**Volume 2: Upper World**

  **Chapter 99: The End of July 3rd**

  July 3rd, 11:58 p.m. – Shinjuku Streets

  The city was alive in the worst way — fireworks popping overhead like warning shots, crowds thick with nervous laughter and phones held high. Sky and Max had split off from the main group earlier, heading toward the shopping district outside the big malls. Sky wore his usual black pants and purple shirt — Reaper slung low across his back, red Gem tucked inside his pocket like a burning coal. Max walked beside him — shadows curling restless around his boots, green Gem glowing faint through his jacket.

  Frosty and Aoi had gone underground — subway tunnels and mall basements — Frosty’s ice nails already frosting the rails, Aoi’s spatial cracks flickering like nervous heartbeats.

  Taka took Lola with him to the hotel district — where the rest of the academy kids were holed up — sword ready, eyes scanning rooftops.

  Then it happened.

  A loud, colorful explosion ripped through the center of Shinjuku — blue, red, and green light blooming like a twisted firework. The ground shook — windows shattered — screams cut through the night. Sky felt the red Gem in his pocket pulse hot against his skin. Max’s green one answered — glowing brighter.

  They ran.

  Sky sprinted — boots pounding pavement — Max right beside him. They pushed through panicked crowds — people running the opposite way — until they reached the plaza.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Ray and Jane stood in the middle of it all.

  Ray held the blue Gem — lifted high — purple aura rolling off him like storm clouds. Jane stood beside him — core scar cracked open, green eyes glowing, smile wide and empty.

  Sky didn’t hesitate.

  He ran straight for Jane — Reaper still on his back — fists clenched.

  Jane laughed — low — and met him halfway.

  Sky fisted him — hard right to the jaw — Jane’s head snapped sideways. Sky grabbed Jane’s hand — tried to twist — but Jane cut — black-red energy slashing across Sky’s chest — sending him flying back. Sky hit the ground rolling — blood spraying — shirt torn open — but he pushed up fast.

  Jane clapped once.

  **Laughing Void – Open.**

  The realm bloomed — black-red haze swallowing the plaza — laughter echoing from nowhere. Cuts started automatically — invisible, unavoidable — slicing across Sky’s arms, legs, face. Blood misted the air — Sky staggered — but kept coming.

  He knew he couldn’t win. Not like this.

  He pushed through the pain — ribs burning, vision blurring — and saw her.

  Leo.

  She was fighting Frosty near the subway entrance — blades flashing — stabbing at Frosty’s side. Frosty froze the wound instantly — ice spreading over the cut — slowing the pain so she could keep moving. Frosty’s aura shifted — snow swirling around her — temperature dropping below zero. She dashed — kicked Leo into a parked car — metal crumpling on impact — then punched Leo’s face — blood spraying.

  Leo countered — fist to Frosty’s stomach — Frosty doubled over — blood coming from her mouth. She looked up — locked eyes with Sky across the plaza — for just a second.

  Leo moved quick — finger flick — blade slashing.

  Frosty whispered — voice shaking — “This is the end?”

  Leo’s cut came — clean — four perfect lines.

  Frosty’s body fell apart — arms, torso, legs separating — ice cracking as she hit the ground.

  Leo turned to Jane — calm.

  “Stop your realm.”

  Jane clapped — void fading — laughter dying.

  Sky fell — knees hitting pavement — blood pouring from wounds — infinite blood curse kicking in — wounds trying to close but too many, too deep. He lay there — chest heaving — blood pooling under him — vision tunneling.

  Max screamed — shadows exploding outward — realm snapping open.

  **Echo Sovereign.**

  The same realm he used on Cam — shadows flooding the plaza — clones at different frame rates — infinite echoes stacking.

  Max’s voice broke — raw.

  “No. It won’t end like this.”

  The chapter ended with Sky lying on the ground — blood coming from his mouth, wounds, everywhere — infinite blood trying to heal but overwhelmed. He stared up at the sky — fireworks still popping — red, blue, green — like a mockery of the Gems.

  To be continued…