My youth story cannot be a knight war

"Mr. Zaimokuza, you're so strong!"

Hoshino Rumi's rosy cheeks flushed red with excitement, and the strange star-shaped pupil of her left eye was shining at this moment, full of admiration and worship.

She waved her delicate fists at the light screen and shouted excitedly at the top of her voice.

"Charge! Yes! That's it! Knock this damn rhinoceros beetle down and stomp on its horns to humiliate it! Avenge Sister Miou and everyone else!"

"...You haven't even met her once, and you're already calling her sister? And you've messed up the generations, right? Not to mention now, even if you add 'before', her real age is enough to make her your grandmother—"

The blond boy sitting next to her, Hoshino Aikuai, also known as "Aqua", had his eyes twitching slightly. While he was complaining, his right arm was hit by several "pink fists of love" from his sister. He immediately moved his butt away from the crazy sister with a gloomy face.

"Aqua, what do you know? Girls are always older sisters no matter how old they are! They're completely different from you, an old man who's already entered menopause early!"

Hoshino Rumi glanced contemptuously at her brother who was shrinking aside and licking his wounds silently, and said with a proud look on her face while pointing at herself with her thumb.

"Although Sister Miou and I have never met in real life, we have been friends for a long time! Even if we are strangers now, if we meet in real life in the future... uh."

She got stuck in the middle of her words, remembering where the sister Miou she was talking about was in reality. Her face flushed again under Aqua's playful gaze, this time because of anger and embarrassment.

"I don't care! Sister Miou is Sister Miou anyway. She's been pushing her since she was born! You don't need to be so clear about the sasaeng fans!"

"I'm going back! Just being with you, bro, makes me feel like I've aged ten years because of your aura of old age. I'm still young!"

Hoshino Rumi picked up a pillow and smashed it against her brother's face. She stood up from the sofa and walked towards her room with a puffed face and a snort. She planned to continue watching in the room.

"...Why are you pretending to be young? You've already lived two lifetimes and you're a real old lady. I really don't understand women's thinking."

"Even if it's the truth, I still can't say a single wrong thing... I've learned enough, but is this the power of an idol's fanatic sasaeng fans? It's terrifying, even though I'm a member of the idol group..."

Aqua silently took the pillow off his face and stared at the light screen that belonged to him and one of the two fighting figures floating in front of him. His lazy eyes became extremely deep at this moment.

Especially the star-shaped pupil in his right eye, which was similar to his sister's, radiated an extremely complex light at this moment, which contained gloom and darkness, as well as deep-hidden jealousy.

"But to be honest, even the most powerful idol in the world right now isn't even one percent as famous as you... Zaimokuza Yoshiki."

Some things can only be said in the heart and must not be heard by outsiders, otherwise it will be followed by abuse and disgust. Aqua has always understood this truth, so he kept many things in his heart and did not even talk about it with his closest sister in the world.

Perhaps it was because of this that his heart gradually became gloomy and indifferent over time. Not only did he not pay much attention to things that were not related to his life, he also could not get along well with those who had opposite personalities to his.

And "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru" is undoubtedly such a person. Compared with the cold and taciturn Aqua, in addition to being an extremely extroverted social terrorist, his personality is simply the embodiment of the sunshine in the sky in this world. In addition to illuminating the hearts of those who come into contact with it, that light will naturally illuminate the darkness and discomfort in some people's hearts.

As for this hero who is now praised and admired by everyone, Akua is actually not very attracted to him. He can't say that he likes him, but he can't say that he feels uncomfortable or disgusted with him either. He feels like a great man who is very far away from his life.

However, Aqua harbors a deep jealousy towards Zaimokuza Yoshiki in his heart, but not towards the brilliant hero of the future, but towards Zaimokuza who should be a student like him now, because of the fame that the other party has now.

Having debuted as a child star, he knows very well how important fame is to people working in this industry. Idols and stars with enough fame can even interfere with other aspects of society beyond this field.

To this day, Aqua still remembers how crowded the filming location outside the entire crew was when the star known as Big Brother came to this country to shoot a movie. It is no exaggeration to describe it as a boundless sea of ​​people. The local government even spontaneously dispatched a large number of people to escort the filming of the movie. Even the underworld forces outside the government's control agreed not to cause trouble during this period, and those who violated the agreement would be hunted down by both the black and white worlds.

