Chapter 45 – Rage of the Void
The sky collapsed.
The stars went out one after another, devoured by darkness.
The entire world trembled beneath the awakening of the Primordial Dragon.
Yzareth, in his human form, slowly beat his wings.
Each flap made reality itself shudder, tearing the air into shards of shadow.
His black gaze swept across the battlefield.
— You think you can defeat me?
I am the Void before the light.
I am what existed before all creation.
A single step made the ground explode.
A shockwave rippled outward, sweeping the hunters away like fallen leaves.
Arthur drove Excalibur into the ground and erected a wall of golden light.
— Sanctum Aeternum!
The divine barrier stopped the wave — but cracked immediately.
Arthur staggered back, teeth clenched.
— His power… it surpasses even the laws of the world.
Lya narrowed her eyes, whispering:
— If we don't stop him here, he'll wipe out the entire continent…
Liora tightened her grip on her hammer, pure rage emanating from her.
— Then we stop him. Even if it costs us our lives.
She slammed her hammer into the ground, invoking the Divine Warfield.
Runic symbols erupted all around, binding the area within a sacred barrier.
— As long as this barrier stands, he's trapped in here with us!
Yzareth turned his head toward her.
— Trapped?
A thin smile twisted his lips.
— You're the ones who just trapped yourselves with death.
He raised a hand — and a black orb formed in his palm.
The air distorted, gravity twisted.
The sphere grew, absorbing everything around it: rock, light, even magical energy.
Ethan shouted:
— He's creating a magical black hole!
Valor dashed forward, wrapped in black lightning.
— No time to hesitate! Primordial Thunder Strike!
He struck the orb with a titanic blow.
An explosion tore through the air… but the sphere didn't move.
Instead, Valor was pulled in, his right arm swallowed by gravity.
— Damn it! My arm—!
Arthur, in a flash, sliced through the gravitational pull with Excalibur and yanked him back.
— Get back, idiot!
But Yzareth snapped his fingers.
Space folded.
A blast of dark energy fell upon them.
Lya used her shadows to shield the group, but the impact sent her flying.
She coughed up blood.
— He's… toying with us…
Ryn dashed forward at the speed of light.
Her body became a silver ray that pierced Yzareth's defenses.
She struck his chest with a pure blow of divine energy.
The impact lit up the horizon…
But when the light faded, Yzareth held her hand between two fingers.
— Nice try.
He squeezed.
A sinister crack echoed.
Ryn screamed as her arm disintegrated into luminous dust.
Arthur intervened, striking at full power.
— Solar Tempest!
A solar storm swept across the battlefield, forcing Yzareth to step back.
His gaze darkened.
— Interesting. You possess a power… that brushes against mine.
Let's see how far you can go.
He placed a hand on his chest.
His aura began to pulse.
The air grew heavy — suffocating.
> — "Original Mode: Celestial Void."
His body turned translucent, almost ethereal.
Every particle of energy around him evaporated.
The hunters could see him… but could no longer feel him.
As if he existed outside the world.
Arthur felt a cold sweat trickle down his face.
— He's… everywhere at once…
A whisper echoed behind him.
— Exactly.
Yzareth appeared at his back.
Arthur had no time to react — a palm strike hit his chest.
The ground caved in, and the King was blasted hundreds of meters away.
— ARTHUR! Liora screamed.
But the dragon was already turning his gaze toward her.
His eyes met hers.
— Your turn, "Commander."
A shiver ran through her.
But Liora grinned fiercely.
— Funny. I was about to say the same thing, lizard.
She spun her hammer, levitating it with telekinesis, then fused her twin axes into a single colossal blade — a sword of immense mass.
Around her, golden silhouettes appeared — the spirits of fallen commanders.
— Supreme Authority: Lineage of Heroes.
The specters charged at Yzareth, striking in unison with her.
The battlefield erupted in blinding light.
For the first time…
Yzareth raised an arm to defend himself.
And in that moment, Liora knew —
They had a chance.
Tiny.
But real.
Chapter 46 – Lineage of Heroes
The world trembled.
Hundreds of golden auras rose around Liora.
The silhouettes of fallen commanders, knights, and hunters took shape — armed with sacred swords, lances, and hammers.
Their cries from beyond echoed through the heavens.
> — Supreme Authority: Lineage of Heroes.
Yzareth lifted his gaze toward the storm of spirits.
— The dead… refusing to rest? A pitiful illusion of humanity.
He extended his hand, and a wave of black energy swept across the battlefield.
But the spirits held firm.
They threw themselves at him without fear — ignoring pain, ignoring death.
Liora charged forward.
She swung her hammer at full speed, then conjured divine energy chains.
Before they reached him, the chains coiled around the dragon, and spikes burst from each link, piercing into his flesh.
Yzareth growled — for the first time, his movement stalled.
Liora roared:
— Titan's Bind!
The chains suddenly became as heavy as mountains.
