Chapter XXII
The decisive battle
Recommended music for this chapter: OST - Agni Kai and OST- Pheonix King
Notes: *The first song is supposed to end at the next 'X'. The last one ends, well, surprise, at the end XD. The music should vary according to the intensity of the action. Please do not blame the writer if you sense various rhythm mistakes '=_=
The birds were flying on the red pale sky, searching better and warmer places to spend their winter. It was already the end of summer.
Rilury stood nearside the lake, thinking about how quick the summer has passed. Already 3 months of fighting, making new friendships and even new interests… It was a completely life change for her. A temporary one of course, because soon it will be all over…
But come to think of it, the Shaman Fight has developed quite quickly. Those three months have passed since the day she actually felt a great change of her mundane life…since the day she met him…
It was true. All the day has been nothing but an unbearable boredom and loneliness. She missed him. It was as clear as the water her saddened eyes reflected in. Even if she hated to admit it, life was sort of a pain without him and all day she has been thinking about that…about them…
Even if she liked acting like a tsundere in her daily life (perhaps it was because of the too much anime time she'd watched while staying home alone), when it'd come to being sincere with herself, Rilury wouldn't hesitate to admit the truth. All this Tournament, Hao was the person she had spend her most time with…and was the most fond of. With all his pyromaniac moods, all his cynicism and too much conceit, all of his sweet moments he'd have from time to time, it was all something which managed somehow to dig a place in her heart. She realized it just when she felt that (just a little, of course) corner empty…
"Rilury-chan!" a cute girly voice was heard from behind. She turned her rose-colored face to Opacho, which was smiling at her. "What's the matter? Do you have a fever?" she further asked innocently.
"N-no, I'm fine!.." she said blushing even harder, but this time covering her cheeks. "What are you doing here? I thought you were fighting in the finals!"
"I was about to, but Hao-sama told Opacho that she had to quit for her own sake." The little girl answered, a little bit saddened. "Opacho's sorry she is not strong enough."
"Aw, don't say that, little one!" she taking Opacho up for a hug. "I'm sure he wanted you to stay completely safe, just because he really only cares about you!"
The sincerity in her voice made Opacho smile.
"Thank you, Rilu-chan. But Opacho isn't the only one Hao cares about." Her obvious eyes looking directly at her made Rilury blush and ask no further questions.
"Oh well, how about wasting some time together? I'm sure there's plenty to do here, in this now-deserted village."
X
One choice. No chance.
He had to…get rid of all his human restraints. All he had to do was to fight like a cornered beast, ripping flesh and leave everything behind. All he had to do was to survive.
'But in order to truly live, Lyserg, each one of us… needs love…'
A crystal clear voice was heard in Lyserg's head. Then her figure appeared. Those were the words she last spoken to him after the shocking battle. He remembered, when he lost Jeanne in the pitch black darkness, he was desperate. He fought with passion, and he himself observed how powerful his hits were back then…
A sparkling green light appeared from his body. The oversoul armor was formed. That was it. He founf his inner strength.
First attack. The Spirit of Fire appeared instantly and blocked it. His body was thrown right into a tree by the impact.
"Hm? Your motivation hangs on such a thin thread?" scoffed Hao out of nowhere.
Lyserg's eyes looked at the ground, but then they showed up with a strange light.
"Hmm…it is strange indeed, how only a simple person can change the whole world around you, and even change yourself in some way. You become weak around her, but at the same time your strength grows incredibly."
Hao looked at him a bit uncertain. Then his usual smirk returned in his expression.
"Hmph. If this is what brings up your full potential, then it's fine with me. I'm only glad I have something to take my boredom away for a while."
X
The team was complete…almost. Ren had to find a certain green-haired boy. But when he sensed that increased power, he knew that something wasn't right. For some reason, Yoh felt exactly from where the source of it was coming from. But they've arrived to late.
"Lyserg!" he shouted when he saw his beaten body lying on the ground. Luckily, he was still breathing. "Kisama!" he shoved Hao a look full of hatred.
"You arrived just in time for dinner. My spirit already served the appetizer." Hao spoke, surrounded by huge flames.
"I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Ren spoke with a low voice towards an uncertain peson.
"I understand" Yoh's even lower voice was heard nearside him.
Ren stepped in the middle of the battlefield.
