“FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK HIM! I WILL KILL HIM! THIS BASTARD!
KILL HIM!!”
The furious cries echoed through the dimly lit tent, where the tension was so thick it seemed to choke the very air. Yusuke, his face twisted in rage, had just reduced his chair to a pile of shattered wood with a furious kick.
The camp of Kastoria’s Army and Heroes, hastily established on the outer border, was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, but the disastrous turn of events forced them to reconsider. Now, their stay stretched into an uncertain, bitter vigil.
Yesterday was meant to be a day of triumph, their first major victory against the forces of Tenebria. But instead, it had ended in a nightmare, a cacophony of defeat that echoed in their minds. The culprit behind this crushing blow was not an army, nor a monster, but a single man—a man whose name now struck fear and fury into their hearts: Samael, the Hero of Darkness.
He had decimated their ranks with an ease that bordered on contempt, rendering even the strongest among them helpless. The devastation was made worse by the loss of two of their own. Taketa, one of their classmates, had been killed by Samael’s hand, while Yanagi Rena had been taken, her fate unknown.
The heroes had been summoned to this world over a year ago, and until now, they had never lost a comrade. But today, they were brutally reminded of their mortality, and worse still, by another Hero like themselves.
The atmosphere within the main tent was suffocating, thick with grief, anger, and unspoken blame. Yusuke, on the edge of snapping, glared at anyone who so much as looked in his direction, daring them to speak. His wrath was a storm barely contained, and the shattered chair at his feet was just a taste of the fury that raged within him.
Ryuuki sat silently, his bare chest exposed as Yumiko tended to his wounds, tears streaming down her face as she worked. His long bangs concealed his expression, but his silence spoke volumes. Ryuuki, who had always been a voice of reason, a beacon of peace among them, had not uttered a single word since Rena was taken.
The gentle healer who had once advocated for understanding and mercy was now a man haunted by his own inaction. He still believed in peace, but the compassion he once held for Tenebria and its people had withered, replaced by a cold, burning resolve.
“It’s my fault.”
The thought looped endlessly in Ryuuki’s mind, gnawing at his conscience. He had known that Kaguya and the Goddess Amaterasu wanted to strike down Samael without hesitation, but he had held them back, urged them to seek another way. Now, he wondered if his desire for peace had cost them dearly.
Perhaps if they had fought with the intent to kill from the outset, Taketa would still be alive, and Rena would be safe with them.
Kazuto, standing off to the side, clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His voice trembled with frustration as he broke the silence. “I don’t understand. How can he be this strong? He’s from Earth like us, right? What’s the difference between us and him?”
The question hung in the air, heavy with despair and confusion. How could there be such a vast chasm between two Heroes summoned from the same world? Of course, they had always known that some among them were stronger than others, but the disparity between their power and Samael’s was incomprehensible. The difference between them as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.
“He’s not unbeatable! Stop whining already! We have to rescue Rena quickly!” Ayaka’s voice cut through the heavy atmosphere like a blade, her irritation palpable as she glared at her classmates. Their defeated expressions grated on her nerves, fueling her determination. The room was thick with despair, and she wasn’t having any of it.
Ayaka felt the same frustration and grief, but she refused to let it paralyze her. They needed to act, not wallow. The situation was dire, yes, but Samael was not invincible. Her mind raced, already strategizing their next move. Yet, she knew the path ahead wouldn’t be easy.
Kratos and his entire army, along with Megara, who had somehow recovered from what should have been fatal wounds, were waiting for them. If they wanted to save Rena and take down Samael, they would need every ounce of strength they could muster.
Despite her tough exterior, Ayaka’s thoughts briefly drifted to Rena. Their relationship had been fraught with bickering and competition, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care. On the contrary, the thought of Rena in Samael’s clutches made her blood boil. They had to save her, and for that, she needed to conserve her energy, to focus it on the battle to come.
“Right, sister?” Ayaka turned to Alana, who had been sitting quietly on her chair, seemingly lost in thought. Ayaka’s voice was tinged with an unspoken plea for support, but Alana remained silent. Her expression was distant, as if she were lost in memories, far removed from the grim reality they faced.
“Akane?” Ayaka called out again, a hint of worry creeping into her voice. “Why are you acting weird too, sister?”
Akane finally turned to face her, her usual confidence replaced by uncertainty. Her voice wavered as she spoke. “You see, that Samael…”
“Yeah?” Ayaka prompted, her heart beginning to race as she sensed something was wrong.
“I… I think it’s Nathan.”
Ayaka froze. The name struck her like a bolt of lightning. Nathan. The name she could never forget, the name that haunted her with guilt and regret. She stared at Akane, hoping she had misheard, that it was some sort of mistake. “Nathan?
Nathan who?”
Akane bit her lip, lowering her head as if the words were physically painful to say. “…Onii-sama.”
“Onii-chan?!” Ayaka’s voice erupted, louder than she intended, the shock and disbelief clear in her tone.
The rest of the class turned to look at Ayaka, stunned by her outburst. The way she had said “onii-chan” was so uncharacteristically childish that for a moment, some of them found her almost endearing. Ayaka was known for her strength and determination, so hearing her speak like that was jarring. None of them had ever heard her mention having an older brother.
Ayaka’s face flushed red with embarrassment, but she quickly shook it off, her focus snapping back to her sister. “That’s impossible! I—I mean, Onii-chan is back on Earth, in the US!”
“B… But I’m sure it’s him, Ayaka,” Akane stammered, her voice trembling. “He called me Akane, and I couldn’t see his face clearly, but it felt so familiar, like it was really him.”
If anyone had seen Akane in that moment, flustered and unsure, they would hardly believe their eyes. The cold, composed beauty was now visibly shaken, and the sight was almost surreal. Some might have even been tempted to capture the moment, to preserve this rare glimpse of vulnerability in a girl who was usually so calm and collected.
Ayaka stared at her sister, words failing her as she processed the revelation. She had never seen Akane like this, not since the day they had left Nathan behind. Could it really be him? Could the brother they had thought lost to another world somehow be here, in this twisted version of their reality?
“Is… that really him?”