A few minutes earlier…
Footsteps echoed faintly in the ruin's ruined expanse.
The man in the black cloak walked in silence, his movements silent but deliberate, as if he were part of the ruin itself. Dust swirled around his ankles, drawn to him only to scatter again. His face remained hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. Only the lower half of his jaw was visible—stoic, calm, unreadable.
He walked until he reached the edge of a broken stone path and looked upward.
The sky, if it could be called that, shimmered with artificial light. A massive hole gaped in the ceiling above—ripped open by some unspeakable force. Through it, he could see the fake sun, its radiance flickering like a wounded god's eye.
Far ahead, smoke curled into the air from what had once been a proud city—now reduced to jagged ruins and flaming husks. Fissures glowed like veins of fire. Echoes of screams and distant crashes trembled through the air like memories refusing to die.
Without a word, the man bent his knees.
Then leapt.
In a single bound, he soared from the cracked riverbed to the heart of the shattered city. His cloak billowed like a second shadow. When he landed, the ground barely stirred beneath his feet.
He stood still.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then, he walked to the rim of a monumental crater—one that split the city in half like a scar. The edges were blackened. Stone hung in fragmented shelves where gravity hadn't finished deciding if it would hold or collapse.
He stepped to the edge.
And looked down.
Far below, chaos raged.
His gaze sharpened.
Two lights. Two immense forces clashing like ancient titans. Their energy pulsed with unbearable pressure, invisible to the untrained eye but roaring clearly to those who understood.
He narrowed his eyes.
"…So that's them."
Dreados.
And Katos.
Their battle had crossed the limits of structure. They no longer fought within the confines of land or sky. They moved through force, through instinct, through raw power.
Dreados soared overhead—his aura flaring like a red comet.
Katos met him mid-flight. He grabbed Dreados by the leg with monstrous strength. Without hesitation, he spun once—twice—then pushed off the air using Thunder Stride and slammed Dreados downward like a living meteor.
The impact was biblical.
The earth cracked.
No—it screamed.
A crater fifteen kilometres wide erupted from the collision, tearing through the ruin like a god's punch. Cracks raced outward like lightning bolts—unstoppable, unforgiving. Entire slabs of land heaved upward before collapsing back like waves in a frozen sea.
Mountains of stone fractured. Spires toppled.
And wind—
Wind sharper than any sword howled through the cavern, tearing into anything it touched.
The shockwave reached far, stretching miles beyond the crater's rim.
It tore through the land where Orian and his team were fighting.
The air exploded outward.
Omria and Ola were caught mid-cast—swept off their feet and flung like rag dolls into the air. Omar and Orian were blown away too, tumbling end over end.
The ground beneath Orian split open—crumbling, groaning—
And then gave way.
He fell.
Vanishing into the chasm below.
The cloaked man raised a single brow beneath his hood. His voice, deep and unreadable, broke the silence.
"…Not bad."
He remained still as rubble fell around him like rain.
Below, the battle raged on.
But above—unmoving, untouched—the man watched.
Not as an enemy.
Not yet.
But as something worse.
A witness.
A predator.
Waiting.
---
The battlefield was a tempest of steel and savagery. Unbounds and raiders clashed against snarling beasts, their war cries lost beneath the thunder of colliding magic and brute force.
Amidst the chaos, two figures descended like vengeful specters—Lizzy and Fenry, their eyes locked onto a singular target hidden within the fray.
Lizzy's brow furrowed as she scanned the battlefield. "I can't see him—the beasts are blocking the way!"
Fenry's voice was calm, yet edged with lethal intent. "We don't have to be on the ground. Float higher."
They ascended, the wind howling past them as they rose above the carnage.
The battlefield sprawled beneath them, a mosaic of violence. Lizzy's eyes narrowed, her vision sharpening.
"I have a clear sight of him."
Fenry nodded. "Stretch your hands toward him and muster all your mana."
Lizzy obeyed, her fingers trembling as raw power gathered in her palms. The air around her hummed with energy, the pressure building like a storm about to break.
Fenry's voice dropped to a commanding whisper. "Repeat after me."
"Iik, enahan."
