The chapter opens with Izumi standing before the cathedral, now a grim and menacing sight. Its dark stones seem to absorb the light, while broken windows reflect a history of ruin and decay. The towers, once majestic, now twist in the air as if reality itself is warped by the malevolent presence within.
Izumi, with resolute steps, advances through the massive, already-open doors, as if the building itself awaited his arrival. The interior, once a sanctuary of peace, is now a labyrinth of shadows and darkness. The stone walls, lit only by the faint glow of candles, flicker as if the light itself is being smothered by the nefarious presence that has taken hold.
As he walks down the main corridor, the tension in the air becomes palpable. The silence is broken only by the echo of his footsteps, reverberating off the walls like a somber warning. Suddenly, figures emerge from the shadows, their sinuous, threatening movements encircling Izumi. He quickly assesses the situation. The odds are clear: a three-against-one fight.
Izumi (thinking):What a mess…
Without warning, the three attack simultaneously. Izumi dodges one but is struck by another, hurled violently against the stone wall. Wasting no time, he conjures an Ether orb that explodes on impact, but the shadow-clad figures remain unscathed. The revelation is crushing: his Art cannot destroy shadows.
Izumi (thinking):Damn it! All I can do is dodge them like this, but I'll get hit eventually.
Izumi keeps evading, his movements swift and precise, but the relentless pressure of the attacks begins to weigh on him. A particularly powerful blow sends him crashing into the cathedral's main hall. Lifting his head, he sees something that chills his blood: at the top of the staircase, a bound child weeps, their faint voice echoing through the empty hall.
With tremendous effort, Izumi rises, determined to save the child. But before he can take three steps, the woman who had begged for his help appears. Clad in a dark robe, she holds a dagger. Izumi watches, horrified, as she plunges the blade into the child's chest without hesitation, sacrificing them in a vile, merciless act.
The reality of what just happened hits him like an avalanche. He realizes it was all a trap, a cruel betrayal that leaves him momentarily paralyzed. The world around him crumbles as a wave of hatred and rage begins to swell within, threatening to consume him entirely.
Izumi (quietly):"Bastard…"
The betrayal and loss ignite a dark fire in his heart. He bows his head, fighting the growing darkness threatening to take control. His fists clench so tightly his bones creak, trembling with contained fury.
"Liar…"
Suddenly, his voice tears through the cathedral's silence, echoing off the walls like thunder.
Izumi:"I may be outnumbered, outmatched, maybe even overpowered, but I'm not defeated, and I'm far from done…"
His voice becomes a force of its own, commanding and unrelenting, reverberating through the church. Excidium's presence begins to emerge from within him, and everyone feels the crushing pressure that follows. The air grows dense, almost impossible to breathe, as Izumi's hatred and rage become nearly tangible, an unstoppable force of nature.
Izumi (commanding):"So pick a god…"
The darkness within Izumi surges, and Excidium's power manifests fully through him. With a single motion, Izumi summons his Kakudai, the weapon materializing in his hands as an extension of his will. His eyes, locked on the woman, blaze with unrelenting fury.
Izumi and Excidium (in unison):"And pray."
Izumi lunges at the woman with a shockwave, his movements swift and resolute. She tries to defend herself, but Izumi cleaves her in half with ruthless precision, then unleashes an Ether beam that obliterates her completely.
Without losing focus, Izumi glances over his shoulder at the shadowy figures. Though they hesitate briefly, they press forward. His eyes burn with fierce determination, but he knows his Arts are ineffective against these shadows.
Izumi (thinking):I can't destroy them with my Art.
One figure steps forward, leading the attack, but Izumi reacts in a blink. With a clean, swift strike, he decapitates the shadow, his blade slicing through the void like air.
Izumi:"But I can still cut them until they cease to exist!"
Narrator:Izumi's void cannot destroy what lacks a physical body, as a shadow remains whole if its projection surface changes. But the story shifts when the target becomes the shadow itself.
The remaining two shadows charge together, their indistinct forms rippling in the air. Izumi, unfazed, parries and dodges their attacks with skill. He drives his sword into one shadow's chest, tearing it along its body, and in the same motion, severs the other's arm. In an instant, he splits the second shadow vertically and beheads the first with a single strike. The mutilated shadow tries to retaliate, but its head vanishes with one final blow.
