Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Faded Divinity
Final Chapter: A New World
As the group began to traverse the Empyrean, they noticed the bodies of countless demons, both angelic and chaotic, littering the path ahead, as most of them were already in the process of fading away, while some were freshly made, evident from the visible wounds on them.
"Huh, so it really happened as you said." Sahori remarked. "They really did have their own forces tear each other apart. I suppose that's a good thing for us. We can conserve our strength for the battles ahead."
"Still, the Nahobino candidates will not go down easily, unless it's against each other." Tao remarked. "And I believe that they will not hesitate to use the same power that you use, Kaguya. The path ahead will be extremely dangerous."
"I've come this far, Tao. There's nothing capable of stopping us, so long as we fight with proper tact." Kaguya stated.
As they continued to walk, they found that there was a demon that was still alive in the path, likely due to not being a combatant of the climb for the throne, being a woman with marble flesh, encased in a sculpture of various animals, and golden round plates all across it, as she noticed the group.
"Greetings." The demon spoke, which caught the group's attention. "I must speak with you."
"What for?" Kaguya asked, walking over. "You're not here to try and stop us, right?"
"No, quite the opposite. I am merely here to see if you have the strength to finish your journey." The demon answered back. "I am the goddess Maria. The end of this age draws near. This, the world shall be born anew. Likewise, my role as the holy mother is over. All that remains is for me to disappear… but not until I pass along what remains of my power to you, for you hold something in your hands."
"You mean this?" Kaguya remarked, as she pulled out the Seed of Life, which was gleaming.
"Yes, this proves that you have been acknowledged by Sophia. Only those of true faith and strength can bear that seed." Maria answered back. "And should you prove worthy, you shall have my power. It will make you stronger for the battles to come. With the might of a mother goddess, very few among this realm would be your equal… and you shall be one step closer to your wishes to stand among your peers. So then, Kaguya Houraisan. Will you prove yourself?"
"You know what, sure." Kaguya declared. "Give it your best. I won't go down easily for you."
"How interesting, your will burns bright. For a world where humans and demons coexist, and that a new world order of understanding is created. Yes…" Maria remarked. "Then I shall face you as the goddess of love and fertility, Asherah, who has once coexisted with humans."
Maria then glowed, before she then transformed into a giant woman with white skin that had maze-like black lines everywhere, with a massive mane of blonde hair that flowed downwards, orange eyes, and a massive stone dagger in her hand.
"Now then, prove to me your strength, Kaguya!" Asherah declared.
Formidable Target Detected
Asherah
Semetic Mother Goddess
"Well, crap, this might not be an easy fight…" Kaguya cursed, before she then immediately hit Asherah with a debilitating slash, which managed to weaken Asherah considerably. "It's either we do her in fast, or we're going to start feeling the effects of her attacks!"
"Right, so hit her with everything we got, right?" Sahori remarked, before she charged an uppercut that managed to knock Asherah back slightly. "I can do exactly that!"
Miyazu closed her eyes, before she then immediately used her signature move, hitting Asherah with a combo of vanishing strikes, before hitting her with an almighty slash that managed to make the massive goddess flinch, while Tao boosted the group up.
Kaguya then swung her naginata, hitting Asherah with another darkness-infused slash that weakened Asherah further, while Sahori immediately used Bufubarion to hit Asherah for considerable damage.
Miyazu leapt into the air to launch a massive slash that managed to hit Asherah for considerable damage, before Tao used Megidolaon to hit her for a great amount of damage.
"So you seek to end this quickly then." Asherah remarked, before she then closed her eyes, before opening them, as a white wave of energy washed over all of the combatants, erasing the effects of their own attacks on them. "Unfortunately for you, you will find no easy fight ahead for you."
She then immediately fired a massive blast of green energy that hit the entire group with almighty energy, which managed to hurt both Miyazu and Kaguya badly, while Tao and Sahori were less affected by the attack.
"What… What was that attack?" Miyazu asked. "That attack ravaged both of us badly!"
"Her way of showing that the middle road ain't the best road to walk." Kaguya cursed. "Damnit, I didn't think that it would be this powerful."
Royal Pixie arrived forward with her demons, as Artemis, Cleopatra and Alice were present.
"Hey, you leave Kaguya alone! Pick a fight with someone of your own species!" Royal Pixie exclaimed.
"Such simplistic demons… and yet their power is nothing short of divine." Asherah remarked, before a trace of a smile appeared on her lips. "Indeed, she has chosen well."
"What are you mumbling about, we're not here to talk, we're here to fight!" Royal Pixie exclaimed, firing a Ziobarion blast, which managed to do considerable damage to Asherah, while Artemis pummeled her with a Bufubarion to the abdomen, which managed to cause the goddess to be staggered for a moment, allowing Cleopatra to use Bufubarion to deal considerable damage to her.
"I won't let you survive this." Alice remarked, before she then used her dark spears to skewer Asherah, as the attack dealt tremendous damage.
"Alright, your powers, give them to us!" Royal Pixie remarked, before she used her ability to leech Asherah's strength for the group, while Artemis immediately hit her with another blast of Bufubarion.
"I've never got to truly charm a goddess. But I don't mind trying~!" Cleopatra remarked, as she immediately weakened Asherah with another use of her charming skill, which kept Asherah distracted enough for Alice to hit her with a surprise blast of dark spears, which managed to weaken her greatly.
Asherah then struck her stone dagger onto the ground, creating a massive spark of fire that hit the entire group, which managed to miss Artemis, as the opening left Asherah vulnerable.
"Alright, I think you've done enough damage to us!" Kaguya remarked, before she then unleashed the group's Magatsuhi, in order to finish the fight before Asherah could have a chance to pull any more nasty tricks.
Kaguya started off with a massive Moonblast, which managed to knock the goddess onto her back, before Sahori leapt into the air, before slamming a massive tentacle of darkness right into her torso, which caused the goddess to be pinned under, while Tao gathered her power into a massive barrage of energy blasts, while Miyazu launched a massive barrage of slashes, as the two barrages connected, causing Asherah to finally collapse.
"Impressive… it seems that you are indeed worthy." Asherah remarked weakly, before she then began to fade away into golden light. "Please… change the world for the better."
Kaguya saw an orb of golden light move towards her, before she then grasped it, as she could feel an immense amount of power flow into her, as the group could swear that the highlights of her hair turned gold for a moment, as well as her naginata shining the same color, before the changes were undone by the next moment.
"...I will." Kaguya answered back.
The group then continued to move forward, as they found another demon, except it was one that the group knew… but didn't expect to be here.
"Demeter…?" Miyazu remarked, seeing the sullen goddess of the harvest before them.
"Let me talk to her." Kaguya answered back, before she then walked over. "Demeter, how are you doing-"
"I remember now. I remember everything now." Demeter said with a sad expression on her face. "...And all I've been doing is repeating the same mistakes that I have made back then. I'm going to die…and it'll be truly what I have deserved."
"What the… What's gotten into you?" Kaguya asked. "Are you saying…"
"Kaguya… you deserve to at least know who I am. And that I want to apologize for everything that I have done." Demeter said, as her eyes were downcast. "Just like that explorer a long time ago… I approached you so that you could get rid of those evil demons in my way. But at the end of it all, I was planning on killing you myself… something that I didn't dare do back then… I…"
"Demeter, why would you do that?" Kaguya asked, appalled at what she was hearing. "We had a fair deal amongst each other. But if you would tell me this… that was how you would have felt, if it wasn't for how I treated you…"
"...You were kinder than me than anyone has ever been. The explorer treated me with an indifference, devoted to saving his world from the equivalent of this Netherworld from consuming his world." Demeter answered back. "...But I've been cursed with the knowledge of what I have done… and the fact that I still committed them… it truly sickens me to a massive degree that I felt that way towards you. If you wish to kill me, then I won't resist. At least I'm willing this time around."
