Part 1: Hope in the Signal
Inside the ruins of the old factory, Takuto remained on his knees, his heart heavy with the weight of his past actions. Kaori, Ayano, and the others approached him, their expressions softening with empathy.
"Don't blame yourself, Takuto," Kaori said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "In the end, you were only trying to save us."
Suddenly, a sharp vibration echoed through the silent hall. Kaori pulled her phone from her pocket, her eyes widening as she stared at the screen.
"It's from Aoi!" she gasped. "She managed to hide her phone and send a location ping. She's still alive!"
The signal originated from a deserted island located just off the city's coast. Upon hearing that Aoi survived, the light returned to Takuto's eyes. He stood up instantly, his resolve renewed.
"Let's go! We can't afford to waste another second," Takuto commanded.
As they prepared to leave, Shina stepped forward, her electric cables still tightly binding the captured Baltos.
"I'll handle this one," Shina said nonchalantly. "You guys go ahead. This pathetic worm won't be doing anything under my watch."
Takuto looked Shina in the eye, his expression sincere. "Shina... thank you for bringing me back to my senses. I'm trusting you with this."
As Takuto turned to lead the group toward the island, Shina felt a jolt go through her body, as if she had been struck by her own lightning. She bit her lip, watching Takuto's retreating back with eyes that bordered on obsessive. Her cheeks flushed, and her breathing grew heavy.
"Oh... Takuto-kun..." she whispered to herself. "Did you hear that? He said he trusts me." She hugged herself, nearly collapsing in a daze of euphoria. "Trust... that makes me someone special to you, doesn't it? Don't worry, my darling. I won't let anything break that trust. I'll sweep away any trash that dares to get in your way."
Her gaze shifted toward Baltos. The warmth vanished instantly, replaced by the icy, terrifying smile of a predator.
"Listen closely, Baltos," Shina hissed. "You're just a tool—a piece of scrap I'll use to prove Takuto-kun's trust in me. You should feel honored."
"You traitor!" Baltos screamed, struggling against his bonds. "You'd turn on us for those brats?"
Shina ran a hand through her hair and laughed. "Traitor? No, I simply do what I want. And besides, Takuto-kun is far more interesting than you'll ever be."
Desperate, Baltos unleashed his final trump card. "Die!" he roared, glaring at Shina with his Stone Eye. A beam of light erupted, designed to turn anyone who met his gaze into solid rock.
But Shina was ready. In a flash, she pulled a small hand mirror from her pocket and held it before her face. The petrifying beam hit the mirror and reflected directly back at its source.
"What?! Impossible—!"
The grey tint spread from Baltos's feet to his head. As his face froze in a mask of pure terror, Shina leaped into the air. Gathering intense blue lightning into her leg, she delivered a devastating descending kick to the center of the statue.
CRACK!
With a deafening shatter, Baltos's stone form exploded into a thousand fragments. His life ended in an instant. Shina landed gracefully, casually wiping a stray drop of blood from her leg. She looked toward the horizon, where the island lay.
"Takuto-kun is going to need my help," she murmured. "I can't let the others have him all to themselves."
Part 2: The Ritual of the Dark Phoenix
At the heart of the Island of Shadows, surrounded by ancient monoliths, Kage was initiating his dark plan. Dark miasma billowed from the Demon Book in his hands. This tome, forged by a corrupted lineage of the Void Oculus, required the Stella Flow of a descendant to be awakened.
Aoi lay trapped at the center of a glowing magic circle, her purple Stella Flow being violently drained into the book.
"Stop... please..." Aoi moaned, her voice fading. "Don't use that book..."
"You don't understand, Aoi," Kage sneered. "This book contains all the agony of your ancestors. I am going to summon the most powerful Dark Phoenix User from Takuto's bloodline—one who was consumed by the void. His awakening will be your final day."
As Kage chanted, the ritual circle turned blood-red. The ground shook as black flames erupted from the ether, coalescing into the terrifying silhouette of a giant bird—the Dark Phoenix, a manifestation of pure destruction.
At that moment, Takuto's speedboat slammed onto the shore. Jumping onto the sand, he saw the black pillars of fire rising from the forest.
"This aura... it feels like mine, but it's freezing," Takuto noted, his jaw tightening.
"Onii-chan! Look!" Hana pointed toward the sky. "Is that Aoi-chan's Stella Flow?"
Takuto didn't hesitate. Red Stella Flow flared around his fists. "Move out! We're pulling our friend out of that hell!"
As they charged through the woods, Shina followed silently from the shadows, sparks of electricity dancing at her fingertips.
At the altar, Kage watched their approach and smiled coldly. "Too late, Takuto. The ritual cannot be stopped." He slammed his palm onto the Demon Book. "Dark Portal! Rise, my shadow warriors!"
The air in front of Takuto's team ripped open, forming a gateway to the abyss. Dozens of Shadow Monsters poured out, howling with hunger.
Takuto took a deep breath, tapping into the core of his power. His hair spiked up, turning a dual-tone of crimson and black, while his eyes glowed a piercing red. Crimson markings stretched from under his eyes down to his chin, and the air around him began to shimmer with intense heat.
