Well, besides the epilogue, this is it guys. It's been a wild ride, but I won't say much here. For those of you who are interested, I want to talk about some lore stuff after this. And give some thanks.

And don't forget! I'll be posting an epilogue, so this isn't technically the complete end.

Enjoy!


"Void, you…"

"My heir speaks the truth." Erena laughed, moving up to stand next to her heir, a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Our power as Demon Lords has long been fading, Second. At one time, we were powerful enough to take on any foe, but that time has long passed. We are but shells of our former selves. You know this as well as I do."

"Quiet, First! You have no right to speak! You gave up on us, sided with the humans! We knew what we needed to do! We knew that the only way to save ourselves was to sacrifice this world! And yet you became obsessed with humans. You grew to love them, just as Sixth did. Just as Fourth did. You and Fourth both forsook our kind! I knew from the moment we slipped through… going to the overworld was a mistake! Look what's become of us!"

"Perhaps… it was a mistake. Sometimes I think so as well."

"Then…!"

"But that does not change anything. We were the ones who invaded their world, who wreaked havoc by letting even more demons in. We mismanaged our kind. We never looked for a way to prevent them from leaving here. In the end, only we are to blame. The humans have every right to hunt us down. For what have we caused but pain and death?"

Kanan slammed her sword into the ground, throwing dozens of leaves into the air. "So do we have no choice but the lay down and die now!? The Void showed me a possibility! It showed me a glimpse of what lies beyond the world! We can leave here forever! We can begin anew, away from everything!"

"Do you not hear yourself, Second? You mean to sacrifice all humans and demons. And for what? What are we without the Underworld? We were all born with but one task… to manage the Underworld. And we have failed at that. We were so caught up in this new world, in finally being able to step foot in the overworld, that we lost sight of that task. And now we pay the price for failure."

"Don't give me that shit!" Darkness gathered around Kanan's feet, trailing up and twisting around her sword. "I don't need the authority of the Underworld to put an end to you pests. I thought I would have some fun, but you've pissed me off. I'll not hesitate to use the full power of the Void against you all."

Erena laughed but shook her head. "You are a fool, Second. There are but four conditions we had to meet to kill you and three have been met already. First, we have taken you from the Underworld. Second, your host has died. And third, Four Seasons has claimed authority over Autumn."

"Do you still think those blades can harm me? Ha! You really are an idiot, First! Let her slash me all she wants! Even with authority over Autumn, that blade will never kill me!"

"Ahaha, that is true. But that is the reason I have returned. To fulfill the fourth condition."

"Screw you, First!" Darkness shot forward from the girl, blasting out into a wave but Erena just smirked.

"Halt." On her order, the darkness simply stopped. "You will not defeat me using the Void, fool. I am the Master of Void and you, Matsuura Kanan, have lost your authority over the Void. You are no longer a Master of Void. You are just a fragment of the past that the Void decided to keep around."

"Fragment, figment… I'm tired of hearing those words. Silence!" Blue lights lit up above them, connecting to form a circle. More and more lights appeared, drawing intricate designs along the inner parts of the circle. "I am the end. Through my body, bring forth blood."

Seira shook her head slowly. "Demonic runes… Ancient magic? There's no way… This is far beyond simple demon magic. How…?"

"The Void." Erena spoke up and shrugged. "He must have learned some ancient magic from Kanan. Unfortunate."

Seira scanned the runes forming in the air before drawing her Demonbrand. "You're right. It's very unfortunate for her. Who knew my rune studies would be so handy twice in such a short period of time?" Seira got to work, quickly carving symbols into the ground beneath her.

"For this day, we bring about the seventh day, the day of reckoning. In this we bring about closure."

"I am the groundwork of creation, the shelter of civilization. Through my hands, cast aside all that we know. Turn back time, that we may gaze into the beginning. For at one time, we were all but nothing."

"Scorch the earth with your claws!"

"Return this heretic to its former state!"

The circle above them glowed brightly, a twisting, writhing string of blue reaching down to them. But just as fast as the light appeared, the circle above it shattered, raining down fragments of blue light that vanished as they touched the ground. The light that extended from the circle jerked upwards before simply vanishing altogether.

Erena turned wide eyes on Seira. "Four Seasons, did you just…?"

Seira tipped forward, falling to one knee, her sword the only thing keeping her from falling completely over. "Master!" Honoka bent down next to her, her Master briefly looking up at her with a smile before bringing a hand to her mouth. But she couldn't hold it in. She let go and puked out a sizeable puddle of blood in front of her. "Master? What…?"

"Haha…" Seira managed to laugh before her body shook and she puked out more blood. "The price of using ancient magic as a human… You don't have time to worry about me, Honoka. It's your turn…" Honoka cringed as her Master had another bout of choking up blood but she stood.

"Sorry, Four Seasons." Honoka looked toward Erena who nodded in sympathy. "I should not have hesitated. I'll make the opening for you, so… go." The ginger looked back at her Master briefly before locking eyes with Erena and nodding. "Hmph. Good. I hope you have prepared yourself as well, Void." "Haha! Of course, First. Let's get this done."

"Your Master sacrifices herself in the end, huh?" Kanan snorted. "Ah, that was pretty funny at least. Well, whatever. Come, Singularity. Let me end you already so that I may rest while this world ends. I am sure there will be much to prepare beyond this world."

"You'll have to excuse my rudeness, Second, but I will be your opponent first."

Kanan tilted her head as if just realizing he was there again. "Back off, First. I don't have the time, nor do I feel like expending anymore effort on you. I'm quite tired from all of this, I must admit."

A cool, composed smile crept onto Erena's lips and she started walking forward slowly. "I suppose I'll have to get your worked up again in that case. Your punishment for betraying the Void is long overdue, Kanan-chan. If only I had the time to… personally deal with you, I would love to spend more time with you."

"Tch. I said, move aside." Kanan struck out, a long-distance attack, but it simply bounced off something in front of Erena. "Wrapping yourself in the Void… I am the Void! I won't be defeated by you!" A circle appeared in front of her, instantly this time, red lightning reaching out from it, scorching the leaves and ground beneath it.

