Chapter 135
As the golden hand closed around Ayato, the light intensified, radiating an overwhelming brilliance that consumed all in its reach. Ayaka shielded her eyes, the force of the divine energy pushing her back. The air crackled with an unnatural power, the remnants of the throne room dissolving into golden particles, leaving behind an expanse of radiant sky.
Then, silence.
A deep hum resonated through the heavens, and from within the golden hand, something stirred. The fingers of the celestial appendage slowly unfurled, unveiling the reborn figure within. Ayato descended gracefully, no longer the man he once was. His form gleamed with an ethereal glow, his attire transformed into robes of supreme golden nobility, embroidered with intricate, divine sigils. His every step radiated authority, as if the very air bent to his will.
A golden mask, grinning with a smile that adorned it that seemed to be almost mocking, now adorned his face. The red markings beneath his eyes had fused into glowing streaks of holy energy, pulsating with a rhythm unknown to mortals. He extended a hand, fingers idly brushing the empty space as golden ripples echoed outward.
"Ayaka..." His voice carried a serene, yet condescending tone, reverberating through the celestial expanse. "You have always been beneath the grandeur of our bloodline, shackled by meaningless humility. But now..." He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the luminous domain above. "Now you shall witness the truest form of the Kamisato legacy. I have transcended. I have become divine."
Ayaka gritted her teeth, gripping her sword tightly as she steadied herself. "This... this isn’t right! You were never meant to lose yourself to this madness!"
Ayato tilted his head, his golden mask reflecting the blinding radiance around them. "Madness?" A chuckle escaped his lips, soft yet laced with chilling finality. "No, dear sister. This is enlightenment."
With a flick of his wrist, the sky itself responded. Holy spears of golden light materialized around him, each radiating divine destruction. "Now then," Ayato mused, raising a single finger towards Ayaka, "let us see if you are worthy to stand before a god."
With an explosion of light, the battle resumed.
Ayaka barely had time to react as the first spear came crashing down, splitting the sky with its radiant force. She sidestepped, ice forming beneath her feet as she propelled herself forward, closing the distance between her and Ayato. She slashed upward, her sword leaving a trail of frozen mist in its wake. But before it could reach him, Ayato vanished, his form flickering out of existence in a burst of golden sparks.
"Too slow," his voice whispered from behind her.