After a few days, Ren, the Dread Monarch, had fully regained his power and stamina. His strength had returned to its peak, and the aura surrounding him pulsed with shadowy dominion. His army, too, was ready — assembled and prepared to march into the final and deepest layer of the Abyss.
Ren stood at the front lines, his presence towering like a storm. His armor had reformed into its cracked, corrupted state, the jagged scars upon his helmet glowing faintly with an eerie crimson hue. Each step he took echoed through the desolate void as he led his army onward — toward the end. The air itself seemed to weigh heavily against all who followed him, thick and suffocating. Even those born of darkness felt the pressing void, the ominous pressure of something monumental about to unfold.
The beasts who had once attacked the surface alongside Raviel now stood frozen in place, their hollow eyes fixed upon Ren. They did not move. There was no life within them — only empty shells bound by corruption. Silence fell across the desolate land, a stillness so absolute that it seemed the abyss itself was holding its breath.
And then, in that vast land consumed by shadows, two kings met once more.
Ren — The Dread Monarch.
Raviel — The Abyssal King.
Across the battlefield, Raviel's gaze pierced through the darkness. His voice was cold, yet laced with fury. "It hasn't been long since I last saw you, Dread Monarch," he said, venom dripping from each word. "Last time, I spared your life… but this time, you won't have the chance to run."
Ren remained silent, his aura steady yet burning with quiet intensity. His presence alone radiated authority, the kind that silenced even the most restless shadows.
Raviel clenched his teeth, the memory of that day clawing at his pride. His voice grew louder, sharper, searing through the air like fire. "You humiliated me that day! I'll take my revenge — here and now!"
He pointed his sword toward Ren, every movement deliberate and filled with wrath.
Then Ren said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos like still water in a storm.
"You're nothing but a coward who hides behind his army and sacrifices his soldiers to save himself!"
Raviel's rage, amplifying it into a tempest that could tear mountains apart.
Unable to contain himself, Raviel snarled, "Attack! Tear him apart!"
At once, Raviel's army surged forward — a black tide of monstrous beasts and corrupted soldiers. The battle erupted like thunder.
But before they could even touch him, Ren's army ignited with power. Dark energy surged into the air as shadow soldiers unleashed their might. The clash between the two forces was violent and earth-shattering — a war of nightmares unfolding in the deepest darkness. Screams and roars echoed endlessly. Beasts were torn apart, shadows collided, and the Abyss itself trembled beneath their might.
At the vanguard stood Ren's three loyal generals.
Althric, the shadow-wielder, moved with precision and wrath. Every sweep of his blade erased entire ranks of enemies, their bodies disintegrating into black dust. Zyra, once dethroned as Queen of Thunder, had reclaimed her lost power. Lightning rippled through the battlefield as she moved, her eyes glowing gold, her thunderstorm raging uncontrollably and burning through hordes of Raviel's beasts. The war was brutally one-sided.
Ren advanced slowly toward Raviel, his voice calm yet sharp as steel. "Tell me, Raviel… who's running now?"
But Raviel's lips twisted into a cruel, knowing smirk. He raised his hand. "You think this is all I have?"
From behind him, a vast army of archers emerged, each holding bows forged from corrupted darkness. Their arrows shimmered with shadow energy, dripping with malice.
"Fire!" Raviel commanded.
The sky darkened as thousands of arrows rained down. The battlefield was engulfed in a storm of black light. Each arrow carried a curse, its impact not killing instantly but slowly consuming the soldiers' very essence. Ren's army began to fall. The balance of the battle shifted once more.
Ren's eyes widened beneath his helmet. "Impossible… this strength… how strong is his army?"
Raviel laughed, his voice echoing across the void. "Surprised? This is my true army — the one you've never seen before. The army of despair!"
The ground cracked as another wave of elite soldiers charged forward, each radiating power equal to Ren's generals. Ren stood frozen for a moment, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the opposition. Then a low voice echoed beside him — the beast whisper.
"Leave him," the beast murmured. "Go… kill the others. If they come near him, you'll never get the chance to defeat him."
Ren's feet moved on their own. In the air, his voice rang out like thunder. "Althric! Zyra! Neutralize them now!"
Both generals appeared beside him in flashes of lightning and shadow. Althric's sword blurred through the air, slicing through enemies with terrifying precision. Zyra's storm consumed everything in her path, her lightning scorching the corrupted archers until not a trace remained.
Ren turned to his next commander. "Umbra — command the army. Hold Raviel in place!"
Umbra bowed deeply. "As you wish, my king!" He disappeared into the chaos, leading Ren's remaining troops with unyielding ferocity.
High above, Ren, Althric, and Zyra gathered their power. The darkness around them vibrated with intensity — three warriors against an army of a thousand.
Ren raised his sword. "Monarch Decory!"
Their energies collided — thunder and shadow fused into one blinding force. The explosion tore through the battlefield, annihilating everything in its path. Althric and Ren became one — a perfect harmony of shadow and strength. Every enemy that approached was cut down instantly. Their combined might made them unstoppable — the ultimate duo of destruction.
