When Jericho and Erica arrived at the capital, they headed straight for the castle.
On their way, a thunderous sound echoed from the south side, followed by a rolling cloud of dust. Jericho and Erica exchanged a glance and instinctively moved toward it.
But just as they were closing in, another loud crash shook the north side of the castle. Both froze, scanning the distance, torn between which direction to investigate first.
"We can't check both at the same time…" Jericho muttered, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
Erica placed a hand on his shoulder, her gaze firm. "We have to split up here."
Jericho frowned. "I feel your concerns… But If it's Jace on the other side, the danger you'll face—"
Erica cut him off, her voice resolute. "Yes, it's risky. But that might save someone's life. Remember, I'm the commander of the Holy Knights. I earned this rank, this responsibility. Trust me—I'll be fine."
Jericho exhaled slowly, letting her words sink in. He saw the truth in her eyes—the strength, the experience, the confidence. It was their only option.
"Okay… let's do it," he said at last. "You head for the sound we originally heard. I'll check the other one."
Erica nodded, turning to leave. Jericho's voice called out just as she sprinted forward.
"Erica… if it's something you can't handle, head to where I am. We'll deal with it together."
She gave a firm nod, determination blazing in her eyes as she disappeared into the distance.
Jericho muttered to himself as he watched her go, a mix of worry and trust twisting in his chest. "Please… be careful."
With that, he turned toward the north side, steeling himself for whatever awaited him there.
⸻
Cutting to the present, Erica had made it to Clover and the others just in time.
"Just who are you?" he demanded.
"I am the last face you will ever see alive," she replied, her gaze sharp and merciless.
Then she attacked.
"Soul Technique—Hurricane Inferno."
Erica's entire body ignited with blinding light, her sword glowing as if it had become the heart of a raging sun. The flames surged outward from her, channeled through the blade, erupting into an inferno so violent and intense that the very air screamed. Everything around her was instantly vaporized.
The moment Alice heard the name of the technique, she reacted on instinct—throwing herself toward the others and forcing them back as far as she could. It was the right decision.
The flames spiraled outward in all directions, warping the ground and burning the space itself. Pyon stood at the center of the storm, his body screaming in protest as the heat assaulted him. He grimaced, discomfort flashing across his face—but he had misjudged her.
Badly.
Relying on his poison-based soul energy, he hastily layered only two defensive barriers around himself. They didn't even last a second.
Erica's attack tore through his defenses as if they were nothing, leaving him fully exposed. His body was scorched, charred flesh peeling as his regenerative ability struggled to keep up—slowing, faltering, failing.
"AAAGHH!" Pyon screamed, writhing in agony. "What is this?! This isn't normal fire! Just what are you, woman?!"
Erica didn't answer.
She was already moving.
In a blur, she closed the distance and swung her sword again. Her speed was inhuman—so overwhelming that Pyon barely processed the attack before it was upon him. He twisted aside at the last possible instant, the blade grazing his neck and drawing blood as it passed.
Too close.
{What… I didn't even see that coming. Even drained, I still possess the natural agility of a Demonoid… Is she truly human?}
Shock flickered across his face as he continued to desperately evade her relentless assault.
Nearby, Princess Clover stared in stunned silence.
"Lady Knight…" she whispered. "Just who is that woman?"
Alice didn't take her eyes off the battlefield.
"That," she said quietly, "is the heir of our nation—and the Commander of the Holy Knights."
She paused, pride and awe mingling in her voice.
"Crown Princess Erica von Righteous."
"…Are you serious?!" Rose exclaimed. "That's Princess Erica?!"
Alice nodded.
"Hm…" Clover tilted her head thoughtfully. "That name sounds really familiar… I'm sure I've heard it before. I just can't remember where."
The heavy sighs that followed made her blink in confusion.
"W-What?" she asked.
Rose flushed and bowed her head apologetically. "Please forgive my Princess. She tends to forget people easily. All she ever thinks about is her research—she means no offense."
Alice gave an awkward smile. "It's fine. Really."
{Yikes… I actually feel bad for the Commander. I always thought she overreacted whenever she talked about Princess Clover,} Alice thought, suppressing a laugh.
