(Final Revised Battle Scene)
"Harrhh!!" Violent crimson-red Aura flowed intensely from Takuto's body.
Toki was stunned. "How can he be this powerful? This… this is the power of the legendary eye!"
Takuto prepared to strike. Toki also took his stance. The surroundings were silent, like the calm before a storm.
Toki pushed off the ground with his feet, rushing in, and launched a Black Aura Punch. Takuto easily dodged and threw a punch toward Toki.
Toki blocked it, but his whole arm trembled, and he slid back slightly. "Argh… what a powerful blow! The speed is incredible."
"Is that all you've got!" Toki said, just as…
"Vwinngg!!!" (The sound of the air splitting)
Toki heard the sound but saw no movement. Takuto had vanished like a shadow from his view. Toki was astonished. "Huh… where did he go!"
Suddenly, Toki felt the intense heat of the Red Aura on his back. As Toki frantically turned around, Takuto's crimson-red eyes were already inches from his face. He stumbled back in fear.
Toki suddenly felt a sensation. "Huh… my hands are trembling. My whole body. No way, am I afraid of him?"
Just then, Takuto heard Kaori's pained groan.
Takuto (thought internally): "Ichinose-san… it won't be good if this drags on. She'll bleed out and die. I have to end this quickly!"
Toki roared with rage. "You think a mere weakling like you can defeat me! Die!"
Toki unleashed his Black Aura Punch, causing strong winds to buffet the surroundings, and the pressure from the Black Aura even lifted small stones from the ground. Takuto also clenched his fist, ready to punch.
The two rushed toward each other. Toki threw his strongest Aura Punch. Takuto dodged and prepared to punch Toki's stomach.
Toki: "It's over… so fast, he's going to hit me!"
Taking advantage of that moment, the Red Aura intensified fiercely from Takuto's fist, making the entire atmosphere tremble with heat and engulfing everything in a crimson glow.
"Die! Harrhh!!"
The punch directly hit Toki.
(BOOM!!!) — An intense impact sound!"
"Arrrhh!!!" Toki screamed in pain, flying far away and collapsing face down. The Black Aura disappeared from his body. He couldn't get back up.
The Awakening and The Secret
Part 1: The Healing
After defeating Toki, Takuto quickly ran toward Kaori.
Takuto: "Ichinose-san! Are you alright?"
Kaori managed a weak smile at Takuto before her eyes closed.
Takuto: "Ichinose-san!!! Don't die! No, I have to do something." Takuto was in a panic.
(After a moment of thought) "Wait… I can feel the power inside me. When I first got this power, my wounds healed, so… I have to try and save her!"
Takuto stretched both hands toward Kaori's body. The Phoenix Gaze (Red Aura) emanated from his hands.
"Don't die, Ichinose-san!!!" The intense red energy flowing from Takuto surged into Kaori's body. Her wounds began to vanish, and her breathing stabilized. However, Kaori remained unconscious.
Takuto: "I think she's okay…" Takuto wiped the sweat from his brow.
"We found him! Hey kid, don't even think about running!"
Takuto: "Huh?"
Members of The Shadow Syndicate arrived. "It's those guys from before!" Takuto tried to stand up, but his body was exhausted, and he collapsed.
(Takuto's thought) "Oh no! I can't move. Did I hit my limit from using too much power? This is bad. Kaori is still unconscious too."
"I have to get up and fight!" Takuto tried to stand, blood trickling from his mouth.
As Takuto was about to lose consciousness, he saw the image of a woman in the distance.
"You, The Shadow Syndicate members, don't think you'll get away with this!"
"The eye that burns like fire… are you Sora from The Crimson Aegis!"
Sora didn't reply and launched Flame Orbs. "Arrrgh!!!!"
Sora: "Right, I need to get Takuto and Kaori out of here quickly. It won't be good if we stay longer."
Sora and the other members rescued Takuto and Kaori and took them to a safe place.
Part 2: The Phoenix Gaze (The Revelation)
Takuto was having a nightmare. He saw his mother's death, and he saw the murderer's face. He couldn't recall the face, but he saw only the two eyes. One was red, the other was a dark blue, glowing. In the darkness, those two eyes shone terrifyingly. The person stabbed Takuto's mother with a knife. "Mom… Mom!!!!"
(Takuto wakes up startled from the nightmare.)
"Hah… Hah…" (Breathing rapidly)
"That same scene… that same dream!"
"Where am I?" He looked around and saw a girl at the doorway.
"Good morning, Takuto-sama. I am Mika Lizumi. How is your body feeling?"
She has green hair, green eyes, and is wearing a Japanese maid outfit.
Takuto: "Yes… I feel better. By the way, where is this place?"
Mika: "This is the secret base of The Crimson Aegis. You are safe here, please don't worry."
Takuto suddenly remembered something. "What about Ichinose-san!!! Is she alright?"
Mika smiled. "Don't worry. She's more than fine. I think she's even training right now."
Takuto: "Huh… training? Didn't she almost die yesterday…"
Mika: "The Leader will explain that. And I'm sure you have other questions too. Please follow me, Takuto-sama."
Takuto, whose head was filled with many thoughts, followed Mika and arrived at a room. Mika exited after Takuto entered.
