There was no questioning that either Tanjo or Regashi would die—there was no room for mercy, only penance. The extent of such penance had to be greatly exacerbated on Tanjo's behalf due to the insufferable ability that the Abnormal Regashi had to bounce back from nearly every lethal blow; however, as for the Abnormal Regashi, killing the teenager was his only option.
The water beneath their feet bubbled, indicating the inevitable.
'This is the furthest I've been able to get… I can't lose this momentum.' Tanjo thought to himself, his eyes boring into his brown-haired opponent's.
Throughout their battle, Tanjo had to be constantly thinking about rebuilding his body from the damage caused by his own assaults, all while thinking about erasing Nyx. If any of those thoughts disappeared, the Disruption of Reality would be rendered ineffective, and Tanjo's sole protection would be his Aura Amalgamation.
Truthfully, he needed both abilities. The Aura Amalgamation enhanced the speed at which Tanjo could process information, which happened in a time frame faster than even a yoctosecond, and enabled the teenager to remain fully conscientious while fighting an omnipotent being such as the Abnormal Regashi.
Tanjo needed to shorten the distance between him and Regashi and to make it impossible for the menace to elude the boy's attacks anymore. Get Nyx within arm's reach.
"I'm going to make sure that everyone on this planet suffers from your resistance. At your level of intelligence, it's safe to say that you know you can't stop me from causing collateral damage." Regashi declared, his voice sharp.
A hint of anxiousness thrummed within Tanjo, causing the boy to tighten his fists to quell the detrimental emotion.
"Do as that red-headed man-child would say and submit. For Mizuki's sake."
Tanjo's left eye twitched, making him mentally slap himself. The threats were not empty and were incredibly possible. If Nyx managed to slaughter everyone on the planet, what would come from either Tanjo or Regashi winning? There would still only be one person standing.
A bead of sweat rolled down Tanjo's head. It was not out of exhaustion or pain—only anxiety.
He was not having a panic attack by any means, but even the slightest of cracks in Tanjo's determination and tranquility would impact the boy's power quite dramatically. The Disruption of Reality trembled, losing a fraction of its concentrated form.
'You knew their lives were already at risk… don't let it trip you up now!' Tanjo attempted to coax himself, his jaw tightening.
Regashi narrowed his green eyes, their once-mischievous glint replaced with unadulterated malice. "You aren't even strong enough to know if you'll win, yet you still wish to gamble the health and safety of everything? I orchestrated the history of the three nations since the beginning, including the good and the bad. It's your naive decisions that are jeopardizing the things you love."
Once again, Regashi played the role of Mother Nature and reality itself, depicting himself as the one behind the purpose of life. The critical question that should be derived from it all was, what if Regashi was right? Tanjo is fighting for people to have the right to live their lives the way they should be lived, but does that give Tanjo the right to alter how reality itself works as a means to get there? Would he, too, not be pretending to be reality itself?
Tanjo's world suddenly went white as a familiar voice rang out in his ears.
"Tanjo."
By turning his head and shifting his gaze to the source of the voice behind him, Tanjo's breath hitched.
"...Dad?"
Kaminari Nozomu was in the middle of the white abyss that had abruptly surrounded them, staring down at the jet-black-haired teenager with a broken visage. Nozomu could not explain the feeling that welled up in his heart when looking at Tanjo; he noticed how much stronger the boy had become, but the accompanying anguish and responsibility tore the dead man's heart in two.
"We just have a few words to say…" Stepping in from the side, Seijun Hotaru placed himself next to Nozomu and rested his left hand on the white-haired man's shoulder.
Tanjo's eyes flitted between the two men—his adoptive father and the man formerly known as Imawashiki, both slain by the hands of the Abnormal Regashi. They were both wearing casual attire, unlike the battle-torn clothing they had been wearing before being swept away by death.
"You shouldn't be here, even as a ghost! Nyx will catch you—!" Tanjo tried to argue, his mind immediately returning to Nyx despite the unprecedented reunion.
