"Alfia, is it really you?"
"Akumo."
Shu-wook—!!!
Akumo offered no further waste of breath. Gripping the Green Fang with a white-knuckled intensity, he lunged at her. His acceleration was so absolute that even the fallen Riveria and Gareth found their eyes unable to track his trajectory.
Kwang—!!!!
"Hoh? A new weapon?"
Kigigigik—!!!!
"Yeah! I forged it myself!"
Kwang—!!!!!!!!!
The collision of the two supreme combatants sent a shockwave that pulverized the stone beneath them and threatened to level the surrounding architecture.
"Ugh!!"
"...!!"
Intimately familiar with one another's capabilities, Alfia and Akumo realized simultaneously that their previous exchanges were mere preludes. If they continued at this pace, the stalemate would be eternal.
"Akumo... be careful!!"
"Riveria! Take Gareth and get to Finn's location!"
"....I'm counting on you."
'There's no choice but to trust him...'
Riveria forced her battered frame into motion, dragging Gareth toward Central Park where Finn was stationed.
"Tsk."
Alfia clicked her tongue at the sight. Was it disdain for those fleeing a trial, or a reflection of her own past self? Whatever the reason, the air turned frigid.
"Alfia...."
'I can't even say... "even now"... it's too late for that...!'
Akumo chose not to negate the path she had walked. Alfia sensed that resolution. In response, they both reached for the absolute limit of their power.
"[Blessing's root, birth's curse. My original sin, which took my half. No atonement, no purification, no salvation. The echoing tone of the heavens is my sin.]"
The chant began—the highest, most lethal magic she possessed, the very one that had severed the life of the Leviathan.
"[O my experiences, O my adventures, bloom according to my will.]"
Simultaneously, Akumo called upon the collective mastery of his countless lives, preparing to intercept her devastating resonance.
Kugugugu—!!!!!!!!!
"This is madness...!!"
"Everyone, evacuate immediately!!!!"
Adventurers nearby watched in mounting horror as mana converged with gravitational force. Many scrambled to widen the distance, and the members of the Evils were no exception.
"Alfia is preparing her magic!!! Clear the area!!!"
"Run for it!!!!"
Even the white-haired murderer broke into a cold sweat, ordering a retreat. No one with even a shred of combat instinct could ignore the terrifying vibration of the atmosphere.
"Akumo!!"
"Damn it...!!"
Riveria and Gareth, having reached Finn's group to receive emergency treatment, felt the tremors. The oppressive silence that followed filled them with a bitter, searing self-loathing for leaving Akumo behind.
"Hoh... Alfia... is she truly serious?"
"....Concentrate!"
"That strike is the magic that slew the King of the Sea, one of the Three Great Quests."
"..."
"Akumo might actually die."
Even at Zard's provocation, Ottar's eyes did not waver. Instead, he prepared his own definitive strike, refusing to be outshone by the silence or the enemy.
"[Crescent moon's mercy, golden plains. This body shall be appointed as the King of War.]"
"Do you truly wish for death that badly?"
'...Fine. Try and survive this. Present to me the ultimate banquet!'
"[Father, forgive me for consuming all of the Gods' feast.]"
"[Run, carrying the Goddess's trust.]"
"[Devour, O tongue of hell; eat, O scorched fangs!]"
The two warriors gripped their greatswords, glaring at each other with lethal focus, before unleashing the pinnacle of their respective arts.
"[Hildis Vini]!!!!!!"
"[Rea Ambrosia]!!!!!!!!"
**
"[The trumpet of the Gods, the harp of the Spirits, the melody of light—in other words, the brand of sin. O my fate, loved by the Miniature Garden, shatter.]"
"[What I summon is the brilliant moonlight! O light of divine radiance, surge forth; illuminate the world and annihilate my enemies!]"
"[I loathe thee. The price is paid here. As proof of sin, I destroy all things. Lament, O sacred bell tower.]"
The combined power of the four strongest beings in Orario was enough to tilt the very axis of the world. The brilliant moonlight blade and the silver bell's tolling shockwave collided, warping the air as supreme force met supreme force.
"[Genos Angelus]!"
"HAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!"
Simultaneously on the other side, another cataclysmic exchange occurred. The golden strike sought to decapitate the 'Gluttony' while the inferno of Zard's flames surged to swallow the golden sword-light whole.
JJEOONG—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As the ultimate strikes clashed, a light so intense it blinded all observers erupted, vaporizing everything in the immediate vicinity.
Thud—!
"Ottar...?"
The strongest of the Freya Familia collapsed, unable to withstand the flames of Gluttony.
"Khuk...!!"
The vanguard of the Loki Familia could barely remain standing, battered by the silver resonance.
"Hehe... Hahahaha!!!!! We did it!!! The [Pioneer] and the [Warlord] have fallen!!!!"
For the followers of 'Justice' watching the scene, there was only despair. For the followers of 'Evil,' a maniacal grin spread through the city like a plague.