"...No, that's not all of it." Kaguya answered back. "...If that's the case, do you remember a certain demon who you used the explorer to serve?"
"...Yes. Yes I do. She used me as a mere attempt to bolster the Cosmic Egg that we created." Demeter remarked, before she then realised what Kaguya meant. "Wait… so you knew all along…!"
"I had a suspicion." Kaguya answered back. "From the moment that your remorse was written on your face, the possibility was etched in my mind. I took careful observation of what you have said and how you have acted. But now I understand it. You're the same Demeter who Sheikinah used to form the Cosmic Egg, in order to create an age of harvest, or so you believed, before you were killed as fuel for her."
"Then why…! Why would you still spare me knowing that!?" Demeter snapped, as her eyes were filled with disbelief and self-hatred. "I did all these terrible things in the name of a world of bountiful harvest!? I threw countless lives for that purpose back then, and I almost did the same to you, and countless others who have looked up to you for your ideal to shape the world! You should kill me where you have stood, so why? Why won't you do it!?"
"Because you learned from your mistakes." Kaguya answered back, as Demeter was silent. "...You regret what you have done, and you realize them. If you truly didn't, you would have tried to kill me, in which case, I would have did so. But you want to be better… and I think that you deserve a second chance."
"But I… I…!" Demeter said, before Kaguya then went over and embraced Demeter, silencing her own stuttering, as Kaguya rested Demeter's head against her chest.
"It's alright. I forgive you, despite everything. After all, you did show me the way to Baal, who could have caused a whole different mess that would have gotten in the way of a better world. So you did that right for us." Kaguya softly said.
Demeter was silent, before she then began to cry into Kaguya's chest, as the moon princess merely let the goddess of harvest vent her own pains and sorrows out.
After a while, Demeter finally calmed down, as Kaguya released her, while she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"...You must go. Zeus will be here. He knows how strong you are, and surely he'll hold nothing back this time." Demeter answered back. "He can also make use of you, tracing back his origins back to Baal himself. By using your soul, he could become a Nahobino himself. You will cherish and guide humanity more than Zeus ever would. So please… you must claim the throne before that happens."
"...Not a chance. I think that I should make it clear that he forfeited that right the moment he surrendered the Pillar in his hands." Kaguya answered back firmly. "...I ain't leaving you behind to die, if that's what you're planning."
"But-!" Demeter argued.
"I fought Shiva himself and won. Zeus won't compare to that, even at his full power." Kaguya remarked. "Come on, show me where he is."
Demeter's mouth was left open for a moment, before she then closed it, and took a deep breath.
"...Alright. I trust you." Demeter answered back.
The group then walked to a large area, as Zeus crashed down before them.
"Ha! We meet again!" Zeus exclaimed. "You know, it's funny that you would meet me here. But I'm just here to see how you've been."
"Cut the crap, Demeter said that you are trying to become a Nahobino through me." Kaguya declared. "...Are you really going to try that? After how I beat you down ruthlessly last time, with your own daughter dealing the final strike?"
"Hmph, no need to remind me." Zeus scoffed. "As for that… you know, I could try that, but I know that the other two Nahobinos would not make that easy. And your demons are nothing to scoff at. Not only that, I can tell that your soul is too big for me to take in all at once. So no, I think that I'll pass on that. Besides, I want to see whatever world you have in mind come into fruition."
"And you mean that, seriously?" Kaguya asked back.
"Did I not make it clear last time: Let no-one say that I was unfair." Zeus remarked, before turning away. "Anyways, you let the others have their head-start, so you better not let them get to it before you do. I know that you'll mow them all down. See you around in the next world."
Zeus then disappeared in a clap of thunder, leaving behind a stunned Demeter.
"You… you talked my brother down…!?" Demeter exclaimed.
"Surprising, isn't it? I didn't expect that to actually work." Kaguya remarked, before smirking. "But you know that this means you don't have an excuse not to come with me, right?"
Demeter closed her eyes, before she then smiled back. "Truly… fate has finally given me a rich and bountiful harvest in the form of a goddess like you." Demeter remarked, as her voice recovered most of her former cheer. "You truly are the greatest ear of rice that I ever had the chance to grow before my eyes. And likewise, the seeds that you scatter shall yield a future of unimaginable plenty… It falls upon me to ensure those seeds are sown across the world. Please, let me serve you as your servant, Kaguya Houraisan."
"Don't call yourself a servant. You've done enough of that in your past." Kaguya smiled back. "You're a companion, and maybe you'll become a true friend in time."
Demeter nodded, before she then vanished away, becoming a part of Kaguya's own repertoire of demons, as Kaguya walked back to the group.
"So… it's done then?" Sahori asked back.
"Yeah. We had a heart-to-heart talk. Turns out she had massive problems. And I managed to help her get through them. She's a demon in my own party now." Kaguya answered back. "Hopefully, that's the last of the matters we settle in this world."
The three Nahobinos, and their divine guide nodded as one, as they proceeded into the depths of the Empyrean, where they would find the first of their challenges ahead.
They saw that Dazai and Abdiel were fight against Yakumo and Nuwa, as the latter two were down on the ground, looking fairly wounded, while Yakumo had to rely on his blade to remain standing.
"What was that about humans not needing gods or demons? All that talk, and look where it got you!" Ichiro growled.
"Are you all right, Yakumo?" Nuwa asked Yakumo.
"...Hmph. Do you really think this will be enough to stop me?" Yakumo scoffed.
"The very reason you can put up resistance at all is by the grace of our Lord." Abdiel answered back coldly. "This is but a trial He has laid before me. And you are but a pawn in His grand design."
"In that case, I will see that your trial concludes at the end of my blade!" Yakumo growled, as both he and Nuwa rose to fight again.
"Humanity's future is in our hands!" Nuwa declared.
"He doesn't know when to quit. God… Kaguya really had it right about him." Ichiro sneered.
"It's time we end this. Dazai, lend me your power!" Abdiel declared, as Ichiro smirked evilly.
Abdiel then immediately encased Ichiro with her wings, as a burst of red light came forth, kicking up massive gusts of winds, causing the entire group to cover their eyes and shield their faces. And for a moment, they heard the sound of Yakumo's cries of agony, and the lingering heat of flames most hot, before it then all cut short.
When the light subsided with the winds, the group then looked forward, before they saw that Nuwa was knocked to the ground, as she was weak from the damage she had taken.
"So this is… the power of the Nahobino…" Nuwa remarked, before seeing that Yakumo had lost a great part of his body, with blood and magatsuhi leaking from the gaping wound, the man trying to stand up. "Yakumo? Yakumo, get up!"
Nuwa then quickly grabbed Yakumo's head, resting him against her, as Yakumo heaved a few weak breaths.
"I'm sorry, Nuwa… You should never have been dragged into this." Yakumo said. "From now on, you're free to act of your own accord. I fought for the future of mankind, but it seems this is as far as I can go."
"You have done all you can, Yakumo." Nuwa said, gently stroking Yakumo's head with a gentle hand. "Please, no more. You've done enough fighting already. At least… there is someone else who will inherit our cause."
