CHAPTER 164

 CHAPTER 164: 

The battlefield was still, but the air was thick—heavy—with something unnatural. Something impossible. Celestia's golden blade hovered inches from Akari's throat, frozen mid-swing, unable to move forward.

A single ripple of pure energy pulsed through the air, sending cracks spider-webbing across the ground. A soundless force, an undeniable presence, crashed into existence, warping the very fabric of reality itself.

Celestia's eyes widened.

Ayumi's smile WIDENED.

Meiyo, still gasping, blood pooling beneath her from Celestia's brutal attack, felt something primal stir in her chest.

And Akari—trembling, clutching her wound, eyes locked onto the figure that hadn't been there a second ago—felt something break inside her.

Because she knew that energy.

That impossible, paradoxical energy.

A deep gold and white glow crackled in the air, swirling in spirals, expanding outward in perfect harmony. Not raw destruction. Not uncontrollable power. But balance. Order. Purpose.

A voice, smooth yet cold, rang through the battlefield.

"YOU DARE."

And then—Celestia was gone.

Not moved. Not attacked. Just… gone.

One moment, she stood over Akari, blade raised, eyes gleaming with sadistic desires.

The next—her body was rocketing through the sky, a streak of golden light blurring past mountains, slamming through several trees, breaking through the horizon like a meteor crashing into the world itself. The sheer impact sent a deafening boom rippling through the battlefield, shockwaves obliterating the nearby terrain.

Silence.

Utter silence.

The dust had barely begun to settle before a figure stepped forward.

Tall. Commanding. A walking contradiction of power—a merging of opposites that should never exist together.

The glow surrounding him crackled with golden Yang and white Yin, the two opposing forces coiling around him like twin dragons, neither overtaking the other, each feeding into the next. Not separate. Not clashing. Unified.

And his eyes.

Those golden-ringed crimson eyes burned with something deep, something unfathomable. A presence that demanded recognition, one that forced existence itself to acknowledge him.

Kouki Chikara had returned.

Akari's breath caught.

"Kouki-Kun" She muttered who just turned and gave her a small reassuring smile.

Meiyo, still on the ground, bloodied and weak, felt her chest tighten.

"Brother." she muttered

But even she knew this was not just.

This person he was not just.

This wasn't just Kouki.

Not the same Kouki who fought alongside them. Not the reckless, emotional warrior she had grown up with. Not the same brother who laughed too loud and burned too bright.

This was something else.

Something more.

And yet—

Something was wrong.

His stance was poised, controlled, but his fingers twitched ever so slightly. The air around him pulsed unnaturally, like it was struggling to stabilize under the sheer weight of his presence.

Ayumi, who had remained silent until now, took a slow step forward.

And smiled.

"Interesting."

Kouki's crimson with golden ring gaze flicked toward her.

Her tail swayed behind her, those inhuman hazel-gold eyes glinting with curiosity. "Nya That power… Yin and Yang Omni Energy how do you have it. You shouldn't have that. Even Ayame, Yami, and myself Noboru-kun closest do not have access to both."

She tapped a finger against her chin, her smile widening. "Yet, unlike Noboru, who transcended duality altogether, you" her eyes narrowed slightly "are still trapped within it. You can wield both. But you are still within the system. Meaning whatever you did to become like Noboru-Kun failed like always little Kouki"

Kouki didn't answer.

He didn't have to.

Ayumi tilted her head. "Which means… you're incomplete. Like the rest of us. You can never hope to match such perfection."

Kouki's fingers clenched slightly at his side. A flicker of irritation flashed across his face.

And then—Celestia returned.

Faster than sound.

Faster than thought.

A golden streak of sheer, unrelenting force ripped through the battlefield, a sonic boom following in her wake as she descended like divine judgment itself. Her sword burned like a falling sun, crackling with raw, ancient energy.

Her blade came down.

Kouki raised a single hand.

And with nothing more than a flick of his wrist—

Celestia vanished again.

Another boom split the air as she was sent flying even faster than before, her body crashing into the mountains beyond, the terrain crumbling under the sheer force of her impact.

But this time—

She came back instantly.

Her body flashed into existence, golden light streaking forward, her blade cutting through the very concept of distance itself, reaching Kouki in the time it took to blink.

And she struck.

A perfect arc of divine steel, aimed to cleave through Kouki's head, his torso, his very existence.

And this time—Kouki didn't flick her away.

He blocked.

Clang.

The shockwave shattered the ground beneath them, splitting the battlefield in two. The sheer impact sent a hurricane of force ripping through the landscape, the clouds above splintering like glass.

Celestia's expression was blank, emotionless, but her eyes burned with something deeper.

And Kouki—he wasn't smiling.

No smirk. No arrogance. Just calm, absolute focus.

Celestia twisted her blade, trying to break through his guard—but Kouki matched her perfectly, every attack intercepted, every movement countered with unnatural precision.

A back-and-forth of pure destruction, attacks moving faster than the mind could comprehend, each clash sending ripples of force strong enough to erase cities into the distance.

But Kouki…

He never finished his attacks.

Every time he had an opening—a moment where he could have ended it—he hesitated.

Just for an instant.

Just long enough for Celestia to recover, counter, push back.

It was subtle.

Barely noticeable.

But Ayumi saw it.

He had fused with some angel.

One of Yahweh spawns who was most like thrown out.

Now that was something.

Her golden eyes glowed, observing every movement, every twitch, every hesitation.

And then—she grinned.

"Ohhh~ I see it now," she purred. "You're still fighting him, aren't you?"

Kouki's next movement stuttered for just a fraction of a second.

Celestia noticed.

She capitalized.

Her sword cut deep.

Kouki barely avoided it—his counter came too late, his response slower than before.

Ayumi giggled. "You're incomplete and since whichever angel you fused is still fighting you you can't even use the incomplate powers properly, i am right aren't i?"

Kouki's fingers tensed.

His breath came out sharper.

For the first time—his control wavered.

Ayumi stepped forward, her voice mocking. "Two minds. Two souls. One body. And neither of you wants to bow to the other."

Celestia pressed forward, her strikes growing faster, more relentless.

Kouki—was slowing down.

Not because he was weaker.

Not because Celestia was overpowering him.

But because he was still at war with himself.

And in that moment, Celestia's blade found its mark.

The battlefield shook.

And Kouki, for the first time—felt pain.