Lizzy echoed, "Iik, enahan."
"Presto sik ain."
"Presto sik ain."
"Givelu an vel aak."
Each syllable dripped with ancient power, the words twisting the air like a curse.
Fenry's eyes darkened. "Now, close your fist and say—Veneri."
Lizzy clenched her hand.
"Veneri."
Omfry's body locked in agony.
A guttural groan tore from his throat before his eyes rolled back, twitching wildly.
His hands flew to his skull, fingers digging into his scalp as if trying to claw out the pain.
A scream—raw and unhinged—ripped through the battlefield as he collapsed, his knees cratering the earth beneath him.
"Omfry!" Jeriana was at his side in an instant, her voice sharp with alarm. "What happened?!"
Beily skidded to his knees beside him, gripping Omfry's shoulders. "Omfry! Tell me what's happening to you!"
But Omfry couldn't speak. His body convulsed, his screams escalating into something inhuman.
He rolled onto his back, slamming his head into the ground with enough force to crack the earth. Tremors rippled outward, throwing dust into the air.
Fenry's voice cut through the chaos, directed at Lizzy. "Don't open your hands." Then, to Anisa, "It's your turn. Hit that guy with everything you have."
Omfry writhed, his movements erratic, violent. His veins bulged beneath his skin, his corneas flooding red as if his very blood sought escape.
Valeirus, seated with his siblings, frowned. "What's up with him?"
Ziraiah scoffed. "How are we supposed to know?"
But the question was swallowed as Omfry's screams intensified, drawing the attention of his entire team. Eliana stood apart, watching silently.
Then—
Gustein was hurled through the air, landing hard beside Omfry. The one-eyed man barked, "Heal him!"
Gustein grimaced, pushing himself up. "You didn't have to throw me like that!"
But his irritation died the moment he looked at Omfry.
His healer's sight pierced flesh and bone—revealing the horror within.
Omfry's brain was vibrating—expanding and contracting violently, as if something inside was trying to tear its way out.
"What the hell?!" Gustein gasped.
Lizzy's arms trembled, sweat beading on her forehead. "Any time now, Anisa. My mana is draining fast."
Anisa's eyes snapped shut.
Above Dreado's team, the sky darkened. Storm clouds churned into existence, swirling into a monstrous vortex.
Thunder rumbled, deep and ominous, as lightning crackled within the brewing tempest.
Omfry's body arched, his scream distorting into something feral. He slammed his fists into the ground—
BOOM.
The shockwave erupted, hurling bodies aside and carving a massive crater into the ground.
Jeriana twisted midair, regaining control, her gaze snapping upward—toward the storm.
"Someone's casting magic!" she hissed.
But before she could pinpoint the source, Omfry lost all semblance of control. He rolled, howling, smashing his skull against the ground like a man possessed.
Blood streamed from his nose, his movements erratic, violent.
Jeriana's shield flared to life around her teammates as Lisa cried out, "What's happening to Omfry?!"
Lizzy's voice was strained. "Any time now, Anisa!"
Anisa's lips curled. "I need to charge up the biggest lightning blast in the history of lightning."
Omfry's hands clawed into the earth, then wrenched upward—hurling debris and shattered ground in all directions.
His agony had become a weapon, his pain a force of destruction.
Jeriana's eyes narrowed. She closed them, focusing, reaching out with her senses to find the caster—
But the battlefield was a storm of magic.
Too many signatures.
Too much chaos.
And above it all, the storm grew darker.
The strike was coming.
And nothing would survive it.
Blood poured from Omfry's nose in thick crimson ropes as his body convulsed against the broken ground.
Anisa's fingers twitched with barely-contained power as she declared:
"I'm ready. Spirit, secure the princess."
Anisa raised her hand with a sweeping upward gesture—and in an instant, Omfry was hurled from the ground like a cannonball. His body tore through the air, piercing the sky at a speed that left a thunderous crack behind him. His teammates below watched, wide-eyed, as he disappeared into the black clouds above.
Anisa's voice rang out:
"Now, Fenry!"
From the side, Fenry blurred into motion.
