The night air hit Toya like a wave.
Cold.
Sharp.
Real.
Behind him, the castle roared as flames consumed it whole, the once untouchable fortress now collapsing into ash and ruin.
But Toya didn't look back.
His eyes were locked forward.
On one man.
The Lord ran across the outer grounds, his robes dragging through the dirt, panic written across his face.
"Guards! GUARDS!"
His voice trembled.
"Stop him! Stop that monster!"
And they came.
Dozens of them.
Armored samurai rushing to stand between Toya and the man he had chased his entire life.
Toya didn't slow down.
His body screamed in pain.
Blood soaked his clothes.
But his grip on his sword remained firm.
The first guard stepped forward.
Toya cut him down in one strike.
The second lunged.
Toya twisted, his blade piercing through armor.
The third—
Fourth—
Fifth—
He kept moving.
Step by step.
Closer.
Closer.
But they were too many.
A blade struck his back.
Another cut across his leg.
An arrow pierced his side.
Toya staggered—
But did not fall.
"STOP HIM!"
The Lord's voice cracked in fear.
More guards surrounded Toya.
Weapons raised.
No escape.
Then—
An arrow flew past Toya's shoulder.
A guard dropped instantly.
Another arrow.
Another body fell.
"Toya…!"
Ren's voice.
Weak.
But still alive.
From the side of the battlefield, Ren stood barely upright, his leg pierced by arrows, his body shaking with exhaustion.
Yet his bow was still raised.
Still aiming.
Still fighting.
Aiko stood beside him.
A spear wound through her side.
Blood running freely.
But her grip never loosened.
"…We're not done yet…"
She stepped forward.
And charged.
The remaining rebels, those who could still stand, followed.
Not many.
But enough.
They threw themselves into the guards—
Opening a path.
Clearing the way.
For one person.
"Toya… GO!"
Ren shouted, his voice breaking.
Toya moved.
Through the opening.
Through the chaos.
Through the final wall.
But one guard remained.
Stronger.
Faster.
Standing directly in his path.
The clash was instant.
Their blades met—
But Toya was already too wounded.
Too slow.
The guard's strike came fast.
Too fast.
A flash of steel—
Then darkness.
Toya staggered.
His vision shattered.
Pain exploded across his face.
One eye—
Gone.
Before he could recover—
Another strike.
His arm—
Severed.
The world tilted.
Blood poured onto the ground.
His body trembled.
Any normal man would have fallen.
Any normal man would have died.
But Toya…
Took another step.
The guard froze.
For the first time—
Fear.
"…Move," Toya whispered.
The guard hesitated.
Just for a second.
That was enough.
Toya's blade moved.
One final strike.
The guard fell.
Nothing stood between him—
And the Lord.
The man stumbled backward, falling to the ground.
"N-No… no… stay back…!"
He crawled, desperate, pathetic.
"I-I can give you anything! Gold! Power—!"
Toya walked forward.
Slowly.
Dragging his broken body across the battlefield.
Behind him—
Ren fell to his knees.
Aiko collapsed beside him.
The remaining rebels had stopped moving.
The battle was over.
"…Please…"
The Lord's voice shook.
"I don't want to die…"
Toya stopped in front of him.
His single remaining eye looked down.
Cold.
Empty.
"…Did they?"
The Lord froze.
Toya raised his blade.
The last of his strength gathering into one final strike.
"For them."
The sword fell.
Silence.
The war… was over.
The Lord's body lay still.
The man who had ruled through fear—
Gone.
Toya stood there for a moment.
Swaying.
Barely alive.
Slowly—
He turned.
The battlefield was quiet.
Burning.
Still.
Ren lay on the ground, unmoving.
Aiko beside him.
The rebels…
Gone.
Toya took one step forward.
Then another.
"…We… did it…"
His voice barely a whisper.
His vision blurred.
The world grew distant.
The flames of the castle lit the sky behind him.
And as his body finally gave in—
Toya died standing.
Darkness took him.
But instead of nothing—
There was light.