The battlefield had become almost unrecognizable.
Mountains had been destroyed. The sky was filled with smoke and shattered clouds. The ground was covered with the remains of countless battles.
Leo stood in the air, his final form flickering.
His golden-and-red hair moved in the wind. One golden wing and one red wing remained behind him, but both were beginning to lose their light.
The Demon Queen looked at him.
Then she smiled.
Demon Queen: "So this is your final limit?"
She slowly raised her hand.
A dark aura began gathering around her body.
Demon Queen: "Too bad."
Her smile became colder.
Demon Queen: "Pathetic."
Leo clenched his fists.
The Demon Queen suddenly disappeared.
BOOM!
She appeared directly in front of him.
Her fist slammed into Leo's stomach.
BANG!
Leo's body bent from the impact.
Before he could react—
BOOM!
Another punch.
Then another.
Then another.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The Demon Queen moved so quickly that Leo could barely see her.
She attacked from every direction.
A punch.
A kick.
Another punch.
A knee strike.
A spinning attack.
Leo blocked some attacks, but the Demon Queen's speed was overwhelming.
Demon Queen: "You've reached your limit."
BOOM!
Her fist struck Leo's face.
Leo flew backward.
He opened his wings and stopped himself.
But one of his wings flickered violently.
Cracks of spiritual energy spread across his body.
The Demon Queen appeared again.
Demon Queen: "And now…"
She raised both hands.
Hundreds of small spiritual blasts appeared around her.
Demon Queen: "The game is over."
BA-BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BAM!
A rapid barrage of spiritual blasts filled the sky.
Leo tried to dodge.
Left.
Right.
Up.
Down.
But there were too many.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The explosions swallowed him.
Leo's golden wing began breaking apart.
His red wing followed.
His final form flickered violently.
He fell through the smoke.
Demon Queen: "Fall."
She struck him one final time.
BOOOOOOM!
Leo was blasted out of the sky.
He crashed into the ground—
right beside Chenwei.
The Demon Queen slowly descended.
She landed on the Black Hell Dragon.
The moment her feet touched its back, a dark energy spread through the dragon's body.
Its wounds began disappearing.
At the same time, the Demon Queen's own injuries regenerated.
She looked at Leo and Chenwei.
Demon Queen: "Did you really think you could defeat me?"
She laughed softly.
Demon Queen: "I was only playing with you."
She looked down at them.
Demon Queen: "You pathetic bastards."
Her expression suddenly became more serious.
Demon Queen: "Years ago, your father tried the same thing."
Leo's eyes widened.
His anger exploded.
Leo: "Don't talk about my father!"
The Demon Queen simply smiled.
Dark energy surrounded her.
Leo and Chenwei suddenly began floating.
Leo: "What?!"
The Demon Queen raised one hand.
Demon Queen: "Look at yourselves."
Her voice echoed across the battlefield.
Demon Queen: "You're mortals."
She lifted them higher.
Demon Queen: "And you're trying to defeat something that doesn't even possess a normal physical body."
Leo struggled against the pressure.
Demon Queen: "I don't have a consciousness like yours."
Her smile widened.
Demon Queen: "I've gone beyond what you mortals call a god."
Then she slammed her hand downward.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Leo and Chenwei were thrown into the ground.
They crashed near the unconscious body of Kaito Jin.
Leo rolled across the ground and forced himself onto one knee.
Chenwei couldn't move.
His eyes closed.
His body collapsed again.
Leo looked at him.
Then at the Demon Queen.
He slowly raised both hands.
Spiritual energy began gathering between his palms.
A massive beam started forming.
Leo: "I…"
His arms trembled.
Leo: "I'm not finished."
Behind him, Chenwei's eyes slowly opened.
Only a tiny amount of consciousness remained.
He looked at Leo.
Then he forced himself to move.
His hand reached forward.
He placed it against Leo's back.
Chenwei: "Leo…"
Leo looked over his shoulder.
Chenwei: "Take whatever energy I have left."
Leo's eyes widened.
Chenwei: "I know this could put me into a coma…"
He smiled weakly.
Chenwei: "But if you can defeat her…"
His voice became softer.
Chenwei: "Then it'll be worth it."
Spiritual energy began flowing from Chenwei into Leo.
Leo's beam grew larger.
Chenwei gave him one last smile.
Chenwei: "And when we win…"
He laughed weakly.
Chenwei: "We'll have another friendly match. Just like before."
Leo smiled.
Leo: "Yeah."
He looked toward the Demon Queen.
Leo: "Definitely."
Leo released the energy.
LEOOOOOOO—!
A gigantic spiritual beam erupted from his hands.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
It raced toward the Demon Queen.
But suddenly—
A barrier appeared.
WHOOOOOM!
The beam struck the barrier.
And stopped.
Completely.
Leo stared.
Leo: "Oh, shit…"
The Demon Queen stood behind the barrier.
Not even moving.
