Institute right now," Raphael stated lazily through the link. "I am currently at Akane Tohsaka's house, and you just disturbed the fun time I was having with her. I mean, I just lost my V-card a few hours ago with her, and you called me right before I could go in for round two. So yes, I am partially annoyed."
Sora Starfall's entire physical and mental presence went instantly, terrifyingly rigid.
V-card...? Lost?! With Akane Tohsaka?! Round two—?!
A catastrophic tidal wave of conflicting emotions crashed into her mind all at once: absolute shock, searing fury, denial... and an ugly, toxic green monster of pure jealousy that she refused to acknowledge.
Akane?! Sora screamed in her own mind, her blood running cold as her world tilted on its axis. That quiet, timid, pathetic girl who used to stutter like a fool whenever she was near him?! She took him as a lover?! They were... intimate... just hours ago?!
For the first time in her entire life, Sora Starfall was rendered utterly speechless. Her physical face burned with a volatile mix of humiliation and violent rage.
In her private chambers, her physical hand clamped down on the wooden armrest of her chair with such immense force that her knuckles turned ghostly white, the wood groaning under the pressure.
All this time, she had comforted herself with the assumption that Akane Tohsaka was still pining uselessly from afar—hopeless, pathetic, and forever stranded in the background. Meanwhile, Raphael had moved on entirely. With her. And it was no casual fling; he was speaking of her with intimate familiarity, casually referencing a "round two."
A cold, bitter laugh escaped her lips in her quiet room—harsh, hollow, and utterly devoid of warmth.
"So..." Sora finally projected back through the telepathic channel, her mental voice forced into an icy, unnaturally smooth cadence despite the roaring tempest within her soul. "...you're with Akane Tohsaka now? How... sweet."
"Thanks for your fake compliment," Raphael replied telepathically, his tone dry and dismissive.
Sora's jaw clenched tightly at his blunt sarcasm.
Of course he had caught the venom beneath her words. He was sharp—far sharper now than he had ever been, his mind honed into a deadly blade alongside his vast magical power.
A tense, suffocating silence stretched over the link before Sora forced her mind back to absolute order. This wasn't about Akane Tohsaka. It was about him, and re-establishing her control over where they stood after years of separation.
"Raphael," she began again, her telepathic voice deliberately calmer, softer, and more intimate. "I called because I needed to see you."
"For what reason would you want to see me?" Raphael asked flatly.
Sora hesitated. What is my reason?
Was it her shattered pride? Was it a morbid curiosity to witness his transformation up close? Or was it a pathetic, desperate need to see if she could still command the heart of the strongest man alive?
She could confess none of those truths over a telepathic link—not while he sounded so utterly detached from her existence.
"To talk," she finally replied, falling back on a vague, carefully crafted truth. "We haven't seen each other in years. You've changed... you've become incredibly powerful." She paused, letting her voice soften further. "I simply wanted to know who you are now."
A short, mocking snort echoed over the link.
"Don't give me that bullshit," Raphael cut in, his mental tone sharp and thoroughly annoyed by her duplicity. "If you truly cared that much, you would have called me two years ago. But you didn't. So tell me the real reason, or I am ending this call right now."
Sora flinched internally at his absolute bluntness, feeling as though he had reached through the connection and sliced straight through her carefully crafted facade.
He was right. She could have reached out two years ago, but she hadn't given him a second thought back then. Why now? Because the Holy Church had marked him as a high-priority threat? Because she had witnessed his godlike power and suddenly found him valuable?
A fleeting flicker of shame crossed her features in the dark room, but she instantly hardened her heart once more.
"Fine," Sora admitted, her telepathic voice turning as cold as ice. "The Holy Church initially ordered me to retrieve you... or kill you if I couldn't."
There was no point in attempting deception; he would smell the lie instantly.
"That's still not the true reason, is it?" Raphael countered smoothly, his tone laced with unimpressed clarity. "Let me guess... your real reason for calling me is to sweet-talk me into becoming your lover again, date me, and use my grand power to elevate yourself as one of the strongest and most politically untouchable women in the world so you can feel invincible. That is your actual reason for this conversation, isn't it?"
Sora's breath hitched violently in her throat.
Every single word he uttered was a direct hit.
He had laid out her innermost, ugly ambitions with terrifying precision: She did want to reclaim him. She did want to chain his godlike strength to her name. She did want to use his reputation to elevate her own status within the Church until she was entirely untouchable. The prospect of standing beside the most powerful mage in existence was an intoxicating dream she desperately craved.
Hearing him lay it out so plainly, so callously, left her feeling utterly stripped bare—exposed as a scheming, transparent fraud.
