Hana’s eyes shot open—glowing, unnatural. Not the usual deep golden, but something else entirely.

  Something not hers.

  A pulse of dark energy erupted from her body, sending everyone staggering back. The healers fell to the ground, barely shielding themselves. Kurohazan and Uriel stepped in front of her defensively, their divine energy clashing against the foreign force now radiating from Hana.

  Haruka immediately grabbed her twin swords. “Hana—?!”

  But Hana wasn’t responding. She slowly sat up, but her movements were wrong—stiff, unnatural, like a puppet on invisible strings.

  Hime’s expression darkened. “…She’s not in control.”

  Hana’s lips parted, and when she spoke—it wasn’t her voice.

  "The cycle is unbroken."

  The moment the words left her mouth, the room darkened further. The curse wasn’t just inside her anymore. It was trying to take her over.

  Haruka cursed. “Oh HELL no—”

  She moved, rushing forward, but before she could even reach Hana— A wave of invisible force threw her back. Haruka crashed into the wall, gritting her teeth from the impact. She barely had time to recover before Hana’s body moved again.

  But it wasn’t Hana anymore. Her head tilted slightly, her gaze fixed on Hime. Then, in that wrong, foreign voice, she spoke again.

  "The moon fades. The balance crumbles. And you still resist?"

  Hime didn’t flinch. “Of course.”

  Hana— or whatever was speaking through her— let out a slow, hollow laugh.

  Then, without warning, she raised a hand—

  And the entire palace shook.

  A blast of corrupted golden light erupted from Hana’s palm, slamming into the floor, splitting the stone. The sheer force of the attack sent cracks through the palace, the energy tearing through barriers like paper.

  Haruka, back on her feet, rushed in again, swinging one of her twin swords.

  "Wake up, idiot!" she shouted. But before her blade could make contact, Hana’s hand snapped up with unnatural speed— And caught the blade mid-strike.

  The room froze.

  Haruka’s eyes widened. Hana—who had never been a fighter, never been physically strong enough to overpower her—was holding back her entire strength with one hand.

  Then, Hana squeezed. Haruka’s sword groaned under the pressure.

  “Tch—!” Haruka tried to pull away, but the force holding her was overwhelming.

  Then, in a terrifying moment— Hana lifted her other hand. Haruka barely had time to process what was happening before a pulse of pure energy sent her flying backward again.

  She crashed into the rubble, groaning. “Okay, OW—”

  Hime immediately moved next, stepping between Hana and Haruka. Unlike her younger sister, she did not rush in blindly. Instead, she drew her sword, its silver edge glowing faintly.

  Hime’s voice was calm, but firm. “Let her go.”

  Hana tilted her head slightly, as if studying her. Then, for the first time, the foreign entity controlling her seemed… amused.

  "You wish to command me? Foolish child. You are nothing against me."

  Hime did not blink. Instead, she simply tightened her grip on her blade.

  "Then let’s test that theory."

  The entity inside Hana smiled. And then, the real battle began.

  —

  The chamber shook violently, the force of Hana’s corrupted energy warping the very air around them. Cracks spread across the stone walls, and the lingering barriers shattered one by one. The curse had fully awakened now, and it was no longer satisfied with simply tormenting Hana.

  It wanted control.

  Hime stood at the front, sword drawn and steady, her sharp golden eyes locked onto the figure before her. Haruka was back on her feet, wiping blood from her mouth, her usual grin gone, replaced by gritted determination. Kurohazan and Uriel flanked them, their celestial energy clashing violently against the curse’s influence, both of them ready to tear through whatever had possessed their master.

  But Hana—or rather, the entity inside her—simply smiled.

  "You struggle so much," it mused, tilting her head slightly, the glow in her eyes pulsating with something inhuman. "Yet the cycle continues. Your resistance is meaningless."

  Hime’s voice was cold. "Then let’s see how meaningless it really is."

  She moved. With a single, precise step, she vanished from her spot, reappearing directly in front of Hana, sword flashing toward her.

  Hana blocked it effortlessly. No weapons—just her bare hand gleaming with strange power.

  The moment blade met skin, a shockwave of force erupted outward, sending cracks through the ruined chamber. Hime held her ground, but she could feel it.

  The wrongness. Hana wasn’t just being controlled—her body had adapted, enhanced by the curse’s influence.

  The entity laughed softly. "You hesitate, Human."

  Hime’s grip on her sword tightened. “I don’t hesitate. I calculate.”

  And with that, she twisted her blade, forcing a sudden wave of energy through the steel. For the first time, the entity flinched. Hime took that moment to strike. She ducked low, blade slicing toward Hana’s side—but before it could connect, Hana disappeared.

  Hime’s eyes widened slightly. Too fast. Before she could react, a crushing force slammed into her back, sending her skidding across the stone.

  Hana had reappeared behind her. "Predictable," the entity mused.

  But before it could follow up—Haruka lunged.

