The final battle draws near its ultimate conclusion; two titanic entities clash, shattering an entire world in the crossfire. How will this devastating duel end? Let us find out.
Two sworn enemies lock eyes—DANTE and MICTLANTEKUTI. Their gazes pierce through the gloom, neither moving a single inch. The surrounding tension thickens until it feels sharp enough to slice through the air itself. Suddenly, a volcanic eruption detonates nearby, signaling the clash as sword strikes sword in a frenzy of destruction. Every shockwave generated by their blades warps the landscape, and deep within his mind, seeds of doubt begin to take root within MICTLANTEKUTI.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (In his mind) What on earth...? Why won't this mortal die?! This realm has virtually no oxygen; if not for that bizarre energy cloaking him, he would have suffocated long ago. I must drag this out and wear him down.
The grueling struggle rages on for several moments, but MICTLANTEKUTI suddenly draws forth more power, pressing DANTE back. Anxiety creeps into DANTE's mind.
DANTE HERALDI: (In his mind) What?! This bastard's power is rising even further... (Noticing native fauna dying as they pass) No... it can't be! He's siphoning the souls of the creatures dying around us! If I let this fight drag on any longer, everything is over.
Hardening his resolve, DANTE launches a series of Shadow Slashes alongside his sword swings to pressure MICTLANTEKUTI. Overwhelmed by the crushing impacts, the god barely manages to defend himself as DANTE drives him backward. With a brutal strike, DANTE sends him flying hundreds of meters, crashing directly into a primitive settlement inhabited by strange alien beings.
MICTLANTEKUTI plows through several simple structures before pushing himself up. Observing the fleeing inhabitants—slender, white-robed beings with large heads and blue skin—a dark realization strikes him.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Curse it all, when on earth did these wretched creatures populate my planet?! How I despise life itself... Umm, but now that I think about it... (A villainous smirk spreads across his face)
DANTE descends from above, levitating mid-air as shock washes over him at the sight of the native inhabitants. He watches them flee in terror, while others kneel in desperate prayer for salvation, chanting in a language he has never heard before. A heavy lump forms in DANTE's throat, choking back his words.
DANTE HERALDI: What... on earth... am I doing...?
DANTE's hands tremble violently as the reality sets in: he is participating in the destruction of an entire civilization. He stares in a trance-like state as structures collapse and indigenous beings are crushed beneath their own homes.
snapping out of his stupor, he spots MICTLANTEKUTI executing the civilians with his bare hands. Driven by pure outrage, DANTE rushes forward, grabbing the Dead God by the throat and hauling him high into the sky to isolate him. MICTLANTEKUTI makes no attempt to resist as DANTE pulls him close, shouting directly into his face.
DANTE HERALDI: YOU WRETCHED BASTARD, DO YOU HAVE NO PRINCIPLES?! This fight is between you and me! You brought me to a inhabited world—YOU HAVE NO HONOR!
Listening to DANTE's fury, MICTLANTEKUTI bursts into a mocking, sinister laugh.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Hu, hu, hu, hu... I had no idea life had developed in this remote corner of the cosmos... (DANTE's eyes widen) But... HOW FORTUNATE THAT IT DID!
A massive blast of dark energy laced with black flames erupts from MICTLANTEKUTI's palm, surging down toward the primitive city. Horrified, DANTE releases his hold on MICTLANTEKUTI, plunging downward in a desperate attempt to intercept it—but it is too late.
The catastrophic blast descends at terrifying speed. Below, the alien inhabitants watch the apocalyptic beam fall from the sky. Those running freeze in their tracks; loved ones embrace, and parents bid farewell to their children in their final moments.
The energy impacts, obliterating everything in a blinding explosion while DANTE watches the genocide unfold, completely powerless.
DANTE HERALDI: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
DANTE spins around in pure rage, but as his eyes fall upon MICTLANTEKUTI, he finds the god overflowing with newfound power—having consumed every single soul slaughtered in the blast to elevate his divine strength.
DANTE HERALDI: You wretched monster... It wasn't enough to slaughter them, you took their very souls as well! You are beyond redemption!
MICTLANTEKUTI: Wahahahahahaha! Those useless creatures served a purpose! They served me well—as they rightfully should, considering I was the one who created this world!
DANTE HERALDI: You bastard...!
