1

Sana did not know how the scythe came to be, but it surely had something to do with the throbbing feeling she had in her heart.

It also came at the right time, providing her the courage she so desperately needed to face this monster.

"Leave, Sana Kurashiki!"

The Magna Arbiter charged forward once again, its lance aiming to pierce through Sana's delicate body.

Sana swung the scythe around when the shadowy thing closed in, deflecting its attack once again. This time, physically.

It opted not to follow-up on its attack and instead levitated away for some reason.

"H-huh?" Sana wondered after her attack blocked the Magna Arbiter's attack.

The scythe was as tall as she was, but it felt light. She had never tried lifting anything of this size before, but the way her body moved and how the huge weapon weaved through the air was simply unexplainable.

"Haaah!"

With a shout, she ran forward and swung the scythe horizontally, blindsiding the Magna Arbiter and cutting through part of its body. As the part broke away into black shadows, her enemy let out a surprised growl before it fell back.

The scythe was a complete mystery to Sana and possibly even the Magna Arbiter.

Could it be that the weapon improved her physical abilities? Or did it have magic that made it easier to wield?

"Stand back, Mama! I'll take care of this!" she commanded, copying some of the things she remembered from both her dreams. That's what heroes wielding these magical weapons always say, right?

She snuck a peek at her mom to see her cowering away in silence. Sana exhaled and readied her stance.

For as long as she wielded this scythe, her heart will not waver.

"Brave words, but can your body keep it up?"

"O-of course it will!" she said in her tender voice. "I cannot afford to lose here, Magna Arbiter!"

"Where did this development come from? Never did I think that you'll have a predisposition for that kind of personality..."

The girl did not quite understand what it meant, but she never let go of her scythe. Instead, she noticed a light coming out from the orb near its bladed portion. As it glowed, her body resonated along with it.

She was not sure whether she can continue to realistically keep up with the Magna Arbiter in battle, but there has to be another way. There has to be a way to save everyone and win without beating this thing.

Truth be told, it was not fear or hatred that changed her to what she was now. She can stand here, proud and brave, because of two things: trust and acceptance.

Because her Big Bro and Hikari trusted her. Because they reached out and found their way to understand and touch her heart.

Following her gut, she narrowed her eyes and planted the scythe onto the floor.

"Inner Paradigm!"

Responding to her call, the scythe's center orb released a powerful wave, pushing the Magna Arbiter away in one burst.

However, none of that was of any importance to Sana, for her mind was on something else.

Inner Paradigm? What was it? Sana did not know where the idea to call on that name came from, but she nevertheless did it, as if something pushed her.

Heck, she did not even know what those words meant.

Could it be related to her summoning the scythe?

Regardless, she stared at the Magna Arbiter that continued trying to charge towards her only to be repelled by a force field. A barely visible one, but one that she confirmed through a translucent film that she can see.

Looking around her, it looked as if it was a barrier. More accurately, a bubble that her scythe had created, with her being at the core of it.

She had no clue what it's all about, but she continued to concentrate hard, gripping the vibrating scythe all the more, making its core shone even more brightly. As so did the range of the force field grow, pushing the Magna Arbiter farther and farther away.

"Sana!"

Hearing her mother's call, Sana glanced back to see her mom getting pushed back as well. Asuka tried to crawl her way closer to Sana, but it was all futile as the force field repelled her further back. Eventually, it repelled her forcefully enough to toss her back, causing her to fall unconscious.

"Mama!"

It was a powerful roar that quickly snapped her back to the more pressing matter, the Magna Arbiter trying to get to her.

"Groaaahhh!"

The Magna Arbiter roared in its low, hollow voice, still trying its hardest to get to Sana. Alas, it was all futile, and it continued losing the battle of strength against the bubble the scythe exuded.

It looked away before its body lurched as it got pummeled by a large stream of light, sending it crashing to the ground.

"Sana!"

Kazuki jumped right down from one of the tunnels, running towards her.

"Big Bro, no!"

She flinched at his approach, but that feeling of worry was quickly replaced by shock when he ran straight through the force field and to her side. Unlike the Magna Arbiter or her mom, he was not repelled in the slightest.

On his left hand was something that looked like a cross between a shield and a crossbow. Surely, it's something like the scythe she held.

"Sana, are you okay?!" he panted.

Unable to contain herself, she nodded. Seeing him finally gave her a much needed sense of relief. It was as if help had arrived and she will be fine.

In addition to that, she felt her spirits rising with the fire of determination. It fueled her confidence further, and it all happened after he stepped inside the force field.

