A whole week had passed since the devastating incident with my family, caused by the demon named Saro.

 

The crushing feeling of helplessness and regret never left my mind, manifesting as terrifying nightmares. Even though Raya assured me they would be fine and that I would reunite with them someday, I couldn't shake the sadness and the fear that they might be suffering alone. I knew they were all strong, capable of overcoming anything, but as a mother and a friend, I desperately wished I was by their side, comforting them.

 

When I first came to this world, the thought of being alone was my greatest fear. Meeting Komraad and the girls helped me conquer that. Now, even though I was physically alone again, I wasn't scared because I had a family I was determined to get back to.

 

It took multiple days and nights, but I finally accepted the truth. I regained my confidence and determination. I promised myself I would work even harder to ensure the Great Catastrophe would never happen. I would keep moving forward to guarantee a future existed for my daughters.

 

On the day of the incident, Raya had comforted me, and I immediately returned to the orphanage to tell Amalia and Miguel everything that had transpired. They were devastated, but like everyone else, they trusted in Komraad’s strength and my daughters' ability to survive any hurdle.

 

With Komraad and my daughters gone, I spent the entire week rethinking my previous strategy: uniting the Chosen Ones to stop the Catastrophe during the upcoming solar eclipse. Without them, my plan felt unrealistic, especially given the limited time. Yet, I still had allies, Amalia, Miguel, Keith, Zion, May, and Raya, who provided the hope and support I needed to keep fighting.

 

I realized that getting separated from my family wasn't completely without benefit. The most crucial information was that the demons had an evil plan brewing, and I believed it was directly connected to the Great Catastrophe.

 

The demons considered us a huge threat. Saro herself confirmed this, stating they went to such extreme lengths to separate us specifically to prevent us from intervening. The fact they went all out meant they truly believed we would be a fatal hindrance to their scheme.

 

I didn't know their plan or how they would execute it, but armed with the knowledge that they were up to no good, I would do everything in my power to stop them.

 

I hadn't pieced everything together, and many questions remained unanswered. But one thing I was certain of: if the Great Catastrophe was caused by the Titans, and if my hunch that the demons' plans were connected was correct, then the demons’ likely targets were the sources of the Titans' power, the Titans' physical creations, the Seven Great Races themselves. I already knew where to find two of them: The Beastkin Tribe in Kurrbryde and The Featherlight Race in Azure Kingdom.

 

Without further delay, I said my goodbyes to my allies in the Vermine Kingdom and flew back to Kurrbryde. Traveling alone, I didn't need a carriage. I flew the entire distance, arriving in days instead of the months it took us previously.

 

Upon arriving, I flew straight to Nilda's mansion. Thankfully, Kedrick and Erica were also present.

 

I was greeted with warmth and hospitality. I wasted no time and immediately recounted everything that had happened since we left, from the prophecy to the demon Saro and the separation of our family.

 

Just like the others, the three Beastkins were devastated by the fate of their son and my daughters. They had formed a strong bond with the girls, making them emotional and deeply worried. The three quickly comforted me, assuring me that Komraad and my daughters possessed strong wills and would certainly overcome any struggle.

 

Erica was the most emotional, crying for me and hugging me tightly, promising that everything would be okay. I hugged her back, needing the comfort.

 

After the emotional moment, I explained everything I had learned regarding the Great Catastrophe and its connection to the demons. Learning that the tragedy with our family was caused by a demon convinced them that my theories likely held truth.

 

Nilda, however, seemed to have figured out something crucial during our conversation. She stood up, her face serious. “Follow me,” she instructed.

 

I was clueless but followed her immediately, sensing the urgency in her tone.

 

She led me to a hidden, secluded spot at the edge of Kurrbryde’s border, a place known only to her. Upon arrival, I saw another illusion hiding the entrance to the other side, similar to the enormous boulder at the town’s main gate.

 

Passing through the illusion, I was greeted by a breathtaking sight: a vast, grassy field filled with vibrant flowers, with an enormous mountain dominating the background.

 

“What are we doing here?” I asked.

 

Nilda pointed toward the mountain. “Can you see that?”