"Our apostles, Zard and Alfia, have crushed the champions of the present!!!! Rejoice, comrades!! Plunge Orario into the depths of despair!!!!!!"
"""UUUOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"""
The members of the Evils chanted the names of Zard and Alfia in a frenzy, heralding a total victory. The news of the disaster rippled through the city instantly.
"The [Warlord] was... defeated?"
"Ottar...!"
"Don't talk nonsense... that's impossible... Don't you dare fall on us!! Ottar!!!!!!"
Ottar's defeat dealt a psychic blow to the adventurers. The sheer scale of Alfia's magic had already sowed the seeds of hopelessness.
"What is that.... how are we supposed to win against something like that...!"
"The [Pioneer].... Akumo... lost...."
**
"....Akumo."
Puhwak—!!
Despite vomiting blood, Akumo did not fall. He raised the Green Fang once more.
"I'm... not broken yet!"
"Fighting further is meaningless."
'At least I must reveal the God of Death's plan—'
Alfia intended to entrust the flickering hope to Akumo so he could rally the others. But in that moment—
"Cough!?"
'Wha—!!'
The blessing of the Pioneer that Akumo had granted Alfia was not enough to sustain her body through a clash of this magnitude. Her internal clock was failing.
"Alfia...!! Are you all right!?"
"Worrying about others even in this state..."
Alfia forcibly wiped the blood from her lips before whispering a final warning to Akumo.
"Listen well, Akumo!"
"Wait...!"
"This is not the end. The Gale of the Death God will soon sweep over Orario!"
"What do you mean by that..."
A sudden shudder gripped Akumo's mind. A grim realization of what that 'Gale' represented.
"....I don't suppose you can tell me the location?"
'I doubt she'd even know the specifics...!'
"I'm sorry, Alfia..."
Akumo read her intent. Forcing his creaking bones into alignment, he stood and let out a roar that echoed through the district.
"LISTEN, ADVENTURERS!!!!!!!!!!"
""""!?""""
"IT IS NOT OVER YET!!!"
Following Akumo's shout, the eyes of the despairing populace fell upon his trembling opponent. It was proof that the ultimate exchange had not been in vain.
"Akumo!!"
"The [Pioneer] is still alive!!!!!"
"Don't give up!!!!"
That sight served as a much-needed analgesic, dulling the pain of defeat and preparing them for the nightmare to come.
Kugugung—!!!
"What's this...? The ground...!"
Despite the temporary reprieve, the Death God's Gale struck Orario with cruel indifference.
**
"That's...."
"Ye're jokin', right...?"
"A pillar of light...."
A single pillar erupted into the sky, paralyzing the minds of everyone in the city.
Guuuung—!!!!!
A second pillar followed, reigniting the flames of despair.
"No way...."
"Hey, don't tell me...."
Kugugung—!!!!!!
The deportation of the Gods had only just begun.
"GET A GRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
And yet, hope was not yet extinguished.
"IMMEDIATELY PROTECT THOSE WHOSE STATUS HAS BEEN VOIDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The [Pioneer's] cry successfully hauled the people back from the abyss of malice. They gripped their weapons once more and charged at the Evils.
"Hold them back!!!!"
"Anyone whose Falna has vanished, get to the rear!!!!!"
Akumo brandished the Green Fang, executing justice against the coming Gale.
"Hear me, Ouranos. Under the name of Darkness, granted by the era itself, I have come to shatter the hope of the lower world."
Simultaneously, the voice of an Evil God resonated throughout the city like a dark baptism.
"The 『Covenant』 will not wait, and the 『Vow』 shall not be kept. I shall unilaterally discard the contract with the Age of Gods signed by this land."
The Evil God watched the hero below, his voice gaining a terrifying conviction.
"Everything is for the sake of the ultimate 『Unknown』, which even the Gods cannot foresee. To bring about pure chaos."
"Arrogance? Very well."
"Tyranny? So be it."
"Your hatred and resentment are magnificent... they are the greatest happiness for Evil."
"Anger yourselves to your heart's content. Weep as much as you wish. And accept my calamity with a joyous heart."
Just as the Pioneer had said, the Evil God cared not for the source of the power. If it birthed a true hero, anything was acceptable.
"My name is Erebus. The Primordial Darkness, and the God of the Underworld!"
Renouncing his disguise, Erebus addressed the adventurers of Orario.
"The adventurers have been trampled! By a superior power!"
"Many Gods have been sent back! As nothing but irritating noise!"
"If you intend to dispel the chaos with 『Great Justice』, then we shall shatter your order with 『Absolute Evil』!"
With the pillars of light as his backdrop, the 『Absolute Evil』 finally revealed his true face.
".....See it through."
"Akumo....."
As they watched the unfolding spectacle, the two champions of the past reflected on their sins. Placing their faith in a single ray of hope—one they had perhaps been leaning on for a long time—they vanished into the shadows.