The ground cracked beneath their weight, forcing the dragon to kneel.
Seizing the opening, Liora dashed forward.
Her speed became so great that her body vanished from sight — a rain of invisible slashes pierced Yzareth.
When she stopped, glowing lines appeared across the dragon's body.
— End of Trajectory.
She raised her hand.
Her incandescent hammer descended from the heavens, striking Yzareth in a divine explosion.
— We're not fighting for ourselves, Yzareth…
But for everything you wish to destroy!
A sacred wave swept through the air, pushing back the darkness.
Yzareth looked up, unscathed — though cracks lined his body.
— Insolent.
He extended an arm.
His shadow stretched and took the form of an immense black dragon behind him.
The beast roared, and a tide of dark flames surged from the ground, devouring the heroic spirits one by one.
Liora screamed:
— Hold your ground!
The golden specters roared in unison and sacrificed themselves, exploding in a chorus of sacred energy.
A golden surge overwhelmed the flames of the Void.
The explosion was cataclysmic.
A pillar of light rose to the heavens, driving back the black clouds.
Lya, watching the scene, whispered:
— She used the souls of heroes to counter the Void itself…
Ethan clenched his fists.
— That's pure suicide… she'll die at this rate!
But Liora didn't stop.
Her body bled, her skin cracked under the strain.
Her aura burned so fiercely that even the runes carved into her hammer tore apart.
— For humanity! For my people! she cried.
She charged one final time, propelled by the light of the fallen heroes.
The hammer descended upon Yzareth like a star.
The impact shook the entire planet.
Silence… then an explosion of light.
When the dust settled, Liora was on her knees.
Her hammer lay shattered in fragments.
Yzareth stood tall, covered in fissures, looking at her calmly.
— That was… amusing, he said.
But you're not the one who will defeat me.
With a gesture, he closed his hand around her.
A black sphere enveloped her.
The hunters screamed:
— Liora!!
Yzareth clenched his fist.
But just as the sphere was about to crush her, a golden light tore across the horizon.
> — "Enough."
Time stopped.
The flames froze.
Even the screams hung motionless in the air.
A lone figure walked forward through the golden dust.
Valen had arrived.
Lya exhaled, half relieved, half exasperated.
— You sure took your time…
Valen smirked.
— I wanted to make a dramatic entrance.
His gaze fell on Yzareth.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
— You've crossed the line, Yzareth, he said calmly.
And I… have crossed yours.
Yzareth raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
But the stars within Valen's eyes began to spin slowly.
Elyonna, in her miniature form, frowned.
— Oh no… he's angry.
Chapter 47 – The Dragon's Judgment
The wind had stopped.
Even gravity seemed afraid to move.
Valen walked forward slowly, his eyes glowing red.
Each step made the earth tremble—not from brute force, but because the world itself reacted to his presence.
In his gaze burned anger. Ancient anger. Cosmic anger.
Yzareth stared at him, intrigued.
— So… the infamous "Divine Hunter."
Your presence is unlike the others. You are neither man… nor god.
Valen smiled faintly.
— I'm simply the one you should've let sleep.
For touching my comrades… you risk death.
A heavy silence settled.
Liora, on her knees, lifted her head, panting.
— Valen… don't underestimate him. He annihilated the heroes of the past…
— I know, he replied without looking at her.
And it's precisely for them that I'll end this quickly.
His eyes deepened in red.
Two star-shaped irises began to spin slowly in his pupils.
Around him, the air shimmered like a sea of stars.
The world held its breath.
Yzareth narrowed his eyes.
— Who do you think you are? You may be the Divine Hunter… but I don't see you as superior to me.
Valen stopped.
His smile vanished.
— Shut up, you damn lizard.
Before Yzareth could reply, Valen appeared before him.
— I told you to shut up.
A punch to the gut.
Yzareth was hurled into the sky, his body piercing the clouds.
He stabilized with his wings, then unleashed a breath of black flames.
But Valen didn't move.
He watched the attack… and it vanished.
As if it had never existed.
Lya, trembling, whispered:
— How did he do that? Where did Yzareth's breath go?
Valen appeared above the dragon.
A kick slammed into his spine.
He drove him into the ground, his foot still pressed into his back, until they crashed into a titanic crater.
The shockwave shook even the upper realms.
Yzareth rose, spitting blood.
His body regenerated quickly.
— You're strong… but you'll never be able to—
Valen grabbed his face and smashed it into the ground.
Then hurled him into the air like garbage.
Yzareth regained his senses, his body regenerating again.
— He's really strong… I can feel it…
He appeared before Valen and threw a punch.
Valen dodged.
Yzareth followed with a flurry of strikes so fast they seemed invisible.
Unavoidable. Inhuman.
Valen dodged them all.
With an ease that bordered on insulting.
Yzareth leapt back.
— He sees something I don't…
No… that's impossible…
He stared at the starry irises.
— Does it have something to do with… those eyes?
