The dark barrier kept spreading like a shroud,
as if night itself was devouring day.
For the first time in thousands of years,
the sky above the Angelic Kingdom went dark.
The King gripped his spear with both hands.
His teeth clenched, his voice shook the heavens.
> "Prince Kaito!
And all the proud soldiers of the Angelic Kingdom!
This is no longer a battle of honor—
it's a fight for existence itself!
Stop that demon—no matter the cost!"
Prince Kaito lowered his head.
There was no fear in his eyes—only fury.
> "Understood."
He raised his hands. Golden seals burst from his palms.
Hundreds of soldiers instantly moved into formation.
Kaito's voice echoed across the battlefield.
> "All units, focus your strength!
Target—the creature at the center!"
> "In the name of Aurora!"
The sky ignited.
Thousands of spells rained down on Shinju like falling stars.
Flaming arrows, orbs of light, blades of wind—
they all struck the same point.
But Shinju raised a barrier of darkness before him.
The moment the attacks touched it,
they twisted, melted, and vanished—
light and shadow devouring each other into nothingness.
The soldiers staggered back, gasping for air.
Kaito slammed his sword into the ground,
golden runes glowing once more around him.
> "That's not enough!"
He shouted again.
> "Spiritual Flame Heel!"
The soldiers dropped to one knee,
pressing their palms against the earth.
A surge of white energy erupted from below,
gathering into a single point—
right beneath Shinju.
The heavens trembled.
For an instant, even the darkness retreated.
A colossal pillar of light burst from the earth,
swallowing Shinju's entire body.
An explosion roared.
Soldiers were thrown back; tower stones shattered midair.
When the smoke cleared...
Shinju was still there.
He was kneeling—but alive.
Darkness began to coil around him again.
A thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of his lips.
Slowly, he raised his head.
> "I warned you..."
"My fight isn't with you."
Kaito roared and charged,
filling his blade with Aurora's brilliance.
It shone like a star.
> "It doesn't matter to me!"
He leapt toward Shinju—
but Shinju simply raised his hand.
The air froze.
Darkness expanded in an instant, swallowing Kaito whole.
His light flashed once—
then vanished.
The remaining soldiers fell to their knees, speechless.
The King, meanwhile, had completed his formation.
The circles of light spinning around his hands merged together,
and the symbols on Mikail's Spear burned like fire.
Before Kaito's light faded completely,
the King looked at him one last time.
There was no fear in his eyes—only pride.
He whispered softly:
> "You've bought me enough time, Kaito...
This kingdom will never forget your courage."
Tears welled in his eyes,
but he gripped the spear tighter.
He raised his gaze to the heavens and roared:
> "Mikail's Spear!
All these years, we've protected you...
Now protect us in return!"
> "Or there will be no tomorrow!"
With those words, he hurled the spear with all his might.
It tore through the sky, leaving behind a golden trail.
When it struck the barrier,
the darkness shattered like glass—
and Mikail's Spear pierced straight through Shinju's chest.
Shinju lowered his head.
Golden light spilled from the wound.
Yet the darkness in his right eye still burned on.
His expression did not change.
> "Even if I die...
today, that cursed barrier will fall."
He took a deep breath.
From his right eye, the essence of the void
he had cultivated for years began to flow—
black blood, burning, turning to ash in the air.
He closed his left eye, extending his hand toward the barrier.
> "Ankoku Enmei…"
"The Last Breath of Darkness!"
The words rippled through the air.
A black flame ignited in his left eye.
In that moment, Shinju burned away his entire cultivation.
When he clenched his fist,
the dark energy erupted like a flood,
engulfing the golden barrier completely.
And then—
the barrier was gone.
Shinju staggered back,
the spear still embedded in his chest.
He reached the rocky cliffs and collapsed to his knees.
Lifting his gaze to the sky, he saw—
The clouds of the void had dispersed.
Sunlight was breaking through,
and for the first time,
the land beneath the light was breathing again.
Shinju smiled faintly.
> "I was right... that barrier was a curse."
And then he closed his eyes.