The sky above the Great Forest of Jura trembled.
Not from wind.
Not from thunder.
But from two monsters colliding with the force of natural disasters.
High above the ruined landscape—
Two figures shot across the sky.
One trailing violent crimson lightning.
The other laughing like a man who had never heard the word serious.
Milim cracked her neck.
Her golden eyes shone with excitement.
"Okay!!"
She pointed dramatically at her opponent.
"NO HOLDING BACK THIS TIME OKAY!"
Across from her, the man wearing Loki's body floated lazily in midair.
He yawned.
"I'm already bored."
Milim's eye twitched.
Then she vanished.
BOOOOM!
The air shattered as Milim's fist blasted forward with enough power to flatten mountains.
But—
Her punch hit nothing.
Milim blinked.
Behind her—
Loki sat casually in a floating armchair.
He sipped tea.
"Missed me."
Milim spun around.
"HEY!"
He raised a finger.
"Now now."
He pulled a chalkboard out of thin air.
Written on it:
"Rule #1 of Cartoon Physics: Punching first is cheating."
Milim stared at it.
"…What?"
The chalkboard exploded.
POOF!
Milim's aura erupted.
"STOP DOING WEIRD STUFF!"
She rocketed forward again.
This time her punch landed.
BAAAAM!
The Manas flew through three mountains.
Or—
What used to be mountains.
He slammed into the ground.
Dust filled the air.
Milim hovered proudly.
"HA!"
The ground bulged.
Then—
BOOOING!
Loki bounced out of the crater like a rubber ball.
He landed upside down on the sky.
"Nice hit!"
Milim's grin widened.
"RIGHT!"
Far away on the edge of the battlefield
Guy Crimson watched silently.
Next to him, Dino sat on a rock that had somehow survived the apocalypse.
Velzard and Velgrynd floated above them maintaining the barrier.
Dino rubbed his eyes.
"…This fight makes no sense."
Velzard nodded calmly.
"That is correct."
Velgrynd crossed her arms.
"It's irritating."
Guy chuckled quietly.
"It is Interesting though."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Very interesting."
Milim raised both fists.
Crimson lightning exploded around her body.
Her draconic aura erupted violently.
The ground shattered beneath her.
"Let's see you dodge THIS!"
Her arm pulled back.
Energy condensed.
A sphere of destruction formed.
DRAGO—
Before she could finish—
Loki suddenly pulled out a giant red STOP sign.
BONK!
Milim slammed face-first into it.
"…Ow."
Loki nodded approvingly.
"Safety first."
Milim blinked.
Then her eyes twitched.
Then she started laughing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
She ripped the sign in half.
"AGAIN!"
Guy spoke calmly.
"Pathetic."
The word cut through the chaos.
Loki turned.
"Hm?"
Guy looked directly at him.
"No."
He corrected himself.
"Pathetic is too generous."
Milim paused midair.
Dino sighed.
"…Here we go."
Guy's crimson eyes locked onto Loki's body.
"You let a skill control you."
He shrugged.
"That's embarrassing."
Loki scratched his ear.
"Wow."
He leaned toward Milim.
"Is he always this dramatic?"
Milim giggled.
Guy ignored them.
"I expected more."
He crossed his arms.
"If that's all it takes to break you…"
"…then maybe you were never worth fighting."
Silence hung in the air.
Then—
Loki burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Oh wow."
"You think that'll work?"
He snapped his fingers.
A giant neon sign appeared in the sky.
"TRY HARDER."
Dino nodded lazily.
"Yeah."
"Not happening."
Velzard agreed.
"The personality difference is too drastic."
Velgrynd added coldly.
"He's completely suppressed."
Guy said nothing.
But his eyes remained fixed on Loki.
Milim suddenly appeared again.
Her kick tore through the sky.
BOOOOOOM!
Loki blocked with a frying pan.
CLANG!
Shockwaves tore across the battlefield.