It can be said that the operation of the entire city during that period revolved around that crew. The crime rate dropped drastically for a while, almost reaching the peak of the safety line in the past decade, and economic revenue even increased slightly as a result.

Aqua happened to be one of the members of that huge crowd at that time. Witnessing everything on the spot, he couldn't help but be shocked that the other party, who was obviously an actor, had such unprecedented popularity and prestige.

But this popularity was the result of decades of hard work and even struggle by that actor. Now, Zaimokuza Yoshiki has suddenly gained popularity and fame that is no less than that actor's, or even better. It would be too pale to describe this good fortune as a windfall.

Although this fame was fought for by the future "Zaimokuza Yoshiki" and the two are essentially the same person, the present and the future cannot be confused at all. Can an ordinary person today directly get the ready-made billionaire's property just because he will become a billionaire in the future?

What really makes Aqua jealous is the bonus effect brought by this fame. He knows with his knees how magical the other person's life will be when all the dust settles. The treatment of the male protagonist in the cool novel will not even be worthy of carrying shoes in the life after Zaimokuza Yoshiki, and the other person will become the person that the whole world will fight for.

With such fame, it would be difficult for Zaimokuza Yoshiteru to stand in his way. After all, who would dare to stand in the way of a recognized hero of humanity? The grounds of justice and public opinion alone were already completely occupied.

This can be said to be a "power" that only he enjoys, and at most there is only one other person, Kyosuke Kousaka.

"Fame...power...authority..."

His right hand tightly gripped the soft armrest of the sofa, so tightly that his fingers sank into it. At this moment, deep hatred emerged from the depths of Aqua's eyes, as ferocious as a vampire bat screaming in the dark night.

"If I had this kind of fame, even that man would..."

A strong taste of rust came from his mouth, and his teeth scratched his tongue because he had used too much force, but the pain was nothing compared to the resentment and murderous intent surging in his heart.

"I will absolutely make you pay with blood for everything you've done to love!"

A volcanic, fiery fire elemental force erupted from Zaimokuza's fist, its flames roaring and covering the entire forest area ahead. The roaring stream of fire, entwined in a whirlwind, tore everything apart and flattened it. The indescribable heat ignited the atmosphere and the night, turning darkness into day in this brief moment.

[Any creature that has evolved on this planet would have been reduced to ash along with its bones by the flames and heat of this terrifying blow. Unfortunately, the creature on the other side is not entirely native to this planet.]

Because they are a race mutated after coming into contact with the evil power that descended upon this world from the darkness of ancient times, from a modern military perspective, they can be called perfect biological combat weapons. Their mere existence is a blasphemy and violation of the natural order of this planet. The laws of physics known to the world are basically inapplicable to the Gurongi.

Zaimokuza's perception, now vastly improved, clearly registered that the enemy's powerful aura hadn't diminished in the slightest under his attack, but had even intensified. The intense sense of danger he'd felt that morning resurfaced in his mind.

[“Hmph~”]

The cold hum was like a cold wave from the Arctic, freezing the heat contained in the flames. The raging fire in the sky suddenly died down without reason, leaving only the residual heat that distorted the air as proof of its former existence.

Gadoru reached out and extinguished the small flame remaining on his shoulder armor. His gaze was fixed on Zaimokuza, who stood with his fists clenched. His compound eyes now glowed the same crimson red as his own.

Go-Gadoru-Ba Fighting Form Level 2

At the moment of being struck, Gadoru transformed into this form representing the element of fire. Relying on the power of the same element, it absorbed the force of Zaimokuza's attack, thereby neutralizing the blow that could have severely damaged it.

"This power is exactly the same as what I felt back then... That warrior's power resides in you."

[“No, the aura you carry… turns out to be like this.”]

Gadoru's eyes instantly turned golden, reflecting Zaimokuza's figure. He saw the changes in him through the strangeness of the fifth element.

"So that's how it is. No wonder you've become so powerful. The aura lingering around you... has the same scent as that warrior from back then, yet it's a little different."

"Are you his blood relative? You devoured Linduo's soul, and that's why you were able to escape death."

These words, spoken by Gadzuoru, were spoken in the language of the Gurongi, but unlike before when he was completely confused, Zaimokuza now fully understood their meaning... and this all came from the knowledge and memories that Miou had given him when she gave him her life.

【“……!”】

After hearing Gadoru's words, Zaimokuza clenched his fists tightly, blood oozing from the cracks between his fists, and he trembled slightly.