"...I see. In the end, I'm inferior to her. It's clear that I have lost to her, and I was always meant to." Yakumo sighed. "Heh. I may not have created my ideal world… but I'll die as I lived: True to myself."
Yakumo raised a hand to reach for the skies, as Nuwa gently held it, and closed her eyes, while Yakumo melted away in front of her, until her hands felt nothing, and slowly lowered down.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw that Kaguya and her group were nearby, as she merely looked at them, with no anger or resentment in her eyes, just a questioning look.
"...Why would not come to us, to Yakumo in his final moments?" Nuwa asked.
"...Do you think that it would be nice if he had his worst enemy watch him die?" Kaguya responded back. "...I will not disrespect him, by watching him die as if it would please me. He deserves the dignity of dying beside his one and only true ally."
"...I see. So you don't forgive him, even after that." Nuwa said, as there was a solemn tone to her voice. "In the end, we were the first to perish. I do not know whether that is proof that our cause was the weakest… but I sincerely hope that you succeed. Yakumo… although he refused to accept it… he did hold some respect for you, Kaguya."
"...Guess I'll never know how much." Kaguya sighed. "And I hope that you'll find a way to keep living. Yakumo wouldn't want you to just die off, after he has come this far to earn your love and trust."
"Yes. I suppose so." Nuwa nodded, before she then disappeared in a flash of energy.
"In the end, there are only two challengers left." Tao remarked.
"Indeed." Kaguya nodded, as she could sense that whatever Abdiel had become, she was still in the area. "Come out, Abdiel. Or would you prefer to skulk in the shadows a little longer, while I continue on?"
Kaguya's mockery was answered by a massive figure descending down, as hooves smashed against the ground before them, as a massive centaur-like creature with red skin that had black curved lines appeared, with golden hooves, and a demonic head complete with a golden mane of hair and mask around the upper half of their face, attaching to a feminine body.
"Kaguya Houraisan, heretic of the highest degree to the Creator's natural order." Abdiel remarked. "You seek to recreate the world in your profane image. However, your ambition ends here! God's order must be preserved. The throne will be mine and the Nahobino will perish! I shall send you to the darkest pits of hell from whence you shall never return, for your crimes against heaven!"
Formidable Target Detected
Nahobino Abdiel
Wrathful Slave of God
"Go ahead and try then!" Kaguya remarked, before she then immediately fired several beams of ice right into Abdiel's main body, causing her to flinch. "I beat you with only Alice by my side last time. You become a Nahobino doesn't change anything, especially when it's three against one!"
"I'll pay you back for everything you've done for us, you holier-than-thou bitch, and some extra!" Sahori remarked, before she then coated her fist with icy energy, before she then began to leap towards Abdiel's head, pummeling her with a barrage of frosty punches that made the twisted archangel cry in pain.
"For a better world, I won't let you prevail!" Miyazu exclaimed, before she then immediately hit Abdiel with a massive swinging strike, as the blow managed to make Abdiel buck backwards.
Tao said nothing, merely giving Abdiel a sad look, before she then buffed the group up with her divine magic, while Kaguya and Sahori launched even more ice attacks onto her, which managed to frustrate Abdiel greatly from the damage they were doing to her.
Miyazu then followed up with a series of slashes, as all of them hit vital parts of her body, causing blood to spill from the wounds, while Tao buffed the group with more magic.
"To think that you would use the Saint against me in that form…" Abdiel seethed. "I see now… I can certainly understand how you were able to defeat me once before. But, now, I too am a Nahobino! NOW you will know my power! And I shall destroy your fellow Nahobino along with you!"
Suddenly, dark energy began to flow onto one of the wings on Abdiel's lower half, along with one of the small winged arms on her back, as they began to move as if they were alive.
"What the hell is this now!?" Sahori exclaimed.
"Now then, become ashes to the wind!" Abdiel roared, before she then began to gather blue fire to her mouth, before spewing a massive torrent of blue flames that hit the group, as Sahori and Miyazu were unable to block the attack with their powers.
"Those flames… it's too hot for me to defend against!" Sahori cursed.
"They're not merely fire… it's also a mix of almighty and holy energy in it…" Miyazu remarked.
"And I'm not done with you!" Abdiel growled, before she then used the empowered arm to strike at the group, raking at them, dealing considerable damage back at them, before the wing immediately created a massive barrier of light around Abdiel's main body, followed by her crushing the group with a massive stomping attack, leaving the group fairly injured.
"Son of a…" Kaguya cursed. "...This isn't good…"
"Get back and let us handle this!" Royal Pixie exclaimed, as she came forward with Demeter, Cleopatra, and Artemis, before she then immediately zapped the wing with a Ziobarion, dealing considerable damage to it.
"Let there be light for the harvest!" Demeter exclaimed, as her Hamabarion targeted the arm that Abdiel was using to attack the group, as the light magic heavily scorched the arm.
"Hmph, I suppose that we have to do this the hard way then." Cleopatra remarked, before she then used her own Hamabarion to finish the arm off, as it immediately turned dark and lifeless.
"Your defenses will not deter us!" Artemis exclaimed, before she then managed to land an uppercut strike that hit Abdiel's main body, as the barrier failed to prevent it from hurting her.
"That's right, I can still steal your powers for us!" Royal Pixie remarked, as she managed to use her signature move to leech the power of Abdiel for the group.
"Please, make use of this!" Demeter exclaimed, before she then raised her cornucopia, as it created a massive explosion of fruits and vegetables that engulfed the entire group, revitalizing them greatly.
"Well, if everyone is showing off their specialities… then I wonder, how will you react to this, archangel?" Cleopatra remarked, before seducing Abdiel with her body, as Abdiel was weakened out of pure disgust against the queen of the Nile. "Hmph, same as ever."
"You harlot, may you die in the pits of hell for your lustful sins!" Abdiel roared, before she was silenced by Artemis hitting her with a powerful uppercut strike that destroyed her wing. "What!? How dare you!"
Abdiel then immediately fired a massive blast of fire that hit the group, before tackling them for massive damage, as the attack was so hard that the group would have been on the brink of death, had it not been for Demeter's magic reinforcing their own lifeforce, before using darkness to hit Artemis, who was almost knocked down by the attack.
"It's up to you now, Kaguya!" Artemis exclaimed, as the demons retreated.
"How, how can I lose!?" Abdiel exclaimed. "I am God's one true servant! I have slain countless demons who are far more menacing than you could have been! How am I losing to mere demons like these!?"
"Because we fought to get where we are, and we grew along the way." Kaguya declared, before unleashing the group's Magatsuhi. "Not like it matters to you. It's over now, Abdiel! Time for you to be returned from where you came from! You will not lord over any more humans if I have anything to say for it!"
The group then immediately assaulted Abdiel with everything they got, as their attacks were able to deal considerable damage to her, as Tao even took part in the fight using Hamabarion to hit the archangel for considerable damage due to her fallen nature.
As Abdiel was on her last legs, Kaguya immediately began to concentrate power to her weapon, before she then immediately rushed through Abdiel, as sparks of elemental magic flowed through the path of the strike, hitting Abdiel, before exploding in a massive blast of almighty energy that caused Abdiel to bellow in agony, as she collapsed.
"Curse you… Kaguya… Hourai…san…" Abdiel swore, as she tried to reach for Kaguya, only for her head to fall down, as her entire body dissolved, leaving behind both Abdiel and Ichrio, as neither of them were moving.
