“What should I do?”

Jin Halberd had come to the battlefield.

He had received the emergency summons for Holy Knight Captains and above, and headed to Japan as ordered.

“In the plan to kill you, I…”

Even so, Jin was tormented by doubt.

Ever since that day when his father spoke to him, he had been wrestling with it, clashing against his own sense of justice.

And then, the final battle between Kenya and Earthguard began.

“You’re still amazing, as always.”

He watched Kenya slice through everything with godlike power right before his eyes.

With resolve, with determination, with an unyielding justice he refused to compromise.

With an unbreakable will of steel that Jin could never possess, paired with the world’s finest technique.

Facing down Earthguard alone.

Kenya had always done things that Jin could never dream of.

Jin admired him.

He yearned for that cool way of living, for pushing straight down the path he believed in.

“I want to be like you…!? …Lord Road, that order…”

Jin overheard Road’s command.

The plan to bombard Kenya with Zeus’s cannons and burn him away.

That order was surely Road’s checkmate.

Not even Kenya could defend against those blasts.

“I… I…!!”

And then, the red light fired.

He didn’t know why.

But before he could think, his body moved on its own.

He had pondered justice endlessly, but never found an answer.

Yet his body acted instinctively.

To save his dearest friend, the one he admired.

His body moved on its own; his skills ingrained in his flesh kicked in, separate from his mind.

Jin had reached it—the realm of reflexes, the awakened knight.

It was the manifestation of resolve: his body moving before his heart, revealing the truth buried deep within.

‘When you find your answer, you’ll be able to grip your sword once more. And you’ll become even stronger.’

“Sword!!”

Jin shoved Kenya aside.

Accelerating at full speed, he pushed Kenya out of the light’s path—a movement befitting a knight at the pinnacle of the world.

Only a handful had ever reached that domain, and now Jin had awakened to it.

As he saved Kenya and the light engulfed him, Jin finally understood.

What he truly desired, what justice he held.

(Ah, so that’s it. This is my true heart… Yeah, after all… I… want to protect Sword…)

And the battlefield was consumed by red light.

The red-and-black KOG along with it.

“Huh?”

Kenya, who had closed his eyes in resignation, found himself thrown aside.

Hurled with full force, he barely grazed Zeus’s bombardment.

“Wh-what…”

He felt a sudden, powerful shove.

Red light pierced through right in front of him, obliterating everything.

And clinging to his arm was a KOG arm.

The main body must have been destroyed.

But he recognized that KOG arm alone.

The ominous red-and-black KOG modeled after Sleipnir, Gungnir’s spear.

He had been aware of its presence on this battlefield.

Yet it hadn’t lifted a finger.

He had sensed that one KOG hesitating, lost in thought.

“Jin…san?”

Kenya understood.

It was Jin.

Jin had shoved him out at the last second.

Charging in at full speed to blast Kenya away from the encirclement.

“Why… why!!”

He didn’t understand.

Why had Jin, the enemy, saved him?

There was no one left to ask now.

But one thing was certain.

He had been saved. Protected.

“Again… I was protected… by Jin-san.”

He gently placed the arm on the ground and raised his sword, taking to the air once more.

Tears welled in his eyes.

“I really can’t do it alone, Road. I was protected again. So…”

He flew straight toward Zeus.

The Holy Knights had already been incinerated by the red light, their formation shattered.

“…This life I was given, I’ll put it to use.”

He deployed his sword domain and cut down every remaining Holy Knight.

And finally.

“Why did it miss? Was that Jin in the machine just now? Did Jin blow Sword away?”

Road couldn’t comprehend it.

He could understand Osiris—he was an old soldier who hadn’t received proper education.

But Jin was different.

Jin belonged to the generation properly educated, indoctrinated that Earthguard ruled the world.

Yet that Jin had betrayed them and saved Kenya.

“Why…!?”

As Road stood stunned for a moment, a sudden explosion rocked the area.

Zeus shuddered, winds howling with the blast.

A massive hole in the ceiling revealed the sky.

And right before him.

“Road, it’s over. Surrender.”

Stood the white knight.

“I see… My defeat, then.”

Zeus slowly lost its flight capabilities and descended to the ground.

Kenya had destroyed it, stripping away its aerial mobility.

Road gazed at the knight before him.

“…In the end, the deciding factor was people, huh.”

Road gave a bitter smile and closed his eyes, as if resigning to everything.

Kenya always had people to bail him out of pinches.

Reina and Kaguya, of course.

Even Osiris—despite calling it vengeance for Odin, it had really been to help Kenya.

And now, Jin had chosen Kenya over the emperor he had served for years, transcending an indoctrination bordering on brainwashing.

He had thought for himself, found his own justice, and saved the enemy, Kenya.

Road couldn’t deny that justice, but wondering why he hadn’t been chosen led straight to the answer.

“The things I discarded… and the things I picked up. That was the difference.”

Road had discarded so much.

His mother’s life, his brother, Zeke, even friends who swore loyalty to him.

He had sacrificed everything for his goals.

No one would save someone like that.

No one would rescue him in a pinch after all he’d thrown away.

But that was resolve, he thought.

Kenya was different.

Every encounter, he picked something up.

He never abandoned anyone—not even nameless resistance fighters, even going so far as to oppose Earthguard for them.

