The sky was no longer a sky. It was a battlefield made of black fire, broken clouds, and energy screams. Shadows twisted everywhere, lightning flashing across smoke as if the heavens were being ripped open by gods. Jin-Woo stood in the middle of the chaos, body glowing with shadow power so dense it crushed the ground under his feet. The Monarchs were scattered but not dead, crawling out of smoke and broken buildings, their pride shattered and rage burning like fire in their eyes. But above them all, something new was coming. The crack in the sky had not closed. It was spreading like a wound, like something ancient and angry was pushing from the other side. Jin-Woo felt it. The pressure. It was deep, heavy, not like the Monarchs he knew. Not Flame. Not Beast. Not Frost. Not Despair. Something different. A Monarch not from this war—but from something older. Forgotten.
The Flame Monarch, still bleeding from Jin-Woo's last strike, screamed into the sky. "You dare interfere now?!" His voice burned like wildfire, melting steel, boiling rivers. But the crack answered with silence. Then lightning shot out—not yellow, not blue, but pure black, like the sky was bleeding shadows. A hand reached out. Long, thin, clawed, armored in bones made of time and void. Then a figure stepped through. Everyone stopped. Even Jin-Woo.
The being that came through was tall, cloaked in armor that looked like pieces of collapsed stars. His face was hidden behind a bone mask, only two glowing white eyes burning from the darkness. He floated above the ground. No wings. No words. Just presence. His aura dropped like a mountain falling from the sky. The air bent around him. The shadows themselves began to twist, turning toward him like soldiers saluting a lost king. Even Jin-Woo's army shook.
"Who… are you?" Jin-Woo said.
The new figure finally spoke, voice deep, like it came from the grave of worlds. "I… am the Unseen Monarch. Forgotten by time. Banished by kings. Born from the first shadow… and you, Shadow King… carry my breath."
Jin-Woo blinked. "What?"
But no answer came. The Unseen Monarch dropped like a meteor. His fist hit the ground and shadow lightning exploded. Beru flew to protect Jin-Woo, but the energy slapped him down like a fly, burning a black mark across his body. Tusk fired a wave of hellfire, but the Unseen Monarch raised one finger and the spell shattered like glass. The shadows around Jin-Woo's army bent, some even breaking and vanishing.
"No," Jin-Woo growled. "You're not my enemy—"
But the Unseen Monarch pointed at him. "You wear the crown of shadow. But you are not the true heir. You stole it."
The ground broke apart. Shadow energy rose like black lava. The battlefield tilted, like gravity itself was being pulled toward the new Monarch. Rakan tried to charge him but was caught midair, crushed into the dirt with invisible force. Querehsha screamed and vanished into poison gas, running. Even Lunarc, calm as ever, stared with narrowed eyes.
"Impossible," Lunarc said. "He was destroyed before the war… How is he back?"
Jin-Woo clenched his fists. His body responded with power. Wings flared. Shadows screamed. His army gathered behind him, damaged but not broken. Iron stepped forward, his armor cracked but his fists ready. Igrit stood tall, blade glowing purple. Beru shook but lifted his head. Tusk growled, fire swirling in his palms.
"This world doesn't need another Monarch," Jin-Woo said.
The Unseen Monarch raised both arms. From his body, dozens of shadow creatures appeared—different from Jin-Woo's. Not elegant. Not knightly. These were primal. Giant beasts with broken armor. Things with ten eyes and one wing. Crawling monsters made of screams. His army had no order. No soul. Just death.
The two shadow Monarchs charged at each other. Jin-Woo raised his blade. The Unseen Monarch raised his claws. The armies smashed into each other like two planets colliding. Screams, blasts, broken time, shattered magic. Jin-Woo fought in the center, a blur of blade and power. He cut down three of the ancient beasts, only for them to rise again, stitched by dark energy.
Beru fought like a demon, slashing and screaming, but one of the enemy shadows bit into his arm, dragging him into the ground. Tusk blasted it with hellfire, but more came. Iron punched a monster so hard it exploded, but his leg got caught and shattered by a second wave.
Jin-Woo pushed forward. His sword clashed with the Unseen Monarch's claws. Sparks flew. The world twisted. Every strike between them echoed like thunder from gods. Shadow against shadow. They were the same, but different. Jin-Woo fought with will. The other fought with hatred.
"I built this power," Jin-Woo roared. "I earned it. I bled for it!"
"You borrowed it," the Unseen Monarch whispered. "And now I take it back."
With one move, he stabbed into Jin-Woo's chest. Not the heart. The soul. Jin-Woo felt something pulling—deep inside. The source. The Shadow Core. The thing that gave him everything. It was being dragged out. His vision went dark.
But then—he remembered.
His father's voice. His mother's warmth. His sister's smile. The people he protected. The lives he saved.
Jin-Woo screamed, and from his back, something new awakened. A second pair of wings. Pure black and glowing purple. A crown of light appeared over his head. His sword grew, becoming a massive greatsword wrapped in dragon bones.
He slashed.
The energy wave tore through the entire battlefield, cutting three of the enemy beasts in half. The Unseen Monarch was thrown back, crashing through the air, finally caught off guard.
Jin-Woo stood, bleeding but alive. Glowing. Stronger. More than Shadow King. Something new.
The battle paused. Everyone stared. Even Lunarc. Even Sillad. Even the Monarchs.
The new Jin-Woo… had evolved.
The Unseen Monarch rose slowly. "So… you were chosen after all…"
But Jin-Woo wasn't listening. He walked forward, step by step, blade dragging behind him, eyes blazing. The war wasn't over. The real fight… had just begun.