◇

 

Kai: “Big brother Wang!!”

 

Ahead where Kai shouted, there stood his own brother, a great hero of China, Wei Wang.

The great hero Wei Wang confronted the Beast God.

 

Wei: “Great Sage Equal to Heaven…”

 

With those words, Wei Wang’s hair stood up and shone golden. His whole body was enveloped in visible golden magical power, swinging a bright red rod.

 

Wei: “Yo, selfish king. Why are you on that side? Did your brain finally turn into muscle?”

 

Arnold: “Grrr!!”

 

But Arnold’s fist, aimed at Wang, was skillfully deflected with the Ruyi Jingu Bang. The impact alone altered the terrain, a clash between transcendent beings.

A mythical battle was being recreated.

 

Wei: “Haah… words don’t get through… Let’s change the location! Shippu jinrai!”

 

Wang’s body, wrapped in wind and lightning, kicked Arnold, sending him flying.

 

Wei: “Kai! Leave this fool to me! I’m counting on you for that one! You can do it!”

Kai: “Of course!”

 

Wang followed Arnold, who was sent flying.

 

Kai quickly turned around after saying a word to Wang, who had already disappeared from his peripheral vision.

Arnold was left to Wang.

Merlin was left to the Chairman.

 

Kai: “…I always end up being protected by everyone… I can’t do anything alone… That’s why…”

 

Clang!!

 

Kai: “I have to at least defeat you!!”

 

The battle of swords began, the fight between the Dragon God and the White Knight commenced. The Dragon God, clad in wind, and the White Knight, enveloped in white armor and lightning.

 

Kai: “We’re changing locations too!”

 

Kai touched the Dragon God and activated Lightning. It was too close here, risking involving Aya in the aftermath. So, they moved a little further, still within visible distance.

 

Then…

 

Kai: “Lancelot-san… please lend me your strength.”

 

Kai took a breath and concentrated. He activated the Supreme Knight, calling upon Lancelot’s memories. Times of effort and refinement, entrusted feelings, and inherited will.

 

He trained daily with Mirage-kun.

 

He learned how to grip a sword from Lightning-san.

 

From Athena-sama, he received these eyes that shine golden.

 

And most of all…

 

Kai: “Haaa!!”

 

He received unwavering love.

 

Closing the distance for a storm of sword strikes. Debris flew, buildings collapsed from the aftermath and black wind blades.

It was like a collision of typhoons for nearly dozens of seconds.

 

A white storm and a black storm.

 

A white sword and a black blade.

 

Each strike had enough destructive power to reach each other’s lives, displayed in countless numbers before them. But step by step, gradually, Kai built up his victory. It was like his own journey, slowly but steadily progressing towards victory.

 

And then the moment came. Like everything that has an end, the seemingly eternal clash of storms came to an end.

Kai announced the start of his strategy.

 

Kai: “This is the final gambit. Dragon God! If either of us makes even one wrong choice…”

 

He signaled the usual life-or-death offense and defense.

 

Kai: “It’s death!!”

 

Kai swung his white sword with all his might, and the black wind armor was obliterated.

 

Dragon God Orphen: “Gah!! Back off for a moment!!”

 

The Dragon God tried to distance himself and envelop himself in wind. Seeing this, Kai smiled.

 

Kai: “True Lightning.”

 

But Kai instantly teleported behind him with Lightning, not letting him escape.

 

Dragon God Orphen: “Don’t underestimate me!! I’ve read you!!”

 

The Dragon God turned and struck Kai with all his might. The intelligent Dragon God, who had been reading Kai’s habits, knew that Kai would teleport behind him at such times.

Kai took the hit to the face and was blown away.

 

Dragon God Orphen: “Haha… Huh!?”

 

But what was thought to have been blown away dissipated like a mirage upon hitting a wall.

 

Kai: “True Mirage.”

Dragon God Orphen: “──!?”

 

That was True Mirage, activated by Kai at the moment he teleported behind the Dragon God. He left only his clone, while the real Kai teleported to a different location.

The Dragon God’s brain froze for a moment, thinking he had succeeded. Because Kai appeared right in front of him, poised for a strike, and fell like lightning.

The thunderous flash, yet the Dragon God, who had guarded, lost his left arm.

Dragon God Orphen’s face twisted in pain as blood spurted from his severed arm. But he still retaliated, a testament to the pride of the strong and the dignity of a species’ leader. As if undisturbed by the pain, he struck Kai with his right hand, the opposite of his severed left arm.

 

It was the chance after the attack.

 

To risk flesh to reap life. It was a repeat of Kai’s fight with the weakest goblin.