 

“That mountain?” I asked confusedly.

 

“That’s not a mountain. It’s the body of the Titan of Beast, and it’s been resting here since the creation of our race,” Nilda revealed.

 

“W-what?!?” I shouted in complete surprise.

 

I was utterly shocked. I had thought it was just a normal mountain, completely covered in grass and mold. But now, looking closely, the shape did resemble something massive and living. I finally grasped the immense scale of the Titans, far beyond the vision I saw through Raya. This explained why their movements would be truly devastating.

 

“If the demons are really behind the Great Catastrophe, like you said, and the catastrophe involves the Titans’ destruction, then they will definitely come here to make that happen,” Nilda assessed gravely.

 

Her assessment was spot on, it mirrored my own thoughts. “Y-you’re right. They will definitely come here! I’m sure of it! If it's them, it's possible to make the Titans move again using a forbidden curse technique. I don’t know how they’ll pull it off, but we must defend the Titan’s body with everything we’ve got! If they can’t reach it, their plan is ruined, and the Great Catastrophe won’t happen!” I realized, a surge of resolve running through me.

 

“That’s right. This place is sacred to us! Our creator’s body is resting here, after all! We’ll defend and protect it with our lives, no matter what!” Nilda agreed positively.

 

“What about the other Titans’ bodies? Do you think the other Great Races have them too?” I pressed.

 

“I believe that’s the case as well. The Great Races may not always get along, but if there’s one thing we all share, it’s a deep love and respect for the Titans that created us. We all believe their bodies are sacred, so they too are likely keeping them near their strongholds,” Nilda answered confidently.

 

I knew my decision to come here was right. Learning that the Titan bodies were located near each Great Race’s kingdom or city was a huge piece of information. If they knew the demons were trying to exploit the bodies of their creators, they would surely fight to protect them.

 

Nilda’s revelation helped me immensely. I decided to proceed to the Azure Kingdom the next day to inform them as well. They would also be targeted by the demons, so preparing them was crucial.

 

Erica was worried about me going alone to speak with the Featherlights, given the recent war. But I reassured her, telling her everything would be fine because I knew there was someone there I could talk to who was reasonable.

 

After my conversation with Erica, I immediately flew to the Azure Kingdom, arriving in a matter of hours. I flew directly into their castle and, fortunately, found King Zayke and his elite guards present in the throne room.

 

As expected, everyone was shocked and wary upon my arrival, especially when I transformed into my human form right in front of them.

 

Thankfully, Lou recognized me immediately. He welcomed me warmly and spoke up for me, reminding everyone that I was the one who had saved not only the King but also his best friend.

 

I had braced myself for King Zayke to despise seeing me again, but to my shock, I was completely wrong. He was actually happy and excited. He approached me to thank me personally for helping him. He expressed gratitude for removing the curse his father had put on him, saying the voices in his head were finally gone, and he could stop going insane.

 

His remaining elite guards also thanked me genuinely, showing how much they truly cared for their King. They also exhibited an obvious shift in personality and perspective following the war and their defeat by the girls. It made me happy to see this capacity for change, reinforcing the humanity in everyone.

 

After their warm welcome and expressions of gratitude, I immediately cut to the chase and explained everything in detail. It took a while, but they listened intently from start to finish. As anticipated, they didn't believe me at first, but little by little, I managed to gain their trust.

 

After a lengthy discussion, King Zayke and his remaining elite guards decided to fully believe me and promised their complete and honest cooperation. Like the Beastkins, they deeply loved and respected their Titan and vowed to protect its body, even at the cost of their lives. King Zayke informed me that the body of the Titan of Light was located on a separate floating island near the Azure Kingdom, which he showed me, cementing Nilda’s belief that the Seven Great Races were keeping their Titans close by.

 

After successfully persuading them, I decided to stay in the Azure Kingdom until the solar eclipse. My plan was to train with King Zayke and his elite guards so I could grow stronger for the Great Catastrophe. Another major reason for staying was that King Zayke still hadn't fully unlocked his potential as a Chosen One.

