Chapter 15 – The Last Stand of the Palace

The palace shakes under the deafening roar of a 50-caliber machine gun. Randy’s arms ache, his fingers gripping the trigger as each round tears through a dozen monsters at once. The air is thick with smoke, shredded scales, and the acrid stench of blood.

Come on… come on… keep firing… Randy mutters through gritted teeth. There’s no time to think, no time to hesitate. Only the relentless rhythm of the gun, the monsters falling one after another.

“Kline! What about the portal?” he shouts over the chaos.

“Got it! Here goes!” Kline yells back. He spins his staff, ancient runes flaring to life along the shaft. A chant spills from his lips, guttural and powerful:
“Ò mhòrchaomhnaithe amser a gofod, heb ei selio llwybr hwn, ac na dychwelwch byth!”

The portal wavers, then shrinks violently, as if the world itself is sucking it back. Nerina’s eyes widen in panic. She rushes to reopen it, her hands glowing with dark energy, but she hasn’t noticed Randy.

He fires again, a manic grin spreading across his face.
“Holy shit! A 50 cal! Even this bitch isn’t going down?!”

Bullets scream through the air. Monsters crumble, torn to pieces in a storm of brass and fury.

Nerina’s shield flares, golden and blinding. The bullets slam against it and ricochet harmlessly. Her voice trembles, part rage, part awe.

“By the Dark Lord… this power… it could destroy me in an instant!”

Luna doesn’t hesitate. She dashes forward, blade gleaming, aiming for a strike that could end Nerina now. But her steel hits only the invisible wall of magic. Sparks fly, her arms tremble against the force, and she curses under her breath.
“Impossible…”

Kline wastes no time. He slams his staff into the floor, arcane flames spiraling outward. The energy crackles and hums, a violent counterattack against Nerina’s shield.

The palace shudders. Shadows twist unnaturally. The air itself seems alive with chaos—gunfire, spells, and blades all colliding in a deadly symphony. For a heartbeat, the world hangs in suspension, balanced between triumph and annihilation.

Randy reloads, blood and sweat streaked across his face, and mutters under his breath,
Victory… it’s closer than she thinks…

Verica freezes for a fraction of a second, her eyes catching the desperate struggle of her own mother. That hesitation is enough for Elysia to shout:
“Hey!!! Don’t get distracted!!”

The arrow whistles through the air, point-blank. Verica barely ducks, her reflexes sharp. With a swift spin, she lashes out with a kick, sending Elysia crashing into the palace wall with a sickening thud.

“Gah!” Elysia groans, sliding down the stone like a ragdoll.

Oswald’s eyes widen as he sees Alfian and Raul faltering. A flash of fury ignites within him. In an instant, he unleashes a lightning-fast combo of punches and kicks, each strike precise and punishing.

“What the…! How can a school prefect take punches like that?!” Alfian cries out, staggering under the onslaught.

“You’re all naive!” Oswald snaps, muscles coiling with the discipline of years practicing karate. Every strike lands with the weight of controlled fury.

Marlisa floats above, her robes swirling like living fire. She chants in a resonant, arcane tone:
“Teine bhig, gwarchod ni rhag y tywyllwch, faighaimis ár neart, athbheochaigh ár gcorp!”

A glowing magic circle erupts across the palace grounds. Radiant light floods the battlefield. Wounds knit themselves, exhaustion evaporates. Everyone feels their strength return—except Randy, immune to magical effects.

Kline glances at him, grinning wildly.
“Hey!!! Finally full strength!!!”

“Whatever! We don’t have time to celebrate!” Randy snaps, keeping the 50-caliber turret trained on the portal. “If we don’t shut that thing down, this is going to turn into a bloody tug-of-war!”

“I know!!! Luna!!! Could you pull that bitch out of the way?!” Kline yells.

“I’m trying!!” Luna grits her teeth, clashing blades with Nerina.

“Over my dead body!!!” Nerina hisses, planting her feet firmly. Luna strikes, but Nerina deflects effortlessly. Kline rushes in with an alchemical strike, but Nerina bats him aside like he weighs nothing.

Randy grits his teeth, fingers tight on the trigger.
“This is getting us nowhere! That’s it!!”

He quickly adjusts the turret, recalibrating the fire. A deafening roar echoes as bullets tear into the portal. Sparks and arcane energy explode in a violent storm.

Then Randy activates his flight armored suit. Jet thrusters roar to life, lifting him off the ground. Luna blinks, stunned.

He dives toward the portal, guns blazing, and now Nerina targets him midair. The two clash in a dizzying aerial battle—guns and magic colliding, light flashing across the palace walls.

Randy’s machine gun sprays a deadly torrent, each shot meeting Nerina’s deflected spells in a shower of sparks. The scene is chaos incarnate—like watching a Gundam fight unfold in the heart of the palace.

Every pulse of light, every shockwave, every scream carries weight. The fate of the portal—and perhaps the palace itself—hangs in the balance.

Randy’s voice echoes in Luna’s mind, carried through the magical jewels like a lifeline.
“Hey, Luna!!! Let me distract her. You and Kline get that portal shut!!! We can’t hold it forever! Seal it before it’s too late!”

Luna’s grip tightens on her blade.
“Got it!!! Be careful!!! She’s powerful!!!”

“As long as I can give you space to seal that damn portal, I’ll do my best!” Randy’s words are firm, tinged with that reckless confidence only he can pull off.

With a mutual nod, Luna and Kline begin their synchronized chant. The air vibrates with raw magical energy.

“Am dà, gofod chwech, domhan a haon!!” Luna calls, her voice ringing like a crystal bell.

