The ground was already dead. Mountains were broken, oceans pulled back, sky ripped into bleeding clouds. But the world wasn't done screaming. The two strongest Monarchs had collided, and now the earth was crying. Jin-Woo's new wings spread wide like blades from heaven, glowing purple-black with raw divine pressure. His eyes were burning with cold rage. The Unseen Monarch floated across from him, cloak torn, armor cracked, but still smiling. The battlefield was silent for a second. Just the wind… made of shadow screams. Then everything exploded.
Jin-Woo vanished. Not moved. Not ran. Vanished. The Unseen Monarch barely blocked the slash that came next. The sky cracked like glass. Jin-Woo's blade broke straight through two summoned beasts behind the Monarch—wiping them from existence like bugs in fire. Then he appeared behind again. Slash. Slash. Slash. The Monarch's arm bled black. Jin-Woo was no longer fighting like a king—he was fighting like a god who wanted revenge. The other Monarchs watching could not believe it. They were used to his strength, but this was something else.
"Is this… evolution?" Beast Monarch whispered. "No… this is war made alive."
The Unseen Monarch grinned, but even he looked… bothered. He raised his claw, formed a spell that took 1,000 years to cast—but Jin-Woo shattered it in one hit. No waiting. No talking. Just rage. He grabbed the Monarch by the mask and threw him straight down into the broken ground. The impact was like a nuke. Smoke flew everywhere. Mountains fell. Rivers exploded into steam. Jin-Woo followed him down, blade ready. But the Monarch roared. Black flames erupted, burning shadows themselves. He rose with one broken wing, eyes flashing white rage.
"You are strong," he said. "But I am what created strength!"
They clashed again. This time, even time couldn't handle it. The world froze for half a second every time their weapons touched. The sky screamed with soundless thunder. Shadow beasts were crushed by accident. The battlefield became smaller and smaller as their power grew bigger and bigger. Beru stood on the edge, barely breathing, holding off two monsters alone. Igrit fought with half his armor gone. Tusk screamed spells until his mouth bled shadow. They were breaking—but they kept standing. Because their King still stood.
Then the Monarchs moved. The Frost Monarch raised his hand. "Enough. If we let them destroy each other, this world will fall."
Lunarc nodded. "We kill them both."
The Beast Monarch roared, claws glowing. The Flame Monarch screamed out his fire, even with half his body burned. The other Monarchs gathered, powers blazing in the sky like suns made of death. They aimed all of it—at the two Shadow Kings locked in battle.
Jin-Woo noticed. He blinked. His senses spread in every direction. He saw Beru falling. He saw Iron shattered. He saw the army dying.
And then… he smiled. Just a little.
"Fine," he said. "Let's die together."
He turned, wings flared, and summoned **all** of his remaining power. Not a part. Not a safe piece. All of it. The Shadow Core inside him expanded, cracked, and broke apart into energy. The world started shaking. Black light erupted from his body like a sun being born backward. His blade vanished. His armor melted. Now he was just Jin-Woo—but something beyond. The Shadow Vessel itself.
The Unseen Monarch paused. "What are you doing?! You'll destroy everything!"
Jin-Woo whispered one word: **"Begone."**
And then the blast came.
The world disappeared into black light. Every color was swallowed. The other Monarchs screamed. Their attacks were lost in the storm. The Flame Monarch tried to burn it—got disintegrated. The Beast Monarch roared once—then vanished like ash. The Frost Monarch ran but his leg got caught in the wave—his scream echoed like ice breaking. The whole battlefield was erased, turned into a giant crater of endless void. Only silence remained.
Then, from that silence… a sound.
A step.
One step.
Then another.
And from the center of the void, Jin-Woo walked out. His armor gone. His skin cracked. Shadow leaking from his mouth. But alive. Behind him… nothing. The Unseen Monarch was on his knees, mask shattered, body cut, breath gone.
"You… you were willing to burn it all," he whispered.
Jin-Woo stood above him. His voice was quiet but sharp like a blade. "I was willing to protect it all."
Then, for the first time… the Unseen Monarch looked afraid.
He tried to rise. Jin-Woo raised his hand. No sword. No army. Just his will.
The Monarch's body began to dissolve—slowly, like sand in the wind.
"No!" he roared. "I was the first Shadow! The true heir! You're just a human with luck!"
Jin-Woo looked down, cold and final. "Then die like one."
And the Unseen Monarch vanished.
Gone.
For real.
The wind came back. The light returned. The battlefield was silent—but not broken. Pieces of shadow drifted in the air. The ground, though burned, still held strong. Beru slowly stood up, half his wing missing. Igrit limped. Tusk dropped to one knee. But they were alive. Because their King was alive.
Jin-Woo breathed, deep and sharp. His vision blurred, his body shaking. But he smiled.
He looked up at the sky and whispered, "I'm still here."
And the shadows… bowed.