The silence lasted only an instant.
Dust still drifted slowly from the shattered ceiling.
Fragments of stone slid down the cracked walls.
Then...
The blue energy began to pulse.
At first like tiny particles.
Then like luminous threads.
Then like a vast ocean of dimensional mana surrounding the figure that had just appeared.
Arthur remained motionless.
His body did not yet fully exist.
It was only an outline.
A silhouette formed from intense blue energy.
As though his true existence were still struggling to return to the physical plane.
His interior seemed woven from stars.
Luminous veins flowed throughout that incomplete form.
Every pulse made the air tremble.
Everyone watched.
No one dared speak.
Mia was the first.
Still on her knees.
Breathing with difficulty.
Her tear-filled eyes found that figure.
— Arthur...
Her voice escaped as little more than a whisper.
Alexius also remained motionless.
The Primordial Sword fell silent once more.
Not even its spirit uttered a single word.
It was as though it, too, were watching.
Trying to understand.
Zaraqnil slowly raised her head.
Her crimson eyes trembled.
She felt it.
She felt that essence.
She felt that presence.
And for the first time since everything had begun...
She smiled.
A faint smile.
Almost imperceptible.
— Azuri...
She drew a deep breath.
— This...
Her voice faltered.
— This is the true Azuri.
Arthur slowly turned his head.
Though incomplete.
Though he had yet to fully reclaim his body.
His presence was incomparable.
There was no darkness.
No corruption.
Only dimensional energy.
Pure.
Ancient.
Serene.
He slowly walked toward Mia.
Each step sent small blue ripples across the shattered floor.
She continued staring at him.
Unable to look away.
Arthur knelt before her.
Slowly raised his hand.
And gently touched her shoulder.
At that very instant...
The mana within Mia responded.
The pain lessened.
The marks around her neck began to disappear.
Air once again filled her lungs completely.
Her heartbeat slowed.
The fear began to fade.
A comforting warmth spread throughout her entire body.
As though her very existence were being embraced.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Arthur smiled softly.
— Are you alright?
Mia tried to answer.
But merely nodded.
She kept looking at him.
As though, for the first time since that nightmare had begun...
She was finally safe.
Behind them...
An explosion of black energy tore through the cloud of dust.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Dark smoke erupted violently.
A laugh filled with hatred echoed throughout the chamber.
[Arthur] slowly emerged from the crater.
Part of his face was covered in blood.
Yet he was smiling.
A completely insane smile.
His eyes alternated between blue and red.
Black smoke coiled around his body like living serpents.
His gaze never left Arthur.
— So...
His voice came out low.
Filled with contempt.
— You came back.
Arthur slowly stood.
Without answering.
[Arthur]'s smile widened.
— How inconvenient.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
— I was so close.
His gaze drifted toward Mia.
Then returned to Arthur.
— Since I couldn't kill her...
His expression became monstrous.
— I'll kill you.
Dark energy erupted once again.
The floor cracked.
The walls shook.
— I'll take your place.
He pointed directly at Arthur.
— This body will be mine.
— This life will be mine.
— This world will be mine.
His voice began to tremble.
Not from fear.
But from envy.
From hatred.
— You had everything.
— Friends.
— Hope.
— Her.
His eyes shifted back toward Mia.
— While I...
He clenched his teeth.
— Lost everything.
The black smoke intensified even further.
— So I'll take everything from you.
With a single burst...
He vanished.
Arthur disappeared as well.
The two reappeared at the exact center of the chamber.
Their fists collided.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The impact shook the entire structure.
A dimensional shockwave spread in every direction.
Stone exploded.
Crystals shattered.
The air itself seemed to tear apart.
Everyone was forced to shield themselves.
The two vanished again.
Another impact.
Another.
And another.
Only explosions could be seen.
Blue.
Black.
Blue.
Black.
Like two storms colliding without end.
Kidero watched.
His fists were clenched.
His entire body trembled.
Rage.
Nothing but rage.
— That bastard...
