Tengoku e no Hangyaku - Rebellion against Heaven (english version)

Chapter 8: The Weight of Force

The battlefield was a chaos of dust and blood. Aiko gasped, feeling every beat of her heart boom in her head like a war drum. Her wounds should have pinned her down, but something inside her was still burning, something wild and unknown. His body moved instinctively, ignoring pain, ignoring fear.

Daichi sat back with difficulty, holding his spear in both hands. Haru kept his distance, with a knocked out arrow and ready to shoot. Kenta, despite the difficulty of breathing after the blow to the throat, let out a hoarse laugh.

"That look... it's not you," he spat, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. "You're a monster.

Aiko felt the heat in her blood intensify. His fingers trembled, but not out of fear. It was something else. An unknown energy that roared within her, demanding to be released. Her vision blurred for an instant, and when she blinked, Daichi was already on top of her.

His spear descended with deadly speed. Aiko moved without thinking. In the blink of an eye, he caught the gun's shaft with one hand and split it in two with a brutal jerk. Daichi's eyes widened in disbelief, but he didn't have time to react before Aiko kneeed him in the stomach, sending him to the ground with an agonized growl.

Kenta and Haru attacked in unison. Kenta's scythes swirled in the air like a deadly whirlwind, while Haru's arrows cut through the wind. But Aiko was no longer the same. His body moved with impossible precision, dodging with a speed that didn't seem human.

Blood was pouring from his wounds, but he didn't feel it. I just wanted to keep fighting, keep hitting, keep destroying.

"More..." he whispered, his voice deeper, almost unrecognizable.

But then, his body stopped. A stabbing pain, not physical, but deep within her being, pierced her like an electric shock. His vision trembled, and he felt his legs turn lead.

"AGH!" he shouted, putting his hands to his head. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his pulse soared.

The power that had driven her was also destroying her from within.

Aiko fell to her knees, panting. Her vision blurred, and the last thing she saw was Kenta's figure advancing towards her with a cruel smile. Feeling her strength leave her, she closed her eyes.

But then, an overwhelming presence filled the air.

Time seemed to freeze. The pressure in the atmosphere became unbearable. Daichi, Kenta, and Haru stood motionless, a shiver running down their spine. Aiko felt a shadow fall on her, and before she could process it, strong arms lifted her up with ease.

When he opened his eyes with effort, he saw an imposing silhouette standing in front of his enemies. His presence alone was enough to make none of them dare to move. His voice resounded calmly, but with unquestionable authority:

"Well done. You've improved a lot.

And with those words, Aiko's world turned black.