ZigZagkers

"Don't touch her," Enix growled.

And in that instant—

BOOOOM!

Red and black lightning exploded from his body. The chair he was chained to shattered into pieces, wood flying everywhere.

But the pink chains, those glowing, tight bands wrapped around his wrists and ankles, still held.

Aaru didn't wait.

His eyes locked in to Enix, fire lit up around his clenched fist.

FWOOOSH!

Blue flames swirled around his hand like a living creature.

With a yell, he slammed his fist into Enix's gut—

BAAAANG!!!

A shockwave blasted through the room. The sound barrier broke, the air itself cracking as Enix's body flew backward like a ragdoll. He crashed into the wall, hard enough to leave a deep crater.

"NOOO!!!" Nki screamed in horror.

Her emotions exploded.

The red thread on her head glowed blue light, and that light released a wild shockwave—

BAM!

Koru was caught off guard, blasted to the side. His body smashed into a row of glowing medical containers with a loud crash.

"Lali! Stop her!" Koru shouted from the floor.

The pink-haired girl—Lali—snapped her fingers.

"Got it."

She raised both hands, her pink nails glowing, and in a flash—

FWAAA!!

Dozens of glowing pink chains appeared in midair, wrapping around Nki's body again. Around her arms, legs, chest, waist—even covering her eyes.

But this time—something was different.

Nki's eyes glowed a bright, piercing blue beneath the chains. Her body shook with power.

The pink chains began to crack. One by one.

Chk... chk...

Lali's calm smile twitched. "What's with this strong Divine energy!?"

Meanwhile—

Enix's body moved.

Slowly. Shakily.

He stood up, rising from the broken wall.

His eyes were glowing a deep crimson, and his skin lit up with strange glowing tattoos—lightning patterns swirling across his chest, arms, and neck.

ZRAAAKKK!!!

In a burst of red-black lightning, the pink chains exploded off his body.

Enix took one step forward. Then another. His eyes locked on Aaru.

Aaru smirked and lifted his fist again. "Let's try that again."

Enix clenched his own fist, muscles tightening, power crackling off his skin.

And then—they dashed.

CRAAASH!!

Both fists collided in the center of the room.

But in one instant—

BOOM!

Enix flew back again, crashing into the wall with even more force. The entire room shook.

Aaru stood still. Unmoving. Not even a scratch.

He rushed forward and grabbed Enix by the collar before he could fall again. Then he slammed him hard into the ground, pinning him down.

"This is getting out of control," Aaru muttered. "We have no choice. We need to exorcise him now."

"STOP IT!!!" Nki screamed.

She struggled hard against the chains, but they held tight.

Then—

A flicker in her mind.

She remembered a moment very long ago.

Sitting on a stone floor inside a small, warm shrine. Her grandfather's voice gentle beside her.

("If you're ever in trouble... always believe in yourself.")

("You'll find your way out.")

Nki clenched her teeth. Her fingers shook.

"STOPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!" she screamed with everything she had.

The red thread on her hair suddenly glowed—and turned completely blue.

The room shook.

FZZZZZZTTTT!

From the floor around her feet, dozens of glowing blue hands shot up from the ground. Made from pure light. They rose, twitched, and began to zigzag through the air—

Then rushed toward Aaru.

The glowing hands grabbed his arms, shoulders, back, legs—wrapping him tightly.

Aaru's eyes widened for the first time.

"What the—?!"

The glowing blue hands surged forward, gripping Aaru with shocking force and slamming him backward toward the wall.

But just before impact, Aaru twisted his body midair, spun off the wall using his foot, and landed on the ground with a perfect slide.

His silver-blue hair flipped dramatically.

CRACK—CRACK—SHATTER!

Behind them, the pink glowing chains holding Nki broke apart, blown into the air like thin glass. The light faded instantly.

Without a second thought, Nki sprinted forward.

"Darlinggg!!!"

Aaru stood up, his eyes twitching in irritation. "Damn this girl," he muttered.

He started stepping toward her again—but Koru suddenly stepped in front of him, arm blocking his path.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Aaru asked.

Koru didn't answer.

He just kept watching.

Nki ran toward Enix, her heart racing, eyes locked on him.

But as she got close—

FZZZZZTT!!

A blue barrier shot up in front of Enix like a shield.

BOOM!

It burst outward and hit Enix directly in the chest.

He screamed.

"AAAGHHHHHHHH!!!"

His body twisted and shook violently, as if something inside him was being burned alive.

Nki froze, horrified. "W-What…?!"

She took a shaky step back, her hands trembling.

Her mind flashed back—

The moment inside that cursed mansion…

That same blue barrier had stopped the demon woman.

Protected her.

That barrier was holy—Divine.

Koru speaks from behind.

"If she gets too close… her Divine energy… it'll destroy the evil spirit inside him, it's too strong..."

"Who even is she?"

Lali and Aaru turned to look at them, eyes narrowing.

Nki looked at her hands. Then at Enix—still shaking in pain, curled on the ground.

She took another step back, biting her lip.

"…I'm hurting him," she whispered, tears building in her eyes.

But then—

Enix slowly looked up.

His red eyes met hers.

Pain. But something else too.

Clarity.

He didn't speak. He just raised his arm—slowly, trembling—his palm reaching out toward her.

Nki's chest clenched.

Her breath caught as her mind flooded with a memory—

That day at the train station.

Nki standing nervously on the platform.

Enix standing in front of her, holding a suitcase, his hand outstretched.

("From now on... we'll stay together. Forever.")

She clenched her teeth.

Tears fell.

And then she walked forward.

Step by step.

The blue barrier crackled violently, sparking like it was going to explode—but she didn't stop.

She lifted her hand—glowing softly.

They reached out—

And the moment their hands touched—

BOOOOM!!!

The blue barrier shattered into thousands of tiny shards.

The light fell like dust, glittering and weightless.

And in the center of it all—

They held each other.

Nki hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest.

Enix slowly wrapped his arms around her, resting his forehead against her shoulder.

The room fell silent.

Koru's eyes widened. Lali's stared in shock. Aaru's jaw tensed.

Because the boy in front of them—

The glowing tattoos were gone.

His eyes… were no longer glowing.

His skin had returned to normal.

Enix was back.

Human again.