Chapter 64 - Junko ShirogetsuHollow NightThe battlefield was chaos, but now, it’s silent.

  Reaper and Daisuke were painting the world in bzes of fire and fury, but the sounds of their violence started to grow distant, like the echoes bouncing off the walls of some faraway pce. The ground shook beneath my feet, and debris rained down on us like the sky itself had shattered - but none of that mattered.

  All I could see was her.

  She was ying across the cracked ground, her body frighteningly still, with blood pooling beneath her like spilled ink. My heart stopped in my chest. Everything else—the fight, the danger, even the scorching heat from the bsts tearing the Night apart ceased to exist. My sister was down.

  “No, no, no,” I whispered, my breath catching in my throat as panic cwed at me. “Sis…”

  My legs were already moving, carrying me forward as fast as they could. I barely noticed the sharp pain in my muscles or the pounding in my head from the shockwaves rattling my skull. All I could think about was reaching her.

  I called for her. My voice cracked, raw and desperate, as though saying her name loudly enough would somehow wake her up.

  A blur of movement caught my eye—Rusuban, sprinting toward Mizuko faster than I could. His cloak billowed behind him, and his face was a mask of terror. He dropped to his knees beside Mizuko, hands trembling as he reached for her.

  “She’s hurt! She’s—she’s bleeding! Someone help!” His voice cracked in a way I’d never heard before, frantic and desperate. It made my chest tighten.

  I didn’t question it. I didn’t have the presence of mind to wonder why Rusuban, who hadn’t come to help us when we were being hunted all this time as promised, and who had been suspiciously absent from our team’s recent effort against Daisuke, was suddenly frantic for my sister’s life. At that moment, I didn’t care. All I knew was that Mizuko needed help, and he was already there.

  The ground shook again, and the roar of Daisuke’s fury rumbled through the air like distant thunder. I turned my head just in time to see Reaper darting toward Mizuko, their grey and white cloak eddying like smoke, figure cutting through the battlefield like a knife. I detected something new in their body nguage; they were frantic. Desperate, even.

  And they had every right to be. If Mizuko died, so would they.

  “Stay back!” Rusuban screamed. For some reason, he was terrified of Reaper’s approach, his voice trembling as he shielded himself with his arms. Another crimson red fg I didn’t notice until it was too te. Still, Reaper wasn’t listening. They didn’t hesitate, didn’t stop.

  But Daisuke wouldn’t let them go.

  With a roar that shook the air, his massive, mutated arm swung out, cws trailing blood red arcs through the air. Reaper barely managed to dodge, twisting their body mid-stride. The momentum sent them skidding to the side, and before they could recover, Daisuke was on them again, his monstrous cws smming into the ground where Reaper had just been.

  I didn’t have time to think about them, though. My focus snapped back to Mizuko. I ran faster, ignoring the pain in my legs and the fire in my lungs. I didn’t care about the debris barrelling down around me or the quakes rattling the battlefield apart.

  Then, without warning, a massive chunk of stone, dislodged by the battle, came hurtling toward me.

  I froze, my instincts screaming at me to move, but I wasn’t fast enough. The shadow of the debris loomed above me, and I knew I wouldn’t make it.

  “WATCH OUT!”

  A blur of fme streaked past me, and suddenly, the heat of the stone was gone. Cunningham crashed down in front of me, his cws catching the debris and tossing it aside with a sharp grunt. His coat fred, fire now licking at its edges as he straightened, turning back to me.

  “You’re going to get yourself killed!” he snapped, his voice edged with concern.

  “Cunningham, I—” My voice broke. I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

  He didn’t wait for me to expin. His sharp eyes had already followed my line of sight to Mizuko. Without another word, he grabbed me by the arm and leaped, dragging me with him toward her.

  The ground blurred beneath us, and the next thing I knew, we were nding hard beside Kinoko and Mizuko. Kinoko’s hands were pressed against Mizuko’s wound, trembling as he tried to stem the bleeding. A sharp metal splinter, with its tip washed in red, y by the side.

  I could feel tears streak my face, my voice shaking as I kept muttering,

  “Stay with me, sis, please…! Please, stay with me.”

