The world around them turned even darker than before, then Himiko disappeared, her laughter echoing from every direction. The students looked around, ready to attack at any moment. Tyouro activated his heat wave emission around his hands, his jaw tightening. "Damn, this woman is so powerful… I can't even see her."
Kairo scanned the area, already sweating. "Where does this woman even come from… what does she want from us…"
Hero smirked and winked. "Oh, maybe she's in love with me."
Seiyan kicked him instantly. "Hey, focus, idiot."
Hero looked annoyed, rubbing his side, but before he could respond, the laughter suddenly stopped. Silence dropped heavily across the battlefield.
Then Himiko appeared right in front of Lady Chõko.
Lady Chõko smirked, her eyes sharp. "What a beautiful woman… beautiful power that doesn't belong to God?" She raised her hand, controlling the rocks on the ground and pointing them toward Himiko.
In the next second, Himiko vanished again.
Griffin's eyes widened as he adjusted his hat. "Her speed… it's different from before…"
Himiko suddenly appeared behind Hero.
"You're right… I'm in love with you…" she whispered calmly into his ear.
Before anyone could react, she stabbed him.
Hero dropped to his knees. "Oh… damn…"
Tyouro rushed toward him. "Hero?! What happened?!"
Kairo followed right behind, panic in his eyes.
Himiko disappeared again and appeared in front of Seiyan. "You're weak compared to me… I could leave you in my world… because I'm proving the world is… useless for people."
Seiyan froze, his body stiff as he swallowed hard, unable to move.
Judas rushed toward Hero. "Hero?"
Hero coughed out blood. "I'm… not okay…"
"We know, we know," Judas said quickly as she placed her hand on him, restoring his blood and skin.
Himiko appeared beside Judas and leaned close. "Restoring is useless…" she whispered with a small smile before stabbing toward her with the naginata.
But Lady Chõko arrived just in time and punched Himiko away.
"YAYAYAYAYA! Don't get too confident, lady. Well, I must say, you're pretty gorgeous. Who's the lucky man?"
Himiko tilted her head, looking almost bored. "You're wasting time…"
She lunged forward faster than before and slashed at Lady Chõko.
Lady Chõko caught the naginata just in time. "I guess so… your speed is kinda slow fo-"
A voice whispered behind her.
"Surprise…"
A slash cut across her back.
Lady Chõko's eyes widened as she realized the Himiko in front of her was only an illusion. She dropped to the ground.
Shougo rushed toward her. "Lady Chõko! You okay? She's good at tricking… and she's faster now-"
A cold metal blade rested on his shoulder.
Himiko leaned closer. "You're right… but that's not how fast I am. You'll realize someday… the world is useless…"
Shougo froze, unable to move. One wrong motion and he would be cut instantly. "What do you mean?"
"Remember your friend Oza… who betrayed you? That means he was using you all along… and that's why I'll prove to all of you that the world is fake."
Shougo's eyes widened. How does she know that… who is this woman…
"Himiko… the False Salvation…" she whispered so only he could hear.
Suddenly, Kimimaru jumped high behind her, raising his zweihander. "Ahhh!"
Himiko paused and raised her hand, releasing a force attack that sent him flying across the yard.
Shougo dropped to his knees, his hand forming a combination of Yaki and Yami energy, then he punched Himiko.
Himiko took the hit and looked down at him. "Why don't I feel pain… from a human's punch?"
Shougo's body trembled, but he didn't stop. He jumped back, then moved behind her and punched her again, sending her flying.
Himiko stabilized herself mid-air and looked down. "The world is fake. I'm proving that I'm right."
Kairo's face hardened. He jumped high and threw a punch, but Himiko countered with her naginata.
Kairo reacted instantly. "GYAKUNN!"
A loud impact echoed.
Kairo was thrown back to the ground. "Ugh… what just happened…" He looked up at her in confusion. How did Gyakunn fail… I used it perfectly…
Himiko appeared in front of him. "Because my naginata declines your Gyakunn. This weapon is stronger than your reversal."
She launched a force attack toward him, but Tyouro jumped in from behind and blasted her with heat wave emission.
Himiko dodged effortlessly. "Pretty boy, you have good energy… but that's nothing."
Tyouro glared at her. "I won't let you hurt my friends! I'm going to beat you…"
He paused for a second, remembering something from his past, then clenched his fists tighter.
Shougo watched him quietly. "Tyouro…"
Yura suddenly felt dizzy. She dropped to her knees as her vision blurred.
Reji caught her just in time. "Yura? What's wrong?"
"I… I feel dizzy… my hands are shaking…" her voice trembled as her eyes fluttered.
Far away in the Ember Isles, Mr. Fushi Simon took a sip of his coffee. "Better…"
He paused and moved his wheelchair toward the window. "I can feel it…"
Something felt wrong.
Back at Reikosha Academy, Himiko noticed Yura and smiled slightly. "Interesting girl…"
She disappeared and began circling the school.
Griffin's eyes widened. "What is she doing…"
Himiko stopped, blood slowly forming in her eye as it rolled down. "If I teach you a lesson, would you listen? No… right?" she smiled faintly. "I know it's hard to trust someone like me."
Her abilities became clearer now.
First, her speed. At the beginning, it was already at 0.1 seconds, faster than anyone could see, hear, or react to. It looked like teleportation, but it was pure movement speed.
Second, her regeneration. When Tine used Yamuichi on her before, she didn't even flinch and healed within 0.5 seconds. She could control whether to heal or not, but when she did, it was almost instant.
Third, her force attack. A powerful air pressure that could send people flying, matching her speed and capable of increasing in strength.
Fourth, her combination ability. She could absorb damage from attacks and transfer it into her naginata, amplifying her strikes.
Fifth, illusion manifestation. She could create illusions and switch places with them, completely deceiving her opponents.
And finally, her awareness. She understood people. She read their lives, which is why she knew Shougo and Lady Chõko's past.
She remained completely unknown.
Back in the Ember Isles, Mr. Fushi took another sip of coffee. "Tastes good… I'm aware of what's happening in Reikosha… but I'll let them grow until they reach their potential."
He flipped a page in his book. "Paul Ereuos… a truly good man…"
He continued reading, speaking quietly to himself about the history of Divine Warriors.
Back at the academy, the battlefield remained tense.
Then suddenly-
Behind Himiko, Yura appeared, floating slightly above the ground, her eyes glowing.
Himiko smiled wider than before.
But in reality, she had already vanished.
Yura continued staring forward, not realizing it was an illusion.
Behind her, a faint, transparent Himiko leaned close and whispered softly into her ear.
"I can see that… but can't you see me too?"