Chapter 296: A Roar He Could Never Forget

Raven’s violet eyes widened as the pressure reached the rooftop.

Whatever relief she had felt upon seeing Yuuta stand disappeared beneath immediate confusion, because the dark-green aura surrounding him didn’t resemble anything she had expected from the supposedly ordinary human.

Her entire body reacted to it.

Raven couldn’t immediately explain the sensation.

The aura wasn’t overwhelming enough to frighten her through sheer power, yet something about it felt strangely familiar.

It caused the energy within her own body to stir in response, almost as though the power she had spent years using had suddenly recognized something before she did.

"What... is that?"

Raven stared down at Yuuta, her attention sharpening completely. For the briefest moment, an impossible thought entered her mind.

The sensation was almost like standing before the true owner of something she had only been borrowing all this time.

Below her, Yuuta was barely aware of anything except the rage consuming him.

The helplessness of lying on that road while Vezrath approached Elena had broken something inside him. He had watched people die throughout his lifetime, watched Victim melt before his eyes, killed for the first time in his life and pushed his body until he couldn’t even crawl anymore.

Yet none of it had disgusted him as much as those final seconds when his daughter had been in danger and he had been too weak to reach her.

Then, somehow, strength had answered that desperation.

Yuuta had forced himself upright and launched forward with everything that remained inside him. There had been no technique behind the punch and no careful control of his aura.

He had simply driven his fist into Vezrath’s face with every ounce of rage, fear and helplessness he had been carrying.

The result lay across the street.

Vezrath had crashed into an abandoned car hard enough to cave in its side. For several seconds, the Poison Demon remained slumped against the dented metal, unable to understand what had happened.

When he finally moved, blood spilled from his mouth and ran down his chin, while one side of his jaw hung unnaturally beneath his face.

His hand slowly touched it.

The bone had nearly shattered.

Vezrath’s violet eyes lifted toward Yuuta in disbelief.

That human did this...?

Yuuta stared back at him, but the strength that had produced the attack was already disappearing. The dark-green aura flickered around his body before fading completely, and the instant it vanished, everything his rage had temporarily buried came crashing back at once.

Pain tore through him.

Yuuta’s knees buckled as the strength left his legs, and he collapsed onto the pavement before he could stop himself.

The sudden surge of aura had been little more than an aura rush his body forcing out power far beyond what it could safely handle when he had already exhausted himself. Now he was paying for every second of it.

His shoulders burned. His muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and blood continued slipping from wounds across his hands and face. Even breathing hurt badly enough that Yuuta wanted to curl against the pavement and scream until the pain passed.

Then he looked up.

Elena was watching him.

Yuuta immediately clenched his teeth.

He couldn’t let her see it.

Not after everything she had already witnessed tonight.

His breathing shook as he forced the agony back down, and somehow, despite the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, Yuuta managed to smile at her.

It wasn’t convincing.

His face was pale, his body was trembling and blood was still dripping from him, but he kept that ridiculous smile there anyway.

She doesn’t need to see Papa screaming.

Yuuta swallowed against the pain.

For her... I have to be the strongest.

Raven watched Yuuta from above, increasingly unable to understand the human she was looking at. She could see his condition clearly enough to know that he was suffering.

His body wasn’t merely exhausted; he had pushed himself into genuine injury, and that final punch had demanded strength from muscles that should no longer have been capable of producing it.

Yet he was smiling.

Does he not feel pain?

Raven’s brows drew together.

Or is he completely insane?

Then she felt Elena moving excitedly in her arms.

"Human Aunty! Human Aunty!"

Raven looked down. Elena’s earlier tears were still visible on her cheeks, but she was now waving both hands toward Yuuta with an enormous smile, seemingly forgetting for a moment just how frightened she had been.

"Did you see?! Papa punched demon and demon flew away!"

Raven blinked.

Elena leaned farther over Raven’s arm and waved enthusiastically toward her father.