Inside the room, Takuto saw a woman about 38 years old. That woman said, "Pleased to meet you for the first time, Takuto-sama. I am Rinoka Shizune, the Leader of The Crimson Aegis."
Rinoka: "I know you have questions. Let's start slowly."
Rinoka: "What is this power I possess? And why are those strange people chasing me?"
Takuto: "That's exactly what I was going to ask."
Rinoka sighed. "The power Takuto-sama possesses comes from your eyes."
Takuto: "Eyes???"
Rinoka: "These eyes are extremely powerful. Although they are weak right now, if you train to utilize this power, it will become much stronger later."
Takuto (surprised): "So, because of the power of my eyes, those people want them?"
Rinoka: "That is correct, Takuto-sama."
Takuto thought to himself: (So Ayano-senpai only approached me because of that. I thought I finally had someone who genuinely cared about me, but I was betrayed.)
...
"These events began five hundred years ago."
Takuto: "Five hundred years???"
Rinoka: "Five hundred years ago, Monsters from another Dimension arrived on this Earth and attacked humans. Humans were too weak to fight back. When all hope was lost, a god named Lord Cosmos appeared. He had red hair and red eyes. He fought the Monsters and saved the human race."
Rinoka: "Then, he chose pure-hearted humans and bestowed a part of his power upon them. Those people gained unique powers and became stronger than normal humans. This was the beginning of organizations like The Shadow Syndicate, who tried to use that power for their own selfish gain."
"The powers Lord Cosmos granted came from the eyes."
Takuto thought: (The Shadow Syndicate? Are those the people trying to capture me?)
Rinoka resumed her explanation.
Rinoka: "I will explain. There are various types of eyes. As far as we know right now, there are 7 types of eyes."
Rinoka: "Number one is The Viridian Bloom. It simply heals wounds, and the body is stronger than normal humans."
Rinoka: "Next is The Sapphire Illusion. It can perform Illusion and Mind Control but is weak in terms of raw strength."
Rinoka: "Number three is The Electro Flash. Owners of this eye can use Lightning and move with incredible speed."
Rinoka: "And The Amethyst Gate has the power to perform Dimension Travel and Teleportation."
Rinoka: "Number five is The Crimson Hearth (Flame Eye). It can use fire energy, and the angrier the user gets, the stronger the power becomes."
Rinoka: "Number six is The Void Oculus (Demon Eye). It has been lost for 100 years. Records show it can create Shadow Weapons and is powerful enough to destroy the world."
Rinoka: "Finally, number seven is the one you possess: The Phoenix Gaze. As far as we know, it is the most powerful. Lord Cosmos's eye. You are the only one who possesses this eye, Takuto-sama."
Part 3: Betrayal and Decision
Takuto went outside, thinking unhappily about Ayano. "So, Ayano-san only approached me because she wanted my power."
Takuto (with distress): "I thought I finally had someone who genuinely cared about me… but I was betrayed."
Takuto: "By the way, I wonder if that girl (Kaori) is alright. Lizumi-san said she was fine. Maybe I should go see her."
Takuto headed toward the training grounds (Arena).
Kaori was training with Sora. Takuto watched from a distance.
Sora: "Not bad. You're stronger than last time."
Kaori: "Yes. I don't know why, but I feel different than before."
The two continued to fight and train. Takuto mentally reviewed his conversation with Rinoka.
Rinoka: "You used your power to save Kaori, didn't you?"
Takuto: "Yes… I had no other choice. Why, did something happen to her…"
Rinoka: "It is true that Takuto-sama used his power to save Kaori, but she is different now. She's much stronger. Stronger than you."
Takuto: "Stronger than me???"
Rinoka: "I will explain. Takuto-sama is a true Eye User. While you became stronger after your first Power Awakening, isn't it strange that Kaori became stronger than you?"
Rinoka: "Takuto-sama used his power to save the near-death Kaori. The power of The Phoenix Gaze not only saved Kaori's life but also made her stronger than before. That is what makes The Phoenix Gaze unique."
Takuto: "You mean because it can do unique things like that, they want my eye?"
Rinoka: "Exactly, Takuto-sama. It is the responsibility of us, The Crimson Aegis, to protect you so they cannot steal your eyes."
Takuto (turning to look out the window) gazed at Kaori. (Clutching his chest with his hand) "Can I trust them?"
He looked up at the sky.
"What… am I living for anymore? "
📌 END OF CHAPTER (Flashback/Final Revised)
(Time: About two years ago)
(Location: Behind a building in the city)
A girl was running. The people chasing her were members of The Shadow Syndicate. The girl crouched and hid behind a pile of garbage.
A Shadow Syndicate Member: "Where did that girl go? We lost sight of her."
Another Member: "The Leader said her eyes are quite powerful, didn't he?"
"We already got the eyes from her parents. We'll catch her soon enough." (Shows that her parents have been killed)
The Shadow Syndicate members walked away.
The girl began to cry. "Father… Mother… I won't see you again."
"I will definitely take revenge on those guys!"
Aura glowed in her eyes. A pair of dark blue eyes shone with intense anger in the darkness.
[END OF CHAPTER 2]