When the sword was buried to the hilt in Yagami's stomach, the power drained from his body and he returned to his original state. His half-dead body fell violently from the sky.
Yuji rushed toward him with all his strength and caught him in his arms before Yagami hit the ground.
Yagami's eyes had turned white, and blood was pouring nonstop from the deep wound in his abdomen.
At that very moment, Tartarus's chant was completed…
The sky was completely covered with black clouds.
Right above Yagami, the clouds began to spin.
Lightning twisted through the sky like enraged dragons.
When Yuji saw the scene, his body trembled. He tried to run in terror, but it was already too late…
Tartarus looked at them with a cold smile and brought the lightning crashing down on them!
It was as if thousands of bolts of lightning were striking them at the same time.
Yuji quickly activated his shield, but that amount of energy… was unimaginable.
After a few seconds, fine cracks appeared on the shield…
And suddenly, with a deafening sound, it shattered!
With the last bit of magic he had left, Yuji teleported himself and Yagami out of that hell…
To a distant, dark, and silent place.
---
The legendary swordsman Kurojin glanced down at the people below.
Rin froze and said in fear:
"He's looking at us…"
Toma, his mouth locked shut, muttered:
"We're… finished…"
Suddenly, Tartarus lost consciousness and was about to fall, but Kurojin caught him—and they vanished.
After they were gone, everyone let out a deep breath and said:
"Hell is over…"
---
On top of a dark and terrifying mountain, Yuji was trying to revive Yagami.
In panic, Yuji cast healing magic on Yagami, but the wound… didn't improve even a little.
Yagami's pulse was growing weaker… slower with every moment.
Crying, Yuji tried divine magic…
High-level magic, even forbidden spells… but none of them worked.
And finally… Yagami's heart stopped.
Everything came to a halt.
---
Final Floor: The Dark Palace
Kurojin and Tartarus appeared in front of Hades's chamber. Two guards were standing there.
Kurojin said to one of the guards:
"Take Tartarus to his room so he can rest."
But the guard calmly replied:
"The king ordered that he be imprisoned in the dungeon."
Kurojin said angrily:
"Why?"
The guard replied coldly:
"I only carry out orders. I don't know anything else."
The guard stepped forward to take Tartarus, but Kurojin cut the guard's hand off with his sword and said angrily:
"You won't touch him. I'll take him myself."
He looked at Tartarus, snapped his fingers, and Tartarus disappeared.
Kurojin stormed into Hades's chamber without kneeling and said angrily:
"Why should Tartarus be punished? He did everything he could to defeat Yagami!"
Hades said calmly:
"He must be punished because he made a mistake."
Kurojin shouted in anger:
"That's not fair! You're wrong!"
Suddenly, Hades released his energy and said in a terrifying, furious voice:
"Know your place, Kurojin."
Kurojin stood frozen.
Then Hades said:
"Kneel."
Kurojin knelt, furious, his mouth shut tight, but he couldn't do anything.
Hades restrained his energy and said:
"This time, I'll overlook your insolence—only because you did your job properly."
Kurojin, sweating and afraid, said:
"Forgive me… my king."
---
City Center
Toma looked at the display screen.
Display: Live Broadcasts
Toma was checking the live broadcasts, but he didn't see a name called the One-Eyed God (Yagami).
Rin stepped forward and asked:
"So what happened? Is Yagami still alive or not?"
Toma looked at Rin and shook his head no.
---
On top of a dark and terrifying mountain, an unknown place
Yuji, tears streaming down his face, whispered:
"I won't let you die. This isn't the end for you."
Yuji sat on the ground and carefully began drawing two magic circles—
One for himself, and one for Yagami.
Three glowing lines connected the two circles, like a bridge between two souls.
Yagami, unconscious, was placed inside one of the circles.
Yuji, his eyes filled with hope, sat inside the other.
Taking a deep breath, he whispered the soul transfer chant.
The words echoed through the air, the atmosphere grew heavy, and the lights around the circles began to spin.
When the chant ended, a gentle smile formed on his lips…
And he said:
"Good luck, my best friend."
At that very moment, Yagami's eyes opened.
He took a deep breath and looked at his hands.
"I… I'm still alive?! My wounds… they're all healed…"
Confused, he looked around, then his eyes fell on the circles on the ground.
With a trembling voice, he said:
"This… this is a soul transfer ritual… who did this…?"
He turned his head and saw someone sitting right in front of him.
His eyes widened.
His heart trembled.
It was… his best friend, Yuji.
Silent, lifeless… but with a faint smile on his face.
Crying, Yagami quickly pulled Yuji into his arms.
Tears streaming down his face, Yagami said in a broken voice:
"Why…? Why do I have to lose the only happiness in my life? Why do I always end up alone?"
His scream rose to the sky—
Loud, painful… like the cry of a wounded soul.
Holding Yuji's body in his arms, Yagami stood up.
His eyes had turned blood-red.
With clenched fists, he stood there and swore:
"This world… and everyone who caused your suffering and death…
I'll bring them to their knees.
I swear it to you… brother.
I will take your revenge. No matter what."
(To be continued…)