"Papa!"

Yuuta weakly raised his head.

The moment Elena saw him looking, her smile became even brighter.

"Elena’s Papa is strong!"

She giggled proudly while continuing to wave at him.

Yuuta’s smile trembled.

This time, he didn’t have to force all of it.

Raven saw that tiny change, and somehow it made what she was witnessing even harder to believe. She knew exactly how painful an injured or dislocated shoulder could be.

Yuuta had already pushed both arms far beyond their limits, and then he had forced one of those damaged limbs to deliver a punch powerful enough to send a demon flying into a car.

The strain alone could have worsened the damage throughout his shoulder and surrounding muscles, and every small movement afterward should have been agonizing.

Yet the moment his daughter looked at him, Yuuta hid it.

His face remained pale and sweat continued running down his skin, but he smiled back at Elena as though there were nothing wrong with him. Only the trembling in his jaw and the way his fingers occasionally tightened against the pavement betrayed how much pain he was suppressing.

Raven’s expression softened slightly.

So that’s what it is.

He wasn’t incapable of feeling pain.

He simply refused to let Elena see it.

Raven immediately turned toward the Shadow Corps.

"Corps, tend to him. Use the recovery potions and stabilize his injuries before moving him."

The response was immediate.

Several Shadow Corps soldiers descended from the surrounding rooftops and gathered around Yuuta. Two carefully knelt beside him and began examining his injuries, while the others formed a defensive perimeter with their weapons drawn.

Their behavior had changed considerably after Raven’s earlier revelation. This was no longer an unknown civilian they had happened to rescue.

This was the Supreme Commander’s husband.

None of them intended to take even the smallest risk with him.

One soldier carefully supported Yuuta’s injured arm while another removed a recovery potion from his equipment. They worked slowly around his shoulders rather than carelessly moving him, while the rest of the unit continuously watched the streets and rooftops for another attack.

Raven descended shortly afterward.

She landed several meters from Yuuta while still carrying Elena, but the moment they reached street level, the little girl began squirming impatiently in her arms.

"Human Aunty! Human Aunty, let Elena go!"

Raven adjusted her grip before Elena could wriggle herself free.

"Careful."

"Elena want Papa!" Elena complained, stretching both arms toward Yuuta. "Let Elena go! Elena want to see Papa!"

Raven glanced toward the Shadow Corps members still treating him before looking back at the impatient little girl.

"Wait a little, Little Commander. They’re still treating your Papa."

Elena immediately puffed her cheeks.

"But Papa don’t need treatment."

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"He doesn’t?"

Elena shook her head with absolute confidence before pointing toward herself.

"Papa need Elena hug."

For the first time since arriving on the ruined street, a small laugh escaped Raven.

"Is that so, Little Commander?"

"Yes!"

Elena nodded seriously, as though Raven had questioned an established medical fact.

"Elena hug works every time. Papa said Elena hug can bring Papa back from death!"

Raven paused.

Then she looked toward Yuuta.

Despite his condition, Yuuta’s expression immediately became awkward, as though he desperately hoped Raven wouldn’t take that particular statement seriously.

Raven had to suppress another laugh.

"Oh, I see. That’s an extremely powerful ability."

Elena proudly nodded.

"Very powerful!"

"Then we definitely can’t waste it."

Elena’s eyes widened.

Raven continued speaking with complete seriousness, deliberately keeping the little girl’s attention on her while the Shadow Corps worked behind them.

"Your Papa is getting treatment first. After they’re finished, Little Commander Elena can use her special hug. That way he’ll recover twice as fast."

Elena became quiet as she seriously considered Raven’s logic.

Then she nodded.

"Okay! Elena wait."

"Good."

Raven smiled faintly and continued distracting her with questions while the Shadow Corps treated Yuuta behind them.

It worked perfectly.