"Void style, 4th blade, Fade." The lightning vanished, the magic circle shattered. "You're panicking, Second. Your magic is getting lazy. Worried because the Void will not assist you?"

If you'd please, First.

I'm sorry, Master of Void.

Don't apologize to me. I loathe to admit it, but you have given me the chance to stand again, to walk forward. Though I never imagined myself saying this to a Demon Lord, I appreciate it. So, I will pay you back in full.

Erena raised her sword and took a deep breath. "Ugh…" Something, an arm everybody realized quickly, an ethereal arm stuck out from her chest, straight out, palm up. "Ah, that's a lot more painful than I thought it would be." Kanan struck out at her again, but again it was repelled by the shroud of Void. Erena raised her sword and cut a slow, clean cut across the palm of the arm. As soon as she did, it retracted, back into her chest, causing a small grunt and flinch from the Master of Void. She eyed her blade. The blood spread around the tip before vanishing.

"First's blood…"

"Unlike the blood of Matsuura Kanan or the blood from a host, this is the blood a true Demon Lord. Have you lost the ability to manifest even a part of your true body, Second? Was that a price your paid for fusing with the Void. You've lost access to you blood. And you still call yourself a Demon Lord?"

Kanan's eyes flared with anger. "Don't speak down on me, you filth! I will save our kind! You who abandoned us have no right to speak!"

Erena continued her slow walk, Kanan slamming blade after blade into the Void. As she neared, Erena paused only to appear directly in front of the bluenette.

"It's time for you to face reality, Second… Kanan. It's time to feel mortal again." With ease, Erena slid her blade through the girl's stomach. "Remember, now, the fear of death." She slowly withdrew the blade but was immediately sent flying back as Kanan slashed cleanly across her chest. But with First inside of her, the wound healed almost instantly.

"You… You…!" Kanan staggered in place. The wound sealed itself up but Kanan still grabbed at the spot as she twitched. "This feeling… You bastard! How…? How!?"

Erena let out a loud laugh before sheathing her sword and turning away from Kanan. She looked back over her shoulder just such that the bluenette could catch a glimpse of her eyes glowing red. "I just used First's authority and just a bit of his blood… to instill you with mortality. Not even the Void can save you now. Erena turned back towards the group and nodded at Honoka. "It's all on you, Four Seasons."

Kanan gritted her teeth and started a new, but useless, assault on the Master of Void. Every strike was either blocked by the Void or simply redirected with a quick strike of her own blade.

Honoka took a step forward, but a pain shot through her entire body. She resisted the urge to vomit, knowing it would all be blood from her elixir poisoning. How was she supposed to fight in that state? Even with the authority over Autumn, if she couldn't move…

"Hehe, in a bit of trouble, Honoka-chan?" Honoka blinked and saw amber eyes suddenly staring into her own. She jumped a bit but recoiled at the pain it caused her.

"K-Kotori-chan!?"

Another giggle from her friend but Kotori nodded. "There's a lot I would like to tell you… that I will tell you. But I don't think now is the time. I thought something like this might happen so…" Kotori fished around in her pocket. "Ah! Here we go." She produced a small glass vial with a red liquid inside.

Honoka observed the bottle skeptically. "Is that blood...?"

"Mm! The blood of yours truly!"

"Ehhh!? K-Kotori-chan, why…!?"

Kotori's face suddenly turned serious. "Normally, I would love to joke around with you, Honoka-chan, but this is serious. Despite how Void may look, I know she's on the verge of collapsing. She's probably even worse off than you right now. So, drink this. I may cause pestilence around the world, but my blood is the cure."

"Eh? I don't…"

"Oh come on, it works for other things too. Think of it like a cure-all! At least temporarily. You'll still need to get something done about your elixir poisoning later, but this will handle it for now." She looked down as if just noticing that Honoka was missing an arm. "Oh, oh. Don't worry, Honoka-chan." Kotori popped open the vial. "Open wide!" The idea of drinking Kotori's blood was amazingly unappealing. But Honoka glanced over to Void who was fending off Kanan's attacks. She noticed that with every attack, the girl cringed in pain. She sighed and opened her mouth. There really was no choice after all. "Ehehe, here it goes~" Kotori carefully poured the contents of the vial into her mouth.

To Honoka's surprise, it didn't taste bad. In fact, she would say it tasted really good. Really good. She was sure that blood was something dangerous, something she could get addicted to if she had anymore of it. It went down with ease and she immediately felt cracks and pops in her joints. The nausea in her stomach vanished and her body felt lighter.

"Kotori-chan…"

"Delicious, huh?" Kotori giggled again and gave her best friend a pat on the back. "Go on, Honoka-chan. Defeat Second and save the world."

Honoka steeled herself, a new smile overflowing with confidence coming to her face. "Thank you, Kotori-chan." She took a few steps forward before pausing and without turning around, she spoke up. "Kotori-chan… no matter what you are, you're still my friend. One of my best friends. I'll always love you, no matter what."

"Hehe. That makes me really happy to hear! But I said we should save that for later." Kotori gave a fake pout, Honoka could hear it in her voice.

The ginger gave a light laugh before continuing on her way. Second finally stopped her assault on Void when she saw the girl approaching. Her chest heaved with each breath, but she still managed a dying smirk at the sight of the ginger. Honoka briefly stopped next to Erena and nudged her. "Thank you, Void… no, Erena-chan. I'll close this out so… get some rest, okay?"

"Ha… talking to your elder like that… Well, I was just thinking I could use a good rest." Even though she said that, she didn't move and Honoka figured it was because she couldn't. So the ginger just nodded and continued onwards towards Second.

"You've really done a lot on the world, Second, Kanan. You've hurt my friends pretty badly. And now you're threatening us with the end of the world. As a demon slayer, as the heir to Four Seasons… as Autumn, I can't allow that." Honoka pointed her Demonbrand at the girl. "It's over for you! For all you've done, I can't forgive you."