"Hey." Nozomu interrupted the boy, his voice terse. "This is why we're here. You know she can't enter your mind; she can't get in here. You managed to do that, Tanjo. Stop scrambling your own mind."
A moment of silence broke out, letting Tanjo heave a hefty sigh. A break? After all of the death and pain, he finally gets a moment to rest?
"I…" Tanjo breathed out, his shoulders sagging. "...Just want this to end…"
Seijun's eyes softened at the boy's words. Tanjo was merely a teenager—a young boy, and he was currently tasked with battling the worst threat reality had to offer him. To a certain degree, Seijun could relate to the boy's nerves. Being forced into the real world at an incredibly young age, he was instructed to do things that were beyond his comprehension or ability. Not to mention a malevolent creature that made living a chore, which happened to be the Abnormal Regashi in Tanjo's case.
The man with red sideburns walked forward, his hand slipping from Nozomu's shoulder.
"It's nice to finally talk to my nephew… without being a threat in any way, that is." Seijun jested, chuckling softly.
Tanjo stared at the man with hidden fascination. "...Uncle Hotaru?"
Seijun perked up at the title, feeling glee brim within him. "I like that… I never thought I would have a… bigger family than what I did."
The revelation meant everything to Seijun, completely overlapping the fact that he was dead to experience it. He finally had another person to call family—blood-related, at that.
"We're here because we need you to understand how strong you are, not just physically." Old Man Nozomu spoke up, ambling toward the two.
Tanjo faced Nozomu, their eyes locking. Nothing felt real. It felt like it was yesterday when Tanjo had headed out of the house for his first day at Buraunmajikku Academy, when his old man was sitting at home with a newspaper and a grumpy attitude.
"Everyone needs to overcome a monumental obstacle in life, whether it be landing a job, starting a business, or completing a mission as a warrior. In order to get that obstacle out of the way, they need to stay determined and know that it's only their mind that limits them." Nozomu said with a low tone, staring the boy in the eyes.
Off to the side, Seijun nodded as he listened to his childhood friend's speech, his hands clasped together.
"You, Tanjo, are no different. Nyx is your obstacle—an obstacle that is very much possible to overcome. In fact, Seijun and I believe that you are the perfect counter to Nyx. Your attitude, intelligence, and overall identity make you the perfect person to smooth out the ripples Nyx had caused." The white-haired man continued, slowly stretching his right hand out to pat the boy's head.
Tanjo remained silent, standing still.
Nozomu ruffled Tanjo's hair gently, breathing in as he said, "I feel honored to be your dad, as Oritsu and Hana also feel as your biological parents. I never told you, and I'll never forgive myself for it, but… I'm so proud of you."
Though his face did not quiver, a single tear escaped from the corner of his right eye.
"Hey, Tan." Another familiar voice echoed in the white abyss, prompting Tanjo to spin around.
It was Regashi. Even at first glance, Tanjo's heart and mind could discern exactly who it was and why he was nothing like the Abnormal Regashi that Nyx commandeered. It was the Regashi Ketsueki from the alternate universe, where they had fought Lord Phoenix. This version of Regashi was infinitely better, his smile exuding genuine kindness.
"I never thought there'd be an evil version of me, but I suppose that's just how the cosmos works." Regashi laughed, his eyes crinkling.
Tanjo hummed weakly. "It isn't actually the Regashi of my universe, it's a goddess named Nyx—she's controlling him."
The alternate Regashi Ketsueki grinned mirthfully. "Then don't feel bad for giving her a good strike! If the Regashi of your universe was anything like me, then I bet the bones I melted in my body before dying that he'd also want nothing more than to kick Nyx's ass!"
Regashi gingerly clutched Tanjo's shoulders, redirecting him to face the same direction from when he was fighting Nyx, before they all entered his mind.
"Nyx's threats of taking out everybody on the planet as collateral… don't listen to that baloney! No matter what happens, the world can recover, and they'll have you to thank." Regashi commented wholeheartedly, letting go of the boy and stepping back.