A heavy, suffocating silence stretched over the telepathic line as the seconds ticked away.
"...Yes," Sora finally confessed in a low, quiet whisper through the link.
No more lies. No more games.
She waited, her heart hammering against her ribs—not with fragile hope, but with the dark, crushing anticipation of inevitable rejection.
She knew Raphael possessed every right to despise her. After all these years, she had only deigned to remember his existence when he became useful to her ambition.
The telepathic channel remained heavy with silence for several long, agonizing seconds... until finally, Raphael's voice echoed one last time.
"I don't hate you," Raphael stated telepathically, his voice deadpan and absolute. "But I don't love you either. As easy as it would be for me to hate you, holding onto that hatred won't bring me any peace at all. So, I am choosing to simply forget you ever existed in my life, and move forward with Akane Tohsaka. I hope you have a good life with your own choices, but never call me again. I never want to see your disappointing face in front of me again, because that is how empty your existence is to me now."
Sever.
The telepathic link was instantly cut from his end.
The moment the connection collapsed, Sora felt the physical impact of it—like a massive iron door slamming shut directly in her face.
Raphael hadn't just rejected her proposal. He hadn't even given her the satisfaction of his anger.
He had erased her.
There was no passion, no lingering resentment, no spite... only absolute, horrifying indifference. He had severed her from his life with a clean, effortless cut, deeming her entire existence utterly irrelevant to his future.
A cold, dead numbness spread outward from her chest, paralyzing her thoughts. This was far worse than his rage would have been. To be deemed entirely meaningless by the very man she had intended to use as her stepping stone to absolute power was a humiliation beyond endurance.
She sat frozen in her chair, staring blankly ahead at Mike, who stood near the door looking deeply pained for his Saintess, yet wisely keeping his mouth shut. The silence in the room was deafening.
Slowly, as the shock receded, Sora's mind began to twist, spiraling into a dark, suffocating abyss. Her bright blue eyes lost their luster, turning into flat, icy shards of pure malice.
First... Akane Tohsaka, Sora plotted in the dark depths of her mind, her jaw clenching tightly. The pathetic little leech who dared to take what should have been mine... Her disgusting, perfect little love story with him can be erased very easily.
A slow, venomous smile curled the corners of Sora Starfall's lips as she calculated the possibilities. She would hire assassins—high-tier, completely untraceable mercenaries from the dark underbelly of the magical world. Akane wouldn't even realize her life was ending until the blade crossed her throat.
And second... Raphael Arzenon.
A violent, burning obsession for vengeance erupted within her chest. He had dared to deem her irrelevant? He had dared to throw her existence into the dirt and walk away?
Fine, she swore silently, her eyes glowing with unnatural, dangerous intent in the dim lighting of her chambers. I will make sure you regret those words... even if I have to burn everything down to do it.
With the telepathic line severed, Raphael stood within his vast mental space as the lingering echo of Sora Starfall's voice faded into nothingness.
"Cut the mental link, Cielux," Raphael commanded smoothly, his voice echoing in the quiet expanse of his consciousness. "Re-anchor my perception back to reality with Akane."
(As you wish, Master,) Cielux replied effortlessly.
In an instant, Thought Acceleration deactivated. The hyper-compressed millisecond ended, and reality snapped back into motion.
Raphael's consciousness returned to his physical body in the quiet bridal chamber. His eyes slowly unsealed, his perception locking onto Akane Tohsaka—feeling the gentle warmth of her lips against his, her trembling hands cradling his shoulders, and the soft, silent tears still glistening on her flushed cheeks.
Gently, tenderly, Raphael slowly pulled his face back from the tender kiss, his expression setting into a wall of dead seriousness.
"Akane, you have suffered under my cousin Samuel Arzenon for far too long," Raphael declared, his voice firm, deliberate, and weighted with the gravity of an oath. "So if you dare, I can take you to a peaceful place outside the global crisis."
Akane blinked, a heavy wave of confusion washing over her mind.
A peaceful place outside the global crisis...? Akane thought to herself, her pulse quickening in confusion. What does he mean by 'global crisis'? I haven't heard a single thing about major unrest, political instability, or world wars breaking out... unless Raphael is referring to something vastly bigger than any news broadcast could ever show?
To her, the world had seemed completely stable—commercial districts operated as usual, logistics flowed normally, and everyday people went about their routines without a trace of panic. What horrific danger could possibly be lurking beyond the horizon that Raphael felt the urgent need to take her somewhere safe from it all?
Raphael let out a low, weary sigh, his red eyes darkening with grim reality.