"Forgive… ahaha. Always playing the part of the fool I see, Kousaka Honoka. You were the hole in my plan, the Singularity that I should have killed when I got the chance back in the Void. I'm sure… I'm sure Autumn already knew by then. She must have laughed at me as I could only wonder about what the Singularity knew and didn't know. It's frustrating… so very frustrating." She smirked. "But here you are, in front of me now. Now I can finally lay you to rest. I'll deal with you without my authority over the Underworld." Kanan mirrored the ginger's pose, pointing her Demonbrand at her. "I am death, the taker of life. All are destined to meet me and yet not a soul will tell about me." A small purple orb appeared at the tip of her sword. "All who lay eyes upon me will fall. I am the incarnation of sacrifice, the lamb that turned away its eyes."

"That's… another ancient magic." Seira tried to stand, but it was useless. Her body was too spent. "Honoka!"

"Lay your eyes upon the reckoning! Devour her!" The purple orb expanded, much like the wave of energy she made with her Underworld authority. A wave of purple that disintegrated the ground underneath it. Just a touch of that and the ginger knew it would be over for her. But her confident smile never left her face.

Master… Ryoma-san… Kotori-chan… Yoshiko… Chika… So many people have done their best to get me to this spot. And now… Now, just for once, I can show my everything. With the authority of Autumn, I'll lay waste to this Demon Lord. And then… I'll turn back to you all with a smile.

Honoka wanted to look back at her Master, to reassure her, but she didn't. She kept her eyes forward. If there was one way to reassure her Master, it was to take down the foe in front of her. "Four seasons, Autumn style, 5th blade, Tsukimi." With a single slash, the purple energy was blasted into nothing. In that place of Autumn, without the fear of cleaving the world in two, she felt free, free to use all of her blades, no matter what repercussions they may have had outside of that world.

"Impudent… Foolish Autumn! Void, release your constraints! Show them what it's like to gaze into nothing. Let peace finally be upon them at the end." Darkness gathered around her, seeping into her sword. "In the end, I am still a Master of Void! I'll not back down against the Four Seasons!" Kanan charged forward, a trail of darkness leaking behind her. "Void style, 1st blade." The darkness swirled around the blade, dripping from it, bursting out as she closed in.

But Honoka wasn't afraid. She was perfectly ready to meet that charge head on. A vague memory came to mind, from months ago. When she learned the Autumn blades, she remembered a joke from her Master. 'In the past, Autumn slew a god. That's why she named it after a goddess. Kind of ironic, I guess?' The comment was followed by laughter and Honoka had taken it as nothing more than a joke. But here, in this world of Autumn, she thought, just briefly, that maybe she would kill something akin to a god with it. With authority over Autumn, she just felt like it was the right blade to use. Though she had previously decided that its purpose was not to kill, but to make an opponent suffer, a blade that tore and ruptured, but didn't kill. But that was in the past. And maybe, she thought, in the overworld, it would do just that. But there, in that world that she created with her authority, she was sure it could get the job done.

"Four seasons, Autumn style, 4th blade."

Yeah. She definitely felt it at that moment. She felt alive. In the year of her training, she had always felt off. Was she really doing it just because she felt some kind of obligation towards Seira? Was she doing it purely because she wanted to have the power to protect her friends? No, she decided. Those were definitely parts of it, but she decided on something in that moment: Kousaka Honoka is selfish. Would she spend a year of her life training in order to protect her friends? Yes. But is that why she had done it in the past? No. As she felt the leaves rustling under her feet as she moved forward, she realized why she had spent so much time training, so much time fighting, why she had dedicated herself to her blades so intensely.

When she was a school idol with her friends, she felt alive. She felt great performing on stage, she felt like it was something she was meant to do. But not because of an obligation, just because it brought her such great joy. And she realized something while she was training. Using those blades, fighting a strong opponent, being covered in Autumn… it was the best feeling. Her heart raced with excitement at the very thought of using her Autumn blades. A smile spread on her face, even in that terrible situation, even when the very fate of the world was looming over her… she felt happy. She had spent that year training because those blades made her feel happy. After losing her purpose when she 'died,' she had felt like she lost everything. Seira had once told her that if she continued on that way she would be 'truly dead.' But it wasn't those words that perked up. Nor was it, as much as she loathed to admit it, reuniting with Hanayo. That definitely helped her and provided her comfort in a troubled time. But what helped her was training. At first, she thought it was pointless, she hated it. Hadn't she complained before that she hadn't chosen that path? Hadn't she cried out that didn't want it?

Honoka could almost laugh at herself. Why had she acted so stubborn about it? Maybe she was afraid to admit it, afraid to admit that, in the end, she was selfish. That selfishness is what drove her to want to reunite with her friends. It drove her to continue killing demons. It drove her to love Autumn, to love the Four Seasons. It was the reason she trained every day, not because Seira had pushed it on her before, but because she truly felt happy when swinging her Demonbrand.

Mm. I'm selfish. I'm a terrible person who's only thinking about herself right now. So… let me continue living this way. I can't let you get in the way of it, Second. No matter what… I want to see where these blades, where the Four Seasons, where Autumn will take me. So I'm going to offer everything I have with this blade.

"Null."

Honoka met that blade by bringing her sword fully back before swinging it forward, bringing her whole body forward. She was happy. Kanan was putting her everything into a blade. There was no cheap trick, just another former demon slayer showing the culmination of her training. Honoka couldn't help but want to answer in kind.

"Sharada."

This was her territory, the place created by her authority as one chosen by Autumn. It reminded her of the false Autumn that Ryoma had shown her. Even then, she felt the distinct connection, but now she felt it more than ever. A deep connection, deeper than she believed she could possibly have with anybody else. She loved her Master and her friends. But it truly felt in that moment that her heart was connected with Autumn. Even after all that they had been through, she came out loving the style more than ever.

Her blade effortlessly sliced through the air, the leaves around her exploding into the air as her blade met Kanan's. They both grunted from the force, each trying to push their Demonbrand forward just one more inch. In that moment, in that collision of blades, Honoka saw it for just one moment. For just a few brief seconds, she knew she saw Matsuura Kanan. Not Second, not the Void, but the girl who had long ago taken the mantle of Master of Void. Instead of the scowl from before, she wore the same smile Honoka did, the smile any demon slayer who loved their blades couldn't help but wear in a fight against a strong opponent. Their eyes met and Honoka saw no trace of Second in them. The person that stared back at her was truly a master of her blades, a person who probably understood her. For some reason, she felt relieved at that fact. It felt like some of the guilt lifted from her shoulders, to know that there was someone just as selfish as her, just as dedicated to their blades, just as happy to fight.