Gadoru's words were like a venomous spear piercing Zaimokuza's heart. The intense pain washed over him, along with the smile of the girl before him, and only intensified the rage surging within him.

[“…I just want to ask you one question.”]

Zaimokuza stared at Gadoru intently. Beneath the coldness of his voice was a surge of anger, yet it was firmly restrained by reason.

"I already know how you, the Gurongi, were born. Your people were once subjected to brutal and senseless slaughter, and some of you are even survivors from that period... But why do you, knowing clearly what it felt like, still inflict the pain you once endured on those innocent people?"

"Is summoning the Ultimate Darkness so important to you? You should also know that if you do so, the world will—"

"A boring question."

Gadoru waved Zaimokuza's question away. His steady voice revealed the calmness of someone who had witnessed the world's changes, and the indifference of someone who had witnessed countless battles.

"Your question is meaningless, because the law of this world is that the strong prey on the weak. Our ancestors were slaughtered for one reason: they were too weak."

"Weakness itself is the greatest sin. To survive in this world, you must prevail in endless battles until you become the final victor. Whether it's our ancestors or you, Lindo, you were killed for only one reason: your weakness."

"It's only natural that the weak are trampled upon. This is the creed that our clan upholds, and it applies to both you and us."

【“…”】

After hearing Gadoru's words, Zaimokuza fell into a long silence, but his tightly clenched hands slowly loosened.

"I've never been a fan of violence, so I've always hoped that all conflicts between people could be resolved through conversation, and I've tried my best to avoid violence... This even included you, Gurongi, at first."

“But I was wrong. Your existence made me understand one thing—violence doesn’t necessarily mean evil. It depends on why the person who possesses it uses it… This is the only thing I want to thank you for.”

“Because I can finally let go of the last shred of pity I have for you and wholeheartedly do what I must do… even if it means resorting to violence, which I detest.”

The rage within him dissipated completely at that moment, and the anger and coldness in Zaimokuza's voice became calm, even ethereal.

He had completely realized that all his words were futile. The past relationship between Gurongi and Lindo had long since become meaningless. From the day they transformed into monsters, their positions had been complete and mortal enemies, with no room for easing.

"You are a race that should not exist in this world and must be exterminated... and I will exterminate you with my own hands."

"Then try it. Use the violence you mentioned to bury us."

Gadoru simply twisted his neck in a noncommittal response to Zaimokuza's words, his cervical vertebrae crackling like a string of crackling sounds. He then spoke calmly.

"But if you can't do it—"

The next moment, Gadoru's tone suddenly turned cold. As he spoke the rest of his words, a crimson evil light bloomed from his chest, and the pitch-black Philosopher's Stone emerged from his chest.

"Then this time, I will bury you completely!"

The surrounding air vibrated violently, and turbulent currents representing the four elements converged from all directions towards the Philosopher's Stone on Gadoru's chest. Amidst the leaps of scarlet lightning, a cocoon of flesh and blood quickly rose from under its feet, enveloping Gadoru in a matter of seconds.

Zaimokuza watched the same strange phenomenon unfold before him this morning, this time showing no sign of panic. He silently lowered his head to watch the blood-red ripples emanating from the blood cocoon at his feet. The raging current tore through the ground around him like a whip.

He didn't take advantage of this moment to attack, as Zaimokuza knew it was pointless. The cocoon layer formed from materialized elements had a defensive power comparable to that of a second-stage Titan mode. Considering the time it took the opponent to change form, it would be a waste of effort.

This time, the changes were far faster than they had been this morning. In just about twenty seconds, countless cracks appeared on the blood-red cocoon, and then it completely shattered amidst the lightning exploding from within. A captivating dark red figure reappeared in this world against the backdrop of the scattering debris.

The figure still perfectly blends the concepts of "ghost" and "samurai." The scarlet armor and fur shimmer with the brilliant colors of jade. A forked, seven-bladed horn terrifies even the most ferocious beasts. Dark red electricity flows through its mighty, demonic body.

【Go-Gadoru-Ba·Full Form·Original Dark Form】

This form represents ultimate power. According to what Miou told Zaimokuza at the time, the power possessed by Gadoru in this form is second only to the legendary Ultimate Power. For humans, it now represents destruction and ruin.

"But we are no longer the same as we were before. When that man defeated us and trampled upon the dignity of our clan, he also left us this gift... the power of the 'Ultimate'."

