Klaus and the other demigods stood with caution, their focus evident as they stared at the god approaching them.
"Do you think... we have a chance?" Riley asked softly. "I mean... how the hell are we supposed to defeat an infinite being?"
Klaus glanced at her briefly, understanding the reason for her words. "My father explained to me once that the lack of a halo behind a god means they aren't using their infinite power. Which means we have a shot."
"Right," Shade nodded. "This is the only chance we have to make sure we can win."
"Strategize all you want, heretics," Limbo said, his shrouded gaze fixed on them. "It will not save you."
After a moment of silence, Klaus and Rose turned to one another, nodding their heads before walking closer, leaving Riley and Shade behind. The two demigods advanced toward the god, their speed increasing until they swiftly rushed forward.
As Rose charged into battle, her sky-blue eyes began to change, shifting into a deep crimson that marked the activation of her Rage Charm.
Limbo kept his arms folded, his eyes hidden but his focus unwavering on the advancing demigods. Soon, the duo lunged at him, initiating the fight for their survival.
As Rose and Klaus unleashed a flurry of attacks, the god evaded every strike, his body moving gracefully with a neutral expression. His hands remained folded as he moved, undisturbed by the ferocity with which the demigods fought.
Limbo studied his opponents with each weave, both those before him and the ones who hung back. But his focus remained mainly on Klaus and Rose, who pressed on tirelessly with determination to land a hit.
"This boy is using all his effort to attack," Limbo observed regarding Klaus, before turning his thoughts to Rose. "However, this girl... her ferocity is beyond what I anticipated, and her control over her strength is far too impressive for a mere mortal."
As the battle continued, Limbo realized he could not remain defensive forever. With that, he attempted to create an opening.
When Klaus swung his fist, the god swayed to the side and stretched his hand toward the demigod. But as it neared, his hand unexpectedly phased through the demigod--an outcome that surprised him.
Rose swiftly seized the moment, darting to the side and swinging her fist.
Limbo noticed and shifted away just in time, evading the strike before repositioning. He took a brief moment to analyze the exchange before swiftly pressing forward again.
Noticing Limbo's shift to offense, Klaus and Rose braced themselves. But as the god closed the distance, his focus turned to Rose, choosing to prioritize her after accounting for Klaus's phasing ability.
He threw his fist at full force, but Rose blocked with her forearms, bracing against the impact. Even so, she was driven back a short distance as Limbo dismissed Klaus and advanced on her again. Yet before his next blow could land, a massive wall of darkness rose between them, his fist sinking into a vertical pool of shadow before it could strike her.
As his hand moved deeper into the wall of darkness, the momentum of his attack slowed before the darkness held him tightly. With this, Klaus stretched his hand forward, attempting to land an attack of his own.
Limbo noticed Klaus closing in from his left side, and before the attack could connect, he stretched out his left wing with the intention of striking the demigod's fist. Yet once again, his attack phased through Klaus's, and the momentum Klaus had built caused him to phase completely through Limbo before regaining his footing.
With immense force, Limbo broke his hand free from the darkness's grasp, only for his attention to be caught by another strange action. At his sides, massive roots rushed toward him at incredible speed. Gracefully, he moved around them, evading as the roots stretched closer.
Limbo dodged the growing roots for a few moments before pressing his left fingers together, using them like a blade to slice through the barrage. At that moment, he analyzed the situation once again.
"So the reason the other two had not rushed in... was because they excel in ranged tactics," he thought. "I see."
His eyes shifted briefly to Riley, who remained crouched with her palms against the ground, and Shade, who stood beside her with his hands tucked into his pockets.
Limbo noted their absence from melee range as Klaus and Rose relentlessly pressed forward, providing another thought. "Or perhaps it is because these two before me excel in close combat," he reasoned, watching the rage in their eyes despite his own being hidden.
The fight carried on in the same manner for a few moments, the god still focusing on defense. Roots lashed at him without pause, but he evaded each one with ease. That ease, however, faltered when Rose soon swung a devastating punch toward his torso.
Sensing the speed and power behind her strike, Limbo caught her forearm with both hands. Still, the force she unleashed was so great that it forced his feet back slightly, even as he held on.
Rose clenched her teeth, forcing her fist forward, the intensity in her crimson eyes burning. Limbo was baffled at the sheer strength she displayed despite her frame, but his attention shifted when he noticed something behind him.
