The battle had turned.
All attacks on the Star Eater were nullified—hope itself had vanished.
The despairing light of the Star Eater overwhelmed the Abyssal Breaker's glow, as if darkness were slowly devouring the last remnants of light.
The battlefield fell silent. Soldiers stopped fighting. Cannons and missiles ceased firing. Every soul stood motionless, their gazes locked onto the fading light, despair etched into their faces.
"This is a joke, right?"
"The gods are abandoning us."
"Utopia is about to end."
Screams, helpless sobs, and the crumbling of morale spread through Utopia like a disease.
Minutes ago, they had been filled with determination.
Now? What meaning did it have? Reality had spoken: hope was a lie.
"Damn it, what should I do now?" the King muttered through clenched teeth. "Think. What else can you do?"
He poured magic into his eyes, desperately widening his vision, searching for a weakness—an answer. But the only answer he received was despair.
The moment his gaze neared the Star Eater, an invisible spiritual wave lashed out, knocking him back. He crashed to the ground, his consciousness wavering, his vision spinning into chaos.
"How did it adapt so quickly? What is it? Where did it come from? What does it want with Utopia?" The questions pounded through his skull, yet no answers came.
"It... damn it!" The King roared, frustration boiling over.
As he seethed, the Star Eater decided to make things worse.
It spread its arms, palms facing Utopia. From within its hands, a strange eye opened, radiating an unnatural crimson light across the land.
The entire sky was bathed in red—a hue of despair.
And with it came madness.
Anyone who gazed directly into that cursed light fell into a state of soullessness.
Their eyes turned hollow.
Their bodies were no longer their own.
Yet a few, realizing the danger in time, turned away before the light could claim them.
"Hey, are you okay?" a survivor asked, concern lacing his voice. "Hey... you—"
"I... am... fine..." A soulless one let out a hollow laugh, his head slowly turning toward the speaker. "Do... you... want... to... be... happy... with... me?"
In an instant, his entire body began to change.
His limbs twisted unnaturally. His form bulged and distorted, flesh reshaping into something monstrous.
Then his mouth stretched into an eerie grin, and his vacant eyes fixated on his prey.
"Monster!" someone screamed, unleashing a barrage of magic.
Spells rained upon the abomination, yet it no longer felt pain. It ignored everything, moving only toward the source of the scream.
Through the searing magic. Through the burning air.
Until it caught its prey.
"P-Please… spare me!" the victim trembled.
"Everyone... will... be... happy..."
And then, mercilessly, it devoured him.
Utopia had become a waking nightmare.
Screams, wild laughter, the thick scent of blood—the heavens had vanished.
Only hell remained.
"Impossible..." The King's voice wavered as he stared at the scene of carnage. "Is everything really over? All our hard work, our unity—is it all gone?"
His hands trembled. His grip on the sword loosened. The blade slipped from his fingers, shattering into specks of light upon hitting the ground.
"Is it really over?"
He slowly raised his head, locking eyes with the Star Eater. In that instant, the world around him shifted.
The King felt a wave of dizziness before his vision realigned.
The red-tinged hell of Utopia was gone.
Instead, he stood in a vast garden beneath a brilliant blue sky. Birds chirped. Flowers swayed in the gentle breeze. It was an illusion of peace—a distorted Eden.
"I see," he laughed bitterly. "So this is how you control us. You give us what we crave—the illusion of peace in a dying world. How ironic."
"That's why they changed… a way to escape reality so powerful it twisted both their minds and bodies." He shook his head, exhaustion creeping into his voice.
Then, a voice rang out from behind him.
"So this is what you wanted, my son."
The King stiffened. That voice—he knew it.
He turned sharply, his heart pounding.
Standing before him was a figure he never thought he'd see again.
His father. The former King of Atlantis.
A wise, strong, and courageous man—everything the current King believed he lacked.
But also the man he hated most.
"I never thought I'd see you again… old man," he said coldly. "Especially not like this."
"I don't even know if I'm real," the former King said with a calm smile. "Maybe I'm just a projection. But does that really matter? This is what you has always wanted."
"Maybe," the King said solemnly. "But not completely."
His father raised a brow.
"What else do you mean?" his father asked.
The King turned away, eyes narrowing. "Something important."