In the span of a single frame, MICTLANTEKUTI closes the distance, driving a heavy strike into DANTE that blasts him into the far horizon. Remaining mid-air, the Dead God closes his eyes, savoring the subtle pulse of the planetary sphere.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (closing his eyes) Hmm… I can sense various life forms on this planet. To think that I abandoned it for only a few centuries—that was enough for life to emerge! Well, all the better for me; the countless deaths across this entire planet are only making me stronger. It won't be long before I crush that piece of mortal scum. Still, it's truly astonishing—in all these millennia, a mortal like this has never appeared. He possesses a power that allows for limitless growth. I know that wretch, Bell, granted him that strange ability, but the power to consume hearts and grow stronger—that is far from normal. His spiritual body is… peculiar. There's something about him that just doesn't sit right.
In a blur of speed, DANTE re-engages, materializing before MICTLANTEKUTI to throw a full-power strike. Yet this time, MICTLANTEKUTI catches the edge of the Abyssal Sword bare-handed—leaving DANTE utterly stunned. With a flick of his wrist, the Dead God hurls DANTE aside, sneering with absolute disdain.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (Mocking grin) ...You are no longer a match for me. Now, I want to witness your absolute despair. Behold what comes next!
DANTE watches in horror as MICTLANTEKUTI raises his arm toward the heavens, dispersing dense spheres of black energy in every direction across the atmosphere. Moments later, apocalyptic detonations shatter every corner of the planet. Hovering above, DANTE takes in the horrific sight of colossal mushroom clouds erupting along the horizon, his spiritual senses detecting millions of life signals snuffing out simultaneously.
As the slaughter unfolds, MICTLANTEKUTI's physical frame contorts. His once-slender body expands into a towering mass of dense muscle—a version of the Dead God far more terrifying than before. He turns his gaze toward DANTE, eyes burning with feral hatred.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Prepare yourself, wretched mortal!
Without giving him room to breathe, MICTLANTEKUTI draws his weapon and charges at blinding speed. DANTE raises both his katana and the Abyssal Sword, barely locking his blades against the catastrophic downward strike of the Dead God's obsidian blade. The pressure grinds the earth beneath them.
Lashing out with a heavy knee, MICTLANTEKUTI launches DANTE further into the sky. Sheathing his weapon mid-flight, the god delivers a relentless volley of bare-knuckle strikes, pummeling DANTE across the upper atmosphere. Moving so fast that DANTE is unable to counter, the mortal maintains an iron grip on both his blades despite the brutal beating.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (Striking repeatedly) Damn you! Just give up and drop those useless toys! I am sick of you—die already!
With a final, devastating sledgehammer fist to DANTE's abdomen, MICTLANTEKUTI sends him plummeting straight back down to the planetary crust. DANTE crashes into the bedrock, creating a massive crater as he struggles to stand.
Descending slowly into the crater, MICTLANTEKUTI crosses his arms in supreme arrogance, glaring down at his opponent. With immense effort, DANTE rolls over onto his back—still clutching his twin blades tightly—and gazes up through bloodied eyes.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Give up, mortal. This world is dying, and its destruction only feeds my strength. What can a mere human possibly hope to achieve now?
DANTE's body is battered and broken, yet beneath the surface, his passive regenerative abilities silently knit his wounds back together—completely unnoticed by the Dead God.
DANTE HERALDI: Hehe... You know, you talk way too much. Give me a second...
MICTLANTEKUTI watches in confusion as DANTE releases his hold on one of his swords, reaching his hand up toward the air to interact with an invisible interface.
MICTLANTEKUTI: Where have I seen that before...? Oh! Curse you... just like my first guardian!
MICTLANTEKUTI lunges forward to stop him, but a sudden, violent burst of divine energy erupts from DANTE's body, blowing the god backward. When the dust settles, DANTE stands fully restored, free of injuries and overflowing with radiant energy. He glares at the Dead God, tears streaming down his face.
DANTE HERALDI: (In his mind) Forgive me, souls of this world... But if I don't crush him right here and now, countless more realms will suffer the exact same fate!
Wiping away his tears, DANTE tightens his grip on both blades. MICTLANTEKUTI summons his obsidian sword alongside a massive spear, taking a battle stance.