This time, a tighter grip landed on Tanjo's left shoulder. A new presence had arrived, making him unsure as to whether he could handle the influx of deceased voices or not.
"You taught me that there can be good in any situation, and to never give up, even if you make a million mistakes." The voice of Yuso Takuetsu rang throughout his ears, making Tanjo turn.
"I'm sorry for not healing you." Tanjo apologized, staring at Yuso's blue and green heterochromatic eyes.
Yuso shook his head. "If you really want to fix it, then do as you told me and live life by acting for the betterment of others and yourself. Keep fighting—I have faith in you."
After hearing the redhead's words, Tanjo gradually looked forward, where he had initially been facing to fight the Abnormal Regashi. Collectively, the vestiges of those who were once living huddled closely together, standing behind the jet-black-haired teenager with a fire in their eyes, as if preparing to fight with him against the Abnormal Regashi.
Kaminari Nozomu cleared his throat, peering at the back of Tanjo's head. "Win this for all of those who have dealt with Nyx, Son."
Tanjo subtly reached into his cloak, fishing out the mask Asami had given him and wordlessly placing it over his face. His bright blue eyes shone through the eyeholes of the mask, his gaze calm and focused. He was the last stand for not just humanity, but for the history of the cosmos itself.
He would be the one to balance reality.
The white abyss that housed Tanjo and the spirits started to slip away, with the real world coming into view. No more hiding in his own mind; he was here to beat Nyx, and that was his main priority.
The Abnormal Regashi, who was standing in the same spot as before, hummed at the sight of the boy's mask, acknowledging the symbolism of its appearance.
"That mask won't free you from the guilt of resisting me." Regashi asserted menacingly, his green eyes as sharp as ever.
No longer will Nyx pretend to be the one behind the curtains of nature and reality—Tanjo would make sure of that.
Tanjo heaved and said, "Your talk of guilt means nothing, especially due to your incessant lies. You don't plan to let reality take its course—you only plan on corrupting it further."
Regashi found himself silent, glowering at the teenager before him. There was no mind control or persuasion that he could utilize to subdue Tanjo, and stealing the boy's soul would be impossible. Regashi cringed at the fact—something being impossible for him? Killing Tanjo was necessary; he was too much of an annoyance to be left alive.
"Very well, then—!"
*KRSHH!*
As Regashi tried to speak, a multitude of blue rifts materialized around him, forcing the brown-haired menace to liquefy his body and evade the incoming attacks. After distancing himself from the Disruption of Reality, the man returned to his natural form, still hovering over the ocean.
"Look at me, Tanjo!" Regashi hollered, his green eyes boring into Tanjo's.
The boy stared at his opponent warily, wondering what he was attempting to do.
*WHISH!*
Suddenly, a clone of Regashi emerged from behind, throwing volatile punches at Tanjo. Of course, only a clone would engage in hand-to-hand combat with him. Swiftly, Tanjo managed to dodge every impending swing that headed toward him—*CRACK!*—until the clone successfully landed a single blow on the boy's shoulder.
*KWOOOOOSH!*
Although the clone perished the moment it made contact with the boy's body due to the Disruption of Reality, the punch created a shockwave that simultaneously knocked Tanjo backward, parting the ocean and sending his body flying across the surface of the planet.
Tanjo eventually fluttered his incredible white wings after landing in the middle of a forest, a long way from the ocean he had earlier floated over. Regashi was still much too fast, and even if his clones died after coming into contact with his body, their attacks were powerful enough to do harm. Tanjo couldn't afford to take many more hits.
*WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!*
Without warning, a swarm of Regashi's clones descended from the sky and charged toward Tanjo, intensifying the boy's predicament. As one clone threw a punch at Tanjo's head, prompting him to move to the side and duck, another clone lined up his initial swing immediately after, which was also followed by another clone. Tanjo had limited time to act offensively, only being capable of narrowly avoiding each sudden attack.
'Sprout!' Tanjo chanted in his mind.