Klaus had crept in close, using the opening Rose created. His left hand extended to his side, his focus unwavering as particles of light swirled rapidly in his palm. In seconds, they condensed into a first-grade Solar Ball. With his target clear, he lunged forward, ready to land the blow.
Limbo's grip on Rose left him vulnerable. She kept him locked in place with her ferocity, and Klaus's approach forced the god into a difficult position. Despite this, Limbo sighed softly.
Suddenly, in Klaus's place, Riley appeared behind Limbo, swapping with Klaus without warning. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized where she now was, while Klaus--now beside Shade with the Solar Ball still in his hand--stared back at the moment in equal disbelief.
Capitalizing on their confusion, Limbo abruptly loosened his grip on Rose's arm, causing her to stumble forward. With a swift motion, he swung her body into Riley, slamming the two together.
Both demigods were hurled aside with violent force, crashing into the wall of a nearby home.
"Riley! Rose!" Klaus called out, eyes locked on the building where they had landed.
"Focus, Klaus!" Shade barked, watching Limbo already closing the distance.
Klaus still held the Solar Ball from his prior attack, swiftly increasing the density of the photons until it reached a second grade before tossing it at the god.
But as the Solar Ball moved closer to its target, Klaus's eyes widened upon realizing that instead of the ball of light, it was now Shade flying toward the god. With a tilt of his head, he witnessed the Solar Ball replace his brother, which descended to the ground and exploded nearby.
As Shade flew toward Limbo--the light from the explosion's aftermath affecting his vision--the god rushed forward, grabbing his neck and slamming him into the ground with immense force.
Shade grunted in pain as his body hit the earth. Limbo then stretched out his other hand, fingers pressed together, attempting to pierce the demigod. But before he could, a pool of darkness appeared beneath Shade, consuming him from Limbo's grasp before the strike could land.
Limbo's gaze turned as more roots surged toward him, forcing him to adjust his stance to evade. He moved swiftly, tearing and slicing through them as they rushed in. Soon, the roots attempted to wrap around him within a five-meter radius, but before they could trap him, Limbo stretched his arms to his sides. A sudden force burst outward like a gravitational push, shattering the roots and hurling them away.
By then, the demigods had regrouped, strain clear in their eyes. Klaus had avoided the Solar Ball's explosion with his Phantasmal State, but the ability was wearing him down after repeated use.
Trying to buy them time to restrategize, Shade placed his hands in his pockets as Limbo's shadow darkened beneath and around him, temporarily holding the god in place.
"There's… no way we can win like this," Riley said. "We haven't even landed a single attack."
"Don't lose hope yet," Klaus assured. "We still have a shot."
The demigods kept their gaze fixed on Limbo in silence, though it was clear they had no concrete plan. Rose turned to the others, where she noticed Riley's hands trembling slightly, along with Klaus's and Shade's. Even the idea of fighting a god with infinite power was not something to be taken lightly, and she understood this. Because of that, she realized what she could do.
"The only way we can get an opening," she said, "is if you strip away your fears and doubts."
"Easier said than done," Riley muttered. "It's a god we're fighting. And we don't have that charm ability you use."
"There's no way not to be frightened," Shade added, eyes still locked on Limbo as he maintained his hold. "I mean... if he wanted, he could end this fight instantly."
"I know," Rose replied quietly. After a pause, she continued, "Then… would you let me strip it away from you?"
The demigods glanced at her in confusion, but before they could respond, Limbo spoke.
"Father told me to make this entertaining, which is why I do not act with ferocity," he said, his neutral expression shifting slightly to a frown. "But do not mistake my patience for weakness. If you will not attack, then I will."
With that, Limbo pushed against Shade's bind, stretching his left hand forward. In his grasp, a small orb materialized, appearing like condensed dark matter, as though he held a piece of space itself.
Suddenly, Shade began to levitate before getting pulled toward Limbo, his Binding Shadows ability deactivating because of this.
"Shade!" Riley called, reaching out in an attempt to grab him.
But it was too late.
Shade darted toward Limbo, eyes wide as the god's right hand stretched to stab him. But just before impact, the Abyssal Pit reacted swiftly, slipping from Shade's body and falling to the ground like a droplet. In an instant, it manifested and surged forward, forming a massive wall of darkness between Shade and Limbo's strike.