But she refused to lose. This was a fair battle, a battle between two warriors who wanted nothing more than to prove themselves. Because it was a fair battle, Honoka knew she had to win. There was no trickery, nothing. She pushed her blade forward, driving the former Master of Void back a step. But the smile never wavered from Kanan's face. Not when she was pushed back, nor when her Demonbrand snapped, allowing Honoka's sword forward, the air of Autumn driving forward with it, tearing through Kanan's chest. It all happened in just a moment, but it felt like an eternity to the two girls. In that eternity, she saw it again. A genuine smile, kind, full of… something she couldn't quite identify.

Kanan's legs buckled under her and she fell to her knees. A small chuckle escaped her lips as she looked back up at the victor standing over her. A long sigh let her body deflate. "Truly… unfortunate." She met eyes with the ginger, eyes that flickered between red and violet. "No… I could not have asked for better. This world… what a creation." Kanan reached down and scooped up a handful of leaves. "The overworld was truly something magnificent, something that I, and perhaps all the other Demon Lords, envied. Sixth realized our mistake far too late, that we were never meant to stay there. But the damage had been done. After all, he had already taken such a liking to humans."

Honoka nodded slowly. "I want to ask… why? Not Second… Not the Void. But to you, Matsuura-san. Why betray the Void? Why join Second?"

Kanan took in a deep breath and looked towards the fractured sky. "Kanan… Second… I wonder if there is still a difference… ha. You know, I love the Void. More than anything. Maybe that's why. Even the Void could only catch glimpses of what lies far beyond this world… Maybe I thought I could show it. But even that was foolish. The Void never wants. I was the one who gave it desire when I chose to become a part of it. I suppose it was mistake on the Void's part as well. I disrupted the purity of the Void with human emotion. And then…" She paused, her eyes looking somewhere far off. "In the end, I ended up dragging Second down with me. But even now I know… that he holds no resentment towards me. If we didn't have to destroy the world, it would have been a win-win, wouldn't you say? Demons never have to bother humans again… and demons get a new world to call their own. I wonder where… I wonder when it went wrong. We lost that vision long ago… perhaps it was when I claimed the Heart of the Void. It became a fixation, something to use… Ha… well, look where all of this mess ended up."

"Matsuura-san…"

With more than a bit of a struggle, Kanan stood once again and observed the broken sword in her hand. "Is it sad… that I can no longer tell if this sword is even my heart? Where did it come from? Ah…" Both darkness and blood poured from the wound on her chest and Kanan couldn't help but laugh. "I must look terrible right now." With the massive wound and the blood dripping from her mouth, Honoka couldn't deny it. Kanan looked at the sword one more time with a melancholic smile. She let go, the sword vanishing as it fell. "Will you allow me another bout, Kousaka Honoka?"

Honoka couldn't hide her smile at the question. "Doesn't the victor get to ask the questions?"

"Ahaha… perhaps. But I don't think I have enough time to fulfill your requests." Honoka conceded that and took a step back, readying her sword once again. Kanan nodded and held out her hand. "Won't you show me… my heart just one more time?" A small light appeared in her palm and she let out something between a laugh a sigh of relief. She grabbed that light, letting it materialize into a katana. A long, clean blade. Two small bells hung from the kashira, ringing sweetly in the soft Autumn wind. "I, Matsuura Kanan, hereby relinquish my authority of the Void." She held up her other hand, the small black orb from before in the centre of it. The orb lifted into the air before shattering, darkness swirling around before simply dissipating. "So, Void… won't you, of your own accord, allow me one more just one more bout?"

Erena blinked in surprise when a tendril of darkness reached out from her, slowly, lazily moving through the air until it reached the bluenette, wrapping around her sword, sinking into it. "Well now…" Erena smirked at the sight but just nodded.

"Thank you…" Kanan brought the sword up, the bells ringing quietly. Honoka took a moment to take in the girl. The stance, the sword, the confident smile on her face, leaves falling all around her. It was a beautiful scene, one Honoka wished she could take a picture of to remember forever. Was this truly the girl who had almost ended the world just minutes before? "Then, I don't have much time… so let's make it quick."

"Mm. I'm ready, Kanan."

Kanan laughed at the use of her given name. "Then, in that case… Please allow me to begin."

"Mm. I'm waiting."

If she was being honest, Honoka was happy that Kanan had asked for this last bout. It was already over. Both of them knew that. But why would that stop the two from delivering their last strikes? Honoka was happy, happy that Kanan had acted selfishly as well, that despite everything, she wished for another bout. It kept the smile firmly planted on her face as the two moved towards each other.

Honoka swung in from above, but it was easily deflected by Kanan who quickly drove her sword in at the ginger's stomach. A twist around the blade and the ginger was already in position to strike again, carrying her sword through the turn, aimed to take Kanan's head. Kanan brought her sword up, slamming Honoka's Demonbrand high up but the ginger maintained her grasp and brought it down. With little effort, the bluenette sidestepped it, bringing her sword in a low sweep that came up towards the ginger's stomach. Honoka twisted her sword back in and, with a small flick of her wrist, struck forward, batting the bluenette's katana back towards her.

The two simultaneously took a step back, smiles on both of their faces. But Honoka could tell. There was no reason to continue the fight. Kanan was already dying. The ginger would be surprised if she could even make one more strike. But the look in the bluenette's eyes told her she could. So Honoka would make that strike the last one. And Kanan seemed to have the same thought.

"Let me tell you everything… Kousaka Honoka."

"Mm. I'll answer in kind, Kanan… with my everything."

"Void style, 10th blade."

"Four seasons, Autumn style, 1st blade."

"Forgotten whisper."

"Fall."

