Around the battlefield, the ruined Empire groaned. Far below the ancient Pillar, the black crystal pulsed once — then the view zoomed inside.
A cold dark dimension opened. Imperial hung from heavy chains, each link biting into his wrists. He coughed; the air tasted like rust and old smoke. Across from him, Malrik stood calm, his cloak stirring though no wind blew.
Imperial forced a grin. "Having a good time babysitting, Malrik?" He spat the words like a dare.
Malrik's eyes were ice. He stepped forward and lashed the air with a gust. Imperial choked; a thin ribbon of blood leaked from his mouth.
"Shut up," Malrik said quietly. Then his fist hit Imperial's face with a hard, savage sound.
Imperial's head snapped to the side. He smiled again, but it was hollow. "Funny thing about reality," he said. "Everyone's out there fighting. Maybe they think you're dead weight — that you couldn't help even if you wanted to. Maybe that's why they picked Finn... not you — for Octagram ,despite your dark magic."
Malrik's hand tightened. He moved like a coiled blade. "You ask for your death with your mouth," he hissed. His next punch landed clean on Imperial's jaw. Imperial tasted metal and cold.
"You'll die by my hand soon enough," Malrik promised, voice low and sharp.
Imperial blinked slowly, bleeding at the corner of his mouth. He glanced away toward the faint echo of battle drums that seemed to reach even this place. "Only the gods know when things end," he whispered. The chains clanked as he shifted, pain metal-cold through his arms. He let the words hang between them — half challenge, half prayer.
Malrik watched him for a long breath, then turned his back, leaving Imperial to the dark and the chains.
A rumble came from somewhere above — the sound of magic tearing the night. The scene pulled out, the black crystal's pulse fading, and the view snapped back to the battlefield.
Scenes of Ari against Celestia.
Ari vanished in a blinding flash of light — her movement so fast it split the air like thunder.
Celestia's eyes widened, her senses on high alert. "She's gone—"
A faint glimmer appeared behind her. Ari reappeared mid-spin, her blade of light slashing downward in a fierce arc.
The strike cut through the air with razor precision — but Celestia's instincts screamed just in time.
"Water Shield!" she shouted.
A shimmering wall of water surged up, catching the blow. The moment Ari's blade connected, the shield rippled violently, scattering droplets like exploding diamonds.
The impact thundered through the field — shockwaves rippled outward, kicking up dust and waves.
But before Celestia could breathe, another Ari appeared from the side, striking again.
Her eyes widened — "A clone?! No… an afterimage!"
She spun, blocking the second strike with another wave of water, barely holding back the assault.
As the last shimmer faded, Ari stood a few meters away, her light blade glowing intensely, heat distorting the air around her.
Celestia steadied her breath, her shield dripping away into mist.
"Your speed…" she muttered, eyes narrowing. "It's beyond sight now."
Ari smirked faintly, raising her glowing sword again. "Then stop relying on sight."
The air split apart.
Ari vanished — light exploded from where she stood, shattering the sound barrier in a single flash. Celestia's sharp senses kicked in instantly. Her wings flared wide as she raised both arms — just in time.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three afterimages of Ari struck from different angles — blades of pure light slashing down like divine meteors. Celestia twisted, her water-infused blade intercepting the blows with fluid grace. Sparks and droplets filled the air, steam bursting with every impact.
Celestia countered — a whip of dark water spiraled outward, its motion unpredictable, cutting through the dust like a serpent of midnight. But Ari slipped between its curves effortlessly, her movements too fast, too sharp, too bright.
Ari's twin blades flashed — one vertical, one diagonal — her strikes flowing like streaks of sunlight across an endless sky.
Celestia conjured a circular shield, layers of dark water rippling together. Ari's strike hit it head-on — and shattered it like glass.
A deafening shockwave erupted. The ground cracked apart, molten stone bursting upward as the impact turned air into heat.
Celestia staggered, her boots skidding through steam. She quickly aimed her palm forward.