Kaori activated her Violet Gauge Eye. Her right eye turned a deep purple, and a streak of her hair glowed to match. She began calculating the movements of every enemy within a 300-meter radius, red lightning infused with Phoenix energy crackling across her skin.
Beside her, Ayano opened her Amethyst Gate. Her eyes transformed into lethal gems as she conjured shields of purple Stella Flow.
Hana instantly triggered her Step 2: Wolf Awakening. Her hair turned a shimmering silver, and sharp wolf ears emerged alongside a magnificent silver tail that swayed aggressively in the wind. Her crimson eyes scanned the battlefield like a predator queen marking her prey.
Beside her, Kaito slowly unfurled his bamboo fan, stepping forward with an icy, calm expression as massive whirlwinds began to spiral around him. Simultaneously, Mei slammed her long spear into the ground, causing jagged shards of underground metal to rise and coalesce around the tip of her weapon at her command.
"Is everyone ready?" Takuto shouted, his voice ringing with authority. "Let's carve a path to save Aoi!"
Facing a legion of shadow monsters and Kage's dark ritual in the distance, the team braced themselves for the ultimate confrontation.
Far out at sea, away from the island, brilliant blue electric sparks tore across the water's surface. Shina was pushing her Step 2: Overdrive Bolt to its absolute limit, sprinting directly on the ocean waves. Her blue hair billowed behind her, crackling with high-voltage currents, and every step she took sent a massive shockwave of seawater erupting into the air.
The lightning markings on her cheeks glowed with blinding intensity as her velocity reached Sonic Speed.
She was not alone, however. High above in the clouds, Ryu, a youth with silver-white hair and piercing red eyes, glided effortlessly through the air, his gaze fixed on Shina. His hair whipped upward in the gale, yet he remained perfectly composed.
"Truly fascinating..." Ryu murmured in wonder. "From what I know, the Electro Flash Eye shouldn't be capable of this. Not yellow lightning... but pure blue?"
A small smile played on his lips. "This must be a Variant Form, a manifestation never before recorded in the history of those eyes."
Focused entirely on her power, Shina couldn't hear Ryu's words. Her mind held only one thought: reaching Takuto as fast as possible.
Ryu accelerated, diving toward the island. "Well, Takuto... you certainly have a knack for gathering extraordinary people around you. Let's see what other surprises you have in store for me this time."
The center of the island was a cacophony of battle cries and clashing steel. Takuto was shredding shadow monsters with his Aura Flare, while Kaori's violet lightning pierced through the enemy's front lines. Kaito and Mei provided cover from the rear, unleashing airwaves and steel spears to hold the tide back.
Suddenly, a pillar of pitch-black Stella Flow erupted from the altar, surging toward the heavens and releasing a crushing pressure that made the very atmosphere turn frigid.
"At last... he is here!" Kage cried out in triumph. "The darkest soul from your bloodline!"
Out of the black flames, a man stepped forward. Though he appeared to be in his thirties, his presence was far from human. His hair was a dull, dark crimson—similar to Takuto's but steeped in shadow.
When he looked up, the group gasped in horror. His eyes were devoid of any white, filled entirely with an abyssal black, save for his blood-red pupils. Two dark crimson markings etched their way from under his eyes down to his chin.
Without saying a word, the ancient warrior released his aura.
BOOM!!!
A massive shockwave of dark-red Stella Flow slammed into the surroundings. The sheer weight of the pressure stifled their breath, sending Takuto's comrades flying backward. Even Takuto, currently in his Step 3 (Aura Flare) state, was forced down onto one knee by the overwhelming force.
Dark-red mists of Stella Flow swirled around the ancient Phoenix User like a shroud of death as his cold, hollow gaze locked onto Takuto.
Gritting his teeth against the crushing gravity, Takuto forced himself back onto his feet. He channeled the explosive energy boiling within his chest, pushing himself into his final form.
With a roar of energy, Takuto's hair ignited into a brilliant, fiery red. The markings beneath his eyes multiplied, becoming more prominent. The Red Stella Flow surrounding him began to bleed into a dark crimson-black, yet he fought with every fiber of his being to keep the darkness from consuming his consciousness entirely.
Kaori, Hana, and the others watched with faces full of dread.
"Takuto! Be careful!" Kaori screamed. "Don't let your mind fall into the darkness!"
"Onii-chan... hold on to yourself!" Hana cried out.
Despite the agony of the transformation, Takuto turned back to his friends and offered a warm, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry... I'll hold it back as long as I can," Takuto said firmly. "And if... if I ever lose myself, I know you all will be there to bring me back. I have all of you with me, don't I?"
His words breathed new life into Kaori, Ayano, Kaito, Mei, and Hana. Their fear vanished, replaced by an unbreakable bond of trust. They were no longer just individuals; they were a united front.
Takuto turned his gaze back to the silent Dark Phoenix User. He took a steady step forward, clenching his fists tight. The blazing power of the Phoenix Nova was about to collide with the ancient darkness.
[END OF CHAPTER 36]