The Truth About My Power

"I've... lost... for real...?" I mumbled, my eyes wide open with disappointment and helplessness. 

My whole body trembled, cold sweat dripping down my forehead as I struggled to remain standing despite my wounded body. 

"Any last words?" Tohka's voice was cold, her eyes unyielding, without a hint of mercy or hesitation. 

She stepped closer, each of her steps like Death coming to claim my fragile life. 

"Last... words?" I forced a smile, tasting the metallic tang of blood on my tongue as I bit down so hard that my gums bled. 

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!!!" 

"Oh, really?" 

"No... I'm not... done yet..." I gasped, desperately trying to muster what little strength remained in my shattered body. 

My hand still gripped <Nahemah >, the only thing left by my side, as if it were the final hope in this sea of despair. 

Tohka slowly raised <Nahemah >, an overwhelming pressure bearing down on me, making it impossible for me to resist or flee. 

"Then... I'll send you to hell!" 

With that, she swung the sword down with all her might. I was powerless, only able to close my eyes and await my fate. 

The wind howled through the air, the blade descending like lightning. 

"STOP, TOHKA!" A powerful, urgent shout broke the tense atmosphere. 

Tohka froze, her sword stopping just inches from my head, barely a hair's breadth away. 

I opened my eyes, still panting. Shido was standing there, his face filled with determination and worry, his eyes locked on Tohka. 

"Tohka, please, don't strike him down... there has to be another way." 

"After all this, you're still pretending to pity me, Shido?" 

"Tohka...? Are you calling me?" 

"Huh?" 

"Oh, right, I forgot about the two of you, didn't I?" 

"Well then, you two are next." Tohka pointed her sword towards Shido and Miku. 

"You don't seem as strong as the two from earlier..." 

"But now that you're here, you won't escape me." 

And with those words, Tohka raised her massive sword and charged at Shido. 

"Kuwa...!" 

Barely managing to block the first strike, the next moment, Tohka swung her sword again, attacking Shido, whose arms were now numb and unable to move. 

"You're dead—!!" 

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" 

Just as the strike was about to land, Miku screamed loudly, creating an invisible barrier, just enough to block the attack. 

"Miku..." 

"Don't get the wrong idea. Didn't I already tell you? I despise men who always talk about [love], [importance], and [commitment], yet so easily retract their words." 

"You promised me that you'd do everything to save Tohka... So take that responsibility until the end. Don't disappoint me, don't make my trust in you meaningless." 

"Miku—" 

Shido looked at Miku and nodded firmly. "You're right... You're absolutely right." 

He gripped <Sandalphon > tightly, his eyes filled with determination as he gazed at Tohka. 

"What are you two whispering about?" 

Tohka frowned, annoyance clearly visible on her face. Shido sighed and slowly advanced toward Tohka. But at that moment, she lost her patience and charged without warning. 

Though Shido managed to block her, he was still thrown back. 

"Damn...!" 

"What the hell are you doing? This is pathetic." 

"Shut up, we don't have a better idea! Right now, I need to get closer to her, or else we can't do anything...!" 

Hearing Shido's words, Miku sighed, raising her eyebrows. "So you just need to get close to Tohka, right?" 

"That's right, though I can't say if it will work or not... but we'll never know unless we try!" 

Miku didn't reply, then with a graceful spin like she was dancing, she stomped the ground and summoned her angel. 

"<Gabriel >, [Rondo]!" 

Suddenly, several silver tubes emerged from the ground, all pointing towards Miku as if they were microphone stands. 

"Alright, I'll clear the way for you, idiot charging in barehanded to save Tohka. But know this, you only get one chance." 

"I'll use my voice to bind Tohka from all sides. Although I can't be sure how long I can hold her, her movements will be halted for a short time." 

"Miku, you..." 

"So, are you going to do it or give up?" 

Miku's voice was serious, and Shido nodded to confirm his resolve. 

"Let's do this together!" 

"Then, here I go!" 

Miku leaned forward, taking a deep breath. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" 

She let out a fierce sound, reaching into her angelic harp, enveloping the entire area. Tohka's arms were held unnaturally tight, bound to her body as if they were shackled. 

"What— What the hell is this???" 

Tohka frowned, her face filled with anger. She began to struggle, trying to free herself. Miku's voice grew louder, but it also became more painful, as if she was sacrificing everything to maintain control. 

Shido knew that worrying about Miku now would only make her efforts meaningless. So, he pushed his concern aside and charged forward, focusing all his willpower. 

And I stood behind, witnessing everything unfold. I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to strike a fatal blow at Tohka, as she was restrained by Miku and solely focused on Shido rushing toward her. 