Izumi:"You disgust me…"
Izumi stands at the top of the staircase, facing the vast, desolate main hall. The sacrificed boy's blood trickles slowly down the altar, staining the scene with silent horror. Izumi looks ahead, his expression hardened by hatred and pain, but before he can react, a monstrous presence manifests.
Emerging from the wall's shadows, a grotesque demon, resembling a giant worm, swallows Izumi. Its beige, rough skin is deformed, covered in small holes and crawling hands. Inside the demon, Izumi doesn't hold back. He spins his sword, channeling the Void, and splits the creature in two, emerging with one eye completely black, radiating fierce hatred.
As Izumi tries to regain his bearings, a slimy sound comes from behind. Turning, he sees the demon regenerating, its parts merging in a repulsive manner.
Izumi and Excidium (in unison):"You don't want to die, do you?!"
The demon charges again, its grotesque mouth opening to devour Izumi. He drives his sword between its teeth, but is slammed against the walls with brutal force. Without hesitation, Izumi reaches into the demon's mouth and unleashes an Ether explosion, obliterating its head and part of the floor. Yet the demon begins to regenerate once more.
Izumi leaps upward, his katana now imbued with Ether, radiating a plasmatic, dancing aura, almost magical. The grotesque being rises, reaching for Izumi with terrifying speed. Before it can get close, Izumi swings his sword, unleashing an Ether wave that slices the creature into pieces. Unsatisfied, he keeps attacking, shredding it into smaller fragments.
Chunks of the demon fall like grotesque rain as Izumi lands amid the wreckage.
Izumi:"Finally, this bastard's done…"
But his words are premature. The repulsive sound of flesh knitting together echoes again, and Izumi watches in disgust as the creature begins to regenerate once more. The burning rage in his chest surges, his teeth grind, and his hand, gripping the katana so tightly, begins to bleed. His fury reaches its peak.
Izumi charges first, but the creature's tail strikes, hurling him violently against the wall. The demon advances, trying to swallow him again. Its mouth closes around him, but Izumi holds it open with all his strength, using his body and sword to keep the jaws apart. His face twists with rage, deep lines marking his relentless fury.
Izumi:"This time, you're gone…"
Izumi infuses his katana with Ether again, slicing through the demon's teeth to escape. The creature pursues, but Izumi leaps and drives his blade into its head, channeling Ether violently. He creates a continuous energy wave, running along the creature's length, tearing and shredding every part.
Izumi leaps off, striking mid-air and unleashing another Ether wave. The wave, imprecise, hits the back wall but fails to fully bisect the demon. The grotesque being, still regenerating, drags itself toward Izumi.
Izumi, standing strong and determined, keeps attacking, shredding the creature and, in the process, destroying parts of the cathedral, which begins to collapse in pieces.
The scene cuts to Takeru, returning with firewood, ropes, and supplies. He doesn't see Izumi at first but hears a boom from the cathedral and sees beams of darkness exploding and bursting from within the crumbling building. Realizing something's wrong, Takeru drops everything and sprints toward the cathedral, knowing Izumi is in the midst of it.
Amid a shower of small debris, the demon strikes Izumi, launching him into the air. The creature lunges at him. In a swift, decisive move, Izumi clasps his palms together, forming a massive Ether orb, denser and more powerful than any he's created before.
Izumi:"This time, you're going back to hell!"
He releases the orb, unleashing a colossal black explosion that consumes what remains of the cathedral and the creature with it. The unsupported ceiling begins to collapse, falling over Izumi as he struggles to maintain control.
Takeru arrives too late, only to see Izumi, now back to normal, staring at the dark, rainy sky. His gaze is one of profound sadness, as if he wants to cry but can't shed tears. He looks at Takeru, who stands frozen, shocked and stunned, eyes wide as he takes in the devastating scene.
Izumi (trembling):"I… I couldn't do it…"
The chapter closes with the image of Izumi standing amid the rubble, under the rain, with Takeru before him. What was once a sacred place is now utterly destroyed, a reflection of the intense battle and the pain that consumed Izumi.