Elena became so occupied explaining the apparently extraordinary healing properties of her hugs that she didn’t notice Yuuta clenching his teeth when the Shadow Corps began carefully examining his shoulders.

Two soldiers knelt beside him, each supporting one of his arms while another checked the damage around his shoulders. It didn’t take them long to find the most obvious problem. Both joints had been forced out of position after Yuuta pushed himself far beyond what his body could endure during the fight.

"Both shoulders are dislocated," one of them said.

The second soldier continued examining him, expecting to find considerably worse damage after witnessing the dark-green aura and that final punch. Yet after another careful check, his expression became confused.

"Strange."

"What is it?"

"I’m not finding the internal damage I expected."

The first soldier looked at him before checking Yuuta again. His muscles were badly exhausted and his body had clearly been pushed beyond its normal limits, but the catastrophic internal damage they had expected wasn’t there. Considering the condition Yuuta had been in only moments earlier, the difference was difficult to explain.

"He shouldn’t be in this condition after using that much power."

"I know."

Yuuta barely listened to them. His eyes remained fixed on Elena in the distance, making sure she was still safely beside Raven.

"Sir, we’re going to put your shoulders back into position," one of the soldiers warned. "This is going to hurt."

Yuuta swallowed and nodded.

"Do it."

The soldiers carefully positioned his first arm. One stabilized Yuuta’s body while the other controlled the injured shoulder, making sure not to worsen the damage before applying the necessary movement.

Pain immediately tore through Yuuta.

His entire body stiffened as the joint was guided back into place. His teeth clenched hard enough for his jaw to ache, but he refused to make a sound. Elena was only several meters away, happily talking to Raven, and the last thing Yuuta wanted was for her to hear him screaming and turn around.

The second shoulder followed.

Yuuta’s fingers dug into the pavement while sweat rolled down his forehead, but once again he endured it silently until the joint was restored to its proper position. Only when the soldiers released him did Yuuta finally allow himself to breathe properly.

One of them immediately removed a small container from his equipment.

"Recovery potion."

The liquid was part of the Agency’s medical supplies, developed through Sister Mary’s scientific work and enhanced using Lily’s ability. The soldier carefully applied it across Yuuta’s injuries rather than simply pouring everything over him at once.

The effect appeared almost immediately.

The smaller cuts across Yuuta’s hands began closing first. The wounds left by shattered glass along his face and arms followed, the bleeding slowing before damaged skin gradually repaired itself. The deeper exhaustion remained, but the constant burning from dozens of smaller injuries finally began fading.

Yuuta released a long breath.

For the first time since the invasion began, his body wasn’t screaming at him from every direction.

"Thank you..."

His voice was still exhausted, but the gratitude was genuine.

Then he immediately looked around.

"My Elena..."

Yuuta attempted to rise.

A Shadow Corps soldier placed a hand against his chest before he could.

"Sir, don’t move yet. Your shoulders have only just been restored, and we don’t know what that aura surge did to your body."

"I know."

Yuuta looked past him.

"I just want to see my daughter."

The soldier hesitated before slowly removing his hand.

Yuuta planted one foot beneath himself and carefully stood. His legs trembled during the first few seconds, forcing him to steady himself, but once he was upright, he cautiously moved both arms.

His right hand opened and closed.

Then his left.

He slowly rotated one shoulder, followed by the other.

The Shadow Corps soldiers exchanged surprised looks. They had expected him to require considerably more support after having both shoulders restored, yet Yuuta seemed to be adapting unusually quickly to the treatment.

Yuuta didn’t notice their reactions.

He had already found Elena.

She was standing with Raven several meters away, happily talking as though the masked woman were someone she had known for years. Raven’s crow-like mask should probably have frightened a Four-year-old after everything Elena had witnessed tonight, yet Elena seemed completely unconcerned. She was smiling, occasionally giggling and enthusiastically moving her hands while explaining something to Raven.

Yuuta simply stared at her.

Alive.

Unhurt.

