So that was his name. My mental state began to feel off.

In response, I began to weave my mana around my head.

“Piss off, bastard”

“So difficult”

The feed now showed me slowly approaching my family who was still gaining their bearings after falling into the ruins. Surprisingly, it was Kouki who stepped in front first in a defensive stance. 

He began speaking with a shaky voice.

“Kaito… snap out of it. I know you’re still in there somewhere”

He was staring directly into the feed, as if he could see me locked away in this space. 

I didn’t respond, or rather, I couldn’t. Then, surprisingly, my physical body began speaking in my voice.

“And what if I’m not?”

The tone made my blood boil. 

Kouki took a small step back, but stood his ground.

“You’ve read through all of our archives dozens of times over… surely you must know a way to undo corruption in a human body… right?”

“No… there is no way”

I silently replied for my own sake. Naturally, Kouki didn’t hear me.

“And what if I don’t want to?”

I could feel my physical body smiling. It was revolting.

“What are you saying?”

“Kouki, don’t listen to him. He’s just trying to mess with you”

I spoke with conviction this time, but of course, I couldn’t be heard once again.

“Hmmm… how do I say this”

My body feigned a pose of contemplation.

“It just feels better, y’know? Like the real me that I’ve kept hidden for all these years is finally getting a chance to shine! The power I’ve always wanted, right in my hands!”

This bastard. Was he really going to go this far with my family too? A thought of an unsavory ending flashed through my mind, but I forced it away. I watched Kouki’s face change through many emotions.

“Kaito! What the hell are you saying?! We’ve grown up together, we’ve fought together, we’ve gotten hurt together, and you think I don’t know who you are?!”

Koharu cocked his head in a taunting fashion.

“Do you really, though?”

At those words, something snapped in Kouki. He charged with seething rage, but whether it was at the thing in my body or at his altered perception of me, I was unsure. I looked at my parents in the back of the feed, grimacing at what had just happened.

“Kouki, wait!”

[ “Koharu” has unleashed his power as a False Herald ]

[ The system has synced with your mind ]

[ Calculating threat… ]

I had never seen such messages before. 

[ “Koharu”, a corrupted-human-type, has been deemed a calamity rank threat ]

Regardless of what caused these messages to appear, I was now forced to come face to face with my reality. I was the calamity of the Finale Event.

The battle continued while I helplessly watched. Koharu had stooped as low as to suppress his energy and mimic my fighting style, even creating the appearance of weaving using corrupted energy. Kouki didn’t stand a chance. 

Soon enough, my mom and dad joined the fray. I had never seen a three against one fight of my family look so one sided. Cuts and bruises accumulated on the three of them as the exchange of blows continued, my dad bearing the worst of it as he continuously stepped in to prevent Kouki’s injuries in his blind rage. This continued for nearly ten minutes. I began losing track of time at the painful sight.

My parents began retreating as they discussed something. I couldn’t hear what it was. My dad looked determined, as if he had reached a hard-thought conclusion. My mom’s expression changed from concern to protest, then to acceptance. My dad ran off into ruins, clearly in search of something. Now wearing a look of definite resolution, my mom stepped forward and pushed Kouki back, having reached her conclusion.

[ “Harumi” has activated Bindings of the Abundant Earth ]

I knew the instant I read that message that it was the final stage of the ability she once used to suppress the King of Wyverns. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Once she contained the presence of Koharu, we could move forwards as a family.

I was foolish for thinking such thoughts.

“Oh my. Magic? In this world?”

A shockwave emitted from my body, launching back Kouki while my mom stood her ground. The amount of mana rushing about herself was unimaginable. She directed the coursing tides towards my body.

[ “Koharu” has activated Release of the Soul ]

What? A soul attribute ability coming from Koharu?

[ Bindings of the Abundant Earth has failed to contain “Koharu” ]

[ “Koharu” cannot be contained! ]

No. No. NO! Our main hope was-

Krrsch! The grotesque sound of flesh and bone being ground and broken filled my ears, followed by a thump against the dirt.

“Hm. I was expecting more for a human who could use magic”

Directly in front of the feed was my mom’s face, the bright jade energy leaving her eyes. My body looked down at one of her arms, which had been severed and now lay on the ground. My right arm was holding her other. The blood rushed down from the open wound. 

Her fading eyes looked into mine and she smiled for the last time.

“...at least I can say I gave my all trying to save what was dear to me…”

The sound of her ragged breathing stopped as her body fell backwards onto the ground with a thump. 

I let out a pained yell into the abyss. I pounded the shadowy floor. I threw everything I could at the feed. Nothing would change. 

“I’m going to kill you! You and all your corrupted buddies, you hear?! I’LL MAKE YOU ALL REGRET WALKING THE FACE OF THIS PLANET!”

I could feel Koharu grinning at me from an invisible distance.

I turned my tearstained face back towards the feed. Kouki’s expression was empty. His eyes were looking into mine, no longer holding the identity of a brother.

[ “Kouki” has activated Iron Bastion of a Fallen Kingdom ]

An ability that was unlocked once he had nothing left to lose. I could no longer bear to watch. I heard Kouki’s vain efforts through his pained sobs. There was an explosion. A body was thrown into stone with tremendous force. Heavy breaths echoed between the crags. The rocky ceiling of the cavern began to break apart. It was a matter of minutes before there would be a complete cave in.

[ The soul of the King of Wyverns is fully released ]

I looked at the feed once more as the message appeared. My dad, who had ran off before, was now returning with a strange, shining object in hand. His aura ebbed and flowed, coiling upwards into the shape of a massive wyvern whose roar shook the entirety of the cavern. The following events were a blur. 

In a great burst of speed, he narrowed the gap between himself and Koharu, his aura now burning so bright it seemed as if his very existence was lit ablaze. His eyes quickly scanned the scene as a somber veil was pulled over his gaze. 

“I’m sorry…”

“Wha- You’re-?!”

A brilliant white light shone from the object in his hands as he plunged it into the cavity in my chest. The world itself seemed to rumble as massive boulders fell down around and upon us. The feed vanished and I was alone in that darkness once again. Koharu’s presence could no longer be felt. I approached the spot in the darkness where I last gazed upon my family.

“...thank you”

[ Your Finale Event has been completed ]

[ Due to an unexpected delay, Hanakawa’s Finale Event of the 7th cycle will now begin ]

I assumed the second message was also being received by those who had previously evacuated. I briefly wondered what would happen to them now that the sentry had been wiped out. I felt detached, not just physically, but mentally from the events that had recently transpired. An empty dissonance like one that would arise after watching an unsatisfactory ending to a play. My consciousness would likely vanish for good pretty soon. 

The message box suddenly popped up in front of me again. Only, this time, it was empty. I had never seen an empty message box before, yet something was changing about it. The borders around the box began shifting into something more ornate as the same white glow I had seen before began seeping into the darkness.

Snap! The darkness vanished. Now, it would seem I was standing on a canvas painted with the stars of the cosmos. 

[ A god has made contact with World Zero ]

[ Wind God Aeolus has synchronized with your presence ]

A figure of immense status and power was watching me from behind.