---- Chapter 23: Showdown - Enma's Fate ----
Enma chuckled lightly. "I won't die here.... but you will, human fool. Prepare for the endless void.... of my ultimate technique!" With that, Enma flashed black for a moment, as Shinrai stood motionless. As Enma's aura increased steadily in size, Shinrai mused to himself, "His power isn't getting any stronger.... It's weakening. That could only mean a summoning technique of some kind...."
After a few more moments, Enma's aura held steady, and he spread out his arms and legs with a mighty cry of, "Saigo Muu - Final Void!!!" Time seemed to stop, as darkness spread over the area. Shinrai looked around in surprise, as what looked like stars seemed to sparkle in the distance. Suddenly, a large, shining ball appeared between the two fighters, crackling with immense power. "N-No! That has way too much power.... ! You'll kill both of us, fool!" cried out Shinrai, bracing himself as Enma cackled wildly. "That's the point.... This is the Final Void, a technique that summons the very essence of nothingness. I've built up a resistance to it, so I'll survive.... but you won't! Die, foolish mortal!"
The shining ball contracted and expanded for a few seconds, before exploding loudly. Shinrai screamed as the light engulfed him, as a still-laughing Enma looked on. Back inside the tomb, everything was quiet. Enma looked downwards with a spiteful gaze, at a heavily wounded Shinrai. "Heh," he chuckled, "you weren't that tough." Shinrai stood up, without any hint of pain, and yelled out, "Not that tough, am I?! I'm still standing, just like you. Isn't that tough enough for you?!" Enma reeled backwards in surprise, sputtering, "B-But I saw you.... the blast hit you full-force! You should be dead!"
Grinning, Shinrai replied, "Yeah, I should be dead. But my will to live overpowered your attack.... and here we are." Raising his arm and clutching it tightly with his other arm, Shinrai extended his index finger like a gun and began to charge up, his aura tripling in size. "It's over, Enma!"
Enma stood in shock, muttering, "110,000.... 120,000.... Over.... 170,000 Ki waves of power?! T-This can't be.... it's some sort of trick! Prepare to die!" Thrusting his hands out in front of himself, he charged up, aura flaring wildly. A large ball of energy formed in between his hands, and began to crackle with powerful energy. "This has 200,000 Ki waves of power! Try blocking this!"
Without even bothering to answer, Shinrai just kept charging up his attack. The ground underneath him cracked and burst into the air, blown apart by the force of his power. Sparks of energy flew into his extended fingertip, as a small blue sphere began to form. Enma's attack had, by now, doubled in size - over 10 feet in diameter. Then, in a single instant, the attacks came....
"It's over, mortal! Shadow Flare Bomb!!!!"
The ball of energy shot forward, directly at Shinrai. Just before the attack hit, Shinrai's eyes sparkled, and he called out....
"Rei Gun Zero Type!!!!"
Enma's attack was engulfed and completely destroyed by the blast, the attack swallowing Enma whole. As his flesh was torn from his body, Enma cried out, "T-This.... cannot be.... !!!!!" A bright light shone on his chest, and a small ball of energy flew out, spiraling down into the ground. Managing a grin, Enma spoke prophetically, "Y-You may defeat me.... but there is a greater power.... that will.... that will.... destroy you all.... !!!!" And with that, Enma was totally incinerated, burned away by the attack.
When the smoke cleared, Shinrai stood in the same position, still gripping his arm tightly. Sparks of light flew together in mid-air, combining to form a vaguely human shape. Dropping his arms to his sides, Shinrai dashed forward, catching the shape in mid-air. As the light faded, the face of Keyaku Nakadachi appeared, staring up at Shinrai. "W-What happened.... ?" he asked quizically, looking around at the ruins of Enma's Tomb. Shinrai smiled warmly, and replied, "Don't worry about that. Just concentrate on getting back to your sister. She's waiting for you at Reikai." Weakly, Keyaku smiled, collapsing completely in Shinrai's grasp.
"Please.... take me to her...."
"It'll be my pleasure."
=== In a Space Between the Three Worlds ===
A small ball of energy fell into a sea of darkness, flowing into a demon's carcass. When the orb of light touched it, it awakened immediately, revealing the face of the demon Sei Ma.
"So, that's how it is.... Now is the time.... The time is here to break the seal of Makai.... and free the very essence of sorrow and hatred! Mwa-ha-ha.... Gya-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!"