"Dark Spear!"
A condensed spike of shadow-water blasted out, cutting through the haze like a bolt of night.
Ari didn't flinch. She raised her forearm — her aura burst, a wave of golden light deflecting the spear with sheer force. It disintegrated instantly.
Celestia frowned. "Tch… she's adapting too fast."
"Dark–Water Fangs!" she shouted.
Dozens of watery blades erupted from the ground, coiling upward like serpents with gleaming fangs. They hissed as they cut through the air, aiming for Ari from all sides.
Ari leapt high — then disappeared midair.
Celestia's eyes widened, instincts screaming. "Above!"
A beam of light fell from the heavens. Ari reappeared mid-spin, her sword glowing brighter than the sun itself, slashing downward in a single, devastating strike.
Celestia crossed her arms, forming a spiral barrier of dark water.
The moment Ari's blade hit, the world exploded — golden fire and black water clashed, forming a wave of blinding mist and roaring energy. The pressure blasted both of them backward, tearing chunks of rock into the air.
Ari landed hard, sliding across the molten ground. Her boots burned glowing lines into the surface as she steadied herself. Without hesitation, she burst forward again, her body blurring into streaks of light.
Celestia lifted both hands, forming seals in the air.
"Dark–Water Surge!"
A tidal wave of black water rose behind her — then crashed forward like a living wall.
Ari didn't slow. She plunged straight into the wave, cutting through it like a blazing spear. Steam erupted in sheets, and Celestia's expression tensed as her own magic began to evaporate around Ari's aura.
They met in the center.
Clang!
Their blades locked. Light and water screamed against each other, colliding in a storm of pure energy.
Every strike that followed was faster — louder — more violent. Ari's sword traced crescents of radiance that burned the air; Celestia's whips carved dark spirals that swallowed light whole.
The battlefield trembled. Each impact sent shockwaves racing outward, flattening the terrain and hurling debris skyward.
Ari spun low, sweeping horizontally. Celestia jumped, twisting midair, countering with a falling slash made of condensed dark water. Ari caught it with her second blade, blocking with both hands, then kicked off the ground, her speed bursting through the smoke like a bullet of sunlight.
They clashed again — and again — and again.
Each time faster. Each time louder. Each time stronger.
For a moment, both disappeared entirely. The world turned to flashes and echoes — explosions of steam and bursts of gold and black light marking their paths.
When the dust cleared, they appeared behind each other — both mid-swing, both gasping for air, both smiling faintly despite the exhaustion.
Then, as if in silent agreement — they charged again.
Celestia extended her hand.
"Dark–Water Bind!"
Streams of black water coiled around Ari's limbs, trying to trap her in mid-motion. But Ari's body pulsed with light — the bindings melted instantly. She reappeared right in front of Celestia, eyes glowing like stars.
Her blade moved — too fast to see.
Celestia's instincts screamed. She blocked, sparks flying as the blade grazed her shoulder. A line of blood marked her white armor, hissing as it met Ari's radiant aura.
Celestia gritted her teeth, thrusting her palm forward.
"Dark Abyss — Tidal Fall!"
The sky above her twisted. A massive sphere of dark water formed, glowing with black lightning. It collapsed downward, flooding the battlefield in an instant.
Ari was swallowed — but her light didn't fade.
Instead, beams of gold burst out from inside the flood, slicing it apart. The water split open like curtains before the dawn.
Celestia barely saw it — Ari dashed out of the broken torrent, her whole body surrounded by light.
"Too slow!" Ari's voice rang out.
A slash. Then another. Then ten more.
Golden arcs filled the sky, forming patterns like the wings of angels.
Celestia blocked three, dodged two — but the rest cut across her guard, each strike burning her defenses thinner and thinner.
The final blow knocked her backward — her wings snapped open mid-fall, catching her balance as steam rose from her armor.
Both women now hovered across the shattered field — one shining, one shadowed.
