The sky shattered.
Black cracks spread endlessly above the battlefield like broken glass.
Darkness poured through them.
Cold.
Ancient.
Wrong.
---
The pressure alone forced soldiers to their knees.
Some demons collapsed instantly.
Others trembled in fear.
---
The distorted voice echoed once more.
---
"…FOUND YOU."
---
Lucian slowly looked up.
"…Yeah."
"I officially hate the sky now."
---
Lilith tightened her grip on her massive sword.
"…That thing again…"
---
Karn's eyes sharpened.
"…No."
---
"…Bigger."
---
Ruun stared upward carefully.
For the first time in a long while—
Even he looked tense.
---
"…This isn't a fragment."
---
Rai's crimson eyes remained fixed on the cracks.
---
"…It's coming personally."
---
The human soldiers panicked.
---
"MAGES!"
"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!"
"PROTECT THE COMMANDER!"
---
Holy magic circles appeared across the battlefield.
Knights raised shields.
Archers prepared arrows.
---
But Leon never looked away from the sky.
---
His instincts screamed.
---
This enemy…
Was beyond normal warfare.
---
The cracks widened further.
Then—
A giant black arm emerged.
---
The battlefield froze.
---
Massive.
Covered in writhing shadows.
Claws sharp enough to tear reality itself.
---
One swipe—
And the air exploded.
---
BOOOOOOM
---
Hundreds of soldiers were thrown backward instantly.
---
Chaos erupted.
---
Lucian's eyes widened.
"…Okay."
"That's definitely a problem."
---
The giant arm continued descending.
---
Rai stepped forward immediately.
Dark Dominion exploded outward.
---
BOOOOM
---
The pressure collided directly against the Abyss.
---
The massive claw stopped mid-air.
---
Shockwaves spread across the battlefield.
---
Leon's eyes narrowed.
"…He stopped it…"
---
Rai's voice remained calm.
---
"Get your soldiers back."
---
Leon looked at him.
"…What?"
---
Rai's crimson gaze never moved from the sky.
---
"…They'll die here."
---
The Abyss laughed.
A deep horrifying sound.
---
"…VESSEL…"
---
"…YOU DEFY ME?"
---
Rai answered instantly.
---
"Yes."
---
Dark energy surged violently around him.
---
The claw pushed downward again.
The ground cracked beneath Rai's feet.
---
But he didn't move.
---
Lucian suddenly jumped beside him.
Grinning wildly.
"Well…"
"Guess we're punching gods today."
---
Lilith landed beside them with her giant sword.
"…I miss normal enemies."
---
Karn stepped forward silently.
Sword drawn.
---
Ruun sighed softly.
"…This keeps getting worse."
---
Then—
Leon walked forward too.
---
Everyone looked at him.
---
The Hero of Humanity raised his sword toward the sky.
Holy energy erupted around him.
Bright enough to push back the darkness slightly.
---
"…Holy Vanguard."
---
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
---
"…Defensive retreat."
---
The soldiers froze.
---
"…Commander?!"
---
Leon's eyes sharpened.
---
"…This enemy is beyond your level."
---
The knights hesitated.
But obeyed.
---
Meanwhile—
Leon walked forward.
Stopping beside Rai.
---
Lucian blinked.
"…Wait."
"The Hero is helping us?"
---
Leon ignored him.
His blue eyes fixed on the Abyss.
---
"…We settle our conflict later."
---
Rai nodded once.
"…Agreed."
---
For the first time—
Humanity and demons stood together.
---
Against something far worse.
---
The Abyss's voice deepened.
---
"…INSIGNIFICANT."
---
The giant claw descended fully.
---
Rai moved first.
---
FLASH
---
Void Strike activated instantly.
Dark energy condensed into his fist.
---
Leon moved beside him.
Holy energy gathering around his blade.
---
Two completely different powers.
Side by side.
---
Lucian laughed loudly.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"This is AWESOME!"
---
Rai and Leon attacked simultaneously.
---
BOOOOOOOOOOM
---
Darkness and holy light collided against the Abyssal claw.
---
The sky exploded.
Shockwaves tore across the wasteland.
---
The claw cracked slightly.
---
For the first time—
The Abyss reacted.
---
"…INTERESTING…"
---
Rai's eyes darkened further.
---
"…You're leaving."
---
The vessel inside him roared violently.
---
DESTROY IT.
---
Leon looked toward Rai briefly.
Seeing the overwhelming darkness surrounding him.
---
But strangely—
It wasn't attacking them.
---
It was protecting them.
---
The Abyss slowly began pulling back.
---
Not defeated.
---
Watching.
---
Studying.
---
"…GROW STRONGER…"
---
"…THEN ENTERTAIN ME AGAIN…"
---
The cracks in the sky slowly began closing.
---
The pressure faded.
---
The claw disappeared.
---
Silence returned.
---
The battlefield stood frozen.
---
Humans.
Demons.
Outcasts.
---
All staring at the man standing beneath the fading darkness.
---
Rai.
---
The Demon King Vessel.
---
The monster humanity feared…
Had just protected them.
---
Leon slowly lowered his sword.
---
For the first time—
Doubt appeared in his eyes.
---
Because the enemy standing before him…
May not have been Rai after all.