"Currently, there is a global Vampire War going on," Raphael explained gravely. "Roanoke commands five hundred million Dead Apostle-level vampires on his side, with his sole goal being to wipe out all of humanity within two days. And I am going to fight him."
Akane's breath hitched, halting completely in her throat.
A Vampire War? Five hundred million Dead Apostle-level monsters?! her mind screamed in absolute shock. An entity named Roanoke planning to annihilate every living human in just... two days?!
Raphael's words crashed over her like a catastrophic tidal wave, each syllable shattering her perception of reality. This was no distant political squabble or far-fetched conspiracy—it was an impending apocalypse, unfolding at this very second while the rest of the world remained utterly oblivious.
And Raphael... gentle, soft-spoken Raphael... was planning to throw himself straight into the center of that bloody slaughterhouse.
"No, the whole world knows about it," Raphael corrected gently, seeing her sheer bewilderment. "Only you didn't, because Samuel took you to this mansion far away from the public eye so you wouldn't see what has actually been happening."
His voice carried a bleak, haunting clarity.
The truth settled over her like a suffocating blanket: outside these high stone walls, major cities were likely burning in absolute chaos, governments were collapsing in panic, and innocent lives were being slaughtered by the millions. All this time, Samuel had kept her locked away in this remote luxury estate like a gilded prisoner, deliberately isolating her so she would remain docile and oblivious to the end of the world.
That's why he forbade me from leaving or speaking to outsiders... Akane realized, a cold shiver running straight down her spine. He didn't want me to know about the apocalypse while he forced me into this marriage!
She suddenly remembered overhearing two estate servants whispering nervously about "mass evacuations" weeks ago in the hallway, only for them to instantly shut their mouths when she walked by. They had carried on bringing her meals and changing her linens as if nothing was wrong, maintaining the illusion of normalcy.
Raphael studied Akane's pale face, carefully searching her features for terror, hesitation, or regret. He had no intention of dragging her into a apocalyptic war against her will—not after everything she had already suffered within Samuel's clutches.
"You don't have to be part of this fight... if you don't want to," Raphael added softly, offering her an exit.
A silent choice hung heavy in the air between them: Raphael would return to the frontlines to protect humanity from Roanoke's swarm, but she could be placed somewhere far removed from the blood and ash. A quiet sanctuary existed—a place outside the reach of the crisis where she would never have to lay eyes on a vampire or hear the screams of dying mages.
Yet, accepting that offer meant letting him walk into the meat grinder entirely without her.
Akane's heart hammered violently against her ribs. The brutal weight of his revelation pressed down on her chest, but as she looked at the man standing before her, a fierce, burning flame ignited deep within her soul.
He came for me, Akane thought to herself, her jaw clenching as a protective fury swallowed her fear. He risked his life, his recovery, and his remaining mana to break into this stronghold just to rescue me... How could I possibly sit quietly in some safe little corner while he bleeds on a battlefield?!
Without a second of hesitation, Akane reached out and grabbed Raphael's hand, her fingers interlacing tightly with his. Her grip was unyielding, a silent, unbreakable vow forged in the dark.
She didn't need to speak. The burning resolve in her eyes communicated everything: I am going with you.
The terror of an army of vampires paled in comparison to the unbearable agony of leaving Raphael to face five hundred million monsters alone. A single tear escaped her eye, tracing a path down her cheek—not out of sorrow, but from sheer, unshakeable determination. She was no longer a helpless victim trapped in a white dress; she was his partner, and if he was going to slay monsters, she would stand right beside him.
"Yeah, no. I don't care if this war is going on—you aren't leaving my side, Akane," a arrogant voice suddenly interrupted.
Samuel Arzenon walked into the bridal chamber, a smug, insufferable smirk plastered across his face and his hands casually resting in his trouser pockets.
Raphael turned, his red eyes narrowing as he faced his cousin in person for the very first time.
"Who are you?" Raphael demanded, his tone cold and lethal.
Samuel let out a sharp, mocking chuckle. "Oh, me? I am Samuel Arzenon, your cousin. And that bitch Akane belongs to me as my property."
The temperature in the room plummeted instantly. Raphael's eyes turned into shards of glacial ice.
"Samuel, I don't want to kill you," Raphael warned, his voice dangerously quiet. "So back down now."
Samuel threw his head back and laughed hysterically, his voice dripping with condescension.
"Really? You, killing me? Don't make me laugh!" Samuel sneered, taking a step forward. "Your father, Charles Arzenon, literally abandoned you as a newborn baby because you were too weak! You were born with a Magic Circuits generation count of ten at best, making you a below-average magus—just like me, man! Like, come on! Do you really think you are worthy of this slut Akane when she has a Magic Circuit generation count of ten thousand?! Unlike your bitch ass, clearly I am far more worthy of fucking her!"
