Every lightning bolt Shoun created was guided by Kaze's winds to strike the two demons with controlled precision. The impact kicked up massive dust clouds, revealing upon dissipation a bleeding Jack shielding a dazed, disoriented Jace.
The coordinated attack was never meant to kill, yet Jack refused to trust Clover Flush's "mercy," sacrificing his body to protect his brother.
—Jack!?— The blue demon shifted to assess the damage, his brother's body was battered but not fatally wounded.
—I'm...haaah...fine. We can still win, Jace. We just need to, Agh!— Jack's attempt to rise failed, his injuries forcing him back to his knees beside his brother. Before they could react, Kaze and Shoun stood over them, weapons poised to prevent movement.
—Guess we won— Kaze remarked to Shoun. Before the younger could reply, a silhouette emerged on the ravaged battlefield—none other than Sein, carrying the exhausted mage over his shoulder.
—Oh! Looks like you guys won too. Happy for you!— Sein dropped Joy beside her teammates. The drained mage surveyed their wounds but lacked the spiritual energy to heal them, sighing inwardly at her helplessness—So...now that we've won, what do we do with them?
At that question, The Three Jacks' hearts sank. Once again, they faced their failure, only this time with no chance to escape. Now, their fate rested in their enemies' hands.
—(We gave everything...and still lost...)— Frustration and rage flooded Jack's mind, but his broken body couldn't transform those emotions into strength. He stared at Shoun, who seemed to hold their future in his hands. The young man's cold gaze and white-knuckled grip on his sword, thirsting for their blood, left no doubt—(Him...it's always him. Even without that boy stopping Joy, the outcome wouldn't have changed. Shoun Foster would've defeated us).
Their minds synchronized one last time in a dark realization: Shoun's power no longer felt like an apprentice's, nor even a human's. To them, he'd become Death itself, the Reaper now hovering his scythe over their lives.
Meanwhile, Shoun's thoughts raced. Three lives hinged on his decision. He recalled his jacuzzi conversation with Deuz on his birthday:
—(...we can't keep doing this forever. That's the truth)— The idea of killing them resurfaced. Back then, he'd accepted it as the logical choice, eliminating the threat to his friends. But it would make him a murderer. Even in the mirror world where evidence could be hidden, the weight of that act remained. He knew Kaze and Deuz would support him, while Robin and Sein would vehemently oppose—(Seems I'm the one who must tip the scales).
Pros and cons flashed through his mind repeatedly. He understood how each path would alter his life. Yet ultimately, he set aside cold logic, trusting his instincts instead, not because emotions were risk-free, but because he knew he'd never regret what his heart decided.
—Haaah...you guys are such a pain in the ass, you know that?— Without explaining his reasoning, the young man lowered his sword, though didn't sheath it. Kaze followed suit, no longer aiming at their enemies, though neither dropped their guard—I see you're scared shitless, but relax, I won't kill you. Unlike you, I'm not a murderer. That said, letting you walk away scot-free would be just as stupid. So tell me, can we reach an agreement?
—...You know we can't. Your friend will destroy the world. Stopping him is our duty—Jack refused sternly, his companions echoing the sentiment.
—Says who? Some millennia-old prophecy? Sounds like bullshit to me. Kaze's a person who, despite his...quirks, is completely normal. Maybe a bit eccentric. Like, he loves movies. Favorite food? Pancakes.
—And he really likes sugary drinks!
—That— Kaze shrunk slightly at his friends' descriptions, embarrassed. The Three Jacks watched skeptically, yet the idea of Kaze as a person began seeping in—And here's the thing, you call him "thing" to avoid facing reality. He has a name. People who care about him. People who'd grieve if he were gone...Just like me, you don't actually want blood on your hands. Am I wrong?
—...So what if you're right? We've known our destiny since childhood, to save the world! That's our reality!—The red demon's resolve wavered as he shouted. He'd once accepted the enthusiast's words about handling Clover Flush alone, sparing his group the burden of killing. If anyone had to bear it, it'd be him. He couldn't turn back now. Couldn't abandon the purpose ingrained in him since infancy, because relinquishing it meant confronting an unknown world.
—Haaah... I don't even know why he tried— Shoun turned to look at his companions, who simply shrugged wearily at the situation—Do you think we should schedule his assassination attempts or something?
—Maybe. By the way, Shoun, didn't Deuz mention something about them trying to break a seal?— the small one asked, somewhat confused.
—Now that you mention it... three idiots. What were they trying to unleash here?
—What the hell are you—
—Guys, it's ready, come on!— The Three Jacks instantly recognized the enthusiast voice. Unaware of his plan but trusting him, they didn't hesitate to head toward him. Jace gave a small stomp, creating an ice wall between them and the confused members of the Clover Flush. Then, with difficulty, they began running toward the amateur, who was seen sprinting toward the horizon.
—Damn it! They had an accomplice. We can't let them break a random seal in the Mirror World. If they keep messing around, they'll be the ones who end up destroying the world—The exhausted members of the Clover Flush began chasing the fugitives.
