The sky above the Spirit Realm twisted violently.
Azhrael's sphere of annihilation descended like a dying star, swallowing light and distorting the ruins beneath it. Ancient towers shattered simply from the pressure of its existence.
Even the floating islands far in the distance began drifting apart.
The attack was not meant to kill just one person.
It was meant to erase everything.
Liora stared at the falling darkness.
"…That thing looks like it could delete the entire continent."
The commander of the witch hunters gripped her weapon tightly.
"It probably can."
The spirit wolves scattered across the platform, retreating instinctively from the approaching catastrophe.
Only one figure remained unmoving.
Cairis.
The Demon Prince slowly lifted his gaze toward the sky.
The sphere of void energy was already close enough that the wind howled violently around the platform.
Black flames flickered along Cairis's arms.
The shadows surrounding him thickened until they looked almost solid.
Then something changed.
The darkness behind him began expanding.
Larger.
Wider.
Colossal shapes formed within it—massive wings, curved horns, and something that resembled the silhouette of an ancient demon towering over the world.
Liora felt the pressure instantly.
The air dropped several degrees.
Even gravity seemed heavier.
"…Cairis?" she said cautiously.
His voice came out low and distant.
"Stay behind me."
The shadows erupted.
A massive wave of demonic power surged upward from the platform, forming a towering pillar of darkness that shot toward the sky.
It collided directly with Azhrael's descending sphere.
For a moment—
Nothing moved.
Two ancient forces pressed against each other in the sky like colliding worlds.
Then the Spirit Realm exploded with sound.
The impact tore through the floating ruins.
Shockwaves shattered ancient temples and sent fragments of marble spinning through the sky.
The witch hunters were forced to their knees as the pressure crashed over them.
Even Liora had to brace herself against the stone floor.
Above them, Cairis slowly stepped forward.
The demonic aura surrounding him grew even stronger.
His crimson eyes glowed like burning stars.
And the shadow behind him continued to take shape.
Azhrael watched with interest.
"…Remarkable."
The ancient entity raised a hand, pushing more power into the descending sphere.
The darkness swelled larger.
"You possess the strength of a true royal demon."
The sky cracked.
Energy surged outward in violent waves.
"But you are still young."
The void sphere began pushing downward again.
Cairis's attack started to give way.
The platform trembled.
Cracks spread through the ancient stone.
The witch hunters shouted in alarm.
"Commander!"
"If that hits—!"
But Cairis didn't retreat.
Instead, he raised his hand slowly.
The massive shadow behind him responded.
The colossal demon-shaped silhouette spread its wings across the sky.
For a brief moment, it looked like an enormous being had awakened behind him.
Cairis spoke quietly.
"Demon Dominion."
The shadows exploded outward.
The entire sky darkened instantly.
Even Azhrael's sphere was swallowed by the expanding storm of demonic power.
The Spirit Realm shook violently.
Ancient ruins drifted further apart as the overwhelming force spread across the horizon.
Then—
Cairis clenched his hand.
The shadow giant behind him moved.
A massive demonic claw formed from pure darkness and slammed into Azhrael's attack.
The void sphere shattered.
Completely.
Fragments of annihilation energy scattered across the sky before fading away.
For the first time since the battle began—
Azhrael's expression changed.
"…Impossible."
The demonic claw didn't stop.
It continued forward, crashing directly into Azhrael's shadow form.
The impact tore across the Spirit Realm like a thunderclap.
Azhrael was thrown backwards through the sky, his body crashing through several floating ruins before finally stopping in the distance.
The shockwave that followed flattened everything nearby.
The witch hunters stared in stunned silence.
"…He defeated it?"
"No," the commander said quietly.
"…Not yet."
Far away, the darkness stirred again.
Azhrael slowly rose from the drifting ruins.
His shadow form was unstable now.
Pieces of darkness drifted away from him like torn smoke.
But his golden eyes still burned.
"…You exceeded my expectations."
He looked toward Cairis again.
"…Demon Prince."
Cairis stood motionless.
The massive shadow behind him slowly faded.
But the demonic aura surrounding him remained terrifying.
"You are leaving."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
Azhrael studied him for a long moment.
Then he laughed softly.
"You believe this battle is over?"
The ancient entity's form flickered.
"You have only destroyed a fragment of me."
The Spirit Realm trembled again.
The floating ruins drifted uneasily.
"This realm is unstable."
Azhrael's gaze moved toward Liora once more.
"…And the witch's presence will continue to awaken it."
Liora crossed her arms nervously.
"Everyone keeps saying that like it's my fault."
But Azhrael was already fading.
His body dissolved slowly into drifting shadows.
"We will meet again, Star Witch."
His voice echoed across the ruins.
"And next time…"
His golden eyes flared once more.
"…your memories will return."
Then he vanished.
The darkness disappeared with him.
Silence fell over the Spirit Realm.
The witch hunters slowly stood up.
The commander looked toward Cairis.
"…He drove away an ancient god."
Cairis didn't respond.
The demonic aura surrounding him gradually faded.
His wings folded behind his back again.
But the exhaustion in his posture was subtle but real.
Liora walked over carefully.
"…So."
She looked at the shattered sky.
"…That was terrifying."
Cairis glanced at her briefly.
"You're alive."
"That's a low bar."
But before he could reply—
The Spirit Realm shook again.
A deep cracking sound echoed through the floating ruins.
The glowing runes across the platform flickered violently.
The ancient temple in the distance trembled.
The commander's expression darkened.
"The realm is collapsing."
Liora blinked.
"…What?"
"The seal that kept this world stable is broken," she explained quickly.
"Without it, the Spirit Realm will start tearing itself apart."
Right on cue—
A massive crack split the sky.
Reality itself fractured like broken glass.
Floating islands began drifting into the growing rift.
Cairis looked upward.
"…We're leaving."
Liora raised an eyebrow.
"You have a plan for that?"
He extended his hand.
Dark energy gathered around his palm.
A swirling gateway formed in the air.
A portal.
But the magic felt different from anything she had seen before.
Hot.
Heavy.
Ancient.
"…Where does that lead?" she asked.
Cairis's crimson eyes met hers.
"…My kingdom."
The portal widened.
On the other side, a dark landscape appeared.
Massive black castles.
Endless crimson skies.
A city built from obsidian towers stretching toward the horizon.
The Demon Kingdom.
The witch hunters stared.
"You're taking us there?"
Cairis's expression didn't change.
"You want to stay here?"
Another crack split the Spirit Realm.
A floating island collapsed into the growing void.
The answer was obvious.
Liora sighed.
"…Well."
She stepped toward the portal.
"…I guess I'm moving to the demon realm now."
Cairis followed beside her.
The witch hunters hesitated only briefly before stepping through as well.
Behind them, the Spirit Realm continued to shatter.
Ancient ruins fell into endless darkness.
And somewhere within the collapsing sky—
Azhrael's voice whispered faintly.
Waiting.
Watching.
Preparing for the moment the Star Witch Queen would remember who she truly was.