Page 45 of Echoes of Eternity

Noboru stepped closer, his expression earnest. “I tried to call to you, Mae. I reached out across the fabric of time and space, but you didn’t respond. I couldn’t pinpoint your location until your essence resonated with me just now.”

I furrowed my brow, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration. “What do you mean I didn’t respond? I didn’t even know you were trying to find me! It’s not like you gave me a handbook on this relationship with a deity stuff!”

He sighed, his wings shifting slightly as he searched for the right words. “You were lost in your own turmoil, blocking the connection. I felt your fear, your anger, but also your desire to break free. It created a barrier between us.”

“A barrier?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You think I was aware of any of this?”

He stepped closer, his voice softening. “I didn’t mean to put that weight on you. I knew my… desires had been insatiable, affecting your life force. I was trying to give you time to recover. But without your call, I was left wandering.”

“Wandering?” I echoed incredulously. “Wandering what?”

I didn’t understand why I was suddenly so upset. The intensity of the moment was overwhelming, and I felt a mix of relief and confusion. Noboru's presence was both calming and infuriating in some ways. How could I feel so deeply about someone so quickly? I struggled to reconcile the reality of Noboru’s divine intervention with the tumultuous emotions I was feeling.

And what were we going to do about all these bodies?!

I looked around at the aftermath of the battle, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of retaliation from the Yakuka lay ahead.

Noboru extended a hand toward me, his eyes filled with a reassuring warmth. “Come with me,” he said softly. “Let us find a place where you can be safe and where we can discuss what comes next.”

“B-But, the bodies, Noboru!” I shouldn’t be mad. I needed to calm down. It’s not like immortal beings ever had to worry about the clean-up of their mortal affairs.

The abandoned building, now scarred from the earlier battle, stood in eerie silence as Noboru and I stared at one another. The remnants of the skirmish were strewn across the floor: broken debris, scattered weapons, and the aftermath of godlike power clashing with human aggression. The air was heavy with the scent of smoke and the metallic tang of blood.

“We’re safe for now,” Noboru said, his voice steady despite the violence we had just witnessed.

Before I could respond, the ground trembled with a low, rumbling vibration. My heart skipped a beat as a new wave of anxiety washed over me. The building’s weakened structure seemed to shiver in response to the ominous force approaching.

“What now?” I whispered.

The door burst open again with a deafening crash, and more Yakuza members stormed in, their faces concealed behind masks of menace. This new wave of attackers was better equipped and more organized. Did someone call for backup without us knowing? I glanced around at the bodies sprawled on the floor.

Noboru's eyes narrowed as he assessed the new threat, his divine aura flaring in response. “Prepare yourself,” he warned me.

With a groan, I dove for a shield behind one of the broken walls.

The room erupted into chaos once more as the Yakuza engaged Noboru with renewed aggression. Their weapons, now upgraded with more sophisticated technology, fired with unrelenting precision. Noboru's barrier of light was tested to its limits as he deflected their attacks, his movements a blur of speed and power.

Despite his formidable abilities, the sheer number and coordination of the Yakuza members began to overwhelm him. The battle raged with an intensity that surpassed the previous conflict, each side pushing their limits in a desperate bid for victory.

I watched in helpless horror as Noboru fought valiantly, his ethereal energy clashing with the relentless onslaught of the Yakuza. The air was thick with the sounds of gunfire, the crackle of destruction, and the grunts of exertion.

As the battle wore on, it became apparent that the Yakuza had a strategy. They moved with a precision that suggested they had time to plan for this counterattack. But how was that possible?

Their tactics were designed to exploit Noboru’s vulnerabilities, and it soon became clear that they were not just aiming to capture him but to subdue him completely.

A wayward bullet went through the tip of one of Noboru’s wings, making him grunt in pain. The barrier flickered under the relentless pressure, and the Yakuza seized their chance.

With a triumphant roar, the Yakuza members overwhelmed Noboru, their numbers and strategy proving too much for even a deity. They restrained him with chains that pulsed with a strange glow. What kind of sorcery was this? Whatever it was laced with, bound Noboru despite his fierce struggles.

The Yakuza leader, an older gentleman, stepped forward with a grandiose swagger. His face was a mask of cruel satisfaction, and his voice boomed with an egotistical confidence. “Witness the true power of the Yakuza,” he declared, his tone dripping with superiority. “You thought you could challenge us? You thought a mere deity could save you? My son might be an idiot, butit’s only because he’s unable to comprehend things beyond his line of sight.”

“Do you have to be such an asshole,Oto-San? I’m right here,” Kaito groaned, appearing behind him.

How the heck did he escape the first battle? I didn’t see anyone leave!

His father paced before me, eyes glinting with a sinister light. “I’ve been preparing for this moment for ages. Did you think Matsui would be the only one to return? After my time in hell, I absorbed everything I could in each life, discovering ways to preserve my memories through each rebirth. Have you heard the legend of the Oni, warrior? It grants mortals powers beyond their understanding. Matsui’s betrayal became my guiding star, leading me to become everything I was destined to be. And now, here we are, face to face in a battle that should have culminated in her demise.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Kaito tried to cut in, but no one answered him.

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