At that time, Kai had offered his left arm to counterattack.

The goblin, not expecting a counter, received Kai’s strike and perished.

This strike was decisive. The Dragon God thought he had successfully counterattacked by sacrificing his left arm.

 

Dragon God Orphen: “Why…”

 

But Kai saw everything.

 

As if he had known from the start, his eyes, shining golden, were fixed only on the Dragon God’s right hand.

Without a hint of negligence, desiring only victory, those golden eyes narrowly dodged and focused on the right hand.

 

Kai: “I see it all… With these eyes, everything. You… no, you all…”

Dragon God Orphen: “Damn it!!”

Kai: “Will lose.”

 

The swung right hand had nothing to guard it. With a returning blade, Kai’s white sword decapitated the Dragon God. With a thud, the Dragon God’s head fell to the ground, declaring the winner of this battle.

 

◇ During Kai’s battle with the Dragon God.

 

Merlin: “Why… My strategy was perfect… Why is everything being overturned? Why…”

 

He had caused the collapse of the S-Rank Cubes of both the United States and China, isolating this country.

 

Merlin knew that one Dragon God was not enough against the Knight of God. So, he had also acquired the world’s strongest power and planned to make the fight 3 against 1.

Despite the disadvantageous situation, he had also taken a loved one as a hostage, thinking they would not abandon what is important to them and would ultimately lose without a fight.

 

Yet, things were not going as planned.

 

Merlin: “Why!!!”

 

Nothing was working out. He was overwhelmingly stronger, yet why could this old man stop him? Why did he try to protect another country when his own was in danger?

Everything hung by a thin thread.

Just a slight misalignment in the gears, and he would have been the victor.

 

Seeing this, Kagetora laughed despite his battered state.

 

Kagetora: “That’s the essence of protection. To help and be helped. To join hands and overcome difficulties. You don’t have that, do you? With those twisted eyes. You, who manipulates hearts… In this situation, who would help you?”

Merlin: “Shut up! Shut up!!!”

 

Merlin screamed, staring at the motionless Aya.

 

Merlin: “Fine then, show me how you protect! If you say so much, then show me you can protect!”

Kagetora: “No way! This is bad!”

 

Kagetora ran towards Aya with all his might.

 

Merlin: “Die!!!”

 

At that moment, Merlin shouted at Aya, giving her a command with his pitch-black eyes. Aya, standing still, gripped a dagger at her waist and without a word, tried to stab herself in the neck.

It was a command for suicide. But it was stopped just in time.

 

Aya: “Grandpa…?”

 

Kagetora had stopped her in the nick of time. Holding her hand, he smiled gently and threw away the dagger.

 

Kagetora: “Aya… you suit holding a kitchen knife better…”

Aya: “Grandpa… Grandpa!!!”

 

Aya’s consciousness was hazy, but the red blood on her face quickly woke her up.

 

Kagetora: “Don’t worry… Aya…”

 

It was Kagetora’s blood.

 

Kagetora: “…Everything will be okay.”

 

But Kagetora, still smiling, knocked Aya unconscious with a tap on her neck. Without her artifact, Aya’s defense was virtually zero, and for Kagetora, this was an easy task.

This protected Aya from being manipulated while unconscious. Thus, she couldn’t be commanded to harm herself.

But the cost was not light.

 

Merlin: “Hahaha!! Look!! This is what always happens!”

 

Merlin had stabbed Kagetora from behind with a black sword. The opening created while saving Aya, Merlin tried to prove that protecting others led to one’s own demise.

Pulling out the sword, blood gushed out. A fatal wound that needed immediate treatment. Kagetora, barely conscious, had pushed through to protect Aya from the suicide command.

But he collapsed, losing consciousness from the blood loss.

Merlin raised his sword again.

 

Merlin: “…Protect, protect, that’s all you guys have been noisy about since the old days!!”

 

In anger, he aimed to take Kagetora’s life. The pitch-black sword swung down towards Kagetora’s neck.

 

No one in the area could stop the strike.

 

Kagetora’s consciousness faded, but he was not worried.

 

Kagetora: (All will be well, in the end, it’s the role of the)

 

Crack!

 

Kagetora: (Dense protagonist, isn’t it?)

 

Thunder roared, the air exploded.

 

Kai: “──I won’t let you.”

Merlin: “What!?”

 

The sword was deflected, and golden eyes stared ahead.

 

Kai: “I won’t let anyone die anymore!!”

 

The blade of a young boy, determined never to lose anyone important again, cut through even fate itself.

 

Afterword

Flags are there to be broken. I’ll work hard on updating, so don’t forget. (I’ll update in about three to four days)