  Haruka was already moving before Hime hit the ground. Her twin swords burned with energy, her movements unrestrained, wild, a stark contrast to Hime’s refined technique. She didn’t go for precision. She went for pure, overwhelming force.

  Her blade met Hana’s arm, but instead of blocking—Hana caught it.

  Haruka grinned. “Wrong move.”

  She twisted the sword, and from the blade’s edge, a burst of compressed force detonated point-blank.

  The explosion sent Hana flying backward, crashing through a half-destroyed pillar. Haruka landed on her feet, rolling her shoulders. "Damn. You’re sturdy."

  The dust cleared. Hana—or the thing inside her—stood up without a single scratch.

  Haruka’s grin faltered. “Oh, come on.”

  The entity stepped forward, not even remotely fazed. Then, without warning— Hana vanished again. Haruka barely had time to blink before a hand was wrapped around her throat. The force behind the grip was inhuman.

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  For the first time, a flicker of actual pain crossed Haruka’s face. The entity leaned in, whispering against her ear. "This body is stronger than you now."

  Then—it threw her. Haruka hit the wall hard, the force of the impact sending cracks splintering outward. She coughed, spitting blood onto the stone.

  But despite the pain, she just laughed weakly. “Okay. That was a good one.”

  She forced herself to her feet, wobbling slightly. “But you know… you really messed up, bastard.”

  The entity tilted its head, seemingly amused.

  Haruka grinned through the blood in her mouth. “You pissed off Hime.”

  The temperature in the room plummeted. Haruka had felt Hime’s anger before. She had seen it in small bursts—controlled, sharpened into lethal precision.

  But this… This was different.

  Hime stood, her sword raised once more, her aura shifting. The usual calmness that defined her was gone. In its place was a cold, suffocating fury. The air stilled. Even the entity inside Hana paused. Then, for the first time, Hime spoke without restraint.

  “You dare lay a hand on my sister?”

  The curse had no time to react. Hime vanished.

  What followed was a flurry of impossible speed, her blade moving with such terrifying precision that the entity inside Hana—this ancient force that had survived for centuries—was actually struggling.

  Every time it tried to counter—Hime was already ahead of it.

  Every time it tried to dodge—Hime was faster.

  Every time it tried to overpower—Hime didn’t even let it move.

  It was merciless. Haruka, still catching her breath, watched in awe.

  “Damn,” she muttered. “She is really scary when she is mad.”

  Hana’s possessed body finally faltered, the relentless strikes forcing it onto the defensive. Then, the final blow came. Hime’s sword pierced straight through Hana’s chest. The curse let out a shriek. A soundless, horrifying wail that echoed through the ruins. The golden-red glow in Hana’s eyes flickered violently.

  Hime’s grip on the sword tightened. “Let. Her. Go.”

  The force of her will alone pushed against the entity, driving it further and further back. Hana’s body convulsed. For a moment, it looked like the curse was going to resist— But then—Hana’s voice finally broke through.

  "Hime—"

  The glow vanished. And with it, the curse’s hold shattered. Hana’s body went limp, but blood spilled from her wound. Hime immediately caught her, panic flickering in her usually calm eyes.

  “HANA!”

  Haruka, ignoring her own injuries, rushed forward. “Shit, shit—hold on!”

  Hime, her hands already pressing against the wound, barked at the healers, “NOW! GET IN HERE!”

  The healers scrambled forward, their hands glowing as they worked to stop the bleeding. Hime held Hana close, her forehead pressed against her sister’s.

  “…Don’t do that again,” she whispered, voice strained.

  Hana, barely conscious, managed a weak, teasing smile. “…No promises.”

  But her fingers curled weakly around Hime’s sleeve, a silent assurance that she was still there.

  —

  The Curse’s New Reality

  The once-mighty containment chamber was nothing more than a ruined shell, its walls cracked, its sigils burned out, and its magical protections shattered beyond repair. The aftermath of the battle against the curse had left the palace in chaos, with soldiers and healers scrambling to tend to the wounded. But the only thing Hime cared about right now was the unmoving figure in her arms.

  Hana’s breathing was shallow, her skin cold, and the wound in her chest bled sluggishly despite the rapid efforts of the healers surrounding her.

  “Hurry,” Hime’s voice was sharp, controlled— but anyone who knew her could hear the rare edge of panic beneath it.

  “We’re doing all we can, Your Highness,” one of the lead physicians said as he applied a stabilizing elixir to slow the bleeding. Another carefully placed his hands over the wound, his magic flowing into Hana’s body, but he frowned deeply.

  “There’s something strange about the injury,” the healer murmured. “It’s not just physical—it’s like the wound itself is resisting treatment.”

  Haruka let out a sharp breath. “You mean to tell me this curse is still trying to kill her?!”

  Kurohazan, who had remained eerily silent until now, finally spoke, his deep voice carrying a weight that made even the most seasoned warriors freeze.

  "No. The curse is not trying to kill her anymore."