She let go of her scythe to run towards him, but no sooner did she let it go was she pushed aside. Before her body touched the ground, her ears rang with the sound of a collision a few inches away.

"Gah!" Kazuki grunted, the thing on his arm transforming back into a shield.

In a panic, Sana looked for her dropped scythe and hurried to reach out for it. Then, she realized her fatal mistake.

By letting go of it and concentrating on something else, Inner Paradigm's force field vanished, and the Magna Arbiter was quick to take advantage.

Its attacks were relentless, and in spite of Kazuki's shield blocking the lance's pummeling, he was being pushed back.

Sana felt her feet moving on reflex. With the scythe in hand, she yelled as she approached the shadowy figure. She knew that her feeble swings would not be able to defeat it, but it can at least distract it long enough.

"Sana, get away!" shouted Kazuki before a powerful shot took him off his feet.

When the Magna Arbiter shifted its attention to Sana, the girl quickly overcame the initial shock and stood firm.

Her hand shuddered as a powerful force, more powerful than anything she had experienced, rattled her as it collided with the scythe. The lance's attacks were furious and continuous, and while the weapon's deftness and her somehow enhanced senses allowed her to block them, it was one close call after another.

"Ah! Ah! Aahh!" she yelped as the lance collided with the bladed portion of the scythe in quick intervals.

With one last strike, the lance deflected the scythe before scraping Sana on the side.

Fear filled her heart when she lost her hold on the scythe, the weapon having been poked free from her grasp by the Magna Arbiter's lance hand.

Time slowed to a crawl when she stared at the lance about to pierce her.

"Get your hands off Sana!"

The Magna Arbiter's assault stopped just as it crashed onto a wall and into a whole cloud of debris and dust.

Kazuki ran towards Sana, the thing on his hand transformed to something completely different now. Gone was the bow, and in place of it was a contraption with spikes where his knuckles would have been.

The girl landed on the ground after being tackled, rolling numerous times and scraping her arm in the process. The pain now radiated all over her body, especially from the side of the abdomen where the lance had struck her.

It was only then did the whooshing sound of a passing object register, followed by a yell. With a blur, things moved, and the sound of both a blast and the wall cracking echoed again. Now, ceiling debris fell in a concert of bangs and tremors.

Lying flat on her back, she turned her head to see Kazuki retrieving her scythe and walking towards her.

"Sana, are you alright?" he asked, wiping the wounds on Sana's arm and forehead. He then dropped the scythe beside her. "You dropped this. Take good care of it."

With some hesitation, she grabbed hold of the scythe.

"Big Bro... Please, save everyone."

Hearing her plea, Kazuki nodded. He winced for a moment, favoring his left arm, but he stood up regardless. That was more like the Big Bro that she had always known.

A strong presence who always kept her safe, no matter what. She may not be able to defeat the Magna Arbiter even with her weapon, but she knew he will.

"Yes, I definitely will. It's a promise, Sana," he then leaned down on her. The act caused Sana's entire body to tighten, and her face heated up.

"B-big Bro..."

"But with my power alone, I can't do it. I need something powerful that will allow me to keep my distance."

Sana curled herself, hoping to hide her downcast expression from him. Yet, he touched her on the shoulder, nudging her several times.

Sana refused at first, but she eventually relented, turning around and looking at his face.

"Sana, would you lend me your hand? I can try something, but I'll need your help."

"Y-yes! Of course!" Sana furiously nodded before she noticed he had his eyes on the scythe.

"I know you're honest, so Sana, you can try focusing your attention on that scythe. With that, think with your heart how much you trust me, how much our hearts unite in this goal, and strike my shield with it."

"S-strike?"

"Yes, hit it, and I'll take care of the rest."

"I-I-I can't do that! I can't hurt you."

"Don't you trust me?" asked Kazuki, a smile on his face. "Sana, I will be the best hero who will save the world, but I need your help to do it. Without you, all I can do is to stall the Magna Arbiter."

Sana's closed her lips tight, but she eventually got up. Looking at the eyes that never lied to her, Sana held her scythe.

"Aaaaaaaa!"

With a yell, she exerted all her might, bringing the scythe down against the shield, and as the two weapons collided, she panted. Her breathing heaved the moment she felt her energy being drained from her.

She did not know what it was, but she had faith in him.

He had never failed her, and if there's someone who she's willing to give her all, there's only one person.

"B-big Bro..."

Those last words escaped her lips before she fell and her scythe dissipated. Instead of hitting the ground, however, she found her back nestled against the welcoming arms of her hero.