 

Like Komraad before, the Titan of Light hadn't yet manifested in its spirit form, and King Zayke couldn't access his awakened state without it. I decided to support and help him, knowing he would desperately need his full power to fight the demons and stop the Catastrophe. I suspected something was still preventing him from manifesting the Titan of Light, and I believed I could help him the same way I did with Komraad, by accessing the memories in his mind.

 

We used the remaining nine months until the solar eclipse to train everyone and increase our strength. We also made sure to heavily tighten the defenses in both Kurrbryde and the Azure Kingdom, believing an all-out war was imminent.

 

It took months of preparation, but finally, the day of the solar eclipse arrived. Kurrbryde was fully prepared for an all-out war with the demons, led by Nilda, Kedrick, and Erica. My allies in the Vermine Kingdom also joined to fight alongside the Beastkin Tribe, with King Zion leading the royal knights. Keith, May, Amalia, Miguel, and Raya were also present to assist.

 

With my help, the Featherlights were equally prepared to defend their beloved Kingdom and Titan. I also contacted the witches from the Witch’s Isle and Stephany’s gang to fight alongside us, and they agreed without hesitation.

 

Thanks to my daughters, the other Great Races were also able to prepare fully. While I couldn't inform them about the demons because I don’t have a clue where they were, they knew the Great Catastrophe was coming during the solar eclipse and managed to persuade other Great Races and Chosen Ones they met to prepare. Komraad hadn't been able to inform the Chosen Ones he met, but with King Hervis present by their side, that wouldn’t be an issue.

 

During the nine months I trained with the Featherlights, I managed to power up significantly, as did King Zayke and his elite guards. King Zayke could finally manifest the Titan of Light and access his awakened state after months of training. Our full force was ready to face whatever the demons threw at us, determined to prevent the Great Catastrophe no matter the cost.

 

I couldn’t help but feel nervous and worried that I might have missed something, but thankfully, everything we had expected began to take place.

 

Ten minutes before the solar eclipse, a massive black portal appeared in the sky directly above us. I immediately recognized it: it resembled the one that had appeared over the Vermine Kingdom, from which thousands of demons had burst.

 

We had a communication orb connected to Kurrbryde, and they relayed that the same black portal had appeared above them. Not only over the Azure Kingdom and Kurrbryde, but enormous black portals also appeared simultaneously directly above the other Great Races’ Kingdoms and Cities.

 

Minutes after the colossal black portal materialized, thousands upon thousands of demons poured out.

 

The horde consisted of inferior demons, like humanoid winged monsters and feral demon beasts, but unlike the Vermine Kingdom incident, this time, the demons also included Superior Demons capable of using forbidden curse techniques, similar to the one that destroyed Fae’s village. This guaranteed a much harder fight.

 

Even with the chaos and the overwhelming threat, we did not waver. We were absolutely determined to defend the Titan’s body and prevent the Great Catastrophe. We could not afford to lose, something far worse would happen if we did.

 

“Ready when you are, Ms. Ina,” Lou said, his voice ringing with determination.

 

“From here onward, it’s an all-out war!” I responded with firm resolve.

 

“Everyone! Charge!” King Zayke commanded with full authority.

 

Thus, the war between the demons and the Seven Great Races finally began, a fight that would determine the fate of everyone on the planet.

 

Before the inferior and superior demons could even land in the Azure Kingdom, the Featherlight warriors soared into the sky, preventing them from advancing. They engaged the demons in aerial combat, with the elite guards leading the charge. Any demons that slipped through and landed were immediately fended off by the witches and Stephany’s gang.

 

King Zayke and I remained on standby, conserving our energy and assessing the situation. I had an inkling from the start that the demons had some ace up their sleeves, knowing they were invading places protected by the most powerful individuals on the planet, the Chosen Ones.

 

The fight favored us at first, but we quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the demons. Just like before, no matter how many our allies defeated, the demons’ number didn't dwindle. They kept pouring out of the enormous black portal relentlessly.

