Chapter 27
The Eden dimension dissolved like mist in sunlight.
Sakura's hands moved with precision, chanting softly under her breath. Slowly, the lush landscape, the trees, the birds, the flowing rivers—they all vanished. Reality itself began to crack as the edges of the Eden dimension splintering until nothing remained.
And then, just like that, they were all back.
The walls of Commander Wang Chi's office materialized around them the moonlight from the office windows felt cool after the serenity of the Eden garden. Dust settled in faint motes in the air.
Lily breathed deeply, her chest rising and falling as she felt the surge of pride from the duel with her big brother. She leaned against the edge of the table for support, sweat still clinging to her brow.
"I… did it big brother ," she whispered quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
Renji sat across from her, eyes still focused, but there was a subtle tension behind them. He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes for a brief moment. She's… really grown. Stronger than I expected.
Does it mean she can .....
Takeda, Arisa, and the others were catching their breath as well, quietly discussing their observations from the Eden dimension. Papers and maps were scattered across the table, but the tension from the duel hung in the air like smoke.
Renji's mind, however, was elsewhere.
If mother's words… were they true? he thought. Could Lily… really reach this level of strength? If she continues like this… His hands clenched into fists. He felt both pride and unease.
And then—suddenly—GBIM! his sensed went blank
Renji froze mid-conversation, his forehead creasing.
Something… is wrong!. A subtle, lurking presence that felt familiar, yet dangerous. A darkness twisting in the shadows.
"Something… is here," he murmured, his voice low. A cold vibration ran down his spine, reaching deep into his soul.
Lily stiffened beside him, her own senses flaring. She could feel the malevolence. Evil… and very strong.
"What is it, Renji ?" Arisa asked, her voice trembling slightly.
He didn't answer immediately. His gaze sharpened, scanning the office and the space beyond the walls, feeling the distortion in the air. Then, almost like a whisper in his mind, a voice broke through.
It was faint. Corrupted. Layered, distorted but unmistakably familiar.
"Hello old friend.… it's been a long time…"
Renji's body stiffened instantly. His eyes widened as recognition struck him like lightning.
"Who's there?!" Takeda shouted, scanning the office in alarm.
But Renji didn't move. His heart was racing. The voice… he knew it.
Slowly, from the shadows along the far wall, a figure began to materialize. The light bent strangely around him, as if the air itself feared him.
Takeda's eyes went wide. The other pillars leaned back, stunned into silence.
As the figure stepped forward, a cold smile spread across his face.
"It's been a long time… Renji," he said, his tone both calm and threatening.
Lucio Vasquez, the Pillar of Shadows, didn't hesitate. Anger flashed in his eyes, burning like wildfire.
"It's you…! You are responsible for millions of deaths!" Diee!! he shouted, lunging forward without thinking.
"WAIT!" Renji screamed,
But it was to late Choji didn't flinch. A dangerous, cruel smile twisted his face. "Fool"... In one swift, fluid motion, he reached out and ripped Lucio Vasquez's heart from his chest.
The office went silent for a heartbeat,then Lucio's body crumpled to the floor, blood pooling beneath him.
Choji's eyes glowed, licking the blood of Lucio Vasquez and scanning the remaining pillars. "Next!" he said coldly.
...
The remaining pillars' eyes flared instantly, each one burning with rage. Takeda shouted, "CHOJI!"
"Wait!" Renji screamed He raised his hands, releasing a massive wave of telekinesis. Every pillar in the room was slammed against the walls and the floor, crashing violently.
Marcus Steel and Elena Warwick grinned at the display, even as the invisible pressure pinned them down.
"Let us go!" they screamed, straining against the invisible force but it was no use. The pressure slammed them into the floor again, crushing the air from their lungs.
Renji's face was twisted with anger and disbelief. "Are you stupid? Do you want to die?!" he shouted.
This isn't a magic beast he's as strong as me
Choji laughed—a harsh, echoing sound that reverberated through the office.
"Hahaha! Die? You will all die!" His voice dripped with menace. He gestured toward Lucio's lifeless body. "It's inevitable! Just like your friend, here soon all that is of this world will be gone without a second thought! Whether now or tomorrow or the next 40 years … your deaths are guaranteed!"
