{KENJI'S POV}
Stupid worthless Itachi!

Stupid worthless Eito!

Stupid worthless Daku!

And don't even get me started on that dunce, Kaiju! Why'd he have to go and make such a stupid promise? Why did those trash weaklings lose to a princess who's only good at being eye candy?

Nobody can do a damn thing right! I pace back and forth along the top of Citadel's rampart, watching the mobs lose pathetically down below.

I kick the corpse of a archer who was killed by, of all things, an arrow. Foolish weakling who couldn't make use of the giant wall!

"Um, your Majesty?" One remaining archer asks hesitantly. "All the generals have fallen. Shouldn't you go down—"

"Silence fool!" I bellow. "You expect me to lower myself to that miserable fatherless boy's level?"

He winces. "Your Majesty is the emperor, the strongest in Zoral. Kaiju-dono—"

"Don't speak that imbecile's name!"

Kaiju said that I would definitely come. To not do so would be unacceptable for a proud and noble emperor like me. I clench the hilt of the gilded sword at my waist until my knuckles are white. It's merely a decoration. I can barely hold it. This is a catastrophe.

I only ever wanted my father's recognition. Akio Fujimiya; my childhood idol.

He was the strongest emperor, who defeated a dozen kingdoms in his ambition to rule all of Fortissia. I believed Father could do it. I loved seeing his gallant figure, triumphantly returning from battlefields astride a white horse.

But that idol never called my name. He only cared about strength, something my older brother had in spades. If you had no strength, Akio Fujimiya didn't care about you. Even if you were his second son.

Sei had it all. A blond-haired, blue-eyed golden boy who never struggled a day in his life. He even got to go observe my beloved father to the battlefield when he was seven. How dare he be so lucky?

Sei stole everything I wanted from me! It became obvious early on that I wouldn't be like my older brother. He beat me in swordsmanship, in studies, in romance with that ugly wench Azalea.

I quit swordsmanship. I quit attending my classes. Why bother? I could never beat Sei. My father shunned me for my ineptitude. I had nothing.

I became the black sheep, the outcast of the royal family. The nobles mocked me behind my back.

So I left Citadel, affiliating myself with underground black markets. There I met the Bloody Merī family. I secretly funded them with my share of money from the royal treasury and they took care of all in my way. I gained allies with similar ambitions of conquest and power. However, I knew that Father would still be disgusted by my weak and powerless self.

Then my beloved father died and perfect Sei took the throne. Of all things, he stopped the wars!

He disgraced our father's name and memory!

Peaceful Emperor. Bah! What a disgusting epithet. Father would turn in his grave if he knew what blasphemy his favorite son was spouting.

I returned to take up the mantle of Akio Fujimiya's will. And that required getting rid of some vermin. Luckily, I had the Bloody Merī assassins.

But those trash failed too. So now, here we are.

"No one is competent anymore! I suppose I'll finish the remnants off myself." I sigh. How hard could it possibly be to kill one teenage boy?

*at the same time—on the battlefield*
{AOI'S POV}
I hate watching while a piece of my heart throws herself into danger, for my sake only.

I knew Miho could do it. I never doubted her for a second, although it took all Takeshi's strength to hold me back from jumping to her defense at points. I feel like a failure as a shield when she gets hurt.

Some shield I am. I haven't been able to protect Miho from a damn thing. Not her past or this war. It's always been been her, fighting in the front lines on my behalf. I've always been watching Miho's back.

And the trauma she carries, I can't begin to comprehend it. I want to stand next to Miho and share some of her burden. Isn't that what partners are supposed to do?

Miho has paved the way for me. All I have left to do is finish the job.

The enemy army shifts on their feet. Their three strongest fighters have been downed by one girl. And Kaiju made a promise that Kenji has to keep if he wants to maintain any shred of dignity.

Finally, Kenji appears on the battlefield for the first time in five years.

His clunky decorative armor looks grand but is difficult to move in. The gilded sword at his side isn't fit to be used as a weapon. I scoff at the sight.

Miho teeters unsteadily. She put weight on her bad ankle during that last decisive strike.

I race forward and catch her in my arms as she falls. Her breathing is faint. She smells like sweat and blood. Her usually straight hair is gnarled and matted. She's as beautiful as always.

I bring my lips next to her ear. "You did good, Miho. Leave the rest to me."

"Wouldn't have it... any other way." Miho pants, her eyes dazed and unfocused. She faints.

I know more than anyone how much Miho's been through. What the cutting of her hair signifies. I brush it out of her eyes, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to Asahi. I wish I could be with Miho as she gets treated, but I have something I must do first. I gently lay Miho on the ground.

Then I turn on Kenji. "You."

"It's been a while, nephew." Kenji greets me. The last word is spat out like a profanity.

I set my jaw. "I'm no one's nephew."

Kenji chuckles. "Excellent. So you renounce your status as a member of the imperial family, rescinding your claim to the throne?"

"You're the one without a rightful claim. But you don't need to step down." I narrow my eyes, raising my daggers. "I plan on killing you either way."

"Likewise." Kenji echos, raising his gilded sword. His grip is unsteady and weak. He's out of practice.

I dart close, experimentally. Kenji swings wildly, hoping for a one in a million miracle. There's no technique to it, like a baby swinging a rattle.

He moves far too slowly to dream of hitting me, but that decorative armor's defense may actually prove to be a problem. How can I wound him when most of his body is covered in metal?

The answer is simple: aim for what's exposed.

Kenji's elaborate helmet visor is up so he can see clearly. I'll aim for his face.

As the final battle to end a five year war, Kenji sure makes it anticlimactic. It's not even close to a fair match. He's a complete noob for someone with a homonym of "sword" in his name.

It only takes a few minutes, and the result is one of my daggers stabbing Kenji through his eye socket and into his brain. He dies instantly.

A weak end for a weak-hearted man who couldn't accomplish anything in his life.

With no leaders, the army surrenders and lays down their weapons. A few who try to continue fighting are quickly disposed of.

We march into Citadel to the heartfelt cheers and welcome of the citizens. Their oppression is over. The civil war of Zoral is won.

We did it, Miho!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Kenji (健治) literally translates to "healthy, govern"—ha! Yeah right!—but a different way of writing ken (剣) means "sword," which is what Aoi implies.

But anyway, yay! The war arc is over! Now Aoi and Miho must deal with the aftermath...