 

The only way to win was to close off the black portal by destroying its energy source, similar to what Keith did in the Vermine Kingdom. To do that, we had to find its location. This should have been easy for King Zayke and me, but somehow, we couldn’t locate the energy source. It was as if it didn't exist at all, which was deeply troubling because the portal shouldn't be active, and the demons shouldn't be able to cross over without it.

 

I grew worried that we would lose the battle before we could even find and destroy the energy source. I decided to make a call and finally join the fight. 

 

Zayke stopped me before I could take off.

 

“Ms. Ina, you need to conserve your strength, we’ll be needing it when something unexpected happens,” he advised.

 

His words held great significance, but it pained me to watch our allies slowly losing while we, with the power to make a significant difference, just stood by. I tried my best to hold back, but my emotions finally won.

 

“I’m sorry, Zayke, but watching just isn’t my style,” I said firmly.

 

“I’ll try to minimize my usage of magic as much as possible. Call me if you manage to find the energy source or when something unexpected comes up,” I quickly added.

 

“M-Ms. Ina, wai-”

 

Before Zayke could finish his sentence, I flew towards the sky and joined the Featherlights, determined to defeat as many demons as possible.

 

I thought my decision was the right one, but I was wrong. I should have listened to Zayke, because the moment I left his side, the very unexpected thing we were anticipating immediately happened. My hunch about the demons having an ace up their sleeve was spot on.

 

A very strong and intelligent demon, on par with the demon who possessed Zion for years, had been hiding her presence since the battle began. She chose that exact moment to reveal herself, fulfilling her mission to engage Zayke in a one-on-one fight.

 

Zayke immediately noticed the demon’s presence behind him and went on the defensive. It was the first time he had felt such a dark presence, radiating nothing but pure animosity.

 

The demon’s identity was concealed beneath a dark cloak. She approached Zayke slowly and began to speak. “Sigh… I thought that cat would never leave, it’s starting to make me angry! Saro warned us about her… that our curse technique doesn’t work on her so I was wary. The only mission given to me was to destroy the Chosen One assigned to me. I don’t want to get an extra job without extra pay by facing that cat,” the demon hissed from underneath her cloak with a raspy, angry voice.

 

The demon then cast off the cloak, the item that had allowed her to hide her presence, even from me. Like the demon that possessed Zion, this demon was also possessing a human host. 

 

Its host was a young woman with brown skin dusted with countless freckles, and thick, fiery red hair pulled into an unruly, spiked ponytail. Her most striking features were her red, demonic eyes that held a perpetual, angry glare. In her hands, she clutched a human-sized cross wrapped in dirty white bandages.

 

“Hey there, overgrown chicken! I’m Ruth, one of the Great Demon Generals! I was sent here by the boss to deal with a Chosen One such as yourself,” the demon announced after revealing her identity.

 

Instead of being overwhelmed or surprised, Zayke gave a demure and nonchalant response. “What a pathetic way to introduce yourself… You were right to be wary of someone as great as Ms. Ina, demon. Your decision to hide and cower in fear was the right choice because you won’t even stand a chance against her! I, the Chosen One of the Titan of Light, am enough to defeat a coward like you! And once I’ve defeated you, you’ll tell me where the dark portal’s energy source is!” Zayke demanded with his usual arrogance.

 

Ruth’s face immediately turned crimson, wrinkles forming on her forehead. Her fury was palpable. “What did you say, you crappy chicken?!?” She shouted angrily.

 

“A mighty king like me never repeats himself, especially to a lowly demon,” Zayke responded with confidence. Without hesitation, he used his light magic, summoning multiple knights in radiant armor wielding enormous golden axes, and commanded them to attack the demon, Ruth.

 

Zayke’s magic was already superb before, but our months of training had significantly leveled up his capabilities. His summons were far stronger, bigger, more agile, and sturdier than before.

 

Zayke, always a confident man, thought defeating the demon would be a piece of cake. His summoned knights moved, using their axes to try and cleave Ruth. 

 

Ruth reacted by using the large, bandage-wrapped cross she held to block the attack. She succeeded, but she struggled fiercely under the weight of the summoned knights’ axes trying to crush her.