Everything Road had ignored, Kenya had gathered.

Road thought it wasn’t true resolve.

But he was wrong.

“That’s why… I could never change the world. I must have failed somewhere. I was the one who was wrong.”

Inside the falling Zeus, Road abandoned everything.

No—he acknowledged his defeat.

Not tactical defeat, but defeat from the depths of his heart.

He even gave up on living.

Because now he realized that the things he had suffered for, cried over, and discarded were truly precious.

What was lost couldn’t return. He could never go back to the “right” path.

But it didn’t feel bad.

He would leave the rest to the one who had walked the true path.

To the strongest knight who outmaneuvered his schemes and resolve.

He would entrust the world to Kenya.

So.

“We surrender. All Earthguard forces, stand down. The victor is decided. No further combat will be tolerated.”

At the very least, he wanted to save those who had followed him to the end of this reckless nightmare, even at the cost of his own life.

That was his final mission.

Zeus crashed, billowing smoke, as Earthguard forces dropped their weapons.

“Hah… hah… did we win?”

“Impressive as always, Kenya-kun.”

“…It seems so. Your victory.”

“The Empire—no, Lord Road has been defeated.”

Kaguya and Reina’s battle had also ended.

The two knights dropped their weapons and surrendered per orders.

And with that, World War II came to a close.

“Well done! Outstanding, Kenya-kun!”

Genbu, the World Alliance representative, hugged Kenya tightly.

Kamil, Byakuren, and Thor joined in, showering him with praise.

“Taking down that godlike legion, including the Holy Knight Captain! Your name will echo through eternity as the hero who saved the world!”

“…Thanks to everyone. B-but what about Road? What happens to Earthguard?!”

That day, Road’s orders had ended World War II.

Captured without resistance, Road accepted every demand from Genbu and the others.

Including the liberation of colonies, reparations, and return of seized territories.

“Kenya-kun, let me explain. Genbu-san, he’s exhausted, so let’s pause here.”

“Y-yeah! Get some rest. Thank you, Kenya-kun.”

Isshin patted Kenya’s shoulder and led him to a separate room.

“Sit down, for heaven’s sake. That’s not the face of a victor.”

Guided by Isshin, Kenya slumped into his seat.

“Sorry.”

That day, all Kenya could do was watch as Road was taken.

Road offered no resistance, quietly closing his eyes in resignation.

When Kenya approached to talk, Road said,

‘You’re the easiest fool I’ve ever duped. I should’ve strung you along longer.’

After that, Road never met his eyes again.

Ignoring everything Kenya said.

“I get it. That was for my sake.”

Kenya realized it was Road’s kindness—thinking any ties to him would taint Kenya’s future.

That was why he pushed him away with cold words.

“What should I…”

“Kenya-kun. I hesitated to tell you in this state, but you need to know. Road’s execution has been decided.”

“What?”

Kenya shot to his feet.

The chair toppled with a crash, his heart pounding unbelievably.

It was the nightmare he feared most, the words he dreaded hearing.

“Why?! He agreed to the demands! Why kill him!!”

“…It’s Road’s own wish. Earthguard started the war, so they’ll accept liberation, reparations, everything. But that’s not enough for those who died. So he asked to take all the blame and be killed as pathetically as possible.”

Road had pleaded with the World Alliance.

To end the cycle of hatred from those who lost everything in the war, using his own life.

“Genbu agreed. Method: hanging. Date: one week from now. Location: In front of Zhongwu’s General Headquarters. Right here.”

“No way… No, Isshin-san. No!”

“Sorry, it’s final. I can’t stop it. And Road wants it—if we don’t, he’ll take his own life. So…”

Isshin patted Kenya’s shoulder.

Gazing into his tear-filled, reddened eyes.

“It can’t be stopped. Accept it, Kenya-kun. For the world’s sake. His death will unite it. See his resolve through.”

“No… I don’t want this… Nooo!!”

Unable to bear it, Kenya wailed loudly.

Isshin left the room.

Deciding he needed to be alone.

A lone prisoner sat in his cell.

The boy who once wore lavish clothes now donned prisoner garb.

The boy who had become the world’s enemy, seeking to destroy everything, was defeated.

Twice crushed utterly by his former friend.

“In the end, I didn’t win a single time. I wonder what kind of world Sword will create.”

The boy smiled faintly.

Remembering the Empire Sword Martial Festival, when he fought Osiris and yelled about creating a world where he could flirt with two girls.

He had secretly listened to that match’s audio.

Osiris wouldn’t cheat, but just in case of foul play.

And he heard a wish so straightforward it was laughable.

“What an idiotically honest, straight-arrow guy. He’ll charge right ahead into that world…”

(Unlike me, who no one helps… He’s supported by so many… surely…)

Road had thought it over endlessly.

Always arriving at the same conclusion.

The boy who cut him down was the one to change the world; he himself was no longer needed.

So he wanted to die here. He should die.

At least, use this life to shoulder some of the hatred toward Earthguard.

Defeated by Kenya, Road had given up on everything.

Clink, clink.

Footsteps of the guard approached from the hall.

“So this is the end… In the end, what was it I wanted…?”

And Road walked on, handcuffed.

Toward his final place.