They quickly closed the gap but were unable to fully catch them, so they resorted to using their abilities to negate that advantage. However, The Three Jacks responded in kind, leading to another stalemate and leaving them no choice but to keep pursuing.
Little by little, they left the area affected by their battle. The colorless streets of the Mirror World came into view. In everyone's memory, this place was nothing short of horrible, uncomfortable, and above all, dangerous. Yet many of their memories of it still held a hint of happiness, of unity. No matter how awful it was, no one could help but feel a little fondness for it.
Even so, terror was a powerful deterrent, and that became clear when the members of the Clover Flush stopped, ceasing their pursuit of The Three Jacks, frightened.
—What a strange place— Jace commented as he analyzed the area they were in.
—It must be one of the singular places Mr. Kai told us about— Joy replied.
—We're already close, don't stop!— The three kept running, unaware of the danger they were exposing themselves to by entering the City of Ash.
—Damn it...— Shoun voiced his frustration sharply.
—Shoun, this isn't the time to stop! If we let them enter the City of Ash freely, they'll end up dead— Sein was the first to step forward into the ash, followed hesitantly by Kaze.
—Aah... How crazy do you have to be to want to save the guys we were fighting two minutes ago?— With that said, the three youths began running toward The Three Jacks again.
Soon, both groups could see the enthusiast standing right at the center of the City of Ash, wearing a broad grin. The Three Jacks positioned themselves beside him, while the Clover Flush members arrived shortly after and stood facing them.
—What did you prepare, Mr. Kai?—Jack asked, hoping the plan devised by the enthusiast would save them from their current disadvantage.
—...— The enthusiast didn't respond. Instead, dozens of black tentacles stretched out from every nearby shadow, quickly latching onto everyone present, except the enthusiast, who now wore a wide grin.
—What!?— Jack shouted, wrestling against the unknown tentacles just like his companions. But their struggle was futile; every attempt to break free only granted momentary relief before even more tentacles tightened around them.
Meanwhile, Sein, Shoun, and Kaze didn't resist their restraints out of sheer shock. After all, they clearly recognized the tentacles now imprisoning them.
—Phew. Luckily, you're more exhausted than I expected. Otherwise, restraining you would've been tricky, don't you think?—Deuz emerged from one of the empty houses in the City of Ash. The enthusiast didn't reply but still walked toward him—Haaaah. What a shame. Even though I can now make the shadows I manipulate take human form, they still can't speak. A pity.
Finally, the enthusiast's silhouette blurred and collapsed in on itself, turning into a shadow that swiftly merged with Deuz's feet.
—What the hell is going on here, Deuz!?— the young man demanded, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief.
—I thought you were smarter. Why ask such obvious questions? But to answer: I'm betraying you, though that's debatable, since I was never truly on your side—He replied, his voice and face now icy. He then turned to The Three Jacks—And I got lucky that you three believed a perfect stranger would be ready to help with everything you needed. How naïve!
—What did you do to Mr. Kai!?— The red demon unleashed his flames, but the shadow tentacles quickly tightened around his throat, strangling him.
—Tch. I thought you were smarter too. But let me spell it out for you, Jack— He passed his hand over his face, and when he removed it, he revealed the enthusiast's face before speaking in his voice— The one you knew as "Kai" never existed!
The revelation made Jack's group feel a lump in their throats, falling into shock just like the Clover Flush. Seeing the pained and confused expressions of those who were once their "companions" made Deuz—who had regained his original face and voice—laugh again.
—Hahaha, seeing your faces is truly exhilarating!— The shadow trembled with laughter, unsettling everyone present even more— It's a shame none of you will end up dead! That would've been even more thrilling, but oh well, you can't have everything.
—Why?— the young man asked quietly, causing Deuz to stop laughing and look at him again— Why are you doing all this, Deuz!?
—Why am I doing this?—The shadow repeated the question with a friendly expression as he approached Shoun and grabbed his chin. But as he held him, his expression twisted into one of disgust and hatred— Because I hate every single human. Playing with you and making you suffer is the least you deserve. If I could, I'd torture you all to death, but I need to fulfill my destiny to finally be free.
Despite his words, the new Dominator Deuz delivered a powerful punch straight to Shoun's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him dazed.
—It's not your time to die yet, Shoun. But when that moment comes, I'll personally be your executioner— With that, the shadow stepped back, savoring the expressions of everyone present one last time before speaking again—This has gone on long enough. Let's finish what I came here to do, once and for all.
From the same house where the shadow had previously been hiding, one more person emerged, none other than a bound Robin. Like the others, they were helpless against Deuz's tyrannical grip. Deuz quickly positioned Robin and himself so that the eight people formed a circle. Instantly, a Codex screen appeared before everyone, frightening them even more:
[Requirements to unleash the third seal have been fulfilled]
[The seal of "Masuku, the Singularity" has been broken]
Suddenly, a powerful earthquake shook the entire Mirror World. Everyone would be released moments later by the shadow, falling to the ground as they watched all the ash in the city begin to rise and spin, creating multiple tornadoes.