Ari's hair floated weightlessly, her eyes shimmering with resolve. Celestia's wings rippled with dark mist, water dripping like tears of night.
They glared at each other — no words, just breathing, just tension.
Then both raised their hands.
The ground itself began to bend under the power they summoned.
Ari's light grew blinding. Celestia's aura deepened to pure darkness.
The air between them cracked — half golden, half black.
Ari's voice echoed softly, but with absolute command.
"Then let's see whose world shines brighter."
She slammed her glowing blade into the ground.
Light Zone: Radiant Horizon!
A golden pillar erupted skyward, swallowing the sky, splitting the battlefield into endless brilliance. Shadows vanished — even Celestia's dark waves hissed and burned away.
Celestia's eyes widened. "A Zone—?! Here?!"
Ari vanished into the light.
From within the blinding radiance, her whisper echoed — gentle, but deadly.
"Final Art — Solar Sever."
And then — she moved.
Not as a person. As light itself.
A single golden line cut across the entire world — too fast for time, too bright for sight.
Celestia barely crossed her blades before the force hit her like a collapsing star.
The explosion was instant.
A blinding wave of radiance devoured everything. The earth tore apart. The sea boiled. The very air screamed as the power of light ripped through it.
A dome of gold and black energy expanded, swallowing the horizon.
When it finally faded, the battlefield was gone — melted, reformed, reshaped by pure power.
Celestia stood at the far end, her shoulder bleeding faintly, her breath ragged. Her wings trembled but did not break.
Ari stood opposite her, one knee bent, her sword still glowing — light pulsing like a heartbeat.
The golden Zone still shimmered, unstable, shaking reality itself.
Both fighters looked at each other — exhausted, scarred, but burning with fire that refused to die.
The world was silent.
Steam drifted between them, glowing faintly in the golden haze.
Neither moved.
Neither gave in.
Because both knew — this was not the end.
Scene shift
Magna and Finn stood again steam and sparks still hanging in the air. Their clash resumed — hotter, fiercer — as the chapter cut back to the war.
The explosion of steam filled the field, swallowing both men in a blinding haze.
Crackling fire. Rushing water. The world hissed like it was burning alive.
From within the mist, Finn's voice echoed — calm, sharp, deliberate.
"Elemental Shift: Lightning."
A streak of yellow tore through the steam. Magna raised his arms in time, molten energy coating his skin like armor. The lightning bolt hit him square in the chest — a flash, a roar — and the molten layer cracked, smoke bursting from the impact.
"Tch…" Magna grinned through the pain. "You can switch elements, huh? Then I'll just burn through all of them."
He stomped again. Lava surged up behind him like a dragon's spine, splitting the earth in glowing rivers. He punched forward, sending a wave of molten fists rushing through the smoke.
Finn leaped back — his eyes glowed faintly blue.
"Wind Magic: Tornado Break!"
A twisting cyclone burst from his hand, scattering the lava and fire, cooling the ground into black glass.
But Magna didn't stop. He lunged through the fading flames, one arm covered in molten stone.
"Fire–Lava Hybrid Magic: Volcanic Fist!"
Finn crossed his arms. "Barrier Shift — Ice Field!"
The ground turned white in a heartbeat. A frost dome formed around him just as Magna's punch landed.
The explosion was thunder itself — fire against ice, red against blue.
Cracks spread through the dome. The next hit shattered it completely, shards of ice melting midair as heat swallowed the field again.
Finn slid backward, smoke trailing from his clothes. "You fight like a beast," he said quietly, "but beasts don't win against reason."
Magna smirked. "Then reason's about to get burned."
He clapped his hands together — the air shook.
Circles of red sigils flared under his feet.
"Fire Drive — Ignite Form!"
His entire body burst into crimson aura. Flames danced off his arms and shoulders like living serpents. The ground under him began melting as heat waves distorted the air.
Finn narrowed his eyes. "So you're not holding back."