Valen stepped forward.
— You're too slow.
He raised his hand.
— Elyonna, transform back into the Sword of Judgment. It's time to end this.
Elyonna pouted briefly.
— You're always so rough…
But she transformed, her body becoming a divine blade, pulsing with celestial energy.
Yzareth roared.
— No matter what you do! You can't defeat me!
I am a primordial being!
I am an abstract existence!
You cannot—
Valen smiled.
A predatory smile.
— Let's test that.
Yzareth shivered.
— How is it possible… that I feel fear?
Before he could think further…
Valen had already sliced him in two.
Then, at an inconceivable speed, he cut him into pieces.
Fragments of a being who believed himself eternal.
And finally… he erased him with a single glance.
Silence.
Even the stars seemed frozen.
Chapter 48 – The Return of the Hunter
Lya, arms crossed, looked at Valen with a bored expression.
— So, you really eliminated him?
Valen shrugged, pretending to be modest.
— What do you think? I'm the great Valen. You think some overgrown lizard could stand up to me? Don't be ridiculous.
Liora, still covered in dust, frowned.
— He was supposed to have an abstract existence. Even if you destroyed his body, he should've been able to return.
How did you do it, exactly?
Valen tapped his shoulder, looking relaxed.
— That's thanks to Elyonna.
Elyonna — in her sword form, now turned back into her miniature human self — crossed her arms and gave the group a superior look.
— Hmph. When he split me in two, he sliced through the very essence of the Void. Then he cut it into pieces and erased all its versions from reality with his eyes.
Result: no more Yzareth, not even in parallel dimensions.
Naël nodded, hands behind his head.
— I can confirm. The avatar I had in my grasp just… vanished. Gone. Poof.
Zarion, leaning against a cracked wall, made an agile leap from the top of a collapsed building.
— You're an idiot, Valen. He could've been useful. But whatever.
A faint smirk crossed his face.
Liora clenched her fists.
— Wait… how long have you been there?!
Zarion, pretending to be innocent:
— Oh, me? Just got here.
Liora raised an eyebrow.
— You know way too much about the fight for someone who "just got here."
She turned to Naël, who looked away.
— And you?
Naël, hands in his pockets:
— Well, it's Valen… who would dare get in his way?
An awkward silence spread through the group.
Then Lya spoke again, more serious this time:
— We still have a problem. Drake.
His soul was taken by Yzareth.
Valen froze.
— WHAT?! And you're telling me now?!
He ran a hand down his face.
— Great. I erase the lizard, and now we can't even ask him where the soul went.
Zarion, looking resigned:
— Yeah. I think it's over for him.
Ryn, watching the motionless body, whispered:
— You really think there's nothing we can do?
Naël shrugged.
— Béatrice, don't bother. I think he's dead. For good.
Liora sighed.
— Seriously, you guys have zero tact. You could at least pretend to be sad.
Then, crossing her arms:
— And none of you has a technique to save him?
A heavy silence followed.
Naël, thinking to himself:
> I already resurrected half a country and he didn't even flinch… if someone told me not to get involved this time, I'm fine with that.
Zarion was thinking the same thing, a small smile on his lips:
> Good thing I told him that when they'd ask, he should say "it's Zarion."
Lya placed a hand on Drake's chest.
— I might be able to create a new soul for him.
Zarion raised a hand.
— Bad idea. Where would you get his memories? He'd come back… empty.
Lya frowned.
— Right. Didn't think of that.
Liora sighed.
— In that case, let him go. It's hard, but that's the job.
Valen raised a finger.
— Wait. I'll try something. Something I saw in an anime.
Naël's eyes widened.
— No, don't do anything stupid, Valen. If you mess up, we all explode.
Zarion chuckled.
— Nah, I think I know what he's planning. And yeah, it's the only shot we've got.
Valen smirked confidently.
— Relax. I'm the great Valen, remember?
He extended his hand. A timepiece appeared, spinning backward.
A golden current flowed from his arm into Drake's body.
Time around Drake… began to rewind.
But the rest of the world stayed intact.
— Huh?! — shouted a hunter. — He's manipulating time… without affecting time?!
The frozen flames started to move in reverse, the blood returning to his veins.
Drake gasped suddenly, his eyes shooting open.
Silence.
Then Valen raised his hand proudly.
— And there you go. Express service by the great Valen. Free resurrection, but next time, I'm charging.
Liora raised an eyebrow.
— You sound like a magical artifact salesman.
Elyonna sighed, arms crossed.
— And to think I'm the one who did all the work here.
Naël chuckled softly.
— Yeah, you're mostly the one who sulks when we don't compliment you.
Lya, amused:
— Welcome back to the team, Drake. You missed the apocalypse, but don't worry… we'll probably have another one tomorrow.
Drake, still groggy:
— Huh?… What kind of nightmare was that…
Valen crossed his arms, smirking.
— Not a nightmare, bro. Just another Tuesday.