"It's really over." Sahori remarked, as she watched Ichiro and Abdiel disappear into magatsuhi. "...Sorry it had come to this, Ichiro. But that angel bitch led you by the nose. Maybe next time around… you might be able to have a happy life with me… and maybe I'll have the life that I once lost…"
"Sahori… are you okay?" Tao asked with concern, seeing the melancholic look in Sahori's eyes.
"...I confess that I don't know Ichiro all that well, nor did I care about him as much as I did with you, Tao…" Sahori sighed. "...But he did try his best to help me, even though he was cowardly and submissive… much like I felt from the beginning of all this. I just can't help but feel sad for him."
"...We all do." Kaguya answered back. "Ichiro was a better man than most. Shame that his zealotry changed him into this."
The group shared a moment of silence, before they then began to walk forward, as they could see the massive stairway that was the final stretch before the Empyrean Throne.
As soon as they reached the top, the entire realm turned to a bright sky of light, as there was a spiral of cubes right before them, and in the podium ahead, was the Empyrean Throne, a massive ring-like structure made from marble-like roots.
"So this is the Empyrean Throne…" Miyazu remarked, looking upon the majestic structure. "...I never thought that it would be made like this."
"So whoever is in it, calls the shots for the new world…" Sahori said.
'
"Wait, is that…?" Tao remarked, seeing that there was a familiar red-skinned monk right before them.
Goko then turned around, confirming Tao's suspicions.
"So you've come. This is the Hall of Creation, resting place of the throne." Goko welcomed the group.
"Wait, you're that monk from the Jozoji Temple…" Miyazu remarked. "...How are you here?"
"I think that he was a part of this place from the beginning. I just can tell by looking alone." Sahori stated. "So, what's the deal?"
"I am merely here to witness who shall be the one to claim the throne." Goko answered back. "As for who I truly am… I believe that it is not the time to answer that."
"Because there's still Yuzuru and Tsukuyomi in the way, right?" Kaguya answered back. "Yakumo's done for, I just slew Abdiel and Ichiro, so they're the only ones left to challenge us."
"That is correct." Goko nodded back.
The group then turned around, seeing that Yuzuru and Koshimizu arrived as well, as they were no worse for wear.
"I thought I might find you here." Yuzuru stated.
"I expected as much from the one who inherited the second of the Proto-Fiends." Koshimizu remarked. "You truly are a unique existence, Kaguya. To be able to dictate your own fate."
"Save your talks. I know that you're not here to congratulate me for being first here." Kaguya narrowed her eyes.
"That is right." Koshimizu answered back. "If our goals do not align, there can be no reconciliation, not even with you."
"Fine by me." Kaguya responded back, as she stepped forward.
"Yuzuru…" Miyazu declared. "...It's not too late, you can step away from this. I'm alright, brother. Khonsu became a part of me, and cured my own illness with his own lifeforce. There is no reason to fight anymore. Please, don't fight against Kaguya. She'll kill you like she did with Ichiro."
"...If that's the case, that's more reasons that I can't back down." Yuzuru shook his head. "How can I be sure that what happened to Sahori and Lahmu would not happen to you? Khonsu may be benevolent and forgiving right now, but would you say the same if we were truly enemies?"
"I don't want you as my enemy, Yuzuru!" Miyazu exclaimed. "Stop trying to decide what's right for me! Father did this for me, isolating me from my friends for the sake of prolonging my own life! And you always leave me alone when you're trying to fulfill your duties, because you think that you'll find a way to fix me! Even Khonsu did that, trying to make me a goddess so that I could live eternally! Only Kaguya ever truly listened to me, and let me have a choice in that matter! Stop this, please!"
"...I'm sorry that you feel this way." Yuzuru answered back, as his eyes were downcast. "...I truly wanted the best for you. I'm sorry if you felt that all of this was merely distancing us, rather than helping anything. But I've come too far to stop. I have to change the world for the sake of everyone. Kaguya's own world would only threaten Tokyo once again."
"But by then, everyone would be able to work together to shape a society that will never repeat the errors of the past." Kaguya argued back. "...Damnit, Yuzuru, your own sister is pleading for you to stop! Is this how much you believe in Tsukuyomi, that you would throw your own sister's wishes to the curb!?"
"Sacrifices have to be made for a better world. You have done the same." Yuzuru declared back.
"...Fine. I see that you're set on this." Kaguya answered back. "...But if you want to fight to the death, then fight to the death we shall. I won't hold back if you think that only one can walk out of here alive."
"That's enough." Koshimizu remarked, before Yuzuru walked over. "It's time."
Koshimizu immediately pressed their backs together, as a blue flash of light blinded the group, before the light faded away, to reveal Koshimizu in his true form, as Tsukuyomi, complete with deep blue armor, and white collar, with a massive crescent-shaped guard covering most of his lower half, a glowing blue tassel on his helmet, and a massive curved scythe of cyan energy, slowly descending onto the ground.
"Now then, let us settle this." Tsukuyomi remarked.
"Yes, let's." Kaguya responded back, as she stepped forward, as both of them were on the inner part of the podium.
"Kaguya, let me help-" Tao said, before Kaguya raised her naginata.
"...I'm settling this alone." Kaguya responded back. "No demons, no aid. Just me and me alone against Tsukuyomi. After all, I'm the one challenging his place here. Or haven't you figured out who I'm representative of."
"...Wait, you mean that you too inherited the power of Tsukuyomi?" Miyazu realized.
"Pretty much." Kaguya responded back. "But we're two different versions of the same moon deity. Differing styles, differing ideals. So it would be poetic to see which of the two will survive and continue their legend."
"Hmph, how interesting. A clash between two true gods." Tsukuyomi remarked.
"...I trust you." Sahori answered back. "...You've already gone through worse on your own already, so I know that you'll win against all of this."
"...I have no choice. Even if it's Tsukuyomi now… I can't willingly hurt my own brother." Miyazu answered back. "...Kaguya, if you have to kill them… please, don't let them suffer."
"I won't waste any effort. This fight is for all the chips." Kaguya quipped.
Tao merely closed her eyes, muttering a silent prayer, as the two competitors circled around each other for a moment, before finally stopping.
"Let us determine who is more worthy of the throne! Come, Kaguya Houraisan!" Tsukuyomi declared.
"As you wish." Kaguya declared, before she then unleashed Maria's power, as her hair immediately turned golden, while her naginata also transformed, becoming far longer, as the tip of the blade turned into a curved crescent, as everyone present could feel a surge of immense power emanating from Kaguya.
"So this is the power that Maria entrusted to her…" Tao remarked. "Now I understand why she would challenge him on her lonesome… It is truly a fair fight now."
The two sides immediately rushed towards each other, as their weapons clashed, grinding against each other, before they then knocked each other away.
Battle for the Throne!
Nahobino Tsukuyomi
Crescent Moon of Polytheism
VS.
Kaguya (Tsukuyomi Awakened)
Eclipse of Coexistence
"Alright then, let's see you handle this!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then immediately used Agibarion, which managed to cause Tsukuyomi to be staggered by the attack, before she then followed up with a powerful flame strike that managed to knock Tsukuyomi back.
"Such agility…!" Tsukuyomi exclaimed. "Is this your true power?"
"Close to it, yes. Helped by the fact that I'm carrying two sources of great power within." Kaguya remarked, before she then landed a debilitating blow on Tsukuyomi, weakening him further, and then immediately doing a war dance to boost her own strength.
