The Power of Feelings

Gunha started sending out spiritual energy to heal Vittoria. "—Thank you, I'm fine, the healing is working." Even saying so, Vittoria was still holding her side, as if there were still traces of pain left.

Soon, Vittoria felt herself being revitalized. Gai finally spoke up. "Ya know, tap into my power Vitt. We'll be able to vaporize this guy with no problems!" Gunha's expression changed to astonishment as Vittoria's simultaneously changed to awkwardness.

Gunha added on, "Hehe, of course that's true. Your power is...unreal."

"And... it can bring down this guy in one blow?" Vittoria questioned.

"Yeah, though it will cause me to slowly take over your soul, so I've been holdin' it back until now." Gai responded.

Vittoria was silent for a moment. "... Hey Gai, I can't forgive this guy." Her low reply came softly. On the contrary, her bewitchingly beautiful eyes shone with determination. "The Akutenbake treat despair as righteousness, and rejoice at the propagation of fear. That's something...I will never forgive."

Gai grinned. "Well, there you have it!" A strange, rising feeling shook Vittoria's very being as Gai began to chant.

"Restriction 666 released..." The feelings in her heart took form as Vittoria tightened her 'left hand', firmly and strongly.

"Dimensional Interruption Imaginary Number Formed!" Blowing up torrents of wind, a golden sword revealed itself. As though congratulating the promised victory, the shining blade illuminated the darkness brilliantly.

"Infernox Core, activate!" A glyph of pure spiritual energy released itself from Vittoria's body as she let out an almighty cry; the aura of a gigantic golden phoenix with azure eyes emanated from her body, striking fear into the heart of Beelzebub.

Vittoria declared proudly, "Right now...I swear upon victory by the power of the Unlosing Rising Phoenix!"

Nearby, Gaika was watching. "...Wow-wee~" She saw the concentration of light pulsing from Vittoria's sword; she immediately understood what was happening and smiled; realizing that her love was still alive.

On the other hand, Beelzebub wouldn't be able to dodge so dexterously no matter what. The Akutenbake could do nothing apart from shrieking to scare this unknown brilliance.

The time was ripe. Pouring all the strength in her body into the two arms grasping the hilt tightly, the Vittoria lifted the golden sword up high. Light gathered. As if illuminating this holy sword was its ultimate duty, the light condensed further, merging into a blinding brilliance. At the fierceness and purity of this beam of light, no one could speak a single word.

From her back, a pair of golden phoenix wings manifested; this was a sure sign; the gallant image of the legendary hero who once shone the light of purification upon into a battle-ravaged world, a darkness blacker than night. The peerless feats of this hero and this glory were eternal, transcending time.

"Let's do this, Vitt!" Gai's voice called from within Vittoria's soul.

"Right!" Vittoria responded.

"YATTE YARUZE!!" The twin phoenixes declared with all of their might.

This shining sword itself was the nostalgic, sorrowful, and exalted dream of the legendary hero; the crystallization of the prayer named 'glory'. Proudly uplifting this will, ascertaining that this faith will be seen to its end, Vittoria now loudly declared the name of this miracle she held in her hands.

It was – "Shining Onslaught...EXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!"

Light galloped.

Light roared.

The spiritual energy, accelerated by the factor of the Unlosing Rising Phoenix, became a streak of light in the very form of a gigantic phoenix, a swirling and surging torrent that devoured the Beelzebub Akutenbake together with the skies.

A silent scream rose within the streets evaporating in an instant, as every single atom composing the body of the demon that had been the embodiment of terror were exposed to the scorching impact. But Beelzebub wordlessly watched over this moment of white blinding annihilation which had stolen his heart.

"…O, Oh…"

Yes – it was unmistakably a light he had once seen in the distant past.

He was a specialized demon; known as Nova. He was the subordinate of the Undying Thunder; yes...! This was....

"...Nagareboshi...!" Beelzebub was dumbstruck by the clarity of his own rapidly falling tears.

"Just what, have I…" Before this murmur, directed at no one, left his mouth, all matter was brought into another world, annihilated by the white light.

With the strife and chaos having been subjugated, Vittoria once more turned to Gunha without a second thought. "…Gunha…" Vittoria mumbled after seeing him. "…Thank you again."

"…It's what I do." Gunha stuttered.

Vittoria appeared nervous. "It has been decided that when I am twenty years old, I will join Passione. That means I have only one year left. When that time comes I will probably be a different person from now. So, for now, I'm going to be myself. I really enjoy this very much, this so called springtime of youth…"

"I…I see……" Gunha was a little uneasy.

"……………"

"……………"

Both Gunha and Vittoria became silent. After that battle, both Vittoria and Gunha became uneasy. Of course the reason was………He confessed his feelings in front of the whole crowd. He still hadn't gotten a reply. Even Gunha felt uneasy because they became like this every time they saw each other. It was so embarrassing when Gunha tried to remember it!

Even if Gunha got into the flow, he couldn't believe he actually shouted out that she was "the woman I love"! Then he remembered what Gaika said to him.

"How about you tell your feelings to her once more?"

There was no turning back now. It was true that he loved Vittoria. More like… he will say it. The thing he wanted to say this whole time. He had to call her with it. This time for sure! He swallowed his saliva, took a deep breath and said it with a loud voice!

"…Vittoria……"

"…Eh?" Vittoria went blank for a moment and asked him again.

"……I…I want to protect you…I want to protect you for the rest of my life…… I am in love with you! I love you Vittoria!"

"!" Vittoria seemed like she had lost her words. The next moment, she began to cry her eyes out.

"Crap! I made her cry!" Gunha was fretting, as he muttered, "Di……did I fail……?" His face became blue. Vittoria shook her head and wiped her tears.

"…No, that's not it. I……I'm just so happy…………" Vittoria walked towards him and started to pat his cheek.

"You finally said such words… I have waited for this the whole time. I really did… But I didn't have the courage to tell you… So I thought that it would never happen…But when I heard your feelings that time…I was so happy…I was so happy that I was about to cry back then…"

After hearing that, Gunha put up a weird face. "…Then that means……"

Vittoria nodded at Gunha's question. Gunha thought to himself in a panic, "!...Are you serious! I…I'm going to be…this person's………!"

"Gunha. I love you…I love you more than anyone else………" Vittoria's lips were getting close to Gunha's…

"…Vittoria…"

"…Gunha…"



FIN