{I'll have to apologize to her once this is over.}
⸻
Erica continued to press Pyon relentlessly, her barrage of attacks leaving him no room to breathe, let alone counter. Each strike forced him back another step. His regeneration had slowed considerably, yet it remained active—charred flesh slowly knitting itself back together as steam rose from his body.
I need an opening, Pyon thought, grinding his teeth.
Then his gaze shifted.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted the guards King Leohart had dispatched, rushing toward the battlefield.
A crooked smile spread across his ruined face.
"Soul Casting—Base Dilitirio."
His remaining arm glowed an ominous green as he slammed his palm against the ground. The poisonous energy surged forward like a living wave, racing toward the approaching guards.
Erica noticed instantly.
She halted her assault and swung her sword in a wide arc.
"Soul Technique—Inferno Wall!"
A torrent of blazing fire erupted from her blade, forming a towering wall between the guards and Pyon's attack. The two forces collided violently.
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the courtyard. The shockwave hurled the guards off their feet, forcing them to shield their faces as thick black smoke billowed skyward. Erica grit her teeth as she held the wall together—barely.
Then—
Crack.
Her sword shattered in her hand, having reached the very limits of its durability.
"Get out of here!" Erica shouted. "Protect the princess and the twins—now!"
The guards didn't hesitate. They scrambled to their feet and rushed toward Clover and the others.
In that instant, a blur entered Erica's vision.
A hand.
She barely had time to raise her arms before the punch connected.
The impact was devastating.
Erica was launched backward, her body skidding and rolling across the ground as the force knocked the breath from her lungs.
"COMMANDER!" Alice screamed.
Erica lifted a hand in response, signaling she was still alive.
Pyon laughed—loud, manic, and filled with renewed confidence.
"Look at you now," he snarled. "Nothing without your sword. I'm going to enjoy ripping you limb from limb!"
He grabbed her and hurled her skyward like a ragdoll, then leapt after her, cracking the ground beneath his feet. Poison surged through his arm as he drew it back, aiming straight for her chest.
He intended to punch clean through her.
As Erica began to fall, she looked up at him—and smiled.
Pyon froze.
"What—?"
She caught him midair, using his body as leverage. With a smooth, terrifying motion, she twisted, flipping onto his back as they plummeted toward the ground.
"And who told you that was my only sword, you cocky bastard?"
With one hand, she drew a short blade from the strap along her thigh.
"ALICE—STEP BACK!"
Alice didn't argue. She immediately created distance.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU CRAZY WOMAN?!" Pyon screamed, panic finally breaking through his bravado as he struggled uselessly with one arm.
Erica's smile sharpened.
"I did tell you," she said calmly, "that mine would be the last face you see."
She aimed the short sword downward.
"Rot in the flames of hell."
"Soul Technique—Grand Burst Inferno."
A torrent of soul energy surged through her body and into the blade. A glowing crimson sphere formed beneath them, falling faster than either of them—directly under Pyon.
The short sword shattered from the sheer output.
Erica planted her foot on Pyon's chest and kicked off, launching herself away as gravity seized him.
"YOU BITCH—! I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS! NOOO—!"
Pyon slammed into the crimson sphere.
The explosion that followed was cataclysmic.
The entire castle yard vanished beneath a sea of fire and force. Stone vaporized. Towers crumbled. Nearly seven percent of the castle was reduced to rubble as the blast consumed everything in its radius.
Erica hit the ground in a roll and dove behind a pillar. The others followed suit, shielding themselves as the inferno raged.
When the smoke finally cleared, silence fell.
The courtyard was unrecognizable.
At its center lay a body—burned, broken, barely human.
Erica stepped forward slowly.
It was Pyon.
Somehow, impossibly, he was still alive. But barely.
She looked down at him as he gasped weakly for air. His one remaining eye met hers. Despite his ruined face, he smiled.
He turned his gaze to the sky.
"M-my lord…" he wheezed. "P-please… f-forgive me… This… this is my punishment… for i-ignoring your warnings…"
A broken chuckle escaped his lips.
"I will be leaving you now… b-but I will still be of use… even in the flames of hell…"
His eye shifted back to Erica.
"You… haven't won yet… My lord's will… his desire… will always be… abso—"
His breath left him.
And did not return.
