The battle was finally coming to an end.
Not because the humans had won.
Not because the monsters had been defeated.
But because everyone had reached their limits.
The Shadowed Area had become a sea of corpses.
Black blood flowed like rivers across the shattered ground.
Broken weapons littered the battlefield.
The air smelled of blood, essence, and death.
Yet amidst all the chaos, two figures still fought.
Jade.
And the Ant Demon.
They moved together like a perfectly synchronized dance.
One crimson.
One black.
One human.
One monster.
Every movement flowed into the next.
Every strike created another opening.
Every opening became another death.
The Ant Demon spun gracefully through the battlefield.
Her dark cloak fluttered behind her.
Her massive sword carved through shadow creatures with terrifying precision.
A slash.
A creature fell.
A turn.
Another lost its head.
A step.
Three more were cut apart.
She moved like a knight from an ancient legend.
Cold.
Elegant.
Merciless.
Meanwhile Jade fought with even greater ferocity.
His crimson greatsword shone like a blood-red star amidst the darkness.
The relic gifted by the Beast God had become drenched in blood.
Every kill made it glow brighter.
Every death fed it.
Every drop of blood strengthened it.
The sword hungered.
And Jade continued feeding it.
A creature lunged.
Jade stepped forward instead of backward.
His blade flashed.
The monster split into two halves.
Another creature attacked from behind.
Without turning around, Jade swung his sword backward.
The creature's body exploded into fragments.
A third charged him.
A fourth.
A fifth.
All died.
Yet despite his overwhelming strength, Jade was slowing down.
His movements were becoming heavier.
His breathing rougher.
His vision blurrier.
The sword continued giving him strength.
But strength was not energy.
And Jade's energy reserves had almost completely dried up.
His muscles screamed.
His bones felt heavy.
His essence pathways burned.
Still he fought.
Because he had made a promise.
A promise nobody remembered.
A promise everyone had forgotten.
But Jade remembered.
And that was enough.
Another creature died beneath his blade.
Then another.
Then another.
Finally—
Jade staggered.
His legs trembled.
His sword slipped slightly.
The battlefield spun.
And for the first time since entering the Shadowed Area—
he dropped to one knee.
The Ant Demon immediately stepped forward.
Her sword swept through the surrounding monsters.
Protecting him.
Defending him.
Buying him precious moments.
Jade lowered his head.
His breathing sounded ragged.
His body had truly reached its limit.
The sword still pulsed with power.
But power alone could not replace exhaustion.
Far away, Aaron noticed.
At first he ignored it.
There were still monsters everywhere.
There were still warriors depending on him.
Yet his eyes kept returning to the kneeling warrior.
The mysterious young man.
The one nobody seemed to know.
The one who fought harder than anyone else.
The one who never retreated.
The one who somehow felt familiar.
Aaron frowned.
Then finally rushed forward.
His black sword cut through several creatures.
A wave of purple aura erupted from his God Body.
Monsters were blasted aside.
Within moments he reached Jade.
The Ant Demon looked at him but did not attack.
Almost as if she recognized he wasn't an enemy.
Aaron stopped beside the exhausted warrior.
For several seconds he simply stared.
Then he spoke.
"Brother."
Jade slowly raised an eyebrow.
Aaron scratched the back of his head.
"If you're this tired, then stop fighting."
Jade blinked.
Aaron continued.
"Just call me."
His grin widened.
"You know I'll protect you."
For a moment Jade simply stared.
Then a smirk slowly appeared on his face.
Despite his exhaustion.
Despite the pain.
Despite everything.
He laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"Please don't say something like that."
Aaron frowned.
"What?"
Jade chuckled weakly.
"You look weird when you try acting nice."
Aaron nearly choked.
"What kind of response is that?"
Jade's smirk widened.
"I know what kind of person you are."
Aaron crossed his arms.
"Oh really?"
Jade nodded.
"You kill humans too."
Aaron froze.
Then unexpectedly burst out laughing.
"So what?"
His eyes narrowed.
"I won't be inhumane to someone with talent."
Jade shook his head.
Only Aaron could say something that ridiculous so casually.
The battlefield continued raging around them.
