Hiro knew it was over the moment Hinami chooses to kill them himself, not only luck could save them this time. No matter how strong they are or the help that comes.... It will all result to death, Hinami's ability would rival Mitchuri and the Hekai combined.
"It's.... Over..". Hiro thought to himself as Hinami walked towards them slowly, his pale face not even letting a glimpse of mercy slide.
Then, just then....
"Whether you end it or not… the choice is no longer yours."
The voice echoed through the wind— calm and soft.
Hinami halted, his face tracing the direction of the voice, his eyes snapping towards the direction.
Then… he appeared.
From the lightless edge of the ruined village, he stepped forward. Cloaked in shadows, eyes glowinh faintly, his face as dead as ever. Maybe even worse than Hinami's, he face them with a resolve long buried.
His presence alone shifted the air. The crickets went silent. Even the breeze seemed to stop. The sun shined brighter, like the whole world was focusing on him.
Hiro's lips parted, breath caught in his throat. Matsamaru's bloodied eyes widened with disbelief. Akira eyes widened with shock his body failing to move, Shino just watched with no surprise in his face, his only eye looking at him...
"...No way.", Matsamaru said.
There he stood.
Haru.
The figure they had been secretly waiting for, Luck, Hope, everything beyond the best was finally here. Haru. Iminaqo Haru.
He emerged, stepping up from the far side of a rooftop beside them all, moving with calm authority to the very top. Henji leaned against him, injured but steady, one arm draped over Haru's shoulder.
A chorus of desperate relief and awe broke out—
"HARU!!"
Hiro muttered under his breath, "Henji...?"
Haru rolled his eyes at them, then glanced at Hinami. Everyone noticed Henji's severed arm. Haru placed one of his legs forward, the blood soaking sock, mixed with mud which has made the socks even worse looking.
Matsamaru screamed, voice cracking, "HENJI!! What happened to your arm?!"
Henji chuckled softly, "Long story... but I'm okay now. Thanks to Haru—I'm still alive."
Hinami turned slowly to Haru, his pale face expressionless. "You are... Haru-sama?"
Haru met his gaze, silent and detached, his eyes cold and unreadable, He didn't replied.
Hinami continued, "I can't sense any godly energy in you... No, I can't sense any Honeki either."
Hiro smirked, baring his teeth. "You wanted to worship Haru but had no idea who he really is or his status. For your information, Haru's Honeki has been sealed for over thirteen years now."
Hinami, still facing him, replied calmly, "Ah, I see... More beautiful than I ever imagined. The god I longed to meet isn't even made of Honeki? It's been an honor to meet you, Haru-sama."
The other demons bowed deeply.
Haru didn't reply him again, instead he face the team.
Finally, He spoke, "We found Giyu's body."
Everyone except Hinami widened their eyes, sensing the end of this long-standing mystery.
Hiro asked, "What? You did?"
Shino asked, "Wait.. You are currently possessed by Giyu, right?"
Hiro faced Shino in surprised and then realized they have not heard of what he told Matsamaru.
"S-sorrry, Shino San, but that was a lie..."
"Eh?"
"S-s-sorry, it was all part of Haru's plan.. I just—"
"Eh?.. Eh?.. EHHHHHHHHH??!!"
Hiro chuckled nervously, rubbing his left hand on his neck.
Akiro asked, his face back to his former self, cold and final "So, How did you find his body?". He asked.
Henji smiled. "We realized memory erasure not only wipes memories but grants soul shifting as well. Meaning, Giyu didn't change into any of us; he simply placed his soul in someone else while pulling strings behind the scenes. He's definitely acting among us. So, Haru-san and I went in search of the body instead."
Matsamaru widened his eyes, understanding why he had to use Hiro to tell them all that, it was to confirm if the possessing Giyu was still around. And Hiro was the best person to use due to his Anti honeki.
Hiro pressed on, "What did you do to the body? Where is it?"
Haru rolled his eyes at Henji and he spoke instead, Henji closed his eyes with a grin on his face, then suddenly he became serious, his voice totally different from the Henji they ever knew.
"We.... killed it."
They all stood frozen, their eyes widened wuth shock, that was far from what they expected.
"Huh?"
"What the—"
"Killed it?.."
voices murmured, disbelief thick in the air.
Hiro's eyes became malovent, a glimpse of smirk on his mouth.
"Three... Two... One". He said silently, a silent evil grin in his mouth.
Just then, Someone exploded with fury.
"BASTARD!!!", voice cracking with rage. "You trapped me in this body!.... You should've let it sleep! Damn it!... Memory erasure only lasts four days! I transferred my soul into him the moment Hiro revealed the plan.... Curse you!".
The truth hit hard—Akira *was* Giyu. The ultimate ghost, the soul shifter revealed.
"My body went silent, asleep… so I could possess another. I needed to return and repeat the cycle. But now… you've doomed me! The real soul is trapped in a death loop!"
Hiro smirked. "Got you."
Akira's eyes widened, he faced them but their faces shows no glimpse of surprise. Shino and Matsamaru both looked at him with a cold face like they knew it was coming.
