The battlefield had finally become quiet.
The five hundred soldiers of the Demon Queen had been defeated.
But Lily, Yuna, and the surviving World Martial Artist General had paid a heavy price.
Lily was sitting on the ground, breathing heavily. Her arms and legs were covered with battle marks, and small streams of blood ran from several wounds. Her body felt incredibly heavy.
Yuna wasn't doing any better.
Her arms were injured, her hair was messy, and she was struggling just to keep herself sitting upright.
Neither of them could use their healing abilities.
Their spiritual energy had been almost completely drained during the battle with the Demon Queen's army.
Every time they had used spiritual power, those enemies had absorbed it and converted it into their own strength.
Now there was almost nothing left.
The General was sitting a short distance away.
He hadn't said anything for several seconds.
Then his head slowly dropped.
He had completely lost consciousness.
Lily looked toward him.
"He's out."
Yuna nodded weakly.
"He really pushed himself."
Before they could say anything else—
The Demon Queen suddenly looked toward the surviving General of the Demon King.
"Hey."
The armored General turned toward her.
"You came here only to make that announcement, didn't you?"
The Demon Queen crossed her arms.
"You called me a candidate."
She pointed toward herself.
"Are you going to help me fight these people?"
The General shook his head.
"No."
The Demon Queen raised an eyebrow.
"I don't need your help."
She looked toward Leo.
"I'll defeat them myself."
The General smiled.
"Honestly…"
"I wouldn't even need to use my full strength to crush these two."
He glanced toward the exhausted Lily and Yuna.
"But since I'm already here…"
"I can give you a little help."
He raised one hand.
A sphere of spiritual energy formed in his palm.
The Demon Queen watched it carefully.
The General casually threw the energy sphere toward her.
"Here."
The sphere floated before the Demon Queen.
"Consider that a proposal from the Demon King…"
"For you to become his candidate."
The Demon Queen stared at the sphere.
Her expression became completely blank.
"…Seriously?"
The General had already disappeared.
He was gone.
Leo watched the empty space where the General had been standing.
He turned toward Chenwei.
"Wait a minute."
"That guy was the Demon King's General, right?"
Chenwei nodded.
"Yeah."
"He probably came here to announce that the Demon Queen is one of the candidates."
Leo looked toward the battlefield.
Then he glanced at the unconscious Kaito Jin.
One corner of his mouth lifted.
"Funny…"
"Who knows whether that guy is actually dead?"
Chenwei looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Leo shrugged.
"Maybe he's still alive."
"Maybe the Demon Queen defeats us…"
"And then that guy suddenly gets back up and fights us."
He laughed.
"Maybe by then he'll defeat all of us."
Chenwei stared at him.
"…You're making this sound like a horror story."
Leo smiled.
"Maybe."
Then his expression suddenly became serious.
"But…"
"I don't think he'll be able to do that."
Leo stood.
He looked toward the Demon Queen.
"Okay."
"Everyone ready?"
His aura suddenly exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
Lily and Yuna looked toward him.
Leo closed his eyes.
His consciousness descended into darkness.
And there—
The Lion King was waiting.
Leo's spiritual energy was already heavily drained.
The Lion King looked at him seriously.
"You've exhausted yourself too much."
Leo nodded.
"I know."
The Lion King continued.
"Remember this."
"You'll only be able to maintain your final form for about one hour."
Leo looked at him seriously.
"Understood."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The Lion King then looked toward the enormous darkness behind Leo.
The mysterious door.
"The Black Sword…"
His expression became extremely serious.
"Don't let its energy leak from that door again."
"This is my final warning."
Leo became silent.
Then he nodded.
"Understood."
His expression turned completely serious.
"I won't let it happen."
The consciousness faded.
Leo opened his eyes.
He had returned to the battlefield.
His aura suddenly erupted.
Golden and crimson energy surrounded his body.
His hair changed.
One side became white.
The other side became red.
Two horns emerged from his head.
Two enormous wings appeared behind him—
One golden.
One crimson.
His entire presence changed.
Leo looked toward the Demon Queen.
"This is…"
He raised his hand.
"The fusion form of the Lion Spiritual Beast and Phoenix Spiritual Beast."
The Demon Queen smiled.
"Finally."
"Now you're taking this seriously."
Beside Leo—
Chenwei stepped forward.
But before transforming, something suddenly appeared in his hand.
The legendary metal staff.
The same mysterious weapon that had saved him against Raika.
Leo glanced at it.
"Hmm?"
He looked at Chenwei.
"That weapon…"
"How did you get it?"
Chenwei smiled.
"Let's just say…"
"The Water Goddess gave me a gift."
Leo stared at him.
Then he looked at the staff.
"…Seriously?"
He sighed.
"Why don't I ever get gifts like that?"
Chenwei laughed.
The Demon Queen looked between them.
"So…"
"You two have finally finished your little argument?"
She raised her hand.
"Can you fight me now?"
Leo stepped forward.
"That's exactly what I was thinking."
His aura grew stronger.
Chenwei tightened his grip around the legendary staff.
"You're already in your final form."
He looked at Leo.
"So you're serious."
Leo nodded.
Chenwei smiled.
"Then…"
"I'm coming too."
A surge of water-based spiritual energy surrounded him.
Dragon-like armor formed over his body.
A half-mask appeared across his face.
His aura became immense.
He raised the legendary staff.
"Let's go."
Leo smiled.
"Yeah."
The two stood side by side.
Across from them—
The Demon Queen waited.
The battlefield became completely silent.
Then Leo and Chenwei stepped forward together.
The final battle was about to begin.
To Be Continued…