Zeno was lying unconscious on the bed, his entire body wrapped in bandages. Slowly, weakly, he opened his eyes. His ears twitched as he began to hear voices…
"He's been waiting for this day for a long time!"
"I'm sorry, but he must rest. He can't move at all!… We don't know what kind of magic he used, but it was extremely powerful. His heart almost stopped—he was lucky you brought him here so quickly."
"But he has to go to this tournament! Do something—I'm sure he'll be fine!"
"Please, he needs absolute rest for a week… He's in no condition to fight right now."
"But doctor—"
"My final word: if he uses his magical power even once more, there's a 99% chance he'll die!!!… Good day!"
After warning Arisa, the doctor left the room.
Arisa, upset and furious, placed her hand on her head and sat weakly on the chair beside Zeno.
"If he finds out he can't participate in the tournament, he'll be devastated… What should I do?!"
Suddenly, she heard Zeno move. She turned and saw him picking up his sword.
Arisa quickly grabbed the sword and stepped back.
Zeno looked at her in confusion.
"Why are you acting like this?"
"What do you want the sword for?!"
With bandages over his mouth, Zeno said,
"I have to go to the tournament… It's today."
But Arisa held the sword tightly to her chest and refused to let go.
Zeno painfully stood up. Every time he took a step forward, Arisa stepped back.
Zeno shouted angrily,
"Arisa, I said give me that sword!!!!"
But Arisa held it even tighter. Zeno lunged at her, but she dodged, and he fell face-first to the ground.
"Arisa, I said give it to me… Don't make me take it by force."
But Arisa would never hand over the sword if it meant saving Zeno's life.
Zeno quickly got up and jumped toward her, grabbing the hilt of the sword.
Because of the pain and exhaustion in his muscles, he couldn't pull properly—but he was slowly managing to take it when suddenly the door burst open and Veil entered.
"Buddy, are you okay—?!"
Zeno had jumped onto Arisa trying to grab the sword, and the two of them had fallen onto the bed.
When Veil saw the scene, he misunderstood and stammered shyly,
"Sorry for interrupting…!"
Arisa's cheeks turned red.
"It's not what you think!!!"
But Veil didn't believe it.
"I didn't see anything—please continue!"
Zeno used the opportunity, yanked the sword free, rushed to the window, and opened it, about to jump out toward the tournament.
But Arisa grabbed his shirt and stopped him.
"You need to rest, Zeno!… Veeeeil!"
She dragged Veil into the room.
"What?! What's going on?!… What are you doing, buddy?!"
Arisa shouted,
"He's trying to go to the tournament!! We have to stop him!"
Veil joined her.
"Buddy, you're not well—you need rest!"
But Zeno only wanted to go.
"I made a promise. I have to keep it."
He took off his coat and, with a powerful leap, jumped out, heading straight toward the battlefield.
Veil and Arisa stumbled back, exchanging confused looks.
"A promise?!"
The doctor rushed in, eyes wide, sweat on his forehead.
"What's happening?!!"
When he saw Zeno was gone, he sighed.
"It's like he really wants to kill himself…"
Zeno ran through the city straight toward the battlefield when he suddenly heard voices behind him. He turned—and became angry. Arisa, Veil, and the doctor were chasing after him.
"Zeno, stop! You can't push yourself!"
"Mr. Zeno, please come back—you need absolute rest!"
"Buddy, listen to your doctor!!!"
"Don't follow me!!"
Battlefield:
"Alright, beloved people of Shamrock, welcome back! Now we arrive at the final battle between two legendary swordsmen—"
"Wooooooaaaah!!!"
"Plant Creation Magic—Vine Thorns!"
Arisa chanted a spell to bind Zeno with her thorned vines and stop him.
The vines shot toward him at high speed, aiming directly at his legs—but Zeno leaped precisely, dodged them, and with a spinning slash in midair cut them apart.
The thorns shattered into dust—but Zeno didn't stop. He kept running toward the arena.
Now it was Veil's turn.
"Kyomu Kyūshoku!!! (Devoured by the Void!)"
From the path between Zeno and the battlefield, a black sphere with unnatural pressure materialized.
The pressure on Zeno was immense—but he refused to use his magic. He was saving it for the fight.
Blood began seeping through his bandages—but Zeno ignored it and stubbornly kept moving forward.
When the doctor saw the blood, he shouted at Veil to stop.
"Control your magic—you're reopening his wounds!"
But Veil didn't stop.
Arisa screamed angrily,
"What are you doing, Veil?! Stop your magic—you're making his bleeding worse!"
Veil answered seriously,
"If we stop him like this, he'll just bleed a little and pass out. But if he goes to the fight and uses his magic, he'll die!!"
Zeno's vision slowly blurred. His speed dropped.
Suddenly, everything before his eyes went black—and he collapsed.
As he exhaled his final breath of consciousness, he whispered only one word:
"Kurenai…"