Beyond the stars, where light and shadow warred in eternal twilight, Minwoo and Kinro stepped into a realm unlike any other.
The air shimmered with power — thick and heavy, charged with a force that bent reality.
Minwoo tightened his grip on the Nexusblade, feeling it pulse in response to the unseen presence nearby. The blade's glow brightened, illuminating the jagged landscape around them.
Kinro's wings flexed, flames sparking from his scales as he growled low.
"We're close," Minwoo whispered. "The Ruler's power is everywhere."
Before them, a vast throne of dark crystal towered amid swirling storms of light and shadow.
From the throne rose a figure — impossibly tall, cloaked in radiant energy that distorted space itself.
The Ruler.
Minwoo stepped forward, Nexusblade raised.
"I've come to end this."
The Ruler's voice echoed in Minwoo's mind — both terrifying and calm.
"You carry my challenge, mortal. But do you carry the strength to face what lies beyond power?"
Kinro let out a fierce roar, flames blazing brighter.
Minwoo's eyes narrowed, the Nexusblade humming louder.
"Strength isn't just power. It's choice. It's loyalty. And I'm not alone."
The first strike was coming.
The war beyond worlds had begun.
The Ruler's towering form shimmered with impossible energy, its gaze cutting through the swirling chaos.
Minwoo tightened his grip on the Nexusblade, feeling its weight not just in his hand, but in his soul. The blade thrummed with ancient power — a living thread woven through time and space.
"You think to challenge me with that?" the Ruler's voice boomed, shaking the very air.
Minwoo answered not with words, but with action.
Kinro leapt into the air, blazing wings trailing fire and shadow, drawing the Ruler's attention.
Minwoo dashed forward, Nexusblade flashing like a comet. The blade sliced through the air, glowing brighter as it clashed against the Ruler's swirling energy.
But the Nexusblade pulsed unevenly — an echo of conflict inside Minwoo's mind.
"You carry my power, but can you master it?" a voice whispered within the blade's depths.
Minwoo's vision blurred — memories of the guild, the Forge, the battles, and sacrifices all surged inside him.
He steadied his breath.
"I'm not just a wielder," he said quietly. "I am its master."
The Ruler unleashed a wave of cosmic energy.
Kinro shielded Minwoo with a roar, scales glowing like molten gold.
Minwoo channeled the Nexusblade's power, a brilliant wave of light and shadow bursting forth — pushing back the Ruler's attack.
"This ends now," Minwoo declared.
The battlefield trembled.
But the fight was far from over.