Flower Zinnia

Noah was just about to open a portal to the next dimension when he felt a familiar, foreign energy. Before he could react, a silver flash shot through the air.

"LERA!"

Noah's scream broke the silence, but it was too late. Agroname's sword had pierced his sister's body from behind. At the tip of the sword, Arata stood with a cold, terrifying smile.

"Sorry I'm late for the main show," Arata said, spinning his sword slowly. "But I guess there's still time for an interesting epilogue."

Lera coughed, blood dripping from the corner of her lips. Her Exiriazurna — the pure soul that had been the source of her power — began to react with Agroname, creating a terrifying resonance.

"Brother..." Lera whispered weakly, her body starting to glow with unstable energy.

Noah moved as fast as lightning, catching Lera's body before she fell. He could feel how his sister's Exiriazurna was starting to be torn apart by the power of Agroname — an ancient sword specifically designed to destroy the essence of souls.

"Hold on," Noah growled, trying to channel his energy to stabilize Lera's condition. But he knew this was different from ordinary wounds. Agroname not only hurt the body, but also tore the soul's core.

"It's useless," Arata chuckled. "Agroname was designed to hunt pure souls like your sister. Her Exiriazurna will slowly crumble, and with it, her entire being."

Noah stared at Arata with a hatred he had never felt before. Venuszirad in his hand resonated, responding to his anger with waves of destructive energy that shook the air.

"You..." Noah slowly got up, but Lera's weak touch stopped him.

"Don't, brother..." Lera whispered. "Don't let... hatred control you... like Alnaturyu..."

Noah's tears fell as he watched the light in his sister's eyes begin to fade. Lera's Exiriazurna began to break into fragments of light that floated into the air.

"I don't want to go..." Lera sobbed softly. "There are still so many places I want to visit with you..."

"No," Noah shook his head hard, hugging his sister's increasingly light body. "You're not going anywhere. I just got this power. I can definitely—"

"Big brother," Lera smiled weakly, raising her hand to touch Noah's face. "Thank you... for being the best big brother..."

Lera's body began to become transparent, her Exiriazurna almost completely destroyed. Noah could feel how his sister's existence was slowly fading from this dimension.

"Lera..." Noah's voice trembled. "Please..."

"Promise me..." Lera whispered, her voice barely audible. "Promise me to stay... the Noah I know... the Noah who always... seeks balance and is good friends with my friend Enah..."

With those last words, Lera's body completely transformed into fragments of light that floated into the air. Her Exiriazurna shattered into pieces, leaving Noah kneeling with empty hands.

Arata observed the scene with a satisfied expression. "It's terrible that you couldn't save her, now that this little nuisance is over—"

His words trailed off as he felt a change in the air. The energy flowing from Noah's body was different from before — darker, more dangerous.

"A minor disturbance?" Noah's voice sounded strange even to his own ears. He slowly stood up, and the ground around him began to crack. "You call my sister's life... a minor disturbance?"

The Venuszirad in his hand resonated with an intensity never seen before—a far purer energy. The energy of pure destruction began to flow from the sword, mixing with Noah's now-angry divine power.

"Oh?" Arata took a stance, Agroname gleaming in his hand. "What is this? The bringer of balance has finally lost control?"

Noah didn't answer. His usually golden eyes were now pitch black with a ring of white fire in the center. In his hand, Venuszirad began to change shape, responding to the changes in its wielder's heart.

"Unforgivable, Arata!"

Noah's voice boomed, making the air tremble. The ground around him instantly shattered, creating a giant crater that continued to widen. The Venuszirad in his hand now radiated a reddish-black aura that had never been seen before—a manifestation of unstoppable anger and sorrow.

Arata, who had been smiling arrogantly, began to sense something unusual. The energy emanating from Noah was different from what he had anticipated. This was no longer the power of a candidate for a Supreme God — it was something far more ancient, far more terrifying.

“You…” Noah stepped forward, and with each step he made the reality around him crumble violently. “How dare…”

Noah's first attack was so fast that Arata could barely see it. Venuszirad struck his body with such force that it cut into the very essence of his soul. The shockwave of energy from the impact shattered the rocks around them into dust.

"Wait—" Arata tried to retaliate, but Noah had already disappeared from sight.

"[Chara Eiz Geina]!"

In an instant, Noah appeared in multiple spots simultaneously, each shadow swinging Venuszirad with deadly precision. Arata tried to block, but the attacks came too many, too fast.

"Argh!" Arata screamed as one of the slashes tore into his shoulder. Blood poured out, but that wasn't what scared him. There was something about Noah's energy that felt...no. As if the balance of the universe itself was beginning to shake.

"[Laciore]!"

Noah raised Venuszirad high, and reality around them began to shatter like glass. From the cracks, the energy of pure destruction poured out, creating a storm that tore everything apart.

Arata felt a fear he had never felt before. His body trembled uncontrollably. This was not a fight he could win — not even one he could survive.

"Die." Noah raised his hand, and giant magic circles appeared in the sky.

"NO!" Arata screamed in panic. With a desperate move, he thrust Agroname into the ground. "[Emergency Art: Dimensional Escape]!"

A dimensional portal opened beneath Arata's feet, and without thinking, he jumped in. Fear had completely taken over him — fear of a power he didn't even understand.

"COWARD!" Noah charged, but it was too late. The portal had already closed, swallowing Arata into an unknown dimension.

Noah stood amidst the destruction of 100 Dimensions caused by all the power of Venuszirad, his breath ragged. Slowly, the light in his eyes began to dim, returning to its original color. Venuszirad stopped shaking, as if calming itself down.

"Lera…" Noah whispered, falling to his knees. His tears fell, mixing with the dust of destruction. "I'm sorry... I failed to keep your last promise..."

The wind blew softly, carrying with it the last fragments of light from Lera's Exiriazurna. In the distance, other dimensional structures collided with each other, creating a terrifying rain of rocks.

Noah slowly rose, his eyes fixed on the horizon. He knew Arata was still alive somewhere, hiding in fear. And as long as his brother's killer was still breathing, he would not stop searching.

But this time would be different. For Lera, for his promise, he had to find a way to hunt Arata down without losing himself in the darkness. Because that was what Lera wanted — an older brother who maintained balance, even in his vengeance.

"Wait for me, Arata," Noah whispered, holding Venuszirad tightly. "We will meet again. And when that time comes... I will make my own reckoning."