CHAPTER 46: THE SKYBRAND KING: AYATO SHIGURE

Ren frowned. "The sky? What do you mean by that?"

"His Drive Core ability makes him a monster beyond even the wardens. His Drive Ability is called Skyflare." Seth replied.

Ren’s eyes narrowed. "And what does that do?"

"He’s basically the sun in human form."

"Huh?"

"It’s true. He commands radiant light and atmospheric pressure itself. When he takes the field, the sky becomes his weapon and everyone beneath it, his prey."

—---------------

At that very moment, Ayato reached Ward 12. A swarm of Ashes and Shikkoku soldiers, no fewer than four hundred in number, formed a wall of steel and fire before him.

Floating effortlessly above them, Ayato made no effort to conceal himself. Instead, he hung in the air like a blazing star, daring them to strike him down.

Well, this is the least I can do. He thought. Kaien and Gale are already moving toward Ward 13. Squads 3, 4, and 7 will return to Ward 10. The rest will deal with Ward 9.

His gaze fell on the endless soldiers below, his presence alone pressing down on them like the weight of the sky.

The enemies didn’t hesitate. From below, a storm of molten rocks and elemental strikes surged upward, filling the sky with a deadly barrage of attacks. It was a massive assault, meant to crush him in one go.

Yet Ayato didn’t move an inch. His calm figure floated above the battlefield, unsurprised by the chaos.

Before the attacks could even reach him, a glowing barrier of sunlight bloomed around his body. The air warped with heat as the shield burned everything away, melting stone, swallowing flames, and scattering elemental attacks like dust in the wind.

"Barrier Burn." Ayato whispered under his breath.

Then his eyes sharpened. His voice carried a quiet weight, enough to make the world itself tremble.

"Core Release. King’s Domain: Skyfall."

The skies shifted in an instant. White and gold light flooded the sky, forming countless radiant weapons, swords, spears, and lances that hovered above with immense oppressive pressure. The pressure in the air grew so heavy that the enemies below staggered, their movements slowing as though the atmosphere itself was pinning them down.

Ayato raised his right hand. "I’ll end this quickly."

With a single motion, he brought his hand down.

The golden armory of the skies fell and went past him, raining radiant destruction upon the horde below.

In just seconds, Ward 12 was drowned in screams. Cries of pain echoed through the streets as radiant weapons tore through the horde, burning and piercing them as they rained down like a meteor shower.

Most could only run or throw up desperate defenses. Some didn’t even bother, they simply accepted their fate, swallowed by the storm of light.

It was overwhelming. A one sided display of strength. Power so absolute that the enemy wasn’t even given the chance to fight back.

When the golden downpour finally ended, the battlefield was silent. Of the countless enemies that once filled the ward, only half remained.

Ayato exhaled.

"I guess I went too easy on them." His gaze sharpened, his hand rising once more. "This will end it."

The sky responded again. Gold and white light flooded the skies as new weapons formed an endless armory waiting to strike.

The survivors below panicked. Some turned to flee, others raised their arms to shield themselves. But it didn’t matter. The next barrage was already falling, unavoidable and absolute.

"That guy’s a monster." Rikael muttered, his eyes narrowing as he stood hidden at one of the rooftops.

He stood beside another Fang, a towering man well over six and a half feet tall. The man’s hands glowed with crimson claws, sharp and wicked, made from his drive core’s energy.

Rikael clenched his jaw before giving the order. "Junk Dog, we’re retreating."

The two turned, vanishing into the shadows as the golden storm swallowed Ward 12 whole.

But before they could slip away, a figure dropped into their path.

Ayato hovered above them for a moment, golden light flickering off his body, before landing softly on the rooftop.

"Leaving already?" His voice was calm, almost casual. "I heard you caused quite a bit of trouble for my men."

Rikael’s face went pale, fear twisting across his features. His body stiffened, unable to move.

Junk Dog, on the other hand, let out a low hiss. His muscles tensed, claws gleaming red as he braced himself for whatever was coming.

But the moment they prepared to react, Ayato was gone.

In the blink of an eye, he stood behind them, his tone quiet but certain.

"Well, I can see it now. You two are strong."

Rikael’s eyes widened. When did he—?!

Before he could even turn, Ayato’s foot slammed into his chest. The impact sent him flying, crashing through several buildings before disappearing into the distance.

Junk Dog moved on instinct. Like a beast cornered, he spun, his foot sweeping in a vicious hook kick.

But Ayato didn’t even flinch. He tilted his head slightly, the attack passing harmlessly by. His calm gaze never left Junk Dog.

"And you," Ayato said softly. "Your instincts are sharp. That attack power of yours, it’s no joke. You’re like a wild tiger. Agile, fast, and dangerous."

Junk Dog let out another hiss, his body moving like a beast on the hunt. He lunged at Ayato, claws slashing wide, his legs whipping out in a barrage of vicious, bone crushing kicks.

