Book 2: Seven Demon's Hearts

Chapter 78: Ultimatum

Chapter 78: U l t i m a t u m

(Prelude)

Aiko could finally see it. 

Between the illusion, he saw it as clear as day.

The hidden truth that no one would have ever been prepared for. 

A past that came to haunt everyone in the great ultimatum of this battle.

A masked puppeteer holding strings that tangle its toy. 

It was a tragic fate born from the Origins. A silenced cry that was never heard. 

Sitting and waiting in the darkness. 

For it's time to destroy. 

****

"Aiko, you have to control your emotions! Don't let your feelings get to you!"

"Look beyond what you can see, you'll find the source of your power the strongest there."

"Control yourself! Aiko!"

"Aiko!"

"Aiko!!"

The world zoomed back into the present perspective as Aiko stood in the center of the battleground. The boy took inhaled a deep breath of air that sounded more like a strangled gasp as he faced the reality he currently had to deal with. 

The memories of the past few hours in Satan's infinite time realm caught up to him as he faced the worst thing any kid his age could. Aiko was tasked with the burden of saving the entire world and this time, he had only one chance to do it right.

"Aiko!" The kid's attention shifted to his name. "You've got this! You trained several times, I know you can do it!" Sera yelled with strain, holding back the army of strange-looking beings J-hope had unleashed with a barrier wall. These hunter-green humanoid blobs weren't Satan's creations which were confirmed earlier, but rather Illusion's powers. The sheer power he had returned within such a short amount of time proved to them he was transcending again and that they had to finish this battle quickly. 

After asking Jimin to train her, Sera had finally developed a few skills more than what a human borrowing Magik could have achieved in a while. With this, she wanted to stop being a liability to others and start supporting Aiko instead. However, everyone was holding back J-hope's strange army since they figured out the more damage they took the more they divided and increased in number. Instead, they took the route of containing them while the main battle ensued. 

"Focus," Sera spoke to him. "Remember what Satan and the witches told you."

"But..." Aiko's lips parched open as he looked at the grand tree ahead of them where J-hope stood in front, channeling his powers into the three keys. The end was so near and clear for them all. Looking at everyone's ghastly faces, not even all the races from each realm combined could put a stop to the impending doom. Only he could.

So it wasn't the time for his anxiety to creep back up. He had to focus in order to feel that same sensation again as he did the last time he managed to injure J-hope. He had to see beyond what his limits were.