He weaved through the battlefield like a phantom, cutting down anything that stood in his path—beast, raider, or Unbound. Each step left a crater. Each swing of his arm silenced screams. Then—
He leapt.
High into the air.
And in an instant—Thunder Stride.
He kicked off the very air with explosive force, launching himself downward like a divine hammer. He struck the ground near Eliana with a deafening BOOM, stone erupting beneath his boots.
He didn't pause.
He ran.
Beily saw him—and bolted.
The two closed in on Eliana from opposite directions.
As Fenry reached her—
The world slowed.
A fist appeared.
From nowhere.
It drove straight toward Fenry's face.
He tilted his head just enough—the punch grazed past.
But before he could counter—
Another fist came from the opposite side.
What? Fenry thought.
CRACK!
It connected.
His head snapped to the side as the blow landed. He staggered—but caught himself, bracing with one leg. The ground beneath shattered like glass, fissures racing outward.
And from that leg—from that exact point—a wave of invisible energy burst through the cracked earth and raced toward Eliana.
It reached her.
And fortified her.
A protective surge cocooned her body, latching onto her bones, her skin, her spirit. A shield, not of magic—but of will. Of Bravo.
Fenry's eyes narrowed.
He caught Beily's arm mid-swing.
Yanked him forward.
Cocked his fist back.
And with the full force of his coiled frame—
BOOM.
He drove it into Beily's face.
Teeth shattered. Blood sprayed. Beily's head whipped sideways as his body was launched backward like a missile. He tore through stone, dust, and flame.
Fenry turned without a second glance.
He scooped Eliana into his arms.
And ran.
The moment he moved—
Time resumed.
A shockwave exploded from their clash, blasting outward with unrelenting force. It swallowed the entire section of the battlefield in chaos.
Valerius, Eryndor, and Ziraiah were caught in the blast.
They were hurled through the air like leaves in a hurricane, vanishing into the maelstrom—scattered.
And in the centre of it all, Fenry vanished into the smoke, Eliana in his arms.
Above, the clouds roared.
Lightning raged.
Then—
BOOM.
Omfry was struck.
A bolt of lightning unlike anything seen before, thick as a mountain and white-hot like the core of a star, tore through the clouds and engulfed him.
The sky ignited.
A blinding light erupted—so intense that everyone on the field had to shield their eyes. The gust that followed shattered the air, blasting shockwaves outward in all directions.
Omfry screamed, his cry lost in the electric storm.
All of Dreados's team—every last member—was hurled like ragdolls, thrown far into the distance by the blastwave.
The sky split.
The land buckled.
And Valerius, Ziraiah, and Eryndor were caught in the roaring winds, flung apart mid-air—spinning helplessly through smoke and storm.
One by one—they were caught.
Anuel, bruised but still burning with Bravo, dashed through the debris and caught Ziraiah in her arms just before she collided with the jagged rocks below.
Alcoos leapt high, wind curling around him, and intercepted Valerius mid-fall. He grunted with the force of impact but held firm, rolling into the earth and skidding to a stop, steam rising from his limbs.
And Beily—
Already back on his feet despite the punch that had shattered his face—
Caught Eryndor.
He hit the ground hard, landing on one knee with a deep crack, arms braced around the boy. His breath came ragged. Blood streamed from his nose, dripping from his shattered lips. A few broken teeth fell to the dirt at his feet.
He pressed one hand to his face, trying to steady himself.
Eryndor looked up at him, his voice trembling.
"Oh my goodness…"
Beily didn't reply.
He just nodded once—blood still leaking between his fingers.
And held on.
The light looked… apocalyptic. As if a sun had detonated above them.
But it wasn't over.
Anisa and Lizzy soared high into the air, floating side by side.
Below, Fenry reappeared beside them, Eliana in his arms.
Her eyes widened in recognition.
"Lizzy… Anisa?"
Eliana cast a cloth spell on herself and wrapped her arms around them. A shimmering barrier formed before them, shielding them from the whirling debris.
"You did that?" she asked breathlessly.
Anisa smirked. "Step aside, Princess. I'm not done."
Higher still, Anisa rose—arms extended.