Smiling.

Yuuta finally allowed himself to breathe when he saw Elena safe and smiling.

One of the Shadow Corps soldiers approached him and lowered himself onto one knee.

"Sir."

Yuuta turned toward him in confusion. The soldier was holding out a small bottle containing another recovery potion, while two others remained nearby in case Yuuta suddenly lost his balance.

"This is a recovery potion designed to restore physical strength. Please drink it."

Yuuta looked at the bottle but didn’t take it.

The soldiers had noticed something during his treatment that Yuuta himself had almost forgotten. His condition wasn’t caused only by the battle.

Judging from his exhaustion, dry lips and the strain visible around his eyes, he had barely eaten or drunk anything for hours. He had spent most of the day searching for Erza before the invasion even began, and everything that happened afterward had pushed an already exhausted body far beyond its limit.

Yuuta gently shook his head.

"No, I’m okay. You’ve already done more than enough for me." He gave the kneeling soldier a tired smile. "I really appreciate your help."

"Sir, but...."

Yuuta had already stepped past him.

The moment he moved, Elena seemed to sense him.

She stopped talking to Raven and turned her head. Her crimson eyes immediately found Yuuta standing several meters away, and her entire face brightened.

"Papa!"

Elena dashed toward him.

Yuuta barely had enough time to prepare himself before she crashed into his legs and wrapped both arms around them. His newly treated shoulders protested when he bent down, but he ignored the discomfort and carefully lowered himself onto one knee before pulling Elena against his chest.

"Papa! Papa!"

"I’m here."

Elena squeezed him even tighter before suddenly pulling her head back.

"Papa, that punch was so cool!"

Yuuta stared at her.

He had been preparing himself for a completely different conversation. He wanted to ask why she had left the hiding place after promising him she wouldn’t. A part of him even wanted to scold her for frightening him more than any demon had managed to tonight.

Then he saw her face.

Elena was practically glowing with excitement.

The lecture disappeared from Yuuta’s mind.

"...Was it really that cool?"

"Yes! Super cool!"

Elena immediately released him and attempted to reenact the entire battle. She scrunched up her face as much as possible, raised both hands like claws and lowered her voice into what she apparently believed was a terrifying demonic growl.

"The demon was like, ’Waaaaah! I’m scary demon!’"

Yuuta stared at her performance.

Elena suddenly threw one tiny fist forward.

"And Papa went DOOOOSH!"

She swung so enthusiastically that her entire body rotated with the punch.

"Then demon went WAAAAAAH!"

Elena threw herself backward dramatically, waving both arms as though she were being launched across the street, before bursting into giggles.

Yuuta couldn’t help himself.

He laughed.

After everything that had happened the dead civilians, the Poison Demons, nearly watching Elena die and coming frighteningly close to death himself, he actually laughed. For a few precious seconds, the ruined city around him seemed farther away as Elena enthusiastically reenacted the punch that had sent Vezrath flying.

"That’s what I looked like?"

"No!" Elena immediately corrected him, shaking her head so hard that her white hair bounced around her face. "Papa looked cooler!"

Yuuta smiled and reached out to pull her back toward him. He wanted to tell her that she was exaggerating, perhaps tease her about the ridiculous sound effect she had given his punch, but before he could say anything, an unfamiliar sensation passed through the air.

Yuuta’s smile slowly faded.

The street had become strangely still.

Raven noticed it too. She stopped in the middle of turning toward one of her soldiers and raised her head, while several members of the Shadow Corps instinctively looked toward the distant coastline. There hadn’t been a sound yet, but something was traveling toward them—an immense pressure moving through the atmosphere fast enough that their bodies seemed to recognize it before their ears did.

Then it reached Yuno City.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....!!!"

The roar didn’t merely echo across the city.

It hit it.