Demon Queen: "Pathetic."
She raised one finger.
Demon Queen: "Prepare yourself to die."
Far away from the main battlefield, Lily and Yuna were still recovering.
The surviving General remained unconscious.
A healing team finally arrived.
Healer: "Are you two badly injured?"
Lily shook her head.
Lily: "We're hurt, but we'll survive."
Yuna looked toward the unconscious General.
Yuna: "But him…"
Her expression became worried.
Yuna: "He's unconscious. Please take him and heal him."
The healing team immediately moved toward the General.
Lily and Yuna looked toward the distant battlefield.
Then they saw it.
Leo was on his knees.
Chenwei was lying behind him.
Yuna's eyes widened.
Yuna: "Chenwei!"
She ran.
Lily followed.
Yuna dropped beside him.
Tears immediately filled her eyes.
Yuna: "What happened to you?"
She touched his face.
Yuna: "Please wake up…"
Her voice trembled.
Yuna: "Please…"
She hugged him tightly.
Yuna: "Please…"
Then she felt it.
His breathing.
Weak.
But still there.
Yuna closed her eyes.
Yuna: "You're still breathing…"
She held him tighter.
Yuna: "That's enough for me."
Then she looked ahead.
Her expression froze.
The Black Hell Dragon had begun charging an enormous beam.
At the same time, dark energy gathered between the Demon Queen's fingers.
Yuna understood immediately.
They were going to attack.
She hugged Chenwei even tighter.
Yuna: "I don't care anymore…"
Her tears fell.
Yuna: "Whatever happens between us, we're married."
She looked at Chenwei.
Yuna: "If we die…"
She smiled through her tears.
Yuna: "We'll die together."
Lily stepped forward.
She was about to run toward Leo.
But Leo raised one hand.
Leo: "Hey."
Lily stopped.
Leo: "Don't."
Lily stared at him.
Leo: "Don't forget our son."
Lily's eyes widened.
Leo: "Don't forget that he's waiting for us to come home."
His voice became softer.
Leo: "He can't even speak properly yet."
Leo smiled.
Leo: "He doesn't understand this world."
He looked at Lily.
Leo: "If I die…"
A small smile appeared on his face.
Leo: "At least take good care of our son."
Lily couldn't move.
Her heart broke.
Then—
A strange light appeared behind them.
Leo looked back.
His expression changed.
He smiled.
And at that exact moment—
Renge's eyes opened.
Blood-red.
The battlefield came into focus.
He saw Leo.
He saw Chenwei.
He saw Yuna holding Chenwei.
He saw Lily.
And he saw the enormous attacks charging toward them.
Renge's eyes widened.
No.
I can't let them die.
Not them.
Not my little brother.
He tried to move.
His body refused.
The healing team rushed toward him.
Healer: "Hey! Don't move!"
Renge ignored them.
Blood still stained around his eyes, and his vision was blurred.
Renge: "Maybe…"
He forced himself upward.
Renge: "Maybe I'm going unconscious again."
He looked toward the battlefield.
Renge: "So…"
He took a breath.
Renge: "Do this first."
His eyes began glowing.
Renge: "Eye of Flower Cross…"
The strange eye opened.
Renge: "Shield of Flower Petals!"
WHOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic wall of flower petals erupted from the ground.
Layer after layer.
Thousands upon thousands of spiritual flower petals formed a massive barrier.
Lily stared from a distance.
Lily: "Renge…"
She wanted to move.
She wanted to help.
But then she remembered Leon.
Her son.
She froze.
She couldn't risk leaving him without a parent.
Meanwhile, far away in the forest, inside the shelter where Kaito Jin had once left the person he loved, Aoi Hoshizora suddenly felt something was terribly wrong.
She pressed her hand against her chest.
Her breathing became uneven.
Aoi: "Why…"
She looked toward the battlefield.
She didn't know what was happening.
But something inside her was screaming.
I'm going to lose someone.
Aoi suddenly stood.
She opened the shelter door.
Aoi: "Kaito…"
Her eyes filled with tears.
Aoi: "Years ago, you lost me."
She clenched her fists.
Aoi: "But this time…"
She ran.
Aoi: "I don't want to lose you!"
Aoi sprinted through the forest.
She had no Spiritual Beast.
No spiritual pressure.
No special ability.
Nothing.
She was simply a normal girl.
The same girl who, when she was younger, had lived on the streets with Kaito Jin.
Back then, people had mocked her.
They called her weak.
They said she had no spiritual pressure.
No Spiritual Beast.
Nothing special.
She had often been the one who suffered the most.
And Kaito had always protected her.
But now—
She was running toward the battlefield anyway.
When she finally reached it, she saw the flower-petal barrier.
She saw Leo kneeling behind it.
Chenwei behind Leo.
Kaito Jin unconscious behind them.
And the enormous beam charging beyond the barrier.
Aoi stopped.
Her entire body went numb.
Fear froze her.
But then she saw Kaito.