Yet somehow the conversation felt strangely normal.
Almost nostalgic.
Like something they had done countless times before.
Even though Aaron had no memory of it.
Jade looked toward the distance.
Far beyond the battlefield.
Far beyond the Shadowed Area.
Toward the place where the Great Monster awaited.
The guardian of the treasure.
The true challenge of the trial.
Then Jade spoke quietly.
"Can you defeat it today?"
Aaron followed his gaze.
Immediately he understood.
The Great Monster.
The creature neither of them truly wanted to face.
Aaron slowly turned back toward Jade.
Then gave him a look.
A very specific look.
The look of a man who was equally exhausted.
The look of someone silently asking:
Are you insane?
Jade laughed again.
Aaron sighed.
"Don't give me that."
He pointed at himself.
"I'm tired too."
Then he pointed toward the distant horizon.
"How exactly do you expect me to kill that thing?"
Jade simply smiled.
The smile made Aaron uneasy.
Very uneasy.
Then Jade said something strange.
"I know you still have reflections."
Aaron froze.
His smile vanished.
The battlefield seemed quieter.
Even the monsters felt distant.
Jade continued.
"The ones Mike gave you."
Silence.
Aaron stared at him.
His eyes widened.
His grip tightened around his sword.
His heart skipped a beat.
"How..."
Aaron's voice became low.
Dangerously low.
"How do you know my brother's name?"
Jade's smile weakened.
For a brief moment sadness flashed through his eyes.
A sadness deeper than any wound.
"You know me."
Aaron frowned.
"No."
Jade nodded.
"You do."
"I don't."
"You did."
Aaron felt a strange chill run through his body.
Jade looked away.
Toward the battlefield.
Toward the monsters.
Toward the people who had forgotten him.
Then he spoke softly.
"You forgot when I lost my Fate."
Aaron's confusion only deepened.
"When did I know you?"
Jade closed his eyes.
For a few seconds he remained silent.
Then he shook his head.
"Don't think I can explain any further."
Aaron wanted to ask more.
Wanted answers.
Wanted explanations.
But something inside him stopped him.
Some instinct.
Some buried memory.
Something he couldn't understand.
The conversation ended.
Neither spoke again.
Instead they listened to the sounds of battle.
The screams.
The roars.
The clash of steel.
Then suddenly—
BOOOOOOM!
A brilliant light erupted in the distance.
Both men turned.
The portal.
The portal had reopened.
Aaron's eyes widened.
Jade slowly stood.
Even the Ant Demon turned toward it.
Then a gigantic shadow descended from above.
Massive wings.
Silver eyes.
Black feathers.
Aviana.
She had returned.
The giant bird dove through the battlefield like a meteor.
Monsters were blown away.
The wind itself screamed.
She reached them within seconds.
Aaron didn't hesitate.
He immediately grabbed Jade.
Jade looked offended.
"Put me down."
"No."
"I can walk."
"You can barely stand."
"I hate you."
Aaron grinned.
"I know."
Then he placed Jade onto Aviana's back.
The Ant Demon jumped aboard as well.
Aaron followed immediately after.
Aviana released a powerful cry.
Then shot toward the portal.
Her wings beat once.
The ground shattered.
Twice.
She crossed half the battlefield.
Three times.
The portal was right ahead.
Monsters lunged.
The Ant Demon cut them apart.
Aaron struck down others.
Jade remained seated, exhausted beyond words.
Watching.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Then—
They crossed.
The moment Aviana passed through the portal, the pressure vanished.
The Shadowed Area was left behind.
Safety.
At last.
Real safety.
Behind them the portal began collapsing.
The gigantic Great Monster rushed toward it.
Its roar shook heaven and earth.
For one terrifying second it looked like the creature would escape.
Then—
The portal closed.
Silence.
The Great Monster vanished.
The Shadowed Area disappeared.
Its monsters remained trapped inside their prison.
Its horrors remained sealed away.
And for the first time in six endless hours—
The survivors were safe.
Jade slowly looked upward.
His eyes felt heavy.
His body hurt everywhere.
Yet despite everything—
a small smile appeared on his face.
They had survived.