Stubbornness

"Susanoo!"

Najenda stared in disbelief at the shattered fragments in Kaguya's hand, momentarily unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"I thought his Yata no Kagami Mirror could withstand it...but I didn't expect..." Kaguya said, her tone slightly embarrassed.

Kaguya had assumed that since Susanoo's Yata Mirror could deflect her Shinra Tensei, its defense must be formidable. Thus, she decided to unleash her Yasogami Kūgeki, only to find that the Yata Mirror was far more fragile than she had anticipated. It shattered almost immediately under her assault.

"You...you destroyed Susanoo," Najenda muttered through clenched teeth, her fists trembling with rage.

"It's not really my fault; he was just too weak," Kaguya shrugged with a touch of nonchalance, showing no remorse for her actions.

"Are you mocking me?" Najenda's body shook with fury, her voice tinged with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"Mocking? Oh, no, not at all," Kaguya replied with a sweet, innocent smile. "I'm merely stating a fact. Honestly, I didn't mean to single you out. I was just pointing out that all of the Revolutionary Army's members are...well, rather weak."

"How dare you!" Infuriated, Najenda lunged at Kaguya, her iron fist swinging towards her with all the force she could muster.

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal echoed as Najenda's eyes widened in shock. In front of Kaguya, a black, circular barrier had appeared, effortlessly blocking Najenda's attack. The barrier, a manifestation of Kaguya's Truth-Seeking Ball, remained unscathed, while Najenda was sent reeling backward by the force of the rebound.

"You should give up. You can't defeat me," Kaguya said with a calm smile, her tone carrying a hint of playful arrogance. "The gap in our abilities isn't something you can bridge with anger alone. My power is beyond your understanding—like a genius explaining complex concepts to a fool. What seems obvious to me is something you can't even comprehend."

"So this is your true nature," Najenda spat, wiping the blood from her mouth. "Arrogant and self-righteous."

"I'm simply stating an objective truth," Kaguya replied, twirling a strand of her hair casually. "Just like earlier—you clearly couldn't win, yet you stubbornly persisted."

"No matter how much you try to justify it, I won't give up," Najenda gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tightly. "Even if I lose, I'll fight to the end."

"Such a stubborn woman," Kaguya sighed in exasperation. "Why can't you be more sensible, like the others?"

"The others?" Najenda's eyes narrowed as a sense of foreboding crept into her heart.

"Never mind," Kaguya quickly covered her slip with a cough. "I meant to say, why can't you be as sensible as the Imperial Army?"

"Don't compare us to that trash," Najenda growled. "We'll never surrender, not even to you."

"Why must you be so obstinate? Don't you realize that your efforts are meaningless?" Kaguya replied, her tone almost pitying. "Wouldn't it be nicer to enjoy a peaceful afternoon with tea and cakes? After all, Mine and Chelsea are still waiting for you."

"Are you threatening me?" Najenda's eyes flared with anger as she tightened her fists.

"No, no," Kaguya chuckled, her eyes gleaming playfully. "You don't need to worry about Mine and Chelsea. They're being well taken care of. I have no interest in sending them to the torture chamber."

Kaguya's words were true—she hadn't mistreated them. On the contrary, Kaguya had treated them rather well, releasing them from the dungeon and ensuring they were well-fed and looked after. Aside from stripping them of their Imperial Arms and controlling them with her dōjutsu to prevent escape, they weren't suffering.

However, Najenda misunderstood, thinking Kaguya's words were laced with sarcasm. She believed Kaguya had subjected Mine and Chelsea to brutal torture, and her heart burned with righteous fury.

"I didn't think you were that kind of person," Najenda said through gritted teeth.

"What do you mean?" Kaguya asked, genuinely perplexed. "Aren't I treating them well enough?"

"Enough!" Najenda snapped, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light began to emanate from Najenda, encircling her in a radiant aura.

The shattered magatama at Kaguya's feet started glowing intensely, rising into the air as it slowly reformed. In the blink of an eye, the broken magatama was whole again. Bathed in the golden light, Susanoo reappeared in front of Kaguya.

Evil Soul Manifestation!

Najenda coughed up blood, the crimson droplets splattering the ground like a macabre, beautiful bloom.

"Cough...cough..." Najenda's body convulsed with each cough, blood trickling through her fingers.

Kaguya's playful demeanor faded, her expression becoming serious. "The Evil Soul Manifestation can only be used three times. Are you really going to waste your life on something so futile?"

"Futile?" Najenda chuckled bitterly. "Perhaps in your eyes, it is. You're a princess, high above us all, so you can't understand the struggles of those of us who live on the edge of life and death. We've sacrificed everything for this day. No matter what, I won't give up!"

As her words echoed, Susanoo stomped his foot, causing the ground beneath him to shatter. Using the momentum, he launched himself at Kaguya like a cannonball, his fist hurtling towards her head.

Boom!

The impact was earth-shattering.

A deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield, rocks crumbling and shattering as a massive shockwave of dust and debris filled the air.

But it wasn't over yet.

Susanoo didn't stop. He charged forward again, his fists raining down on Kaguya like a relentless storm, each punch carrying the force of a hurricane.

Boom, boom, boom!

Finally, Susanoo's relentless assault culminated in the appearance of a massive, glowing sword in his hand. This sword was far larger and sharper than the previous one, its razor-sharp edge radiating an energy so fierce it felt like it could cut through the very air itself.

This enhanced power was due to Najenda's use of the Wrathful Soul Manifestation twice in quick succession. The energy from the previous manifestation hadn't fully dissipated when Kaguya destroyed Susanoo, so when Najenda used it again, the combined energy of both manifestations resulted in an even greater force.

With a mighty heave, Susanoo raised the colossal sword high above his head. The air around him crackled with energy as he swung the sword down with all his might, aiming to cleave Kaguya in two.