The former king raised an eyebrow, surprised. His once reckless son was speaking with unexpected depth. As a father, he felt proud.
"You've grown into a true king... though you look like a younger version of me, a little immature."
"Shut up, old man," the King grumbled. "At least I'm more handsome. And I have a family I love."
Then, realization struck.
His eyes darted across the illusion, scanning every detail.
"There is something missing," the King murmured, his gaze shifting away. "Something very important."
The former king raised an eyebrow, surprised. His once reckless son now spoke with depth and certainty. As a father, he felt a flicker of pride.
"You've grown a lot," he said. "You've become a king. Though you do remind me of myself when I was younger—a little immature."
"Shut up, old man," the King grumbled. "At least I'm more handsome. And unlike you, I have a family I love."
That thought struck him like lightning. His eyes darted around the illusion, scanning it once more.
"What are you searching for?" the former king asked.
"I see it now," the King muttered. "This illusion grants us what we most desire. But it made a grave mistake."
The former king frowned, then smiled knowingly. "So you've realized. You are worthy of my expectations."
He stepped forward, arms open, as if to embrace his son. But before he could close the distance, a blade of light flashed. Steel cut through flesh. A sword pierced the former king's chest.
"W-What is this…?" The former king gasped, his trembling hand grasping the blade.
"What else? I'm killing you, impostor," the King said coldly.
"Why are you so certain I am not real?"
"Because what I truly desire is my family—not you." His voice trembled with anger. "You only ever cared about power. You never cared about your family. A man like you would never appear in this illusion. Not unless it was a lie."
The former king staggered, his mouth opening as if to protest.
"Wait—"
"And I will never forgive you for what you did to my family!" the King roared.
His sword glowed with radiant power. With a mighty slash, a silver line ran through the former king's body, splitting him in two.
The illusion wavered. The broken figure collapsed, dissolving into black liquid.
"Heh… You really have surpassed me," the illusion murmured as it faded. "I was a successful king… but a failure as a father. You, who always doubted yourself… now stand tall to protect your family. I am proud."
"I'll take that as a compliment," the King sneered.
"I... really... sorry—"
Before the final words could be spoken, the illusion fully disintegrated into a dark pool.
The King stood still for a moment, then bowed his head. "Thank you anyway," he whispered. "Thank you for bringing me into this world so I could find my own happiness."
He took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Now rest in peace… Father."
For a long moment, the world was silent. Emotion threatened to overtake him, but he pushed it down. He stood, gripping his sword firmly.
Raising it high, he declared, "Time to return to hell—to my family!"
With a mighty slash, he shattered the false paradise.
The illusion cracked apart. And then—
His eyes snapped open.
Reality flooded back in. A world in agony, yet still fighting.
He stood, taking in the chaos before him. The screams, the madness, the stench of blood—but there were still survivors. Those who had broken free from the illusion were helping suppress the mindless ones. Across the battlefield, people fought, refusing to surrender.
The King clenched his jaw. If they had not given up—neither could he.
He bent down, grasping his fallen sword, and stood tall once more.
"If you have the guts, come at me, you bastard!" he bellowed.
Star Eater remained motionless, offering no response.
"Wake up—"
Before he could finish, a deafening roar tore through the battlefield. A massive shadow streaked past him, followed by countless others, stirring the wind into a violent storm.
As the dust settled, he saw it.
The true form of the Dragon King.
A colossal beast, larger than an entire kingdom, leading its kin into battle.
"What the hell are you doing?!" the King shouted.
"What else? Let it witness our power!" the Dragon King roared.
Flames erupted from his body—fires born of his very life force. One by one, his kin followed, their bodies igniting in a blazing sacrifice. Their flames merged, feeding into the Dragon King, making him an inferno taller than a mountain. A living embodiment of unyielding will.
"Wait—there may be another way! We still have—"
But it was too late.
The Dragon King surged forward, crossing the sky like a burning sun, piercing straight through the Star Eater's limbs, impaling them in place.
"Dragon King…" The King whispered, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Stubborn bastard."
He shook off his hesitation and magnified his voice with magic.
"All survivors! Aim your cannons and missiles at its arms—clear the way for the Dragon King!"
Despite the chaos, those still standing reacted swiftly, scrambling onto the remaining cannons and war machines. A volley of magic and metal rained down, obliterating the Star Eater's limbs, leaving the path open.
