"Gah…!?" Koumaru muttered, watching Raiha’s crumpled form fly through the air. "Fool. You went too far."
In contrast to his associate’s clinical assessment, Zaraki was in high spirits. Having just demonstrated the vast gulf in power between himself and a fellow half-dragon, he slowly unfurled his clenched fist, a distorted grin pulling at his lips.
"That takes care of that. Now for the rest—!"
"……!!"
He had already claimed Setsuna and Sakura's Magic Items and rendered Raiha combat-ineffective. Now, only Yui and the Ryuo-ga remained. Zaraki began a leisurely stroll toward her.
"Stop with the useless resistance. Hand over that katana, and I'll let you be."
Despite Zaraki’s deceptively mild tone, Yui backed away, her body trembling. When he didn't stop, she finally made up her mind, her voice quivering with resolve. "…This katana is my brother’s soul itself. If I give the Ryuo-ga to people like you, that soul will be defiled. I won't let that happen. Not ever."
"Even if it costs you your life? I doubt your brother wants his sister to throw her life away for a piece of steel."
"…Liar. You’re going to kill me anyway, aren't you? My soul can tell."
"…Well, look at that. Sharp for a brat."
With a hideous grin, Zaraki kicked off the ground. His sharp claws flashed in the light as he moved to pounce on Yui, but Raiha threw herself between them, intercepting the charge head-on.
"Raiha-sa—!?"
"Run, please…! Run…!!"
"I'm surprised… you can still move?"
Raiha desperately tapped into the dragon power dormant within her, but the disparity in their strength was insurmountable. Zaraki brought both fists down in a massive Hammer Swing, striking her head and slamming her into the dirt at his feet.
"Gah!? Gh… cough!"
"Raiha!"
"Run, Raiha! We're no match for him…!!"
"Give it up. You don't want to suffer anymore, do you?"
The agonizing screams of Setsuna and Sakura echoed across the clearing. Stripped of their Magic Items and unable to move, they watched in horror as Raiha forced herself up again. She challenged Zaraki once more, but it was a futile effort.
"Ugh! Ah! Gh… gah! Guuuu…!"
Punched, kicked, and shredded by claws, Raiha was systematically broken. She couldn't mount a single effective defense. Her Shrine Maiden Outfit was reduced to rags, and blood seeped from countless wounds, yet she still tried to stand. Zaraki looked down at her with pure contempt.
"You really are a certifiable idiot. You killed one person and got so scared of your own power that you refused to master it. You could have been something more—something that transcended humanity, far beyond those fools who rely on Magic Items made from dragon scraps."
"Gah, hah…!"
"Stop…! Stop it already!!"
Zaraki was clearly savoring every moment of her torment. As Sakura’s desperate screams rang out, Zaraki hoisted Raiha up by the throat.
"From now on, you're just an experimental animal. First, we’ll take your limbs. Then we’ll subject you to every negative emotion imaginable and harvest the data. Eventually, you’ll just be a seedbed for birthing half-dragons. A fitting end for someone who belongs to neither world…!!"
"Gh… ah…!"
Raiha reached out toward Zaraki’s face as he mocked her, her claws scraping against his skin. There was a sharp, grating sound, but his Dragon-man Form was impenetrable. Not a single scratch marked his face, and her extended arm fell limp.
"Run, Yui-san… hurry… run…"
"Raiha-san, please, no more…!!"
Yui wept as Raiha’s consciousness flickered. Just as the girl’s body failed her, the thunderous sound of hooves approached. A voice Yui had been praying for cut through the air.
"Yui!! Are you safe!?"
"Big brother!!"
"What!? How did Ryuga get here so fast…!?"
Koumaru’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw Ryuga straddling the black horse, charging toward them with a look of pure desperation. He hadn't expected the swordsman to bridge the distance so quickly. Scowling, he barked an order to Zaraki.
"Zaraki! Forget the sword for now! Bring the Dragon Shrine Maiden here!"
"Yeah, yeah, fine."
Ryuga arrived on Skull's back at the same moment Zaraki leaped to Koumaru's side, still gripping Raiha. Koumaru held up a shimmering, crystal-like object.
"Is that… a Dragon Orb…!?"
"It’s not perfect, but two Magic Items and a half-dragon’s core will suffice. This will accelerate my research significantly."
"Ryuga-san—"
At Koumaru's command, the orb flared with light. The naginata and the bow dissolved into shimmering particles, sucked into the crystal’s depths. Seeing Ryuga, Raiha offered a faint, melancholy smile. She whispered his name, then mouthed a final phrase.
This is fine.
Ryuga couldn't hear her, but his eyes went wide as he read her lips. The image of her accepting her fate was branded into his memory. Bathed in the orb's light, Raiha was pulled inside, vanishing along with the weapons.
"……Sealing complete. With this, the power of the Dragon Shrine Maiden is mine."
"No… how…!?"
"Raiha… Raihaaaaaaaaa!!"
Setsuna and Sakura’s wails filled the silence. Amidst the crying, Ryuga took his blade back from his sister and began a slow, deliberate march toward Koumaru.
"……I don't know the full story yet, but I know who needs to die. I’ll make sure to thank you for how you 'looked after' my sister."
"You're remarkably calm," Koumaru remarked. "Did seeing that woman you hate so much meet such a terrible end clear your head?"
"That’s irrelevant. But I am grateful to you."
Ryuga drew his katana, the air around him freezing with cold, murderous intent. His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight of fury he had never shown before.
"I was just looking for someone to take my anger out on. You're out of luck."