 

Ruth’s struggle gave Zayke a false sense of hope, allowing his arrogant side to resurface, even though I had expressly warned him never to underestimate his opponents, the exact reason he lost to Komraad.

 

“Tell me where the energy source of the portal is, and I might give you a quick and painless death,” Zayke suggested with an arrogant tone.

 

“Grrr… arrogant trash like you are the ones that I hate the most! This is making me so angry!” Ruth shouted in frustration as the weight of the axe pressed down on her.

 

Zayke noticed that the dark, ominous presence around Ruth was changing drastically. It was like heat was building up around her, constantly intensifying.

 

Zayke knew the cross Ruth held was a weapon, but he couldn't determine its type. He assumed it was some kind of shield or sword, an assumption that nearly cost him his life.

 

Moments later, Ruth’s large cross began to glow and heat up, melting the dirty white bandages wrapping it. When the bandages fell away, the cross was revealed to be not a shield or a sword, but an enormous gun.

 

Zayke was stunned, and his summoned knights briefly loosened their grips on their axes, allowing Ruth to escape. Ruth leaped away as far as she could to gain distance and immediately started charging up her gun.

 

Zayke instantly realized her attack would be devastating. He immediately recalled his current summoned knights and replaced them with new ones, this time holding enormous shields, to protect himself.

 

It didn’t take long for Ruth to fully charge her weapon.

 

“Get shredded into pieces, chicken!” Ruth roared angrily. She aimed the gun directly at Zayke and fired a highly concentrated laser made entirely of her curse energy.

 

Zayke was shocked by the sheer firepower Ruth produced, but he was confident his shields could block it, or so he thought. The massive, light-magic knights he had summoned disintegrated instantly upon contact with the laser. They vanished as if they were made of butter. Thankfully, Zayke managed to dodge just as the laser was about to pierce his chest, but it still grazed a portion of his left wing, leaving him unable to fly.

 

“Tsk… lucky bastard,” Ruth complained.

 

Zayke was devastated by what had just transpired. His confidence and ego instantly dimmed, forcing him to reassess the situation. Hurt and humbled, he finally realized this was not a fight he should underestimate. One more mistake could cost him his life. He finally remembered my advice, causing him to genuinely acknowledge his opponent.

 

“Forgive me, Ms. Ina. I committed the same mistake once again,” Zayke muttered to himself.

 

“Are you talking to yourself now? Did my attack cause you to go crazy?” Ruth asked, laughing menacingly.

 

Zayke fixed his composure. His arrogant demeanor was replaced with a seriousness worthy of a King. “I’m just trying to reflect on some important matter. It’s something a demon like you would never understand,” he responded with calm resolve.

 

“Grr… just hearing your voice irritates my entire being! I just want to delete your existence right this very moment!” Ruth snarled, an irritated look on her face.

 

“The feeling is mutual, demon. Pride means nothing to me anymore. I need to finish this fight as soon as possible. For Ms. Ina, for my people, and for our beloved Titan,” Zayke responded with steely determination.

 

The air around him changed drastically. His commitment to taking things seriously was reflected in his entire being. Without any further delay, he decided it was time to unleash his newfound power.

 

After his hard-earned training with me, Zayke could finally summon and use the full power of the Titan of Light.

 

“Dawn, I seek your assistance,” Zayke said reverently.

 

A tiny, floating ball of light emerged from his heart. It was the Titan of Light, Dawn, in her spirit form. She was covered in soft, white feathers, with cute, round yellow eyes and a yellow beak. Her tiny hands were actually wings, and she had a cute, fluffy bird tail.

 

Waking from her deep slumber, Dawn danced in the air and gave Zayke a tight hug on the cheek.

 

“Zayke, my dear friend, it’s been a while since you last summoned me. How may I lend my assistance today?” Dawn asked with a happy voice.

 

“I’m sorry for disrupting your slumber, Dawn, but I need your power to defeat the despicable demon in front of me,” Zayke said respectfully.

 

“No worries! Just say the magic word!” Dawn happily agreed.

 

With their agreement established, Zayke immediately accessed his awakened form.

