hinju, with Mikail's Spear still embedded in his chest, forced himself forward with the last of his strength.
He made it to the rocks.
Then… he couldn't take another step.
His knees gave out.
He collapsed.
His consciousness faded.
After the golden dome vanished…
For the first time in the Void, the sun rose.
The dark aura that had smothered everything began to withdraw.
The sky opened.
The pressure of a thousand years… disappeared in an instant.
Panic spread through the Land of Angels.
With the golden dome gone, the people gathered before the palace, unable to understand what had just happened.
As the king and his soldiers withdrew in silence—
Koharu moved.
She descended toward the rocky area.
And then… she saw him.
Shinju.
Lying there, covered in blood—
with a spear piercing his chest.
Koharu's steps slowed.
Her gaze locked onto his face.
Still.
Motionless.
As if he weren't lying in the aftermath of a battle…
but simply sleeping.
His lashes trembled faintly beneath his closed eyes.
His features were sharp, clean.
Even the blood and wounds couldn't make him look ugly.
Koharu stepped closer without realizing it.
Her heart began to race.
Her throat went dry.
"…Was he always this… handsome?"
The moment the words left her lips, she froze.
Her eyes widened.
Color rushed to her cheeks.
She looked away quickly.
"W-what am I even saying…"
She took a breath.
Then looked at him again.
This time… more carefully.
She knelt beside him.
The aura around his heart—
was still there.
Faint.
Weak.
Barely noticeable.
But…
it hadn't disappeared.
"He's alive…"
"…and his intent… it's so pure…"
She closed her eyes.
"Lumen Vitae… let light be born within the heart…"
Her palms began to glow.
Rings of light formed.
They circled around Shinju's body.
But—
Nothing happened.
Koharu's breathing quickened.
She tried again.
The light flared…
and vanished.
"Why…?"
"Why isn't it working…?"
She pressed harder.
But the light broke apart again.
Her strength was fading.
But she didn't stop.
Slowly…
she leaned forward.
Rested her head against his chest.
A heartbeat.
Faint.
Weak.
But there.
Her eyes trembled.
"I'm here…"
"I'll stay… until you come back."
Her hands shook.
But she didn't pull away.
The light was dim now.
But still there.
Shinju…
was drifting in darkness.
No sound.
No time.
"…So this is it."
He didn't resist.
"I did it…"
The golden dome was gone.
The burden…
was gone.
Peace came.
"…Is this what dying feels like…"
Then—
something faint…
stirred within his chest.
Shinju paused.
"…What is this?"
That feeling…
wasn't part of the Void.
It was warm.
Gentle.
As if…
someone had placed a hand over his heart.
"…Someone…"
His mind wavered.
"…someone is touching me."
It didn't disappear.
It grew.
Spread through his chest.
His heartbeat…
returned.
Weak.
But real.
"…I…"
"…didn't die?"
For a moment—
the darkness in his mind receded.
Koharu.
Her trembling hands.
Her unwavering presence.
"…For me?"
The warmth pressed deeper.
And then—
pain.
"—Aah!"
His chest burned.
The spear.
It was still there.
Driven deep into him—
its energy tearing his body apart from within.
"This… isn't death…"
"I'm alive…"
Shinju's mind sharpened.
He remembered.
The first time he absorbed the essence of the Void.
The same pain.
But—
a completely different energy.
He hesitated.
Koharu's warmth…
was still there.
Fading.
But not gone.
"…She's not letting go."
His chest tightened.
For the first time…
his thoughts became clear.
"I…"
"…don't want to die."
I want to live.
He decided.
He opened all of his dantians.
The essence of the Void—
which he had gathered in his eye—
began to circulate within him.
All of his energy…
moved toward the spear.
The Void within his body collided with the golden energy.
His entire body shook.
But he didn't retreat.
Darkness…
wrapped around the light.
It didn't devour it.
It controlled it.
Suppressed it.
Shaped it.
The golden energy resisted.
His chest felt like it was about to tear apart.
But Shinju clenched his teeth.
"I won't let go…"
The warmth was still there.
"Wait…"
"I'm coming back."
For a moment—
balance formed.
Light…
and darkness…
flowed together.
They spread through his veins.
The spear embedded in his chest…
began to melt.
And then—
slowly—
it flowed into him.
His heart almost stopped.
Then—
it beat again.
Stronger.
Shinju took a breath.
Weak.
But real.
And this time…
he held on.
"…I did it."
The words echoed in his mind.
"That strange energy…"
"…is now a part of me."
Outside…
Koharu was still leaning against his chest.
The rings of light were fading—
but their breaths…
had fallen into the same rhythm.