  I fell to my knees beside her, my hands hovering uselessly over her body. I didn’t know what to do—didn’t know how to help. All I could see was the blood, so much of it, staining her clothes, her hands, the ground beneath her.

  “What happened?!” Cunningham demanded, his voice sharp as he crouched beside us.

  “I—I don’t know!” Kinoko stammered, his voice cracking. “She—there was debris, and this thing came flying at her—and—” His words dissolved into a choked sob.

  My mind spun, trying to make sense of what he’d said, but the details didn’t matter. Mizuko was hurt—dying—and I couldn’t stop it.

  My hands hovered over her wound, trembling as I struggled to think of something—anything—I could do.

  “Sis,” I whispered, tears spilling down my cheeks as I leaned closer to her. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow, but her eyes fluttered open for a brief moment. She looked at me, her gaze hazy and unfocused.

  “J-Junko…” Her voice was barely audible, a fragile whisper that shattered something deep inside me.

  “I’m here,” I choked out, gripping her hand tightly. “I’m right here. You’re going to be okay. Just hold on, okay? Please, just hold on.”

  She didn’t respond. Her eyes slipped shut again.

  “No, no, no—stay with me!” I shook her gently, my voice cracking as panic cwed at my chest. “Mizuko, don’t you dare leave me! Don’t you—”

  The rest of my words dissolved into a sob just as Cunningham’s head shot up as if remembering something. He de-transformed and reached into his bzer, pulling out a glowing object I didn’t recognize at first.

  “Here, Shirogetsu-san…!” Cunningham’s hand trembled slightly as he lowered the small, glowing orb. The faint golden light that radiated from it painted his face in an otherworldly glow, and for a fleeting moment, hope fred in my chest.

  I didn’t know where he’d gotten it – and frankly didn’t care. What mattered was that it was moving toward Mizuko with purpose, the orb casting shimmering, rippling waves of light over her bloodied body. I leaned closer, clutching my sister’s hand even tighter as the glow seemed to pulse in rhythm with her shallow breaths.

  And then, out of nowhere, it was gone.

  The orb jerked out of Cunningham’s hands as if snatched by some invisible force. He lunged after it, but too te—it sailed through the air and into the waiting grasp of a slender, pale vine that coiled around it like a serpent.

  “What the hell—?!” Cunningham growled, spinning to track it.

  The vine slithered backward, retracting like a fishing line being reeled in. My heart dropped as I followed its path, my breath catching when it nded in the hand of none other than Kinoko Rusuban.

  “No…” I whispered, dread crashing over me like a wave.

  Kinoko stood just a few feet away, the vine retreating into his sleeve as though it had never existed. He grinned, sharp and predatory, holding the orb aloft like a trophy. His once-panicked demeanour had melted away entirely, repced by something cold, calcuting, and deeply unnerving.

  “You—” Cunningham’s voice was a low snarl as fmes flickered at the edges of his form. “What are you doing, Rusuban?!”

  Kinoko tilted his head slightly, the grin widening into something utterly devoid of remorse.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?” he said lightly, as if this were all some kind of stupid game.

  “Give it back! NOW!” I screamed, stumbling to my feet despite the weakness in my legs. My hands trembled with rage, but Kinoko only chuckled.

  “Give it back?” he echoed, his voice dripping with mockery. “Why would I do that, Junko? This little trinket...” He held the orb up, its golden light reflecting in his dark eyes. “It’s far too valuable to waste on someone that isn’t me.”

  The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My vision blurred with fury as I took a step toward him, but Cunningham held out an arm, stopping me in my tracks.

  “Why would you do this?” Cunningham demanded, his voice cold and biting. “We were fighting to protect you, fool! To fix your mistake!”

  The st part was lost on me. Was Rusuban responsible for Daisuke’s… condition?

  Kinoko’s ughter was sharp, almost hysterical, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Oh, Cunningham. Still clinging to those ridiculous notions of loyalty, are we? How quaint.” He turned the orb over in his hands, the light from it growing dimmer as his own aura seemed to grow stronger. “Did you think I’d halt my progress just because you happened to be dealing with a problem of mine for me? Hardly. Besides, Mizuko wasn’t my ally. She was a resource - same as all of you.”

