398. The Awakening! Henshin of the Mundane, Black Reaper.

WARNING!

The story contains graphic depictions of violence, sexuality, strong language, and/or other mature themes.

[The Spiritual Core's warfare: Arc 19]

Once upon a time, on Planet Earth, a young girl was born; the story goes that her identity was never adequately clarified, but she was effectively known as the 'Holy Light.'

Her title depicted the real life of one's planet. Humankind did not know the Dimensions that had appeared alongside her birth, only of the Spirits that had been destroyed or disappeared.

The woman... The Holy Light, the heir of all the inhabitants, was not born alone. The arrival of the Demon God, whose name was Rez, caused anarchy, and humanity was on the brink of extinction.

Humans terrified him because of his recklessness and hunger for blood, and Demons started to manifest all over the Earth and The World of Zero, alongside alternate races such as The Inner Fiends, The Shades, Wraiths, and Spirits.

To combat the challenge, a new breed of people has awakened, the 'Spiritual Duelists' and 'Substitute-Duelists,' who have been dubbed the "First Army to Face Evil."

With their Legendary Weapons, the Ginken. This swarm of humans increased the world's cleanliness to the greatest extent possible, overwhelming the Demons of various grades and placing their survival at risk.

But, after several years of waiting, the 'Holy Light' gave birth to a human child, a girl of theoretically greater worth than Zero herself, but unlikely to become the next 'Holy Light,' their Goddess gave the girl to a friendly family, and since her mother needed to participate in protecting the divinity, the girl's memories were wiped.

But there is another royalty trapped within the shadows that have been concealed for millennia, even longer than the birth of a Demon...

The only one who has beaten the 'Holy Light's own is the Fiend Lord. Its lurkers will undoubtedly be wiped out, and the newfound foe will ready the battlefield...

- Yashikami City, Sunday, 1:40 pm -

Codey and the rest who have been dealing with brutal fights, even with their Half-Demon on the verge of death, Tim and the rest have been remaining training, however, they were unaware of the possible threat that was bound to happen in the future, whatsoever.

On a break from the furious battle and training, Tim picked up the water bottle and took a sip, trying to understand his mastered Henshin.

"What's that expression on your face? It is completely unsuitable for you. Certainly not by a long stretch." Elliot, who had been seated on the bench, joined in. "I just don't know if I'll be able to fully master it. To begin with, the Henshin of this blade is quite rare... And expanding it is a great responsibility that I might not be able to handle..." Elliot yawned as he became tired with Tim's statements.

"Don't be too worried. You'll figure it out... Besides, it's only been a short time. It is not feasible for you to learn it in such a short period of time. Simply keep training, and it will develop as your own extension of your strength. Furthermore, bear in mind that I'm here to assist you till the very last second." Elliot swiftly stretched his right arm, followed by his left, feeling a little uncomfortable about saying it to Tim.

"Okay, then! You've taken a five-minute break from training. Return to your work now. This time, I'll be in charge for the next few of hours." Tim grew agitated as he gazed at Akari. "Do you want to knuckle with me? I've never fought you before in my life." Tim was unimpressed, fearful that Akari had a ruse up her sleeve.

"If you face the opponent you have yet to battle, your training will be more effective and beneficial. Now, make sure your sword is tuned to your skill level; that way, I'll have more entertainment." Tim's brain was filled with emotion as she talked.

"But first and foremost. I'd like you to go as fast as you can to get to your goal." Akari pointed to Tishida, who was smiling and had his jaw and nose covered with a fan.

"What are you talking about? What has this got to do with Henshin's training?" Tim was perplexed when Tishida lifted his right arm. "Hurray! Come over here! Come on in, there's complimentary tea!" He called, but Tim and Elliot were both irritated. "Just put your confidence in me. Accelerate toward him as fast as you can. I'll be putting your speed to the test." Tim got solemn as he looked at her, perplexed.

"... Okay... I suppose..." Tim asserted, serious enough to extend forward with both arms as his torso instantly flashed white. However, as Tim attempted to utilize Henshin, his aura lighted itself to blue, causing his blade to light with it.

His thin blade, which had been blocked from Kodachi, had now expanded itself to its original shape, at which point the blade curved upward, reaching its natural length, while the white thread flung behind his back and began to wave fiercely.

Once his eyes got astonished and his garments began to sway with his pressure, the sword's blade instantly transformed into a long blade of a knife.

Elliot coughed in uncertainty and vomited coffee. "What's the deal? Did his sword suddenly revert to its old appearance, but this time with more details?" Elliot noticed he had spilled the coffee all over his clothes, causing him to burn as a result of his unexpected feelings.

"Gah! It's hot, hot, hot, hot!" He started smacking his cosmetic while blowing to try to cool off the heat.

"That's what I assumed. Because you haven't been fighting effectively for a long year, the sword has shown itself in your Spiritual Symbolism. Spiritual Symbolism has reached a breaking point. That also prevented your sword from reverting to its previous shape, i.e. your Kodachi. But not just now. This isn't a Kodachi, but rather a simple Ginken in its original form. You lost the Kodachi state due to your lack of fighting, but you managed to maintain its comparable shape." Tim's expression was puzzled as he stared at his blade, and Akari grinned.