It wasn't nearly as flashy as tearing through a sword, but it had the same effect. Kanan's katana flew from her grasp, flying far behind her. But Honoka didn't follow up. She stopped her blade right before it struck the girl. With that, Honoka felt like it was concluded. She drew her sword back, sheathed it and, just like when she dueled her Master in the past, bowed. It felt strange doing that since it had been so long, but when she finally raised her head, she saw that Kanan had bowed as well. The bluenette came up with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Eh? Kanan, you…" Darkness trailed off her body, a body that had become transparent.

"It would seem like the Void is calling me back."

"The Void? But you…"

"Don't misunderstand me, Honoka. I will no longer be a part of the Void. It is time for me to face my punishment for my betrayal though. Where safer to keep such a dangerous person such as myself than in the depths of the Void?" She looked past the ginger, her eyes falling on Erena, then Yoshiko, then back to Honoka. "Thank you. And even after all we've been through… that goes for you as well, Second. Ah, how long has it been since I stopped hearing your voice? Were you truly lost within me? And yet all this time I've acted as you and used your Demonbrand… I hope I can you see again sometime, Second. You truly made this fragment's time interesting." Darkness exploded out from her back, the image of Kanan fading quickly. "A gift for you, Honoka. As my thanks. You decide what to do with them." With that, the image of Kanan vanished.

Honoka blinked, almost just to make sure that the girl really was gone. She definitely was. But in her place sat a small red ball. It Honoka reached down and picked it up, turning it over, rubbing her thumb over the smooth surface. "A gift… huh?" Honoka turned back to the others with a smile. But there were still some loose ends. Erena fell to her knees as soon as the ginger turned, making Yoshiko run up to her.

"Master! Master, you…"

"Haha, don't cry now, Yoshiko. This is the price I pay for allowing First to do his job. Manifesting his body… was the last thing he could do. And, because of the, my last action as well." Darkness sprouted up around her, tendrils trailing from her much like Kanan.

"You're going to die… Master?"

Erena chuckled and reached up, gently stroking the girl's hair. "Ah, my precious Yoshiko. I truly could not have asked for a better heir." Tears welled up in Yoshiko's eyes, streaking down her cheeks. "What did I just say, you crybaby?"

"Master, I…! You too! I never would have come to love the blade, to love the Void if it hadn't been you!"

"Pfft… ahaha!" Erena suddenly burst out laughing, raising the eyebrows of everybody present. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't help but want to see you really let your emotions out one time. Why do you cry, Yoshiko? I will take Kanan's place, as a lasting Master of Void, to pass my knowledge onto all heirs henceforth. So cry not. Anytime you wish to see me, you need only commune with the Void."

"M-Master!" Yoshiko yelled, her face now flushed from anger and embarrassment.

"Haha! Good work, Yoshiko, Honoka! Truly you have lived up to statuses! I bid you a good till next time, for this is not my end, nor yours. Let us meet again soon! Come, First! Let us enjoy our time in the Void together!" Erena's laughter faded with her body until nothing was left.

Yoshiko stood up with a snort. "That idiot…"

Honoka nodded in sympathy but her smile when she turned her eyes to Seira who was attempting to stand. "Master!" She ran up and helped the girl stand. "Are you alright? You lost so much blood…"

"Hmph. Please, Honoka. That was my one time… That being said, my insides are definitely dying. I'll need to get an elixir or two from HQ. I should be fine. Well… other than the fact that I'll never be able to use ancient magic again without dying. A small price to pay though." She winked at her heir and Honoka smiled in relief.

"Now then." Yoshiko walked up next to them. "There is still the issue of… that to deal with." She motioned at the wave of energy, still frozen in time.

"Leave it to me!" Kotori cheered and jumped forward. "Though there was no way I could have blocked it if it wasn't frozen like this… For all your hard work, Honoka-chan, I'll do all of you a favour!" Kotori snapped her fingers, a small light appearing in the air before her. "Come… to my little prison." The light expanded, flashing brightly, causing everybody to look away. When it faded, Kotori held a small sphere of light in her hand. "This'll be quite dangerous if anybody get their hands on it… So~ Here." She shoved it towards Yoshiko who just blinked. "Toss it in the Void. It'll be safe there."

"The Void is not your trashcan."

"Neither is your body, but I don't mind dumping my pathogens into your body and causing you to puke blood until you die." The smile and cute giggle that followed sent a chill down everybody's spine.

Yoshiko sighed and roughly grabbed the orb from her. "If you please…" Small tendrils of darkness expanded from her hand, wrapping around the orb and promptly vanishing with it. "There. It shouldn't cause any trouble anymore." They all nodded at that. "Well then, Four Seasons. Let us leave this place. I noticed that Sun and Light are not here. I'd like to check on them. We have to make sure everything is fixed on that side anyways."

Honoka nodded but her smile turned into a frown. "I'll send all of you back, so just give me a moment."

"Eh?" All eyes locked onto her.

"What are you talking about, Honoka…?"

"I'm sorry, Master. Maybe it's just me being a coward but… I'm sure if I give up Autumn's authority, my body will collapse. If I stay here though, in a world made with Autumn's authority, I'm sure it'll be fine. Really makes me seem like a coward, huh?"

Seira started to speak up but Honoka's eyes suddenly widened. The ginger was staring at something past her, but when the Master of the Four Seasons turned, she saw nothing. "Honoka?"

"Ryoma-san…?" Seira's eyes widened at the question and she looked again but still saw nothing.

But Honoka saw it. Saw him. The scarf around her vibrated, lifting into the air slightly, the tinge of magic stronger than ever. And there in front of her stood the man she had dueled with in the past. "Congratulations, Honoka-kun. I'm glad you were able to become so close with Autumn. You've truly shown your talent, your dedication. I'm proud of you."

Honoka broke into a wide grin at the compliment. "Thank you. But… it looks like this is the end of the line. Really, thank you, for helping me. IF you hadn't… I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have had the courage to use Autumn against her."

Ryoma waved off the thanks. "You were always meant to use Autumn and so you did. I simply reminded you of it. Now, what's this about the end of the line?"

