"Do not worry... eventually, you will shed and overcome those limitations."
Klaus raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
"It means that one day, you will become a being composed entirely of divine essence."
Klaus's eyes widened. "What?" he questioned. "Are you saying... that we demigods will eventually lose our humanity?"
Sol took a moment. "In a way," he clarified. "But it is much more complicated. As a child, your mortal genes dominated your entire essence. But as you grow older and experience moments that require the activation of your divinity, it begins to overcome your being. That process continues until you are fully made divine."
...
Klaus stood in silence, his being completely transcended beyond humanity. His height now towered over what he once boasted, commanding authority as he stood.
From a single glance, it was clear to all the spectators what had just occurred. Somehow, from the sheer pain that had washed over him, Klaus had shed his humanity, and in that moment, his very essence resembled that of a true god.
Olivia's eyes were a deep red, having witnessed both Riley's death and the pain coursing through Klaus. Her sorrow was at an all-time high, but the contrast was true for her counterpart.
The End leaned forward from his throne, an evident grin spreading across his face as his eyes widened. "Amazing," he chanted, a giggle leaving his lips. "You mortals continue to surprise me with every interaction."
At those words, Olivia turned her gaze toward him, her expression shifting from pain to a flicker of anger. She despised The End's ignorant amusement, but her attention soon returned to the battlefield, her concern for the demigods her priority.
Shade stood frozen, horror etched onto his face as he witnessed Klaus rise on his previously broken leg. Despite all his deliberate provocations, he had not expected such a response. He stumbled back in fear, feeling the tide of battle shift against him with each passing second.
Yet he stopped himself from cowering further, his expression twisting with anger as he grunted. Swiftly, he rushed forward, stretching his right hand as darkness flowed through his body and formed into a longsword.
Despite his opponent's approach, Klaus remained still, his focus more internal than external. His mind raced with infinite knowledge pouring into him from his sudden transformation, the sensation beyond anything he had ever imagined. To him, the world felt frozen. His hollow white eyes reflected that stillness.
As he stood motionless, his mind processed all of reality--his past, his present, and the infinite possibilities of the future. He felt like a shell of a being, his presence more illusion than substance.
Shade lunged forward in rage, blade raised to strike Klaus while he remained seemingly immobile. But the clash that followed shocked him. His eyes widened as he realized the moment had shifted.
Though Klaus's body had not moved, his left hand stretched forward, a Sol Blade in his grasp, effortlessly deflecting the blow.
Shade stood in disbelief. Klaus had summoned a Sol Blade without the necessary act to create one. The speed of his reaction was also incredible--far beyond anything Shade had seen. He had been able to perceive Klaus moving at light speed, but somehow, this had been faster than that.
Meanwhile, Klaus's mind continued to flood with infinite recollections. From his birth to this very moment, he relived every joy, every grief, every loss, every second of his existence. He saw his school years, his first encounter with his father, his emotional growth with Avalon, and his moments with Riley--including her final one.
A short distance away, Rose stood frozen, nearly unable to move. The emotions radiating from Klaus were intoxicating, and she could not fathom what was passing through his mind.
Shade, unsettled by the effortless counter, stumbled back. But his fury pushed him on. He swung again and again, yet Klaus's hand alone met every strike, countering with ease.
Klaus's body never shifted from its place. His expression remained unchanged, his eyes hollow and distant. Only his hand moved, parrying each blow.
His mind now fully processed his new nature. He understood wind resistance and molecular density, which enabled him to move faster than the speed of light without fracturing space itself. He perceived every dimension of reality, from the first to the last, and gained a deeper perspective of existence.
He also felt the infinite power within his transcendence. Though the Ouroboros rule still bound him because of the rings he and Shade bore, it did not stop him from comprehending divinity in full.
Shade pressed forward with his onslaught until, suddenly, Klaus's right hand shot forward, seizing him by the throat and raising him high into the air.
The swift action stunned Shade, forcing him to drop his blade as he struggled helplessly against the iron grip.
Klaus's hollow eyes softened slightly as he kept his hold. Then, with sudden force, he turned and slammed Shade into the ground, the impact creating a crater beneath them.