As the wave of clones continued to besiege the boy, several arms extended from Tanjo's body—*KRSSHH!*—instantly colliding with the homogenous assailants. Once the clones were eradicated, the extra limbs that sprouted from Tanjo's body receded entirely.
Unfortunately, he knew it was not over.
"Where—!"
When Tanjo spun around, looking for any sign of his opponent, either a clone or the real Regashi had snuck up on the boy, launching at him with a cluster of miniature black holes in his right hand.
*RIP!*
Both the cluster of black holes and Regashi's hand tore through Tanjo's gut, emerging from the other side of his body. Not a moment after, the black holes started to inhale everything in the area, including Tanjo.
Gritting his teeth, Tanjo let his Disruption of Reality roar.
"Immense Displace!"
*CRASH!*
Tanjo quickly learned that it truly was a clone that lunged at him as it was lacerated into nothingness, along with the cluster of black holes. Because of the sudden offensive move, the world around Tanjo was altered so greatly that his surroundings no longer looked like his home planet but a combination of several different dimensions in space, along with fractured segments of Earth. Tanjo had effectively displaced the reality around him to such a degree that he opened up holes into a variety of other universes.
Standing on a chunk of the earth, Tanjo's eyes darted between every inch of open space around him.
'He knows he can't get too close to me…' Tanjo thought to himself, keeping his guard up.
*RUMBLE!*
Horrifyingly, the universe seemed to split beneath the boy's feet as it opened into a wide crevasse. Instinctively, Tanjo flapped his white wings to prevent himself from falling into the unknown chasm that appeared below, only for it to be fruitless as a colossal monster that looked like Regashi jumped out and attempted to swallow Tanjo whole. The monster's mouth was extremely large, his jaws anatomically unhinged as the rest of his body adopted a demonic appearance.
'Must be another clone. If he won't fight me himself, I'll have to drag him out and trap him.' Tanjo mentally planned, peering down at the ugly, oversized monster.
Holding his two hands together, Tanjo called upon the Disruption of Reality once more, parting his lips beneath his mask to chant a new command.
"Materialize Origin!" The teenager shouted, aiming his hands at the impending monster.
*KRSHHHH!*
The colossal monster below rapidly morphed into a smaller form, becoming what appeared to be the real Abnormal Regashi. Tanjo had to capitalize on the moment.
"Expansive Overwrite!" Tanjo screamed out, his eyes glued to Regashi. "Inhibit Nyx!"
Everything went in the blink of an eye, leaving Tanjo and Regashi to confront each other. Regashi's eyes widened, his mouth slightly ajar. What exactly had happened? He was not meant to be in Tanjo's direct line of sight; the clone was. The two of them stood on an invisible ground, surrounded by nothing but empty space. It did not require much brainpower to comprehend what this was supposed to
A showdown.
Tanjo assumed a fighting stance, his fists clenched. "We end this now, Nyx!"
The space around Regashi was created by the Disruption of Reality, meaning that he could not break out of it without enduring an immense amount of agony and potentially being caught in the deadly rifts. Regashi had to fight Tanjo no matter what—no tricks or uncanny abilities were permitted.
"Your fists against mine!" Tanjo hollered, his voice radiating under his mask.
Regashi's jaw tightened, his face twitching. "You incorrigible dumbass! This is the last thing you want! I know everything and anything, including combat! Anything you throw at me, I'll counter!"
Tanjo narrowed his eyes, retaining his level-headedness. "Then fight."
With a venomous growl, Regashi lurched forward, charging at Tanjo with ire. Except for the growl and ire, Tanjo mirrored the brown-haired menace's actions, running forward to meet Regashi in the middle.
*CLASH!*
A series of rapid blows was immediately exchanged, causing intense damage to both parties. Tanjo seethed in pain from every instance Regashi managed to lodge his knuckles into his frame, while Regashi grunted from the brief moments Tanjo managed to strike him in return.
