**BOOM!**
The battlefield trembled. **Dust and debris erupted** as shockwaves clashed, sending fissures tearing through the land. **The sky itself seemed to shake** as Vinay and the trio—Thane, Karael, and Elyas—**continued their relentless war.**
Neither side backing down. **Neither side giving in.**
But no matter how hard they fought—**Vinay still stood untouchable.**
Thane **charged in first.** His aura burned **brighter than ever**, fists cloaked in golden energy. He feinted left—**then struck right!**
Vinay **caught the punch with ease.**
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
**CRACK!**
With a flick of his wrist, Vinay **crushed** Thane's attack, sending a shockwave that blasted him backward.
Before he could recover—**Karael struck.**
**A golden spear of energy materialized in his hands.** He lunged with divine precision, aiming straight for Vinay's heart.
Vinay smirked. **"Predictable."**
He twisted his body **at the last second,** grabbing the spear mid-air.
Then, in an instant—**he shattered it with his bare hands.**
**"Pathetic."**
His knee shot up—**SMASH!**
Karael **vomited blood** as he was launched into the sky.
Elyas rushed in next.
He flickered out of sight—then **reappeared behind Vinay.**
His blade **hummed with lethal energy.**
He swung.
**Vinay didn't even turn around.**
**CLANG!**
Vinay raised **one finger**—**just one—**and stopped the attack mid-air.
Elyas' eyes **widened in horror.**
Vinay exhaled. **"You're not even worth my full strength."**
And with a flick—**Elyas was sent flying.**
Thane **crawled out of the rubble.** His body was broken, but his **will refused to shatter.**
Karael landed hard, coughing blood, **but still gripping his spear.**
Elyas skidded across the battlefield, **but his eyes remained locked on Vinay.**
Even after countless **defeats.**
Even after overwhelming **humiliation.**
**They stood back up.**
And that alone… **was terrifying.**
Vinay narrowed his eyes.
"Still alive? Impressive."
His aura flared, **crimson lightning sparking through the air.**
"But useless."
And then—**he moved.**
Deep inside the palace ruins, **Ryan Jim sat up.**
He could still **feel the echoes of his battle with Idris.** The weight of it lingered in his body, but his mind was clear.
**He was almost ready.**
Liora, on the other hand, was already standing.
Her wounds had healed, but **her spirit still burned with the fire of battle.**
She looked toward **Dain,** who sat silently in the corner, deep in thought.
**Something was wrong.**
His fists were clenched. His breathing was heavy. His gaze was lost in memory.
Liora stepped forward.
**"Dain."**
No response.
She placed a hand on his shoulder. **"We don't have time for hesitation."**
Dain exhaled. **"I know."**
His voice was **low.** Tired.
**"But I don't know if I'm ready."****"Ready to fight? Or ready to kill?"**
Dain didn't answer.
Liora didn't press further.
Instead, she turned toward the battlefield, where the battle still raged on.
**It was almost time.**
And when they returned—**they would end this war.**
Thane, Karael, and Elyas **stood their ground.**
Their bodies were broken. Their energy was drained. But their spirits **refused to bend.**
Vinay sighed. **"You still think you have a chance?"**
Karael wiped the blood from his lips. **"It's not about chance."**
Thane grinned, despite his injuries. **"It's about will."**
Elyas smirked. **"And we've got plenty of that."**
Vinay's eyes flashed.
**"Then let me take that away."**
His aura surged. The ground **cracked apart.**
**The final round had begun.**