The wall consumed Shade completely before dropping back down, returning him safely to regroup with the others.
Shade pulled himself out of the pit, panting heavily. "What… the hell was that?" he asked.
"The god of Space," Riley muttered. "No wonder he can alter everything around him."
"We need to rush back in," Rose said firmly. "But first, I need to know if I can alter your minds so you can focus. And I need your consents."
Riley glanced at Limbo, who had shifted from a walk to a slow, menacing jog toward them. "Yes. Do it quickly," she said, her eyes staying on the god briefly before snapping back to Rose.
Without wasting time, Rose placed her palm against Riley's shoulder as her eyes shifted from crimson to a deep orange hue.
As their eyes locked, Riley's gaze widened, and her natural green irises briefly matched Rose's orange in response. She felt a strange surge flow through every fiber of her body, as though all her fears had shattered, leaving her mind undeterred. Almost instantly, a mighty gust of wind blew across the battlefield as she began to levitate.
Limbo's advance halted. He raised his hands to shield himself, feeling the intense wind forcing him away from the demigods. Planting his feet firmly, he stood strong against the current Riley conjured to keep him in check.
"Ventus... State," Riley muttered, her hands at her sides as wind swirled in controlled patterns around her body.
Limbo observed the moment carefully. "Such tremendous current," he thought, watching Riley float closer with fierce focus in her eyes. "This girl must be the offspring of Zenith."
Soon enough, Riley rushed into battle, keeping Limbo at bay and away from the others.
Rose turned her attention to Shade next. With a nod from him, she performed the same action she had done with Riley. Similarly, Shade's eyes flashed orange before returning to their usual black.
Shade felt his fears vanish as well, his focus sharpening to its peak. He turned towards the battlefield, watching as Riley hurled attacks at Limbo.
Limbo evaded a flurry of wind-propelled strikes, though the surrounding currents restricted his movements. As he dodged, tendrils of darkness rushed toward him, courtesy of Shade's attacks from a distance.
While Shade and Riley pressed Limbo relentlessly, Rose turned her gaze toward Klaus. They locked eyes for a moment, silence hanging between them as she recalled the first time she had manipulated his mind.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" she asked softly. "Because that time..."
Klaus understood her hesitation, but he nodded firmly. "It's okay," he said. "I consent."
Rose smiled briefly before her eyes flashed orange.
Klaus felt his focus sharpen tremendously, his eyes glowing as particles of light gathered around his body, cloaking him in a Radiant Aura.
Taking a steady breath, he prepared to rush into battle, but paused as he noticed Rose's slightly heavy breathing.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah," Rose confirmed with a faint, confused look. "I'm fine. Just a bit out of breath."
Klaus turned toward her fully. "Take a moment to rest," he said. "I'm sure this... Focus Charm you just used takes a lot out of you."
Rose smiled. "I like that name," she said. "Maybe I'll come to you next time I make a new charm, since you've named all of them so far."
Klaus returned the smile briefly before his attention shifted back to the fight.
Rose, however, felt unsettled. From what she understood of her new charm, Klaus should have focused solely on their opponent once influenced, yet he still noticed her condition and showed concern. That realization made her suspect the charm's effects varied between individuals--an intriguing discovery.
As Klaus reentered the fray, Rose watched Limbo elevate his power, struggling to simultaneously keep up with Riley's assault and Shade's persistence.
Limbo suddenly rushed at Riley, swinging his right fist with immense speed. Riley reacted quickly, using her wind to push his strike back and hold it midair. But Limbo wasn't finished.
Suddenly, a sphere of space like before manifested at his elbow, and another appeared behind Riley's head as she tried to retreat. The two orbs pulled toward each other, forcing Riley's head into the path of Limbo's punch. His fist connected with crushing force against her face.
"No!" Klaus chanted as he charged forward.
Riley staggered back upon impact, but the orb behind her remained, dragging her closer again. This time, Limbo dispelled the orb at his arm and simply smacked her aside with a powerful backhand.
Shade attempted to intervene, but every one of his tendrils was halted, each bound by its own ball of warped space.
Finally, Klaus reached the god, fury boiling over as he swung his fist in rage.