*SMACK! CRACK! POP!*
In a mere moment, Regashi managed to gain the upper hand as he landed three solid blows to Tanjo's body, overwhelming the boy instantaneously. Despite pain radiating through Regashi's body after each time he physically touches Tanjo, he refuses to stop his attacks, incessantly assaulting the teenager with violent maneuvers.
"What…!?"
*CRUNCH!*
"Did…!?"
*THWACK!*
"I…!"
*SMASH!*
"...Tell you!"
Tanjo was unable to retaliate as his body was thrown around, feeling Regashi lay into him with a barrage of expertly executed moves. The brown-haired man's knuckles were bleeding and bruised, while the rest of his arms were red from Tanjo's Disruption of Reality clinging to him after every moment of contact.
Regashi then gripped the boy's cloak by the collar, reeling his right hand back before ramming his knuckles into the mask veiling Tanjo's face.
*SHATTER!*
Not only did Regashi's punch shatter the boy's mask, but it also shattered every fragment of reality around them. The abyss Tanjo created to trap Regashi was blown away, along with every single cubic inch of space in the cosmos. Everything was gone, inside and outside of their home universe. Every living thing, the multiverse, the Ectoverse, and any other dimensions that possibly exist.
Gone, all from one punch.
"You're a fraud!" Regashi spat, breathing heavily due to the pain stinging his knuckles and arms. "All those smarts but you never learn!"
Tanjo's body drifted through the empty void, his muscles weak and limbs limp. Had he lost? Regashi broke free from the trap and managed to overcome Tanjo's Disruption of Reality. What else was there for Tanjo to do?
"Now, because of you, I'll have to reform everything! Do you know how tedious that can be!? It takes the fun out of making reality a living hell afterward, especially since it wasn't my creation to begin with!" Regashi screamed, wiping the blood off his hands.
A thought clicked within Tanjo. Reform everything?
By pushing through the intense pain and the blinding amount of blood pooled in his eyes, Tanjo clenched his right fist with renewed hope, keeping his heart steady. He let the Disruption of Reality encompass his entire right hand, reeling it back slowly.
Regashi noticed the boy's actions, making him grunt in exasperation.
"Will you quit it—!"
*KABOOOOOM!*
Even blocking could not save Regashi from the effects of Tanjo's attack. A rippling sensation swept through the cosmos, just as Regashi's previous attack had; however, instead of stripping every atom from reality, they were rightfully put back, reformed as if they had never departed.
The stark difference between Tanjo and Regashi was all the more apparent.
Regashi's physical body was altered, making Tanjo narrow his eyes. Half of the man's frame was now feminine, revealing the goddess that was using the real Regashi Ketsueki's body. Her hair was long and dark, with a vibrant purple eye shimmering with hatred. It was grotesque, in a way—seeing half of their body be Regashi, while the other half was Nyx from the chest up.
"You…you…fucking idiot!" Nyx-Regashi howled, clutching their split face. Their voice was divided between masculine and feminine, but all of it was fueled with anger.
Tanjo, although slowly healing from prior injuries, remained sedate as he said, "S-separate yourself from him fully, Nyx…"
A green and purple eye glared at him.
"I'm going to feed you your own heart!" Nyx-Regashi declared, lunging forward.
Hastily, Tanjo mustered up the strength to block Nyx-Regashi's inevitable punch, his forearms taking the brunt of the attack. He was so close to subduing Nyx entirely—he simply needed to stick it out.
*SHATTER!*
Once again, the entire cosmos was erased by a single punch, all of it caused by Nyx-Regashi's omnipotent power.
'...I need to match her!' Tanjo thought to himself, reeling back his fist again.
*KABOOOOOM!*
Just like that, the cosmos was restored to its original form as Tanjo unleashed his punch onto Nyx-Regashi for the second time. This bout was repeated an indefinite number of times, the two trading the same monumental punch that both destroys and fixes everything in existence. The speed between their punches ramped up to incomprehensible levels, the entire cosmos of every type of dimension flashing between empty and full leagues faster than the speed of light.