The entire space began feeling heavier as each catastrophe compounded the previous one, but then everything suddenly stopped. The earthquake ceased and the ash returned to its inert state. This confusion lasted until the youths noticed a new element nearby, a mask.
It looked exactly like Kaze's, except this one had no expression. The abandoned mask in the ash suddenly began to float, turning to face the terrified youths. Upon closer inspection, they could clearly see that the mask, or rather, Masuku, was an Executor. Beyond its rank, inspecting it made another Codex screen appear to once again display the creature's name:
Masuku, the Singularity.
The mask took a moment, but finally recognized its enemies. Without warning, it began growing in size. One meter, two meters... Masuku, which was purely a mask, reached ten meters tall, blocking the youths from the unnatural white light that illuminated the Mirror World.
The mask rose further into the sky, emitting a sound like bones being crushed - this because the "mouth" area of the mask began cracking, forming new sharp, intimidating features. From behind the mask, black thread-like tendrils emerged, hanging limply.
The Executor's presence finally manifested. The youths felt small, as if the very space around them turned against them, squeezing them and stealing their breath, even forcing them to look at the mask. This instilled a new fear that seized all their minds.
Feeling their enemies' gazes upon it, Masuku fired its tendrils at them all. The youths closed their eyes, helplessly awaiting the worst.
After a few seconds, they realized nothing had happened. Opening their eyes, they saw all tendrils frozen mere centimeters from their bodies, unable to pierce them for reasons unknown to the youths. But to Masuku, it was crystal clear. Enraged, the mask roared:
—GRAaa!—The Executor's mere scream further shattered the youths' minds. The Three Jacks, due to exhaustion, fainted outright. Meanwhile, the Clover Flush members covered their ears and writhed on the ground, all except Deuz, who watched the entire scene from a safer distance.
—We need to get to safety!— shouted the scientist. Everyone agreed. Robin helped Sein up while Kaze assisted Shoun. Together, the four moved toward an abandoned house, preparing to quickly activate their abilities to escape the Mirror World.
Aware of these events, Masuku grew angry again. Its tendrils began moving once more, slicing through empty space as if it were paper. Instantly, multiple portals to unknown places opened, one particularly close to the youths. Unlike the other portals, these didn't transport vestiges; they attracted. The unconscious Three Jacks were instantly sucked in, vanishing from sight.
The Clover Flush members weren't safe either. Robin desperately clung to the house with all their strength while holding Sein, who gripped Shoun's hand, who in turn held Kaze with his other hand, all barely resisting the suction.
—Damn it, Kaze, activate your ability!— The masked one complied with Shoun's order, triggering the skill to extract them from the Mirror World. But noticing this, Masuku fixed Kaze with a personal glare of pure contempt.
—Aaagh!— Kaze suddenly felt his mind being tortured. He tried to resist, but against Masuku, he stood no chance. As he collapsed unconscious, Shoun swiftly grabbed his wrist, now barely enduring the portal's pull alone.
Seeing Kaze unconscious, they tried activating the ability themselves, only to find it didn't work. Unlike with Kaze, Masuku could outright block their skills from letting them leave its domain.
—It won't activate!— the scientist declared desperately.
—Stay calm! Together, we can withstand this!— Sein cried, fearful yet hopeful—Right, Shoun?
—...— The young man didn't respond. He looked back once more—the portal was dragging Kaze further away with each second. Shoun knew he'd lose his grip eventually. He racked his brain for other abilities, but none could save them now. For a brief moment, he considered letting go, then immediately rejected the thought. His promise to Kaze"I'll always be by your side", flashed through his mind. With visible sorrow, he turned to his companions one last time:
He saw Sein's exhaustion, remembered all their joyful moments together, especially his vow to protect him, both to himself and to Sein's grandmother.
He saw Robin, the rift between them now nearly gone. Shoun no longer cared that they were government-affiliated; these events had proven Robin trustworthy, someone he'd entrust with his life. Knowing this, Shoun spoke his final words to his cherished friends:
—I'll come back. Robin, take care of Sein for me.
—What!?
—No, Shoun, don't!— Robin and Sein reacted instantly, but it was too late. Shoun released his grip on Sein, letting the portal swallow both him and the unconscious Kaze.
Stunned, Robin and Sein loosened their own holds—not that it mattered anymore. Masuku decided enough was enough, sealing every portal with the same tendrils that created them... all except one, which the mask retreated through before it vanished.
—...
—...— The scientist and the boy stood silent. Everything had happened too fast. Without realizing it, two friends were now gone. The Mirror World's silence returned, broken only by Deuz's approaching footsteps.
—That's exactly what Shoun would do— The two turned hostile glares toward him but took no action, the shadow now outranked them entirely. —Hah. A fitting end for this stupid group. Oh, and in case it wasn't clear, I quit.
Deuz's Clover Bracelet materialized before his face, only to be dropped and crushed underfoot. As it shattered, the hat engraving vanished from the others' bracelets.
—I'd love to watch you suffer, but time's short. Know this: next time we meet, if fate allows, I'll kill you myself— Without another word, Deuz melted into his shadow, leaving Robin and Sein speechless. They exchanged one last glance before tears began to fall.