The battlefield at the northwest had already turned into chaos.
Flames burned across broken ground. Ice walls shattered one after another. The cries of wounded soldiers echoed behind the medical fort.
And in front of it—
A sea of enemies.
Blackthorn's second army surged forward like a dark tide.
Seventy thousand.
Endless.
Relentless.
Yuki stood alone at the front line.
Her breathing was steady—but her hands trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From pressure.
From responsibility.
Behind her were the injured.
The healers.
The people who could not fight.
She clenched her fists.
"I won't let anyone pass."
Ice spread beneath her feet instantly.
Sharp glaciers rose from the ground, forming a defensive wall.
The first wave of soldiers crashed into it—
And shattered it.
They were too many.
Too strong.
She launched counterattacks—
"Frozen Spears!"
Dozens of ice lances pierced through the front line.
"Flame Burst!"
Explosions scattered the advancing soldiers.
But for every one she stopped—
More came.
And more.
And more.
Her breathing grew heavier.
Sun…
---
Then—
The wind changed.
A sharp, cutting force swept across the battlefield.
The soldiers hesitated.
The air turned cold—
Not freezing like ice—
But deep.
Heavy.
Like the calm before something unstoppable.
A blue streak cut through the sky.
And landed—
Right in front of Yuki.
The ground cracked.
A shockwave pushed enemies back instantly.
Yuki's eyes widened.
"…Sun?"
But the figure before her—
Was different.
His hair glowed faint blue.
His clothes had transformed into flowing energy-like patterns.
His presence—
Calm.
Unreachable.
Like the moon watching silently from above.
He turned slightly toward her.
His voice was familiar—
But deeper.
"I am not just Sun."
A pause.
"I am… Sun Lunar."
Yuki stared at him.
Then slowly—
She understood.
"…Second form of Dead Lock."
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he stepped forward.
"And I will protect you."
Her heart tightened.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
"I knew you would come."
---
The enemy army charged again.
But this time—
They weren't facing Yuki alone.
Sun Lunar raised his hand.
The air shifted instantly.
"Lunar Pulse."
A wave of blue energy spread outward—
Silent—
Yet devastating.
Dozens of soldiers were thrown back like leaves in a storm.
He moved forward.
Not fast.
Not rushed.
But unstoppable.
Each step felt absolute.
A soldier lunged at him—
Sun Lunar stopped the blade mid-air—
Without touching it.
"Too slow."
The sword shattered.
The soldier collapsed.
He raised his hand again.
"Moonfall."
Blades of condensed lunar energy rained down from above, piercing through enemy ranks.
The battlefield trembled.
Yuki watched—
Amazed.
"…He's different."
Not violent like Deadsun.
Not explosive.
Controlled.
Precise.
Elegant.
But even this power—
Had limits.
---
The army kept coming.
Magic attacks began to counter his abilities.
Fireballs.
Lightning strikes.
Arrow storms.
Even Sun Lunar had to defend now.
Yuki joined him again.
"Ice Shield!"
She blocked incoming attacks while he countered.
They fought together—
Perfectly.
Like always.
But the numbers…
Were overwhelming.
Hundreds turned into thousands.
Thousands into waves.
Sun Lunar's movements slowed.
His breathing changed.
Yuki noticed immediately.
"You're getting exhausted."
He didn't respond.
But she could feel it.
Through their link.
His energy—
Dropping.
Rapidly.
Still—
He kept fighting.
---
After killing hundreds—
Sun Lunar staggered slightly.
The enemies saw it.
They rushed forward in a massive wave.
Yuki's heart pounded.
This won't stop…
Sun Lunar looked at his hands.
Then closed his eyes briefly.
"…There's only one way."
Yuki's expression changed.
"No—"
But before she could stop him—
He whispered—
"Dead Lock."
Darkness erupted instantly.
The calm blue aura shattered—
Replaced by something far more terrifying.
The ground cracked violently.
Air distorted.
When the energy settled—
Deadsun stood there.
Eyes glowing.
