It was the system. It suddenly appeared and said,
[Congratulations, host, for finally unlocking the enemy's true form: (Dark Emperor). Good luck.]
Ymir just smiled. His grin widened like a predator that had been starving for centuries finally tasting meat again.
"Heh… so you're finally taking me seriously, huh? That's what I like. That's what I live for."
He looked up at Hiroko—now transformed—darkness wrapped around him like a second skin, a formless abyss molded into a man-shaped silhouette. The black flames of corruption rippled across his frame, and his aura felt like a thousand screaming souls compressed into one breath.
For the first time in this entire trial, Ymir's heart rate ticked upward. And instead of fear, it only gave him joy.
[Analyzing opponent's skills…]
[Analysis complete. Opponent's abilities: Death Eyes (incomplete), Dark Authority, Shadow Slaves, Chaos Aura, Corruption, Miasma, Monarch's Blade, God of Eternal Darkness Blessing, Phantom Body (incomplete), Evil Spirit Summoning, Shadow Travel, Tentacle, Doppelganger, Illusion, Dark Echo, Anti-Sound, Misleading Voice, Chaos Eater, Hellhounds, Shadow Steps, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Physique, Shadow Morphing…]
[Note: Some abilities remain undisclosed.]
Ymir chuckled, reading through the massive list that flooded his vision.
"Damn, that's a lot of skills. Not that I'm one to talk… but hehe, too bad most of mine are sealed right now. Welp—guess that makes this even spicier. Boss fight vibes only! Gilbert, you don't count, bro. No notification = no boss title. Hiroko, though? Oh yeah, he qualifies. He's the real deal."
When Hiroko's unsealed form finally stepped out of the shroud of darkness, the battlefield itself warped. The trees, rocks, and mountains within a hundred-mile radius dissolved into nothingness, flattened into pure void terrain.
There were no shadows anymore—because Hiroko was the shadows.
Vulkan, Shiro, and Kirishima all stopped their clashes against the beast lords for a second. Even those monsters, Cyclone, Inazuma, and Chrogon, paused. Everyone could feel it. The air itself had shifted. The battlefield was no longer just Earth. It was Hiroko's kingdom.
And yet the war didn't stop. The screaming, the clashing of steel, the roaring of beasts—it all blended into the new dimension of darkness.
Hiroko vanished instantly, no trace of his form, only a ripple of pressure left behind. Then—CRACK!—tentacles burst out from the void, grabbing at Ymir's arms and legs, pulling him like prey caught in a trap.
Ymir snarled, then laughed. His greatsword spun in his grip, cleaving through tentacle after tentacle. But as he cut one, three more appeared. Behind them, hellhounds lunged, their teeth dripping with black flame, shadow slaves swarmed, whispering maddening chants in his ears.
"Hahaha! YES! MAKE IT HARDER!" Ymir roared. Every claw that raked his body, every blade that nicked his flesh—it only widened his grin. Pain turned into fuel.
He cleaved through the hounds with wide sweeps, stomped the shadow slaves into dust, and let the agony spread through his veins like alcohol. "As expected of hell difficulty!!"
Hiroko watched, unimpressed yet entertained. His glowing red eyes narrowed, and then, surprisingly—he laughed too.
"Hah! This giant dares laugh in my domain… very well! It has been centuries since I've unleashed this form. Do not disappoint me!"
Their laughter rose, thunderous and terrifying. The sound carried like exploding stars across the battlefield. Men and beasts covered their ears, blood leaking from their eardrums. The deafening sound made some collapse instantly. For a moment, even the beast lords paused in their rampage.
Silence fell.
The two warriors stood across from each other. Their stares locked. Every soldier, every beast, every spirit dared not breathe.
Then—BOOM!—they vanished. The only proof of their existence was the shockwave that ripped through the land. The void cracked like glass, shadows trembled like they were alive.
All the onlookers could see were two shapes: one giant, one small, flashing into existence for milliseconds before vanishing again. Every collision birthed explosions of light, howls of blade on blade, echoes so maddening that weaker souls lost their sanity on the spot.
"Hahaha! Are you having fun, monster? Witness the true power of Hiroko—the King of Darkness!" Hiroko shouted, his Monarch's Blade swirling with endless shadows.
Ymir didn't bother answering. His only reply was swinging his sword, slamming Hiroko's body back into the ground with sheer brute force. Dust and darkness exploded outward, consuming dozens of unlucky warriors too close to the shockwave.
But Hiroko reappeared, teleporting instantly. His hands surged with crimson lightning. He unleashed it without mercy. The bolt wrapped around Ymir like a predator, electrocuting his massive body.
Ymir screamed—not in pain, but in wild ecstasy. His sword answered in turn, unleashing [Wyvern Slash!] followed by a barrage of [Earth Bullets!] The combination battered Hiroko, slamming him back toward the battlefield center.
The people cheered at seeing Ymir push their leader back—only to fall silent when Hiroko roared in fury.
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
The nearby ninjas tried to defend Hiroko, but Ymir's massive blade swept through them like grass. Dozens were cut down instantly, blood spraying across the void.
That was the final straw. Hiroko's fury boiled.
He raised a talisman, muttering words of binding. From the cracks in the void, a demonic spirit materialized. A warrior-shaped monstrosity, wielding corrupted elements—wind tainted with poison, fire laced with despair.
"Spirit, stall him!" Hiroko commanded.
The spirit charged forward with blinding speed, equal to Hiroko's own. Its corrupted flame and shadowed wind lashed at Ymir, slamming him back step by step.
Ymir smirked. "So this is your trick? Fine."
The giant leapt, grabbed the spirit mid-charge, and slammed it into the void floor. He raised his fist and punched down, but the spirit dodged, counterattacking with a corrupted spear of fire and air. The strike burned through Ymir's chest, making him stumble for the first time.
But that only made his eyes shine brighter.
"HAHAHA! You're good, spirit! But you die NOW!"
Ymir's hand closed, bones snapping, flesh crumbling. The demonic warrior screamed once before being crushed entirely into black dust.
The backlash hit Hiroko like a hammer. He coughed blood violently, his knees buckling. Still, he wiped his mouth and glared at Ymir.
"Persistent bastard…"
The system rang in Ymir's mind.
[Warning: Host, enemy has activated Monarch's Wrath—an enhanced state of the Monarch's Blade. Extreme caution advised.]
Ymir's grin widened.
"PERFECT! Come at me, Hiroko!"
He activated a self-made skill—[Rampage]. His body glowed red, momentum doubling, his strength climbing endlessly the faster he moved. Every step shook the ground. He was no longer just a giant—he was an unstoppable juggernaut.
The two clashed again. Hiroko's shadow blade met Ymir's juggernaut charge. Every strike carved new scars into the void battlefield. Every collision birthed wind blades, shadow blades, and shockwaves that vaporized soldiers too close.
Onlookers screamed, some dying instantly from the raw pressure.
But Hiroko's injuries were stacking. His ribs cracked, his body trembled. Ymir's punches were breaking him down piece by piece.
Desperate, Hiroko filled a bomb with miasma and hurled it at Ymir mid-swing.
BOOM! The explosion engulfed Ymir, finally sending him stumbling back. Hiroko collapsed to the ground, his people rushing to support him. Blood dripped from his lips, but his eyes still glowed with killing intent.
He shoved his people away. "Do not interfere! Leave now!"
The giant's blade loomed above him, ready to crush him once and for all.
But then—
A blinding burst of golden light erupted, engulfing the battlefield.
The shockwave sent Ymir flying back. Hiroko's body froze mid-defeat.
From the center of the light, a voice echoed:
"You two seem to be having a good time... mind if we join?"