Darius had allowed Miko and the others one final attack each to end their battle. However, if they fail to kill him, he'll kill them on the spot.
It was literally a do or die situation.
“Then I'll go first.”
Sora stepped forward and glared at Darius. Darius ignored the glare, and smile.
“Are you sure? Wouldn't it make more sense to attack all at once?”
“There's no guarantee that our attacks won't cancel each other out, so we're attacking separately.”
“I see. Do what you want. It won't make a difference anyway.”
Darius displayed a mocking smile that irritated Sora.
He then took off his headphones and broke them in his hands. And then-
“[10th Tempo].”
His figure vanished.
Even after seeing that, Darius didn't braced himself for an attack.
That was because Sora was no longer in the area.
“That kid is really something. He's already half way out of the High Class District. Is he running away?”
Several kilometers north of where Darius stood, Sora was moving faster than what the human eye can perceive.
He was running so fast that every building he passed, had all of their windows shattered. He had already broken the sound barrier, and was moving faster than the human body can handle.
His body ached, his bone rattled, his organs were suffering under unbelievable pressure. Sora destroyed his body with every step he took. This was [10th Tempo], Sora’s top speed.
Sora suddenly took a jump and landed on the side of a large building. He bent his knees to ensure that he didn't lose his momentum.
*Crack*
“Argh!”
All of the bones in his legs cried out. But Sora knew he couldn't let that stop him.
Before the momentum left him, Sora kicked off the side of the building.
*BOOM!*
The building was blown away.
Sora was moving several times faster than before. So fast that road he ran on burst into pieces.
If one were to see this, it would look like a beam of light was traveling down the road, and was destroying it.
Sora who had turned into that beam of light, was heading towards one target. Darius.
Sora wasn't trying to run away. He needed to gather a lot of momentum to do one final attack.
A final attack that destroyed his body.
“Oh?”
Darius saw a beam of light heading towards him, leaving a wake of destruction behind it. It was like a storm became conscious, and was heading towards him.
In the face of such a thing, Darius-
“Heh.”
He smiled and took it head on.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
A deafening explosion range out through the night, accompanied by mass destruction.
The shockwave was so strong that it blew away Miko and Ace along with the surrounding rubble.
“Ugh….the hell was that?”
When Miko came to, he was under a big chunk of concrete. He pushed it off him and stood up. He then scanned the area and found a large crater where Darius once was.
He ran over towards it. The closer he got the large it looked.
When he finally reached and looked down, shock dyed his face.
“Miko you ok?!”
He suddenly heard ace behind him, but he didn't look back. He couldn't.
“How did it go?”
Ace asked as he walked up toward him.
“…Look for yourself”
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Ace did as Miko said and looked down into the crater.
“Wha?!”
It was deep. Really deep. Around 20 meters deep.
But that wasn't what surprised them.
In the center of that crater, Darius stood over a clearly broken Sora. He didn't look like a single part of him was broken, even after taking Sora’s attack.
“Wait…”
It was then Miko noticed that Darius was breathing heavily.
It was the first time he's done that since their fight began.
“He took damage. He just doesn't want to show it. But still…”
Miko honestly thought that Darius was done for, so to see him in one piece made him realize the difference between them.
“I'm up next.”
Saying so, Ace bent his knees.
“[Leg Boost X2]!”
A red light cover his legs. Blood sprayed from his wounds as they almost doubled in size.
He jumped and launched himself around 20 meters above the crater.
“I won't be able to move for a while after this.”
He drew his arm back as he said that.
It started glow white, and black sparks started coming from it.
*Crack*
As it grew twice in size, Ace could hear his bone breaking under the pressure, but he ignored it.
“[Finisher:…!]
Darius looked up after he sensed something dangerous above him. There he saw Ace falling towards him.
“These kids are insane.”
He threw the broken Sora out towards Miko, and lifted both his arms and made a giant shield of light that covered the crater.
Ace didn't pay it any mind, and continued to pour all of his remaining strength into his right arm.
When he was finished doing that, he was falling towards the shield.
He thrust his fist forward with all of his might.
“[…Big Impact]!”
*BOOOM!*
An white light illuminated the night. The earth broke and shook violently. Destruction once again spread through the area.
“……”
Miko used his purple wings and escaped into the sky with Sora.
He watched as the light from the collision died out, before return back to the ground.
He placed Sora, who could no longer move or speak, far away from the battle and flew back up into the air.
He flew near the crater that had now doubled in size.
“….Tch. It's already disappearing.”
He felt a pain in his right arm and held it.
He then scan the ground a little.
“There.”
He flew down and landed beside of someone. It was Ace.
He lifted him with his left hand and flew again.