  The words didn’t make sense. My fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms as I intensely struggled to keep my composure. “What are you even talking about, asshole?!”

  Kinoko turned his gaze to me, his grin widening even further.

  “Didn’t Juno tell you? Oh, wait—you weren’t in the know, were you?” His tone was mocking, his eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. “At the start of the night, Juno made something very clear: any pyer who eliminates the target pairing themselves gets double the EXS reward for themselves, and their partners.”

  My stomach dropped.

  “No…” I whispered, shaking my head. “You’re lying.”

  Kinoko’s expression didn’t falter. “Am I?”

  I turned, desperate for some kind of confirmation, and found Eiji and Miharu standing nearby. They’d arrived unnoticed in the chaos, their faces pale as they took in the scene. My gaze locked with Miharu’s, and I saw it—the guilt, the apology, the shame.

  “Kozuki...” My voice cracked as the truth sank in.

  She looked away.

  Eiji stepped forward, her hammer in hand, but her voice was hesitant.

  “It’s true, Junko,” she said quietly.“ Juno made the offer. Mizuko was part of the reward system because she was helping the two of you.”

  I staggered back as if I’d been struck, the weight of the revetion crashing down on me. Mizuko wasn’t just a victim of circumstance—she’d been hunted. Targeted.

  “You…” My voice trembled as I turned back to Kinoko. “You were pnning this from the start.”

  Kinoko’s grin didn’t falter.

  “Of course I was. Why else would I waste my time with the rest of you?” He gestured to Mizuko’s limp form with a casual wave. “The three of you were the key to everything. And now...” He held the orb closer to his chest, his aura darkening as it seemed to absorb the st of its light.

  “Thanks to this little beauty, I don’t need you peasants anymore.”

  My heart raced as I watched him, a strange, almost imperceptible glow beginning to emanate from his body. He tilted his head back, exhaling deeply as the orb dissolved into pure blindingly bright energy, merging with him entirely.

  “What did you do…?!” Cunningham demanded, his voice rising with anger as his gaze flicked between Rusuban and Mizuko.

  Kinoko lowered his head slowly, his grin now tinged with something far more sinister.

  “Good question,” He spread his arms wide, the faint glow radiating from his body intensifying for a moment before settling into something darker, subtler. “Let’s just say... I’ve unlocked a whole new world of possibilities.”

  Before anyone could react, Kinoko raised a hand and snapped his fingers. A faint, almost imperceptible green mist began to spread from his body, dispersing into the air like smoke. It was so fine, so delicate, that it would have been easy to miss if not for the subtle shimmer that accompanied it.

  “Arthur, what the hell is that?” I asked, panic rising in my chest as I instinctively covered my mouth and nose.

  Kinoko only smiled. “Oh, just a little insurance. You’ll see soon enough.”

  The world around us seemed to hold its breath, the chaos of the battlefield—Daisuke and Reaper’s devastating fight, the smoldering debris, the faint shimmer of Kinoko’s mist—all of it reduced to background noise.

  My hand still clutched Mizuko’s, and I could feel the faintest pulse of her life ebbing away with each passing second.

  “Junko,” Arthur murmured, his voice low and steady beside me. It wasn’t a question, nor was it hesitation. Just my name, spoken as if it carried a weight only we could understand.

  I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned my gaze to Kinoko Rusuban, who still stood a few yards away, his cocky grin twisting into something far darker. He was relishing this. Relishing the power he’d stolen, the chaos he’d unleashed, the misery he’d caused. And Mizuko—my Mizuko—y dying because of him.

  Arthur and I didn’t need words to communicate what had to happen next.

  I felt the shift in his presence beside me, his unspoken agreement, the unyielding resolve settling over him like a steel bde unsheathing. My own resolve mirrored his, a storm of fury and purpose coiling inside me, threatening to burst. Slowly, I rose to my feet, ignoring the tremble in my legs as I stared down at my sister. Her breath was ragged, faint, her chest barely rising with each boured inhale. Her hand was still warm, but not for long.

