Episode 23: “The Choice That Broke Him”
As Soma and Shikanosuke lay unable to move,
the transformed Touka stood before Kei.
Kei struggled against overwhelming odds.
Then—
an offer was presented to him.
Tamashibari.
Yakushiin.
For the sake of revenge…
Kei made a decision.
He consumed the S-rank relic—
“The Thirteen Soul Mochi.”
At that moment,
his presence began to change.
Another will surfaced within him.
A swordsman once known as the strongest—
“Nanao Ogimata.”
Nanao took control.
---
In the midst of battle,
Touka activated the highest level technique—
Domain Expansion.
“Banpō Shisō.”
Within this space,
everyone was forced to confront their past.
Their minds began to weaken.
Soma collapsed under the weight of his memories.
Some civilians lost their sense of awareness.
Shikanosuke remained unaffected.
Tamashibari showed no reaction.
And Nanao—
had no cursed energy.
So the effect did not reach him.
---
Nanao overwhelmed Touka
and forced the domain to end.
Then—
he struck her down.
With her power exhausted,
Touka returned to her original state.
And as the hostility faded—
Nanao disappeared,
and Kei returned.
---
Touka looked at him.
“…Kei… I’m sorry…”
And then—
she lost consciousness.
---
“…Touka…?”
Kei couldn’t understand.
And then—
his mind began to break down.
---
Yakushiin appeared.
He restored Touka—
but not completely.
Instead—
he turned her into a glowing purple sphere.
“And now… I will take this power.”
…and absorbed it.
---
“Give her back…!!”
Kei shouted.
His voice trembled.
Even with his eyes closed—
he could still feel her presence.
---
He tried to attack—
but Yakushiin easily avoided him
and stopped his movement.
Kei fell.
---
“Give her back?” Yakushiin said calmly.
“…What?”
“You chose this.”
“You accepted the power.”
“You made that decision.”
---
“…No… that wasn’t me…!”
---
“Then you shouldn’t have chosen it.”
“I only gave you the option.”
“You decided.”
“So don’t cry.”
---
Only then—
Kei realized tears were falling.
---
“Blaming others won’t change anything.”
---
“I’ll… stop you…!”
---
Kei forced himself up.
He tried to use his strongest technique—
“Gale Iai Slash.”
But Yakushiin stopped him effortlessly.
---
“You can’t use that.”
---
No matter how hard he tried—
he couldn’t move properly.
Yakushiin took his weapon.
---
“Watch carefully.”
---
A single motion—
and Kei was pushed back.
---
Before he could react—
his movements became limited.
He couldn’t use his arms as before.
He didn’t understand what had happened.
---
“You rely too much on technique.”
---
Yakushiin spoke calmly.
---
“I don’t fight.”
“I simply take things apart.”
---
Kei cried out—
but no one came.
---
“How unfortunate…”
“Loyalty. Revenge.”
---
Tamashibari laughed lightly.
“Is this friendship? That’s kind of cute.”
---
At the edge—
Kei called out.
“Nanao… help me…”
---
Silence.
---
“…Don’t say that again…”
---
Suddenly—
his body froze.
His breathing became unstable.
His heartbeat felt unfamiliar.
---
A voice echoed clearly.
---
“If you say that again—
you won’t remain as you are.”
---
Kei’s consciousness faded.
---
“Even Nanao won’t help you. That’s sad.”
Tamashibari said.
---
“…Don’t mock him.”
---
“…Hm?”
---
She turned.
---
Shikanosuke—
stood up.
Barely, but still standing.
---
“Don’t make fun of my friend!”
---
■後半（超安全版まとめ）
Shikanosuke stepped forward.
Even after taking damage,
he refused to stop.
He held his ground
and created an opening.
---
Using his strength,
he pushed Tamashibari back.
---
With lightning,
he disrupted her recovery.
---
“Now…!”
---
He delivered a full-power strike.
This time—
it reached a higher level.
---
She was forced outside.
---
“…I did it…”
---
But—
Yakushiin appeared behind him.
---
“…Impressive.”
---
And subdued him.
---
“You’ve already been affected.”
---
Yakushiin smiled.
---
He spoke about Touka.
Coldly.
---
And that—
ignited Shikanosuke.
---
“She was trying to save people…!”
“Don’t talk about her like that!”
---
“I won’t forgive you!”
---
His power rose again.
---
“…Interesting.”
Yakushiin said.
---
But Shikanosuke—
wasn’t just angry.
---
He was grieving.
---
And what remained—
was not rage.
…but the weight of what he lost.
