Shadow Bug

The battle between Joshua Egoshin and the six members of Kaimi Daja had drawn a large crowd, their eyes glued to the gruesome conclusion unfolding before them.

Joshua knelt on the blood-soaked surface of the lake, a sword of thorns embedded in his chest. Vibrant flowers sprouted from his wounds, feeding off his body as he bled out. His Lighter energy had been completely drained, rendering him too weak to use Harmonic Restoration to heal himself. To make matters worse, moments earlier, Zero had severed his left God Hand, stripping him of its power.

As Joshua gasped for breath, his broken sword slipped from his mouth and sank into the crimson-tinged water.

Joshua: (coughing blood) How…?

Zero: (cleaning blood from his mouth) It was Lokk's Lighter technique. The moment he tagged you, he linked your energy flow to his, dropping your stats with every move you made. Gaki's sound technique at the start? That wasn't just to disorient you—it scrambled your focus, making it easier for Lokk to connect. From the very beginning, you were already in our grasp.

Lokk: (grimacing, clutching his chest) It worked… barely.

Desmond: (supporting Lokk) Still breathing, huh? That's a win.

Joshua coughed again, blood staining his lips.

Joshua: You're still standing after a slash from the Luminary Sword? Impossible…

Zero: Oh, that? We activated Harmonic Mantle Essence the moment we saw your stance. It dulled the sword's effects. I won't lie, it still messed us up, but with Harmonic Restoration, I can move around… though healing will take some time. (coughs blood)

Lorra: Are you okay, Zero?

Zero: Yeah, yeah. Worry about yourself—you're injured too, remember?

Lorra: (looks away) "Hmm."

Zero: Exactly. Take care of yourself. (turning to the group) Everyone else holding up?

Desmond: Yeah.

Jokita: (nods his head)

Lokk: Yeah, Still breathing

Zero: (grinning) "Good. Then let's wrap this up."

Zero turned back to Joshua, his tone mocking.

Zero: You lost, Egoshin. Not because you lacked power, but because you hesitated. If you'd killed us when you unleash your Perfect Manifestation, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Your mercy cost you everything.

Behind them, the crowd watching from the distance murmured nervously.

Jokita: Looks like we've drawn an audience.

Lorra: Should we kill them?

Zero: (cartoonish face) Oh no. Someone will eventually have to call the HFA to pick up his corpse. More importantly…(looks at Jokita who totally understood)

Jokita: Right. [BLACK: SCALE SHIFTING]

Jokita smirked, then stepped forward, using his technique to shrink Joshua's severed left hand into the size of a small pill. He handed it to Zero, who swallowed it without hesitation. Almost immediately, a surge of energy coursed through Zero's body, leaving him visibly stronger..

Desmond: Did it work?

Zero: I dunno let me see. [LUMINARY SWORD]

In his hand, the Luminary Sword materialized, glowing just as it had when wielded by Joshua.

The group stared in awe, except for Joshua, whose shocked expression betrayed his disbelief.

Joshua: (weakly) "What…?"

Zero: (mocking) Huh? You're still alive? Tough cookie. But judging by the blood loss, not for long.

Joshua: (gasping) You… said your purpose is to eliminate Shadows and Lighters. How many more have to die to fulfill that goal?

Zero: (coldly) As many as it takes. I'll kill anyone who stands in my way to ensure the 2003 Incident never happens again. You were in my way—that's why you're dying.

Joshua: (coughing) We're not so different. I wanted to end the cycle of hatred too. To change the way the world sees Shadows…But killing for your goals? That makes you no better than the monsters you claim to despise.

Lorra: (gets annoyed)

Zero: (stoic) And what would you do if someone stood in your way?

Joshua: (weakly) There are always alternatives. No matter what happens, I'd find a way to fulfill my goals without ending someone's life because believe it or not life has a way of bringing your actions back to you. And I don't want that to affect those close to me.

Zero: Then I guess we simply can't understand each other. The only way to end the cycle of hatred in this world is to eradicate the very thing that causes it. And that's by removing shadow and lighter energy itself from the world. The fact that you don't agree with me doesn't mean I'm wrong and the fact I don't agree with you doesn't mean you're wrong either. It's like you said earlier, our goals are similar but the way we go about it is different.

Joshua: (coughs blood)

Zero: Well it's a shame that you're gonna die now. Any last words?

Joshua didn't respond, his strength slipping away.

Zero: (grinning cartoonishly) No? Too bad. Let's go.

As the group prepared to leave, a Shadow Monster carrying Giles and Dylan swooped down, to pick them up. Jokita and Desmond helped the injured board, while Lorra cast a lingering glance back at Joshua, his life slipping away.

For a moment, guilt and regret flared in her chest as she asked herself the recurring question that kept coming back every time to haunt her:

Lorra: (to herself) Why did I have to turn out like this?

The Shadow Monster ascended into the sky, leaving Joshua alone on the blood-stained lake

As Joshua Egoshin lay bleeding out, his strength fading with every passing second, his life began to flash before his eyes.

Joshua: (weakly, to himself) Is this it? Damn it… Not like this. Not like this.

Images of his younger brother, Eric, flickered in his mind. He could almost hear Eric's voice, excited about their plans.

Joshua: (muttering) I just… I just wanted to see my little brother one more time. We were supposed to watch that movie together…

The sword of thorns embedded in his chest pulsed, draining what little life he had left. Joshua struggled to summon Harmonic Restoration, but his energy was too depleted. The technique failed, leaving him with nothing but the pain and the weight of his regrets.

Memories washed over him—his carefree days at the academy, the faces of his friends, the laughter and camaraderie they shared. He thought of Jason, his closest friend, and of Eric, waiting for him to return home.

Joshua: (to himself) I'm sorry, Eric… Looks like I won't be able to make it back.

As the world around him blurred and his body grew colder, Joshua let out one final, shuddering breath.

At just 27 years old, Joshua Egoshin closed his eyes for the last time, unable to save himself.