Yuuta instinctively wrapped both arms around Elena as a wall of sound crashed through the main street. His clothes whipped violently against his body, Elena’s white hair flew backward and every Shadow Corps soldier around them immediately lowered their center of gravity. The pressure traveled through the road beneath their feet, making Yuuta feel the vibration inside his chest and bones rather than simply hearing it through his ears.

Windows that had survived the invasion finally gave way.

Glass exploded outward from buildings throughout the street, raining onto abandoned cars and pavement as the roar continued.

Damaged traffic lights swung violently above the intersections, street signs rattled against their poles and loose debris began skittering across the road.

Dust poured from cracked buildings in thick clouds while several already weakened walls shed chunks of concrete beneath the continuous vibration.

Raven immediately pulled her cloak around Elena and Yuuta while the Shadow Corps spread around them defensively, but there was nothing for them to fight.

The sound was coming from far beyond Yuno City, somewhere over the Atlantic, yet it carried enough force that it felt as though whatever had produced it was standing directly above them.

"What the hell is that...?"

One of the Shadow Corps soldiers stared toward the coast.

Another didn’t answer.

They had heard Leviathan earlier.

Everyone had.

Its first roar had announced the invasion and shaken cities across the country. The Shadow Corps knew what that creature sounded like, and many of them had already believed nothing living could produce something louder.

This was worse.

Far worse.

Leviathan’s roar had felt like being caught beneath an enormous beast.

This one felt as though the atmosphere itself had become the weapon.

The sound continued pouring across Yuno City without weakening. Several soldiers covered their ears, but it barely helped; the vibration traveled through their bodies regardless. One dropped to a knee when his balance failed, while another grabbed the side of an abandoned vehicle to steady himself.

Then the lights went out.

The few streetlights that had remained operational flickered violently before bursting one after another. Storefront signs died along the road, windows went dark across the surrounding apartment buildings and entire blocks disappeared into blackness as damaged electrical infrastructure failed beneath the sustained vibration.

For a moment, only emergency lights and distant fires illuminated the street.

Elena buried her face against Yuuta’s chest.

"Papa..."

"I’m here."

Yuuta held her tighter, but his attention remained fixed toward the distant Atlantic.

The roar still hadn’t stopped.

Raven looked upward and saw birds fleeing through the night sky in enormous scattered groups, while farther away several flocks simply lost control beneath the pressure and dropped between the buildings.

Car alarms began screaming throughout the surrounding streets before some abruptly died when their remaining electrical systems failed. Water shook inside broken pipes, dust rose from the road and cracks already running through damaged walls widened under the relentless vibration.

Raven’s expression gradually changed.

This wasn’t simply loud.

The sound itself carried destructive force.

And Yuno City wasn’t even where it had originated.

They were hearing the aftermath of something happening many kilometers away.

"What kind of monster..."

Raven couldn’t finish.

Another violent pulse passed through the street as the roar reached a deeper pitch, and a nearby utility pole finally tore loose from its damaged foundation. Shadow Corps soldiers immediately moved civilians away as it crashed across the road, sending sparks through the darkness before the remaining power in that section of the street disappeared completely.

Yuuta barely reacted.

Something about the roar was different to him.

He had heard Leviathan earlier. That sound had terrified him because there had been nothing human within it, only the overwhelming presence of a colossal creature announcing itself across the country.

But this roar...

Yuuta slowly raised his head.

The sound was impossibly deeper, louder and more violent than any voice he associated with her, distorted by such overwhelming power that for several seconds his mind refused to accept what his instincts were already telling him.

Yet beneath all that destruction, he recognized something.

A voice.

Her voice.

His heart slammed against his chest.

The city continued trembling around him. Another row of windows shattered somewhere in the darkness, alarms screamed and died, and the Shadow Corps struggled against a roar powerful enough to reach them from a battlefield they couldn’t even see.

Yuuta heard none of it anymore.

His crimson eyes widened as he stared toward the Atlantic.

"...Erza."

TO BE CONTINUED.