Inside Shu Ouma's apartment, a group of GHQ soldiers were carefully searching for something, while Kurumi sat quietly on the sofa.
"Be careful not to disturb the layout of the room. The target is a photograph containing Haruka Ouma, Mana Ouma, and Shu Ouma. Find it while keeping the room as intact as possible," Major Segai ordered respectfully from behind Kurumi as he directed the soldiers.
Just then, his voice sounded again. "Miss Kurumi, may I ask... what is Miss Inori's Void? Could you satisfy my curiosity?"
"Oh? You don't understand why I gave up dealing with Shuichiro Keido at the end and chose instead to chase after Inori?" Kurumi gave Segai a sidelong glance, the faint gleam in her crimson eyes carrying a trace of reproach that made cold sweat bead down his forehead.
"No, of course not! There must be a reason behind every action the Angel takes. I'm merely curious, that's all. The King's Void possesses unparalleled destructive power, so surely the Crown's Void must surpass even the King's." Segai bowed hurriedly, his heart pounding. Have I overstepped? he wondered anxiously.
"Well, it's fine to tell you now. The final battle is approaching anyway." Resting her chin on one hand, Kurumi continued, "Inori's Void is the Void that can wield all of humanity's Voids. Only her Void can directly counter the virus."
"I see. So the Crown restrains the virus, and the King delivers the fatal blow. Truly, the Angel's foresight is beyond comprehension," Segai praised respectfully, though cold sweat trickled down his back. To wield all human Voids... what a terrifying concept. To think that the Crown was the true key all along.
"Miss, we found the photograph," one GHQ soldier reported, carefully holding out a photo with both hands. It was old, yet perfectly preserved—Haruka must have kept it with great care.
After Shu Ouma had lost his memories of Mana, Haruka had feared that the memories would wound him further, so she had hidden away everything related to Mana. This photograph was the only relic that still tied the three together.
The three of them smiled brightly in the picture. On the back were the words: 'We made a promise—Shu will be protected by us.'
It seemed that even from childhood, Shu's fate was deeply entangled. Not only had Mana harbored forbidden love for him, but even Haruka—his aunt by relation—had feelings for him as well. No wonder she had remained single all these years, always showing him an affection that blurred the lines between familial and romantic.
"Angel, Shu Ouma has abandoned all electronic devices and gone into hiding. With the city still in chaos, locating him will be difficult," Segai reported respectfully.
"It's fine. I can find him." Holding the photo, Kurumi transformed.
Her outfit changed to a violet Astral Dress, her orange hair coiled elegantly atop her head—she had taken on the form of Yamai, the Spirit of Wind, born from the fusion of Kaguya and Yuzuru.
Her body lifted off from the balcony, a whirlwind swirling around her as she glided above Tokyo. The air she passed through spread like an invisible web, the wind seeping into every corner of the city. Kurumi searched the entire metropolis like a sweeping radar.
As the sunset cast its final light, Kurumi finally found Shu Ouma at the seaside—but he was not alone. Yuu, the Gravekeeper, was there as well, and Gai Tsutsugami watched from a nearby villa by the shore.
At that moment, Shu and Yuu were locked in a fierce battle, both covered in wounds, neither willing to yield. It was a fight to the death.
"So, you came." Gai's voice, weary and hoarse, came from the window where he lay, his waist wrapped in bandages. Kurumi appeared silently behind him, saying nothing.
"This belongs to him. He wanted me to give it to you," Gai said, handing her a phone—the one Yuu had always carried with him.
When she unlocked it, there were no apps, no contacts, only one photo album. Opening it, Kurumi saw that every single picture was of her.
Even though she had been secretly photographed, she couldn't bring herself to be angry. In every picture, she was smiling—brightly, joyfully. Even she felt her heart soften at the sight, her chest warming with quiet sweetness.
"That guy kept calling himself your knight... that idiot. I really wish I could have been his brother in another life," Gai Tsutsugami said with a faint smile. His voice held no arrogance or pride—just the tone of an ordinary friend rambling. At that moment, all traces of his former grandeur were gone.
"Please, let me spend my remaining days quietly by Mana's side... these are my final moments." Kurumi said nothing, closing the phone softly before walking out of the room.
She stepped lightly across the beach, the breeze wrapping around her. To any onlooker, she was invisible—her feet left no trace in the soft sand.
Kurumi stood silently by the two battling figures, watching their desperate fight. Neither Shu Ouma nor Yuu sensed her presence. Shu's Void was the Blade of Sin. The moment Yuu saw it, he knew—it was still immature, far too weak to stand against the virus.