Tanjo had never imagined that the safety of everything in every universe would be jeopardized and that he would be the one to restore it, but he had little time to reflect on it, given that he was entirely focused on maintaining his pace to match Nyx-Regashi's strikes.
Everything was moving far too fast for Tanjo to comprehend—his body was moving out of sheer instinct and willpower. At this rate, he was going to lose. Miraculously, Nyx-Regashi was persevering through the pain of the teenager's Disruption of Reality, undermining Tanjo's primary tactic at a slim chance of victory.
He had been in this situation before: his brain was unable to register his opponent's moves, rendering him as nothing but a brute with immeasurable power, fruitlessly squandering the little amount of time he had left. If Tanjo's mind slipped for even a moment, losing his mental mantra of maintaining the Disruption of Reality's powers, Nyx-Regashi would immediately pulverize him.
Unless he gave up on all but one last demand. If he purged all of his brainpower from keeping up with Nyx-Regashi in terms of battle and the constant reminders to make his Disruption of Reality both heal him and erase Nyx, he could possibly chant one quick command for his Disruption of Reality to give the teenager an edge.
Nyx-Regashi was entirely focused on eclipsing Tanjo's pace and subduing him without hesitation. The half-goddess, half-human entity refused to let up on the boy, throwing punches harder and harder.
Suddenly, Tanjo was open.
"You're worthless!" Nyx-Regashi howled, launching their final punch toward the teenager's chest.
With his arms stretching out to his sides and his head tilting back, Tanjo accepted Nyx-Regashi's punch to the chest, letting his mind become empty and his body relax. Could Tanjo eventually keep up with Nyx? Maybe, but she had no intention of letting him find out. Tanjo would eventually slip up, letting a stray thought enter his mind, which would ruin every ounce of progress the teenager had built throughout his clash with the menacing goddess/human hybrid of a monster.
In the end, there was only one thing preventing Tanjo from giving in.
Hope.
And that hope let Tanjo mutter his last proclamation.
"Impact Recoil…"
There was no delay in the Disruption of Reality's influence—the very moment that Nyx-Regashi rammed their knuckles into Tanjo's chest, an intense pain welled up in their own body, mirroring the exact pain that Nyx-Regashi intended to serve only to the teenager, not themselves.
*SPLATTER!*
With their green and purple irises dilated, a hole was quickly punched through Nyx-Regashi's chest. The half-goddess, half-human glided backward, gripping their chest in agony. Struck by their own punch, which proved to be both embarrassing and effective.
"Amplify Reaction!"
*CRACK!*
A swift punch to the jaw made Nyx-Regashi's vision go blurry, causing a wave of pain to ripple throughout their divided body.
What was happening?
Was she losing?
Tanjo, with sharp, blue eyes, landed another strike—*CRUNCH!*—and thrashed Nyx-Regashi's form around like a ragdoll. Once again, the affliction tearing throughout their body doubled in quantity, rapidly worsening their chances at recuperating.
Blood spurted from the depths of Nyx-Regashi's mouth, gradually losing their ability to speak coherently.
The exact same could be said for Tanjo.
Vomit mixed with blood poured from the teenager's mouth, and his body was overcome with excruciating agony. He no longer had his Disruption of Reality to heal him after every offensive strike, pushing his body closer to shutting down than ever before, especially after such a highly contentious attack. There was always a cost to employing tremendous power.
'I can only hope… that she feels the same pain as me… if not worse.' Tanjo huffed, staring at his opponent analytically.
After a moment of thought, Tanjo tried to utilize the rifts to heal himself.
"Heal—!"
*SMACK!*
Nyx-Regashi lunged through space with a vengeance, punching Tanjo across the face. Although the punch did not wield as much power as Nyx-Regashi's previous strikes, the force was enough to break off the boy's jaw, his flesh ripping halfway through the hinges at his cheeks.
"I don't care what tricks you pull… if I can still move, your death is inevitable!" Nyx-Regashi screamed, their body covered in a lot more blood than before.
