Whispers of Shikiban:The king walks among us-Chapter 64 --

The battlefield looked more like a broken planet than a place they'd just survived. Craters. Scorched ground. Debris everywhere, like the gods had played dodgeball with mountains.

The squad stood in the middle of it all—alive. Not victorious. Just... there.

Yeji adjusted his coat like he hadn't just erased a cosmic god from reality. Cool. Calm. Completely unreadable.

Daigo blinked. "Bro. Your name's Yeji?"

Yeji didn't answer. Just gave him a look.

"I mean, damn," Daigo went on. "You showed up all floating and serious—I thought you were another Shikiban. Like, a hot, final boss version."

Yeji narrowed his eyes. "Shikiban?"

"Sorry," Ishigo cut in, raising both hands like he was surrendering. "My guy's brain is wired on custom settings."

Yeaga stepped closer, studying Yeji like a rare bird. "Real talk—if you never said a word, I'd bet money you were a girl. You've got that 'beautiful but could kill me' energy."

Reika groaned. "Shut up."

She turned to Yeji. "Don't mind him. He's legally not allowed to handle explosives anymore."

Yeji cracked the tiniest smirk. "I've met worse."

"Seriously," Yeaga said, undeterred. "If you were a girl, I'd marry you. No hesitation. Vows at dawn."

"I'm not gay," Yeji said flatly.

"I'm not either!" Yeaga said quickly. "Just appreciating beauty when I see it. You're like a forbidden snack from another realm."

Reika pinched the bridge of her nose. "Can we not sexually harass the cosmic sword guy for five minutes? We just fought a level that tried to eat reality."

"This is how we decompress," Ishigo muttered.

Yeji shrugged. "I've seen worse. You guys are just... louder than expected."

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"Stick around," Yeaga grinned. "We get worse."

Yeji glanced at him. "If this is friendship, I get why the Void looked peaceful."

Daigo laughed. "Nah, man. You're stuck with us now. You blew up a monster and saved our tank waifu over here—"

"I'm not your waifu," Reika snapped.

"She says that, but like... with affection," Daigo grinned.

Yeji looked up. The sky was normal again. The rift that had torn through it was gone—sealed shut like it never existed. The quiet that followed wasn't empty this time. It was... still.

He nodded once. "Yeah. I didn't come all this way to stop now."

Yeaga clapped him on the back. "Hell yeah. Let's suffer together."

"Let's die stylish," Ishigo added.

Reika sighed. "We need therapy."

"Speak for yourself," Yeaga shouted, already walking toward the ruins. "I need alcohol and someone who isn't made of swords."

Then—

VRMMMM.

The massive gate rumbled. Stone grinding against stone, ancient energy flickering like lightning through cracks.

Daigo spun around, eyes wide. "BROOO, THE GATE'S OPENING!"

He immediately started dancing like an idiot. Yeaga joined in.

"LEVEL SIX CLEARED, BABY!""YEEEAHHHHHH!"

Reika let out a slow breath. Ishigo stepped beside her.

"Sorry we got separated back there," he said quietly.

"Don't worry," she said. "It's our fate."

"I was worried about you. How the hell did you take down those Shikiban alone?"

She touched her chest lightly. Still felt warm under the ribs. "...Ryujin."

"Huh?"

"It'll take too long to explain. I'll tell you later." She looked over at Yeji. He was staring into space, jaw tight, like his thoughts were miles away.

"I was stuck with two psychos," Ishigo said, nodding toward Daigo and Yeaga. "Always joking. Never serious. But... they've got good hearts."

Reika gave a small nod. "Crazy people without brains are always the bravest."

She looked at Yeji. "What's your technique called?"

Yeji blinked back to the present. "Glacial Veil. Freezes movement or attacks mid-air. Can shield or trap."

"And the other?"

"Frostbite Dominion. Area freeze. Anything in range slows or shatters."

Ishigo stared. "Wait... you control both ice and heat?"

Yeji nodded once.

Behind them, more Kageshiki emerged from the battlefield—bruised, bloodied, but breathing. Some limped. Others leaned on friends. They weren't the same kids who entered this trial.

Ishigo did a quick headcount. "We started with 93."

Reika's voice was quieter. "There were 200 before training even began."

Ishigo shook his head. "Now? Maybe 25 left."

"Not everyone was meant to survive," she said. "Only the strong remain."

The gate opened with a final thunk. Daigo and Yeaga didn't wait—they sprinted through, cheering like idiots.

Reika, Ishigo, and Yeji followed.

Inside the courtyard of Tenshiko Academy, everything felt... still.

The air was cooler. The chaos was gone. Rows of senior Kageshiki lined the grounds—silent, waiting. Some wore pristine robes, others were still in battle gear. All of them looked like people who had walked through fire and come back stronger.

At the center stood Kenjiku, the founder himself. Silent. Watching.

"Welcome," he said.

Reika's gaze shifted—then locked onto a familiar figure.

Souta.

Alive. Still here.

Her breath caught. She hadn't even realized how much she'd prepared herself not to see him again.

Then the weight hit her.

She dropped to her knees.

Not out of ceremony. Not from pride.

Just... exhaustion. Grief.

They'd made it. But so many hadn't.

Her hands trembled. Her throat tightened. Everyone else was cheering. Laughing. Celebrating.

But in her chest—something hollow.

She stared down, eyes wet but not crying.

The sun was rising.

The wind brushed her cheek.

It should have felt like a beginning.

But it still felt like an ending too.

And somewhere, buried deep in that tired heart of hers—a quiet voice whispered:

It's not over.

Not even close.