The light enveloping Bellarion began to fade. The massive Angel stood—but not as before.
His cracked axes had fused back together, gleaming with new light pulsing like a heartbeat. His wings spread wider—six pairs of flaming wings blazed on his back. His body was clad in pale golden celestial armor, etched with glowing runes. And from his entire body radiated burning heat, making the surrounding air waver like a mirage.
Raiden stepped back. "What..."
Bellarion raised his axe, now fused into a single massive weapon with a plasma core at its center. His voice echoed, heavy, full of power.
"Sacra Bellum Divinum."
Atop the ruins, Shalara smiled faintly. "He's using his highest form."
Leon bit his lip. His body was already trembling. Eternal Darkness First Form was still active, but he could feel it—his energy was being drained.
"Boy," Satan whispered. "That form... is on a different level. You can't—"
"I know." Leon cut in. "But I can't run."
Bellarion moved.
Not running. Not flying. He vanished—and appeared right before Raiden.
"Inferno Guillotine!"
His massive axe swung down, creating a wave of fire shaped like a guillotine blade. Raiden, realizing it in time, raised his hammer.
"Thunder Wall!"
Blue lightning formed a shield—but Bellarion's flame wave tore through it like paper. Raiden was hurled back, crashing into debris.
Leon moved. Teleportation—but slower than before. He appeared beside Bellarion.
"Dark Edge!"
His sword slashed toward Bellarion's wings. But the celestial armor absorbed his attack. Bellarion turned, his eyes blazing.
"You can still move?"
Leon didn't answer. He vanished again, appearing on the other side.
"Shadow Strike!"
Second slash. Bellarion's armor vibrated, but didn't crack.
Bellarion laughed. "Flame Cyclone!"
His axe spun, creating a fire tornado that swept the entire area. Leon was hurled back, falling near Raiden.
Raiden rose, blood flowing from his lips. "You... can still fight?"
Leon smiled bitterly. "Brother Raiden can too."
They stood side by side. Before them, Bellarion hovered in the air, his six flaming wings spread wide.
Raiden raised his hammer. Lightning began gathering.
Leon raised his sword. Darkness began flowing—but his body was at its limit.
"Thunder God's Wrath!"
"Void Slash!"
Lightning and darkness merged, shooting toward Bellarion. The Angel didn't dodge. He raised his axe.
"Divine Inferno Slash!"
The attacks collided. Dust flew, everything around them was destroyed.
Leon and Raiden were thrown back. Leon fell first, his body no longer able to move. Eternal Darkness First Form began to fade—the symbols on his body faded one by one, his hair slowly returning to black.
Raiden still stood, but his body wavered. His hammer was cracked in several places.
Bellarion remained intact. His armor was slightly scratched, but nothing more.
"You're formidable," he said. "But this is the end."
He raised his axe high.
"Blazing Guillotine!"
But before his axe could descend—
"Frostbite Palm!"
From atop the ruins, a figure shot forth. Not toward Bellarion—but toward Sylvaine.
Leon's eyes widened. "Sylvaine!"
Shalara was already before Sylvaine before Leon could move. Her hand—cold, white, glowing blue—touched Sylvaine's shoulder.
"Aegis Anima."
A cage of light enveloped Sylvaine. Not to protect—but to capture.
"LEON!"
Sylvaine screamed, her body lifted into the air. Shalara carried her, golden wings spread wide.
Leon ran. Raiden too. Valker and Fenrith attacked from the side.
But Bellarion was already before them.
"Sacra Bellum Divinum: Flame Barrier!"
A giant wall of fire split the ruins, separating Leon and Raiden from Shalara.
Leon struck the fire wall with his bare hands. "SYLVAINE!"
From beyond the flames, Sylvaine's voice came—distant, small, desperate. "LEON!"
Shalara looked at Leon. Her eyes were flat, emotionless.
"You're strong, little demon. But this wouldn't have happened if you had given her up from the start."
She turned, her golden wings spreading. Sylvaine remained trapped in the cage of light, her eyes still on Leon—full of tears, full of fear.
"I'll come back," Leon shouted. "I promise."
Sylvaine couldn't answer. The light had already swallowed her.
Shalara shot into the sky. Sylvaine vanished in her embrace.
Leon still stood before the wall of fire. His hands were burned, but he felt nothing.
Raiden stood beside him, staring at the empty sky.
"Leon..."
"I'll get her back." Leon's voice was flat, cold. "I promise."
In the distance, Bellarion lowered his axe. The fire wall began to fade.
"It's over," he said.
But Shalara didn't answer. She was still in the sky.
Then, slowly, she turned.
Her chakram weapon merged into one large chakram. Light began gathering at its circular edge.
Raiden stepped back. "What..."
Leon felt it. That aura—not an ordinary threat. This was annihilation.
Bellarion looked up. "Shalara... you're going to use that?"
Shalara didn't answer. Her eyes were still on Leon.
The light in her chakram's circle continued to grow. The air around them vibrated. The ruins beneath her began to crack.
Leon couldn't move. Raiden couldn't either. Their feet were frozen in place.
"Boy..." Satan whispered. His tone was serious. More serious than ever. "That's... not ordinary magic. If it's released, you'll be annihilated."
Leon didn't answer. His eyes were still on Sylvaine, trapped in the cage of light.
He was going to die here? After everything that had happened?
But before Shalara could release the light—
"Teleportation!"
A figure appeared between them. Not Valker. Not Fenrith. A man with silver hair and an eyepatch, white cloak billowing.
He didn't look at Leon. His eyes were only on Shalara.
"Take them away," he said. His voice was flat, emotionless. "Now."
Beneath Leon, teleportation magic opened. Raiden recognized the voice.
"Arthur..."
Leon's eyes widened.
Arthur didn't answer. His eyes were still on Shalara.
The light in Shalara's chakram continued to grow. But for the first time, she didn't move.
"Arthur Eint," she said. "You're interfering."
Arthur smiled faintly. "I can't let my most important guest die here."
He waved his hand. The teleportation magic beneath Leon's feet expanded.
"Now."
Raiden, carrying Zephyr, pulled Leon. "Come on!"
Leon still looked at the sky. Still saw Sylvaine, trapped in the light.
"Sylvaine," he whispered.
The teleportation magic swallowed them.
As the light began to fade, Leon could still see Sylvaine—her wet eyes, her lips moving, forming words he couldn't hear.
Then darkness.
---
In the sky, Shalara lowered her chakram. The light in it slowly dimmed.
Bellarion approached. "Why didn't you release it?"
Shalara didn't answer. Her eyes were still on the place where Leon, Zephyr, and Raiden had vanished.
"Because," she finally said, "I want to see how far that little demon can go."
She looked at Sylvaine, still trapped in the cage of light.
"And I want to know... whether he'll come for you."
Sylvaine didn't answer. Her eyes were empty, staring at the place where Leon had vanished.
Shalara sighed. "Take her home."
Light enveloped the three of them. In an instant, the sky above the ruins was empty again.
Only wind blew among the debris.
=== CHAPTER 16 END ===