Akane saw red, pure venom surging through her veins at his disgusting words.
Yet, what shocked her to her core was Raphael's restraint. Despite the vile insults thrown at his heritage and his birth, Raphael didn't immediately tear Samuel apart. His eyes burned with an terrifying, volcanic rage, but he held it back with absolute iron discipline.
Instead of engaging the insufferable fool, Raphael tightened his grip on Akane's hand and sharply turned toward the door.
In an instant, Raphael moved with swift, decisive speed. Pulling Akane firmly along, their formal clothes rustled loudly as he navigated the room toward the exit.
"Oh? Running away already?! Pathetic!" Samuel shouted behind them, his cruel sneer echoing off the walls. "You can't even fight for what you claim to love!"
Raphael didn't look back. He knew that if he turned around right now, the bloodlust boiling in his chest would compel him to slaughter his cousin on the spot—and while Samuel deserved a violent death, Akane's safety was his absolute priority. Securing her escape came far before indulging in petty vengeance.
They bolted down the grand hallway, their hurried footsteps echoing off the marble floors lined with portraits of Arzenon ancestors staring down in silent judgment.
Recognizing that her heavy bridal gown was slowing her steps, Raphael didn't hesitate. In one fluid, seamless motion, he scooped Akane up into his arms, carrying her securely against his broad chest. Magical energy crackled faintly around his shoulders as he primed his spatial Magecraft.
WHOOSH!
The world distorted violently before snapping back into crisp focus as cold night air slapped their skin.
They materialized outside, standing just meters away from the estate's massive front gates, illuminated by the pale moonlight and flickering street lanterns. They had bypassed the interior corridors entirely, but their presence did not remain undetected for long.
Raphael's sharp eyes scanned the perimeter, his stomach instantly dropping.
Stationed in tactical formations around the main entrance were fifty heavily armed guards. Clad in black tactical uniforms emblazoned with the Arzenon family crest, they carried enchanted automatic rifles and heavy anti-mage barrier shields. Samuel had doubled the guard detail anticipating a rescue attempt.
The entire unit turned in unison, their eyes locking onto Raphael and Akane.
"There!" a commander shouted, drawing his weapon. "Stop them! They're escaping!"
Chaos erupted as dozens of armored boots slammed against the cobblestones, the guards surging forward to surround them.
A dangerous, feral smirk curled the corners of Raphael's lips—an expression Akane had never seen on his face before. He set Akane down gently behind him, placing his body as an absolute shield between her and the armed force.
"Stay behind me," he commanded softly.
The atmosphere around Raphael ruptured. Thick, suffocating waves of raw magical pressure radiated off his form like a rising storm. His silver-white hair lifted in the localized updraft, the sheer density of his mana causing the surrounding air to hum with static electricity.
This... this isn't just growth, Akane realized, her breath catching in awe as she felt the overwhelming pressure. This is godlike strength!
Raphael raised his right hand, summoning the Jewel Sword Zelretch into his grip. The legendary construct gleamed with condensed, iridescent True Ether.
Then, he deployed his magic.
Five hundred Execution Gates opened simultaneously.
Space ripped open in every direction—above, below, left, and right. Five hundred golden portals materialized in mid-air, each hummed with a different lethal form of high-tier Magecraft. Roaring spheres of concentrated fire, razor-sharp spears of solid ice, crackling arcs of purple lightning, and glowing runic artillery arrays lined the sky, all aimed directly at the advancing guards.
The entire battlefield froze in absolute terror.
The fifty guards, trained killers who had faced countless threats, stood petrified in their tracks. Cold sweat poured down their faces as the catastrophic pressure of five hundred high-tier spells locked onto their bodies.
Samuel, who had chased them out onto the balcony above, turned ghostly pale. His jaw hung slack, his mind completely unable to process that the "weak cousin" he had mocked seconds ago was commanding an army's worth of magical destruction with a flick of his wrist.
Raphael's eyes turned cold as absolute zero as he looked over the paralyzed force.
"You have five seconds to move, or you all die," Raphael declared, his voice echoing across the courtyard like a decree of execution.
The guards didn't hesitate for a single second.
"SCATTER!" a guard screamed, throwing his weapon to the ground and sprinting away.
The rest of the unit broke into a frantic rout, tripping over themselves as they fled in sheer terror. Samuel himself stumbled backward on the balcony, turning tail and sprinting into the safety of the interior rooms without looking back once.
