Chapter 199: The Tragedy Left Unspoken

The sky suddenly darkened. A man slowly descended from above, his figure cloaked in a sinister shadow. Upon landing, his body swelled abruptly, transforming into a massive armored dragon. Black scales shimmered with a cold metallic sheen, and his enormous form blotted out the sun, rendering everything around him small and helpless.

The eight individuals instinctively stepped back, their pupils dilating as panic spread across their faces. Seiki clenched his jaw, suppressing his fear, and raised his finger with defiant anger. "Exclamation Point!"

The unleashed energy roared toward the dragon like an unstoppable force. Yet, upon impact, it left no trace—no dust, no mark. The dragon's heavy scales remained unscathed, as if the attack had never occurred.

"This…" Seiki's heart sank, and he muttered in disbelief.

Standing beside him, Myouto's eyes narrowed, instantly discerning the situation. He knew well the destructive power of Seiki's Exclamation Point. If it had no effect, then this dragon was clearly beyond the realm of brute strength. He spoke coldly, a tinge of despair in his voice: "Stop—everyone."

The dragon's eyes bore down on them, mocking their powerlessness. A suffocating pressure filled the air, crushing any thought of escape.

Myouto turned sharply to Gen. "Open a gate! Get us out of here!"

Gen froze for a moment before reacting, his arm rotating in a practiced motion. "Gate!" A rift tore open instantly, offering an escape route. The group prepared to flee, but Myouto stayed rooted, drawing a deep breath as he spoke coldly: "Go. I'll stay."

"What?" Kuhina gasped in shock.

Myouto did not respond. Closing his eyes briefly, he exhaled deeply and then raised his arms, his voice resonating like thunder: "Summon! Twin Axes—Shadow of Doom!"

The ground trembled violently as if answering his call. A low rumble echoed through the air, and an intense light blazed before Myouto. A colossal twin-bladed axe materialized, its blades black as night and inscribed with intricate, glowing red runes. It emanated an aura of ancient power, like a primordial beast awakening.

"Boom!"

As the axe fell into Myouto's grasp, the space around him distorted, torn apart by an invisible force. Violent gusts erupted from the axe, fracturing the earth beneath him. Rocks flew in all directions.

Standing firm, the axe in hand, Myouto faced the towering armored dragon. His eyes burned fiercely with unwavering determination. Slowly lifting the weapon, he roared: "Run while you can!"

"You're insane!" Lixy screamed. "This is suicide!"

"Shut up!" Myouto bellowed. "Do you want everyone to die here?!"

The dragon's gaze shifted slightly, as if recognizing something. Its deep voice boomed like thunder: "This… Final Weapon No. 8? In the hands of a mere child?"

Myouto smirked grimly, raising the twin axes. "Let's see if it's enough to take you down!"

With that, the axes descended, carrying a devastating force that seemed to tear the heavens apart. The dragon didn't dodge. Instead, it raised its massive frame to meet the blow head-on.

"Clang—"

The clash resonated painfully in the air, shaking the ground and sending shockwaves rippling outward. For the first time, the dragon's impenetrable scales were breached, a deep gash revealing bone beneath. But for a creature of its size, the wound was minor.

The dragon's eyes turned cold, and it raised a colossal claw, sweeping it toward Myouto with the weight of a mountain.

"Myouto! Dodge!" Kuhina screamed desperately.

He didn't have time. The claw struck with brutal force, shattering half his body. Blood rained from the sky as his mangled form flew backward, crashing into the ground and carving out a crater.

"Myouto!" Kuhina cried, tears streaming uncontrollably.

The others were frozen, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. The twin axes fell, embedding themselves into the dirt, their glow dimming as if mourning their fallen wielder.

Gen's eyes glistened with tears as he stared at Myouto's broken form, his hand trembling.

Myouto smiled weakly, his face oddly serene. "Don't take me... Gen, listen… or we'll all die."

Gen bit his lip, choking back his sobs.

Shingin surged forward, his expression a mix of despair and rage. "Gen! What are you doing?! Myouto's still there! Save him—"

Gen didn't respond. He grabbed Shingin, holding him back with an unyielding grip. His voice was hoarse and laden with pain: "Don't… He knows what he's doing."

Shingin struggled furiously, his eyes fixated on Myouto's broken body, the twin axes still clutched in his bloodied hands as if they embodied his final resolve.

Kuhina pounded Gen's arms in desperation. "Let go of him! Myouto's still alive! Shingin will hate you forever!"

Gen's bloodshot eyes locked onto hers. His voice was sharp as a blade: "Shut up! Do you want him to die too? Myouto's sacrifice wasn't for nothing!"

Kuhina froze, her tears streaming silently as reality crushed her spirit.

The dragon's steps grew louder, each one shaking the ground like a death knell.

Gen's expression hardened. Without hesitation, he shoved Shingin, Kuhina, and the others into the closing rift. The portal shattered moments later under the dragon's claw, sealing their escape.