"You can see it, right? My body is already in terrible condition. To be frank, I'm in so much pain I can barely stand. Once Autumn's authority leaves me… I'll definitely collapse. You think it's cowardly, right? That I want to stay here. That I want to live so badly."

"Ahaha!" Ryoma took the few steps forward to stand next to her, his hand landing gently on her shoulder. "I will not tell you what to do, Honoka-kun. However… He reached up and tugged the scarf down, making sure it was securely around her. I believe I said before that I would do a favour for you… that I would help you with your friends."

"Eh? Yeah, but that's…"

"I never said quite exactly what I would help with, did I?" He laughed again at the incredulous look she gave him. "You'll be in pretty bad shape… but I'll do my best for you. You no longer have a need for Autumn's authority. And you no longer need to be in this world of Autumn. So… go. You still have much to settle, much to do in life. Hell, if this old man has to tell you that your life is just beginning, then you should believe him!"

Honoka giggled at that but nodded. "Ah, but… Um, I'm sure Master would love to see you again."

A sad smile formed on his face and he nodded slowly. "And I would love to speak with Seira again." He looked to in front of the ginger where Seira seemed to be calling out to her. But she couldn't hear her Master's words in that moment. "She's doing fine. Maybe overexerting herself, but that's nothing new. Haha!" Ryoma took a deep and let it out slowly. "Take care of my dear heir, Honoka-kun. And take care of yourself."

"Mm. Thank you, Ryoma-san." And then everything around her felt normal again. Seira was yelling to her to answer her and she could only laugh as her Master inquired about what was wrong. "Come on, Master. It's gonna be a long story, so let's get out of here first."

Without waiting for a response, Honoka let the world around them fall apart, dragging them back to the Underworld. Ruby looked panicked as the group appeared again but then relieved when she realized it was just them. She ran up to hug Yoshiko, mumbling something into her chest about thinking she had died. Chika wore a knowing smirk and Honoka had the feeling that the girl had somehow seen everything that happened.

"As much as I'd love to hear the story of your final battle," Chika called out. "we need to do something about that." She pointed towards the sky. Even though Honoka had stopped Second, the sky remained cracked and, from the look on Chika's face, she was just barely keeping it together.

Honoka suddenly snapped to attention. She turned towards Hanayo who still lay where she left her. She sighed in relief as if she had expected something terrible to have happened to her. But when she tried to move towards her, she finally felt the pain settle back in. She fell to one knee, cringing at the flames in her stomach, in her legs, arm, everywhere. She felt the scarf around her neck vibrate with magic, the pain intensifying tenfold. It was nothing short of a miracle that she didn't pass out right then and there. "Wha…?" And then it was over just as fast as it started. The scarf basically unwrapped itself, falling to the ground in front of her. "Eh? This is…?"

"Honoka!" Seira staggered her way over to her heir but by the time she got there Honoka was laughing. "Honoka?"

"Your Master… was really something." Honoka smiled down at the cloth. Just two words looked back at her, stitched into the cloth, words that she was absolutely sure hadn't been there before. 'Good luck.' "Really… That idiot stole Autumn's authority from me…"

As she stood with Seira's help, she couldn't help but wonder just how much of this Ryoma had known would happen. He had glanced into the future through the Void, right? Had he planned everything out perfectly? He had even accounted for her not being able to handle Autumn's authority. And just how the hell had he even taken it? Honoka jotted that down as something to ask Autumn in the future, assuming she would be able to communicate with the season again.

"My, my, don't you all seem to be in some trouble?" All conversation ceased immediately as all eyes were drawn to the newcomer.

A man wearing a suit. Honoka's eyes opened wide. She definitely recognized him. From not that long ago, around the time when Umi had found out about her being a demon slayer. "You're…!"

"Aha, we meet again, Four Seasons. Worry not. I apologize for injuring you before. It was just a little test! Haha! You were attacking me anyways, right?" He shrugged. "Oh, I almost forgot I was in this form. Sorry, let me greet you properly." The body seemed to simply vanish, leaving behind a much smaller girl wearing a school uniform, with grey-brown, a grin plastered on her face. "Congratulations! You really killed Second! Ahaha! Yay! Cheer, cheer!"

Chika frowned. "Third?"

"That's right! I'm Third! The cutest of the Demon Lords! Well, I have the cutest host anyways. If I don't say that, she gets so angry at me…"

"Sorry to say, but I don't exactly have the energy to fight another one of you…" Honoka said, sighing.

"Ahaha! I'm here to help you guys, not to hurt you!" She walked over to Honoka and held her hand out. When the ginger reached to take it, the girl withdrew it, pouting. "I'm not helping you. Give me Second's eyes. Hurry, hurry."

"Eh? His eyes? I…" Honoka started to say but then stopped. Was that… his gift? She withdrew the red orb from her pocket and Third snatched it from her.

"Good, good. I need to borrow Fourth's eyes as well." She walked over towards Hanayo and Honoka almost lunged at her, but Yoshiko stepped in front of her.

"Yoshiko-chan?"

"I was wondering when you were going to show up, Third." She looked around at the confused looks she was receiving and just laughed. "The Void already knew what you were up to. You're the weakest of… well, you're the only surviving Demon Lord now, so I suppose that's a given. But I knew you were waiting. We had planned on killing you but the Void changed its mind when it decided to direct its attention towards Second. Consider yourself lucky, Third, that I will not strike you down right here."

"Oh yes, I feel sooooo lucky. Give the Void my thanks~" Third walked up to Hanayo and snapped. Hanayo's eyes immediately opened but it didn't take a genius to find out that she was clearly still unconscious. "Take my offering, Fourth, that I may lock away your eyes." She crushed the orb in her hand and let the dust sprinkle down over Hanayo's face. The effect was immediate. The cracks in the sky instantly began closing up and she nodded, looking over to Chika. "You can stop now, Sun. It'll be fine. And you, Four Seasons. Your partner will no longer be able to see demons. I'm sorry! Teehee! But I had to seal away Fourth's eyes. And this is the only way to do it without completely removing the eyes which would be dangerous." Honoka nodded slowly, not really sure how to take this whole situation.