 

“Titan of Light and Divinity… Shower my heart with your blessed luminosity. ‘Soul Merge!’”

 

“As you wish, my dear friend,” Dawn responded. She entered Zayke’s heart, and he began transforming into his awakened state.

 

Everything fell still. Then, a soft pulse of golden light radiated from his chest.

 

The air around him shimmered. Beams of gold and white danced across his skin. His long, pale blonde hair rose and shifted, extending like flowing light, now faintly glowing with strands of pure light. 

 

A second pulse surged outward, and his robes dissolved into light. In their place, a new form materialized: a divine armor of sculpted light. From his back, his six pairs of luminous wings expanded and glowed, each feather radiating a soft, golden aura.

 

As the transformation reached its peak, the air around him lit up in a soft golden glow, winds circling him in reverent spirals.

 

Then, his eyes opened, bright and glowing with the fury and grace of the heavens. 

 

Like the other Chosen Ones who had just unlocked their potential, Zayke had the same limitations as them. Even with all the training, he could only maintain his awakened state for about five minutes. He had to win before he detransformed.

 

Even in the presence of a Chosen One in their fully awakened state, Ruth didn’t falter; instead, she seemed even more excited.

 

“Good decision, chicken! The satisfaction of ending you in this state will bring me more pleasure!” Ruth said happily.

 

“Enough chit chat! I won’t allow you to stand in my sacred kingdom any longer!” Zayke declared. Without hesitation, he initiated the attack. This time, no longer relying on summoned knights.

 

[Light Magic: Golden Rush]

 

Zayke created multiple enormous swords made of light out of thin air and fired them toward Ruth.

 

Ruth responded by using her gun to shoot down the flying swords one by one. She was so preoccupied dealing with the ranged attack that she lost track of Zayke’s position.

 

The moment Zayke transformed, his damaged wing was instantly healed. His agility and strength were also significantly heightened. With his new agility, he flew so fast that Ruth didn’t realize he was already behind her.

 

While Ruth was distracted by the swords, Zayke closed the distance, created an enormous hammer made of light, and swung it at Ruth.

 

Ruth noticed it at the last second and managed to use her gun to block the strike. She was successful, but the impact sent her flying straight into a concrete wall, causing her to take heavy damage.

 

She quickly recovered, standing up shortly after.

 

“Tsk… you really are a chicken. Attacking a woman from behind, you sure are a hypocrite, and it’s making me angry!” Ruth shouted angrily, spitting some blood.

 

Her gun began glowing and heating up once again, indicating another deadly attack was incoming.

 

Zayke immediately realized there was a factor causing Ruth’s firepower to increase so significantly in an instant, but he couldn’t pinpoint the reason.

 

After charging up, Ruth fired another concentrated laser of curse energy, this one far stronger than the last. Zayke knew he couldn't block it, so he used his enhanced agility to dodge. He successfully avoided the initial attack, but something was different this time.

 

Ruth used the laser she fired like a whip, changing its trajectory mid-flight. Zayke was caught off-guard and couldn’t fully dodge. Even with his speed, his right shoulder was grazed by the attack, causing it to bleed heavily.

 

Huff Huff

 

Zayke was down on the ground, pressing his hand against his shoulder to stem the blood loss.

 

Ruth saw her opportunity to finish him. “Check mate, chicken!” She cackled, smirking.

 

She fired yet another concentrated laser, but Zayke noticed it was significantly weaker than the last one. This simple variation finally allowed him to deduce the reason behind Ruth’s gun's seemingly random changes in firepower.

 

Even with the fresh injury, Zayke remained composed. He knew the incoming attack wouldn't be as devastating as the previous ones. He couldn't dodge, and blocking with defensive magic was out of the question due to his injuries. Instead, he met the attack with his own offensive magic to cancel it out.

 

[Light Magic: Dual Summoning - Scale of Balance and Seraph’s Staff]

 

With the spell Seraph’s Staff, Zayke created a devastating ray of light, and the spell Scale of Balance allowed its firepower to increase tenfold. With this quick-witted move, Zayke successfully canceled out Ruth’s attack.