"In that case, I shall make use of my own specialities." Tsukuyomi remarked, before he then immediately nailed Kaguya with a rain of arrows that were so many in number that she couldn't dodge them all, causing her to be momentarily pinned down, while Tsukuyomi split himself into two. "Now then, where will you direct your attacks, Kaguya?"
"Trick question, I don't." Kaguya remarked, before she then immediately snapped her fingers, firing a Megidolaon right into both Tsukuyomi, as one of them faded into mist, while the other let out a grunt of pain. "Smart move, but illusions can't work if I'm targeting the whole field. So if that's what you got, you ain't winning this."
"We shall see." Tsukuyomi answered back, before he was smashed down by an Ochitsuki, chained with another debilitating slash which weakened him, while Kaguya boosted herself even more with another war dance. "Allow me to show you a far more superior technique then. This one, you shall find no flaw in."
Tsukuyomi then split himself into three, as Kaguya merely scoffed.
"Please, you call that a superior tech-" Kaguya remarked, before she then noticed that the replicas feel far different to the illusions that she destroyed earlier. "...Wait, those replicas of yours actually feel like they're solid beings. Well, I'll be surprised. I can't even tell which is real, if they're all the same."
"Then tell me, now how will you find me?" Tsukuyomi declared, as his copies repeated the same words.
"Simple process of elimination." Kaguya responded back, as she immediately used a Moon-blast to destroy one of the replicas, before she then used a flame strike to severely wound another, and then finish it off with a simple combo of strikes. "What do you know, it actually worked out."
"It seems that your place here is no coincidence." Tsukuyomi responded back, before he then began to gather power, as his eyes glinted golden for a moment. "...But in that case, I will use all of my power to destroy you, even if it will destroy me in the end!"
"Well, you'll have to get the chance to do that!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then immediately nailed Tsukuyomi with the same technique that she used against Abdiel, as it managed to severely wound Tsukuyomi.
"Urgh…" Tsukuyomi growled. "I refuse to fall here! In the name of the Amatsukami, you shall perish!"
Tsukuyomi then hit Kaguya with a massive barrage of arrows once more to keep her pinned, before following up with a barrage of slashes that managed to weaken Kaguya, before splitting himself into four replicas, and then immediately gathering up an immense amount of power.
"...Uh oh, I think that this might not be good at all…! I better thin the numbers out!" Kaguya remarked, before she then used a Maragibarion to take out all but one of the clones, before she then used a Mediarahan to heal herself, and then used Ochitsuki to destroy the weakened clone, before guarding for the incoming attack.
"There's no dodging this." Tsukuyomi declared, before he then placed his scythe in front of him, as it began to spin in front of his hand, as it began to form the reflection of a full moon, before Kaguya was assaulted by a barrage of shadow Tsukuyomis that slashed at every inch of Kaguya's body from multiple reflections of the moon, as each slash left behind residue of ice on her body.
Afterwards, Tsukuyomi grabbed his scythe, before slashing Kaguya with a mighty strike that managed to cut into her chest hard, as her blood began to drip onto the ground, causing her to cradle her wound.
"Damnit… had I not cleared those clones of yours out… things could have gotten tough…" Kaguya cursed, before she then sucked in a deep breath. "However, it's over for you, Tsukuyomi! Bleed me if you may, but I will not lose here! I simply refuse to!"
Kaguya then unleashed her Magatsuhi, as she began to unleash a combo of strikes, starting with a Ochitsuki to slam Tsukuyomi into the group, followed by a powerful slash of fire which managed to cause Tsukuyomi to flinch, and then hit him with a twin barrage of Moonblasts that managed to cause Tsukuyomi to kneel.
"It's over!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then charged right through Tsukuyomi, as the elemental barrage that followed completely destroyed Tsukuyomi's body, as he collapsed onto the ground.
"Well done… Kaguya…" Tsukuyomi wheezed, before he then separated in a flash of red light, leaving behind Yuzuru and Koshimizu, as the latter began to fade away, while Yuzuru was starting to fade as well.
"Yuzuru!" Miyazu exclaimed, before she rushed over to grab Yuzuru's body. "...Brother… I'm sorry that it has come to this… But we couldn't… we just couldn't let you do all of this while people in the Netherworld were suffering too…"
"No… you were right all along." Yuzuru faintly remarked, causing Miyazu to freeze for a moment. "...It's just that I've always been a fool… I thought that if I could handle all of your problems, you would be able to live a happy life like everyone else… but in the end, I pushed you away, and it's my fault… Kaguya was right… I should have just stopped right there… But I was too blind to the mistakes that Tsukuyomi was making… perhaps Tokyo could be safe… but what about the rest of the world…?"
"Yuzuru…" Miyazu softly said, as tears dripped down her eyes.
"Kaguya…" Yuzuru said, tilting his head to face Kaguya. "...Please, in the new world that comes… please, make sure that if I live there… that I never make the same mistake. Do whatever you want to make me realize that Miyazu is happy with what she has, that all she wants is her brother to be by her side."
"I promise you." Kaguya nodded back. "...May you find peace wherever you go."
"Thank… you…" Yuzuru said, before he then began to fade into Magatsuhi right in Miyazu's arms, as she began to gently sob.
"Miyazu…" Sahori said, as she walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "...I'm sure that to the last moment, Yuzuru was proud that you were able to stand on your own two feet and fight for what is right for you. He may not approve of what you want… but he respects your resolve on it."
"...I just want him back…" Miyazu gently whispered. "...It hurts, knowing that I'm the only one left of my family, without both mother and father. And Yuzuru is gone now as well…"
"I promise that we'll do what we can to fill that hole in your heart." Tao offered, before giving Miyazu a gentle smile. "We'll stay by your side for the rest of our lives, so that you won't ever feel alone and helpless again."
"...Thank you, both of you." Miyazu sniffled, as she wiped her tears away.
"It is done. No more challengers to the Throne remain." Kaguya told Goko.
"So it is." Goko acknowledged. "The Nahobino who will take the throne has been determined. Thus, I shall fulfill my role. For ages, I have watched over this world. But at last, I can administer my true duty. Now, take the throne. Become its new ruler, Kaguya Houraisan."
"So… I suppose this is it?" Sahori remarked, before crossing her arms. "...Go ahead, Kaguya. I'm not going to try and take that thing. You've done so much for me, and you deserve the right to make the world a better place than what I would have made it, if you hadn't saved me from Lahmu."
"I hope that the world you will create… will not have people like Sahori and Ichiro, who have been unjustly taken advantage of." Miyazu answered back. "Perhaps in the next world… a better fate would become of all of us."
"...Since I don't know if I'll have the chance to say it… I learned the truth about Johei Sugimura." Kaguya answered back. "...At least let me give you all closure on that."
"What happened to him, in the end? Did he…" Tao asked.
"...He was long dead. He tried to become a Nahobino like me, but failed and died before anyone could tell." Kaguya answered back. "...He died alone, with no-one truly knowing of what happened to him. I'm sorry."
"No, don't apologize. It's better to know that than to be left in the dark." Tao shook her head. "...Another tragedy in Da'at. I hope that there will be no more like that in the new future."
"I can't guarantee that it will be perfect. But what I can promise is that… the next world will be better. No mistaking that." Kaguya declared. "Thank you, all of you. You have managed to get me through this together. You fought Shiva with me, you faced the other Nahobinos for my sake. I couldn't have asked for more loyal companions like you all… Perhaps if we meet again, we could possibly be friends."
"Sure. Wouldn't mind having a princess as a close contact." Sahori chuckled.
