[ACT. 9: Evolve]

Irene's secret hideout

Knock knock!!

Irene stopped reading a book and watched Irina enter the room.

"Can I sit down?" asked Irina to her mother who nodded her head and looked at her face. "I want to know something."

"What is it?"

Irina took a deep breath and asked, "Why are you so interested with Kagami Mikazuki?"

The question caused Irene to laugh. She placed her book on top of the table, giggling at her daughter's confused face. Irina could only raise her eyebrow.

"You want to know why?"

"Yes."

Irene then looked at the ceiling and smiled. She then spoke, "Five years ago, I met Mika during the Purge Tournament that was held at his school. I watched him fight Katagiri Shizuka and knew that he was going to lose. But he surprised me when he possessed the regeneration ability which allows him to regenerate his lost arm after Shizuka cut it off."

"So, I learn more about him. His address, his workplace, his friends and finally… His weakness."

Irina shocked to know that and said, "The Strongest Kagami in history has a weakness?"

"Yes… And when I found out that I couldn't stop laughing. For a guy that dubbed as the Strongest Kagami has a weakness." Irene said before she grabbed her cup of wine and drank it to quench her thirst. "I use his weakness to break him apart and believe me… I almost break him."

"What happened?" asked Irina to Irene, causing her to look away and pursed her crimson lips.

Flashback

Gently laying down the lifeless body of Amaris in front of her crying family, Mikazuki clenched his fist tightly and screamed loudly as he produced a flame-like purple aura.

He glared at Irene and said, "I am going to make you suffer!!"

Flashback End

"He awakened his Kamigan and with those divine eyes. Mika defeated me and almost killed me if not for me to detach my head from my body." Irene replied before pulling down her sweater to reveal a scar across her neck.

"How did you gain that body?" asked Irina to Irene who said that she used the body of her clone that she created with Mika's blood. "I see… But that still doesn't explain why you want him so bad."

"That is a secret but the only thing that you need to know is that I want him for evolution." Irene said to Irina who nodded her head and excused herself, leaving Irene who smiled and continued reading her book about evolution.

Meanwhile

Mikazuki avoided several lightning bolts and dashed backward to avoid Kazuya's hammer. He picked up his customized katana on the ground and swung it at Kazuya's hammer, releasing a powerful shockwave that shook the ground. Kazumi appeared behind Mikazuki and thrusted her spear at his back which he caught without even bothering to turn around and crushed it.

"Dammit!!" Kazumi screamed in frustration before hurling away her broken spear and revealing two daggers.

Mikazuki noticed Kazumi's new weapon and grabbed Kazuya's wrist with his other hand. He threw away Kazuya and separated the customized katana into two short swords and blocked his opponent's fast slashes.

"Kazuya!!! Trap him now!!"

Mikazuki watched Kazuya take out a sphere-shaped device and hurled it at him. He knew that the device was going to trap him, so he stunned Kazumi in the face by slamming the surface of his sword and pushed her to the device, trapping him.

"Curse you, Kagami!!"

Mikazuki laughed and caught Kazuya's hammer before hurling it as hard as he could at Kazuya. who He was unable to catch it or react in time and knocked to the wall by his hammer which also broke his ribs.

"Ka…zu…mi…" Kazuya whispered before coughing up blood, much to Kazumi's horror.

"Kazuya!! You killed him!!" Kazumi screamed in anger at Mikazuki who looked at her then the dying Kazuya. Without any expression, he coldly said to Kazumi that his death was her fault.

Mikazuki immediately rushed towards the exit while Kazuya gave one last look to the crying Kazumi and commanded his hammer to strike down Mikazuki. The hammer immediately flew towards its target as Mikazuki detonated the explosives.

When Mikazuki almost arrived at the exit, he was struck by the hammer from behind and fell to the ground. Several spears came out from the walls and embedded into Mikazuki's body, preventing him from moving as the explosion consumed.

Kagami's Estate

"!!"

"What's wrong?" asked Shizuka to Minami who suddenly tensed up and ran towards the gate, prompting Shizuka to chase after her. "Hey, what's wrong!"

Shizuka stopped and widened her eyes when she saw a brutally injured Mikazuki appeared on the gate. He smiled at Minami and told her to inform the doctors that he's injured. She furiously wiped away her tears and left her brother as Shizuka caught him from falling.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Mikazuki only chuckled before hissing in pain and slowly walking to the medical room with the help of Shizuka.