Limbo evaded smoothly, counterattacking when openings appeared. Yet every strike he aimed at Klaus phased through harmlessly, leaving him unable to land a single blow. Narrowing his gaze, he studied Klaus's ability further--its mechanics, its energy cost, and its limits. Eventually, he shifted fully to offense, hammering Klaus with rapid strikes in hopes of wearing him down.
The aura around Klaus caused Limbo's strikes to be slightly imprecise, but the demigod soon realized that the situation would still be detrimental if it continued this way. He knew there was only one approach he could take to aid himself defensively.
As Limbo swung another fist at Klaus, the world suddenly froze in place. It was not completely frozen, but rather slowed down while Klaus used his ability to perceive the world at the speed of light.
With this power active--and without the limitations he had during his fight with Drake--Klaus was also able to move at the same speed, allowing him to simply step out of the way of the incoming attack.
He walked to the side, everything around him remaining still, before stretching out his left hand, intending to create a Solar Ball to strike his opponent.
"I would strongly advise against that."
Klaus's eyes widened as he saw Limbo slowly turn to face him, the god's body still frozen in place while his shackled eyes fixed on him.
"I see your sins trespass into such divine acts as well," Limbo continued. "But if you desire to move at such speed during this battle... then I will not hesitate to do the same against every one of you heretics."
Klaus stood in shock, though it made sense that a god could perceive him at such speed. Soon, the world returned to normal, and Limbo lunged forward without hesitation, slamming a deadly punch into his gut. The suddenness caught Klaus off guard, which Limbo had capitalized on to finally land a devastating blow.
Klaus leaned forward in intense pain as Limbo raised his hands upward, preparing to bring them down upon him. But before the god could strike, tendrils of darkness rushed in and wrapped around his arms. More darkness surged forward and covered Klaus, pulling him out of battle temporarily.
Klaus was dragged to Rose's side while Limbo fought against Shade's vicious tendrils.
Rose immediately attended to Klaus, who lay on the ground in pain. "Are you alright?" she asked with concern.
"Why... didn't it work?" Klaus asked, clutching his torso where blood slightly seeped through his shirt. "For a second there... I was shocked by him. Why?"
Rose paused in thought, realizing her ability had somehow been ineffective on Klaus. Then her eyes widened in sudden understanding.
"Your eyes," she said. "I can't compel you whenever your vision is intact, remember?"
Klaus's mind flashed back to his first meeting with Rose, recalling that he could not be enthralled by her charms when his vision was fine. "But... the Fear Charm that day..." he muttered as he struggled to sit up.
"I'm assuming you still needed contacts back then and just didn't have them on," Rose explained, knowing he referred to their spar a few days before the human extinction crisis.
Klaus's eyes widened in realization. The brief pause allowed him to slowly recover from the pain, and he finally rose to his feet.
"I think I get it now," he said, still exhaling sharply.
Klaus's Radiant Aura still lingered over his body, showing he was still determined to fight. "With the current situation, I'm not sure we'll be able to get the opening we need," he said, his gaze fixed on Limbo, who continued battling Shade and the newly arrived Riley.
"Yeah," Rose agreed. "But we might, if we get something that could give us a major advantage--like one of your higher-grade Solar Balls."
"I'm not so sure," Klaus replied, his cautious eyes still on Limbo. "He's already shown he can shift the positions of separate objects. He might just do the same with the attack."
"That may be true," Rose admitted, "but from what I've seen, he may only be able to do so with objects around the same size, and within a perceivable area. That means if you created a Solar Ball big enough, it would be difficult for him to find something of equal size to swap it with."
Klaus paused, realizing Rose's analysis might be right. "But what about you guys and the surroundings?" he asked. "The effects of a Solar Ball that size would be incredibly destructive. It could wipe out the entire area."
"That's fine," Rose said. "There shouldn't be any civilians left because of Link's evacuation. And as for us... Shade can use his darkness to consume us, like he did for his team in the Cosmic League."
Her eyes shifted to Olivia at a distance, who stayed silent with a meek expression as she observed the battle. "He can cover Olivia as well, just in case," she added.
Klaus glanced back at the fight, noticing Riley remained in danger the longer he hesitated. "Fine," he agreed.
"Great," Rose confirmed. "Charge it as long as you need, until I tell you when."
"Sure," Klaus said, steadying himself.