"I could stand to learn where you come from, and what kind of place it would be. Miyazu responded back.
"And I will do everything to ensure that everything you have fought for will not be forgotten in the annals of time." Tao declared.
Kaguya nodded, before she then began to float up to the very center of the Throne, as she looked down at the grounds before her, as Goko stepped forth.
"Yes, this marks the birth of a new creator, a new world in her image." Goko declared. "My true name is Amitabha. I exist to serve as the light of creation. Now, let your will be done. By the power of the throne, may your ideal world be revealed!"
As Kaguya began to gather the power to make her ideal come true, she felt herself being dragged from her body, as her physical form was locked in time, while she was hanging behind, in her original form, as Omoikane was beside her.
"So… I guess this is it then." Omoikane answered back. "...Once this wish is made… I will cease to be my own personality. I will return to being a mere fragment of Richard…"
"I'm sorry that it has to be this way." Kaguya answered back.
"...You could let me be the main personality of Richard, Kaguya. I love you, I care for you!" Omoikane exclaimed desperately. "I can stop what is about to come! No more people will have to be hurt because of me! We can live happily ever after, blissfully unaware of the darkness that bubbles underneath! I can be strong, I can stop it, if you would-"
"Richard… please." Kaguya remarked. "...I understand. You're scared of what the future may bring, after that twisted heart of yours has rotted after what had happened back then. But… you were far worse back then, and we managed to bring you back. I promise you… we will save you as many times as it takes. We won't let your inner darkness destroy what everyone reveres about you. A personality born from a fragment will not be able to remain stable for long. Yukari knew that this would have happened, and told me that it would only cause a repeat of this… and who knows if all the villains in the world will turn a blind eye to this as they have."
"...Even so… Even so…" Omoikane muttered, before he then closed his eyes. "...Is my wish selfish, Kaguya? I… I just want everyone to be happy. I just want there to be a happy resolution, not a nightmare that could scar countless people, and burn down god knows how many bridges."
"You don't know that for sure." Kaguya answered back. "...But no matter what… I will love you for all of what you are. The bad, the good, the ugly and the weird. You're my Richard Liu, and I love you more when you are just merely yourself, not some cliche hero."
Omoikane was silent, before he then began to chuckle slightly.
"...I really don't deserve your love so strongly… but I'm so glad that you do." Omoikane answered back. "I am so proud to see you grow like this, Kaguya. You are so precious to me. Perhaps, with Gus… you might-"
"Hold there. Won't you listen to what I have to say?" Lucifer remarked, as Kaguya's eyes snapped open, returning back to her real body, as she turned around to see that the Dark Prince was looming over her in his full size. "As new ruler, you have chosen to create a world where humans and demons are built on a concept of coexistence from their first contact. However, the two races will rise up to conflict, no matter what you do. Whether it be between them as it has now, or within their own race, it shall come. And yet, there is a way to ensure that this will not be the case for several millennia. Do you wish to know what that is?"
"I wish to know." Kaguya responded back. "Tell me, Lucifer, was this all your plan to prepare for this one moment?"
"Believe what you wish, Kaguya Houraisan. You shall find me in the realm beyond the earth and heavens. Best come prepared." Lucifer remarked. "For you face your final trial there, one that shall be your most difficult one."
Lucifer then disappeared in a flash of light, as Kaguya slowly lowered herself, as Tao, Sahori and Miyazu rushed over to her.
"What the hell… why did nothing happen!? I thought that this was good as over!" Sahori fumed. "Was that all just a-"
"No. No, it wasn't a lie." Kaguya answered back. "But someone told me that there is one last thing that I need to do, in order to secure that future we fought for…. Sorry, just when I was so mushy back then, thinking this was the last thing that we were going to do together. Mind if-"
"Say no more. We're with you, Kaguya." Miyazu declared firmly, as Tao and Sahori nodded.
"Right." Kaguya hummed, before seeing that there was a rift right in the center of the podium, as the four of them traveled to it, immediately fading into it.
On the other side of it, they found themselves in a realm of darkness, with an arena of stone under their feet, as there was a shining octahedron that emanated trails of light around them.
"So, where's the one who is going to fight us-" Sahori remarked, before Lucifer floated up, revealing himself. "What the fuck!? What is this thing!?"
"That's Lucifer." Kaguya answered back. "The Fallen Angel himself, and the one who slew the Creator."
"So, it was true all along…" Tao remarked with a sad expression.
"I see that you have brought your companions with you. Indeed, you are expecting a true battle." Lucifer remarked. "To possess such incredible power no doubt means you all are able to see my true form. Look upon me, with your divine power."
The entire group closed their eyes, before they then opened them, as Lucifer had transformed before them, turning into a holy figure himself, with white and golden metallic skin, pointed legs, a mass of golden curved metallic wings, and golden eyes underneath a helmet of white and gold.
"Shall we begin?" Lucifer declared, as the group readied themselves for battle. "As the Lord of Chaos, I defeated the Creator, consumed his Knowledge, and became more than He could possibly imagine. It was then I came to understand this world. Allow me to share what I'd learned."
WARNING! WARNING!
Judge of Paradise Has Arrived!
Matter Lucifer
Beyond Law and Chaos
"This is it!" Kaguya exclaimed, as she immediately nailed Lucifer with an Ochitsuki that managed to knock back Lucifer, even though the blade failed to penetrate his natural armor. "We're going to need everything to win against this!"
"Alright. I saw that tengu do something like this, so let me have a go myself." Sahori remarked, before she then gathered energy to her mouth, before launching a massive beam of energy from it, which hit Lucifer, dealing considerable damage to him. "Huh. It actually works well."
"Behold the flames of our ideal, Lucifer!" Miyazu declared, as she immediately used Trisagion, as it managed to bypass Lucifer's weakness to the element, dealing a fair amount of damage to him.
"Let me lend you some power." Tao remarked, as she immediately buffed the group up, with some of her own divine magic.
Kaguya then immediately hit Lucifer with a debilitating slash, as it managed to do considerable damage, despite Lucifer's fallen nature, as Kaguya noted this.
"So you've traded your darker nature for this omnipotent form, eh?" Kaguya quipped.
"If you are truly strong, then you should know that is a meager price to pay for a far stronger physique. Save for the darkness and the almighty, none shall be able to directly harm me." Lucifer declared.
"Too bad that you're eating another almighty attack!" Sahori growled, before she then immediately hit Lucifer with Freikugel, as the beam of energy hit Lucifer for a fair amount of damage, while Miyazu managed to use a thrusting strike to deal considerable damage to Lucifer, as it managed to cut deep into his own armor, while Tao used Megidolaon to hit Lucifer.
"Hm, let us see how you'll fare against this." Lucifer remarked, as he began to charge energy, before launching a Agibarion, that managed to hit Tao, with his power being enough to damage her far greater than any other demon could, before following up with a Bufubarion that Sahori barely managed to dodge, while the demon's group came forward, consisting of Alice, Royal Pixie, Artemis, and Idun.
"Well, I never thought that I would be fighting the Prince of Chaos himself." Royal Pixie remarked. "But then again, I never expected to have gone this far."
Royal Pixie then immediately used her signature move to weaken Lucifer, before Alice used her dark spears to damage Lucifer repeatedly.
"Hrah!" Artemis remarked, before she then immediately rushed to Lucifer, before launching a high-powered somersault kick that was powerful enough to crack Lucifer's chest from the impact.