On his face was a confident expression, a smile that had a renewed sense of energy. He calmly let her down before turning to where the Magna Arbiter was buried.

"Assimilator's Core!"

Like it did numerous times, the shield on his left hand shone. It changed once again, but this time, it was to a form that Sana had never seen before.

From the center of the shield, a hooked blade extended. With the chain attaching it to the shield, it looked more like an anchor, and it took Sana a little time to recognize it.

Her scythe.

It was the proof of their hearts having beaten as one. Happiness filled Sana's heart before she allowed herself to relax, giving her weary body a much needed rest.

As she lay prone, she heard the sound of her scythe shattering like glass. She watched as it dissipated into air, as if physically entrusting everything to her savior.

2

Thank you, Sana. I'll take it from here.

Kazuki stepped forward, his new weapon in hand. He beheld the new form of his Armament. In spite of its unorthodox appearance, he brandished it forward with much confidence.

Keeping Sana and Mrs. Kurashiki in his sights, he stood in front of them just as the rubble erupted, revealing the Magna Arbiter inside.

"I remember you and that shield. You're Kazuki Arata."

"I'm glad we can get the introductions out of the way," replied the youth. "Although I'd rather not be remembered by people or beings I don't intend to be buddy buddy with."

"I recall our encounter vividly, but my impression of you is completely different for some reason. Truly interesting, it is. Perhaps my thoughts have been affected by latching onto Sana Kurashiki's memories for far too long. The girl had a really positive impression of you."

"You don't need to tell me that. This right here..." he showed the transformed Armament on his hand. "...Is proof of that."

The Magna Arbiter reared back, and perhaps in a bid to not back down from Kazuki's show of strength, its lance arm only grew longer and thicker following a massive roar.

"I hold no grudge towards you. In fact, the heart I've used to recover my strength specifically asked me to make you stay here, eternally. Eternal life, like those two up there."

"That doesn't look appealing at all," replied Kazuki while shaking his head. "What good is there to a life in eternal stasis? Don't you think that Sana will feel the same way, too? Staying here forever with whatever husks Hikari and Yura will be will not bring joy to her at all!"

"If you insist on staying in my way from fulfilling Sana Kurashiki's will, I will have no choice but to eliminate you. That way, I could grant her the happiness that she had always longed for and never found."

"Jeez. I can't think of a reason why something as powerful as an Ascended One to be so obsessed with someone like Sana. You know, I was late to the party back when you had Ishida and Fujiwara in your sights."

"Transcendence."

"Transcendence?" wondered Kazuki.

"We have one desire: evolution. We are but discarded remains of energy from the parallel world, yours. Nullities, as your kind called us, are inherently incomplete. Thus, we seek to grow. To evolve. To find that component that will make us whole."

"Heh, I think I heard that story before. Yes, someone did tell us that. You all desire evolution, so that's why you Nullities seek to consume humans. Is that right?"

"That is mostly correct. Most Nullities lack the agency, lack the awareness of how the world works. They are grossly raw, and their basic instinct was to attack and consume. However, Ascended Ones have found the most effective way of reaching the pinnacle of power. Instead of consuming humans, we have come to understand the far greater power that can be unlocked by bonding with humans."

"I figured it's something like that. How clichéd."

"Clichéd?"

Kazuki pointed his shield at the Magna Arbiter, a smirk on his face. "Never mind what I said. Just keep in mind that you'll never get Sana. I never turn back on my promise."

The shield emitted a whirling noise, and the hooked blade of the scythe loosened up. Kazuki raised his arm and swung it forward. As he did so, the blade detached, shooting towards the Magna Arbiter like a whip.

The Nullity may have underestimated it and made no effort to dodge.

Still standing in place, Kazuki's body received the full weight of the hooked blade sinking into the Nullity's arm. With much effort, he swatted his left arm to the side, causing the scythe's blade to slice right through the Nullity's arm.

A loud shout followed the crunching noise. The Magna Arbiter recoiled, perhaps regretting its decision.

Kazuki's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at the blade that retracted before evaluating the damage it had done to the Magna Arbiter.

Furious, the Nullity flew towards him, but he pushed his feet off the ground, dodging the incoming attack.

Amazing. Such power...

He landed a distance away and prepared to send the scythe flying once more. The shield glowed in response to the flow of magical energy while weighing him down. When the blade shot out with a whooshing sound, he felt the full impact of the pressure.

All of that difficulty was well worth it, especially after it delivered another attack. This time, the blade sunk deep into the shoulder of the Magna Arbiter, heavily driving itself through and piercing the Nullity.