Still, Klaus's grip did not loosen. He pinned his brother down with the same hollow expression, his mind evidently not fully present in the battle despite his decisive actions.
Shade struggled to breathe. Realizing the danger, he swiftly called on the Abyssal Pit for aid. Darkness spread across his back where it met the ground, consuming him and slipping him from his opponent's grasp.
Klaus watched as Shade's body dissolved into the pit and began to reposition. But he would not allow it. In an instant, Klaus appeared ahead of the pit's path, thrusting his hand into it and dragging his opponent out.
Liquid darkness dripped off Shade's body as his eyes widened in shock. Without hesitation, Klaus hurled him aside, throwing him away with great force.
Rose stood in silence a few meters away, watching the moment unfold. She tried desperately to think of something she could do, but she knew now more than ever that she could not intervene.
"Klaus?" she whispered under her breath, staring at the towering demigod.
But Klaus did not respond. He only turned his head toward his opponent and took light steps forward.
As he walked, his attire began to change. His casual clothes morphed into clean armor, similar to that of his father. Yet where Sol's had been pale with black trim, Klaus's armor gleamed gold with black accents. At its center, on his chestplate, was the mark of a black sun--the emblem of his nature.
Shade regained his footing, his rage burning hotter than ever. He summoned another blade of darkness, this time jagged-edged, and charged at Klaus. Their swords clashed, but unlike his brother, Klaus's body showed no recoil.
Rose could feel the rage coursing through Shade. Like Klaus, he had never known when to give up--and it showed. Despite Klaus's ascension, Shade refused to stop fighting back. Watching the two brothers collide filled Rose with despair.
They had become family to her, closer than anyone else she had known, and now she could only watch helplessly as they fought each other. Tears streamed down her face. "Klaus... Shade..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
Shade swung wildly, but each strike was effortlessly met by Klaus's blade. After several clashes, Klaus suddenly sidestepped, then shoved Shade away with a casual motion.
Every move Klaus made was effortless, far beyond his brother's reach. Though his mind was distant, he still fought on an entirely different level. Shade, however, would not accept defeat.
With a roar of raw, unbridled rage, his voice warped with a monstrous undertone. Darkness surged around him, twisting into a helmet that engulfed his head. His armor grew denser by the second until, at last, he charged once more.
Darkness poured into his hands, forming a massive battle axe. Shade raised it high and brought it down toward Klaus. But with a simple motion, Klaus raised his right hand, catching the axe cleanly between two fingers.
In one pull, Klaus dragged both axe and wielder forward. With his free hand, he struck sideways, chopping Shade across the head. The blow sent Shade flipping violently across the field.
With a single flap of his wings, Klaus appeared ahead of Shade's tumbling path. As his brother came close, Klaus drove his knee upward into his torso, launching him into the sky. With another flap, he soared after him, clasped both hands together, and slammed Shade back to the earth with crushing force.
Hovering above and remaining airborne, Klaus slowly extended one finger downward. Swiftly, a ball of light began to form at its tip, swelling larger by the second.
Shade, barely managing to stand, felt his body go numb from the beating. Still, he forced his head up to see the blazing orb--Klaus's second-grade Solar Ball--descending toward him.
The Abyssal Pit rushed to shield him, transforming into a massive wall of darkness. But as the Solar Ball struck, the explosion was far greater than anticipated.
The blast tore through the Pit's defenses, eliminating it completely and hurling Shade away. The demigod managed to halt his momentum, but the force of the attack had seared through his armor, blowing away the parts of the darkness that cloaked him--and even burning parts of his skin.
The helmet over his face was now leaking on the left side, and he could barely remain standing after all the energy he had exhausted. He allowed the light created to settle before his gaze returned to Klaus, who slowly descended from the skies.
Klaus's expression had remained the same throughout the engagement, and it was evident that he dwelled in his mind the entire time. This sight only fueled Shade's frustration as he stood tall, replenishing his armor with darkness.
The Abyssal Pit was now temporarily out of service due to its evisceration, but that did not stop Shade from fighting back.
Stretching his hands upward, darkness sprouted from Shade's body toward Klaus, forming countless sharp edges. The glare in his eyes was filled with determination, but the same could not be said for his opponent.
