"Ciao~"
With that final word, they could no longer see the outcome of Rosyuo's last stand. A wave of immense energy surged from the battlefield, sweeping through the entire Heim Underworld Forest. The Crack in front of them shattered under the force and was instantly sealed shut.
Though it was unfortunate that they couldn't witness the result of the final blow, they were silently grateful. If the Crack hadn't closed in time, not just they—but all of Zawame City—might have been wiped out.
It had only been a brief moment, yet the World Tree Tower, standing opposite the Crack, had been completely penetrated from within. The devastation was visible from the outside.
As everyone waited anxiously on the outside, deep within the Heim Underworld...
Ryuga stood silently, holding the golden fruit Rosyuo had handed him. He looked down at Rosyuo's fallen body and sighed deeply.
In the end, Rosyuo had been bound by his own pride. Yet even so, he raised his hand in the final moment—choosing to let go.
Gods are still gods. Even the "weakest" among them are not beings mortals can overcome so easily.
Had Rosyuo not discarded the Horse-Cutting Sword, had he not faced Ryuga's strongest attack without defense, he would never have perished so easily.
Ryuga temporarily stored the golden fruit, then gently leaned his massive sword, Joshyim, against Rosyuo's throne. Carefully, he lifted Rosyuo's body and placed it in the coffin of the princess he once loved. Opening the lid, he placed the body beside hers and closed it again.
As the lid shut, a faint spiritual image emerged—Rosyuo's spirit. He gave Ryuga a soft smile and a nod before slowly vanishing into the light.
"In the end, the Femushinmu race perishes completely," Sagara said as he materialized behind him, sighing.
Ryuga turned to him, calm. "I'm sure you've seen this happen many times before."
Sagara chuckled. "Indeed. It's the absolute destiny of all life—eliminated by evolution, reborn from destruction. Every race, every civilization... after prosperity comes ruin."
"My role has always been to ensure that this cycle continues. And now, my duty is done once more."
He narrowed his eyes. "So, now that you're the new god... how will you end this old world?"
"Who said I want to end it?" Ryuga replied flatly.
"I'm not the Demon King, nor am I Tsukasa, the Destroyer of Worlds. Why would I destroy a world for no reason?"
"You can't create without destroying. Only by offering the old world as sacrifice can you and the Daughter of the Beginning forge a new future."
"If this world has no future," Ryuga said, "then we'll find another."
"There are other planets, other universes—even other parallel worlds. Countless futures lie waiting. Rather than destroy this one to build anew, I'll create a new world entirely—one that belongs to me."
That was one of the hidden powers of the golden fruit. Though it offered no clear advantage in combat, its creative power—particularly over life—was unmatched.
"You really understand how hard that choice is?" Sagara said in disbelief.
"No matter how hard, it's a step I have to take," Ryuga smiled. "Besides, I'm not alone."
Sagara fell silent for a moment, then finally spoke again. "Your decision is your own," he said with a resigned tone.
"But..." He turned, spreading his arms and speaking ceremoniously.
"Rebirth. Prosperity. Break through the darkness and embrace the light."
With a final wave, Sagara vanished.
Ryuga glanced back at the sealed coffin of Rosyuo and his princess, then turned and walked away.
As he walked, Ryuga pulled out the golden fruit. With a flick of his hand, he split it into two parts: one comprising roughly nine-tenths of the fruit, and the other a small fraction—less than one-tenth.
Ordinarily, a single golden fruit is only enough to make one person a god. When shared between two people—typically the Daughter of the Beginning and her chosen partner—it could result in neither achieving complete godhood.
To truly become a god, one needed at least 70%–80% of the fruit's power. Anything less was not enough.
And so, many duos—like Rosyuo and his princess—would ultimately be separated by mortality. Rosyuo endured as a god; his beloved died of age long ago.
But for Ryuga, there was no such dilemma. He had no intention of using the fruit's power to force his own divinity. He already possessed half its power beforehand. All he needed now was its divine essence—and a fraction of its power.
So he left 90% of the golden fruit for Mai, keeping only a tenth for himself. This way, she could ascend fully and truly—becoming the complete Goddess of Life—while he could evolve toward divinity in his own way.
Unknowingly, he arrived at the World Tree camp.
With a gesture, Ryuga opened a new Crack. The previous one had been destroyed beyond repair.
Everyone looked up in shock upon hearing a familiar voice. There he was—tall, confident, and smiling.
"Yo, everyone. Looks like you're all still here," Ryuga greeted casually.
"Ryuga!" Mai gasped with joy, rushing toward him. For a moment, Ryuga was reminded of their first encounter, back when he first saved her from the Inves.
"Come, Mai—open your mouth." Ryuga gently patted her head, then placed the golden fruit into her mouth as she instinctively complied.
"Huh? Did you just feed me something? Why didn't it taste like anything?" she asked, licking her lips, confused.
She hadn't noticed, but the others had. That fruit—glowing with golden light—could only be the golden fruit!
Kureshima Takatora and the others who knew its true value exchanged stunned looks. Their minds reeled with disbelief.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Mai burst open. Vines from the Heim Underworld coiled up around her, enveloping her in radiant golden light.
Moments later, the vines dispersed, and a transformed Mai emerged.
Gone were the colorful dancer's clothes. In their place was a simple, noble white dress and black boots. Her long dark hair had turned gold. Her eyes, while still kind, now carried a majesty that made others lower their gaze instinctively.
A god should not be looked at directly.
But the feeling didn't last long. With a blink, Mai withdrew her divine aura, standing quietly beside Ryuga once more.
Though she had become a god, Mai remained kind. She did not grow arrogant or distant, but her demeanor had matured—graceful, composed, dignified. The carefree girl was now a goddess.
"Let's go," Ryuga said, waving his hand. "Let's finish this."
He led everyone outside, then opened a wide Crack in the sky.
From all corners of Zawame City, the Heim Underworld plants and remaining Inves rose into the air, ascending into the Crack. In under ten minutes, every trace of the Heim Underworld was gone.
Its presence would fade into legend.
Fortunately, the crisis had been contained before it reached the rest of the world. The Crack had not opened globally, and thanks to the Extreme Horse's intervention, all knowledge of the Heim Underworld had been sealed within Zawame City. The world remained unaware—peaceful and undisturbed.
Whether this story would be told one day, or erased from human history as an untold secret, no one knew.
But it didn't matter.
Ryuga had achieved his purpose.
This world... might now serve only as a place of rest.