Ken finally reached the palace of the Dark Dragon. The air around it was heavy, filled with an ominous silence that pressed down on him.
Then he heard it—a voice, familiar yet unsettling.
"Ken… my son… have you come to save me?"
His eyes widened. That's… father?
He rushed forward, heart pounding. But as he stepped closer, the figure shifted, twisting and warping. The illusion shattered—revealing the Dark Dragon himself.
With a cruel smile, the dragon said, "Son, didn't you come to save me?"
In an instant, he unleashed a devastating strike. Ken barely survived, rolling back with blood on his lips.
"Hey, Dragon!" Ken shouted, steadying himself. "You're a villain—so fight like one! Don't hide behind disguises to stab others in the back!"
The dragon laughed darkly. "I am a villain. That's why I do this."
"Yeah, right," Ken replied, gripping his ring. "Why am I even wasting words on you?"
"Exactly," the dragon sneered. "So shut up and die. Hand me your ring and sword!"
Ken raised his fist. "Take them—if you can!"
The ground trembled.
The battle of the Dark Dimension began.
---
The Dark Dragon's full power erupted. His aura of pure darkness rose higher and higher, filling the sky with crushing pressure. Ken staggered under the weight, sweat dripping.
When I only had the ring, I was no match for him, he thought.
The dragon's form expanded, transforming into a monstrous beast with massive claws, dagger-like teeth, and wings so sharp they could slice mountains. Ken's heart clenched in fear—but his willpower burned brighter.
The dragon roared and unleashed a beam of condensed darkness. The explosion nearly erased Ken from existence, but he barely survived. Coughing, he retaliated with a blazing fire blast—but the dragon shrugged it off.
Another Dark Cannon slammed into Ken, hurling him backward. His body screamed with pain, but he forced himself to stand.
"I can't defeat darkness… without light," Ken muttered. Then an idea struck him. Light is just energy. If I pour my life-force into it… I can create it myself.
Channeling his spirit, he forged the Element of Light. A blinding strike slammed into the dragon, cutting through his darkness. The beast screeched, scarred but not defeated.
Ken clenched his fists. "It's time for the sword… or I'll die here."
---
Meanwhile, in another corner of the battlefield, the four Eternal Dragons were locked in brutal combat with the Dark Dragon's four elite warriors.
Fire Dragon clashed with Elite No. 2.
Water Dragon fought Elite No. 3.
Wind Dragon battled Elite No. 4.
Earth Dragon struggled against the strongest—Elite No. 1.
Each elite was designed to counter their opponent, exploiting every weakness. One by one, the dragons began to falter.
But Wind Dragon raised his voice. "Brothers! These elites are built to defeat us one-on-one—but together, we can break them!"
Earth Dragon slammed his claws into the ground, raising an unbreakable shield. Wind Dragon cloaked them with his winds, hiding their strategy.
"Earth holds them off. The rest of us—take them down one at a time!"
Their roars shook the battlefield. One by one, the elites fell to the dragons' combined fury, their dark forms ripped apart.
---
On Earth, in City Alpha-Z, the Dark Dragon's army attacked relentlessly. But Lexus and Rex carved through them like legends reborn.
"Earth is almost safe," Lexus declared, slashing down a wave of shadow soldiers.
But above them, the real battle raged—Ken and the Dark Dragon's clash shook the entire universe. Fluctuations of energy rippled across dimensions, even warping Earth itself.
---
Ken roared, channeling power into his fist. The Elemental Fist struck the Dark Dragon hard.
In return, the dragon unleashed gravitational force, pinning Ken under crushing tons of weight. Bones cracked, breath vanished. Only the Ring's protective element kept him alive.
"Thank you, ring," Ken gasped. "Without you… I'd be dead."
Desperate, he shouted, "Ring, give me a new element—Plot Armor!"
The ring pulsed. Not possible. You must fight with your own strength. I can only grant you elements—not fourth-wall-breaking miracles.
Ken grinned bitterly. "Figures."
Summoning every ounce of creativity, he combined elements—speed of wind, fire, water, and earth. He turned the battlefield into mud, tricking the dragon into crashing into it. The beast's wings jammed, making him furious.
Dark energy surged like a raging river, sharper than blades. Ken's eyes widened as the dragon's most lethal attack formed—Death Claws.
The strike descended.
Ken barely blocked with his Elemental Fist. His body screamed—one more hit, and he'd be finished.
The dragon prepared to end him.
But then—the battlefield shone.
Ken raised his hand. The Sword of the Universe had answered his call. Its radiant edge gleamed, cutting through the endless dark.
The dragon froze, his eyes narrowing.
The balance of the war had just shifted.
---