The battlefield no longer sounded like war.
It sounded like collapse itself.
Flames devoured the remains of the station while shattered metal drifted endlessly into open space. Screams, explosions, and the roar of monsters merged into one endless nightmare.
And at the center of it—
Zack held Lexia in his arms.
Her blood stained his clothes.
His hands trembled violently as he tried to stop the bleeding.
"Stay with me," he whispered desperately. "Please… stay awake."
Lexia's breathing was weak now.
Uneven.
Cold.
She looked up at him slowly.
And for the first time since they met—
there was no sarcasm in her eyes.
Only fear.
"…Zack…"
He tightened his grip around her immediately.
"I'm here."
A faint shiver passed through her body.
"I feel cold…"
"No, no—you'll be okay." His voice cracked apart. "Lenore can heal you. Just hold on."
Lexia smiled weakly.
"I'm scared."
Zack froze.
She laughed softly through the pain.
"That sounds pathetic, doesn't it?"
"Stop talking like that!"
Her fingers weakly grabbed his arm.
"There's something… I never told you."
Around them, the battle still raged.
But nobody interrupted.
Even the others looked toward them in silence.
Lexia's voice became softer.
"I always loved you."
Zack's eyes widened.
"I hid it because…"
A painful breath escaped her lips.
"…because I thought we'd never survive long enough for it to matter."
Tears fell from Zack's eyes instantly.
"Don't say that."
"I'm actually happy right now…" she whispered.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Because I'm in your arms."
"No…" Zack shook his head desperately. "No, no, no—just stay awake!"
Lexia looked at him one final time.
"I know I said it too late…"
Her voice faded.
"…but I really loved you."
Zack pulled her closer immediately.
"Calm down. I'll save you. Just calm down!"
Lexia's eyes slowly lost focus.
"…It's too late."
Then—
her body began dissolving into particles of fading light.
Zack froze completely.
"…Lexia?"
The particles slipped through his fingers.
Gone.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the battlefield itself seemed to stop breathing for one impossible second.
Lenore collapsed to her knees crying.
Shadow lowered his head.
Marley closed her eyes painfully.
And Violet—
snapped.
A scream exploded from her throat.
Raw.
Broken.
Furious.
The entire station shook violently.
The sound alone shattered nearby walls.
Then—
power erupted from Violet's body.
Massive crimson chains burst outward in every direction, tearing through enemies instantly.
A blood-red moon manifested behind her like an omen.
The battlefield darkened beneath its glow.
Everyone felt it immediately.
Hatred.
Rage.
Grief.
The emotions flooded through the station like pressure crushing against their lungs.
Even the demons hesitated.
Violet slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes no longer looked human.
"Kill them."
The chains moved.
And slaughter began.
Entire rows of Draculian were ripped apart before they could react.
Demons were crushed, pierced, torn apart by countless crimson chains descending from every direction.
One massive creature tried charging her directly—
Violet lifted one hand.
And the chains erased it instantly.
The faceless entities finally attacked together.
Dozens rushed toward her at once.
But Maximilian stepped forward beside her.
"Not alone."
His weapon ignited violently.
Every strike from him now carried overwhelming force, smashing enemies apart with terrifying precision.
Nearby—
Zack finally stood.
Slowly.
His face empty.
Emotionless.
Yet the battlefield systems around him exploded into motion.
Every enemy signal became visible inside his mind.
"Left corridor collapsing," he said coldly.
"Three seconds."
Sid immediately reacted.
"Union forces move now!"
The explosion consumed the pursuing demons exactly as Zack predicted.
Lenore wiped tears from her face and forced herself back up.
Light surged around her trembling body.
"No more dying…"
Massive healing sigils spread across wounded soldiers while beams of light pierced enemy formations.
Marley returned to battle despite her injuries.
Her barriers expanded wider than before, shielding entire sections of the collapsing station.
Shadow moved through darkness like death itself.
Silent.
Efficient.
Merciless.
Every enemy commander that approached fell within seconds.
And above them all—
the Demon King watched.
Smiling.
"Yes…"
"More hatred."
Meanwhile—
inside Vivian's fractured consciousness—
Marley continued fighting through endless chains of corruption.
"Vivian!" she shouted desperately. "Fight him!"
Vivian screamed in pain as memories clashed violently around her.
Childhood.
Blood.
Lies.
Manipulation.
The Demon King's voice thundered endlessly through her mind.
"You were abandoned."
"You were used."
"They fear you."
"No!" Marley shouted back. "That isn't true!"
Outside—
Violet cut through the battlefield like a living catastrophe.
The blood moon behind her continued growing larger.
Even Alfred stared upward uneasily.
"That power…"
Then Violet saw her.
Vivian.
Floating above the battlefield surrounded by corrupted energy.
Their eyes met.
And the entire station trembled.
Violet vanished instantly.
A shockwave exploded across the battlefield.
Then—
she appeared directly before Vivian.
One crimson chain wrapped violently around Vivian's throat.
Violet's eyes burned with fury.