Tanjo's body drifted through space, his frame tilted back as blood leaked from his face. His consciousness was fading, his brain's functions coming to a halt. He had come so close to winning, and now he was going to lose because he simply could not keep a slight distance from a greatly weakened Nyx.
Sluggishly, Nyx-Regashi straightened themself out and slowly healed the hole in their chest.
"I'd like to say you came close, but with how you only seemed to dig yourself into a deeper rut, you only maintained the gap between us." The hybrid between goddess and human admonished, focusing on their wounds.
Subtly, a multi-colored coat of light crept up Tanjo's body, encompassing him entirely. The boy was far too winded to acknowledge any of it, being only capable of letting the flow of time dictate his fate.
"There's a difference between you and me… and it's been the deciding factor this entire time." Nyx-Regashi continued to speak, wiping the blood off their chin. "...My perfection."
Eventually, Nyx-Regashi's body had healed from its previously sustained damages, bereft of the lingering pain that once impeded their actions. If it was not for the memory of Tanjo's incessant annoyance, Nyx-Regashi would have cracked a cocky grin and let out a laugh, realizing how fruitless all of the boy's actions were—how pointless his life was.
"I still intend to make good on my word…" Nyx-Regashi declared, looking. "I'll make you eat your heart…"
Nyx-Regashi's voice died out as they witnessed Tanjo's body in the distance, becoming bewildered. The boy was glowing brightly, his Aura Amalgamation powering his frame and allowing him to hover in space confidently. Unfortunately, for Nyx-Regashi, the return of his strength had not been the only addition, but, by the looks of it, Tanjo had been forced into an older-looking appearance, his hair slightly lengthier and his height elevated by a few inches.
Visually, Tanjo was no longer just a boy—he was in his physical prime. The Aura Amalgamation rapidly accelerated Tanjo's aging and regeneration, imposing a more resistant and mature body onto the once-teenage male.
"You can't be serious…" Nyx-Regashi widened both of their eyes, gritting their teeth.
Tanjo shifted his collected gaze toward Nyx-Regashi, his face a little more defined than before. Had the Aura Amalgamation really picked up where the Disruption of Reality left off? The main reason someone like Reiwa Takuetsu could live for so long was primarily due to his Aura Amalgamation, but Nyx-Regashi had not expected it to let Tanjo recover from an attack as lethal as their punches.
He looked so much like Regashi, his real older brother.
Wordlessly, Tanjo flapped his white wings and dashed forward in the blink of an eye, shortening the distance between him and Nyx-Regashi.
*CLASH!*
Nyx-Regashi was quickly reminded of how much pain could come from one of Tanjo's punches, feeling the sensation burn through their now-broken nose as the man's fist collided with the center of their face.
As Nyx-Regashi was flung back, they were unable to react as Tanjo suddenly appeared behind them and rammed his knuckles into the side of their neck, eliciting a cracking sound from the half-goddess, half-human entity. This one-sided fight persisted for a seemingly interminable amount of time, with Nyx-Regashi finding themself bloodied and bruised all over again. It had to be impossible! They had just won, and now Tanjo magically regained control?
It was ironic, seeing how similar it was to Nyx-Regashi's fighting style.
By this point, most of Nyx had been exposed, the parts of her body that resembled Regashi Ketsueki falling off and flaking into space. Her long, dark hair and two purple eyes were unveiled for Tanjo to see.
"After all this time…" Tanjo spoke softly, his voice deeper. "I finally get to see you for what you are."
Nyx clutched her body in pain, glowering at the man before her. "Don't patronize me! You are no god!"
Calmly, Tanjo closed his eyes, his hands stretching outward as a bright light shimmered into existence. This was the end—the victory that not only he had been looking for, but the victory that the entire multiverse and beyond at been begging for. The victory Kronos prophesied all that time ago.
XXX
{FLASHBACK: MEETING KRONOS}
Strange. Tanjo felt strange. Opening his eyes, he immediately spotted the change in the environment around him. Instead of the village, with a blue sky up above, he floated through an abyss, far greater than Ms. Tassei's own.