Zyra, meanwhile, reached new heights of power. Her regained thunder roared across the field. For a moment, her strength even surpassed Ren's. Each bolt of lightning shattered hundreds of soldiers, reducing Raviel's army to ash.
Raviel's eyes widened in disbelief. "This… this can't be real! Three of you… against my thousand!?"
But his disbelief turned to rage. Umbra and the rest of Ren's army tried to pin Raviel down, but his power surged higher. His aura burst like a volcanic storm, knocking back everything around him. Umbra was struck hard, his body crashing into the ground, blood spilling from his mouth.
Ren and Althric, though victorious over the enemy army, were exhausted. Monarch Decory had drained them both. Zyra turned, seeing Umbra fall, and flew back immediately to aid him. "Get up, Umbra!" she shouted before facing Raviel head-on. Her lightning clashed against his dark energy, forcing him back.
The two exchanged rapid blows, their attacks shaking the Abyss itself. Ren, panting heavily, rose once more. His rage had reached its limit. "Everyone… stay back," he ordered, his voice trembling with fury. "He's mine."
The entire battlefield fell silent. Two kings — of the same kind — stood alone.
The fight that followed was cataclysmic. Raviel fought for his pride, desperate to erase the humiliation of their last encounter. Ren fought for vengeance — for the pain that had driven him this far, the path that had cost him his friends and his humanity.
Their blades clashed, sending shockwaves through the Abyss. Sparks erupted, their roars echoing endlessly. The entire realm shook beneath their fury.
At dawn, on the surface, Kuro stood silently on the horizon, his eyes fixed on the distant sky. The earth trembled faintly beneath him.
"The Abyss…" he murmured. "It's shaking."
Haru turned to him, concern etching his face. "Why? What's happening?"
Kuro's gaze darkened. "It's the battle between two kings. Ren… he's fighting Raviel."
"Mr. Kuro," Haru said urgently, "do you know where he is right now?"
"Yeah," Kuro replied quietly. "He's reached the final layer. If he defeats Raviel, he'll claim the throne of all five layers — and become the one true ruler of the Abyss. Then… the Abyss itself will bow to him. Whatever Ren commands… it will obey."
Daiki and Yume, standing behind them, exchanged anxious glances. The fate of everything rested in that one battle.
Back in the Abyss, the fight continued endlessly. Both kings were bloodied and battered, their armor shattered, their breaths ragged. The battle had reached a stalemate.
Raviel exhaled sharply, his voice breaking the silence. "You've grown… stronger since our last battle."
Ren didn't reply — only stared back, breathing heavily.
Raviel smiled grimly. "You should be honored. You're the second person to ever see my true form."
Ren's eyes widened. "What… do you mean?"
"You've pushed me to my limit," Raviel growled. "But I never used my ultimate form. I thought I could destroy you easily… maybe I was wrong."
He straightened, his voice darkening. "But I do admire you — that one from the Ninth of Shadows could come this far. But this… this is where it ends."
He raised his hand as black energy began to swirl violently around him. The power thickened, forming a cocoon of darkness that consumed him whole. The Abyss trembled beneath its pressure.
When the energy cleared, Raviel stood transformed — his body encased in shining black armor, his right arm monstrous and bestial. Shadows coiled around him, obeying his every command. His power had ascended to another level.
"Now," Raviel said, his tone cruel and final, "let's finish this."
He lunged forward. The battle reignited — but this time, Raviel dominated. Each strike sent Ren flying, his body breaking against the ground. Raviel slammed him down again and again, refusing to stop. Ren's consciousness began to fade.
Then — silence.
Ren found himself standing before the Beast, the ancient entity within him. Around them stretched a realm of endless void.
The Beast looked at him calmly. "So… the time has come."
Ren nodded quietly. "Yes… it's here at last."
"Are you satisfied?" the Beast asked.
Ren hesitated. "For now… yes. I'm satisfied with the life I've lived." He looked down, voice soft. "But… I have one regret. One thing I'll never forgive myself for."
The Beast tilted its head. "And what is it, my friend?"
Ren's eyes darkened. "My last meeting with Yume. I shouldn't have said those things to her. It hurts every time I remember."
The Beast remained calm. "You cannot change the past. Let it go."
Ren sighed, a faint smile on his lips. "You're right. The path I chose can't be undone. But now… it's your turn to finish what I started."
The Beast nodded slowly. Ren raised his hand. "I promise — no matter what happens, we'll destroy every shadow demon that stands in our way."
The Beast placed its claw on his chest. "Then let us begin."
Ren's body was engulfed in darkness — the Beast's power merging with his own. Meanwhile, in reality, Raviel continued to strike the fallen Monarch, the sound of fists echoing across the silent battlefield.
Umbra and Zyra tried to rush forward, but Althric stopped them.
"Why are you stopping us!?" Zyra shouted.
Althric's gaze never left Ren. "Because… the king is making his return."
And then — the Abyss trembled once more.