 

After quickly stopping the bleeding from his shoulder, Zayke immediately stood up, a hopeful smile spreading across his face. He then began to laugh, tears welling up in his eyes.

 

“Huh??? What’s so funny, chicken!?” Ruth shouted angrily, completely confused.

 

“I’m just laughing at my own naivety," Zayke declared, a faint, almost painful laugh escaping him. “It’s so stupid that it took me this long to realize the truth. Can’t believe it was this obvious. I thought it was random, but I was wrong… it was your rage that’s causing your firepower to significantly spike up, wasn’t it?” Zayke deduced with absolute confidence.

 

Ruth was silent, but her facial expression was a dead giveaway. Multiple wrinkles formed on her forehead, and she was sweating heavily. It was all the evidence Zayke needed to confirm his theory.

 

“Ha-ha… your face says it all,” Zayke said, a triumphant smirk replacing his earlier pain.

 

“S-so what if you figured it out?!? Nothing will change! You’re still at my mercy!” Ruth shouted, irritated and defensive.

 

“You’re wrong… this information changes everything. All I have to do is prevent you from getting angry,” Zayke concluded.

 

“Ha! Sorry to burst your bubble, but I get angry at everything! Your voice is making me angry already!” Ruth roared. She prepared to shoot Zayke once again.

 

Having figured out Ruth’s core mechanism, Zayke prioritized everything he had into increasing his speed even further, giving Ruth no time to react, charge, or gather enough rage to empower her weapon.

 

With his awakened state nearing its five-minute limit, Zayke bet everything on his agility. He moved as fast as possible to close the gap between them, dodging all of Ruth’s retaliatory attacks. Yet, even with his speed, he found it difficult to close the distance. Ruth was firing her gun so rapidly that she was keeping pace with his movement.

 

It was a struggle, but Zayke finally found the crucial fraction of a second he needed. In that instant, he managed to flip the dynamic of the fight.

 

[Light magic: Orchestral Lullaby]

 

He instantly summoned multiple musical instruments made of light, which began playing a soothing symphony. The sound waves released from the instruments had a brief paralyzing effect on Ruth. It only lasted for seconds, but it was enough. The moment he closed the gap, he summoned a sharp light sword in his hand and thrust it at Ruth in a piercing stab. Ruth managed to dodge certain death, but Zayke's attack left a huge wound across her face.

 

Ruth stopped moving entirely after being wounded on the face. Zayke thought it was over, but after a moment of delay, a massive amount of negative energy exploded from Ruth. Zayke was overwhelmed by the pressure. It was the most potent, concentrated rage he had ever felt from her.

 

Zayke wanted to end her for good, but he was physically repelled by the sheer force of Ruth’s demonic pressure.

 

“How dare you… How dare you ruin my pretty face! I won’t be able to face the Demon King looking like this! You’ll pay for what you’ve done! I’ll erase your very existence!” Ruth screamed, her voice a raw, angry shriek.

 

Her rage this time was uncontrollable and absolute. The sheer pressure could be felt across the entire Azure Kingdom. With the catastrophic rage she had gathered, Ruth was ready to unleash her most powerful attack, one potent enough to reduce the entire kingdom to smithereens.

 

Zayke knew this was the moment that would decide the fate of the war. He resolved to use his own most powerful spell to save his kingdom, his people, and their precious Titan.

 

Without further ado, Ruth fired her most powerful attack yet, an unstoppable force meant to destroy everything in its path without a trace.

 

“I offer ten decades of my life force,” she muttered, the spell taxing her host to the limit.

 

[Forbidden Curse Technique: Raging Fury]

 

Ruth’s attack was so immense and powerful that its bright light could be seen by everyone nearby, even those fighting in the skies above.

 

With grim resolve, Zayke faced Ruth’s ultimate move with his own trump card. The truth was, he had been waiting for Ruth to use her most powerful attack, confident that he had the ability to counter it with his newfound power. His goal was to use Ruth’s attack against her, and now was his chance.

 

The moment Ruth released her attack, Zayke used his ultimate magic to counter it.

