Chapter 30.7 - Sacrifice on the Battlefield
The tension within the Zodiac Houses was palpable. Raiga, Arion, and Gyuuma—three powerful Zodiac Emissaries—advanced with determination toward the House of Gemini, fully aware that an obstacle awaited them. As they passed through the gate, they were greeted by the furious and mysterious figure of Geminus. Her expression was one of sheer frustration, her gaze shifting between disdain and a blend of rage and madness.
- Geminus: "You really are stubborn, Raiga," she said with a sarcastic smile. "How did you manage to get through without me noticing?"
Raiga smirked confidently and replied:
- Raiga: "You were so caught up in your own anger, you didn't even notice me taking a shortcut. Deep down, maybe you knew I'd get here no matter what."
However, Raiga's smile vanished when Geminus kept speaking, revealing the true source of her fury. Orpheus of Ophiuchus had sent a warning through the Celestial Wanderers: a young man had escaped from Helheim and was still advancing along the path of the twelve temples. With venomous frustration in her voice, Geminus muttered:
- Geminus: "He escaped my ability!!!" Her words blazed with fury. At that moment, her helmet cracked open, revealing a woman of intense beauty—yet with a gleam of insanity in her eyes. "And now... I can't let any of you pass, not after seeing my face."
Meanwhile, as Midoki, Throk, and Elliot approached the frozen battlefield within the House of Aquarius, they were met with a daunting and terrifying sight: Neptune, defeated and paralyzed by his own abilities combined with the Trident of Aquarius, was completely frozen. Kamuz, too, was immobilized—trapped in the brutal frost created by an overwhelming cryokinetic force, a reflection of the battle's sheer intensity.
Back in the House of Pisces, amidst the chaos, Marinus raised his Seishin - Yoroi (condensed spiritual energy), enhancing his needles through the Unique Resort perk and unlocking his ultimate, feared technique: Instant Death—a technique that, regardless of where it hits, always pierces the heart and drains all blood. The air grew heavier, the tension mounting—as if even time itself hesitated in the face of imminent fatality.
Sensing the looming danger, Midoki used the last of his energy to activate the Shinrei of Eminence, manipulating space through the Law of Manipulacionism – Space, opening a path between the Houses of Aquarius and Pisces. In a desperate and heroic act, he placed himself in front of Elyra to protect her, taking the full impact of Instant Death. His sacrifice shifted the battlefield's atmosphere, plunging it into deep tension and tragic uncertainty.
The Pisces Needle struck Midoki's heart, and his blood spilled across the cold, shadowed floor of the House of Pisces, triggering the devastating effect of Instant Death. Elyra, a silent and traumatized witness, watched as Midoki faced what could be his final moments. The intensity peaked when Throk, still weakened, made a desperate charge at Marinus using his Rage. But Elliot, with a final burst of resolve, intervened with his ability Breeze – Windes Segen, channeling all his power into one last attack: L.V.A. Arrows. The deadly arrow soared across the field, and before the Pisces Emissary could utter a word, it pierced him—brutally and silently ending the battle in the penultimate house of Mount Olympus, bringing a fleeting calm after Midoki's sacrifice.
The revelation of Geminus' second, darker personality brought a wave of threatening energy to the air. She raised her daggers, channeling her spiritual ability, Double Sentence. The aura around her grew oppressive, filled with the presence of death and judgment. Gyuuma stepped forward with a stern expression.
- Gyuuma: "Looks like we'll have to force our way through this house," he said, raising the colossal Taurus Gauntlet, feeling the weight of its seismic power.
With a swift motion, Geminus hurled her Gemini Daggers with absolute precision—a reflection of her Guaranteed Hit perk. Raiga quickly activated his Radiant Shield, deflecting one of the daggers with a luminous impact that lit up the hall. Yet Geminus grinned wickedly as the second dagger curved mid-air, bypassing the defense and nearly striking Raiga, who narrowly dodged at the last second.
Arion then leapt into the fray, invoking his Fierce Spear technique, and with the telekinesis granted by his spiritual ability, launched it with incredible speed and accuracy. Geminus dodged skillfully, but Arion followed up with Agile Slash, and despite the distance, she was struck by multiple cuts, as if the blade had struck her hundreds of times.
- Geminus: "Enough games," she said, wiping a trail of blood from her face. With a furious cry, she activated her ability Sentenced Piercing, firing a deadly energy beam toward Gyuuma. "I know my ability doesn't affect you three directly... but it still hurts like hell if it hits."
Gyuuma, unfazed, slammed the Taurus Gauntlet into the floor, activating Gigamoto. The ground shook violently, cracks spreading across the chamber, throwing Geminus off balance. The tremors were so intense that even with her speed and precision, she was flung backward, crashing into one of the towering columns within the House of Gemini.
She rose with a murderous glare, but before she could retaliate, Raiga entered Lion Mode, his aura taking the form of a great flaming lion. He raised his Lion Blade and unleashed his technique Divine Light Slash, sending a blade of light slicing through the air toward Geminus. She tried to evade, but Raiga's speed prevailed, striking her with a devastating blow that shattered the marble beneath her.
As Geminus rose again, seething, Arion and Gyuuma advanced together for a final strike. Gyuuma activated his 30-Thousand-Ton Tunic, boosting his weight and resistance, while Arion manipulated his spear telekinetically for rapid, precise assaults. Gyuuma struck with overwhelming strength. Geminus fought fiercely, but the trio's coordination overwhelmed her.
With a final roar from Raiga, the Lion Blade blazed with fiery light. He activated Big Body, amplifying his power, and unleashed the Roar of the Sun, igniting flames around Geminus. The explosion hurled her back, and, exhausted and defeated, she collapsed unconscious to the floor.
The battle was over. Raiga, Arion, and Gyuuma took deep breaths, knowing they had overcome one of the most formidable warriors among all the emissaries.
Meanwhile, in the House of Pisces, Midoki lay at death's door, having taken the fatal blow of Marinus's Instant Death. Blood poured from his chest, painting the floor crimson. Elliot, shaken with rage and sorrow, stood frozen, until Throk placed a hand on his shoulder.
- Throk: "Midoki will return..." he murmured, with an uncanny certainty.
Elliot turned to him, disbelieving.
- Elliot: "How can you say that, Throk?" he asked. "When someone dies in this world... there's no coming back."
Throk stared at Midoki's motionless body and replied:
- Throk: "Just watch, Elliot. We have a mission to finish. Let's head to the final house."
Reluctantly, Elliot nodded, and the two advanced toward the House of Ophiuchus, leaving Elyra behind in a state of deep shock, unable to process the scene before her.
Finally, after only a few minutes (faster than even Spink could manage), Raiga, Arion, and Gyuuma arrived at the House of Pisces, where they found Midoki gravely wounded. Raiga knelt beside his fallen companion and said firmly:
- Raiga: "Don't worry, someone is coming to help you. Stay strong, Midoki." – He then looked at Elyra, his gaze reassuring. – "Take care of him."
- Elyra: "..."
And with one final exchange of resolute looks, the three prepared to move on toward the House of Ophiuchus, fully aware that the final battle against Orpheus of Ophiuchus awaited them.
The scene then shifts to Neptune, still unconscious and encased in ice within the House of Aquarius. It then focuses briefly on Spink, who remains motionless in the House of Capricorn. Finally, the narrative transitions to the Limbo, where Midoki finds himself standing before Pyndera and Gyndera, witnessing an enigmatic fusion between the two.