Gadoru raised his fist, and crimson lightning radiated from his clenched fingers, each of which contained enough energy to light up an entire building. Yet, in Gadoru's hands, this terrifying energy was as docile as a sheep.

Its dark red eyes, gleaming with an evil light, focused on Zaimokuza. Its mere sight caused lightning to flash through the air, and every word it spoke carried the oppressive force of a thousand mountains collapsing.

"Can you win? Kuuga."

"We can win."

[The crisp response drowned out Gadoru's domineering words. Zaimokuza raised his right hand, curling his middle finger around his index finger while folding the other three fingers, forming a hand gesture similar to a variation of the dry finger gesture.]

【Buzz——————】

This was a self-suggestive gesture. The moment Zaimokuza made this gesture, the Yamadam stone at his waist shone with an unparalleled golden glow, instantly surpassing the evil light emanating from Gadoru's body.

"Because, like you, I have received gifts from others."

A golden glow like mist emanated from Zaimokuza's body, and under the enveloping light, his entire belt was dyed from its original silver-white to a shimmering gold. Zaimokuza's eyes, also dyed golden, shone brightly, like gilded stars.

[“And this power will definitely not be lost to you!”]

[Lend me your strength, Miou——]

[“——Fusion, transformation!”]

The Gulindo totem, representing the soul, appeared beneath Zaimokuza's feet, rapidly expanding to a radius of approximately three meters. Simultaneously, with this totem as the center, four totems of varying colors and shapes appeared and illuminated in four diagonal directions.

[The red "fire," the blue "water," the cyan "wind," the purple "earth"... The totems representing the four elemental powers gathered together, circling the wood base at the center of the golden totem, their movements as rhythmic as the outer rings of a planet.]

【"Um!?"】

Sensing the different elemental powers emanating from the five totems, Gadoru's voice finally changed its pitch for the first time in this battle. It was due to shock.

At this moment, just like that moment, the all-too-déjà vu scene plucked Gadoru's silent heartstrings, causing him to feel an uncontrollable shock.

Before it could be surprised again, Zaimokuza suddenly swung his right hand down, slamming it down in front of the spirit stone. A cascading light pierced the darkness.

[Buzz——!!!!!!!!!]

The four rotating totems, and even the golden totem at the core, suddenly shrank towards Zaimokuza's feet. The moment all the totems overlapped, a radiance like a rocket blasting off into the sky tore through the clouds. The golden light rapidly shifted at that moment, a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors replacing the original golden color.

In the light, the scarf fluttered, its crimson hue tinged with gold. The spirit stones inlaid in the armor on its limbs and wrists turned the color of a rainbow brand, and a golden glow blossomed in front of its chest...

The light slowly dissipated, turning into shimmering embers like stardust. Zaimokuza's head, raised high, lowered, his white eyes like the sky at daytime.

His upper body was draped in silver armor similar to that used in Titan mode, its shoulders sharply raised. A transparent skirt, shimmering like butterfly wings, extended from the belt, covering most of his legs. A golden gem similar in shape to Gadoru was engraved in the center of the armor, and golden lines, as regular and beautiful as circuit boards, spread from the gem across Zaimokuza's upper body.

This is Zaimokuza's new power. Like Gadoru, he uses spiritual power to coordinate the four elements, bringing all things together into his own form, and using this power to control the changes in the world.

【Empty Self·Ultimate Sublimation·Sage Form】

[“The same…power as mine.”]

In this area shrouded in light, Gadoru's deep voice disrupted the flow of light, his eyes fixed on that figure.

“Ah… you’re right.”

Zaimokuza raised his hands and looked carefully. The scene he saw at this moment was different from any other time before.

The world he once saw was a vibrant and colorful one, with both gray and light, but now the world Zaimokuza sees is only four colors.

[They were cyan wind, blue water, red fire, and purple earth... The world had become so "monotonous" in his eyes, yet his understanding of the essence of things far surpassed any previous moment. It was a purely elemental perspective.]

【Wow.】

He reached out and grasped the long, ribbon-like blue wind that drifted past him. A powerful vortex suddenly formed before his eyes, its howling wind sweeping up all the remaining light fragments.

Just now, Zaimokuza touched the element of wind, one of the cornerstones of this world, and shifted the laws of the world, as easily as picking up a fallen leaf.

"I finally understand why I couldn't defeat you before... The difference between you and me isn't in strength, but in our control over it."