  I crouched beside her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her bloodied face.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking as I pced a hand just above the wound. My fingers sparked faintly, the crackle of electricity humming through my body as I focused the energy into a thin, concentrated line. Mizuko’s body jerked weakly as the charge coursed through her, the blood at the wound bubbling and hissing as it cauterized under the heat. The stench of burning flesh filled the air, but I forced myself to continue, ignoring the sick feeling in my stomach.

  When it was done, I exhaled shakily, wiping sweat from my brow. Mizuko’s breathing steadied slightly—not enough to save her, but enough to buy us time.

  “Eiji,” I said sharply, my voice cutting through the haze of emotions threatening to overtake me. “Watch her. Don’t let anyone near her.”

  Eiji nodded, her expression grim as she tightened her grip on her hammer. “You can count on me.”

  I rose, turning to Miharu, who stood a few feet away, her face pale but her eyes wary. She’d heard everything. She must have realized what we were about to do.

  “Miharu,” I said ftly, my voice cold and unyielding. “I’m going to kill him. I trust you know what that means.”

  Her breath hitched, but she didn’t falter. Her hand drifted to her side, where her cymore hung, and her eyes hardened with quiet determination.

  “Thou canst not.”

  “I can,” I said, stepping closer and looking her dead in the eye. “And I will.”

  Miharu’s shoulders tensed, her lips pressing into a thin line.

  “If you dispatch Cordyceps - under the statutes of this realm, I shall perish also.”

  I stared at her, unblinking, my expression devoid of hesitation.

  “…Then I guess you’d better stop me.”

  The moment hung in the air like a drawn bowstring, tension crackling between us.

  Eventually, as expected, she lunged.

  Her bde whistled through the air, arcing toward my back in a fsh of silver. But I’d seen it coming. My reflexes took over, and I spun, catching the bde with the edge of my electrified wrist guard. Sparks flew as the metal screeched against the charge, and Miharu’s eyes widened in shock.

  I didn’t hesitate. Twisting her bde aside, I shed out with a precise kick to her wrist, forcing her to release the weapon. It cttered to the ground as she staggered back, clutching her arm.

  “You knew this would happen,” I said coolly, my voice devoid of sympathy. “You. Knew.”

  Before Miharu could recover, I turned to Arthur, who had already begun moving toward Kinoko. The determination in his eyes was like a bzing inferno, and I felt a grim satisfaction knowing he’d finish what I couldn’t.

  “Arthur,” I called out, never breaking stride as I stepped past him, toward Miharu, who was already reaching for her bde. “Take care of him. I’ll keep the redhead busy.”

  Arthur didn’t respond with words—he didn’t need to. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, and in a single, fluid motion, he charged toward Kinoko.

  Kinoko’s grin faltered slightly as Arthur closed the distance between them with startling speed.

  “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this,” Kinoko sneered, raising his hand to summon more of the twisted vines that seemed to obey his every command. “Do try to keep up, dog.”

  The ground erupted as the vines shot toward Arthur, but he was ready. His cws sparked with a brilliant, fiery light as he sshed through the vines with ease, the sheer force of his movements shaking the air around him. The look on his face was pure, unbridled fury.

  I didn’t look back. My focus was on Miharu now, who had retrieved her bde and was circling me cautiously. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the hesitation, the guilt. But none of that mattered.

  "Thou need'st not take this path," Miharu said, her voice shaking slightly. "The power of Cordyceps—he is not one thou canst simply—"

  “Shut up,” I snapped, my voice cold and unforgiving. “You chose to protect him, Kozuki. You chose this. Now deal with the consequences already.”

  Miharu gritted her teeth, raising her bde as lightning crackled around my fists. I could feel the rage coursing through me, electrifying every nerve in my body.

  Mizuko’s face fshed in my mind—her pale, bloodied face, her bored breaths. Kinoko’s ughter echoed in my ears, fueling the storm inside me.

  This had stopped being a fight a long time ago - this was justice.

  And tonight, I was being called to deliver it.