Alex and Fran had resolved themselves to fight the Demon Lord once and for all before coming up to the surface.
They had no idea how he had been able to survive without eating, drinking, or moving. In any case, it was pointless to wait any longer if he were alive.
With this mindset, they had decided to stay underground for one more year to train hard and fully understand the extent of their powers. Only after doing so did they decide to fight him one last time.
Fran flew out of Alex's shirt. Facing him, she extended her clenched fist toward Alex. The teenage lightly met her fist with his own, their Gaia Rings clinking against each other as if to toast for a promise.
Golden light erupted from the rings and cloaked the pair, drastically enhancing their physical, magical, and spiritual powers to its limits.
From outside of the barrier, the Elves who were keeping watch on the barrier of the Shadow Forest all looked up to the sky, sensing a powerful presence spread across the land.