"Daring to ignore me, that'll be your downfall." 

At this moment, I had no strength left to think about anything else. I struggled to stand with all my might, gripping the sword in my hand. 

Suddenly, Miku let out a pained cry. The power of her voice weakened for a moment. Tohka sensed it, and her body began to move, slowly breaking free from the restraints. I knew I only had a few seconds left, no time to delay. 

Just as Tohka was about to escape the chains, I gathered every last ounce of strength into my legs, dashing like the wind, delivering a decisive blow with all my might. 

"What??!!" 

Tohka gasped, sensing the sudden danger coming her way. Miku and Shido were also surprised, momentarily stunned by my approach. 

In that instant, I clearly saw the shocked expressions on their faces, and I roared with fury: 

"Huh?" 

"PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU MONSTER!" 

However, all my efforts were in vain. Just as my sword was about to reach Tohka, her figure suddenly vanished, leaving nothing but empty space before me. 

"Huh?" I mumbled, unable to believe my eyes. The seemingly certain attack had completely missed. 

A chilling killing intent surged behind me. Before I could react, Tohka appeared right behind me, her eyes burning with fury. 

"You still have the strength to ambush me?" 

"Then die!" 

"Tohka!" Shido shouted, rushing toward her, trying to divert her attention away from me. But it was too late. 

Hot blood gushed from my mouth, soaking the weakening spirit armor. Tohka's <Nahemah > pierced deep into my abdomen, and I felt her terrifying power destroying everything inside my body. My vision blurred, my legs trembling as they lost the strength to support my body. 

"You're... finished," Tohka whispered, her cold eyes staring down at me, devoid of emotion. 

The final thoughts before my last breath flashed before my eyes. 

"I almost died countless times..." 

"I survived..." 

"over and over again..." 

"and then I fought again..." 

"and I lost... and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost..." 

"and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost..." 

"and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost and lost..." 

"Time and time again, I lost. WHY?..." 

A wave of rage like a tsunami washed away any remaining will to survive, but it also ignited the final flame of battle within me. I couldn't stop here, I couldn't accept this fate. Even if my soul were to vanish, even if God rejected me, even if the devils turned me away, still... 

"I MUST DEFEAT YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" 

A surge of dark spiritual energy erupted from deep within me, breaking all the limits of my body. Tohka's sword, now stuck inside me, could no longer be withdrawn. 

"What is this?" 

From within my spirit armor, massive sharp spikes began to grow, piercing through every inch of my body. They embedded deeply into my flesh, locking tightly around every shattered bone. 

Each spike was like a cold blade, tearing and reshaping the wounds, causing blood to gush out from every puncture. But at this moment, I could no longer feel the pain of the flesh. Pain had become meaningless before the chaotic power surging within me. 

My armor transformed in a terrifying way, with torn metal pieces intertwining with sharp spikes, and a mask split open like jagged teeth, forming a twisted shape resembling a wild wolf thirsting for blood. It was no longer armor meant for protection, but the embodiment of rage, a dark creature with fangs ready to tear into enemies. My eyes had lost the light of reason, leaving only the blazing red of uncontrollable fury.

The <Nahemah >, once an all-powerful demon king's sword, shattered into dozens of fragments, then reformed into ten long, razor-sharp claws on both of my hands. These claws were not meant for defense, but to cut, to tear, to destroy everything in my path.

My mind was completely engulfed by a deep darkness, swallowing any remaining emotions. I was no longer human. Compassionate thoughts had vanished, leaving only a bloodthirsty desire for destruction. Rage had completely replaced reason. I roared like a ferocious beast, ready to crush anyone who dared stand in my way.

"You are such a nuisance!"

"Watano... what on earth happened to you..." Shido mumbled from afar, his worried eyes unable to conceal his fear. He had seen me many times in Spirit form, but never in such a terrifying and blood-soaked state.

"KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!!" A wild growl erupted from deep within my throat, no longer the voice of a human but the hiss of a monster.

The only thought in my mind now was DESTRUCTION—crushing everything, sparing no one. Tohka, Shido, all of them... must pay for their existence.

My claws gripped the <Nahemah > that was embedded in my abdomen, crushing it like a useless toy. The shattered pieces of the demon sword fell away, leaving an open wound. Then I felt my Spirit Armor begin to regenerate, with dark fragments of armor covering the wound, though blood still flowed freely from it.

"What are you trying to growl at, you fool?" Tohka sneered, taunting me with eyes as sharp as blades. Fear didn't exist within her—in fact, she seemed to mock my insane rage.