Chika, on the other hand, sighed in relief. The effect of her stopping the Sun from leaking out her body was immediate. The ground around her cooled instantly and she began crawling towards them. Yoshiko snorted and walked over to her Without a word, she reached down, scooping up the ginger in a bridal carry.

"Oh! So bold, Void-chan~"

"Shut it, Sun…" Yoshiko looked away, her own face flushed.

"Eh…?" Honoka's attention snapped back to the brunette in front of her who was finally waking up. "Where…?"

"Hanayo-chan!" Honoka embraced her partner, practically crying into her. "I was so worried! I'm so glad you're alright!"

"H-Honoka-chan?" Hanayo had next to no idea what was going on, but a smile still graced her face and she returned the embrace.

Third coughing finally made the two separate. "I hate to break up such a beautiful moment, but I do believe it is time for you to be on your way."

Seira crossed her arms. "And why should we leave something like you alive? You're… the last living Demon Lord after all."

"Right! But you need a Demon Lord alive, someone to manage this Underworld. Don't worry, I messed a bit with the barrier with Fourth's eyes. I might not be able to stop every demon from coming through, but I'll do what I can. I'll stay in my world and you guys stay in yours. Sounds good, right? Without me, demons will flood into the overworld. Plus, I just helped you, didn't I?" She puffed her cheeks out into a pout again that everybody had to admit was pretty cute. "Second left behind the essence of Eighth, so… this is the last thing I can do for you." Third snapped her fingers once again, the black liquid that they had seen before pouring from her hand, forming a sizeable puddle on the ground. "This'll bring you exactly where you need to be. Now shoo, all of you."

Chika burst into laughter. "Ahaha! Sounds good to me! Full speed ahead, Void-chan!" Yoshiko snorted but smiled.

"Well, it makes sense enough to leave you to manage the Underworld, Third. And luckily, the Void doesn't want you dead anymore." Yoshiko stepped up to the liquid, Chika still held securely in her arms. "You're even weaker than Fourth when my Master and I killed him. The second you try anything stupid down here, I won't hesitate to silence you."

"Scary~"

Yoshiko turned her head away but walked into the liquid, letting herself sink down until both she and Chika were gone. Ruby and Seira were next, the older girl holding the redhead's hand. "Thank you I suppose, Third.

"Yeah, yeah. Get moving." After those two sank down, she locked her eyes on the last three there. "You two. In." Both Honoka and Hanayo moved to stand on the liquid. But only Hanayo sank.

"E-Eh? Honoka-chan!?" Before she could ask anymore, she vanished under the black liquid.

"Third? What are you…?"

"Yeah, yeah, shut it. I'll let you go in a second." There was a pause until Honoka nodded. "Thank you, Four Seasons. We were not powerful enough to stop Second after he became corrupted. It wasn't his fault. It was likely a result of his mind fusing with Matsuura Kanan and the Void. Either way, I'm glad he's finally able to rest. So, even if you just did it for yourself… thank you."

"Third…"

"Oh, quiet. Don't start."

Kotori walked up to the two with a smirk. "Ahem, don't get too sappy while I'm here."

"It's been quite a while since I've seen you, Pestilence." Third paused, sizing her up. "Are you going to return to the surface with them? I have no obligation to make you stay here… well, not that I could with my power anyways."

"Mm." Kotori nodded and giggled wrapping Honoka's arm with hers. "I want to spend my time with Honoka-chan, Umi-chan, and the others. So… I won't be staying here."

"Well, if that's what you want…"

Kotori gave the girl a sympathetic smile. "Are you going to be alright down here? You'll be all alone now, right?"

Third snorted at the concern. "It's not like we Demon Lords were having tea parties every day, Pestilence. I am more than fine on my own. Besides, I have my host to keep me company. Unlike Second, we are still individuals. Though, perhaps I have taken too much a liking to her voice as it has become my default." She placed a hand on her throat and sighed.

"Eh? You're going to keep your host down here?" Honoka asked suspiciously.

"Worry not, Four Seasons. My host has chosen to remain with me. When I decided to go against Second, I told her that, if she so chose, I would return her to the overworld. But she told me that she'll remain with me." The tone of voice shifted just ever so slightly and Third tilted her head. "That's right~. So, everything's fine. Enjoy your time on the surface, Pestilence."

Kotori nodded. "I go by Kotori now though~"

They both shared a laugh at that before Third motioned to the liquid. "Alright, it's time for you two to go. I'm barely able to keep this open with the remnants of Eighth that Second left behind. If you don't leave soon, you might just get trapped here with me. Not that I would mind! Ahaha."

Kotori nodded again and pulled the ginger with her onto the black liquid. "Um… I don't know if I should say something…" Honoka said slowly. "I guess… thank you? For helping us keep our world together."

"Mm. thanks a lot, Third-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah. Get going already. I said my piece." She waved her hand and the two sank, deep into the black puddle before vanishing. Third let out a long sigh before letting the liquid finally fade away. "That was a lot more exhausting then I thought it would be… Hmph. Finally here, Shizuku-san?" A small light appeared above her, falling slowly into her hand. She couldn't help but smile at the light. "A soul manifesting itself in the Underworld… You always were an interesting one. Well, despite what I said, it might get a little lonely with just Third and I. Haha." Third turned away from the torn-up landscape, heading deeper into the Underworld. "Come on, let's see about getting you a proper body."


Light assaulted Honoka's eyes immediately after exiting the darkness. But this time… it was the real sun. She smiled as she felt the warmth. It had been too long. But where…? She turned to her side and saw a familiar sight. Maki's mansion of a house. All of the girls who had accompanied her to the Underworld were all there, standing in front of the house now. All except for Kotori, who still clung to her arm with a smile. Walking out of the mansion was Maki who was helping her mother walk, Umi who was helping a staggering Devour, and Nico who was helping Chika's partner.

Honoka found herself smiling at the sight. At this point, she wasn't even surprised to see the bluenette among them. As she approached them with Kotori, she saw Yoshiko move one of her hands awkwardly before a mass of darkness opened in front of her. Even though they were in Maki's yard, they were still fairly in the open. It seemed like Yoshiko didn't notice or didn't care though. The Master of Sound exited first, holding up her heir who looked completely worn. And lastly, Nozomi followed out, her face contorting to worry when she turned and met eyes with Honoka. She ran over, embracing the two girls.