Renji released the telekinetic pressure from the remaining pillars, standing tall, fists clenched.
Lily's eyes were dark with fury. Her jaw tightened. Her hands clenched, trembling slightly with rage.
"Tch…" she muttered, her teeth grinding. "Why? Why are you doing this, big brother Choji?"
Choji paused, tilting his head. "Huh? Big brother? How… how can someone like that… call me that?" He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter," Lily spat back, her voice low and dangerous. "But I do know… I will stop you!"
Is this what you think of Human life?
Choji cracked his knuckles. "Humans are mere food to be twisted, to be played with… it doesn't matter."
Lily's hands clenched tighter, her aura flaring. "I see!!!" she said, her voice echoing with a dangerous edge.
Choji's lips curved into a smile, almost amused. "Well… you all will join the waiting list. But I didn't come here to fight… yet."
I came on another.....
Before he could finish his sentence, the world seemed to shift. A powerful, sudden movement a blur.
Booom!
A devastating punch connected with Choji's face. His eyes widened in disbelief. So fast… I didn't see her coming…
He flew backward, crashing through the office window and smashing into cars that caused explosions and three buildings. Glass shattered, dust and debris filled the air, and screams erupted across the streets.
People ran, shouting, panicking. "Run! Get out of the way!" "What's happening?!" "Help!" Their voices were frantic, overlapping with the ringing of broken glass and the echo of destruction.
Lily's eyes burned like fire. She followed him immediately, her movements a blur.
"BOOM!" Another impact. She landed on the first building, the shockwave of her landing shattering walls and scattering debris. Her presence was overwhelming, and her aura radiating pure anger.
Renji shouted, "Let's go! Sakura!"
The two of them followed in a burst of speed, vanishing from the rooftops in an instant.
Back at Choji, he grinned, blood trickling from his nose. "Ouch… ouch… all this from a single punch…" he muttered, wiping a smear of blood from his lip.
Lily's landing sent another wave of destruction across the nearby buildings. She walked slowly, her shadow stretching long and dark across the streets, her aura scorching the air.
Get up!!
"I'll kick the living shit out of you, big brother Choji," she said, her voice low and dangerous, carrying the weight of every ounce of anger and pride she had accumulated.
Choji tilted his head, amusement lighting his face. "Finally… some fun," he said, letting a smirk play across his lips. His eyes narrowed, glittering with curiosity.
I don't seem to have a quarrel with you before??
"Who… are you?" he asked, still amused but cautious.
Lily raised her head, locking her burning eyes on him.
Choji froze. His grin faded, replaced by a flash of recognition. "Those eyes…" he murmured. "I… recognize them anywhere…"
"Lily??" His voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of shock, disbelief, and something unspoken.
The city around them screamed. Buildings cracked. Civilians ran in panic. But in that moment, only two pairs of eyes locked across the distance one filled with anger and justice, the other with a dangerous mixture of recognition and malice.
The air itself seemed to hold its breath....
Choji laughed.
"Haha… I see, I see, I see."
His voice echoed through the broken street, low and amused, like he had just solved a puzzle he had been staring at
"So it's you."
Lily stopped moving.
Her boots scraped lightly against the cracked ground as she turned her head toward him, eyes sharp, aura barely restrained.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Choji's lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk.
"You really don't know?" he said. "Interesting."
He took a step forward, hands casually in his pockets, completely relaxed despite the destruction around them.
"You're the one my king has been wary of," Choji continued. "The name that kept coming up in whispers."
Lily's brow tightened. "Your king?" she repeated.
Choji chuckled. "Looks like you're walking blind through your own fate."
He tilted his head slightly, studying her like prey.
"It seems you don't know the limits of the power you possess, Lily."
Her heart skipped not in fear, but in irritation.
Choji's eyes narrowed, "tell me you have a spirit beast, don't you?"
That kind of strength so you posses the power of vendova
For a brief second, the air felt heavier.
Choji burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! So it's true."
He clapped his hands once, slow and mocking.
"You've really grown up, haven't you, Lily?" he said. "You're not the scared little brat you once were."
To host such power with your fragile human body without dying it's impressive I'll give you that
It seems you aren't the same brat you used to be
Lily's expression hardened.