Rose readied herself as well, her exhaustion easing. Her blue eyes shifted back to crimson, signaling the reactivation of her Rage Charm. Without delay, she rushed back into battle, joining Riley while Shade continued his support from a distance.
Klaus took a deep breath and raised his left hand to the side. Particles of light began to dance across his palm.
"This has to work," he muttered, his focus sharp as the Solar Ball started to grow.
As Riley, Shade, and Rose rushed their attacks toward Limbo to overwhelm him, the world around suddenly slowed as the god processed the situation expertly.
"These sinners are planning something... concerning," he thought, evading the strikes that came at him.
He knew he had to prioritize The End's enjoyment, which was why he did not fight too aggressively. But soon, he noticed something strange while his curiosity grew.
"For some reason, I cannot pry into their thoughts at surface level," Limbo recognized internally, his annoyance rising. "I could easily force myself into their minds with my divine power... but these inferior creatures will never push me to such lengths."
Despite his limitations, Limbo realized he could not remain on the defensive forever, especially as the demigods began to gain the upper hand. He quickly switched to offense, but when he swung a fist at Rose, a tendril of darkness suddenly wrapped around his hand.
Rose launched an attack as well, but her position was swapped with Riley by Limbo before he forced his way out of the binds. The girls braced for a counterattack, but instead, Limbo's focus shifted elsewhere.
"You," he spat, his gaze landing on Shade. "I will deal with you first."
Riley tried to attack Limbo as he advanced, but a small orb of space appeared to her left and pulled her towards it, leaving her unable to reach him. Rose was too far as well, unable to catch up before Limbo closed in on Shade.
When he reached the demigod, Limbo saw Shade react swiftly, crouching and reaching into the Abyssal Pit. Shade pulled out a longsword made entirely of darkness and swung it at him.
Limbo was slightly surprised at Shade's skill with the blade, but it was still not enough to stop him.
As Shade continued his strikes, Limbo stretched out his right hand to the side, pulling a small branch from a distant, burned tree with gravitational command. Suddenly, the weapons both fighters wielded swapped with one another, leaving Shade holding the stick mid-swing.
The stick shattered against Limbo, allowing the god to raise the darkness longsword toward the sky, ready to split Shade in half with his own weapon.
Shade understood the danger, but before the blade could strike, it melted in Limbo's grasp, dissolving back into liquid darkness from the tip downward.
Immediately after, a gust of wind hurled Riley toward Limbo, forcing him to turn and block. Now caught between the two demigods, he spread his arms wide and unleashed a gravitational force that knocked them away. But before he could settle, Rose appeared in front of him, her fist aimed for his chest.
Limbo reached out, intending to repel her as well. But his shackled gaze caught her eyes as they suddenly shifted from crimson red to a strange dark blue.
The moment it happened, Limbo's mind raced, warning him of the potential danger implied by the sudden shift in her eye color. The warnings lasted only a brief moment before he realized it was nothing more than her ability, meant to trick his emotions.
But it was already too late. Before he could evade, Rose struck with a heavy blow to his chest, sending him back.
Limbo quickly halted his momentum, moving only a short distance. Still, it was the first time he had been directly hit by one of them. He looked down at his breastplate, now cracked from Rose's strike, and fury surged through him.
"You dare strike me, you blasphemer?" he roared in anger. "I will break your bones for that."
Rose stood firm, her taunting smile only fueling his rage. He lunged toward her, fist ready to crush her, but just as it neared her face, a powerful gust of wind surged from every direction, locking him in place.
Riley appeared at a small distance to the side, her palms outstretched, concentration unwavering as she bound him with her power. Rose leapt back from the scene, making sure to avoid the effects of Riley's ability.
Limbo strained forcefully to break free, but he soon realized that the harder he fought, the more his body grew numb.
"Now!" Rose suddenly shouted, glancing behind.
Limbo's gaze shifted forward, and he realized a massive wall of darkness was collapsing at her call. Behind it stood Klaus, a radiant Solar Ball glowing above his palm, flooding the area with light.
Shade's wall had absorbed the brightness earlier, keeping Klaus hidden from Limbo's sight until this moment.
Klaus wielded a third-grade Solar Ball--one large enough that it could not be swapped with anything nearby, yet controlled enough not to threaten half the city.
And in one precise, calculated motion, Klaus hurled the sphere of light toward Limbo, intent on ending the battle once and for all.