In the blink of an eye, both entities collide once more. DANTE delivers a flurry of precision slashes, while the Dead God parries with his sword and thrusts with his spear to maintain distance. The brutal exchange warps the dying world around them, each dodge, block, and strike tearing further into the crumbling core of a world now void of life.
Deep cuts mark both combatants as the fierce duel reaches its fever pitch—yet slowly but surely, DANTE begins to push MICTLANTEKUTI back, gaining the upper hand with unrelenting momentum!
DANTE HERALDI: (In his mind while attacking) Damn it... even after allocating all my remaining stat points, I still can't overpower him! If this drags out any longer, his strength will just keep compounding. I have no choice—I have to push my body beyond its limits! I want to win... I HAVE TO WIN!
Without another second's delay, DANTE triggers Wrath. A violent surge of physical power erupts from his frame, catching MICTLANTEKUTI completely off guard as he barely manages to cross his guard against the incoming pressure.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (In his mind) Damn it... no, NO! I cannot be defeated by a mere mortal! Just a little longer...
Putting every ounce of his strength into a single strike, DANTE shatters the Dead God's obsidian blade into pieces. Stunned, the deity staggers backward, but DANTE instantly capitalizes—channeling his energy into both weapons to launch two crossed Shadow Slashes.
The divine cross-slash expands into an apocalyptic wave of dark kinetic force. Sweating profusely, MICTLANTEKUTI raises his spear to arrest the strike, but the sheer momentum drags him downward into the planetary crust. The moment the attack impacts the earth, a blinding explosion consumes the horizon.
Silence settles over the desolate landscape. It appears the God of the Dead has finally fallen.
Relieved, DANTE collapses to his knees, deactivating all his active skills except Dark Cloak, which continues to provide him oxygen in the hostile atmosphere. His aura burns faintly, reduced to a flickering ember. Battered and bleeding on the scorched earth, his mind races for a way off this dying world.
DANTE HERALDI: (In his mind) Damn it... every bone in my body aches. What do I do now...? Wait, I've got it! That strange keycard the god used—I need to find it.
Forcing himself to his feet with immense difficulty, DANTE begins searching through the crumbling terrain, the ground trembling continuously beneath his boots from the aftermath of their duel. Looking around at the complete annihilation of the landscape, he laments the tragic fate that brought this world to ruin.
Running low on energy and growing desperate, he channels his lingering spiritual perception to locate the residual magic of the keycard. Suddenly, a raspy, ominous voice echoes from behind him: "Is this what you were looking for?"
Gasping, DANTE spins around.
Standing before him—battered, missing an arm, yet clutching the colored keycard in his remaining hand—is MICTLANTEKUTI.
MICTLANTEKUTI: (Exhausted and furious) Curse it all... By Satan, you are truly a stubborn insect, wretched mortal! But it ends now... You are going to die!
DANTE falls backward in shock, unable to comprehend how the god survived such a catastrophic impact. Stashing the keycard into his robes, MICTLANTEKUTI slowly limps toward DANTE, who frantically racks his brain for any remaining option.
DANTE HERALDI: (In his mind) No... this can't be happening. He's still alive?! Wait... why did he mention Satan? Does he know that demon?! Hold on... demons and angels exist in this multiversal scale, right? I... I have an angel on my side!
DANTE reaches into his inventory, retrieving the silver whistle sold to him by MORS. Sensing the imminent danger, MICTLANTEKUTI breaks into a desperate sprint to cut him off, but DANTE brings the whistle to his lips and blows with all his remaining breath.
A blinding pillar of holy light erupts above DANTE's head, temporarily blinding the Dead God. Rubbing his eyes, MICTLANTEKUTI looks up to find a towering celestial entity standing behind DANTE—the Archangel AZRAEL has entered the realm.
AZRAEL: What in the...? Wait... Where am I?
AZRAEL glances down at DANTE, then turns his gaze toward MICTLANTEKUTI, processing the situation with instantaneous divine intellect.
AZRAEL: (Looking at Dante) You... that object in your hand... so it was you who sounded the whistle. And as for you... (Turning to Mictlantekuti) I recognize you. You are a deity of death. So this catastrophe is your doing.
Astonished by the majestic being before him, MICTLANTEKUTI acts on pure instinct—unleashing a barrage of dark energy blasts from his remaining hand. AZRAEL merely sighs, walking calmly toward the god as the dark projectiles dissipate harmlessly upon contact with his angelic aura.