"Allright, let's do this!" he shouted.
*song 1 plays*
The massive Spirit of Fire was enduring lots of attacks meant for diversion. Hao stood on its right shoulder and watched how the spectacle was repeating itself. He was blocking all the useless attacks, just like then.
Only now, his brother wasn't taking part in all this. How strange…and disappointing.
Suddenly four spirits attacked from different angles, trying to immobilize it. Ren's kwan dao fully emerged in its biggest oversoul and made a direct attack. The lance was coming rapidly towards him, the razor was shape, waiting to strike with a full precision.
Hao smirked and whispered more to himself.
"Déjà vu…"
The SOF dissolved. But the oversoul wasn't interrupted, it was shifted to a red bright sword, with which Hao redirected the attack. Ren jumped a few meters back.
"Hm, I appreciate the teamwork, but a one vs one fight would be much more interesting. Just borrow some furyoku from the others just like Yoh did last time." Hao spoke with a calm and confident smile.
"Tsk. I was saving this for later, but you really get on my nerves! Jeane, be ready."
"Of course! Everyone, please gather around Ren!" she said ready to do everything exactly as planned.
A white circuit made of light emerged from her posture, spreading itself on the ground. It passed under everyone's feet, concentrating their furyoku and transmitting it to Ren. His qwan dao changed its form, and also a sort of oversoul armor took shape.
"Get ready for this!" he shouted as he jumped in a straight forward attack.
"How simple…" Hao stated.
The red sword blocked the spear. Hao tried to throw him away.. Even so, Ren wasn't letting go. He kept pressuring his weapon, tons of furious sparks were emerging. His sword moved a bit, but the pressure went higher, but also Ren's muscles were suffering severe damages.
"You are quite stubborn. I like that." His smirk went even brighter on his face. "But still, putting up all your strength, you will soon cease."
Ren got a superior grin.
"But you won't get to see that."
Explosion.
While Hao was immobilized, the others concentrated their weapons in a synchronized fatal hit.
A dense smoke was covering the entire area. 'Did it work?' Ren asked himself while panting.
"Quite clever…"
Huge flames burst out of nowhere. Ren's desperate eyes quickly searched for him.
"But not enough."
In a fraction of a second, Ren felt it. A surprising and powerful attack from behind which he couldn't avoid now. It was over.
A metal sound was heard behind him. It was like the dangerous weapon met a strange sword in its way.
"Honestly, Ren, you should be more careful."
His kind eyes looked through him, with the same serenity which annoyed him…
It was Yoh. He saved his life in the last second.
X
Rylury was walking with Opacho on the empty road. The two of them discussed about different things. She learned that Opacho's passion was, surprisingly, cooking and she was actually Luchist's assistant.
"Opacho still cannot understand why Rilury-chan doesn't like soy sauce." She said a bit pouted.
"Well, um, I guess everyone has his own tastes…."
"But it is an important ingredient! Opacho can't cook most Japanese food without it!"
"Oh well, then it won't be a problem for me, he-he…"
"Wait…Ah! Rilury-chan has never cooked before?"
"Well, uh, I tried, but I always mess things up…" she responded with an embarrassed smile.
"This is unacceptable! To the kitchen-mobile!"
"Huh? W-wait!" she shouted while Opacho quickly transformed into a sheep and took her by force.
After a cooking lesson, she managed to make some acceptable bento. Sitting near a tree, Rilury took a bite.
"It doesn't taste that bad! Wow! It's the first time I actually made something more complicated that French fries!"
Opacho smiled pleased.
"With enough practice, Rilury-chan will learn to cook tasty food for her special one!"
"Huh? Why would I? My stomach is special enough."
"Because…it feels great!" she responded with pure happiness.
Rilury looked at her with a warm smile.
"You say so?..."
"Mhm! That's why, Opacho wants to cook her greatest meals for Hao-sama!"
"Hmm…but why mostly for him?"
"Because Hao-sama saved little Opacho from starvation. Cooking is a way to thank him each day." She responded joyfully.
"I see…"
So he was even more altruistic than she thought. Hao did have a kind side and she knew that all along…but now it was even confirmed by others.
They continued eating. After a short silence, Rilury asked with a melancholic look.
"About what you saidYou don't think he cares about me…Do you?"