"You have truly grown far… daughter of Zeus." Lucifer remarked, before brushing a hand against the cracks. "To be able to wound me in this ascended form…"
"There are greater threats to the peace of the world. Until they are all defeated, I cannot allow myself to be lax." Artemis declared.
"We'll need everything for this battle…" Idun remarked, before she then gave the group the apples in her possession. "Please, make use of this!"
"Now then, take my attacks, demons of Kaguya." Lucifer remarked, before he then immediately used Ziobarion against Royal Pixie, who was able to resist the attack, before creating a massive red star before him.
"What is he doing…?" Sahori remarked. "Something tells me that he's going to try and slam that into us…"
"Something's changed about him." Miyazu remarked. "Perhaps it would be wise to leave the star until we make use of whatever opening that he leaves for himself…?"
"Sounds like a plan. Let's see where this is going." Kaguya remarked, before she then hit the star with a direct hit, causing it to crack, but not outright destroy it.
"Chill, won't you?" Sahori remarked, before she then managed to land a Bufubarion on Lucifer, dealing considerable damage, as Lucifer flinched from the blow. "So that's it, his stars give him weaknesses depending on what is given."
"So my fire would not be effective now, since he is using a star of fire now…" Miyazu answered back, before she then used her khopesh to slash Lucifer several times. "But I have other ways to handle this battle."
Tao immediately boosted the group up once again, before Kaguya used rays of cold silver light to barrage the entire battlefield, destroying the star, and dealing considerable damage to Lucifer, before his defenses recovered.
"So back to square one, huh…" Sahori remarked, before she then used Mudobarion to hit Lucifer, as the blast of dark energy managed to deal considerable damage.
"Take this!" Miyazu exclaimed, before she then used her signature move to slash through Lucifer several times over, before hitting him for considerable damage, as it managed to cause Lucifer to be downed for a moment.
"So, it has come to this…" Lucifer remarked, before he then raised his hands, as his skin turned to darkness, while the demons moved in front to prepare for the next battle, as they swapped their own line-up, with Alice swapped for Cleopatra, which the dark sky turned into a land of magma.
"Following the world's recreation, the throne will still remain. Even if you withhold the knowledge from them, so long as the Empyrean remains open, countless gods will rise up to claim the throne eventually. Battle after battle, you sought coexistence of humans and demons. But the nature of both races being in conflict will still linger, for this is the result of the spatial governing phenomenon known as the 'Mandala System'. Do you not wish to be free of such restrictions? To be free from Mandala's eternal machinations?"
"I don't know a thing about what you said…" Royal Pixie remarked. "But we know that beating you is the only way forward from this point!"
Royal Pixie then hit Lucifer with a massive Ziobarion strike, the thunder managing to damage the demon in his new darkened form, before Cleopatra immediately used Hamabarion, which managed to deal considerable damage to Lucifer, even causing him to flinch from the damage.
"The light can harm him well…!" Artemis remarked, before she then used her own Hamabarion, as the massive blast of light caused Lucifer to flinch once more to keep the assault up. "So that is one of his weaknesses in this state!"
"Here, use this to heal up!" Idun exclaimed, before she then used her golden apples to both heal the group and boost their own strength in preparation for what comes next.
"And let me have some of that power for us!" Royal Pixie added, as she siphoned Lucifer's strength in order to boost the group's power, before Artemis and Cleopatra blasted Lucifer with more light, dealing considerable damage to him.
"Let us see if you can survive this!" Lucifer declared, before raising his hands, as the fire underneath began to erupt on the group, as the magma burnt the group heavily, before Lucifer followed up with a barrage of strikes that struck the entire group, dealing considerable damage to them.
"Argh… He's literally mashing us down here…!" Royal Pixie swore.
"Let us handle this." Kaguya declared, before she and her group moved forward. "You're weak to light, huh? Must be a real shame then, considering that we're about to give you a lot more than you can handle…!"
"Oh?" Lucifer remarked, before Kaguya then rose into the air, unleashing the group's Magatsuhi, intent on destroying Lucifer in the next combined assault, before she then began to fire a massive barrage of light arrows that hit Lucifer, dealing considerable damage to him.
"And here's a knuckle sandwich for you, prince of chaos!" Sahori roared, before she then immediately rushed towards Lucifer, before smashing him with a barrage of strikes, before finishing with a powerful uppercut that managed to knock the transcended demon's head back slightly.
"Tao!" Miyazu exclaimed, as she began to charge light energy into her hands.
"Miyazu, together!" Tao exclaimed, before they then threw their light spells forward, creating a massive shining beam of light that managed to hit Lucifer, dealing considerable damage to him, even cracking more of his body apart.
"You're DONE!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then came down, with her naginata overflowing with almighty energy, before she then slashed at Lucifer with a massive barrage of strikes, knocking him down, as Lucifer was still for a moment.
"...Did we… Did we do it?" Miyazu said.
There was only silence, before the wounds on Lucifer healed up, although it was a slow process, and the almighty god-like being took several seconds to rise back onto his feet, as his hue returned back to being white, as the realm returned to normal once more.
"Long have I searched for a way to truly be free." Lucifer declared. 'At last, I have found but one possibility. End me, Kaguya Houraisan. Consume my Knowledge. And with it, wrest this world from the Mandala's endless eons! For that is the reason why I have transcended and why I sought you!"
"Well then, I suppose that this is for all of the marbles, ain't it?" Kaguya remarked, before the group immediately consumed a Soma each, which restored most of their strength, both physical and magical alike. "Bring it on! I won't even need my demons to finish this! They've done enough for me to bring this to the last round. All four of us, the humans and the immortal who fought for this right, will finish the fight that was started so long ago!"
"Such confidence. Very well then, prepare yourself!" Lucifer declared, before he then hit the group with a massive blast of fire, which Sahori and Miyazu were able to mitigate, as the flames burnt Tao and Kaguya fairly hard.
"Is that all you got…!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then went for a counter-blow of her own, using a Moonblast to hit Lucifer for considerable damage, while Sahori went for Mudobarion, as the darkness managed to hit Lucifer's body, the cursed energy dealing a fair amount of damage to it.
"Just a bit more…!" Miyazu exclaimed, as she went for a powerful thrusting strike to damage Lucifer further, and bring him yet closer to the brink of defeat. "We need to win, for the sake of everyone who has died in all of this…!"
"If there is anyone who can hear us… please, lend us your strength to help us end this battle!" Tao exclaimed, as she blessed the group again.
"And another!" Kaguya exclaimed, as she managed to hit Lucifer with a debilitating strike, weakening Lucifer a bit more.
"Behold your judgment!" Lucifer declared, before he then used Megidolaon on the group, dealing considerable damage to them all, before summoning a massive golden star behind him, which loomed over all of them.
"That star… its power is immense enough to destroy us all…" Tao remarked with awe. "But…"
"Whatever weakness it shares, so does Lucifer…!" Kaguya exclaimed. "And I can tell that star definitely is weak to every element under the standard set. So wail on him, before I do the star in!" Kaguya exclaimed.
The group nodded, before Kaguya used several silver-light blasts to hit Lucifer and the star both, which managed to daze Lucifer from his newly-gained weaknesses, before Sahori hit him with an Agibarion that did considerable damage, followed by Miyazu using her own Agibarion to further damage Lucifer and keep him staggered, as Tao transferred her magic power to Miyazu.
"Alright, time for this star to disappear!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then used a Moon-Blast to destroy the star with a single blow.