Realizing his attacks are completely futile, the sweating God of the Dead produces the keycard to escape.
AZRAEL: Hold on... Where did you acquire that device?
Offering no answer, MICTLANTEKUTI crushes the keycard, opening a spatial portal and diving through in a frantic bid for survival. AZRAEL grabs DANTE by the collar and steps directly into the rift behind the fleeing deity.
As the rift seals shut behind them, only a dead, hollow husk of a world remains. Seconds later, the planetary core collapses entirely, shattering the alien world into stardust...
Returning to QUETZALCÓATL and the rest of the party, they sit waiting atop the pyramid. Anxiety hangs heavy in the air; over an hour has passed since their own battle concluded, yet DANTE has not returned. ELENA's distress is especially palatable.
Suddenly, a spatial portal tears open. The God of the Dead tumbles out, bloodied, battered, and consumed by sheer terror. The companions spring into battle stances, ready to execute him on the spot—but just as they prepare to strike, a majestic winged entity steps through the portal, holding DANTE by the collar.
AZRAEL releases DANTE, letting him drop onto the stone floor. Wincing in pain, DANTE deactivates his lingering aura, collapsing onto his back in total exhaustion. With a flick of his wrist, AZRAEL channels his celestial power to weave divine chains, binding MICTLANTEKUTI hand and foot against the stone ground.
QUETZALCÓATL: Dante! By the gods, are you alright?!
ELENA: (Throwing her arms around him, sobbing) I thought... I thought I would never see you again! Buaaaaa!
DANTE HERALDI: Elena... easy... you're pressing on my wounds... Remember, I'm pretty beat up, hehe.
REX: Easy, Elena, he's back now. He's safe.
MALEKIN: (Gently resting a massive hand on Elena's head) Calm yourself, girl. We all know how much you care for him; he is back with us now.
ISAMU: ...
ELENA: (Wiping her tears) Forgive me... I'm calm now.
AZRAEL: Forgive me for interrupting this touching reunion, but could someone kindly explain what is transpiring here?
DANTE HERALDI: First of all... who are you? And how do you possess enough power to effortlessly subdue a god like him?
AZRAEL: Pfft. A god? Him? Do not speak such blasphemy in my presence. I am Azrael, the Archangel of Death. I don't suppose you happened to encounter someone named Mors along your journey? I believe he is the one who sold you that silver whistle in your hand—he is my apprentice.
DANTE HERALDI: Yes... (Forcing himself up with great difficulty) He sold me that whistle and has been aiding us. But... you aren't Bell.
AZRAEL's eyes widen in shock and sudden dread at the mention of that name. Yet in that exact instant, MICTLANTEKUTI stammers out a terrified whisper: "Curse it all... HE IS HERE."
A overwhelming, absolute pressure crashes over the entire summit. The physical force presses everyone to their knees—except for the Archangel, who turns in utter horror as a supreme entity materializes directly behind DANTE.
It is BELL.
BELL raises a fist, sweeping down to obliterate the defenseless DANTE. AZRAEL lunges forward to intercept the blow, but BELL's execution angle is flawlessly precise.
A sharp sound like shattering glass echoes across the pyramid summit.
As the dust clears, a horrific scene reveals itself: BELL's fist has driven clean through ELENA's chest. No matter how many layered ice barriers she erected, none could withstand the absolute power of BELL. Having used instant spatial movement to shield DANTE from the fatal strike, she took the absolute force of the attack herself.
Gazing into DANTE's eyes one last time, a gentle smile spreads across her lips as she whispers her final breath: "Forgive me, my love..."
BELL withdraws his hand, leaving a gaping hole in her chest as ELENA's lifeless body collapses onto the cold stone floor. DANTE and the companions stare in absolute horror and utter paralysis at the nightmare unfolding before them.
A single name is torn from DANTE's throat in pure, unadulterated anguish:
DANTE HERALDI: ELENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Smirking, BELL calmly wipes the blood from his hand while everyone remains frozen in sheer horror.
The mastermind BELL has finally made his entrance! What is his true objective? How will this crushing tragedy alter DANTE's fate? What secret history does AZRAEL share with BELL? And has ELENA truly drawn her final breath? Everything shall be revealed very soon!