Unlike his foe, Klaus's mind was absent, still processing the vision he had witnessed before his transcendence. His thoughts searched for ways he could have prevented that moment, still trying to grasp whether what he perceived was truly reality.
He recalled the single hesitation that had cost him his hand and leg. He wondered if that same hesitation had caused the situation to unfold--if it was truly his fault that Riley had lost her life.
Throughout the fight, he had allowed his body to move on autopilot while he processed it all. So, as Shade's darkness spikes rushed at him, he unconsciously stretched his left hand outward, his index finger pressing against his thumb in a flicking position.
As he flicked his finger forward, a Solar Ball manifested at the tip and expanded as his finger pulled away. The sphere grew larger while moving forward, colliding with the spikes of darkness and countering them instantly.
Shade watched as the light settled, realizing all his efforts were futile. Still, he let out a grunt and rushed forward, conjuring gauntlets of pure darkness around his fists. But as he inched closer, the world began to slow.
In that moment, Klaus's mind had finally processed everything. He was no longer lost in replaying the past. The anger he had restrained now surged free.
He no longer saw Shade before him. What he saw was something else entirely. That was enough to confirm the truth--enough to let him give in to the rage.
Before a second could pass, Klaus appeared in front of Shade, shocking his opponent before landing a direct punch to his face.
Shade hurled backward, but before he could travel far, an explosion erupted behind him, propelling him back toward Klaus.
Klaus stood with his right hand extended, confirming the explosion was his doing. As Shade returned, Klaus struck with a left fist to the jaw, sending him spinning to the side before another explosion flung him back again. With yet another blow, Klaus sent him in the opposite direction, only for the cycle to repeat.
Klaus caught Shade with his right hand, his palm gripping the demigod's head and suspending his body in midair. The sheer size difference made Klaus's grip unshakable despite the helmet his foe wore.
Noticing the danger, a droplet of darkness slipped from Shade's fingertip as the Abyssal Pit returned at last. But as it manifested and rushed forward, it suddenly froze.
Klaus's left hand was pointed toward the pit, a faint translucent field surrounding it. It was clear once again that this was Klaus's doing.
From a distance, Rose watched with wide eyes, her shock clear. "This… power," she muttered to herself. "It's telekinesis. And earlier… he was using raw explosions too."
Her eyes widened further as realization struck. "Which means… he's now capable of far more than just light."
Klaus slowly raised his left hand, and the Abyssal Pit followed his command, lifting off the ground to remain suspended. With a sudden motion, he flung his palm to the side, and the pit darted away at immense speed. In the same instant, he slammed Shade to the ground with his right hand, his gaze locked firmly on his opponent.
Klaus's rage was clear, but it was no longer the blind fury from before. His expression was somber, as if he knew what had to be done.
Suddenly, roots sprouted from the ground, thick tendrils weaving over Shade's body until they bound him completely. Klaus released his grip and stepped away in silence.
He stood before his opponent for a moment before he slowly began levitating, his wings still as he ascended, his gaze unwavering.
From afar, The End smiled, his enthusiasm clear. "It appears the battle is about to come to a rousing conclusion," he said, watching Klaus rise steadily.
Olivia turned toward him in confusion before her eyes widened. She looked back at Klaus, slowly realizing the meaning of his action.
Klaus floated in silence, his hands stretched at his sides, his gaze unchanging. His opponent remained bound by roots--the same roots conjured by the one he had just lost.
In that moment, all Klaus could see was Riley and the expression she had worn in her final moments. That memory alone guided his next action as he finally came to a stop.
His wings spread wide as he hovered in place. Silence stretched across the battlefield until he finally lowered his hands, watching Shade struggle against the roots. And at last, after so long, he spoke.
"You…" Klaus said calmly, his voice carrying a faint reverberation. "You took Riley… you took my humanity… you took my brother…"
His gaze softened after the words, confirming that Shade could no longer be saved from The End's influence. It was a truth he struggled to accept, but he knew there was no other path left.
The choice weighed heavily, but he understood Shade would want this too. Hesitation had cost him everything, so he could no longer afford it. And so, he drew a breath, finalizing his decision.
"You took my world from me," he continued, his expression darkening as his left hand slowly rose. "Now… I will take you from my world."