Jeriana spotted them from below. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered, "It was them…"
She summoned her flame lion spirit and hurled it toward Anisa and Lizzy.
But Fenry moved like a phantom.
He appeared in front of the spirit mid-flight and said simply, "Go home."
Then—he punched.
The impact was colossal.
The lion screamed as it was blasted backward, crashing to the ground like a burning meteor. The impact left a crater a hundred meters wide.
Jeriana stared, breath caught.
"What kind of spirit… is that?"
The thick black clouds above began to shrink, collapsing inward. But the light at their centre grew—brighter, denser, more focused.
Anisa's voice carried on the wind.
"If this doesn't kill him—nothing will."
Then—
A beam of lightning tore from the sky.
Not a strike.
A laser of divine judgment.
The heavens screamed as the energy beam hurled downward, annihilating everything in its path. The ruin below glowed molten white where the bolt hit.
But then—
Elvis Grifion entered the storm.
He flew toward the cloud at sonic speed, shouting:
"Let me assist you!"
He raised his hand into the air.
"If this foe demands your mightiest spell… then... allow me to offer my absolute best!"
Above him, space bent. A black sphere of crushing gravity began to form—growing larger and larger, until it was over 1000 metres wide.
"Now…" he yelled, "face this!"
He hurled the orb down at Omfry—who still floated, paralyzed, in the epicentre of the lightning.
The gravity orb struck the earth like a god's hammer.
The land didn't shake—it convulsed. Trees uprooted. Mountains bowed. Air collapsed inward.
The clouds themselves were sucked into the orb, spiralling down into its core like water down a drain.
Anisa's lightning was caught and pulled too—fused into the orb, swallowed whole.
The sky turned dark.
Elvis floated above it all, posing with one hand to the sky, the other across his chest.
He smiled.
"And now—for the finale."
He raised his voice like a conductor of armageddon.
"Question: What happens… when an unimaginable compression force—"
The orb pulsed violently.
"—is suddenly released?"
He dropped his hand.
"Answer: Untold devastation."
BOOOOOOM!
The orb detonated.
Light erupted like a second sun, swallowing the heavens whole.
The earth folded inward.
The very air turned to fire.
The explosion expanded outward at unimaginable speeds—a tidal wave of annihilation rolling across the battlefield, faster than sound, hotter than stars.
And in that moment—
Dreados's team saw it.
Their eyes widened.
They looked at each other—
Then ran.
Their arms and legs blurring, vanishing into streaks of light as they sprinted for their lives. It wasn't retreat. It was survival.
Jeriana launched into the air alongside Spencer, her body framed by spiraling flame as she flew like her life depended on it—because it did. Beside her, Lisa soared as well, buoyed by a quick floatation spell Jeriana had cast on her so she wouldn't be left behind.
The explosion chased them.
It consumed everything in its path—land, stone, and beast. Trees disintegrated before they could fall. Ruins became dust mid-collapse.
And then—
Spencer's mana ran dry.
"No—!" he cried, spiraling downward.
"Spencer!" Anuel screamed.
The blast reached him.
He didn't even hit the ground.
He vanished—gone.
Anuel's face twisted in anguish, but there was no time.
Alcoos, lagging behind, saw the firestorm surging toward him. With one final act of strength, he threw Valerius forward—straight toward Beily.
"TAKE HIM!"
Beily reached out—snatched Valerius mid-flight and tucked him into his arm. He skidded sideways as the blast's heat scorched the air behind him.
He looked back—
And saw Alcoos.
A silhouette swallowed by fire.
"ALCOOOOOS!!"
The scream ripped from his throat, but he didn't stop.
He turned forward and ran harder, eyes burning.
The explosion kept growing.
Everything within three thousand metres was obliterated.
The ground ceased to exist.
Dust blasted into the air.
Thunder echoed like the world itself was breaking.
Even the ceiling above split open—carved stone and ancient constructs torn apart, revealing the broken expanse of the ruin's upper floor.
And where Omfry had fallen,
There was nothing.
No ashes.
Just absence.
A hollow imprint on yilheim.
And then…
Silence.
To Be Continued…