However, this abyss wasn't as dark as Ms. Tassei's. It looked like it was somewhere outside of Earth, with stars visible in the distance. Surprisingly, Tanjo felt nothing from this, aside from his initial shock.
"W-where..?" Tanjo gasped, choking on his breath.
"Somewhere far, far away." An unfamiliar voice made itself known, garnering Tanjo's attention instantly. "Farther than you could probably imagine."
Floating in this abyss with Tanjo was a man, white and blue robes flailing off of his body weightlessly. He had blue hair like Mr. Oshieru, but brighter and way longer, stretching down to his neck in length.
"Wh-who the hell are you!?" Tanjo shouted, moving his arms and legs reflexively, unbalancing his hovering posture and forcing him to spin.
The man's motionless face unnerved Tanjo to a significant degree.
"I didn't bring you here to question me." The robed man snapped, making Tanjo flinch. "I brought you here to push you in the right direction."
Tanjo's right eye drooped in confusion. "The right direction..?"
"Your power," The robed man's voice cut off Tanjo's thought process. "It is special in the eyes of few, but, reasonably, a curse to most. I know you're aware of your Aura Amalgamation—but I assure you, using it is far more difficult than it appears."
Tanjo floated in silence, surveying the man intently.
"But, if you heed my words, you can become stronger and fulfill whatever your little ambitions are." The man declared, his eyes staring into Tanjo's.
Tanjo was hesitant. "Well... what is this direction, then?"
This felt surreal to the teenager. Due to his Aura Amalgamation, he ostensibly unlocked a new path in life given by a strange man in robes, telling him what to do. The teenager was slightly overwhelmed, to say the least.
The man's eyes narrowed. "You have to live by morals. Sad as it is, you'll have to ditch your village. There are far too many problems on Earth—more specifically, the three nations: Adonai, Shanti, and Zebulun."
"What!?" Tanjo shouted in surprise, his mouth gaping. "You expect me to leave Buraun? My home?"
The god didn't back down. "If you don't, several people will die—including you and your loved ones. You were given your power with a set of responsibilities. If you pursue a peaceful future, then allow me to usher you into greatness."
XXX
A pregnant silence swept between Tanjo and Nyx, filling the otherwise empty space between them. Without Kronos, Tanjo may not have excelled as greatly as he currently has. He may not have been able to grow strong enough to challenge Nyx to such a terrifying degree. He also may not have been able to save the people he loved, along with the rest of every universe that existed out there. Tanjo then opened his eyes.
"...Genso-Kyu." Tanjo murmured, the light in his hands shining even brighter.
Nyx was forced to watch as a sphere of magic formed between Tanjo's hands, formed by the power of a four-phase amalgamation, along with the Disruption of Reality. Two out of the three biggest adversaries to Nyx's power, with Tanjo being the first.
"Do you seriously think this will kill me!? How many times do I have to come back and show you that you're nothing but a failure!?" The goddess of the night barked indignantly, tightening her jaw.
Tanjo silently hovered in space, letting the potent Genso-Kyu illuminated by four different colors and blue rifts rotate within his grasp. His tattered cloak, which was now too small for his grown frame, swayed from the power of the sphere of magic, but his gentle gaze was unwavering despite its blinding glimmer.
"What are you doing!?" Nyx shouted, her purple eyes glinting with ire.
With those words, Tanjo hummed, smiling. "Fixing everything."
*BOOM!*
Nyx was unable to defend herself as the man's volatile Genso-Kyu roared throughout not only the universe, but every dimension, her body and soul tearing at the seams from the explosion. After a few moments, nothing but light filled the cosmos.
XXX
I don't really have any words. I mean, I do, but I wish to save them for the ending of the next chapter. Why? Because the next chapter is the last one before the story is over. That sounds mind-boggling to me. It feels like yesterday that I had arbitrarily started writing this novel without a second thought, only wanting to express what was on my mind. Sadly, or maybe proudly, this will be the last time I get to say… Stay tuned for more!
Have a Great Day!
Peace - Cr1ticalz_