"You guys... Knew?"
No one replied him. They all looked at him with somewhat pity in their eyes.
Hiro faced him with a bright and ruthless grin on his face. "They knew, they would. These are the lectures thought when there's a traitor among us. As a member of death squad, you are to play along till you cornered them, But Matsamaru San wanted to deny the fact. I knew that the traitor was either you or Shino, but according to Haru, the real one will remember the rules, so he told me to break it to you that he was Giyu in order confuse you and also make you think you are still in charge. Looks like everything went according to what he said.. You lost, Giyu".
Akira(Giyu) also grinned evilly, " Hahah, he just killed his friend to expose me, such a—"
"I didn't kill it. In fact, I never found anyone."
Haru declared.
Shock rippled through them.
"I didn't need to. Once we pronounced the body dead, the real Giyu would show himself..... Its over."
Hiro laughed out loud with a even more Mad face. "CLARITY!!!!! AHAHHA CLA-RI-TYYYYY!!! DAMN! HARU YOU ARE A GOD OF INTELLIGENCE, HAAHAH". He spread his arm widely into the air, blood stained his face and Robe.
Akira clenched his teeth. "You bastard, I will—"
Hinami's voice cut sharply through the tension. "HIWETŌ."
Akira's eyes went wide one last time—then lifeless.
Everyone gasped.
Hiro's laughter paused and looked at the lifeless Akira, he was surprised for some time, before he sparked at Hinami, "Oi!! You weren't supposed to kill him! Bastard!".
Hinami met Hiro's gaze coolly.
Henji's eyes widened in shock while Haru maintained his expressionless face.
They all rushed to Akira's side.
"He insulted the gods," Hinami said coldly. "He deserved to die. Besides, I only killed Giyu's soul, bound by the Oath of the Nimo—an automatic death sentence for any who break it."
Hinami turned to Haru, his voice low but firm.
"You must come with us. If you return to the village, war is inevitable... If you truly value their lives, then let them live—and come quietly."
Matsamaru called on Akira loudly.
Haru glanced at Henji, giving a subtle nod. Henji moved away from him without a word.
Haru locked his eyes with Hinami. Then, in a single motion, he dropped from the rooftop to the ground below.
Landing in a low crouch, the air seemed to still.
He held that pose, silent and composed.
"No." He said.
Hiro lowered his head into his palms, a heavy sigh escaping as he muttered under his breath.
"That's... a daring answer for someone facing him... What is Haru thinking?!"
Below, Haru rose slowly from his crouch, his gaze shifting—not to Hinami, but to the horizon. Hinami stood at his right, still and watching.
Then Haru closed his eyes. That moment, Haru's voice was low, not even Hiro could hear him. Hinami's eyes widened slightly, a faint glimmer of admiration crossing his pale, unreadable face.
"Bea... tiful..." he whispered.
Haru tilted his head, facing him calm, unreadable.
His voice became vivdly now.
"I can't go with you. Not yet."
"Like you said, I'm a god. And as a god—
—you'll try again. Over and over and over and over again until I choose to give in on my own."
He opened his eyes, staring into Hinami.
"If I don't… I might just become a greater curse… than the ones already placed on you all."
Hinami stood motionless for a long, drawn-out silence. Then, slowly, his eyes drifted shut.
"Even if I let you go..."
His voice was calm, almost distant.
"...they won't. They'll keep coming."
He opened his eyes again.
"I could take you now without lifting a finger. But I can't force my god. You're the reason I'm still alive… I owe that much. I won't abduct you."
Haru didn't flinch. His response came with no hesitation.
"I know."
His gaze turned toward the sky, the winds brushing his cloak like whispers of fate.
"They'll try. Again. And again. But they won't win… not until I surrender myself."
He took one step forward.
"I have sixteen ways to escape without even trying."
His voice dropped, eyes narrowing with conviction, then he faced the team who are facing him as well.
"But I won't abandon them."
All they could grasp… was Hinami's smirk. Which shocked Hiro and the team. Though they had no idea what they were talking about.
He faced Haru with that unreadable, detached expression.
"We shall take our leave… and unseal the village."
"But if they come again… I hope you have the strength to fight back, Haru-sama."
Haru said nothing. His silence was the answer.
Hiro and the rest stood stunned, trying to make sense of what just passed like a dream laced with terror.
Hiro blinked, looking around. "What… happened?"
A groan rose from the side.
Akira finally stirred—his body aching, his face twisted in confusion as he took in the aftermath.
"What… happened here?"
His voice was hoarse, cautious.
Matsamaru turned quickly. "Akira? Is that you?"
Akira didn't answer. He simply rose, stiff, silent.
Matsamaru's lips curled into a weak smile. "Akira! It's you!"
Shino placed a hand gently on Akira's shoulder, a calm smile forming.
Akira rolled his eyes. "What's with you? You're smiling? Tsk."
Then, with one fluid motion, Hinami bowed once, the air still around him. Without another word, he turned his back.
The remaining demons dissolved into the abyss—shadows retreating into silence.
And then, just like that…
Hinami vanished.