  Uriel’s golden gaze flickered. "It has changed."

  Hime’s expression darkened. “Explain.”

  Kurohazan lowered his massive head, his golden markings pulsing with a slow, rhythmic glow. "When you struck her, your energy did more than sever the entity’s control—it forced a shift. The curse is no longer acting as an outside force. It has… become something else. It is no longer fighting to consume her—it is part of her now."

  Haruka narrowed her eyes. “You mean she still has it?”

  Uriel’s voice was calm, measured. "Yes. But it is no longer a parasite. It has fused with her completely. The balance has been rewritten."

  Hime’s grip on her sword tightened. “Then what does that mean for her?”

  Before either divine beast could respond—

  Hana’s eyes fluttered open. Hana Wakes Up. Her entire body ached. It wasn’t the sharp, unbearable pain of her previous curse relapses—this was different. This was new. A dull, unfamiliar sensation ran through her limbs, like something foreign and yet strangely familiar had settled inside her.

  She was… alive. But she was not the same. She slowly became aware of warm hands gripping her own.

  “Hime...”

  Hana turned her head slightly, blinking blearily. “…You look like hell.”

  Hime let out a slow breath, her fingers tightening around Hana’s. “I could say the same to you.”

  Haruka’s face appeared above her, her usual cocky grin weaker than usual. “You scared the crap out of us, idiot.”

  Hana managed a tired smirk. “Not my fault.”

  Haruka scoffed. “It’s always your fault.”

  Before Hana could retort, one of the healers—who had been hovering nearby, waiting for confirmation that she was truly conscious—cleared his throat. “Your Highness… how do you feel?”

  Hana had to think about it. She flexed her fingers, testing the strange sensation running through her body. Something was different. Her energy—once wild and unpredictable—felt balanced, steady. Not gone, but controlled.

  “…Better than I should,” she admitted honestly. “But… also really weird.”

  Kurohazan’s deep voice rumbled. "The curse is no longer a separate entity from you. It is now an intrinsic part of your being."

  Hana blinked slowly. “So… does that mean I’m stuck with it?”

  Uriel inclined his head. "Yes. But it is no longer a force working against you. It is now yours to command."

  There was a long pause. Haruka frowned. “That sounds way too easy.”

  Hime was still watching Hana carefully, her sharp golden eyes scanning for any sign of lingering instability. “Do you feel… yourself?”

  Hana thought about it. She expected to feel the same fear, the same dread she had always felt whenever the curse was mentioned. She expected to feel the same weight she had carried her entire life.

  But for the first time… she didn’t. She wasn’t free. But she wasn’t trapped anymore either.

  She let out a slow breath. “…Yeah,” she said finally. “I do.” And for the first time in years, she wasn’t lying.

  —

  The Aftermath of the Eclipse

  The next few days were chaotic. With the containment chamber completely destroyed, the entire palace had gone into high alert, ensuring that whatever had happened wouldn’t happen again.

  News of the battle had spread rapidly through the empire. Nobles, scholars, and religious figures flooded the palace with urgent messages and requests, all demanding to know what had occurred.

  But the most common question was: What had happened to Princess Hana?

  To the outside world, Hana had been a divine figure for some time now—an untouchable force of wisdom and miracles. The idea that she had undergone a battle against an ancient curse only cemented her legend further.

  Haruka groaned loudly as she read through one of the latest reports. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  Hana, who was still under strict bedrest despite feeling mostly fine, sighed. “What now?”

  Haruka held up the letter.

  “‘The Imperial Court formally acknowledges Her Holiness, the Eternal Keeper of Balance, the Divine Shield Against the Abyss, the Blessed Sun of Aikyo—’”

  Hana shoved a pillow over her face. “STOP.”

  Haruka was laughing hysterically. “Oh no, it keeps going. ‘May her light continue to guide us—’”

  “HIME! CONTROL YOUR GOVERNMENT!”

  Hime, who had been calmly drinking tea nearby, set her cup down. “If you had truly wanted me to control them, you should have said something before they built that shrine dedicated to your wisdom.”

  Hana went completely still.

  Haruka blinked. “…What shrine?”

  Hime sipped her tea again.

  Hana slowly sat up, eyes narrowing. “What shrine.”

  Hime casually set a parchment in front of her. A detailed sketch of a massive temple-like structure stood proudly at the center of Aikyo’s capital, an enormous statue of Hana carved into the stone.

  Hana stared at it. Then, very softly, she whispered— “…I am going to commit arson.”

  Haruka burst out laughing.

  Though the curse remained, Hana was no longer its prisoner. What once was a force that threatened to consume her had now become a part of her. The balance had shifted, and so had her fate. But whether or not that was a blessing or another disaster waiting to happen…

  That was a question for another day.

  For now—Hana had a shrine to destroy.

  Hi Kryssa Here! if you enjoy the story or have any suggestion, question, theories, and favorite moments please let me know in the comment section!

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