Chapter 6 End Of Doomsday

Flames flickered, casting shadows over the platform that once served as a stop for the Astral Express. Now, two figures, one large and one small, dominated the scene.

"Himeko, use your powerful railgun!" March 7th shouted, bow in hand. She struggled to track Orion Astra's movements, needing him to stop before she could assist.

"Don't worry, March," Dan Heng replied calmly. He recognized Orion's combat style, designed for dealing with massive foes like the Doomsday Beast. Though not refined, his mix of attacks and defenses were well-suited for this battle.

Suddenly, Orion crashed down from the sky, his clothes singed and his upper body exposed. The burns seemed fused with his twin guns, but his body, like a relentless engine, kept pushing forward. However, he knew his strength was fleeting, the stigmata only giving him a minute more at best.

A voice urged him to merge the two guns, revealing their true power. The Judgment of Shamash, created with the core of a Fire Herrscher, was designed for ultimate destruction. Normally, its core was split between the twin guns to limit its power, but when combined, it became a sword of devastating fire.

Yet, the weapon's power was so immense that even its wielder risked death. Only three people had survived using its full force. If Orion defeated the Doomsday Beast, it wouldn't matter, but Dan Heng and March 7th would also die.

Suppressing the urge to unleash the weapon's full potential, Orion gripped his guns tighter. "The next strike decides everything."

The Doomsday Beast wasn't in good shape either—its claws nearly broken, its core shattered like cracked porcelain. Its once-proud wings were its only intact feature.

As the beast roared weakly, Himeko worried for Orion. She had planned to use the railgun on the Doomsday Beast's second phase, but Orion had surpassed her expectations. Now, using the railgun could do more harm than good. All she could do was trust him.

Stelle watched Orion's battle, frustrated by her inability to help. She vowed to assist him at the crucial moment. As Orion charged the Doomsday Beast, it focused its senses on his twin guns, the only real threat.

The beast gathered energy in its wings, aiming to melt Orion's hands. But he leapt into the sky like an eagle, reaching the Doomsday Beast's head. A silent beam of light fired at him, faster than anything before, hitting the Judgment of Shamash directly. The beast believed Orion was dead, ready to roar in triumph.

But suddenly, Orion stood atop its head! "Get down!" he shouted, his fist glowing with blood-red light.

Orion had planned this, inspired by the beast's locking sensation. He sacrificed part of his hand along with the Skyfire to bait the beast, hoping to create an opportunity for the others.

"Fall!" Orion's punch, empowered by the stigmata, was stronger and faster than anything on the space station. It shattered the Doomsday Beast's anti-matter engine with a clear, sweet sound. The time to strike back had come.

Dan Heng moved swiftly, catching Orion as he fell unconscious. Seeing his burned arm, Dan Heng felt compelled to remember this man, even if he didn't want to join the train.

Stelle, who had been eager to help, saw Orion rescued and her bat began to glow. Himeko, frowning with long-held anger, readied the railgun.

Dan Heng quickly returned to Himeko, laying Orion down and raising his spear. Stelle rushed forward, her bat leaving a trail on the ground as she smashed the Doomsday Beast's head like a soccer ball. March 7th followed with an arrow, aiming to teach the beast a lesson.

But the Doomsday Beast, clinging to life, unleashed a powerful final attack. March 7th braced for death, only to be shielded by a figure who appeared before her—Stelle, who took the full force of the blast.

Miraculously, Stelle survived, protected by a stellaron glowing on her chest. As her consciousness drifted, an unknown voice spoke in her mind, urging her to reach a destination. She found herself before a colossal figure, its golden scars like a sun.

"You must reach the end," the voice continued. Images flooded her mind—Himeko, Kafka, Dan Heng, and Orion fighting for everyone. As Stelle awakened, her eyes shone like blazing suns.

Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, momentarily appeared in reality, tearing apart the darkness. The stellaron's power activated, annihilating the Doomsday Beast's body as Stelle floated into the air. Her light would return to dust, threatening the space station and nearby planets.

Orion barely opened his eyes as the wind pressure made it hard for anyone on the train to approach. He thought about his journey, striving to survive, wielding weapons he could find, developing the stigmata in record time, and seeing a starry sky like never before.

"I still want to see this world again…" he thought, recalling his life before—lost in games, working to survive, never seeing the beauty of the world. He wished he could experience it once more.

As Orion drifted toward the light, a figure appeared before Stelle. An ordinary cane, wrapped in dark red energy, tapped her forehead, and time seemed to freeze. The man, with reflective glasses, a gray coat, and a gentleman's collar, looked like a simple uncle asking for directions, doing something ordinary.

March 7th caught Stelle as she slowly fell. "Uncle Yang, is she okay?" she asked.

"It's fine," Welt Yang reassured her. He turned to the Astral Express. "Let's talk somewhere else."

Welt glanced at Orion, lying on the ground, a mix of complexity and nostalgia in his eyes. The holy marks on Orion's body glowed brighter, and his damaged twin guns beat like a heart.