Enma chuckled lightly. "I won't die here.... but you will, human fool. Prepare for the endless void.... of my ultimate technique!" With that, Enma flashed black for a moment, as Shinrai stood motionless. As Enma's aura increased steadily in size, Shinrai mused to himself, "His power isn't getting any stronger.... It's weakening. That could only mean a summoning technique of some kind...."
After a few more moments, Enma's aura held steady, and he spread out his arms and legs with a mighty cry of, "Saigo Muu - Final Void!!!" Time seemed to stop, as darkness spread over the area. Shinrai looked around in surprise, as what looked like stars seemed to sparkle in the distance. Suddenly, a large, shining ball appeared between the two fighters, crackling with immense power. "N-No! That has way too much power.... ! You'll kill both of us, fool!" cried out Shinrai, bracing himself as Enma cackled wildly. "That's the point.... This is the Final Void, a technique that summons the very essence of nothingness. I've built up a resistance to it, so I'll survive.... but you won't! Die, foolish mortal!"
The shining ball contracted and expanded for a few seconds, before exploding loudly. Shinrai screamed as the light engulfed him, as a still-laughing Enma looked on. Back inside the tomb, everything was quiet. Enma looked downwards with a spiteful gaze, at a heavily wounded Shinrai. "Heh," he chuckled, "you weren't that tough." Shinrai stood up, without any hint of pain, and yelled out, "Not that tough, am I?! I'm still standing, just like you. Isn't that tough enough for you?!" Enma reeled backwards in surprise, sputtering, "B-But I saw you.... the blast hit you full-force! You should be dead!"
Grinning, Shinrai replied, "Yeah, I should be dead. But my will to live overpowered your attack.... and here we are." Raising his arm and clutching it tightly with his other arm, Shinrai extended his index finger like a gun and began to charge up, his aura tripling in size. "It's over, Enma!"
Enma stood in shock, muttering, "110,000.... 120,000.... Over.... 170,000 Ki waves of power?! T-This can't be.... it's some sort of trick! Prepare to die!" Thrusting his hands out in front of himself, he charged up, aura flaring wildly. A large ball of energy formed in between his hands, and began to crackle with powerful energy. "This has 200,000 Ki waves of power! Try blocking this!"
Without even bothering to answer, Shinrai just kept charging up his attack. The ground underneath him cracked and burst into the air, blown apart by the force of his power. Sparks of energy flew into his extended fingertip, as a small blue sphere began to form. Enma's attack had, by now, doubled in size - over 10 feet in diameter. Then, in a single instant, the attacks came....
"It's over, mortal! Shadow Flare Bomb!!!!"
The ball of energy shot forward, directly at Shinrai. Just before the attack hit, Shinrai's eyes sparkled, and he called out....
"Rei Gun Zero Type!!!!"
Enma's attack was engulfed and completely destroyed by the blast, the attack swallowing Enma whole. As his flesh was torn from his body, Enma cried out, "T-This.... cannot be.... !!!!!" A bright light shone on his chest, and a small ball of energy flew out, spiraling down into the ground. Managing a grin, Enma spoke prophetically, "Y-You may defeat me.... but there is a greater power.... that will.... that will.... destroy you all.... !!!!" And with that, Enma was totally incinerated, burned away by the attack.
When the smoke cleared, Shinrai stood in the same position, still gripping his arm tightly. Sparks of light flew together in mid-air, combining to form a vaguely human shape. Dropping his arms to his sides, Shinrai dashed forward, catching the shape in mid-air. As the light faded, the face of Keyaku Nakadachi appeared, staring up at Shinrai. "W-What happened.... ?" he asked quizically, looking around at the ruins of Enma's Tomb. Shinrai smiled warmly, and replied, "Don't worry about that. Just concentrate on getting back to your sister. She's waiting for you at Reikai." Weakly, Keyaku smiled, collapsing completely in Shinrai's grasp.
"Please.... take me to her...."
"It'll be my pleasure."
=== In a Space Between the Three Worlds ===
A small ball of energy fell into a sea of darkness, flowing into a demon's carcass. When the orb of light touched it, it awakened immediately, revealing the face of the demon Sei Ma.
"So, that's how it is.... Now is the time.... The time is here to break the seal of Makai.... and free the very essence of sorrow and hatred! Mwa-ha-ha.... Gya-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!"