But one last obstacle remained—
Its shield.
Suddenly, the wind rose, swirling into a violent storm that tore through the battlefield. The raging gusts gathered and coalesced into a massive, spiraling arrow.
"This power... it belongs to the Elves," the King muttered.
"Let it witness our strength!" the Elf King roared.
"Our power!" the Elves shouted in unison.
The wind arrow spun faster, accelerating until it became a blur, then shot forward with terrifying force, striking the Star Eater's shield. Cracks splintered across its surface—but it held firm.
"Damn it! Not enough!" the Elven King cursed.
"Then let me!" the Dragon King roared.
Charging behind the arrow, he summoned every ounce of his might and delivered a devastating punch. The impact shattered the shield into fragments. The arrow dissipated, its purpose fulfilled.
Without hesitation, the Dragon King surged forward, straight into the gaping maw of the Star Eater.
"DIE!!!" he bellowed.
Flames erupted, brighter than the sun itself. As he plunged into the abyss of the creature's mouth, a divine explosion ignited—a searing firestorm that obliterated the Star Eater's jaw. The beast reeled back, a silent roar of agony shaking the heavens.
The King stood motionless, grief flickering in his eyes. "…Thank you, Dragon King."
The Star Eater's deadly energy beam flickered and faded. Abyssal Breaker fired again, driving it back. But even now, the monster refused to fall.
It lunged toward Utopia once more, heedless of the destruction tearing through its body.
"Tough bastard..." the King growled.
"Remaining energy: 10%."
"Damn it! We're so close!"
Yet the battlefield was still in chaos—everyone fighting desperately against the monstrous hordes. Abyssal Breaker was nearly out of power.
"Leave it to me!"
A voice rang out over the carnage. The ocean churned violently, rising into two colossal hands of water. The King's eyes widened.
"That power… the Mermaid Queen."
Yes. She stood at the heart of the battlefield, pouring all her strength into this final stand.
"I must prove to everyone…" she gasped. "That I am strong. That I am their pillar."
The water hands surged forward, intertwining with Abyssal Breaker's light, grasping the Star Eater and halting its advance.
But it wasn't enough. The beast still pushed forward.
"Still not enough…" the King clenched his fists.
Far away, deep within Atlantis Palace, a shadowed figure watched the battle unfold.
"...More than I expected," he murmured. "But it's not your time to die yet."
He raised his hand. Dark energy swirled and flowed toward Abyssal Breaker.
"Let me show you… what hope truly means."
Back on the battlefield…
"Power at 5%..."
The light of the cannon waned.
"I'll use my own magic to refuel!" the King shouted.
But before he could act—a new voice echoed from the machine.
"Power surge—10%... 20%... 100%! Beyond maximum capacity!"
"What the hell…?" The King stared in disbelief. "The gods… haven't abandoned us yet?"
"ABYSSAL BREAKER—FULL POWER!"
A thunderous explosion erupted. The cannon's shockwave shattered the battlefield, obliterating barriers. All of Utopia heard it—the deafening cry of defiance.
Two colossal beams spiraled into a single, unstoppable force—radiant as divine fury—tearing toward the Star Eater.
The monster scrambled to conjure a shield, but it was useless.
The beam of light pierced through the last of its defenses, engulfing its form in a flood of brilliance, unraveling its very existence.
As the light faded… only scattered embers remained in the void.
The Star Eater was no more.
A breath of silence passed. Then the monstrous abominations disintegrated, fading into shimmering fragments of light. Echoes of lost souls smiled at the survivors before vanishing, leaving only sorrow and peace in their wake.
Abyssal Breaker, cracked and broken, crumbled from its perch—but even in ruin, its barrel remained pointed skyward, as if defying the end itself.
"It's… over…" The King's voice trembled. Tears welled in his eyes. "The Star Eater… is finally gone… Peace… at last…"
He wiped his face, then summoned his remaining strength. Pouring magic into his voice, he bellowed across the battlefield:
"WE WON!"
His cry echoed through Utopia.
All who heard it felt their hearts surge with triumph.
The King raised his sword high, and a wave of cheers erupted—victory resounding in every corner of the land.
The battle was over.
There had been great loss.
But the sky above Utopia was clear once more, bathed in golden light.
They had proven their will.
And they had earned their future.