Shu Ouma needed sin. He needed hatred to mature. And without a doubt, Kurumi was the one meant to nurture the light within his heart—the one who would guide his compassion.
Thus, when Yuu saw the Void Greatsword, he understood his purpose—to become Shu's hatred, his darkness.
And Haruka Ouma—sister, aunt, and maternal figure to Shu—was undoubtedly the catalyst. Though Shu rarely mentioned her name, Haruka had always been his emotional foundation—his pillar, even more important than his own life.
So Yuu smiled as he severed that pillar. To protect the Angel's light from being consumed by darkness—that was his mission as her knight.
Half of the sun had already sunk beneath the horizon. The battle neared its end. Ultimately, Yuu was no match for Shu Ouma, who was protected by the world's will. Shu shattered Yuu's sword and pierced his heart.
"Heh..." Blood filled Yuu's eyes as the glow of hatred slowly dimmed. Shu drew out his sword, a demonic smile spreading across his blood-streaked face.
"Haruka died with her heart pierced too! So I'll make you bleed to death as well!" Shu laughed hysterically, covered in blood, staggering along the shore like a madman.
His tattered clothes and blood-soaked bandages dripped crimson onto the sand. The dark purple blade he dragged began to change—its color fading toward transparency.
Sitting calmly on the sand, Yuu, with his delicate smile, looked at peace. His Void was broken; his life was nearly gone.
As the wind scattered, Kurumi appeared before him, having returned to her true form.
"My Angel... my sword is broken. Do you still have need of a broken blade?" Yuu's voice was faint, his gaze unfocused. With his Void destroyed, his body should have already vanished—only sheer will kept him here.
"Give me the broken sword," Kurumi said, extending her hand. Yuu held up the fractured weapon and offered it to her with both hands.
Resting the broken sword on his shoulder, Kurumi spoke solemnly, her tone divine: "Time has passed, yet your heart remains unchanged. By my name as an Angel, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Guardian Knight. Title: The Blade of the Broken Sword."
A peaceful smile curved Yuu's lips. The light in his eyes faded, and his body dissolved into the wind. The half-broken sword scattered into shimmering silver particles, drifting into the air.
Crack! Kurumi crushed the phone in her hand, grinding it into powder between her palms. She held it gently, then opened her hands. The dust slipped through her fingers, carried away by the damp sea breeze—washed into the ocean and swallowed by the sunset.
As the sea wind rose, Kurumi's form merged once again into that of the Wind Spirit, silently following the madly wandering Shu Ouma.
After killing Yuu, Shu was an empty shell, aimlessly drifting through the streets.
His clothes were tattered, his sword dragging at his side, keeping others at a distance. When hunger struck, he scavenged through ruined stores for food; when night fell, he slept against walls. By the end of the first day, his black sword had faded to gray.
At dawn the next morning, disheveled and filthy, Shu wandered the streets again. His ragged clothes were caked in dried blood and dust, making him look like a homeless vagrant.
By the second evening, the gray sword in his hand had turned transparent. If not for the shallow trails it carved in the sand, no one would have known he still held it.
On the third morning, the sword had vanished completely. Shu crouched motionless in an alley corner, his eyes open but vacant, his gaze hollow.
Heavy rain fell over the sorrowful city. The surviving citizens gathered under government aid, enduring the harsh winter together.
GHQ personnel began searching the city for survivors, joined by kindhearted civilians. When they finally found Shu Ouma, three more days had passed. His body was caked in mud, his hair matted, his chin covered in rough stubble—he looked even worse than a beggar.
"There's another survivor here," Hare Menjou said worriedly as she looked at the man crouched by the wall. By coincidence—or perhaps fate—the ones who found Shu were Hare Menjou, Yahiro Samukawa, Souta, and the ever-innocent Inori.
The naive Inori had spent the last few days following Kurumi's orders—staying in the kitchen day and night. It was only after she'd finally learned to cook properly that she realized Kurumi-chan had vanished. So, by sheer chance, she'd joined the group to search for her.
"Hey, isn't that our school uniform?" Yahiro noticed something odd as he approached the filthy man. Beneath the torn fabric, he recognized traces of their school attire. Realization struck him, and he hurried closer.
"Hey, are you okay?" Yahiro reached out, touching Shu's hand. At that moment, the unresponsive Shu moved instinctively. With terrifying reflexes, he grabbed Yahiro's wrist and slammed him to the ground in one motion.
"Damn you! What did you do to my friend?!" Souta shouted angrily, throwing a punch at Shu—only to be kicked down instantly.
"Hare! Yahiro! Souta!" Hare Menjou cried in panic, rushing forward toward the fallen pair.