In an instant, purple light gathered in Tohka's hands, forming another <Nahemah >, even brighter and stronger than before.

We both charged at each other like two colliding storms, each of my strikes carrying the destructive power of a demon king, yet Tohka was no weaker. Her <Nahemah > continuously blocked my relentless attacks, producing the sound of clashing metal echoing through the air.

"Oh, stronger than before!"

"KILL! KILL! KILL!"

Blood splattered every time her blade slashed through my body, but those wounds were instantly sealed by fragments of my Spirit Armor.

Then, she suddenly retreated to gain distance, summoning her throne. But instead of using it to combine with <Nahemah > to form <Paverschlev >, she kicked over the throne, and its pieces flew around Tohka, gradually attaching to her Spirit Armor.

This was Tohka's strongest move, capable of injuring the supreme power of the original Spirit, Mio, in the future.

"〖"RATELIBISH"〗"

The overwhelming power of this new armor radiated like an all-powerful king descending upon the world, ready to annihilate any monster daring to stand in its way. From within my frenzied rage, a trembling sensation rose within me—a feeling I had tried to forget for so long: fear. It unconsciously made me step back before that threat.

"KILL! KILL! KILL!"

But that sense of threat only lasted for a few fleeting seconds before I charged forward again, attacking with wild abandon.

"You really don't know when to stop," she muttered, her lips forming a cold, thin line.

This time, our speed was even faster than before, and each strike became more dangerous than ever, where a single mistake could cost the other their life.

"Both of you, please stop! Fighting like this isn't the way! TOHKA! WATANO!" Shido's desperate shout echoed through the chaotic space, but neither of us paid any attention to his plea.

The attacks continued, growing more intense. It seemed as though "limits" had been erased from my vocabulary. If Tohka grew stronger with each blow, then I was no exception.

Every strike, every swing now held destructive power like never before. It wouldn't be long before this massive building of D.E.M. couldn't withstand the powerful destruction caused by us.

"This isn't working, they aren't listening to me at all! What should I do...??!!"

As Shido stood there, confused and worried, Miku suddenly stepped forward, her eyes resolute. Without saying a word, she kissed Shido. It happened in just a moment, but long enough to feel the heat from her lips. The Spirit Armor on Miku's body gradually faded away.

"Miku...?" Shido looked at her in surprise, but Miku only gave him a weak smile.

"I believe in you, Shido... that you'll make it... Save them..." Her voice was gentle, then Miku's fragile body collapsed. All the power she had now rested in Shido's hands.

Now, Shido felt a vast power surge within him. He took a deep breath, his eyes becoming resolute. "Thank you, Miku! I'll save them both! I swear!"

"<GABRIEL >,"Rondo""

A massive organ appeared behind Shido, radiating a brilliant light. Musical notes began to resound through the chaotic battlefield.

Normally, the <Rondo > ability wouldn't work on Spirits Shido hadn't sealed, or on those possessing vast amounts of Spirit power, but now, with the power of six Spirits gathered within him, that was no longer a concern.

Tohka and I, frenzied in our brutal battle, suddenly stopped as the sound of <Rondo > seeped into our minds.

"TOHKA! WATANO! PLEASE, STOP FIGHTING!"

Both of us froze, as if an invisible force was pulling us away from the confrontation.

"No… I can't stop!" Tohka roared, struggling against that power. But it seemed her mind was slowly succumbing to the sound.

"T…Tohka?"

"Yes, that's your name… Tohka…"

Shido stepped closer, each step deliberate. "Tohka, Watano… everything will be alright, I won't let anyone suffer anymore. Please, trust me!"

I had also begun to stop; her blazing red eyes gradually lost their ferocity, BUT…

What I once called "spirit armor" now felt nothing short of a terrifying curse. Just as my body and mind were about to yield to that soothing sound, sharp spikes from the armor once again pierced every corner of my body. Each stab was like a punishment, an imprisonment in pain, dragging me back to the endless fury.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

"Watano, what's happening to you?!"

"I—WON'T—SUBMIT—TO—YOU—!!!!!"

My screams echoed through the space, overpowering the soothing sound of <Gabriel >.

"Sh…Shido?"

"Tohka, are you back to normal?"

"Umu, although you haven't sealed me yet, your voice woke me up."

"Woke you up?"

"But Shido, where exactly are we… and why am I in this battle stance?"

"Uh, we'll talk about that later because—"

"What is that, Shido? It looks horrible!"

"Watano!! Calm down!" Shido shouted, trying to get closer, but each step he took only made me angrier.