Erica let out a long, shaky exhale, only now realizing she'd been holding it in.
She turned back to the others.
Alice rushed to her first, relief written all over her face. The guards followed, bowing repeatedly.
"Y-your Highness," Rose said softly. "Thank you… you saved us."
"That was amazing!" Spade shouted, eyes sparkling. "You were like a hero! Right, Lixis?"
Ace nodded vigorously. "You were incredible."
Erica smiled—until her eyes met Clover's.
Her smile slowly faded.
Clover stared at her intensely, brows knit in deep concentration.
Erica stiffened.
Oh no…
Seconds passed. Felt like minutes.
"…Um," Erica said nervously. "Princess Clover? Did I… offend you?"
Suddenly, Clover's eyes lit up.
"I'VE GOT IT!"
Everyone jumped.
"You're that princess who was in love with me—but I turned you down because I didn't swing that way."
Silence.
Then—
"I WAS NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Erica screamed. "I WAS TWELVE AND JUST WANTED TO PLAY—WHY ME?!"
Laughter erupted.
Alice laughed hardest, patting Erica's head apologetically while Clover looked utterly confused as to why everyone found this funny.
⸻
Far away, by the shore, Jace sat patiently—waiting.
Then he felt it.
A piece of him vanished.
He sighed heavily, resting his head against his hand.
"…Pyon," he muttered. "You fool."
Another Grand General… gone.
⸻
"I'm… sorry about all this," Erica said with a nervous laugh, gesturing at the devastated courtyard and the partially ruined castle.
Clover glanced around, then smiled calmly.
"It's fine. You saved our lives. Stone and walls can be replaced. I was already considering renovations—you just helped me make the decision sooner."
"And don't worry," Rose added quickly. "No civilians were here. Everyone was evacuated earlier. We were the only ones who stayed behind."
She paused, then looked at Erica with genuine awe.
"And that fire… I don't think flames in our world can reach that level of heat."
Erica exhaled softly. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, we really need to move."
Alice frowned slightly. "Where's Jericho? I thought he was with you."
At the mention of his name, Clover froze—her cheeks flushing red—before she quickly composed herself.
"We were heading here together," Erica explained, "but we heard another disturbance on the opposite side of the castle. We split up to cover more ground."
"Jericho's alright, then?" Clover asked quietly.
Erica nodded. "He is."
Clover relaxed slightly. "Then let's go. I hope Father is safe."
"He is," Erica replied. "Jericho went to him."
⸻
"Well then," Demiurge said coldly, "I suppose you're ready to die."
Jericho tilted his head.
"Oh? I think that's my line."
He vanished.
The next instant, he was inside the undead ranks—moving with impossible speed. Fists, knees, elbows—every strike shattered bone and sent bodies flying. The watching guards and even Demiurge himself were stunned by the sheer physical power on display.
Jericho tore through the army without expending a shred of soul energy.
But it was futile.
Each fallen soldier rose again, dragged back into motion by Demiurge's overwhelming soul control.
{"This isn't sustainable",} Jericho thought grimly, glancing back at King Leohart. {"If this continues, I'll be drained eventually… and I can't risk collateral damage— i must go after the source, him."}
He burst forward in a blur, closing the distance.
Demiurge barely dodged the first punch.
The next few seconds were chaos—Jericho's blows coming relentlessly, Demiurge weaving through them by instinct alone. Behind Jericho, some of the undead broke away toward the king, only to be intercepted by the guards.
Jericho stomped his foot.
Silver liquid erupted from the ground, forming whip-like tendrils that wrapped around the remaining undead, crushing them into stillness. With Demiurge pinned under pressure, the necromancer couldn't resurrect them.
And then—
Jericho landed a clean hit.
Demiurge was sent flying, slamming into the ground hard enough to leave a crater.
Fear crept into Demiurge's eyes.
{"This can't be Jericho,"} he thought desperately. {"This has to be a god… No human should be able to overpower me like this."}
Before he could recover, Jericho appeared beside him and drove a kick into his stomach.
The air left Demiurge's lungs in a violent gasp.
He was launched over the castle wall and into the city beyond, crashing through buildings and collapsing in rubble.
Jericho turned briefly.
"Your Majesty—stay here."
Then he vanished after Demiurge.