The longer Kazuki held his hand out to toss the scythe out, the stronger the force anchoring him to the ground got.

"Take this!" he yelled, putting all the strain in his muscles into maneuvering the blade, turning it to the side, where it hooked itself horizontally onto the Magna Arbiter's shoulder.

"Raaaahhh!"

Along with his shout, the blade continued moving across the Nullity. Kazuki faced a powerful force resisting his attack, but putting all his effort in moving the blade, he finally decapitated the Magna Arbiter.

His feet's movement returning when the blade retracted to him, he wasted no time sending it forth again. The headless body remained standing in place, and he wanted to make sure to eradicate the foe and prevent it from regenerating.

He swung it sideways, bisecting the body again. Then came the swing horizontally, further butchering the remains of the Nullity.

However, when the blade returned to him for another time, Kazuki leaned over. His heart thumped, and he coughed repeatedly.

Using Sana's Armament in conjugation with his necessitated turning himself into a turret to maintain the power and control over the wildly swinging whip-like weapon. It had none of the flexibility of the other forms, and in exchange, it granted him the ability to deliver blows with raw physical power unparalleled by any of the other forms.

The trade-off? He's feeling it now. In his midsection. His legs. Especially his left arm that had taken the full brunt of the pressure.

To make matters worse, the presence of the Nullity has not disappeared. Looking at the mess of shadowy body parts still floating in the air confirmed that.

Instead of fading into nothingness, the parts of the Nullity became engulfed in the black shadow, the cloud that has been the bane of their existence.

"Damn it! Even this wasn't enough?"

Kazuki gritted his teeth while watching the Magna Arbiter reform from the sliced body parts. In desperation, he threw the blade over and over, swinging it like a whip until he finally fell over from pain.

The blade retreated back to his shield just before his knee hit the ground and his body fully hunched over in exhaustion.

To his dismay, the shadowy clouds that formed the Magna Arbiter continued moving. He shook his head, hoping for the contrary, but the clouds fused and reformed the Ascended One once again.

"An admirable display," praised the Nullity when its body became complete once more. "But ultimately futile. Your power cannot eliminate an Ascended One such as myself, especially after I have bonded with a human host."

"B-bonded..." Kazuki's eyes grew wide as he looked at Sana. The girl trembled as they locked eyes. While her hands remained curled in prayer, even he could see the desperation in her.

"The only way to remove the protection was for my host to internally reject me and everything I stood for."

The Magna Arbiter returned to its previous humanoid form, or it should have. However, it instead began to resemble the interlocked wheels that Kazuki recognized.

"Look. I was able to continue my transformation. It's only a matter of time before I will be back to my full power, and there is but one way to stop me."

The room shook at the power of the Ascended One's transformation. Its humanoid body twisted back, and clouds of shadows converged on its body.

Kazuki knew to interrupt such a transformation, and he once again tossed the scythe blade forward, slicing through the cloud horizontally with its whip-like motion.

The cloud dispersed violently thanks to the force, but the little hope in him evaporated when he heard the hollow voice talk and the cloud of shadows come together once more.

"I told you it's futile."

It finished its transformation anyway, and what emerged in the middle was the same group of wheels, all of them lined with eyes that collectively glared at Kazuki.

"For as long as Sana Kurashiki doesn't reject those feelings that gave me back my power, I will always be reborn. The fact that I keep getting reborn can only mean one thing."

Sana had not rejected the will that the Magna Arbiter carried.

Kazuki mentally completed the statement.

What the Magna Arbiter was sourcing power from was her desire to be free: to be free to love and reject people. A wish that will end with the elimination of all who dared separate her from him and Hikari.

A very destructive wish, but it was one that Kazuki, through his time with the girl and knowing about her feelings, can sympathize with. Such a dangerous wish cannot continue, but how can he get his words to Sana?

A twinkling at the edge of his eye caught his attention, and he instinctively brought his arm up, right before the recoil shook his entire body. The shield's blade broke off, reverting the Armament to its base form, before he found himself being pushed back by a powerful beam.

It's an attack that he had seen at the Temple of Recollections, but being familiar with it did little to help him prepare for the beam's power.

The beam's pressure eventually subsided, but that only happened when he was flat on his back, his shield being the only thing that protected him.

His entire body felt as if it was pinned to the ground, and he looked on at the Ascended One brandishing a new weapon of its own: a scythe that resembled the one Sana wielded, seemingly crafted out of its own shadowy body.

"I do not have any intention of killing you, but in order to follow through with Sana Kurashiki's wishes, I have to disable you. Then, you can all be here together."

