Inside Kojin's office, the elite squad stood there with Veronica standing before them, the mood of the room was deep. Maps, reports, and glowing markers of enemy movements scattered across the table. Veronica stood at the center, her eyes sharp as she addressed everyone.
"It's been a month, already. The Dark Sign and Ukina will strike at any moment. You all already know your roles. Son—you'll face Sorata. The girls will take on Kirihai. Kinto is already in the City of Steel on his way to confronting Kenji. The rest of you… be ready for whatever threats appear. We don't know the full extent of Ukina's plan, so stay sharp."
She paused, her gaze heavy, her voice lowering.
"And one more thing—don't die."
A few days earlier at the Dark Sign hideout…
Sorata, Kenji, and Kirihai stood before Ukina. The room was dim. Sorata sat infront of a metal box, Kenji leaned on a wall, hands in his pockets, and Kirihai sat untop on the chair, legs stretched out. Ukina's lips curved into a smile as she looked upon her last three surviving allies.
"In two days, the final battle begins," she said softly. "You all know what to do. But first—congratulations. The Dark Sign began with ten members… and yet only the three of you remain. Well, we still have Zora, but he decided to quit the dark sign. Either way, you've proven your worth. And for that, I cherish you."
Sorata crossed his arms, his voice cutting through the silence.
"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, Ukina… but what's your real plan? You're hardly ever here. Shinki, Kenji, and I have been leading in your absence. What are you hiding from us?"
Ukina chuckled, her laugh echoing like a blade against glass.
"You sure are sharp as usual, Sorata. Very well—I'll tell you. My plan… is to erase this world's concept of supernatural power entirely. Think about it—the strong dominate and oppress. The weak rise up with vengeance. It's an endless cycle of pain. I want to end it. I will create a world where this cursed energy does not exist."
Sorata narrowed his eyes, suspicion still lingering.
"A society without power systems, huh? And what about us? What happens if we fail? Or even die?"
Ukina's smile softened, almost motherly.
"You're wrong if you think I don't care. Each of you… I took you in because you were broken by this society. Shaped into criminals by powers that should never have existed. You all are my family. Wouldn't you agree?"
Silence filled the room for a moment. Then Sorata exhaled, smirking.
"Tch! That doesn't answer my questio. But I guess we're just a crazy bunch of broken people trying to change the world in our own twisted way. Fine. I get it."
The day of the war arrived.
The sky twisted unnaturally, torn between day and night. Ukina appeared above the city, floating in the sky, her aura wrapping the horizon in darkness.
"The day has come!" she declared with a smirk on her face, her voice booming across the city. "The day where it all ends. Let the final saga… begin!"
Portals tore open all over the city. A huge burst of shadow puppets rushed out of the portals with swift bursts of speed. From the chaos that had unfolded, Sorata walked in a purple battle suit, that suited him well. Wings of energy unfurling behind him, gears spinning at his back. Beside him, Kirihai stepped forth in black armor, her blade gleaming with lethal intent. The shadow puppets kept rushing out with wild and violent intents, crawling and screeching as they poured into the city, tearing buildings apart in chaos.
On the other hand, a large number of solidiers and assassins were ready for the incoming threats and were ready for a life and death battle "Here they come!", solidier exclaimed. All their weapons were ready, they all started to charge up all the energy they could pull out of their bodies and immediately rushed in for the attack. The clash began instantly blasters shooting beams and causing explosions, sabers cutting and clashing with shadow puppet, lightning, flames and all sorts of elemental attacks flying left and right causing powerful explosions. The battle between the soliders of the city and the shadow puppet began.
Sorata shot forward, an excited grin plastered on his face as purple destructive energy gathered around him like a storm.
"AH! DO YOU THINK YOUR WEAK ASS ATTACKS CAN STOP US YOU WORTHLESS INSECTS?!", he yelled with excitement.
With a roar, he unleashed a mountain-sized blast of destructive energy, engulfing half the city like a storm of purple devastation. Buildings melted. Screams of solidiers filled the air. Some were able to defend themselves while some got obliterated in seconds.
As Sorata ran forward with a laugh of excitement all over his face, he gathered another wave of destructive energy and shot it forward, a sudden torrent of flame erupted before him. It countered his wave of destructive energy, forcing him to dodge and ultimately saving more solidiers from being killed. His grin widened "AAAH! Is it who I think it is?"
A familiar voice rang out:
"Sorry, big brother… but I'm your opponent."
Through the fire walked Sōn, clad in red slim armor, his flames dancing with deadly brilliance around him.
Sorata's eyes lit up with manic joy.
"Wooow, kid! Look at you—rocking that armor! Damn, you look cool as hell!"
Son smirked. "I see your character design's changed too. Not bad. But that won't matter."
"Ohhh, I like that confidence!" Sorata said with a head tilt and a smirk. "Alright then—show me what you've got!", he continued.
Son's flames erupted, forming an armor of fire that clung to his body, radiating unbearable heat. Sorata, in turn, released a wave of destructive energy so immense that the entire city trembled beneath it with tramendous heat.
Step by step, the brothers walked toward each other. The ground beneath them melted with each step, they both were concentrated at each other. And then, with incredible speed and power, they ran towards each other with a burst of power.
Elsewhere, Kirihai landed gracefully, facing off against Serena and Sukuna who were standing a few feet away from Kirihai. Both Serena and Sukuna stood ready. Serena's blue battle suit with gear crackled with electricity, her hair sparking as it shifted into pure lightning. Sukuna's green battle suit pulsed with green plasma, her hair turning into glowing strands of raw energy.
Kirihai smirked, sword in hand.
"Well, well. Aren't you the girls I fought before? You've grown stronger—I can actually see it. Let's make this fight interesting, okay?"
She swung her blade once, and the sheer force split the air, annihilating skyscrapers in its wake.
Serena grit her teeth. "She's strong…"
Sukuna's eyes hardened. "Get ready."
Electricity surged. Plasma flared. The two brought out a circular device and activated it. In a flash of light, the three combatants were teleported in an instant, they found themselves in a storm-battered island, waves crashing violently as if the sea itself anticipated their clash. Kirihai looked around for a few moments, she had a mild smirk on her face "Wow, teleporting our fight away into a deserted island, smart move.". She turned forward and saw Serena and Sukuna already charging towards her like a storm of lightning and a rampage of plasma.
Meanwhile, in the City of Steel within the Iron Country…
Kenji stood atop a massive tower, his body crackling with flames and lightning and his hair flowing with the stormy wind as he rained destruction across the metallic cityscape.
Then a voice called out to him.
"Yo, you must be from the Dark Sign. Kenji, was it?"
Kenji turned. Standing below, his aura already blazing, was Kinto. His hair shifted—half red, half white—as his Explosive Mark activated in a new, more dangerous pattern.
Kenji smirked. "So… you're the one sent to stop me. Gotta say, i actually liked how you got my attention without a flashy enterance."
Kinto's eyes locked on his target standing above him, his voice sharp with resolve and a smirk on his face.
"My name is Kinto Kusekabe … and I'll be your opponent."
The tower shook as their energies clashed from afar.
And so it began.
The world was consumed in chaos as the War for Humanity ignited in a storm of unimaginable power.
End of Chapter 18.