“YORU!!” Sen cried as a large demon attacked Yoru. After traveling for almost six days, they were so close to reaching their destination!

Sure it was still a good 3 kilometers before reaching the area where the Colosseum would appear, and the valley was crawling with demons, but they were so close.

Sen mustered up all of her strength and rammed her jagged sword into the demon’s heart. Yoru fell from the demon’s grip, groaning in pain.

“We’re almost there,” Sen huffed heavily before throwing one of Yoru’s arm over her shoulder to support him.

“WAIT,” a ghastly voice called out from behind them, making the hairs on their neck stand. They turned back around to see who was calling them.

Appearing from the shadows was a deformed shape of a man. One side looked like the shape of a man while the other took the form of a disfigured beast. Right where both forms met in the middle, it was as if both forms were melted together.

However, Yoru and Sen knew who it was - Yuri!

Yoru’s lips trembled at the sight of his dear brother. “Bro-brother-! How-! Why do you look like that?”

Then he remembered what Fey said - Yuri became an abomination. 

Saliva dripped from his deformed lips as Yuri let out a roar, charging towards the two of them. Sen quickly shoved Yoru aside and leapt out of the way. But Yuri was quite agile on his feet and twisted around to Yoru. 

Sen jumped and pierced her sword through Yuri’s back but it was as if he couldn’t feel the pain and reached over, prying Sen off of him before hurling her aside. Yoru wanted to move but his muscles would not listen to him.

The monstrous arm grabbed ahold of Yoru by his neck, holding him up in the air as Yuri cackled manically. Yoru clawed at the arm to release him but the grip around his neck tightened, trying to either crush his windpipe or break his neck. Either way, Yoru was starting to fade in and out of consciousness.

*SSHHLUCK!*

A crisp sound could be heard. When Sen looked over, her eyes widened. Yuri had just pierced his human arm through Yoru’s stomach. Yoru coughed out a mouthful of blood.

“YORU!!!!!!”

Yuri withdrew his hand and licked Yoru’s blood with a pleased expression.

Sen gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, relaxing her body as she sensed all of the mana around her. Feeling them all coming to her aid, Sen opened her eyes and summoned all of that mana to her palm, blasting that energy at Yuri! It was just a momentary burst of energy, but it took a lot from her.

Yuri took on the full impact, being sent away as Yoru dropped from his arm. Breathing heavily, Sen wormed her way over to Yoru, who was slowly fading into unconsciousness. 

“Yoru? Yoru! Stay with me,” she gently patted his face.

Yoru opened his bleary eyes. “S-Sen.”

“We’re almost there!” Sen cried as she forced her exhausted muscles to move, making her stand up.

Sen then grabbed Yoru’s limp body with her one arm and carried him onto her back. She needed to get to the Colosseum. It was going to be midnight soon, meaning that the Colosseum was going to appear at any moment. 

Although Sen had blasted Yuri elsewhere, there were still demons lurking all around them, ready to swipe their claws at their necks, but Sen remained alert and kept fighting all who crossed their paths. 

***

With heavy and slow steps, they reached a large opening field. Demons growled and howled around them, but Sen was not going to fall. 

Suddenly, from the large open field, a light from the ground formed a circle, lighting up the night. Appearing like a mirage was the colosseum. It has finally appeared. Sen sighed in relief as the demons all shrieked and backed away.

*RRRRROOOOOOAAAARRRRRR*

Sen gasped. Yuri has returned!

“DON’T LET THEM ESCAPE!!!!” he commanded.

Seeing his form in the distance, he has completely transformed into something that was a demon yet not a demon - an abomination! His disfigured form was crouched over with a hunchback. Covering his skin acting like a layer of protection was slimy and acidic mucus coat, dripping onto the ground as his teeth had turned into jagged canine.

Suddenly, a demon struck Sen’s leg, causing her to fall over. Sen landed heavily with Yoru’s weight on her as well.

“L-leave me,” Yoru groaned.

“No! I’m not going to leave you!”

Demons rushed to attack them, but Sen fought back. Standing up and limping her way to the entrance, she single-handedly held her ground with Yoru on her back.

I’m almost there! I’m almost there!!

Another demon struck her other leg. Sen fell once again. This time, Sen had to use her arm to crawl to the door with her sword in her mouth. Scratching upon every small rock, she persisted. Enduring the claws and teeth from the demons that bit onto her, she still persisted. Whenever she could, she would gather up her energy and create a mini energy bomb, which made the air around her combust, exploding and killing the demons who had climbed upon them. But then new demons would come rushing to replace the ones that died. 

It felt like an eternity to reach the entrance.

Crawling her way to safety, just as they passed through the doors, a demon bit into Yoru’s leg. Sen grabbed and swung her sword, severing its head as they both slipped through the protective barrier.

*BOOM!!!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!!*

Something heavy suddenly collided against the barrier. Looking over, Sen saw the abomination breathing heavily, pounding on the barrier, wanting to break through with sheer force. The smaller demons also joined in, throwing themselves at the barrier, even if it cost their lives. 

Seeing their intentions, Sen dragged herself and Yoru to the stage, leaving their trail of blood behind them. Sen was tired, but she had a goal in mind. She needed to drink from the goblet! Putting Yoru on her back, she crawled her way to the stage.

As the abomination saw where Sen was headed, its eyes grew wide as it roared angrily, pounding madly on the barrier. 

