Zagan was about to leap forward—
When something cut through the air.
A small blade.
Sharp. Precise. Fast.
It spun toward his face with lethal intent.
Zagan's eyes narrowed.
With a slight tilt of his head, he dodged it effortlessly. The blade whistled past him, embedding itself into a shattered wall behind.
For a fraction of a second—
There was silence.
Then—
A distortion.
Space itself seemed to ripple.
And in the very next instant—
Leo appeared.
Right in front of him.
Ethereal Rapier gleaming in his right hand, radiant and humming with power. In his left hand, light condensed into a blinding sphere, pulsing like a miniature sun.
Zagan barely had time to react.
Leo moved first.
A swift, precise slash cut through the air, aiming straight for Zagan's core. The blade sang as it descended, carrying immense power with it.
Zagan reacted on instinct.
Both hands shot up, catching the strike just in time. The clash erupted into a burst of energy—light against shadow—sending a shockwave through the surrounding ruins.
The ground cracked beneath them.
But Leo didn't stop.
His eyes burned with determination.
"Divine Burst Fist!"
His left hand ignited.
The concentrated light flared violently, expanding into a blazing mass that illuminated the entire battlefield. It was no longer just light—it was force. Power. Destruction.
Zagan's eyes widened slightly.
Too late.
He tried to react, his tentacles snapping forward in an attempt to block—
But Leo had already committed.
The punch landed.
And everything exploded.
A blinding eruption of light consumed Zagan's body, the force tearing through him with overwhelming intensity. The impact sent shockwaves spiraling outward, scattering debris and pushing back the very air itself.
Zagan's form twisted violently under the assault.
He was critically injured.
But Leo didn't let up.
The light didn't disperse—instead, it spiraled.
Leo manipulated the energy, forcing it into a rotating vortex that dragged both him and Zagan into its core. They spun within the storm of light, caught in a violent spiral of destruction.
Faster.
Brighter.
More intense.
Until—
BOOM.
The vortex collapsed in a final, devastating explosion.
When the light faded—
Leo stood.
Breathing heavily.
Ethereal Rapier still in hand.
Across from him—
Zagan remained upright.
But barely.
His body was shattered, pieces of him hanging unnaturally, his form resembling a corpse struggling to hold itself together. Dark energy flickered weakly as he began to regenerate.
Leo didn't wait.
He raised his blade.
"Luminous Slash Piercer."
Light condensed along the edge of his rapier, forming a concentrated beam of piercing energy. With a single motion, he unleashed it.
The attack shot forward at incredible speed.
Zagan's instincts screamed.
He tried to move—tried to escape—
But behind him—
The ground shifted.
A massive wall of earth surged upward, solid and unyielding.
Rein.
Zagan slammed into it, stumbling back, trapped.
The beam was already upon him.
No time.
No escape.
The Luminous Slash Piercer struck—
And split him clean in half.
Zagan's body collapsed onto the ground.
Broken.
Severed.
Yet still… alive.
His voice crawled out, filled with venom and rage.
"You bastard…"
His gaze shifted weakly.
"You bitch…"
Darkness flickered violently around him.
"Curse all of you… for ruining everything…!"
His voice rose, unstable, furious.
"I was about to achieve everything…! Years of work…! All of it—taken away by you!"
Leo watched silently.
But he didn't notice—
The movement behind him.
Fragments of shadow.
Tentacles.
Crawling.
Slowly.
Quietly.
They crept along the ground, merging, reforming, preparing to strike.
Right at Leo's back.
Then—
A flash.
Steel cut through the darkness.
Every tentacle was severed instantly.
Ethan appeared.
"Watch your back, dimwit."
Leo exhaled lightly, glancing back.
"Thanks, bro."
But that brief distraction—
Was enough.
Zagan's body surged.
Regenerated.
In an instant.
Darkness exploded outward as he raised his hand, unleashing another projectile straight toward them.
Ethan reacted instantly.
The world warped—
And both of them vanished.
They reappeared near the others.
Zagan stood in the distance—
Breathing heavily.
Desperate.
Something inside him snapped.
"If I can't kill you directly…"
Dark energy surged violently around him.
"I'll destroy everything instead!"
The shadows condensed above him—
Forming something grotesque.
A massive, black, wet, organic sphere began to take shape. Its surface pulsed unnaturally, as if alive, while thick tentacles sprouted from it, writhing in all directions.
It floated upward.
Growing.
Expanding.
Unstable.
The very air around it twisted.
The people of Dichondra froze in horror.
"What… is that…?"
Zagan raised his arms.
"This is your doom."
The sphere pulsed violently.