And as he concluded his words, sparks flickered at his back before a halo, similar to that of the gods, slowly materialized vertically.
As he stretched his hand upward, particles of light spun in his palm as he began to conjure a deciding attack. Yet what Klaus formed did not resemble his usual Solar Ball.
It was still a sphere, but denser--more violent. Instead of pure light, he summoned fire, its scorching red glow intensifying by the second.
Molten lava dripped from its sides as the sphere swelled beyond the size of a third-grade Solar Ball. The ball was so immense that humans miles away could see it, and even those in neighboring states perceived its burning presence.
Its radiance was so overwhelming that the evening sky blazed like midday. Its size eclipsed even the final grade Klaus had once unleashed during the human extinction crisis, and it continued to grow.
On the ground, Rose was blinded by its brilliance. Even with her hands pressed over her eyes, all she could see was light.
The sheer magnitude of Klaus's attack was beyond comprehension. Yet despite the danger to herself, her heart ached not from fear but from the raw emotion she felt radiating from him. It was enough to make her realize he was now out of her reach.
Suddenly, thick roots surged from the ground beneath her, rising in haste to shield her from the burning glow. They wove together, layering over one another until they formed a massive rose that sealed her within.
That act of protection confirmed what she already knew: even in his state, Klaus still cared for her safety. Her lips trembled with words she could not speak, her heart drowning in regret that she had been unable to stop this moment from happening.
At last, Klaus lowered his hand, and the colossal sphere of fire descended. The attack crashed down toward its target with the wrath of a Supernova.
The sight was terrifying, and Shade knew he had to act or perish. The Abyssal Pit had managed to recover just in time, its sharp tendrils tearing through the roots that bound him.
Freed, Shade realized he could not escape in time. The Supernova's size left no room for evasion, and if he allowed the Abyssal Pit to consume him, he would still be obliterated within the darkness. He had only one option left: fight back.
He crouched before the pit of darkness, pressing both palms into it. Immediately, two colossal arms of darkness erupted from the ground, rising to catch the falling sun. Their grip seized the blazing sphere, but its heat melted them on contact, forcing the attack closer.
Klaus kept his left hand raised, forcing the Supernova downward, overwhelming his brother's resistance.
Shade screamed, straining with everything he had to hold the burning star aloft. But the attack was far too powerful. His arms of darkness dissolved into ash, the fire consuming them, and the inferno broke through.
In desperation, he called the Abyssal Pit to cover him one last time, but it, too, was incinerated on contact. Finally, the blazing mass struck him directly.
Shade's screams echoed as his armor of darkness melted away, his body seared by unstoppable flames.
Through the blinding light, Olivia watched in horror, tears streaming down her face. "S-Shade…" she whispered. "No…"
The Supernova devoured everything around it, melting Earth into a vast crater that sank deeper and deeper. All nearby was reduced to ash--the sole exception being the roots protecting Rose.
Despite the burns consuming him, Shade still struggled against the inferno, his flesh melting as he tried to hold it back, sinking further into the collapsing ground.
Olivia's sobs grew louder, her eyes red with grief as she turned away. But then... she froze. Something had changed. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the truth, before snapping to the being beside her.
"You!" she cried. "Why?"
But The End only grinned, watching the destruction with delight, giving her no answer.
The realization of what had shifted tore at Olivia's heart. She turned her eyes back to Klaus, still hovering miles above the battlefield. From the expression on his face, she immediately knew he had not noticed what she now understood.
Klaus clenched his teeth in anger as he forced the Supernova downward. The blazing sphere melted deeper into the earth, and the sight made Olivia realize things were spiraling out of control.
"His rage has consumed him completely," she thought, her eyes fixed on Klaus. "If he can't control it… he might end up taking far more than just his opponent."
Swiftly, she turned her gaze to The End. "Please… stop him before he destroys the very thing he's fighting for."
But The End gave no response, his grin fixed and his eyes locked forward.
Olivia's chest tightened. She knew the truth from a single glance: if Klaus continued, his attack would bore down until it reached the earth's core--and the result would be a catastrophe beyond anything before.
Her breathing quickened, panic surging as she searched desperately for a way to stop it. And then--it happened.