It began to swoop down, while Kazuki prepared to transform his Armament once more. However, if none of the forms he used can deal the death blow, how could he stop this monster?

There had to be a way to defeat the Magna Arbiter the same way they did at the Temple of Recollections, but how?

With Sana unconsciously sustaining it, such a thing seemed impossible.

"E-enough!"

Like a bang, Sana's nervous voice carried a kind of power to cause a stop in the action.

"B-big Bro... l-let me protect you this time."

Sana trudged forward while Kazuki lay prone. The Magna Arbiter looked on, apparently enthralled with the girl who's bravely stepping forward.

She was wounded, and she looked like she could break at any moment. However, she pressed on, stepping between him and the shadowy creature before performing an all-too familiar pose and motion with her hand.

"Sana, what are you doing?" asked a panicked Kazuki despite knowing what it's all about. He tried to get up, but his body simply failed him at this crucial juncture.

He can only muster a weak rise before Sana had gone too far ahead. She was barely half the size of the Nullity and could be eradicated by its beam or its scythe should the unpredictable Magna Arbiter try something funny.

That sense of danger seemed lost to the girl, who resolutely stood between him and his opponent.

"Aaaahhhh!"

With a pained scream, Sana clutched her chest.

"Sana, don't!"

Kazuki himself knew that physical and mental strain resummoning a broken Armament in such a short period entailed. There's no way that Sana can handle it, but he was also in no position to intervene.

While he had managed to get back up, Sana was mere inches away from the Magna Arbiter.

Shit! I can't make it!

His pleas to Sana went unnoticed. With her spine arched back, Sana resummoned her scythe after the last powerful scream. She quickly leaned against it, completely exhausted and with the Magna Arbiter right in front of her.

"What are you going to do now, Sana Kurashiki? You are completely spent, and there's nothing stopping me from driving this lance through your little body. Are you still intent on protecting your mother? Protecting this world that you resented?"

"Hah... Hah... I-inner Paradigm!"

With what seemed to be the last of her strength, Sana released her Armament's ability. The orb in her scythe shone, and a powerful wave emanated from it.

Kazuki did not know what it did a while ago, but now, he found himself being pushed back by an unknown force. The push was quite gentle yet forceful, something that he cannot find a way to overpower.

Instead of blocking him off like a wall, it was...

Magnetism?

Kazuki looked on, dumbfounded by the revelation of what Sana's Armament's powers were. Then, everything just clicked.

"I-I did not come back... to d-defeat you," said Sana. "M-magna Arbiter. I now understood what my scythe represented."

The Magna Arbiter nodded in response, letting her continue.

"Y-you said you wanted evolution? You said that your kind go to the next step of evolution by becoming one with people?"

"No, Sana, what are you saying? Sana!" cried Kazuki. Seeing the Magna Arbiter still inside the force field, he immediately got an idea of what the girl was trying to do with her weapon's powers. "Don't you dare think about it!"

"Come, Magna Arbiter! If it is the human identity that you Ascended Ones wanted so much, let me share to you all of me!" boldly declared Sana. "Let me accept you, and in exchange, I want you to also accept my feelings. I want you to understand me and see how the will you talked about no longer exists. This time, for real."

All doubts in her face were gone, and in spite of her worn down state, she managed to say those last sentences with nothing but unwavering determination.

"A human stepping forward and offering herself so freely as a sacrifice? A brave act that proves your entire species isn't filled with nothing but self-interest. However, what do you seek to prove, treading the fine line between bravery and foolishness? I have seen a similar scene play out before, and the results were ugly."

The Magna Arbiter looked at Kazuki, who remained outside the magnetic field. As their eyes crossed, both understood the situation being referred to. The Ascended One's lance disappeared, that part of the Nullity reverting back into a hand.

"Let's begin, Magna Arbiter!"

Sana closed her eyes and began an incantation, the light from her scythe growing stronger by the second.

Kazuki cursed his powerlessness as he looked on. Unfortunately, there's little he can do after he finally understood what Inner Paradigm did.

Inner Paradigm was Sana's Armament's ability that allowed her to make a magnetic force field around her. However, it's a strong power completely dependent on the girl's will, and who goes and stays within the force field.

A true embodiment of her complex with acceptance and desire for control over her life, over who comes and goes.

He concluded that Sana intentionally left him out and accepted the Magna Arbiter for this very moment. She sought reconciliation with the Ascended One. She knew she's playing a dangerous game, but it was what she resolved to do to end the fight against a seemingly invincible foe.

He can only silently pray for the girl, that everything will be fine.