Since his opponent had extended a formal invitation for a duel of blades, Kael had no reason to refuse.
"Full-Body Take Over: Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
In the blink of an eye, Kael's presence shifted. The eccentric, overwhelming aura of Satoru Gojo vanished, replaced by the profound, absolute stillness of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Ikaruga stared at Kael's new form, her expression flickering with genuine emotion. "So, this is the 'God of the Sword,' Yoriichi Tsugikuni..."
Even though she knew the man before her was Kael, his appearance and temperament had changed so fundamentally that he seemed like an entirely different person. Just by standing there, he exuded the aura of a master whose swordsmanship had reached the pinnacle of perfection.
"Thank you for granting my request," she murmured.
"There is no need for thanks," Kael replied, his voice calm and devoid of emotion.
Unlike the playful Satoru Gojo, Kael's personality when channeling Yoriichi was stoic and somber. As always, the Take Over influenced his temperament, pulling him toward the nature of the character he portrayed. "I will not be showing mercy."
"I would expect nothing less!" Ikaruga's gaze sharpened. "Then, I shall take the first move!"
"Mugetsu-Ryu: Yasha's Empty Flash!"
Ikaruga drew her blade in a blur, sending a crescent-shaped wave of compressed air shrieking toward Kael.
Clang!
With a movement so fluid it was almost impossible to track, Kael drew his own sword and deflected the strike.
"Mugetsu-Ryu: Yasha's Empty Flash!"
Ikaruga didn't slow down. She danced forward, her blade becoming a silver web as she unleashed a barrage of high-speed slashes. Each one cut through the air with lethal precision.
Kael moved with an eerie, unhurried grace. He parried every single blow, his blade meeting hers with rhythmic perfection. He didn't seem to be exerting himself at all; he was simply... there.
Amazing, Ikaruga thought, her heart racing. To block my fastest strikes so effortlessly... he truly earns the title.
"Try this! Mugetsu-Ryu: Garuda Flame!"
She channeled her magic through the hilt, her blade erupting in violent, crimson flames. She swung with all her might, unleashing a massive wave of fire.
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance."
Kael's blade ignited with an even more intense, solar brilliance. He swung, and a vertical arc of solar fire met Ikaruga's Garuda Flame head-on.
BOOM—!!
The two fiery attacks collided, resulting in a deafening explosion that filled the corridor with thick smoke.
"Mugetsu-Ryu: Yasha's Empty Flash!"
Ikaruga didn't wait. She fired another air-slash to cut through the smoke and charged directly behind it, closing the distance in an instant.
"Die! Mugetsu-Ryu: Yasha's Empty Flash!"
"Sun Breathing, Fourth Form: Parhelion Rainbow."
Ikaruga's blade swept through Kael's torso—but there was no resistance. Her sword sliced through thin air as Kael's body seemed to shimmer and dissolve like a mirage.
"What?!"
She hadn't expected her finishing move to hit nothing but a shadow. Kael's figure dissipated before her eyes. An afterimage?! Where is he?!
She spun around, expecting him to be behind her, but the hallway was empty. Left, right—nothing.
"Sun Breathing, Tenth Form: Fire Wheel."
Kael's voice echoed from above. Ikaruga looked up, her blood running cold.
A spinning wheel of solar flames was descending from the ceiling, rotating at a terrifying speed.
Splurt—!!
"Aaaaaagh!"
Ikaruga let out a blood-curdling scream as the flaming blade tore through her. Deep, jagged wounds opened across her torso, the edges charred by the solar heat.
Thud.
She collapsed to the ground, her white kimono quickly staining a deep, dark red.
"Beau... beautiful..." she wheezed, her voice fading. "Is this... the swordsmanship of a god?"
She coughed, a small smile touching her lips. "I actually lost... For the first time since joining the guild... I have been bested."
She looked up at Kael with hollow eyes. "But it doesn't matter. Neither you nor Jellal can win. In fifteen minutes... the light of 'justice' will fall from the heavens... and bury everything here."
Kael canceled his Take Over, returning to his original form. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "No. I will win."
There was no arrogance in his voice—only a calm, absolute certainty that made it impossible to doubt him.
Ikaruga stared at him for a moment, stunned by his confidence, before her eyes drifted shut. "Then I wish you... may the fortunes of war... be with you..."
The light left her eyes as she drew her final breath.
Against Erza, it had been a sparring match; against Ikaruga, it had been a battle of life and death. Ikaruga was a master, but Yoriichi was something else entirely. With the Transparent World allowing him to see every muscle fiber and blood vessel, even a demon king like Muzan had been dismantled in seconds. Ikaruga never stood a chance.
Magic Council: ERA Headquarters
"Target locked. Adjusting spatial coordinates."
"Interference detected from the mountainous terrain. Spatial alignment is proving difficult."
"Increase the altitude of the satellite."
"Magic power at seventy percent... Etherion fusion sequence complete... Fifteen minutes remaining until launch."
An hour ago, Siegrain had finally convinced the majority of the Council to authorize the strike. His argument was simple: Jellal was attempting to resurrect the Black Wizard, Zeref.
Even after four hundred years, the name Zeref was a curse that terrified the continent. If such a monster were brought back to life, the world as they knew it would end.
Org stared at the Etherion launch controls, his face pale and heavy with dread. "I can't believe we are doing this while the Chairman is in such poor health."
"It can't be helped," Michello countered coldly. "In his absence, the nine of us bear the responsibility of maintaining order. Don't worry, Org. Article 27, Section 4 of the National Security Act covers unauthorized strikes on foreign soil in cases of extreme emergency."
Org's hands trembled. "I'm not worried about the law, Michello. I'm worried about what we are dropping on that island. It's a demon."
"Zeref is the demon," Michello replied. "To kill a demon, we must pray that the weapon we drop is an angel."
Across the room, Siegrain stood with his hands behind his back, watching the energy gauges of Etherion climb steadily toward 100%.
"The moment is finally here, Lord Sieg," Ultear whispered as she approached him from behind. "The goal you've pursued for eight years is finally within reach."
"Are you not afraid, Ultear?" Siegrain asked.
"Not at all. I believe in you, no matter what happens."
"That's good. You won't be in any danger, regardless."
"Hehe, I know."
Siegrain turned his gaze back to the monitors. "I, however, am a little afraid. If I fail, I die. But... it is a risk I am willing to take for my ideal."
Tower of Heaven: Top Floor
"So, Ikaruga has fallen as well," Jellal mused. "Kael is truly a monster. Even the Trinity Raven couldn't slow him down for long."
He looked toward the entrance of his chamber as a familiar voice rang out.
"This ends now, Jellal!"
Erza stood there, her armor scratched and her breathing heavy, but her eyes were filled with an indomitable fire.
Jellal smiled. "I must say, I didn't expect you to be the first one to arrive here, Erza."
"You can thank yourself for that," Erza spat. "Because you sent all your 'elites' to stop Kael, the path for me was clear."
"Jellal... why?!"
Sho stepped out from behind Erza, his eyes red with fury. He had spent his life worshiping Jellal as a hero, a savior, and a spiritual pillar. Now, that pillar had crumbled into dust. "Why did you lie to us?! We trusted you! We loved you!"
"Sho?" Jellal tilted his head, his tone mocking. "You ask why? Because you were easy to manipulate. But I do owe you a debt of gratitude. Thanks to your blind loyalty, this massive project was completed in only eight years."
---
There are 50 advanced chapters on Patreon, which I'm currently rewriting and polishing for a better reading experience. Thank you for your support and patience.
https://www.patreon.com/c/LEYI396