"Let's just say I destroyed a place where blacksmiths forged Takahashi's weapons and armors." Mikazuki said to the bewildered Shizuka.

"You should've brought me." Shizuka replied to the smiling Mikazuki.

"Next time."

After saying that, Mikazuki immediately passed out due to the injuries with the medics and Minami came to them. The medics placed a stretcher on the ground and gently lifted before placed down the unconscious Mikazuki on the stretcher.

Minami who observed her unconscious brother immediately cried, making Shizuka hug her to comfort the girl.

"Is big bro going to be, okay?" asked Minami with teary eyes to Shizuka.

Shizuka gave a smile and responded, "Your big bro is a strong person that I ever know. He will be fine."

Somewhere else

"Mika… Wake up."

Mika slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a beautiful garden. He looked around him before saw someone standing not too far from him. He chased after that person but the mysterious figure in white silk robe kept getting far from him until he stopped at a place where he recognized it.

It is his high school.

The same area where Amaris was killed by Irene five years ago.

"Mika…"

Mika turned to the direction of the voice and saw Amaris. Tears came out from the corner of his purple eyes when he saw the smiling girl who pointed at the bench. They sat down and watched the place changed to a field with cats.

"Amaris… How are you at here? Why am I at this place? What's happening to me? Am I dead?" asked Mika to the girl who giggled and tilted her head slightly while swinging her legs.

"You are not dead. The reason why I brought you here is to talk to you for a while." Amaris said before a ginger cat jumped to her laps and looked at her. "How are you since I died?"

Mika said nothing for a moment. He didn't know what to reply but he knew he must answer that question with honesty because Amaris is the only girl that he is unable to lie to.

"Since you died in my arms… My life has no meaning at all. I tried to kill myself several times to end the pain… But I couldn't bring myself to end my own life because every time I try to do it…" Mika paused for a while and then glanced at Amaris who's rubbing the cat's belly. "I remember your words."

Amaris smiled and then gazed into Mika's eyes. She then said, "And you continue your life just like I asked you. I am proud of it."

"You proud of me?" asked Mika to Amaris.

Mika's one and only best friend nodded her head and said, "Of course I am proud of you. If someone is in your shoes, that person will already give up. But you… Despite suffering since you were a child, you never give up and when you almost hit the bottom. You rise as a strong person and not many people can do that which is why I am proud of you."

Amaris then continued, "I know your pain frightened you so much that you can't sleep peacefully. But that pain makes you stronger because you embrace it and it makes you more powerful than you ever imagined. It is the greatest gift. To bear your pain without breaking."

When Amaris finished speaking, she saw Mika cry and placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. After crying for a while, Mika wiped away his tears and noticed that his body slowly fading away. It signalled that he's going to wake up soon as the two of them stood up and stared at one another.

"Will I meet you again?" asked Mika to Amaris.

"We will meet again. But for now, please promise me one thing." Amaris said to Mika. "No matter what will happen to you. You must be strong to endure the hardships."

"I will… Goodbye Amaris. I'll see you soon."

Medical Room

"Ngh…"

Mikazuki woke up and the first person he saw was a crying Minami. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair as he slowly stood up and noticed Shizuka leaning against the wall.

"How long was I out?" asked Mikazuki to Minami.

"Two days and you kept saying someone's name." Minami replied to Mikazuki who nodded as Shizuka came to him and sat beside him. "I have to bring someone to meet you. I'll be right back."

Minami excused herself and left the room, allowing Mikazuki and Shizuka to have a conversation.

"What happened to you?"

Mikazuki glanced at Shizuka and replied, "Ever heard Yuri Island?"

The head clan of the Katagiri raised her eyebrow and said, "The Ghost Island. You went to that place and destroyed it didn't you?"

Mikazuki didn't say anything and only gave a smile to Shizuka who smirked.

"I was about to leave the cave where they forge the weapons and armors for Takahashi Clan as well as the place where they perform cruel experiments. Before I could head out, Kazumi and Kazuya appeared, and we fought. I won and almost reached the exit when suddenly Kazuya's hammer struck me from behind and triggered his traps." Mikazuki explained to Shizuka. Then, "The explosion that I caused consumed me, however I managed to escape the place just in time."

"You are one hell of a survivor…" Shizuka said to Mikazuki who laughed and laid down.

"One thing for sure…"

Mikazuki placed his hand on his face and coldly said, "I will end the Takahashi Clan by myself."