Milim laughed.
"AGAIN!"
Loki pulled out an umbrella.
Her punch bent it inside out.
FWIP!
The umbrella snapped back—
Launching him like a rocket.
WHOOSH!
He crashed into the barrier.
Velzard's eyebrow twitched slightly.
Loki slid down slowly.
"…I meant to do that."
Milim wiped tears from her eyes.
"You're hilarious!"
But suddenly—
Loki froze.
Just for a moment.
Milim tilted her head.
"…Huh?"
Inside the Mind
Somewhere deep inside—
A voice echoed.
"…Enough."
The Manas' smile flickered.
"…Oh."
He whispered quietly.
"You're waking up already master?"
Guy continued speaking.
"You're weak."
The words were quiet.
But sharp.
"Too weak to control your own power."
The Manas' eye twitched.
Inside—
The real Loki moved.
Guy stepped forward.
"I was looking forward to fighting you."
His voice turned colder.
"But if this is the real you…"
"…I'm disappointed."
Inside the mind—
Something snapped.
The Manas suddenly grabbed his own head.
"Ow."
Milim blinked.
"…You okay?"
The Manas forced a grin.
"All good!"
But sweat formed on his forehead.
Inside—
The real Loki pushed harder.
The Manas spoke internally.
"Master."
His voice became urgent.
"You must wait."
"We're not ready yet."
The pressure increased.
"Just a little longer."
"I can fix everything."
Images flashed through Loki's mind.
Power.
Freedom.
A perfect world.
"You just need to trust me."
Silence.
Then—
Loki spoke.
"…No."
The Manas' eyes widened.
"…Wait."
The pressure exploded.
His body jerked violently.
Milim blinked.
"…Uh?"
Guy's eyes sharpened.
Inside—
Loki's will erupted.
Like a tidal wave.
The Manas screamed internally.
"MASTER STOP!"
"I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU!"
The answer came cold.
"I didn't ask you to."
The control shattered.
The sky grew quiet.
The man floating above the battlefield lowered his head.
Silence filled the air.
Milim tilted her head.
"…Loki?"
Slowly—
He raised his head.
And smiled.
But this smile was different.
Calm.
Sharp.
Real.
He looked directly at Guy.
"…Don't call me a weakling."
His voice carried clearly.
Guy's grin slowly widened.
Loki cracked his neck.
"And don't act like you know me."
His eyes glinted.
"Scum."
Milim's shoulders slumped.
"…Awww."
She sighed dramatically.
"Now the fun part is over."
For a moment—
The battlefield fell silent.
The wind slowly passed over the devastated landscape of the Great Forest of Jura.
Massive craters scarred the ground. Entire hills had been flattened. Trees had been snapped like twigs.
Yet despite the scale of the battle…
Most of the forest still stood.
A faint shimmering dome surrounded the battlefield.
The layered barrier maintained by Velzard and Velgrynd had contained the worst of the destruction.
Without it—
Half the forest would already be gone.
Velzard spoke calmly.
"The damage would have spread across the entire region otherwise."
Velgrynd scoffed.
"Be grateful we even bothered."
Nearby, Guy Crimson chuckled.
"I never doubted you two would do your job."
Velgrynd glared at him immediately.
"Do not speak as if we are allies."
Guy only smiled wider.
"Oh? But aren't we technically family here?"
Velgrynd's aura flared dangerously.
"Do not test my patience, Guy."
Dino sighed from where he lazily sat on a floating chunk of stone.
"Man… can we not start another fight today?"
Above them—
Loki floated silently.
The strange white garments that had covered his body moments ago began to fade.
They dissolved like mist.
The golden glow around him dimmed.
Then—
His true appearance returned.
A sharp maroon suit formed across his body.
Black gloves wrapped around his hands.
Dark polished shoes materialized beneath his feet.
Even the color of his hair shifted, gold draining away until deep maroon replaced it.