Aura burning like dark fire.
The soldiers hesitated.
Fear spread.
Deadsun spoke—
Cold.
Absolute.
"Run."
He didn't even look at Yuki.
"Take them and run."
She froze.
"…No."
"Go."
"I'm not leaving you."
His aura flared violently.
"This is not a request."
She stepped forward.
"I don't care."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
She turned.
And began helping the wounded escape.
One by one.
Carrying them.
Healing them.
Guiding them away.
But when everyone was safe—
She didn't leave.
She came back.
---
Deadsun was already fighting.
Thousands surrounded him.
Even with his power—
He was taking damage.
Cuts.
Burns.
Strikes.
Too many enemies.
Too many directions.
Yuki joined again.
"I'm not leaving you alone."
He didn't answer.
But she felt it—
He knew.
They fought together again.
Ice and darkness.
Fire and destruction.
But slowly—
Even Deadsun weakened.
The endless waves didn't stop.
At last—
A powerful strike hit him directly.
He dropped to one knee.
Blood spilled.
His aura flickered.
Yuki's eyes widened.
"Sun!"
She ran forward—
Standing between him and the enemies.
"I won't let you touch him!"
Her magic exploded.
Ice storms.
Flame waves.
Barrier after barrier.
But it wasn't enough.
She was reaching her limit.
Her breathing broke.
Her vision blurred.
This… can't be the end…
---
Then—
Something changed.
Behind her—
A massive surge of mana erupted.
Dark.
Deeper than Deadsun.
Colder than Lunar.
She turned slowly.
Sun—
Was changing again.
His body turned completely black.
Only faint red lines glowing across him.
His presence—
Terrifying.
Beyond human.
Beyond reason.
"…Sun?" she whispered.
He stepped forward.
Voice echoing unnaturally.
"I am… Sun Shadow."
The battlefield froze.
Even the enemies hesitated.
Sun Shadow raised his hand.
"Arise."
The ground beneath the battlefield darkened.
Shadows stretched—
Moved—
Rose.
From darkness itself—
Figures emerged.
Soldiers.
Hundreds of them.
Made of pure shadow.
Silent.
Loyal.
Deadly.
The Blackthorn army faltered.
For the first time—
They felt fear.
"Attack."
The shadow army surged forward.
Clashing against the real army.
Steel met darkness.
Magic collided with void.
Yuki watched in shock.
"…He created an army…"
Sun Shadow didn't stop.
He stepped forward again.
"Dead Snap."
A loud crack echoed.
Reality itself seemed to split.
Then—
Something impossible happened.
Sun's body split into three.
Deadsun.
Sun Lunar.
Sun Shadow.
All standing together.
All real.
All powerful.
Yuki's breath stopped.
"…What is this…"
---
The three forms moved together.
Perfectly synchronized.
Deadsun—pure destruction.
Sun Lunar—precision and control.
Sun Shadow—overwhelming numbers.
The battlefield turned into chaos.
Shadow soldiers clashed endlessly.
Lunar strikes cut through formations.
Dark explosions wiped out entire sections.
Yuki joined them.
Fighting beside all three.
The army that once seemed endless—
Started to fall.
Wave after wave—
Broken.
Crushed.
Erased.
The sky trembled.
The ground cracked.
And finally—
Silence.
No more enemies.
No more movement.
Only the sound of heavy breathing.
---
The three forms stood still.
Then—
Slowly—
They merged.
Returning to one.
Sun.
His body collapsed instantly.
Yuki rushed forward and caught him before he hit the ground.
"Sun!"
He didn't respond.
His breathing was weak.
His body exhausted beyond limit.
She held him tightly.
Tears filled her eyes.
"You idiot…"
Her voice trembled.
"…Why do you always push yourself this far…"
She gently held his face.
Her forehead touching his.
"…Thank you."
A soft tear fell onto his cheek.
The battlefield was silent.
But in that silence—
She held him.
Not as a warrior.
Not as a healer.
But as someone who loved him—
More than anything.
And this time—
He had survived.