She stepped forward.
"Come," she said calmly, her voice steady but burning underneath.
"And let me show you what a brat can do."
The ground trembled.
BOOM.
Two figures slammed down behind her, the impact cracking the street even further.
Renji and Sakura.
Dust rose into the air as they landed.
"WAIT!!" Renji shouted.
Lily froze for half a second.
Renji moved closer, panic clear in his eyes.
"Lily, think!" he yelled. "If you or I fight him here, more innocent people will die!" and that's what he wants
She turned slowly and stared back at him.
Her eyes were glowing faintly now.
"We're not letting him go free," Lily said.
"Not after today."
Sakura stepped forward beside Renji.
Her tone was sharp, decisive.
"In that case," Sakura said, "we'll take him to another dimension and end it there."
Choji laughed again.
"Oooi, oooi," he said, shaking his head. "You really think the three of you can win against me?"
His smile vanished.
His aura surged outward, dark and crushing.
He threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"Don't fucking play with me."
Choji stretched both hands forward slowly the sky above them twisted and dark energy spiraled violently.
In an instant, thousands of giant dark spears formed in the air they weren't just aimed at Renji they were aimed at the entire city ,Buildings. Streets and ,People and everything.
Renji's eyes widened in horror.
"No—!" I can't nullify all of them in time
Lily's body trembled.
Her anger exploded her aura ignited, blazing like a raging fire.
The ground beneath her feet melted, cracking and sinking as heat spread outward.
Inside her mind....
"Oooi, stupid," Rajah's voice snapped.
"Calm down."
Lily clenched her teeth.
"You are releasing too much power," Rajah warned you'll die ,your body can't handle it yet."
The energy inside her surged wildly.
"Release it now," Rajah continued.
"And you'll counter every single one of his attacks."
Lily inhaled sharply. Her eyes burning with understanding
Then
In a split second
She released her aura instantly exploding outward like a shockwave, spreading instantly across the entire city.
The air itself screamed.
Every single dark spear shattered mid-air completely erased,
Gone in a split second and suddenly the pressure vanished.
Choji's eyes went wide.
"What…?"
He stared at the empty sky, Are you serious?!" he shouted.
"Just with her aura… she nullified my magical attack?!"
His breathing grew heavier "there's only one spirit beast who can do that…"
His gaze locked onto Lily.
"…Impossible."
His voice dropped. "she's not the vessel of vendova she's the vessel of Rajah
It was never vendonva it was Rajah all along
This is bad I can corrupt magical energy but can erase it
How?? How did rajah bond with a human it's impossible
Meanwhile lily stood still, aura still burning but now controlled, her eyes never left Choji.
Fuck..... Choji whispered
Back at Wang Chi's Office
The room was shattered.
Furniture lay overturned as cracks ran through the walls.
Elena Warwick knelt on the floor, holding Lucio Vasquez's lifeless body in her arms.
Her hands shook.
"Oooi… Lucio-san…" she whispered.
Her voice broke.
"Open your eyes… please… open your eyes…"
Tears streamed down her face, falling onto his chest.
There was no response.
Marcus Steel clenched his fists, teeth grinding hard.
"Tch…" he muttered.
"Again…" again!!!! He turned his head away.
"Are we really pillars?" he said bitterly.
"We can't even do anything."
Takeda stepped forward, eyes sharp, jaw set.
"Let's go," he said firmly.
"We need to move."
Just then...
Step.
Step.
Step.
Footsteps echoed behind them.
Hiroto walked forward.
His face was calm, but his eyes burned with anger.
He stopped in front of them.
"You should be ashamed," Hiroto said.
They turned toward him.
"Calling yourselves pillars," he continued ,you only display power for entertainment not for protection."
Marcus flinched as he wanted to respond but hiroto's voice rose.
"Even if I'm weak against this current threat," he said,
"I'll gladly lay down my life for this country."
His fists tightened.
"But all you fucking do," he spat,Is make politics and do nothing."
Silence.
"Fuck you!!"
BOOM.
Hiroto smashed through the window, glass exploding outward as he soared into the sky.
He flew straight toward the city.
Toward the direction Renji went.