"You have a good sense of direction. Despite the fact that I didn't even summon the Kodachi, it recovered its previous body faze. Spiritual Symbolism seemed to me to be absolutely understandable. But, no, I was entirely incorrect." Tim asserted that his body was packed with Spiritual Symbolism.

"Now that you've returned your sword's natural form... you've completed one step. Now, use your Henshin to maximize your speed." When Tim nodded and thrust his blade forward, Akari explained.

He clutched the top of his wrist and acquired a confidential as well as a serious glance before awakening blue sparks that had been drifting from the bottom of his foot, up to his face surrounding him, with his body fully illuminating itself of blue - as well as his eyes.

"Hen! Shin!"

The blue light soared above Tim's brow, reaching its peak and filling the surrounding region with smoke. Pressure, liberated and inflamed by Tim's pummeling Spiritual Symbolism, was charging itself on each side, while the dust ignited a cyclone that began to round Tim's whole body, enveloping him and concealing his metamorphosis.

Within a short period of time, the park's cement ground had been crushed, scattering into a crater as the dust uncovered Tim's body, exploding away as Tim obtained a fresh new sword and clothes.

His black robe had become tighter, with white threads crossing Tim's chest and acting as the main keeper of his garments. His previous Henshin's garments were short, but this time they've gained a few inches as his both arms, which were covered by black and tight sleeves, were wrapped up by six of the white threads. The chain that was normally tied to his right arm was no longer visible. The black metal that was shielding his spine also covered the back of his neck. Not only Tim's attire, but Tim's sword, too, has been shaping up in Henshin.

"Ikari-Karito!"

Akari's ponytail had been dangling behind her back, and she grinned and talked by tying back her front row of hair.

"This is the initial fazing. Ikari-Karito, Henshin."

- Hidomari City, Sunday, 1:40 pm -

Kanji had been huddled behind the rubble, inhaling deeply and attempting to regain control of his breathing.

"Does it make you happy? To be thrashed mercilessly?" Ryoko, on the other hand, had started moving closer to Kanji and twirling her polearm.

With perspiration running down his cheeks, Kanji tried to piece together a proper means of addressing her after hearing the feminine voice. ("There has to be a professional strategy for dealing with her. This entire space seemed to be at her disposal, putting my life in jeopardy. An effective tactic would be to demolish the room, but I am incapable of even piercing the wall. I'd have to use her power to successfully demolish it... But how might I concoct an ideal approach for dismantling this area?") But, luckily, his thought came to a halt and he realized what he had been doing.

("Of course... There's truly just one method... Others don't exist, thus this one strategy must succeed...")

Ryoko came to a halt a few feet away from the ruins, grasping her polearm with both arms, and then saw the rubble, tumbling down, as a loud explosion of blue electricity hurled externally, dusting the area once again.

"So you're not done yet..." Ryoko whirled her polearm, swept it to the side, twisted it, and then aimed it behind her back while creating her gory aura.

Kanji sprang from the wreckage with full force and speed, throwing his body into a front flip, then extended his right arm and slammed Ryoko in the chest, flinging her backward at amazing speed while her body smashed through the room's first wall.

To focus his body on landing, Kanji tightened his fist and prepared for a crouching landing, stretching his left arm as his palm emitted a sparking current of blue lightning, then summoning his spear and preparing for unaware combat.

"Enough of this ridiculous fighting war procrastination. I'm going to inflict as much misery on you as I possibly can!" ("But no, not at all. I need to irritate her. That way, I'll be able to utilize her powers to smash this chamber. But it'll be a lengthier journey than I anticipated.") Kanji was correct; the only way to escape this 'prison' was to abuse Ryoko's skills and use them to demolish the area, as his own assaults had no impact.

"You dirty swine! Then demonstrate to me that you are capable of doing so!" Angry, irritated, outraged, and humiliated. All of these emotions were visible in Ryoko's eyes, along with a new one: hate.

"That's exactly what I intend to do! So Be ready to die and enjoy it!" Kanji twirled the spear quickly, cut it behind his back, and prepared to begin the plan of using her talents to tear this chamber.

- Hidomari City, Sunday, 1:40 pm -

The smoke that had fully covered the area around Codey's fallen body and the source of it, Kin, was getting increasingly intense.

"What do you mean? Are you serious? Have you just been decimated by a single and easy cut? And I was under the impression that your Half-Demons could regenerate any portion of the body! I'm almost upset you can't repair a neck wound! But, of course, like any natural Demon, those two despise being murdered through their necks. At the end of the day, I suppose it makes sense." Kin was laughing again, his body completely coated in smoke and ash.

But he spoke too soon. Codey had already recovered his wound, but he couldn't do anything about his damaged and comatose state. Not long after, though, Codey's arms began to tremble and his body began to emanate darker energy that rivaled even Kin's at the moment.

"What do you mean? Is it still your intention to fight me? I'm terrified!" However, Codey's body slowly began to rise from a pushup, his eyes going red and his garments flapping.

"Wager of death as well as future enlightenment... Those are the only outcomes I desire."

Kin gazed at Codey sideways, mystified, as he gradually began to detect familiar energy.

"Wait a minute... That symbolism is comparable to that of the Demon God. Please don't tell me-"

To be continued...