"To be honest, I really don't want you to face any more danger, but…"

"Please, Tohka. Help me save Watano!"

"If Shido says so…"

A terrible growl escaped my throat, and I charged at Tohka with all my strength, as if I wanted to crush her to dust. Though she regained consciousness, it didn't mean her power had weakened. The <Ratelibish > armor still covered her, though the sword Nahemah had reverted back to <Sandalphon >.

"Shido!"

"I got it!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Once again, Shido used <Rondo > on me, but the armor had wrapped itself around me tighter than ever, as solid as an impenetrable wall, without leaving even the slightest gap.

"It's no use; we need to defeat them… Only then can we call them back."

"I understand!"

Tohka gathered strength, pushing me back while trying to fend off the storm of attacks I was unleashing. The sword <Sandalphon > in her hand glowed a brilliant blue, with energy gathering around the blade, ready to explode at any moment.

"HAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

She charged at me, each step shattering the ground beneath her feet. Waves of energy shot out from <Sandalphon >, forming sharp sword beams that raced toward me, tearing through everything in their path.

But I didn't dodge. I charged straight into the attacks like an arrow aimed at its target, piercing through the barrage without hesitation. Every injury my body sustained was immediately healed by the spirit armor, allowing me to continue forward at full speed and strength.

Ten sharp claws lunged toward Tohka like blades, slicing through the air. She raised <Sandalphon > as a shield, trying to fend off the brutal assault. But I didn't stop. My body spun like a violent whirlwind, gaining speed—faster, faster, and even faster—until I became an uncontrollable vortex.

Tohka bit her lip, holding her ground, but her hands trembled, and <Sandalphon > quivered under my relentless fury. A sharp cracking sound pierced the air. Tohka's eyes widened in shock, and even Shido, standing at a distance, couldn't believe his eyes. Cracks began to appear on <Sandalphon >, each one spreading like tiny lightning bolts, gradually eroding the entire blade.

Under the unimaginable pressure from my spiraling attack, the sword, once a symbol of power, could no longer endure. <Sandalphon > shattered, breaking into tiny fragments that fell around Tohka, its once brilliant blue light now reduced to mere specks of dust drifting in the air.

Tohka had no choice but to retreat, jumping back with all her might, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"It's alright, Tohka. Let me help you!"

"<GABRIEL >, "MARCH""

A strange melody began to echo from <Gabriel > in Shido's hands, spreading across the space, seeping into every corner of the battlefield. Each note was like a flow of invisible energy, pouring into Tohka, restoring her spirit from the previous shock.

Tohka could feel the energy enveloping her, each wound on her body gradually healing, her labored breathing becoming steady again. She took a deep breath, her sharp eyes regaining their determined focus.

She lowered her center of gravity, took a combat stance, raising one fist high and the other low, ready to either counterattack or defend based on the situation.

And just as before, that didn't faze me in the slightest. I continued my assault, unleashing a relentless barrage of slashes with increasing speed and ferocity. But this time, Tohka had changed her approach.

Instead of confronting me head-on, she chose to evade, each movement fluid and graceful. Like water flowing, she moved seamlessly between my attacks, dancing through the battlefield.

Every time I struck, she effortlessly dodged, gliding through with an elegant precision, leaving no openings. Tohka's eyes were filled with intense concentration and determination. Each step she took exuded confidence, as if she had found the rhythm of this battle.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" The constant dodging only fueled my rage further.

I accelerated my attacks, each strike growing faster and stronger. But it still wasn't enough for Tohka now.

Suddenly, I feigned a move from the right, then spun and launched an attack from the left. But Tohka had anticipated it, spinning to dodge, then using her momentum to deliver a punch straight to my chest. The punch was so strong that it knocked me backward, sending me crashing down through the floors of the D.E.M. building with no sign of stopping.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" My scream echoed throughout the space, mingling with the sound of the collapsing floors of the D.E.M. building as my body crashed through layers of reinforced concrete.

Just as I tried to stand up to rush back into the battlefield, my support leg suddenly snapped in two, followed quickly by the other leg, and both arms were brutally crushed.

The armor gradually dissipated, leaving behind a broken body exposed under the moonlight. Blood continued to pour from my body, each wound gaping open like deep cuts from a sharp blade.

I no longer had the strength to resist, not even enough to scream or complain. My eyelids felt heavy, as if they were being pulled down by the weight of exhaustion and pain gnawing at my body. My vision blurred, the final glimmers of the moonlight and the wreckage slowly fading away. Each shallow breath slowed, and I no longer had the energy to keep my eyes open.

