The battle continued to tear through the eternal darkness of Sinspire, each strike rewriting fragments of reality. The Protagonist, sweating and panting but still refusing to yield, lashed out again and again.
"You know," he shouted while clashing with Alex, "my passive power is that I can never lose in a story! So why are you being so difficult?!"
Alex parried another blow with ease. "It's not that I hate being you," he said calmly. "It's not some deep feeling or trauma. I didn't have big dreams. I just wanted to live happily. And with you? There's stress. Responsibility. Expectations. I hate those."
Before the Protagonist could answer, Alex snapped his fingers.
A sphere transparent yet shimmering formed around the two of them, isolating them from Sinspire entirely.
The Protagonist froze. "Huh… that's your final answer? Very well then. It was nice knowing you, Alex."
He began charging an attack powerful enough to tear everything apart. The glow around him intensified, shaking the sphere.
He leaned forward and whispered, "Alex, let me tell you something. Fiction isn't quantifiable. It exists and doesn't exist at the same time. Which means even your power is bound to me. This little sphere won't do anything to stop that."
He unleashed his final attack.
A blast of pure narrative annihilation swallowed Alex whole.
When the smoke cleared...
Alex stood there. Unharmed.
The Protagonist's eyes widened in terror. "HOW?!"
Alex tilted his head. "Are you sure we're still inside a domain? Are you sure we're still in the sphere you think I made?"
The Protagonist froze.
"What… what is it?" He activated his power, scanning the environment.
And then his face drained of color.
"No… it can't be…"
Alex nodded. "That's right. We're not in vortex anymore. We're in a story I created. And in this story… I am the Protagonist. Your passive ability ensures the protagonist always wins. And this time—"
Alex snapped his fingers.
Everything went black.
—
The Protagonist woke up lying in Alex's world, gasping for air.
He staggered to his feet. "I… was defeated. How?!"
A portal opened. Plot Armor and Extra stepped out.
The Protagonist recoiled. "You—how—?!"
Extra sighed dramatically. "Well, we needed someone. Or more accurately… we abused someone."
Alex lifted his hand.
Something appeared—no, someone.
A tiny goblin-like creature with green skin, trembling violently as Alex held it by the neck. Black, empty eyes stared hopelessly into the distance.
The Protagonist's face turned white. "No… it can't be…"
Extra nodded. "Oh, it's possible. Very possible."
Alex raised the terrified creature higher.
Plot Hole.
The Protagonist whispered, horrified, "No… not him… not Plot Hole… it's not possible…"
Extra smirked. "Actually, it is. Let me explain."