Chapter 45 The Name Only She Knew

The Hero blade split in two, metal shards whistling past his face, one slicing across his cheekbone, leaving a perfect, razor-thin cut that immediately welled with blood.

Rein didn’t flinch, he tossed the hilt aside, rolling his shoulders.

“...Heh. Guess I don’t need it.”

He raised his fists, lightning curling up his arms like burning chains.

“You broke it with your fist, huh? Fists fight it is then. Better this way. I always solved things with my fists anyway. And don’t think for a second just because you wear the face of a beautiful woman — I won’t hit you, Demon lord!”

He shot forward — a cannon of raw power. She met him with a burst of void magic, her own fists wrapped in black fire.

They collided.

BOOOM!!

Every punch was like a miniature nova — when their fists met, the air exploded. Shockwaves ripped through the cavern walls, stone melted, the spider webs vaporized, and loose boulders cracked just from the pressure of their auras.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—!

Each strike sent waves crashing in all directions, the cave stretching outward like it was trying to escape the sheer violence. The chamber grew wider — walls caved out, ceiling lifted, tunnels cracked open under the pressure of their might.

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Outside, far above ground, the battlefield shook.

Knights and demon soldiers stumbled. 

Liora caught herself with a barrier spell, yelling over the noise, “What in the hell is going on down there?!”

Demons and humans alike paused — the earth itself growled, trembled as if afraid. Trees collapsed. Cracks split the fields. A shockwave burst from the ground like a thunderclap — a pulse of force that swept the battlefield clean.

Kaia gasped, “This… this isn’t from any spell we know. The earth itself is… breaking.”

Selene braced herself, spear stabbing into the ground for balance. 

“Tch—what the hell is happening now? An earthquake?”

Sareth staggered.

 “That power… it’s not human. Both of them are monsters.” 

Verron let out a low whistle, still shielding Mari beneath him.

 “Well, well… seems the stage just got bigger. Quite the fight those two having.” 

Mari curled tighter, like a little mouse under his strong frame, her voice slipping before she could stop it, “T-that’s Rein and the Demon Lord fighting? It’s insane… I can feel it even down here. Just what kind of monsters are they…?”

Verron chuckled, low and rich.

“Monsters? My dear little mouse, those two aren’t monsters. They are just that strong. And right now, we’re lucky to be beneath the rubble instead of standing in the open sky where they dance.”

Mari’s cheeks flushed, heat of the battle mixing with something else. She tried to turn her head away, sputtering, “D-don’t say weird things, handsome devil…! Ugh, why am I stuck here with you of all people—!”

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Deep below — Rein and Demon Lord traded a final round of punches.

Each blow sent rubble flying. Fist met fist. Magic met magic. The sound of thunder echoed endlessly.

Then—

One last punch collided — a supernova of energy — and the underground exploded.

KRRAAAA-KKOOOOOOM!!

The blast tore upward like a newborn volcano, ripping the entire underground chamber into the sky. Earth convulsed. The surface erupted, fire and stone vomiting from the ground in a vertical explosion that punched into the clouds.

Knights and demon warriors were flung around. Horses screamed. Armor twisted. Trees snapped in half like twigs. Rocks cracked. Tents and siege weapons launched into the air as if gravity had given up. The war itself — paused by terror and awe.

Then came the dust.

A rolling tsunami of smoke, fire, and shattered stone crashed over the battlefield — thick as fog, hot as breath from a dragon’s throat. Visibility dropped to nothing. Screams echoed. The ground shook. Cries of panic rang out from both sides of the war, humans and demons alike stumbling, coughing, searching for the enemy they could no longer see.

Silence hovered in the ash.

And then—

WHOOSH!

A sudden gust of wind ripped through the choking smoke — like a divine hand swiping the field clean. The dust tore away in a spiraling wave, revealing the cracked crater at the center of the battlefield.

In middle of it stood two figures.

Rein, his arms steaming with raw mana, lightning sparking along his shoulders.

And the Demon Lord. Her hand was still curled into a fist, bleeding void energy into the air like ink in water.

They stood across from each other — silent, unmoving — as if even the earth feared to interrupt them now.

In the distance, soldiers stared in frozen disbelief. Even the bravest warriors hesitated.

"Playtime's over! It's time to end this!"

 Rein slammed one foot forward, dragging his hand back as mana surged along his arm like a storm breaking loose from the sky.

"Tier 5 Magic! Hero Blade! Reforge!"

From the shattered rubble behind him, shards of steel trembled, then exploded upward — spinning, screeching through the air. The handle rocketed straight into his palm with a thunderclap SNAP, followed by the blade, each piece slamming into place in rapid succession like a weapon being reborn by force. With a flash and a crack like thunder, the sword reformed — whole again — pulsing with unstable mana.

“I’ll end this. Right here. Right now.” 

He raised the blade to the sky, magic flooding its edge — a vortex of elemental force swirling around him. 

“AETHER REND!!”

The earth beneath him cracked, his stance wide, his sword aimed forward — a god preparing to pass judgment.

But then—

The Demon Lord stepped forward slowly. No defensive stance. No battle-ready glare. Her obsidian blade appeared again in her hand, drawn from the shadows like always.

She looked at it. At him.

Her grip on the sword loosened.

And then—she let go.

CLANG

The blade hit the ground and bounced once before settling in the ash. Her arms stayed at her sides, her chest rising with a slow, deep breath.

“I don’t want to fight you, Rein. Not anymore.”

Rein’s stance faltered.

“What game is this now?! You think… you can just drop your sword, and I’ll forget everything you’ve done? What you took from me? What I’ve fought for?! All the lives lost because of you?! All the pain and suffering you caused to the people!? There is no forgiveness for you, monster!” 

She looked at him.

“I’m tired, Rein, I’m tired of fighting. Of watching people get hurt, torn apart. Tired of watching you bleed because of him. It hurts me to see you like this more than being cut by your blade. It always has. If you’re going to cut me down... then promise me one thing. Let it end with me. When I’m gone, don’t let Arthur enslave my people. Don’t let him twist your blade for his justice. Spare them. Free them. Promise me, Rein. If you ever cared about me at all... don’t become his weapon. Don't become like him.”

The light of Aether Rend crackled along Rein’s sword, blinding and alive, coiling in arcs of violent energy as he launched himself toward her.

“Enough with your lies! No more games! No more tricks! This ends now!”

Stone cracked beneath his feet as he charged. His sword raised high. A comet of lightning and fury. No hesitation.

The Demon Lord didn’t move.

Her obsidian blade remained in the rubble behind her. Her arms hung loosely at her sides. Head slightly raised. Eyes looking at the dark sky of Demon Plains.

She didn’t summon magic. Didn’t raise a hand in defense as Rein's attack was about to cut her down.

Only her lips moved. A whisper.

“Goodbye… Kenta-kun.”

Time shattered.

Rein froze.

The sword stopped mid-swing — just a hair’s width from her neck. Steel of the blade hummed as it come to a sudden stop. Mana howled around him, uncontrolled, slashing wind and sparks through the crater, but he didn’t move. Couldn’t move.

His eyes opened wide. His mind raced with thoughts.

"That name! No one here knows that name. Not my parents. Not the King. Not his allies. Not even the gods of this world. Only one person had ever heard it. Only one person had ever been close enough to know. Kenta. My real name. From the world before this one. The life I never told anyone about... except Aura, only she knew."