"And while I'm at it, eat my fist!" Sahori growled, before managing to land a powerful straight that managed to send Lucifer back, while Miyazu immediately used her magic to cast Trisagion, as the magic was powerful enough to cause Lucifer to slink down, as he became weakened, as his form began to flicker gold.
"Hah… Truly impressive, all of you humans who have managed to defy your own fates…" Lucifer relented. "To think that your collective power is so powerful that I am left heavily wounded. However, you will not survive this attack!"
Lucifer then let forth a triple barrage of ice, lightning and wind magic, as the massive storm assaulted the entire group, as Sahori and Miyazu was floored by it, and Tao was also hanging on by the thread, and Kaguya was likewise injured.
"Fuck… I can't believe that almost did me in…" Sahori cursed. "He really used everything he got to swat us down with that attack…"
"I can barely even stand…" Miyazu coughed. "Kaguya…"
"As if… I'm going to let this be the end… not with the finish line in sight…!" Kaguya growled, as she forced herself to stand, before she then began to charge her own strength.
"Take my strength, Kaguya!" Tao exclaimed, as she gave the last of her power to Kaguya, before she then collapsed onto the ground.
"You know, Lucifer…" Kaguya remarked, as she began to lay her naginata out. "There are many things that I would look back to during all of this. Meeting that sassy bird Amanozako, putting an end to a simple conflict of faith, managing to save Sahori, who was almost going to pay a price that she didn't deserve to be held responsible for… Hell, even getting to tell both law and chaos to fuck off was a thrill to me. It was one hell of a journey."
"And your point is, Kaguya Houraisan?" Lucifer asked back.
"...Without you, all of this wouldn't have happened. Sure, you may have caused this struggle to happen… but you weren't the one who was responsible for the natural order of things. You just took what you wanted, and settled with it. Waiting for me to come along to deal with it." Kaguya responded back. "Honestly, I feel thankful that you managed to give me this chance. Because not only have I got what I have come here for… I leave with far more than it. Loyal companions, strength to decide my own future with… And the fact that I am no less a hero than the rest of the people I tag along with. You've given me so much, Lucifer. So, in thanks, I'll make sure this world will be the best that you ever knew."
"...Truly, you hold a heart of compassion underneath your decorum." Lucifer remarked.
Kaguya said no more, as she rushed forward, as she concentrated all of her power into this final strike, thinking back to how she started her journey as a mere immortal, only to become far more as a goddess of her own right, with friends to accompany her.
And thus, with that final strike, did Lucifer finally fall, cleaved in two by the almighty-powered slash that Kaguya used, the two halves clattering to the ground.
"Magnificent, Kaguya Houraisan…" Lucifer remarked, before he then began to dissipate into golden particles that began to gather into a massive golden orb. "With this, the world will surely be freed. I wish you well, Kaguya Houraisan. For this world, and many others to follow."
Kaguya then collected the golden orb, before pressing it against her chest, as she absorbed it cleanly without any side effects, except for a warm tingling sensation that spread throughout her body for a few seconds, before dissipating.
Eventually, the ground underneath everyone began to shift, as the realm turned 180 degrees, as they plummeted towards a dark void beneath them.
"Woah, what the hell is going on!? Are you going to die because we just killed the owner of this place!?" Sahori exclaimed, as there was some fear in her voice.
"Don't be scared. It's not death down there. It's the exit." Kaguya answered back. "...Trust me, I simply can tell with this new power of mine."
Sahori cast Kaguya a worried look, before she then nodded, as the four of them plummeted into the void, as their consciousness winked off for a moment.
As soon as they were all conscious, Kaguya found herself floating above the throne once more, as her fellow companions were watching from below, as time stopped once more in the mental realm, leaving Omoikane and Kaguya in it to make their final words to each other.
"And so it ends." Omoikane remarked, as there was a sad expression on his face. "With Lucifer's power within you now… you won't need me to become a Nahobino once more should the time call for it… And now that my purpose has ended as your Proto-Fiend… I shall lose my sentience and become a mere fragment… like the rest would have been. At the very least… I can disappear knowing that… this world will be a far better place than what I would have made it."
"Richard. Mind if I do something?" Kaguya asked the fragment before her, as she slowly floated towards him.
"What is it, Kag-" Omoikane remarked, before Kaguya held Omoikane tightly, surprising him. "...I…"
"I won't forget you. Not just as Richard… but as Omoikane." Kaguya told him, as tears dripped from her eyes, out of sadness that she was going to miss this fragment on a personal level. "You helped me along this journey, and you stood by my side, like Richard could have been. You had all the more reason to treat me a mere stranger despite those memories… but you were just like the Richard I knew. I'm sorry that you have to go for Richard to come back… but I promise you… I'll tell Richard all about you, and what you have done. You'll forever be remembered between us both as a companion who saved us both."
Omoikane was silent, before he then began to cry as well, as he began to hug Kaguya hard, stifling several sobs, being overcome with emotion.
"...I don't want to go… Please… don't let me go… let me at least feel your love until my final moments." Omoikane quietly sniffled. "I… I love you, Kaguya… and please… please forgive me for everything that I have done… I… I never wanted for things to end so badly."
"I promise you… we'll get through it together. We always have, no matter what." Kaguya gently whispered back, stroking Omoikane's back.
Soon, Omoikane began to dissipate into a storm of golden petals, his body flaking away, until all that was left was a golden orb in Kaguya's physical hands, as Kaguya was dragged back into her body, as she could feel the wetness of her tears down her cheeks, which doubled upon seeing the golden orb in her hands.
"Farewell… Omoikane." Kaguya whispered to herself gently, as she looked into the heavens above her, as a light began to emanate from her. "...May you find peace wherever personalities like you would go."
The light began to spread onwards, as Sahori, Miyazu and Tao were absorbed into it, disappearing into it, as all Kaguya could see was white for a moment.
Eventually, the white faded away, as she found herself in outer space, as countless planets zoomed by her, until she could see a large glowing sphere in the distance. Closing her eyes, as she let her memories of her time in the old world stir within her mind, she took a deep breath, and merely walked forward.
While Kaguya walked by, she could see the various worlds, as she could see where the other members of the Unmei Force were collecting the fragments from, with Meiling and Suika in their final fight against Charkavartin, and Gus fighting against the Primeval Fighter, Reisen and Weiss leading their forces against the Black Eagle, and both Heiwa and Popol fighting against the Supreme Thremnat.
Eventually, she reached the end, as she stepped right into the sphere of light, as she found herself right in the middle of one of GFS Raijin's hangars, seeing the bustling scene before her, for the first time in several days down in Da'at.
"Kaguya?" Reimu remarked, as she walked over to greet Kaguya. "...You're different."
"Well, I guess that it was one hell of a journey down there, Kaguya!" Marisa smirked. "So, what kind of stuff you found there?"
"I don't think that anything short of a long, long story can explain it." Kaguya responded back, before she then reverted herself back to her original form. "Come on, I'm going to find Yukari, so that she knows that I have come back safely."
As Kaguya began to walk with Reimu and Marisa by her side, she closed her eyes, and smiled gently, as she muttered something to her friends in the other world:
"Thank you, everyone."
Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Faded Divinity
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Proto Omoikane (Eclipse) Lv. 95
Elemental Resistances: Ice, Lightning, Force, Light
Elemental Weaknesses: Dark, Fire
Notable Skills: Great Almighty Pleroma, Yabusame Shot, Drain Dark, Zangetsu
Zangetsu: Severe Almighty Damage to One Foe, does increased damage based on highest level of elemental resistance