His teeth ground together.
— He's become even stronger...
He watched Arthur fighting someone beyond any opponent he had ever known.
And yet...
He kept fighting.
Kidero slowly lowered his head.
— Even so...
He looked at his own hands.
— He ended up saving all of us...
Silence.
Then his expression hardened once again.
— That only makes me hate him even more.
He drew a deep breath.
— Survive...
He looked back toward Arthur.
— Because I'll surpass you someday.
At the center of the battlefield...
[Arthur] slid several meters backward.
He smiled.
Slowly raised his right hand.
His fingers came together like a blade.
Dark energy condensed along its edge.
— Watch.
With a single motion...
A black slash tore across the entire chamber.
Arthur answered instantly.
His own hand also became a blade.
A blue slash burst forth.
The two techniques collided.
The world went dark.
Everything became completely black.
For a single instant...
There was no light.
No sound.
No color.
Then...
Reality returned.
BOOOOOOOM!
Both of them were hurled to opposite sides.
[Arthur] laughed.
— Just as I thought...
He slowly rose to his feet.
— We're completely incompatible.
Arthur remained silent.
Breathing heavily.
His form still had not completely stabilized.
[Arthur] tilted his head slightly.
— But there is one fundamental difference between us.
He slowly spread his arms.
The black smoke swirled around him.
— You possess only dimensional energy.
His smile widened.
— I...
The darkness answered him immediately.
— Possess the darkness as well.
The shadows scattered throughout the chamber began to vibrate.
The black smoke grew denser.
Heavier.
More alive.
[Arthur] slowly closed his hand.
His voice echoed like a command that could never be disobeyed.
— Manifest.
The darkness split apart.
A massive silhouette began to emerge.
First a skeleton.
Then armor.
Then an enormous sword.
Arthur's eyes widened.
No...
It couldn't be.
He knew that figure.
That king.
The very same enemy who had killed Mia before his eyes.
The same enemy they had defeated only after an overwhelming struggle.
[Arthur] immediately noticed his reaction.
He smiled.
— Recognize him?
The creature finished taking shape.
Its empty eyes burned with black energy.
It knelt before [Arthur].
Like a knight before his sovereign.
— After he died...
Said [Arthur].
— He ceased to be a king.
His smile became even crueler.
— Now...
He placed a hand upon the creature's shoulder.
— He is one of my Generals.
Arthur felt a chill run through his very essence.
At that moment...
The General slowly turned his head.
His eyes found Mia.
Then Zaraqnil.
Without receiving another command...
He charged.
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
Arthur tried to intercept him.
But [Arthur] appeared before him once again.
The two resumed exchanging blows.
Arthur struggled to create an opening.
He struggled to reach Mia.
But [Arthur] would not allow it.
— Look at them!
Shouted [Arthur].
— You can't save anyone!
Arthur violently shoved him backward.
Immediately turned.
— Mia!
His voice echoed throughout the chamber.
— Run!
She looked at him.
Confused.
Arthur pointed directly toward Zaraqnil.
— Stay close to her!
Mia hesitated.
— But she...
Arthur interrupted her.
— Trust me.
He smiled.
Even while fighting.
Even while being pushed back.
— She'll protect you.
Mia's eyes met Zaraqnil's.
The ancient queen held her gaze.
Then gave only a small nod.
Mia immediately ran toward her.
At the same time...
The General raised his enormous sword.
Alexius drew a deep breath.
His entire body ached.
His muscles trembled.
Even so...
He tightened his grip on the Primordial Sw
ord once again.
Its flames flared back to life.
Weaker than before.
Yet still burning.
He took one step forward.
Then another.
He propelled himself forward with his fire magic, using much of the mana he still had left.
And stopped before Zaraqnil and Mia.
He drew a deep breath.
Then raised his sword.
— As long as I am still standing...
His eyes met the General's.
— You shall not pass.
The General continued advancing.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Without life.
While behind him...
Arthur and [Arthur] made reality itself tremble with every new clash.