Her eyes widened as her pupils stretched upward, disappearing beneath her eyelids. The shackle around her neck began to tremble, vibrating violently with her sudden change.
Meanwhile, Klaus kept his gaze fixed on the falling Supernova, the memory of Riley gnawing at him. Yet in the midst of his fury, an old memory surfaced--one he had not recalled in years.
...
Klaus lay on his bed, a decade younger, staring blankly at the ceiling. His room was shrouded in darkness, but it was just the way he liked it.
"Klaus?"
The voice made him turn. Shade stood in the doorway, small and timid, casting a faint shadow into the room.
"I think… I'm scared of the dark," Shade admitted softly.
Klaus studied his brother's uncertain eyes before pushing himself up with a faint smile.
"Well… you can sleep with me if you'd like," he said.
Shade's face lit up, joy breaking through his fear. "Really?" he asked as he hurried inside.
The two brothers lay side by side, both staring at the ceiling in silence. Klaus worried about Shade's sudden fear of the dark, but chose to say nothing in the moment.
"I'm sorry for being a bother, Klaus," Shade whispered after a while, eyes still fixed above. "It's just… I'm afraid there's something in the darkness that might take me. And I was scared I'd lose you and mom."
Klaus turned his head, the sight of his brother's trembling eyes weighing on him. Quietly, he looked back to the ceiling, his expression soft.
"No matter what happens," he said calmly, "don't worry… I will always protect you..."
...
The memories of Klaus's past with Shade struck him all at once, and the arm driving his attack forward began to feel weary. Finally, his mind returned to the present, and he recognized the catastrophic damage his power was inflicting on the planet.
But in that same moment, his mind noticed a detail he had missed while consumed by rage: Shade's mind had returned to normal in the last instant.
Klaus saw a smile on Shade's face at the center of the Supernova--an impossible action if he were still under The End's control. His brother's mind was free, but it was already too late. The attack had already consumed its target.
Tears streamed down Klaus's face as he witnessed his brother's final moments, a guttural grunt of pain escaping him. He finally forced himself to nullify the Supernova, halting its catastrophic descent.
Klaus's mind struggled as he dematerialized the colossal attack, tears streaking his cheeks while the glowing halo on his back slowly flickered away. His eyes fluttered, and soon his body began to fall forward, descending into the crater he had just created.
He lay there in silence, his eyelids heavy, consciousness slipping away. But before he completely succumbed, he turned his head and froze. There, lying within the crater, was the ring of Horns that Shade had worn--a confirmation of the verdict of their clash. Tears continued to roll down his face as he finally lost consciousness.
Above the crater, the roots that had ensnared Rose began to untangle, granting her freedom. She surveyed the battlefield, and in the eerie silence, she knew the battle had finally ended. But at what cost?
She fell to her knees, weakness burdening her as she reflected on her powerlessness. Suddenly, a burst of laughter echoed from a distance.
The End rose from his throne, arms spread wide as he took in the devastation. "Such destruction," he began. "The amusement of this day has far surpassed anything I have ever experienced. You demigods truly are the greatest things those wretched gods ever created."
His eyes gleamed with pure entertainment at the sorrow before him, but also with a hunger not yet sated.
"More," he chanted, arms wide in anticipation. "There has to be more. Tell me you can still entertain me, Klaus Walk--"
But before he could finish, something caught his attention. Behind him stood Olivia, rage burning in her eyes for the first time, her hands gripping him while his arms remained spread.
Olivia held The End in a lock, her legs hovering as the difference in size became apparent.
The End's expression shifted to amused confusion. "And what do you think you're doing?" he asked, his tone mocking.
"You!" Olivia said, her voice now stern and unwavering. "You have used these mortals for far too long. It's time you return to where you came from."
The End laughed again, a taunting, echoing sound. "Oh, is that so? And how exactly would that happen?"
But Olivia's focus remained unshaken. "You don't even realize how powerless you are in this very moment... do you?"
And suddenly, as her words were spoken, The End realized that the shackle he had kept over Olivia's neck was no longer there. Furthermore, as the seconds passed, he heard an ominous note--one he had never expected to hear concerning himself in all his existence.
His smile slowly dimmed as he realized the reality of the moment: his total power had been nullified.