Chapter 555

Sixty-seventh, Like a Firebird

“What are you laughing at?” Just when the Joker was feeling annoyed by the plan’s failure, Ash’s sudden loud laughter added to his frustration, especially with that sharp laugh as if mocking him directly. “Or are you laughing at your current hideous state?”

“No, to answer your question, because it’s really funny? Hahaha!” Ash laughed uncontrollably, disregarding this being a battlefield, he burst into laughter right before the increasingly stern Joker.

“You’re the Joker, aren’t you? Your task is to entertain people. So why wouldn’t I laugh seeing you stand in front of me? Hahahaha!”

What did Ash see?

He saw that going in this direction would lead to his demise from sheer exhaustion; this act would cause Go-Kaijō to explode; aiming for this target would freeze himself into an ice sculpture; and taking that action, I… That’s it!

Even though he couldn’t see the whole process leading to a Badend future, knowing the outcome still allowed for some strategic use.

“Are you trying to desperately fight back?!”

Pointing his sword again at Ash, the silver blade imbued with sinister energy thrust itself towards the knight like lightning, determined to turn him into a piece of frozen meat pinned to it!

“Wicked dragon! Wicked dragon! You won’t become a dragon at all—!”

Facing the stabbing blade, Ash’s next move left the Joker aghast. The knight before him had completely abandoned defense, stretching his arms wide like a crucifixion, passively allowing the attack to hit his chest!

“Pssh-”

In the silent void of space, the scene of a razor-sharp sword piercing through flesh went unnoticed, bloodied blade emerging from the back of Ash.

“At this range, you can’t dodge this trick anymore, huh?”

The shock returned to the Joker’s partially masked face, his wrist stuck in Ash’s grasp, immobilized by the man’s vice-like grip.

Ash truly laughed out loud now.

Pretty Cure, let me win this round.

“This is—”

His other hand ignored his worsening injuries, stretched and then released like a slingshot, striking down with full force! The black-flamed fist smashed through the stabbing sword, imprinting onto the Joker’s mask, shattering metal fragments making the surprised expression even more distorted!

“My distance!”

Unobstructed and rushing forward, the Joker met a second life-threatening plan from Ash. At that moment, the man’s muscle-bound arms under armor tightened around the Joker like cables, pinning him down firmly.

“I’m laughing at how simple you thought I was.”

“Try getting yourself out of this mess with your humor, Joker?”

“Let go of me, you despicable—”

Ignoring the Joker’s startled shouts, Ash squeezed harder on his neck, forcing him to gasp in a drowning fish’s breath. But while doing so, he loosened his legs, falling backward, straight towards the overwhelmingly blue watery star behind.

Letting go of the dark sword at the end, he saw the conclusion once more.

Next, I’ll become a meteor.

A shooting flame star bursting through the night sky.

————–

It moved, good, I really made it move!

“I did it, Ash? Ash!”

Seeing this on screen, Akane’s cheer turned into a scream. Her eyes widened as she watched Ash finally trap the Joker with self-mutilation, binding the enemy with his body as Go-Kaijō ignited forward, gravitationally pulled in the opposite direction, toward the incredibly blue watery star, disappearing from the camera view further and further away.

“Ash!!!”

How could this happen? It shouldn’t be like this!

I’ve done it, I really have done it. Then why, why must Mr. Ash meet such an end, being dragged down by Earth’s gravity to lose his soul too!

Akane rushed to the door almost frantically, her only thought was to save him, but the locked door barred her way, no matter how hard she twisted or kicked the steel gate, it remained immovable.

Despite no longer being a Pretty Cure, her mind was consumed by one thing now.

“Open, open up!”

I need to save him, I’m the only one who can save him here!

Looking back, the high-resolution monitor could no longer detect the small pixel-sized dot, replaced by faint flames flickering on Earth.

“I will save him, I must save him!”

*Kra-ch*

A faint crack from her makeup box in her pocket, but with anxiety overwhelming her, Akane paid this “little detail” no mind.

I must go, fly like a bird!

Pulling him up from beneath.

Fly… Yes, I must fly now!

Akane shouted to the heavens while pulling at the door handle, the internal workings of the Go-Kaijō reverberated with the fierce lament and courage of the girl.

“Let me fly high!!”

The burning heat around him forced Ash’s eyes to open.

He was rapidly descending into the atmosphere. Soon the friction with the air would reach unimaginable temperatures. Wangjian’s armor wasn’t equipped for re-entry, and he certainly didn’t have anything to cool down.

So would he really become a radiant meteor in the universe?

But regarding death, he wasn’t afraid of anyone.

Rather, dying in the blazing flames was pretty awesome, wasn’t it?

Ash shivered, his vision blacked out; he couldn’t see the Joker constrained. Yet, after his internal cycle system malfunctioned, the armor’s oxygen rapidly depleted.

Breathing nearly stopped. He grew colder, sleepier, struggling even to keep his eyes open.

Winning yet dying due to oxygen deprivation? Wanting to die looking cool… Perhaps a little regret, to not even have the chance to say goodbye…

“You—die—”

Who cares about dying together? Before reviving Emperor Pierrot, if you want to die, do so alone!

With an insane roar, Joker struggled to pull a hand free, ready to snap Ash’s neck!

Bluish Joker struggled, choking purple, possibly preparing something, but Ash didn’t care. Blinking frosty eyes, he wondered if he hallucinated.

Otherwise, why would he see a firebird with spread wings flying upward in this cold void, approaching him?

*Snap*

Indescribable astonishment from the Joker, his eyes wide with shock as his own hand failed to complete its move, caught instead by a scorching hand. Flames danced between her fingers, her cold-eyed glare a blaze, radiant少女 wrapped with light, lifting her arm in front of him and then.

*Snap*

Crisp sound echoed.

—

Comical Joker slipped off Ash’s arm. At this moment, his entire body was engulfed in fierce flames, figures thrashing like a circus clown in the inferno. Flames stretched his mouth, unable to cry out in agony.

Figure in flames fell toward Earth, body bathed in deeper crimson.

Ordinary striped casual shirt replaced by beloved orange combat uniform, hem fluttering in fierce gales, watching the planet near in the background. From tomboyish Akane to the radiant Cure Sunny, warm hand gently brushing over the knight’s frosted visor, melting hot water dripping toward the sea.

“Wings—in flames—Precure!!!”

Behind Ash, Akane hugged him, shouting with all her might, inner soul echoing.

Back toward Earth, Ash and Akane plummeting toward the gravitational pull, their descent slowed. Heat waves redirected by greater flame.

Behind them, blazing wings, continuously flapping embers, supporting their weight, defying the void in silence, soaring in the fiery blaze.