A strident voice interrupted Opacho's upcoming response.
"There you are!" a strong arm hit the wood.
"M-Mother! You returned so early?!"
"I quit."
"Huh?"
"You heard me, I am no longer a Patch Member. The deal is complete there is no point in waiting and praising the new king. Not my type. And also, there are important things we have to do if the end of the world is coming. Those damn kids playing with the fate of the human kind again..."
Rilury looked at her with determined eyes, unmoved. She was expecting something.
"Ugh…I know…First, we have to talk. But be prepared for the empty truth…"
The girl stood up.
"I've been lied enough. I want to know…what am I?"
X
*song 2 plays*
In the sword collision, the two brothers' eyes encountered once again.
"Finally…" Hao said with a satisfied smile.
But he soon broke the sword tangle.
The flames which were burning the forest suddenly bended and surrounded him in mid air.
"I've been waiting to use this for such a long time. You should feel honored, my dear brother."
A small explosion of fire. Then Hao revealed his oversould armor.
It was huge, powerful and as threatening as ever. An ultimate black for of the Spirit of Fire, of which dangerous claws were also included.
With his white swan like armor already formed, Yoh didn't hesitate and jumped in mid air for a direct attack.
The red sky splintered with blades clashing. The metal spark was repeatedly cutting the air, lasting only fractals of seconds, then ending with a violent red light and a sudden parting of two distant bodies.
But in this constant sword, it was clear which one of them was stronger. Yoh's body was thrown at the biggest distance, usually hitting a few trees. But he would constantly return in mid air and make another determined attack.
Ren watched the fighting as he was being healed. The others would usually form oversouls to amortize Yoh's crashes. But in this rhythm, it was clear how it was going to end.
After another splinter, he failed, once again. Ren stopped the healing process.
"Yoh, stay still!" he shouted.
Holding his right shoulder, he approached his friend, which was hurrying to get up, despite his wounds, and continue the fight. But before he could jump again…
"Stop pretending that you haven't heard me!"
He received a punch.
"Don't even think that you can do this all by yourself!" after that he lowered his voice and looked in the ground. " Tsk…Even if I'm too weak, even if the others don't have much furyoku left, we can still help!"
After looking at him a bit surprised and holding his hand on his check, Yoh smiled warmly.
"Fine then. Let's do this together!"
The bright circuit appeared again on the ground. Everybody was donating their remaining furyoku. Yoh's body illuminated while receiving such a powerful quantity. All of his wounds disappeared and his expression became…resigned.
"Hm, this again?" Hao scoffed when he came closer to the ground, wanting to see what was happening. "I don't think you're aware that the same trick doesn't work twice."
Yoh's katana grew bigger and brighter. He looked at his brother with a strange smile.
"I'll do my best. Even though, I know this time…you are different."
Hao's smile disappeared for a second, due to an uncomfortable thought which he got rid of. Then a dangerous challenging smirk appeared upon his lips.
"Fine then. Let's decide the winner, with one single hit…"
Both bodies emerged simultaneously in a full blasting engaged attack. Their glowing powerful weapons were aiming towards each other, rapidly coming closer…
Collision.
X
In the spirit sanctuary, in the exact same place where Hao stole the Great Spirit… everybody was waiting for the new King to take the already prepared marble-made throne, which was standing on the highest column, closest to the Spirit.
They all stood in silence, waiting for their fates to be decided….
He appeared.
Out of the burning forest, a brown haired boy with a powerful aura passed through the gate.
The spirit birds burned.
"Impossible..." Goldva's desperate eyes were staring at the glorious boy praised in flames.
Hao has won.
The new King was walking with heavy steps, burning everything around him, spreading a glowing red, apocalyptic aura.
The new Shaman King has his body bruised a little, but embalmed in royalty and overwhelming power.
Rising from the flames, he was waiting to reclaim the righteous throne he's been waiting for so long.
As he approached the helpless people, they bowed. In front of his majesty. It was a rule if anybody wanted to assist the crowning. It was tradition.
But on their expressions was also desperation and resignation in front of the end of humanity.
A new world will be born from the ashes. A world he will dominate.
The time has come. Hao had the darkest smirk on his lips and the most satisfied, dangerous gleam in his eyes.
The Pheonix King arised.
To be continued...
It's the end of the word, mwahahahaaha!