He didn't need to check if Darius was alive. Miko now had an understanding of how powerful Darius was. He knew he was alive, and probably don't have any trouble standing up.
That's why Miko didn't hesitate.
He brought Ace to where Sora was, and left him there.
He then flew towards the crater, and stood on the edge.
Darius jumped out of the crater and landed beside him.
He was banged up, but as Miko expected he could still fight.
“So you're the last one, Third? To be honest, the last two attacks were amazing. I nearly died.”
“Then you should've.”
“I can't do that. Not anymore, anyway.”
Darius had a complex expression on his face, but Miko had an idea of what he was thinking.
“Let's get this over with.”
Miko lift his left hand and pointed his palm towards Darius.
“Oh?”
This intrigued Darius.
The wings on Miko's back disappeared. As if to replace it, a light started generating in the middle of Miko's palm.
“A laser? You're going to try to kill me with my own speciality?”
“Yeah. [Devil’s Light] is just compressing fire until it turns into a laser, right? Then I who specializes in [Flame Magic] should be able to do it.”
“Should? Don't tell me you're experimenting now.”
Miko nodded.
“….Are you stupid or just insane?”
“I prefer insane.”
Miko’s nonchalant attitude irritated Darius. So he mimic Miko and form a laser in his palm as well.
“If you want that to be your last move, than fine by me. I'll show you that a imitation can't compare to the real deal.”
“I appreciate your guidance.”
Miko focused all of his remain magic into his palm. An orb of light was then formed. It quickly grew bigger and brighter by the second. Darius did the same.
He was planning to erase Miko when he fired his laser.
“By the way, since you and your friends were the ones who attacked me first, I won't have to worry about your branch retaliating. Just in case, you hoped that you'll be avenged after I kill you.
“I don't mind. If I die, then so be it.”
Miko showed a confident smile, when he said that.
“Hey, Darius. Do you remember what I said before I was wrecked by your [Devil’s Light: Devourer]?”
Darius showed a confused expression towards Miko's weird question. Seeing that, Miko smiled and said-
“This one is designed to kill in the most unpredictable ways.”
“?!”
Darius suddenly felt a presence trying to sneak up on him. He quickly turned around and aimed his palm at them.
“….Eh?”
But upon seeing the person, he froze in place. And then-
“[Devil’s Light].”
A giant laser hit him from behind, and severely damaged him.
“Guh?!”
He coughed blood and feel to his knees. All the damage he took finally caught up with him. But he didn't pay that any mind. Even the fact that Miko attacked him. He was paying attention to one thing. The girl that stood in front of him, holding a Trident.
“…Hinami. You're still alive?”
“….Yeah.”
Hinami placed the Trident’s nozzle over Darius’s heart, and looked down at him.
“But you won't be.”
*Boom*
She pulled the trigger and powerful blast left the Trident, and created a huge hole in Darius’s chest.
“…..Cough!”
Darius fell onto his back, and coughed a lot of blood. Darius then found himself staring at the night sky.
Hina looked down him and with a pained expression.
As if seeing that, Darius spoke to her.
“….You finally did it, huh? You finally got your revenge.”
“…….”
Hina didn't say anything and looked away from Darius, who was laying in a pool of his own blood.
“….Well, I’ve always known that you were the one who would kill me. I who made your life a living hell….Cough!”
Blood started flowing from Darius's mouth, but he still continued to talk.
“Maybe that's why when I thought you died I felt a sense of loss. I was even starting to wonder if I would never be punished for my crimes…..But I was tricked and you were still alive.”
“You were always right, Uncle Darius.”
Hina responded to him for the first time.
“….Don't call me Uncle. It makes me feel disgusted with myself.”
The light started to leave Darius’s eyes. He turned his head and looked Hina.
“….What’s with that face? You don't look like someone who just got revenge.”
There were tears in Hina's eyes. Even she didn't know why she felt like crying.
“…..Well, whatever.”
Darius body felt cold, and his vision got dark. But for some reason he could see, someone's face. It was a familiar face.
“…Nami.”
She smiled at him when he called her name.
“….What? Did you come pick me?....That's no good. I'm suppose to be the one chasing you….”
Tears fell from Hina's eyes, as she heard Darius talking to her grandmother. Even though it was probably an illusion he made in his final hour, it still sadden her when she realized that she was about to lose the last person who shared the same memories she did about Nami.
“….You know, Nami. I really enjoyed the days I spent at that bookstore with you. The conversations we used to have. The times when Hinami would blabber on about books she just finished reading. Even the frighten stares of the men who would try to pick you up.”
Darius laughed weakly and shut his eyes.
“….We can still go back to those times, right? ……Nami……Hi….Na…Mi…”
Darius mouth never moved again.
His death was confirmed by the sorrowful cries of Hina.