"Never do." Magna dashed forward, leaving a crater where he'd stood.
Finn moved his hands through a blur of seals — his aura shifted colors again.
"Elemental Shift: Earth–Wind Combination!"
The ground lifted under him, forming a spinning rock platform that carried him above Magna's lava surge. Then he flicked his fingers down.
"Tremor Lance!"
Sharp spikes of stone wrapped in wind shot downward like missiles. Magna punched them apart midair, sparks flying everywhere. But the next barrage came faster — and the next — until one pierced his shoulder, drawing blood.
Magna growled and ripped it out, lava sealing the wound shut. "Nice trick," he said, fire gathering around his fist again. "My turn."
He slammed his fists into the ground — both of them.
"Lava Magic: Infernal Burst!"
The entire battlefield exploded.
Columns of molten fire erupted upward, swallowing the sky in crimson light. Finn was forced to retreat higher, but even there, the heat clawed at him. He raised both arms.
"Elemental Shift: Water–Wind Fusion — Storm Wall!"
A spiraling shield of water and air surrounded him, deflecting the rising magma. Steam blasted out in every direction, turning the field into a boiling fog once more.
Finn descended slowly, his boots touching solidified stone. "You rely on raw power," he said, voice calm even as sweat rolled down his cheek. "You're strong — but predictable."
Magna chuckled, voice echoing through the haze. "Predictable, huh?"
Suddenly, his voice came from behind Finn.
"You sure?"
Finn turned — too late.
Magna's punch slammed into his side, molten energy cracking his ribs.
Finn coughed blood but spun instantly, sending a slicing gust to counter. Magna blocked it with his forearm, though the wind carved a deep cut.
Both staggered back, panting.
Finn's eyes glowed white for a second. "Elemental Drive — Resonance Mode."
Lightning, ice, fire, and wind all flared around him in harmony — swirling together like an elemental storm.
Even Magna paused. "Heh… guess you're done warming up."
Finn raised his palm. "Let's end it."
A massive sphere of multi-elemental energy formed in front of him, swirling with lightning, flame, water, and wind — all fusing into chaos.
"Elemental Annihilation!"
The sphere erupted forward, a beam of pure elemental devastation tearing through the air toward Magna. The ground split in its wake — a storm of every element combined into one.
But Magna didn't flinch. He slammed his hands together, eyes blazing with molten fury.
"Lava Zone — Infernal Dominion!"
The ground exploded outward. Lava burst from beneath his feet, engulfing the approaching energy. The molten surge devoured the beam like a living creature, turning the chaotic colors into nothing but blinding orange heat.
Finn's attack disintegrated within the inferno — completely consumed by Magna's Zone.
Finn staggered back, shielding his face from the heat. "Impossible… that attack had every element—"
Magna stepped forward, molten streams spiraling around him like chains.
"Inside my Zone, all elements melt the same," he said, voice echoing through the smoke. "You're standing in my domain now."
Finn's aura flared — refusing to yield.
"Elemental Shift: Water–Wind Fusion — Typhoon Burst!"
A massive spiral of water and air roared forward, colliding with the molten field. Steam exploded outward in violent waves, blinding everything.
But the instant the typhoon met the lava — it vanished, evaporated into nothing.
Finn's eyes widened. "What—?"
Through the haze, Magna stepped forward, surrounded by swirling lava streams like molten chains. His grin burned just as hot as the fire around him.
"Your water's useless here. The moment it touches my Zone, it burns away."
He thrust his fist forward.
One of the lava streams shot out like a cannon, crashing against Finn's barrier.
Finn countered — lightning wrapped around his arms as he fired a bolt through the molten blast.
BOOM!
The explosion threw both fighters back. Magna hit the ground first, knees sinking into molten rock. He roared, flames bursting from his back like fiery wings.
"Let's finish this!"
Finn, panting and bloodied, gathered the last of his strength. The elements around him spiraled again, merging into one final core of raw energy.
"Elemental Collapse!"