 

Ultimate magic is unique to each caster but can change and evolve depending on the caster's state of mind. Zayke had altered and changed his ultimate magic when I managed to break him free from his father’s influence. Now that his perception of life had changed, his approach to magic had changed, too.

 

Zayke's new ultimate magic no longer revolved around offense, it now revolved around defending the things that he finds precious.

 

[Ultimate Magic: Divine Reflection]

 

Zayke summoned an enormous, magnificent, and divine angelic goddess holding an enormous mirror made of his light magic. He used his ultimate magic to block Ruth’s attack by absorbing it inside the mirror. After being fully absorbed, Zayke reflected Ruth’s attack back at her, making it twice as strong as before.

 

Ruth’s confidence was completely shattered. She had not seen Zayke’s counter-attack coming. She was guaranteed to lose her life if the attack connected, but fortunately, I had noticed the blinding light earlier and arrived in the nick of time to prevent the tragedy.

 

Before Zayke’s reflected attack could hit Ruth, I flew in front of her and used my body to block it. Since the attack was made of demon curse energy, my body would simply absorb it harmlessly.

 

After absorbing the attack, instead of being thanked, Ruth was absolutely furious. She was shocked by my action, and it hurt her pride that she had been saved by her own enemy.

 

“Y-you stupid cat! That was your ticket into winning this fight! The energy source is within my body! If that attack hit me, it would’ve closed the portal in the sky and stopped the demons from coming out!” She screamed angrily.

 

“If I allowed that, then your human host would’ve died as well! I won’t let something like that happen!” I shouted back.

 

While we were arguing, Zayke’s awakening wore off after using his ultimate magic. He overheard our conversation and slowly approached.

 

“She is right, Ms. Ina. If you didn’t save her, the war would’ve been over already,” Zayke said.

 

“Sorry, Zayke, but if winning means at the cost of someone else’s life, then I don’t want it,” I said with firm determination.

 

I thought Zayke would be disappointed in me, but I was wrong. He gave me a warm, genuine smile. “That’s the reason why I admire you so much, Ms. Ina, because you have the kindest and warmest heart I’ve ever seen. I was once your enemy, but you saved me anyway, so whatever your decision is, I will always stand by your side.”

 

Zayke’s words helped clear my mind. Saving Ruth was a decision made in the heat of the moment. I wouldn't deny that I hadn't fully considered the consequences, but I would never regret doing it. If it meant saving a life, I would do it a thousand times over.

 

Ruth wasn't a threat to us anymore. After using her forbidden curse technique, her weapon overheated and was destroyed. But even without a Demon General, our side was still struggling. The demons pouring out of the portal had not stopped at all.

 

We had already lost half of our allies, and the only way to stop the swarm from increasing was to kill Ruth, but doing so would kill the human she was possessing, which I refused to do.

 

I racked my brain for a solution, a way to close the portal and save Ruth's human host simultaneously. I was struggling to think of a way. The first thing that came to mind was the relic Keith had given me to separate Zion from the demon possessing him, but that relic was a one-time use only.

 

I was about to lose hope when a crazy realization hit me, it just might work. “T-that’s it! I got it!”

 

The consciousness of the human Ruth was possessing was likely deep within her mind, just like Zion before. Maybe I could reach out to her, similar to how I entered Komraad’s mind to explore his memories.

 

“Have you figured something out, Ms. Ina?” Zayke asked, curiosity replacing his exhaustion.

 

“I have, and my body will be vulnerable while I do it, so I need you to protect it in the meantime,” I responded.

 

“You can count on me, Ms. Ina, but please do it fast, for the sake of our allies,” Zayke answered, his face serious.

 

“Okay, I’ll be right back,” I said. I then approached Ruth so I could touch her forehead and enter her mind.

 

“W-what do you think you’re doing, you stupid cat! Get your hands off of me!” Ruth shouted, looking genuinely flustered.

 

Thankfully, she couldn’t fight back without her weapon, and her body was exhausted from using her most powerful cursed attack. Touching her didn’t require much effort. I just hoped it would work exactly as I imagined.