*CRACK*

Damn it, the barrier wasn’t going to hold.

When Sen crawled up the stairs with her raw, bleeding fingers, she made her way over to the center where the goblet floated in thin air above the stage. However, the abomination thought for a moment… Sen was not Yoru’s disciple. They never formed a blood contract, so there was no way Yoru would be gain another champion under his name. Besides, Yoru was nowhere near 100 champions in order to ascend. What was one more going to do? What was this woman’s purpose?

But his reasoning would soon be proven wrong.

When Sen finally reached the center, she gently cradled Yoru’s head onto her lap. Looking up, she saw the magnificent goblet from which every champion had drank from. Although the colosseum was not lit, the goblet still held a heavenly glow underneath the moonlight. With her arms outstretched to the sky, as if sensing who she was the glowing goblet descended right into her fingers.

There was something wrong! The abomination finally caught on. Only a celestial could call down the goblet for their victor. Thus, he once again began pounding on the barrier madly. Something was wrong! Terribly wrong!! How was a mortal able to call down the goblet?! Unless-!!!

When Sen caught the goblet, she pulled it down to stare at her haggard reflection in the water. Letting out a sigh, she looked down to Yoru. He was dying. Her heart squeezed painfully.

Finally, Sen outstretched her arms up into the sky once again with the goblet in her arms and proclaimed proudly, “ I, Sen Kion, under the witness of Rhalios, will drink from the Goblet of Champions in the name of Celestial Yoru!!!”

After her statement, the goblet began glowing radiantly. The abomination roared and howled, further cracking the barrier. It needed to stop Sen!!

Bringing the goblet to her lips, Sen chugged down the smooth and sweet liquid as it flowed down her throat and into her body. After she was done, her body too, began glowing. 

Suddenly, through the night sky from the heavens, a pillar of light shined down Sen and Yoru. Sen sighed heavily in relief. Levitating into the sky and feeling the warmth of the light surround him, healing him, Yoru's eyes fluttered open. 

Blinded by the light, he turned away and around. When he managed to open his eyes, he saw the relief on Sen’s misty eyes and the relief on her face. Then his eyes darted to the background. He recognized this place. He then saw the abomination and demons that were ready to break through and invade at any moment. Seeing his current situation, it clicked in his mind but he was also confused.

“You’re saved,” he suddenly heard Sen say. “You won’t have to suffer anymore.”

“No. No, no, no, no no! Sen! I can’t leave you behind! How is it that I can ascend?! I haven’t even reached 99 champions yet!!!” Yoru exclaimed as he tried holding onto Sen’s clothes, but the light was not going to let him go, making him weightless, pulling him back to the heavens.

Hearing the cracking of the barrier, Sen just gave Yoru a sad but gentle smile. She had no time to explain. Hopefully in time he would come to understand. 

“I’m sorry. For lying to you,” her soft voice croaked as she lifted up her left arm to touch his cheek while he was still within reach. “I’m sorry for saying that I like Yuri.” Tears began welling up at the corner of her eyes.

Sen pushed herself up and a kiss landed onto Yoru’s lips. A sweet and pure kiss. No words were exchanged between them. 

Yoru’s eyes widened in shock! He finally understood. Ever since when? EVER SINCE WHEN?!?!?!

Yoru was being pulled up and away from Sen’s reach. Snapping back to reality, Yoru began panicking as he tried clawing for Sen’s outstretched arm. “No! No! NO! NO! NO!!!! SEN!!! NO!!!!!!!” His fingers touched hers, but the light was not kind, tearing them apart.

As the barrier shattered to pieces, Yoru heard the muffled roars and screeches of the demons who had broken through the barrier. Tears fell from his eyes, landing on Sen’s as they slid down the side of her dirtied and wounded face. She was all he saw. Weak, vulnerable, exhausted and a fool. A satisfied fool. 

Although the demons had broken through, Sen’s eyes never left Yoru. At this very moment, she was content sending Yoru off. Yoru tried fighting it, but the light would not let him go. He was ascending, and he was going to leave her all by herself. 

Demons pounced on her body, sinking their jaws into her flesh. But despite this horrifying sight, the smile on Sen’s face remained. It was only after Yoru had disappeared into the sky that the smile disappeared from her face and she whipped around, using sheer force to rip the demons off her. 

Summoning her sword, with the little ounce of mana she regained, she fought till the end. Until her body stopped moving; until her lungs stopped breathing; until her heart stopped beating. She fought until she died.

Sen closed her eyes and everything around her became black as she faded into what she felt like was falling under water. When she regained her senses and opened her eyes, she was back underneath the blue sky on top of the endless ocean with the giant mirror behind her. 

When Sen turned around to look at her reflection in the mirror, her appearance had changed back to her actual self. Yuna stared at herself for a brief moment before a soft smile appeared on her face.

[Report from higher authorities has been given:

Acting in character: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

Impression from other characters: ⭑⭑⭑★

Execution of plans: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

Achieved endgame: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

Overall Performance: A

Merit Bar: 25% ]

Hearing the report, Yuna just sighed. Looking at her merit bar, Yuna took a moment to recall how she left Yoru. Taking a deep breath in and out, she cleared her mind.

[There are no training courses needed for the next world. Is Host ready to move onto the next world?]

“Yes.”

The mirror before Yuna flashed a bright light before returning back to its reflective surface. Taking a step forward, Yuna submerged herself into the mirror.