The beam tore forward — a storm of every element combined.
Magna didn't dodge.
He spread his arms wide as the veins across his chest glowed molten red.
"Lava Zone: Final Core!"
The ground split behind him — a volcanic heart rose, pumping waves of lava through the field. Streams of molten fire raced toward his hands, merging his aura with the Zone itself.
He thrust both fists forward.
"Crimson Cataclysm!"
The two ultimate spells collided — Finn's elemental storm against Magna's molten world.
The sky turned white.
For a few endless seconds, there was nothing but light and sound — the roar of creation and destruction clashing. Then the shockwave came, a wall of heat that consumed everything. The battlefield vanished under fire.
When the smoke cleared, only a vast field of glowing magma remained.
In the center stood Magna — his body scorched, breathing ragged, one knee pressing into the molten ground. The sigils of his Lava Zone flickered faintly… then faded away.
Across from him lay Finn — his aura shattered, the ground beneath him cooled to black stone.
Finn tried to lift his arm… and failed.
"You… monster…" he whispered hoarsely.
Magna smirked faintly. "Guess that means… I win."
He raised one trembling fist, a flicker of flame gathering around it. Then he slammed it down.
A final burst of fire erupted from the ground, blasting Finn backward and slamming him into the hardened rock. His aura cracked — and went dark.
Silence fell.
Magna stood there, steam rising from his skin. The lava cooled beneath his boots, solidifying into black glass. His knees buckled once, but he forced himself upright, glancing down at the unconscious Finn.
"Strongest squad, huh?" he muttered with a tired grin. "Guess I just burned that title a little."
He turned, his body glowing faintly with embers, every breath heavy.
The air stilled. The only sound was the slow hiss of cooling magma.
Then — the camera panned upward.
Past the broken battlefield.
Past the clouds of smoke and the fractured sky.
Up toward the ancient Pillar still standing tall in the distance.
Beneath it, unseen by all, a faint black crystal pulsed once.
Its reflection shimmered… darker than before
Suddenly
Every fighter — every battle — seemed to pause at once.
Erika and Gray froze mid-motion, their weapons locked against Magnus's chains of wind.
A pulse of dark energy rippled through the air — deep, ancient, heavy.
Magnus's eyes widened. "What is this magic…? But how…?"
He turned toward the direction of Pillar, his voice trembling. "Malrik… what the hell is he doing there?"
The air grew denser. Magic itself felt distorted — as if reality had flinched.
Across the empire, others felt it too.
Seraphina and Dawn stopped mid-air, water and light feathers flickering between them.
That pressure — that darkness — cut through their magic like a blade.
Seraphina's wings twitched, her face tightening.
"That energy…" she whispered. "It's not human."
She turned her gaze toward the distant Pillar, eyes narrowing.
"No… it's him."
Dawn lowered her arms slowly, the glow around her hands fading.
A faint, knowing smile touched her lips.
"Yeah," she murmured. "He's back."
Not far away, Ari and Celestia stood locked in their own duel, beams of light and holy fire hanging frozen in midair before dissolving.
Celestia's expression went pale as she felt the same surge.
"That… presence…" she breathed. "Impossible."
Across from her, Ari's eyes softened — not with fear, but relief.
"Finally," she whispered, almost to herself.
Tracey, standing amid the rubble, his beast aura flickering, glanced toward the Pillar's direction.
"…Is it really him?" he said quietly, eyes wide with a rare mix of disbelief and relief.
Zeran lay on the shattered ground, blood still dripping from his mouth, but a grin broke across his face.
"Heh… here he comes."
And somewhere amid the sea of cooling lava, Magna stood — chest heaving, embers still glowing in his skin.
He looked toward the same horizon, a tired but knowing smirk forming.
"Can't ever stay outta a fight, can you?" he muttered, his grin widening.
"Guess that's just like you, Imperial."
The wind shifted — a low hum filled the world.
The black crystal beneath the Pillar broke down.