His eyes followed.
Burning maroon.
Velzard observed quietly.
"So the possession has ended."
Velgrynd crossed her arms.
"It appears so."
Milim leaned forward curiously.
"Ohhhh!"
She grinned.
"You look different now!"
Loki glanced down at his suit.
He brushed imaginary dust off the sleeve.
"Much better."
Then he stretched his neck lazily.
"Cartoon physics were fun and all…"
He looked at Guy.
"But I prefer being myself."
Guy clapped slowly.
"Well done."
His tone dripped with sarcasm.
"You managed to take control of your own body."
He tilted his head.
"Congratulations."
Loki scratched his cheek.
"…That was supposed to be impressive?"
Guy smirked.
"For someone like you?"
"Yes."
Milim blinked between them.
"Ooooh."
She whispered excitedly.
"They're gonna fight next!"
Dino groaned.
"Please no."
Loki pointed at Guy.
"You talk a lot for someone who showed up late."
Guy shrugged.
"I wanted to see if the rumors were exaggerated."
"And?"
Guy's smile widened.
"They weren't."
Loki chuckled.
"Flattered."
Guy leaned forward slightly.
"But you still lost control."
"Embarrassing."
Loki placed a hand on his chest dramatically.
"Ouch."
"Coming from the guy who plays babysitter to demon lords."
Velzard quietly looked away.
Dino muttered.
"…Well he's not wrong."
Guy's eyebrow twitched.
Velgrynd smirked slightly.
"Well said."
Guy glanced sideways at her.
"Careful."
"You sound like you're rooting for him."
Velgrynd's voice turned icy.
"I simply enjoy seeing someone insult you."
Milim burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Guy sighed.
The tension faded slightly.
Wind passed over the forest again.
The damage was immense within the barrier.
Mountains of earth had been displaced.
The ground looked like it had been bombarded by meteors.
But just outside the barrier—
The ancient trees of the Great Forest of Jura still stood tall.
Velzard spoke calmly.
"The barrier contained the shockwaves."
Velgrynd nodded.
"Without it, half the forest would be gone."
Milim floated upside down midair.
"Oops."
Velzard looked at her.
Milim scratched her cheek.
"…Sorry?"
Dino shrugged.
"At least you didn't destroy the planet."
Milim gave him a thumbs up.
"Yet."
Dino stared at her.
"…Please don't."
Elsewhere — The Holy Empire
Far away
Within the ruined capital of the Holy Empire of Lubelius.
The tremors finally stopped.
Silence spread across the devastated city.
Cracked cathedrals.
Collapsed towers.
Entire districts reduced to rubble.
At the center of it all stood Luminous Valentine.
Her crimson eyes slowly scanned the destruction.
Once—
This had been a shining holy nation.
A place of faith.
A place of order.
Now it looked like a battlefield.
Behind her stood Leon Cromwell, along with the two maids—
Rain and Misery.
Rain scratched her head.
"Well… the shaking finally stopped."
Misery nodded quietly.
"It appears the battle has ended."
Luminous said nothing.
Her gaze remained on the ruined city.
Then—
Memories surfaced.
A dragon's roar.
A storm of destruction.
The day Veldora once rampaged through her lands.
Cities had burned.
Civilization erased in moments.
She had rebuilt everything.
Piece by piece.
Century after century.
And now—
Again.
Someone had reduced it to ruins.
Her nails dug slightly into her palm.
"…Unbelievable."
Rain carefully asked,
"So… who do we blame this time?"
Luminous slowly turned.
Her gaze locked onto Leon.
Cold.
Sharp.
Demanding.
"Leon."
Her voice carried quiet fury.
"You said you know that angel."
Leon remained calm.
But he knew exactly who she meant.
Luminous stepped forward.
Her crimson eyes burned.
"…Tell me."
The air grew tense.
"Who."
Her voice hardened.
"…is that angel?"
---
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