Chapter 48: Kazuya’s Flashback (Part 4)

My breathing was ragged, my body too weak to move.

My vision was hazy and unfocused.

It was the price I paid for staying awakened until my stamina completely ran out.

I couldn’t even stand anymore—nothing left in the tank, an absolute zero state.

I was only on my feet because Miki was holding me up.

Honestly, I just wanted to lie down flat on my back and fall asleep.

But I couldn’t even sit down and relax until I saw the Demon King Devidangarm through to the very end.

Miki and I had put everything we had into that attack—it had to have worked.

Even if he shifted his core, we’d blasted him with lightning across every inch of his body. There’s no way it didn’t do any damage.

And in fact, the Demon King wasn’t regenerating.

His body was still smoldering, not even twitching. There was no sign he was starting to regenerate.

Could it be… this time, for real… we actually won?

Did we defeat the Demon King?

◇◆◇

“Kazuya, we really did it this time, didn’t we!?”

Miki cheered with innocent glee. If she weren’t holding me up, I’m sure she would’ve been jumping for joy.

She’d always been that way—even in our previous lives. Her joy was so easy to read, so infectious it made me happy too.

That’s something I’ve always liked about her.

Maybe she got too excited while supporting me, because she lost her balance and had to quickly steady me again.

“Whoops—man, you really are heavy, Kazuya. You’re big, after all. But don’t worry, I just let my guard down for a second. I can totally support you, no problem.”

She gave me a slightly embarrassed smile afterward.

I love that smile. I love it so much.

It’s been, what, 400 years since Miki reincarnated as an elf? The way she carried herself now was fully, unmistakably feminine.

But the moment I recognized it as Miki, even those gestures that used to seem like just any woman’s reminded me of the Miki I knew from our past lives.

And somehow, that made her seem even more charming, more irresistible—and it drew me in. It comforted me.

Miki is my best friend—and the one I love.

Because she’s my best friend, I can trust her with everything and feel safe.

Because I love her, I want everything she has to give.

If I’m being honest, I’d rather just forget about the Demon King and go live with her, the two of us together.

But I can’t do that.

Because I’m a Hero.

Back when I’d just made it to B-Rank, I didn’t have any noble ideals like that.

But the more I felt people’s expectations, the more I fought alongside Miki, the more Heroes I met—those experiences made me realize what it meant to be a Hero, and that I had to grow stronger.

Especially meeting other Heroes—that changed me more than anything.

---

The Hero of Light, Dominic.

He was a jerk. I hated him. He was the guy who tried to take Miki from me.

But to me back then, his existence was a shock.

During our fight against the Earth Dragon, back when I was full of myself, I was completely useless—I almost lost Miki.

Dominic was the one who saved her.

Even if he did it for Miki, the fact remains—he saved her. And that was when I saw what a real Hero’s strength looked like.

Dominic was on a whole different level than me. That’s when I realized—this is what a true Hero looks like.

I managed to save Miki by throwing everything I had into it, but even then, it was only possible thanks to the barrier she put up.

The truth was, I couldn’t do anything against Dominic.

That was when I learned what awakening really meant—and later, I found out it was something unique to Heroes.

In other words, being able to freely use awakening was what defined a true Hero.

From that moment on, Dominic became my goal.

I worked to surpass his strength—to become strong enough to protect Miki.

When we finally crossed paths again in the Demon King’s underground labyrinth… if I’m being honest, I was disappointed.

Given how fast I’d been growing, I figured Dominic must’ve gotten even stronger.

But my expectations were completely betrayed.

I was honestly let down. And seeing how his personality hadn’t changed at all made it even worse.

Now, he’s just someone irrelevant to me.

That said, if it weren’t for Dominic, we’d have died back then. Because of him, I found the drive to improve, and I got stronger.

---

The Hero of Flame, Roy. And the Former Hero of Flame, Joseph.

Roy is a good guy—truly the kind of person worthy of being called a real Hero. I’d say that proudly.

If I weren’t a Hero myself, I’d want him to be the one to defeat the Demon King. That’s how much he embodies what a Hero should be.

Meeting him and Joseph was another turning point in my life. If I hadn’t crossed paths with them, I might never have developed the attitude I have now as a Hero, or even learned to control my awakening.

Roy’s personality—his sincerity, his unwavering drive to keep moving forward—that alone made him seem like the very image of what a Hero should be.

And his mentor, the former Hero Joseph, was the one who showed me the true potential of awakening.

Unlike my own group, Roy’s party was well-balanced. In a game from our past lives, they would’ve been the textbook Hero team destined to save the world by defeating the Demon King.

And in my heart, I started seeing Roy as my personal rival.

When we reunited here, they’d grown stronger.

Roy especially—maybe because he’s a Hero—had made huge strides. I thought he was now on equal footing with me.

Since I already saw him as a rival, that progress made me all the more glad—especially after what happened with Dominic.

