Miyamoto slid his second blade back into its sheath, his breathing steady despite the chaos around him. With one hand, he gripped Alaska tightly by the neck, raising him into the air like a child's toy.
"I won't end you with my sword," Miyamoto's voice cut through the silence, calm yet merciless. "That would be too much of an honor. For all the innocent lives you've slaughtered, your end will not be dignified."
He extended his free hand. From the scorched earth, the Golden Sword of Alaska trembled violently, then ripped itself from the dirt, spinning through the air before landing firmly in Miyamoto's grip.
"This blade once represented pride," Miyamoto declared, his eyes narrowed. "Now, it will be your executioner. As a Shinra of this country, I deliver judgment!"
He swung to decapitate, but Alaska only grinned, blood dripping from his mouth as his body trembled.
"Hahaha… don't make me laugh." His voice was guttural, yet mocking. "You think I'll die so easily? No, Miyamoto… you're coming with me!"
Alaska's chest began to glow violently. He was funneling every shred of his remaining Renshi life force into his heart. His veins bulged black, scales covering his arms, as the energy condensed into an unstable core.
"Self-destruction…" Miyamoto's eyes widened. He immediately loosened his grip to throw Alaska away, but in that split second, Alaska's clawed hand latched tighter onto his wrist like steel.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Alaska roared, blood spraying from his lips.
Miyamoto cursed under his breath, his body flickering with Switch Mode, trying to blink away from the explosion radius. But Alaska's grip held firm. Each attempt to sever the arm was blocked—the scales forming a shield over Alaska's skin, hardened by his final Renshi surge.
"You leave me no choice," Miyamoto growled, golden sparks crackling in his hand. With a brutal thrust, he rammed the Golden Sword straight through Alaska's skull.
The light in Alaska's eyes froze for a heartbeat. Then—
BOOOOOOOM!
A cataclysm erupted, tearing the forest apart in an instant. Trees vaporized, the ground split open, and a towering column of fire engulfed everything. The sound thundered for miles, silencing birds, shaking earth, and leaving behind nothing but devastation.
But high above the carnage, Miyamoto appeared, suspended midair, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Tch… too close." His voice was ragged, but relief flickered across his face. "That fool nearly dragged me down with him. The scale of that blast… it'll definitely draw the attention of the head of Shinras. I need to disappear—fast."
In an instant, he vanished again, flickering across the skies with Switch Mode, leaving the smoldering ruin behind.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Purity…
outside the front of the house, voices clashed like blades. Amanda's face was flushed with fury, her eyes blazing as she screamed at her sister.
"You crushed the jade, Lucy! Don't try to twist it—you abandoned Master!"
Lucy shook her head firmly, her fists clenched. "I told you—when you threw it to me the storm struck! I never crushed it! We were pulled into this place suddenly. I don't even understand what happened!"
Amanda's voice cracked, her rage spilling over. "No. Don't you dare blame fate! You've always been selfish. Always clinging to life no matter the cost! If you'd truly loved Master—even a fraction—you wouldn't have left him behind!"
Lucy's expression softened, though her words were resolute. "Your feelings for me as a sister changed ever since I refused to follow you into revenge against the Kingdom of Berserker. You think I've changed, but I haven't. I only know this—whatever path you walk, Amanda, you'll always be my sister. Even if I can't stand beside you."
Her words were calm, but heavy, before she turned and stepped into the house.
Amanda remained rooted to the spot, trembling, her chest heaving with emotions too heavy to contain.
"Why… why do I feel like I'm the one at fault?" Her teeth clenched as tears burned at the edges of her eyes. Then, rage overwhelmed her. "No. I won't forgive them. Our parents' deaths… I'll never let it be in vain! The Shinras of Berserker—those bastards destroyed our family! I'll make them pay. All of them! They will drown in the same pain I've carried all these years!"
Her scream tore into the sky, and in that moment, her Renshi exploded outward.
A dark aura surged violently from her body, spiraling into the heavens. The pressure was suffocating, shaking buildings, shattering windows, and uprooting entire rooftops. Clouds split above, swirling around the beam of dark Renshi.
Lucy stumbled outside, shielding her face from the raging winds. "Big sis! Stop! You're going to draw attention! The Shinras will sense this! Please!" Her voice was desperate, tears welling in her eyes as she blocked debris with bursts of her own Renshi.
But Amanda didn't hear her. She stood screaming, engulfed in her own hatred, her aura swallowing the sky.
---
Far above the kingdom gates, Miyamoto appeared, still levitating. His sharp eyes locked instantly on the rising storm of energy.
"This is bad," he muttered. "What the hell is wrong with this kid? At this level, she'll attract not just the Shinra, but worse."
Inside the castle, alarms rang. A pro Darkside Knight known as Death Stare stirred from his chambers, sensing the ominous pulse. "Investigate that aura immediately," he ordered, his voice low and chilling.
From the towers, a Shinra guard shouted: "Unidentified Renshi surge detected! Multiple buildings damaged! All units mobilize!"
"Roger!" another Shinra barked back before vanishing in a blur of Switch Mode, racing toward the town.
Meanwhile, Miyamoto cloaked himself in a faint barrier, masking his aura as he zipped closer. His lips curved into a dry smirk.
"She's reckless. At her age, I would've never let my power run this wild. She's blinded by revenge… damn it."
In less than fifteen seconds, Miyamoto blinked again—this time reappearing directly in front of Amanda, who stood trembling, her dark aura still clawing into the sky.