The chest of the Buddha cracked apart with a thunderous burst, shards of golden light scattering as his body began to fade into nothingness. The mountains, altar, and the very domain itself trembled violently, collapsing into fragments of vanishing space.
"You… should have accepted my deal…" the Buddha's voice rumbled, breaking apart with static-like distortion. "There's no way you can leave here without me…"
His colossal form sank deeper into ruin.
Miyamoto stood firm amidst the chaos, eyes sharp, hand steady on his blade. He raised the sword, and with a swift motion carved open the fabric of the collapsing domain. A fissure of light split across reality, tearing into the boundary between the Buddha's prison and the Earth's domain.
"Don't worry about me," Miyamoto said coldly, stepping through the rift as golden debris fell around him. "There are countless things I can do… things you could never imagine."
The Buddha gave a final fading grin, his body breaking into golden dust. "What a man you are… May we meet again…" His voice dissolved into silence as he vanished with his world.
Miyamoto walked out through the cut in reality, carrying Clark's weakened body slung over his shoulder. Clark, still unconscious from severing the Buddha's spirit, barely stirred.
With a flicker of Switch Mode, Miyamoto vanished from the collapsing void and reappeared outside, where Lucy and Peaches waited anxiously.
"You're finally back, Master!" Lucy rushed forward, her voice trembling. "What are we going to do now?"
Peaches eyed the boy slumped over Miyamoto's shoulder. "Is… is that the guy you were fighting?"
Miyamoto let out a short, sharp scoff. "Fighting? You think this kid could stand a chance against me, you moron?" He adjusted Clark's body on his shoulder. "I kept him alive long enough to rid him of the spirit he summoned. That's all."
He cast them both a stern glare. "But you two didn't do well here. Not at all."
Peaches stiffened. "We had no choice. They were ready to kill us! Lucy managed to defeat the girl without ending her life, but the man—he almost split me in half. I had to defend myself!"
"There's no need for excuses." Miyamoto cut him off sharply, tone filled with authority. "The hideout is gone—they moved because of our intrusion. Next time, we go wisely. Not forcefully."
"Okay," Lucy and Peaches answered in unison, their voices subdued.
Then—
Thwip!
A razor of death sliced through the air. A lightning-fast arrow slammed into Peaches' chest, punching clean through him. He staggered, blood pouring violently from the wound as he collapsed to the dirt.
"PEACHES!!" Lucy screamed, rushing to his side. She cradled him, shaking, tears bursting down her face.
"What the hell—?!" Miyamoto's eyes blazed with fury. "Damn it! I let my guard down!"
Thwip! Thwip!
More arrows cut through the air toward him. Miyamoto instantly vanished with Switch Mode, reappearing mid-flight. He snatched one of the arrows in his bare hand, crushing it, then wove Renshi into his palm. Energy flared—his Renshi formed into a glowing bow. With a sharp pull, he unleashed a shot of pure destructive energy.
The Renshi-arrow pierced through the air—slamming into a hidden assassin who had been cloaked by camouflage. The figure screamed, shimmering as the invisibility broke, and collapsed lifeless to the ground.
From above, a mocking voice rang out.
"Well, well. I never expected that from you, Master…" A woman's voice, smooth yet venomous. "The noble swordsman who never takes lives."
Miyamoto's gaze shot upward. Figures emerged from camouflage—Amanda, flanked by five Shinras draped in black cloaks, their eyes burning with loyalty.
Lucy trembled as she held Peaches tighter. His blood soaked her arms. "Don't die… Peaches… You finally made me feel special… after years of emptiness." Her voice cracked as she wept.
Peaches coughed, blood seeping from his lips. He raised a shaking hand, brushing Lucy's cheek. "You're free to cry for me… but don't… don't be sad because of me. Live… your life, Lucy. Find happiness. I'll always… be with you… even after death."
His hand went limp. His body stilled.
Lucy's scream tore the night. "PEACHES!!"
Amanda smirked cruelly. "Oh, little sister, crying over a man you loved… How pitiful. That arrow was meant for Master Miyamoto. The boy simply got in the way."
The five Shinras spoke in unison, their voices cold. "At your command, young master."
Amanda waved them down. "No… it isn't necessary. I came only to say goodbye to my little sister."
Her expression hardened as she turned to Miyamoto. "I owe you for teaching me and Lucy swordsmanship. For that, I'm grateful. I'll repay the favor someday. But hear me clearly—stop searching for me. You may be strong, but there are countless ways to kill a rat without spilling its blood. Let me walk my path. If I succeed… maybe I'll return to you. But if you keep pursuing our hideouts, you'll only get yourselves killed. Today, I was never here."
Miyamoto's hand tightened on his sword, but before he could reply, Lucy rose, closing Peaches' eyes with trembling fingers.
"Don't answer her, Master," Lucy said, voice breaking with fury and grief. She stepped forward, staring Amanda dead in the eyes. "Let me."
She raised her voice, raw with emotion. "Amanda… oh, Manda. Mama and Papa would be so proud of you—running with killers, just for revenge against the kingdom that took them. Do you remember Papa's poem?
'The king is the son of a king.
The queen is the daughter of a nobody.
The queen bears a prince… and makes him a son of somebody.'
Now tell me—how does that fit your life now? The big sister I once knew would never laugh at a man's death… never rejoice over the blood you spilled. But today, you killed Peaches. You killed the man I loved. And with that… there's nothing left between us."
Amanda's jaw tightened, though her eyes flickered with conflict. "You fool… I told you, it wasn't meant for him! While we lived under Mama and Papa's roof, we never even knew this man! My plan was simple—kill Miyamoto, and bring you back with me."
Her voice wavered, but her gaze hardened again. "I chose this path, Lucy. You'll understand one day."