Roy had only become more heroic, and it was a relief to see that his personality hadn’t changed either.

Roy’s very existence helped teach me what being a Hero really meant.

Without Joseph, I doubt I would’ve ever mastered awakening or taken that extra step forward.

The other Heroes I met… each one played a big part in helping me grow into the Hero I am today.

---

I have to defeat the Demon King—for everyone, and for myself.

My blurred vision started to clear. I could finally see the Demon King clearly.

I squinted, determined not to miss even the slightest movement.

That’s when I noticed it—just the faintest twitch in the Demon King’s body. Barely noticeable. Probably only I could have caught it.

“Miki! Barrier, now!”

“Huh? Ah—!”

She looked confused, but instantly reacted and cast a barrier.

Right after that, several horns shot out of the Demon King’s body, attacking us.

Thankfully, Miki’s barrier blocked the horns, and we avoided any harm.

Without a word, Miki reinforced the barrier and cast it again with extra layers.

“No way… he’s still alive!?”

Miki was stunned—but to me, it didn’t seem so unlikely.

“It’s not just some last twitch. He’s still alive. I think his core is intact.”

When I unleashed Thunder Hammer – Supreme, I meant to completely incinerate his body. But I didn’t manage to scorch the rear half of his lower body.

Even so, the lightning should have reached deep inside him. I’d hoped that was enough—but I was being naive.

The problem is, I’ve got no strength left. I can’t fight anymore.

And Miki, on her own, can’t unleash anything close to what I just did.

Which means… there’s only one option left.

My true last resort—one I never wanted to use.

A final awakening that can only be triggered when you’ve squeezed every last drop of power from your body, when there’s truly nothing left.

This awakening has higher output than the standard one—but a much shorter duration.

Most awakenings burn stamina. But this one burns life itself. It sets your very soul ablaze.

An awakening beyond awakening.

But now, I’ve got no other choice.

Just as I steeled myself, the Demon King’s body began regenerating.

The charred wounds started healing. His body began taking shape again, starting from the lower half.

“Miki! There’s no time. I’m going to use my final awakening—lend me your strength!”

“But Kazuya! You’ve got no power left! You can’t awaken like this!”

Miki panicked—and she was right. I can’t use a normal awakening.

Not like this.

“It’s fine! I’ve got one last card to play. So please—help me!”

I forced my reasoning on her and asked her to strengthen me.

Miki hesitated, then nodded.

“Okay! I believe in you, Kazuya!!”

A white phantom, identical to Miki, appeared and began a dual chant with her.

This white shadow—though it flickered like a translucent wisp—looked just like Miki. And that made it incredibly beautiful.

The twin chants finished. The white phantom moved and merged into Miki.

“Kazuya…”

With the phantom fused to her, Miki looked into my eyes—and leaned in for a kiss.

I accepted it and reached for her.

I was shocked. I could feel Miki’s lips, her tongue—but also the presence of the phantom.

It wasn’t a physical sensation exactly. More like a surge of magic, but it felt just like a real kiss.

As I drew in Miki’s tongue, I could feel the phantom’s too—as if I were experiencing two sides of reality at once.

And then I felt it: my body strengthening, like never before.

I pulled back, steadying my breath.

Now it was my turn to awaken.

To ignite this awakening, I had to burn through every last ounce of strength—leave myself empty—and only then, light the flame of life.

Unlike the usual awakenings, this one didn’t come from burning passion. It required a still heart—a perfectly calm mind.

I call this: Awakening Zero – Serene Mirror, Still Water.

The awakening triggered. Serene Mirror, Still Water had begun.

It wouldn’t last long. A life-burning awakening for a short, decisive battle.

“Unite Magic: Thunder God Spear!”

The moment I readied Takemikazuchi, Miki’s spell came flying in.

Perfect timing. That’s Miki for you.

My heart, clear as still water… but my body strikes like lightning.

I shot toward the Demon King.

Devidangarm was nearly done regenerating—he was on the verge of full revival.

I wouldn’t let it happen. It ends here.

He tried to stab me with his horns, but he was too slow.

I appeared before him and unleashed the final technique. The true last strike I had.

“Heavenrend Blade: Lightning Flash Severance — Thousand Hands!”

The Heavenrend Blade: Lightning Flash Severance wasn’t a move meant for repeated use.

But this version—Thousand Hands—unleashed countless strikes. A special form only possible under Serene Mirror, Still Water.

I had the skill to execute it, and the power to withstand it. Thanks to Miki, I could pull it off.

Lightning Flash Severance — Thousand Hands sliced through the Demon King’s body. Even his reinforced lower hide was shredded like a vegetable beneath a chef’s blade—clean, fast, and everywhere.

And in that moment, I felt something.

I knew. That was the core.

Without hesitation, I struck it again and again—reducing it to tiny fragments. Destroying it completely.

I think I heard the Demon King Devidangarm’s final scream.

And the moment I did—Serene Mirror, Still Water ended.

And I lost consciousness.