Ayato slipped past them with ease. Each step was light, precise, as if he were simply strolling back while Junk Dog’s strikes tore through the air around him.

Then, from above, Rikael descended with a roar. His palm slammed downward, carrying a crushing shockwave strong enough to shatter a building.

Ayato didn’t even flinch.

In an instant, a radiant barrier burst around him, the same golden shield he used that had melted the horde’s attacks earlier. Rikael’s strike crashed against it, shaking the building with explosive force.

The impact sent Ayato straight through the floors below. Concrete split and walls crumbled as his body dropped level after level until he hit the ground floor.

Dust filled the air, rubble raining down, as the building collapsed, but Ayato stood in the center, completely unharmed. His barrier hadn’t even cracked. The only thing broken was the building itself.

"Did we get him?" Junk Dog muttered, his claws still twitching as he stared at the smoke rising from the collapsed building.

Rikael clicked his tongue. "Are you stupid? There’s no way a monster like that dies so easily. Contact Lyra, now!"

The dust began to clear. And through the haze, a figure slowly came into view.

Ayato stood there without a scratch, casually rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms as if he had just woken up from a nap. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Whew, I’m finally getting warmed up." His golden eyes sharpened. "You call yourselves the Fangs, right? Then let’s see how you handle this."

In a flash, Ayato shot into the sky, hovering above them. His right hand lifted, and radiant light began to gather above his palm. The glow swelled, brighter and brighter, until it shaped itself into a colossal blade of sunlight, its edge humming with destructive power.

"Judgment Strike. Zenith Skyfall." Ayato’s smile widened as he brought his hand down.

The massive blade of light roared toward Rikael and Junk Dog, tearing through the air like divine punishment.

But before it could land, the space before them warped. A yellow portal split open, crackling with sinister energy.

From its depths stepped a man, his katana covered in violent violet lightning as a jagged mask of the same energy crackled across his face, radiating killing intent.

Kade had arrived.

A second later, another figure stepped through the portal.

It was Lyra.

Her hands glowed as she pressed them against Kade’s blade, wrapping it in a golden aura. The light hardened into a barrier, allowing his katana to withstand the blazing heat of Ayato’s descending strike.

At the same time, Rikael thrust his palm upward, sending another shockwave to clash against the radiant weapon, while Junk Dog charged forward, his claws slashing wildly at it.

"Lyra! Barrier, now!" Kade shouted, his voice strained. "We can’t hold this for much longer!"

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. With quick precision, she spread her arms wide and opened a massive golden portal behind her.

"Go!"

Without hesitation, the three Fangs broke off from holding the attack and dashed toward the portal alongside her.

The moment they vanished, Ayato’s attack finally struck the ground.

The sky seemed to split apart as the colossal blade crashed into Ward 12 dead center. A deafening explosion tore through the streets, shaking the earth itself. When the dust cleared, a massive crater stretched across the center of the ward, its edges glowing with scorched light.

Ayato descended slowly, his gaze falling on the devastation below.

"So they actually survived that." He muttered. His lips curved faintly, not in amusement, but in respect. "My wardens weren’t exaggerating. The Fangs really are on the same level as them."

For the first time in a long while, Ayato let out a quiet breath.

"Good thing they retreated. Fighting all four at once might’ve been troublesome, even for me."

—------------------

In Ward 9, the battle raged on.

Warden Mei, Warden Junia, Warden Thorne, and their squads were buried under waves of enemies. Just like Ayato in Ward 12, they were swarmed by hundreds of Ashes and Shikkoku foot soldiers, the horde pressing in from every direction.

But the wardens held their ground.

At the front stood Warden Thorne, an unshakable wall of steel and muscle. His massive frame and relentless defense kept the enemy at bay, preventing them from breaking through his and his squad’s line. Behind him, Warden Mei led the offense, her squad cutting down foes with practiced precision. Meanwhile, Warden Junia’s squad worked tirelessly, supporting and patching up the others to keep them standing.

Bit by bit, the tide began to turn. The battlefield, once drowned in shadows, slowly started to tilt in their favor as the enemy numbers dwindled.

Still, it came at a heavy cost. Unlike Ayato, whose overwhelming area of effect techniques could wipe out hordes in an instant, this group lacked that kind of devastating firepower. Their victory wasn’t flashy, it was hard earned, bought with sweat and exhaustion.

When the last enemy finally fell, the squads dropped to their knees, breathing hard, their bodies aching to the bone. Only the three wardens remained standing strong, barely winded, their experience and sheer strength making the fight seem almost like a routine.

High above them, on a shadowed rooftop, two figures watched unnoticed, both wearing the Fangs’ signature dark red jackets.

One of them let out a chuckle. "Heh, all this chaos is doing us a favor. Sure, we’re losing manpower left and right, but the information we’re gathering on the wardens? Priceless. Ashes can be remade, soldiers can be hired, but knowledge like this is far more valuable."

The other Fang smirked, his lips curling into a twisted grin. "Yeah, I just can’t wait to tear them all apart."