As the courtyard cleared, Raphael let out a short, sharp laugh—a quiet, victorious sound of absolute vindication.
He turned back to Akane, the terrifying bloodlust vanishing instantly from his features, replaced by his familiar, tender warmth. He reached out, gently cupping her jaw and smoothing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Really?" Raphael murmured playfully, his voice soft. "Samuel claimed he wanted to me your husband... yet he ran away the moment he was truly challenged. That's how I know you have been unhappy with him."
Akane stared at him, her chest heaving as the silence of the courtyard settled over them. The sounds of fleeing guards faded into the distance, leaving only the sound of her own rapid breathing.
All the fear, the shock of the apocalyptic war, and the trauma of her captivity coalesced into a single, overwhelming realization.
"He... he made me wear this," Akane choked out, her trembling hand clutching the lace of her heavy bridal gown. "He made me wear this... while the world was ending."
She looked up at Raphael, tears of anger and immense relief pouring down her face as she pointed a shaking finger back toward the mansion.
"He didn't care!" she sobbed out, her composure finally breaking. "He didn't care about me at all!"
Raphael listened to her painful confession, a deep, mournful sorrow settling over his features. He bowed his head slightly, absorbing the reality of her suffering.
Then, his expression settled into a quiet, unwavering resolve. He leaned down and pressed a soft, respectful kiss onto her forehead.
"Yeah," Raphael agreed gently. "But you... I will always love you."
He pulled back, his crimson eyes locking onto hers with absolute conviction as he made a difficult, painful decision.
"I will hand you over to Sion," Raphael stated firmly. "Then I will leave to be elsewhere, okay?"
Akane froze, a sudden, sharp spike of anxiety piercing her chest. Hand me over? To someone else? Leave?!
"The reason I am leaving is because my mother, Emile Arzenon, will be executed in five hours from now, and I want to go save her before that happens," Raphael explained, letting out a soft sigh. "Besides... I've been an orphan my whole life, so maybe saving my mother will allow me to finally have a family."
Akane stared at him, her throat feeling utterly dry.
Five hours... she thought to herself, her mind processing the heartbreaking reality. He just rescued me, but now he has to risk his life again to save his mother from an execution...
"Sion?" Akane managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly.
"Sion is an ally," Raphael clarified smoothly, squeezing her shoulders gently to ground her. "I met her a few hours ago. She will keep you safe while I go off completely on my mission. So you are under the right hands with her, alright?"
Akane looked at his face—seeing the sheer exhaustion and the heavy burden of duty resting on his shoulders. She looked down at her wedding dress, understanding that his departure wasn't an abandonment, but a desperate necessity to save his mother's life.
She didn't scream or protest. She simply gave a small, stiff nod. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against his chest one last time, anchoring herself to his warmth before pulling back.
"Okay," she whispered softly.
Raphael's expression softened completely. He leaned down, pressing one final kiss onto her forehead—a seal of absolute protection.
Without warning, space around Raphael fractured violently. A blinding flash of silver light erupted around his body, the air humming with ozone.
WHOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, Raphael vanished, teleporting away toward his mother's execution site.
Akane was left standing alone in the quiet courtyard under the cold moonlight, bathed in the silence of the night.
High above the estate, hidden in the shadow of a large maple tree, Sion's head snapped up as a telepathic message resonated directly within her mind.
(Sion, I will leave Akane Tohsaka at the front gate so you can get her,) Raphael's voice echoed clearly in her consciousness.
Sion blinked, processing the sudden command. Pushing off from the tree trunk, she moved swiftly toward the main entrance without hesitation.
Before she reached the threshold, a second telepathic message echoed in her head.
(Also, I will go save my mother Emile on my own. I know that's not what we agreed to do, since you told me we should both do it together, but I don't want to trouble you with my personal matters. That's why I left Akane Tohsaka in the gate area for you to take care of. I have already teleported out of there.)
Sion stopped mid-stride, her expression darkening.
He went alone...? Sion thought to herself, a cold knot tightening in her chest. After we explicitly agreed to handle both targets together, he deliberately left me behind to handle his personal burden by himself?
It wasn't anger at being left behind that stung her; it was the fact that he viewed asking for her help as a "trouble." He had categorized his mother's survival as merely a "personal matter," assuming that she wouldn't truly care or want to stand by his side when the stakes were personal.
Sion reached the front gates, her boots stepping onto the gravel path.
There, standing quietly beneath the moonlight in a pale wedding gown, was Akane Tohsaka—abandoned in the quiet courtyard, looking up at the empty sky where Raphael had just vanished.