I slowly closed my eyes, and darkness gradually enveloped me. All the sounds around me, from the wind blowing, the crumbling debris, even my own heartbeat, faded into the background of my mind.

It felt as if my body was sinking into an endless abyss, a place devoid of light or life.

"What a magnificent performance, <The Merciless>."

I jolted my eyes open, the reverberating voice pulling me back from the depths I was sinking into. But the first thing I realized was... nothing. No light, no image, just a pitch-black void surrounding me.

I could feel my body was still there, but everything else had disappeared, no longer existing. An empty void.

I stood confused, trying to find something, any sign of life, or even solid ground beneath me. But it was all in vain. It felt as if I were lost in a world without the concept of time or space, as if I had been completely isolated from reality.

"Hey, you haven't opened your eyes yet?" That voice echoed again, closer this time, as if it were emanating from the very emptiness surrounding me. It was cold, low, and oddly familiar.

I blinked. This voice... I know it. "Are you the one I met at the airport during the trip to Arubi Island?" I asked, my voice dry but still holding a hint of suspicion.

"So, where am I now? Hell? Or heaven?"

"Hahaha, you're quite the comedian. In that condition, no one would think they survived."

"Answer me now!"

"Alright, alright. No need to rush."

"This is my personal space. Only I and those I allow can enter."

A faint figure gradually emerged from the darkness, but it wasn't clear. It remained hidden beneath a tattered hooded cloak.

"Yes, that's right. I'm glad you still remember."

"I thought you'd have forgotten by now. You've changed so much."

"Especially since that time on Arubi Island, right?"

"So, are you the one who gave me this power when I was defeated by the Yamai sisters?"

"Hmmm... The answer is both right and wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"More accurately, it's been dormant inside you all this time, ever since you first set foot in this world."

"And I only helped you activate it."

"You could've done it on your own... Remember that time at Raizen school, when you fought Kurumi on the rooftop to save all the students?"

"At that moment, you truly used it... But not fully..."

"I see. No wonder I don't remember anything from that time. I only knew about it by watching the recorded footage..."

"Even though I've used it a lot, do you know the true nature of this power?"

"I'm not sure... But one thing I do know is, the more I use it, the stronger I become, right?"

"Exactly. As expected of your sharp mind."

Then he turned and continued to speak about the origin of this power.

"The reason you grow stronger the more you use it is simple: I remade that Qlipha crystal."

"You created it? How? Don't tell me you're the Spirit of Origin?"

"Come on, don't joke around like that."

"If not, how could you create a Qlipha crystal?"

"S-E-C-R-E-T!"

"Tch, stingy old man!"

"Hey now, don't say that!"

"Ahem, let me continue."

"Originally, that Qlipha crystal was created from Mio's positive emotions, love, you know that, right?"

"Of course!"

"But I changed that. I remade it using the most negative emotions, and the one you possess is Pain and Anger."

"..."

"The more you use it, the more negative your spirit becomes, and your body gradually deteriorates. But in return, you grow stronger than ever before..."

"Now, isn't that fascinating?"

"I don't know..."

"Don't disregard my efforts like that!"

"But I want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Is it because of that Qlipha crystal that Shido and the other spirits have that look of hatred?"

"If I said 'yes,' would you be angry?... That it shattered your illusion of the DAL world?"

"Alright, I won't blame you. After all, thanks to you, I've gained a different perspective on this world."

"That's awfully positive of you, doesn't seem like the same person who was fighting earlier."

"Shut up, don't bring that up again!"

"Actually, it's not entirely due to the Qlipha crystal, more precisely, it's the combination of a spirit from another reality and the stone that caused that unwanted effect."

"..."

"So, am I dead?"

"Probably, with those injuries."

"So now I'm stuck here forever?"

"No, not exactly..."

"???"

"But, there's still a chance." He continued, his voice carrying the tone of someone holding a secret key. "You can change, or continue on the path you've chosen. The decision is yours."

I looked up at him, my eyes filled with doubt. "Change? How?"

He smirked, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"Just remember... You are me... and I am you... aren't we, [-------]?"

"What... what? How can that be?"

"Hey, what do you mean... Answer me, old man?!"

"At least leave me with a name before you go!"

"Oh, I almost forgot. Just remember me as <The Chronicler>, and we'll meet again when fate allows,"

"We'll be waiting for you... on the other side of the world..."

I tried to call out to him, but no sound escaped my mouth. The emptiness surrounded me again—no light, no sound—just me, floating in the void. Finally, my eyes grew heavy, closing once more, as if my energy had been completely drained.