"Honoka! I was so worried after what the Void showed me…" Honoka couldn't exactly return the hug since her only arm was occupied with Kotori but she nodded into it.

"Ehe… Well, it all turned out fine. It looks like you had some interesting stuff happen to you too."

Nozomi pulled away and sighed but she wore a smile. "You have no idea."

"Yes, everything is fine." Yoshiko said as the rest of the group walked over to them. "We are lucky that Second had basically lost his mind. After losing his true body, he unknowingly made Matsuura Kanan into his true body. Because of that, he became permanently connected to his host in the overworld. Foolish. It was because of his own madness that we were able to defeat him." Yoshiko paused and shifted the ginger in her arms. Chika leaned in and whispered something. "Yeah, yeah." She walked closer to Honoka and lowered her voice. "Now is the time, Four Seasons. I apologize… for that." She nodded at the girl's lack of a right arm. "I was foolish. The Void… no, Kanan showed me visions of what would happen if I failed to do so, false visions. I put so much trust in the Void, I did not even realize how it had become corrupted by Kanan. Because of that I ended up injuring you. I'm truly sorry."

Honoka stared for a second before giggling. "It's alright, Yoshiko-chan. Besides, I got you back, right?"

Yoshiko reached a hand to her stomach. "This was but a temporary injury, what I have done to you is…"

"I told you, don't worry about it. In the end, I wouldn't have lasted long enough against Second by myself. Because of you and Chika-chan, I was able to fight. So, look up, Yoshiko-chan. You just helped save the world after all."

Chika laughed her usual loud, boisterous laugh. "That's right! There's nothing to worry about! We're all friends here!"

Umi was the next to walk up to Honoka, an awkward smile on her face, but a truly relieved one. "I'm glad to see you're alright, Honoka. And…" She looked at Kotori who just giggled.

"Looks like we all have a lot to talk about, huh, Umi-chan~? Honoka-chan~?"

"It looks like it."

"Indeed we do, Kousaka Honoka." The voice sent a strange shiver down Honoka's spine and she could almost feel the Four Seasons bristling within her.

"Is that… Sixth?"

"It is." Umi nodded. "Like Kotori said… a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's save all that talk for later." Nico said, walking over and patting Devour on the back who cringed at the touch. "I think we have too many injured people around to just talk. Let's get everything sorted out before we talk things out." She glanced over to Maki's mother. "I'm sure HQ is gonna have a hell of a time with this…"

Yoshiko snorted. "Who cares? Let those lazy whelps handle all the paperwork. I'm sure they'll be happy to hear the news anyways."

"As much… as I'd like to celebrate with you…" Setsuna took deep breaths and looked up. "I may quite literally be dying. I'd appreciate it if we could move on."

They all laughed but conceded that. As the group headed our from Maki's yard, the redhead's mother leading the way, Honoka couldn't help but feel herself smiling again. Kotori still occupied her one arm. Umi walked on her other side, still helping Setsuna along. Nico was talking about 'how amazing she was' when she was fighting Second. Maki was waving off her words but had a faint smile. Chika was still being carried by Yoshiko, cheering her on as they walked. Yoshiko turned her head away the comments, but Honoka could see her smile. Mari still helped her heir along but her other hand was intertwined with Seira's, the two recalling the events from each of their sides. Nozomi was off near the front talking with Maki's mother about something. Ruby clung to the back of Yoshiko's shirt as she walked, Riko next to her, trying to comfort the poor girl.

Honoka laughed and all eyes turned to her. "Really… Thank you, everyone. Let's really move forward!" She started rushing forward to the front of the group, dragging Kotori along. Umi was gong to chase after, but Setsuna suddenly perked up and, despite grunts of pain, moved after the ginger, tugging the bluenette along.

"Damn right, Four Seasons! Let's go!"

Honoka glanced back at the group as she passed Maki's mother.

"Mm! Onwards, to our new future!"


Well, besides the epilogue, this is it. Thank you all for sticking through my shitty writing and making it this far. I really do appreciate it. I'll save my long, sappy thanks for the end of the epilogue though.

So, why you're all reading this I assume. Let me say some things before we get into the lore stuff. I'm not a person who likes writing big flashy fights. Maybe that's why the fic ended the way it did. Actually, let's get into lore because it'll be easier to explain some reasoning.

First of all, Second was truly mad by this point. After fusing with the Void, he lost his mind, both his and Kanan's minds virtually falling apart. Kanan got her moment of clarity towards the end, a moment when she was able to see her own heart and truly be 'Kanan' again. Because of this madness, Second truly thought that the time of the Demon Lords was still around. But, in reality, something I tried to hint at with the death of Fourth, Third was actually pretty weak by this point. The only reason Third was even able to fight to begin with was because he had fused with the Void. But by the point, the Void was beginning to wrestle control back after having its heart stolen. That, coupled with Honoka reclaiming authority over Autumn, it was simple enough.

Second, let's talk about power. At full power, the strongest character in this universe is, easily, Chika. Despite her extreme intelligence, Chika is still reckless and almost never uses her full power. In fact, releasing the Sun and fighting Kane was the first time she had ever truly gone 'all out.' If she didn't have to hold the world together, she could have easily taken on Third by herself. In fact, Chika could, arguably perhaps, fairly taken on First in his prime if she went all out from the beginning. She even outpowers her master who didn't make an appearance in this fic but was renowned for his strength.

I guess that's all I really wanted to cover. Just wanted to throw those things out there. There was more conversation I wanted to happen in this chapter but, whether it be a good or bad thing, I decided to cut back in order to shorten the length. I'm still satisfied with this fic overall. I honestly never thought I would finish it. So, now that the epilogue is the only thing left, it's like reality is finally setting in.

If you have any questions about this universe or maybe a character, feel free to message me about it. Otherwise, I simply hope that you enjoyed reading this.

I hope this fic finds you in good health. Stay safe in these trying times, everyone. And once again, a sincere thank you.

Till next time. Be seeing you.