Faith stepped forward.
The air shifted immediately.
Her presence softened the battlefield—but not in a weak way.
In a restorative way.
"…Circuit Embodiment—"
A gentle glow formed around her.
"God of Rejuvenation and Youth — Idun."
A pulse spread outward.
Wounds across allies subtly stabilized.
Energy balanced.
Time around her slightly… resisted decay.
But not everyone felt comfort.
June watched from afar.
Smiling.
Good…
Let them exhaust themselves.
The weaker they become… the easier they are to control.
And when the moment comes…
They will fall.
BOOM—!!
Denma vanished.
Reappeared directly in front of Gina—
His fist tore through the air.
Gina reacted instantly—
Flames erupted from her palm—
FWOOOSH—!
A blazing wall.
Denma twisted mid-motion—
His punch grazed the ground instead—
CRACK—!!!
The ground exploded outward.
Massive fissures spread.
Gina leapt back—
Just barely avoiding the aftermath.
She knew—
A direct hit from Denma is fatal.
Gene stepped forward lazily.
"…Let's end this."
His eyes sharpened.
Gina froze.
Her vision twisted.
The battlefield blurred.
Reality fractured.
Illusions overlapped.
She saw multiple Denmas.
Multiple strikes.
Multiple futures.
Her mind struggled—
But—
A surge.
Something within her resisted.
Her aura flared violently.
She pushed back.
The dreamscape trembled.
Gene's eyes widened slightly.
"…Oh?"
Gina clenched her teeth.
"I've been with you all for a year…"
"I know your patterns…"
"…better than even yourselves."
Gene smirked faintly.
"…Then try this."
Jess stepped forward.
Her wings unfolded.
Pure white.
A sword formed in her hand.
"…The inescapable."
Her aura exploded outward.
LOCK.
Gina froze.
Space locked.
Time halted.
Her body couldn't move.
Couldn't react.
She was trapped.
Completely.
Jess walked forward slowly.
Sword raised.
But—
Meanwhile — Kaelen vs Hades
Kaelen stepped forward.
Axiomfall stretched out to his right.
Pointed.
Ready.
Hades smiled.
"…Come."
Kaelen vanished.
CLANG—!!!
Their clash detonated midair.
Shockwaves blasted outward.
Hades was launched upward—
Kaelen followed—
KICK—!
Hades was sent flying toward an open grassy field.
Kaelen reappeared—
Formed a dense black orb—
The size of a football.
"…Gravity Compression."
He threw it.
Hades' eyes sharpened.
"…Strike of the Dead."
He slashed upward—
BOOM—!!!
The black wave and the slash collided midair—
An explosion tore through the sky.
Hades dropped low—
Then launched upward—
A black streak piercing the sky.
Kaelen surged forward—
Both of them met—
CLASH—CLASH—CLASH—CLASH—!!!
Light-speed exchanges.
Blades.
Fists.
Impact after impact.
The sky trembled.
Kaelen spoke mid-fight.
"…Why are you doing this, Hades?"
"You turned even on your own."
Hades laughed.
"I'm nothing like them."
"I was born a genius."
"I was born to lead."
"To conquer."
A strike.
"I will make the world bow to me."
Another clash.
"Anyone who stands in my way—"
"Human…"
"…or god…"
"—will be sacrificed."
Kaelen's expression hardened.
"…You're insane."
Kaelen stopped.
The world shifted.
"…Dragon Domain."
The battlefield transformed.
A frozen realm.
Snow blanketing everything.
A massive white tree pierced the clouds.
Hades paused.
Then—
A roar.
A deep, ancient roar.
The clouds split open.
A massive white dragon with glowing blue eyes descended.
Landing before Hades.
The ground shattered beneath its weight.
Hades smirked.
"…This won't change anything."
But—
He was wrong.
The dragon struck.
A blur.
Hades barely reacted—
SMASH—!
He was slammed into the ground.
Again.
And again.
Rapid impacts.
The dragon dominated the battlefield.
Hades regenerated mid-assault—
Even as his lower body was torn apart—
He laughed.
"…I expected this."
Kaelen watched.
"…You're still talking?"
Hades grinned.
"You have two choices."
Kaelen paused.
"Focus on me…"
"Or help the others."
His tone sharpened.
"Gina's artificial circuit…"
"…will affect the humans nearby if released."
"…and she's not the only one."
"June has one too."
Silence.
Kaelen narrowed his eyes.
"…You thought this through."
Hades laughed.
Kaelen moved.
SLASH—!!
Hades was cut in half again.
He fell.
Still laughing.
Still regenerating.
Kaelen turned.
And vanished.
Elsewhere — Hoshigawa
Arata sat on the rooftop.
The children slept peacefully inside.
Mitsuki. Nax. Rei. Asar.
He looked up.
The stars were aligning.
Something was shifting.
"…As a hero…"
"…there will be times when you must choose."
His voice was calm.
"…between your enemy…"
"…and those you protect."
A faint smile.
"…Good choice, Kaelen."
His gaze sharpened.
"…But now…"
"…you've placed a dangerous villain on your back."
Back at the Association—
Jess stood before Gina.
Sword raised.
Gina's body trapped in time.
Nearby—
Kaelven stood behind June.
Silent.
Deadly.
June smiled faintly.
But didn't move.
Denma stepped forward.
Faith flared with energy.
Kimotsu drew his blade.
Gene's aura shifted.
All ready.
All watching.
All about to strike.
The battlefield had split.
The real war…
Was about to begin.