The battlefield fell eerily silent as Gen faced the dragon alone. Bloodied and broken, his trembling fingers traced glowing patterns on his arm. He muttered, his voice laced with grim determination: "Key Road…"

A shimmering path appeared, pulling the survivors toward safety, leaving Gen to confront the dragon and its impenetrable shadow.

Accompanied by a gentle blue light, Key Road quietly took form, transforming into a transparent, parallel path. The power, gentle yet irresistible, tugged at Shingin, gradually pushing him toward the end of Key Road.

"Phantom, what are you doing?! Let me go! I want to stay!" Shingin roared and struggled, tears blurring his vision.

Phantom, however, did not respond. He stared coldly at Shingin, his expression as unyielding as iron. "Don't play hero. If you stay, you'll only throw your life away."

"You bastard—!" Shingin shouted in fury, but he couldn't break free from the binding force of Key Road. His body gradually disappeared at the far end of the parallel path, leaving behind only a despairing scream that echoed across the heavens and earth.

Phantom turned to face the dragon, his eyes icy and his voice low and menacing:

"Don't underestimate a child... I'll kill you."

His Key Hand spun violently, forcibly opening a pitch-black void gate. The energy radiating from the gate was eerie and dangerous, like a rift leading to an unknown abyss. Phantom stepped into the gate without hesitation, shutting it firmly behind him.

As the void gate closed, both the dragon and Phantom vanished from the battlefield, leaving behind a heavy, deathly silence.

Arriving belatedly, Yuko stood in the distance, her wide eyes filled with disbelief as she took in the scene before her. Her body trembled slightly, her lips quivering as silent tears streamed down her cheeks, unable to bear the sudden blow.

Her hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, yet she didn't seem to feel the pain. Her voice was hoarse and trembling, as if trying to suppress a storm of anger and sorrow:

"Shingin… He abandoned Kushina and his comrades and ran away alone?"

The words tore through the last shreds of composure in her heart like a blade. The figure who usually laughed and fought alongside everyone now felt utterly foreign in the face of life and death. Yuko's gaze was a mix of anger and despair, her chest heaving as though weighed down by a thousand-pound boulder, leaving her gasping for air.

"How could he…" Yuko's voice dropped to a whisper, laden with endless pain. "That person, who always acted like nothing mattered, who joked and played with us… at this moment, he left my sister, and all of us, behind..."

Tears blurred her vision, and her heart ached as if being torn apart. Yet she had no outlet to vent her emotions and could only stand frozen, overwhelmed by the tides of anguish washing over her.

However, the truth was not what it seemed.

Behind Yuko, a mischievous girl smirked, her eyes glinting with a hint of malice. With her arms crossed over her chest, she hummed a light tune, as if relishing an exquisite drama unfolding before her.

She murmured to herself, "It seems the seed of my illusion has been planted… This misunderstanding will only grow more interesting with time."

In the distance, heavy footsteps suddenly echoed across the horizon. The man reappeared, his oppressive presence dominating the battlefield. His gaze swept over the remnants of the clash before settling on the girl radiating mischievous energy.

He approached her step by step, his voice cold as frost:

"You… are the mastermind behind this illusion."

The girl didn't deny it. She smiled, revealing a row of white teeth, and replied softly, "Yes, I am. Did you enjoy it?"

The man remained silent for a moment, his deep and icy eyes fixed on her. Then, with an air of command, he said,

"I give you a mission. From now on, you must find him. No matter where he runs—elementary school, middle school, or for the rest of his life—you are to shadow him. Never let him out of your sight."

The girl raised an eyebrow, her smile laced with intrigue. "Sounds fun. And then?"

The man's gaze was as sharp as a blade as he coldly continued,

"From today onward, you are Watcher No. 19."

The girl's wicked smile widened, and a bloodthirsty glint flashed in her eyes. "This mission... I'll take it."

The man stood silently in the middle of the battlefield, his gaze sweeping over the scattered remains and the dissipating void fissure in the distance. His expression remained cold and unshaken, yet his eyes carried a depth of calculation.

"The abilities of these seven children… are all so damn troublesome," he muttered, his tone filled with cold deliberation.

He recalled the recent battle—those children, whether it was the Key Hand, the destructive power of the Exclamation Mark, or the earth-shaking force of the dual battle axes—all seemed like meticulously designed weapons to break through impossible odds. His lips curled into a faint sneer of disdain.

"There's no way… that only one of them is useless," his gaze unconsciously shifted toward the direction where Shingin had disappeared. His eyes sharpened.

"If he really is just an ordinary person, that would be too lucky," the man paused, his expression turning frostier by the second. A lethal intent filled the air, sharp as a blade cutting through the stillness.

"But if he's a BUG… or an anomaly hiding a cheat ability..."

His hand clenched tightly, and he uttered three cold, merciless words:

"Kill without mercy."