of the Soul Gate that had momentarily opened. The battlefield, once alive with chaos, was now covered in silence and loss. Arata's unconscious body lay surrounded by scorched earth and shattered ice.
Amaya sat quietly beside him, gently wiping dust from his bruised face. Her hands trembled.
"You idiot… always rushing ahead. Always trying to protect everyone…"
The rest of Shadow Squad formed a silent ring around them. Akari stood behind Amaya, whispering, "He's still breathing… barely. But something's changed. His Seiki is… untraceable."
🏯 At the Royal Palace – Council of Resolve
Two days later, inside the central hall of Gyokuden 玉殿, all surviving squadron leaders gathered around the ancient Soul Mirror.
Sensei Tsukiko's voice was grim.
"We have no time. The Soul Gate is opening again. The source of this invasion—the Soul Dictator—resides in the world of Vaegros. If we do not strike now, Earth will fall."
Murmurs spread across the chamber.
Amaya stepped forward. "We're willing. Every squadron is ready."Akari added, "Then let us strike before fear finds us."
But the room quieted when the doors creaked open.
Arata Kiryū stood there. Alive.
His hair faintly silvered, eyes glowing with residual lunar Seiki.
"I remember everything," he said. "Even death."
Gasps filled the hall.
"I was in the space between worlds. And I saw them—millions of souls waiting to be consumed. Earth is next."
🔥 Arata's Speech Before the Final Invasion
That evening, the Soul Squadrons assembled outside the capital gates. 300 warriors stood under the twilight sky, staring at the flickering rift to Vaegros.
Arata stepped forward, his voice amplified by Seiki through a crystalline shard.
"You all know me. I wasn't the strongest. Not the fastest. I never even passed most trials on the first attempt."He smiled faintly."But I've stood in front of death. I've seen what happens if we fail."
He paused, lifting his right hand—now etched with a silver soul-mark.
"The Soul Dictator thinks we're weak. Divided. Mortal.""But he's wrong."
He turned to face his comrades.
"We've trained under fire. We've bled in the snow. We watched our friends fall, and we rose again.""You're not just Soul Squadrons. You are Earth's final edge—the shield between extinction and survival."
Amaya looked up at him, eyes wet.
"They think they own the afterlife. Let's prove that we protect even that."
"And if I fall again… it'll be standing, not running."
A unified cry rose from the squadrons, echoing into the open skies:
"Reikan no Tate! 霊感の盾! Soulshield—until death!"
💔 The Proposal Under the Riftlight
Moments before stepping through the gate to Vaegros, Arata walked up to Amaya. The squadron had moved ahead for preparations, giving them a brief moment alone.
The rift's light painted them both in shades of blue and violet.
Arata looked nervous—an odd sight for someone who had literally returned from death.
"Hey, Amaya…"
She turned. "What is it?"
"You've always seen through me. When I was weak. When I messed up. When I tried to impress you with my dumb needle tricks."
She gave a soft smile. "And failed at them all."
"Yeah," he chuckled, then became serious. "But now, before I go through that gate again… I need to say this."
He pulled out a crystal petal—a token he'd secretly made during training. It shimmered with her blossom attack's Seiki signature, and his own.
"When we return… If we return… will you be with me? I mean—will you give me a chance?"
Amaya looked stunned. Silent. The air between them crackled with tension.
She took the petal gently. Looked up.
"When we return…"She smiled."I'll give you my answer then."
And just like that, she turned and walked into the portal first—her Seiki flaring like a storm of black blossoms.
🌌 The World of Vaegros
The sky bled shadow. The earth was bone. The wind whispered in screams.
The Soul Squadrons stepped into Vaegros, fully armed and fueled by Arata's speech. They fought through fields of shattered souls, maze-like structures built from corrupted memories, and gravity-warping war zones.
Masayoshi and Kazuo located the Soul Core, pulsing with dark Seiki.
And then—the Soul Dictator emerged.
🩸 The Final Battle
Chains of soul energy lashed out, trapping Akari, Haruko, and Amaya in obsidian coffins. The Dictator, towering and faceless, mocked them.
"Even your reborn hero cannot save you."
But Arata stood tall.
"I'm not here to save them. I'm here to stop you."
With the combined might of all squad leaders, they launched coordinated Benedictions. Arata led the charge with:
"Hyōsō: Tsukikage no Kusari!"Chains of moonlight lashed forward.
The Dictator roared and countered with Kuroshinsei: Jibun o Kurau, collapsing nearby souls.
Amaya broke free using her last energy reserve to trap the Dictator's soul into Arata's body. Arata nodded silently.
"You said you'd answer me when we return… So I'll make sure you can."
Then he charged the Soul Core—himself and the Dictator locked in a spiral of death.
🌠 The Rebirth
Back on Earth, the Soul Gate closed with a thunderclap.
Only silence followed.
Until the Divine Mirror cracked open on its own.
Inside, the Great Sensei began a forbidden chant.
「魂の残響よ,輪廻を越え,再び芽吹け!」"Echo of the soul, surpass rebirth, bloom again!"
A soft light formed.
And within it… Arata.
Alive. Changed.
Amaya stared at him, shocked and silent. He blinked… and smiled.
"So... what's your answer?"
She stepped forward, placed the crystal petal in his hand, and whispered:
"Yes."