"This is your destruction."
Tentacles lashed outward, smashing into buildings.
"This is your chaos."
More structures collapsed under its assault.
"This… is your end."
He spread his arms wide.
"I call this—Star of Phantom Craft."
The creature roared to life.
"Witness the power of Zagan!"
From a distance—
Leo and the others watched.
The scale of destruction was overwhelming.
A new problem.
A bigger one.
Zagan had used half his power to create it.
It couldn't move—
But it didn't need to.
Its tentacles stretched across the city, reaching everything.
Destroying everything.
Leo stepped forward.
"This will be our last stand."
Everyone looked at him.
"And we will win… whatever it takes."
His voice was steady.
Firm.
"Helmond will live. Trust my plan."
Silence fell.
"I am ending this… with all of us alive."
His grip tightened.
"I won't fail to bring us all home."
The words hit hard.
Everyone felt it.
They believed him.
The Star of Phantom Craft attacked relentlessly, tearing through buildings.
Zagan moved separately, still searching.
Rein stepped forward.
"I'll hold it."
Her magic surged.
Flames ignited in the sky.
Then—
They fell.
A massive rain of fire crashed down onto the creature, engulfing it in burning destruction. The Star recoiled, its tentacles thrashing violently as it took damage.
"It's working!" Alice shouted.
But Rein's breathing grew heavy.
"I can't… keep this up…"
"Then we move now," Ethan said.
He grabbed Leo—
And vanished.
They reappeared near Zagan instantly.
Leo didn't hesitate.
"Luminous Slash Piercer!"
The attack launched—
But Zagan dodged.
Before he could react—
A blade struck his face.
Ethan.
Blood spilled.
Zagan staggered.
Blinded.
Vulnerable.
"Now!" Ethan shouted.
Leo stepped in.
"Lumina Energon!"
A massive blast of light erupted, slamming into Zagan's body.
At the same time—
Ethan moved.
Blades flew around Zagan, each one becoming a point of attack. Ethan teleported rapidly, slashing at every angle—arms, torso, legs—too fast to follow.
Zagan roared in frustration.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't react.
Leo raised his hand.
"Light Cross Seal!"
Energy formed around Zagan, binding him further.
Locking him in place.
Then—
They attacked together.
Relentlessly.
Slash after slash.
Strike after strike.
Pain overwhelmed Zagan.
His form destabilized.
He began to separate—
From Prince Keane's body.
Leo saw it.
"That's it…!"
He reached forward—
Grabbing onto Zagan's essence.
Pulling.
Ethan continued slashing, keeping him weakened.
They were close.
So close—
Then—
Rein collapsed.
Her flames stopped.
The Star of Phantom Craft surged back to life.
"Destruction."
Its tentacles shot forward—
Too fast.
"Avoid it—!" Alice shouted.
But it was too late.
One tentacle struck Leo—
Sending him flying across the battlefield.
Ethan barely escaped using teleportation.
Zagan broke free.
Saved.
Dust filled the air.
From the rubble—
Leo stood.
Barely.
He looked out.
The city—
Burning.
Broken.
Falling apart.
"I was supposed to protect them…"
Doubt crept in.
"I was supposed to save everyone…"
His grip weakened.
"It's… too late…"
Zagan appeared before him.
"You're strong…"
A twisted smile formed.
"But weak at the same time."
He formed a blade of shadow.
"I acknowledge your power."
Leo charged—
But without thought.
Without strategy.
He attacked wildly.
Zagan blocked.
Dodged.
Endured.
"He's lost focus…" Zagan muttered.
"I will win."
A blade pierced Zagan's head.
Ethan.
He grabbed Leo—
And teleported away.
Back with the group.
Ethan stood firm.
He understood.
"I have to step up."
Katelyn hugged him tightly.
"Be careful…"
He kissed her forehead.
Then—
He vanished.
He reappeared before Zagan.
The Star attacked.
Zagan attacked.
Ethan dodged everything.
Barely.
He countered—
Teleporting.
Striking.
Relentless.
Even under pressure.
The clash intensified.
Everyone watched.
Rein, weakened, turned to Leo.
Then—
She slapped him.
"Wake up!"
Her voice broke.
"We need you!"
Tears fell.
"Everything… will be for nothing if you don't fight!"
"I'm sorry… for putting this on you…"
"But you're the only one who can fix this!"
Leo froze.
Rein was crying.
Still believing in him.
Memories returned.
Her words.
Alice's words.
Helmond.
Everything.
Leo inhaled slowly.
"I still have everything…"
His grip tightened.
"I just need to trust myself."
And his eyes—
Burned again.