She ran.
Aoi: "KAITO!"
She reached him.
And instead of running away—
Aoi stood directly in front of him.
She became his shield.
A normal girl.
Standing against an attack that could destroy everything.
She had no power.
No Spiritual Beast.
No spiritual pressure.
But she refused to move.
Aoi: "Kaito…"
Her voice trembled.
Aoi: "They've done so much for me…"
She looked toward Leo and the others.
Aoi: "I can't…"
Her legs shook.
But she stayed.
Aoi: "I can't let them die."
Behind her, Kaito's eyes slowly opened.
Barely.
His hand moved.
Kaito Jin: "Aoi…"
She looked back.
His voice had almost no strength.
Kaito Jin: "Please…"
His hand reached toward her.
Kaito Jin: "Don't do this…"
Aoi smiled.
Then the two attacks collided.
The Demon Queen's energy and the Black Hell Dragon's beam merged into one enormous blast.
KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The flower-petal barrier absorbed the first wave.
Then another.
Then another.
The barrier shook violently.
Petals shattered into light.
Renge's shield absorbed almost ninety percent of the attack's force.
But the remaining power still tore through the battlefield.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Leo was thrown backward.
He crashed into the ground.
His body was badly exhausted, and blood flowed from several battle wounds.
Chenwei disappeared beneath the blast.
Yuna screamed.
Yuna: "CHENWEI!"
Aoi's body was shaking violently.
She had stood there with nothing protecting her.
The blast finally ended.
Silence.
Aoi collapsed.
She crawled toward Kaito.
Her hand found his.
It was cold and motionless.
She smiled weakly.
Aoi: "At least…"
Her voice trembled.
Aoi: "At least we can die together."
Kaito's eyes widened.
Something inside him broke.
He pulled Aoi into his arms.
Kaito Jin: "I'm sorry…"
His voice cracked.
Kaito Jin: "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
Aoi closed her eyes.
Kaito held her tightly.
Then his spiritual energy began flowing into her.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He healed her just enough to keep her alive.
Her breathing stabilized.
Kaito looked at her.
Then something strange happened.
The dark mist surrounding his body began leaving him.
It rose like smoke.
His appearance started changing.
Two horns slowly emerged from his head.
The darkness around him thickened.
His eyes turned red.
Kaito slowly stood.
Behind him, the Black Hell Dragon looked toward him.
Kaito turned his head.
Kaito Jin: "Black Dragon…"
The dragon stared at him.
Kaito pointed toward the Demon Queen.
Kaito Jin: "Help me."
The dragon hesitated.
Kaito's voice became colder.
Kaito Jin: "Demon Queen…"
He looked toward her.
Kaito Jin: "Forgive me."
His aura exploded.
Kaito Jin: "But I have to do this."
He unleashed a massive beam.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Demon Queen was struck and blasted from the battlefield.
She crashed into the ground.
Demon Queen: "What the—?!"
She struggled to stand.
Demon Queen: "Did he just…"
Her eyes widened.
Demon Queen: "Defeat me?"
Her body collapsed.
For a moment, everything became silent.
Then—
A second body appeared.
It looked exactly like the Demon Queen.
But there was nothing inside it.
No consciousness.
No soul.
No mind.
Just an empty body.
The Demon Queen's soul began transferring its control toward it.
She sent the empty body toward the enormous fleet hidden outside Earth.
Toward the largest ship.
Demon Queen: "Take that body to the ship."
Her consciousness remained in her current body.
She slowly stood.
Demon Queen: "You…"
She looked toward Kaito.
Demon Queen: "You've made me look old."
She laughed bitterly.
Demon Queen: "You pathetic—"
Suddenly—
The Black Hell Dragon roared.
ROAAAAAAAAAR!
Its enormous body moved.
A massive dark sphere of energy formed around it.
Then the dragon rushed toward Kaito.
Kaito's eyes widened.
The dragon's energy was absorbed directly into the wound across his chest.
WHOOOOOOOOOM!
Kaito's body convulsed.
His eyes turned completely red.
His aura exploded outward.
Kaito Jin: "I…"
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
Kaito Jin: "I won't let you live."
His body began transforming.
His human shape distorted beneath the overwhelming power.
Dark energy wrapped around him.
The Black Hell Dragon's power merged with his own.
His silhouette became something terrifying.
Not quite human.
Not quite demon.
Not quite dragon.
Something else.
Something born from rage, desperation, and love.
Kaito raised his head.
His red eyes burned through the darkness.
Kaito Jin: "You will pay…"
His voice became deeper.
Kaito Jin: "All of you…"
The battlefield trembled.
He looked toward Aoi, lying barely conscious behind him.
And for the first time, the terrifying creature didn't look like a monster.
He looked like a man who had lost everything—
and refused to lose the one person he still had.
The Black Hell Dragon's power completely fused with Kaito.
A new form was born.
And the final battle entered its most dangerous stage.