“Shíjiān tri, antariksh asṭa, pṛthvī shí!!” Kline’s voice joins hers, deep and commanding, resonating across the palace.

Magic arcs between them, weaving a luminous net of power that dances with the echoes of their combined will. Sparks flare and swirl, filling the chamber with blinding light.

“Novā xīn!” Kline shouts as the final surge of energy hits.

“Rionnag sèimhich!” Luna completes the chant, her arms trembling from the strain.

The portal shudders violently, arcs of crackling energy flickering around its edges. Then, with a deafening snap, it seals, vanishing like a storm blown out by a sudden wind.

Nerina’s scream pierces the air.
“NOOOOOO!!!!!”

The dark energy that had been empowering the enemies instantly collapses. The aura of invincibility that once surrounded them wanes, leaving them vulnerable and exhausted.

Verica’s eyes widen, hope flickering for the first time in what feels like an eternity. But before she can act, Elysia lunges, her face twisted in grim determination.
“Gotcha!!!!”

A punch like a cannonball slams into Verica’s chest. She flies backward, crashing into the wall with a bone-jarring thud. Pain explodes across her body, but she struggles to push herself back up.

Raul collapses to his knees, gasping, weak from the loss of the dark energy that had fueled him. Alfian lies unconscious, eyes completely white, knocked out cold by Oswald’s relentless assault moments ago.

The battlefield is chaotic—blood, magic, and sweat mingling with the fading echoes of the portal’s destruction. Yet in the center of it all, a fragile spark of hope burns. Randy, Luna, and Kline stand ready, battered but unbroken, eyes fixed on the next move.

The tide has turned—but the battle is far from over.

Nerina’s eyes dart around frantically. Defeat claws at her like a shadow she can’t shake. She spots an open window—the only escape route left. She flaps her wings, rising, ready to flee.

But fate has other plans.

With a deafening crash, Elowen comes hurtling down from above, her massive hammer aimed squarely at Nerina.

“Where are you going!!!?” Elowen roars. The hammer slams into Nerina midair, sending her spinning uncontrollably toward the palace floor.

Raul seizes the moment, fury burning through his veins.
“Briseadh teorainn!!”

Golden light erupts from his body, illuminating the battlefield. His fist strikes Oswald, who blocks it—but Raul’s momentum is unstoppable. Oswald crashes into the wall with a bone-jarring thud, sliding down helplessly.

“Big brother!!! You bastard!!!” Marlisa screams, rage twisting her face. She channels her magic, hands glowing with blinding radiance.
“Solas Golowan Bhreith!!!”

A concentrated beam of light streaks toward Raul. He manages to block it, but the sheer force pushes him back, slamming him against another wall with a spray of rubble.

“Ugh! Bastard!!!” he grunts through clenched teeth.

“Eya!!!” Marlisa yells, charging forward, ready to strike again.

Randy spots the perfect opening. His fingers tighten on the trigger, firing a volley of metallic chains infused with crackling electricity. The chains whip through the air like living serpents, wrapping around Nerina mid-flight.

Sparks fly as the electric shock surges through her body, and Nerina collapses, unconscious.

Randy doesn’t hesitate. He grabs her, slinging her over his shoulder like a trophy, and charges toward Fu Xi.

“Hey!!! This is the traitor!!” he shouts, holding Nerina out for all to see.

Nerina hangs limp, her eyes closed, defeated for the first time.

Fu Xi steps forward, shaking his head with a faint, proud smile.
“A bunch of kids… saving our nation…”

Randy smirks, chest heaving with exhaustion and triumph.
“Yep… the birth of a new generation…”

Around them, the battlefield is a ruin of shattered magic, scorched walls, and battered warriors—but hope radiates like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

For a moment, the chaos stills. The dark threat has fallen. The future, uncertain but alive, belongs to this new generation of heroes.

Verica’s chest heaves, every muscle screaming in exhaustion. Around her, the battlefield roars with chaos, the air thick with dust, sparks, and magic. She glances at Raul and Alfian, both struggling, their strength waning.

I have to… pull them away… she thinks, summoning the last reserves of her energy. A golden aura flares around her hands as she reaches toward them, desperate to drag them out of harm’s way.

But Luna is faster. With a flick of her wrist, she counters, sending Verica flying backward.

“LUNA!!!!” Verica roars, crashing against the palace floor. Pain blooms across her body, but her eyes burn with fury and disbelief.

“Don’t you dare escape, sister!!” Luna shouts, her blade gleaming in the dim light, unwavering, cold, and resolute.

Oswald shakes off the pain from Raul’s earlier strike. His eyes flash with renewed determination. Marlisa lunges toward Raul, who is suspended midair in a shimmering beam of energy—like something out of a Dragon Ball fight. The air hums, charged with power, as each movement sends shockwaves across the palace.

Marlisa is powerful, but Raul is merciless. With a flick of his wrist, a knife slices through the air and strikes her shoulder. Pain blossoms instantly, and she stumbles. The light beam surrounding Raul flares violently, reflecting off the knife and blasting Marlisa away. She slams against the wall, unconscious.

“Damn!!” Randy growls, witnessing the attack. Without hesitation, he rockets into the sky, soaring toward her fallen form. His armored suit gleams under the chaotic light, thrusters roaring.

“Told ya!!! You’re not strong enough!!” Randy shouts at Marlisa, flying alongside the collapsing battlefield.

“Yeah!!! Hey Randy! Pull her away! I can’t fight like this with my sister around!!” Oswald calls out, gritting his teeth as he keeps Raul occupied.

“Got it!!” Randy responds, landing just outside the palace where Fu Xi has set up a tactical camp. He gently lays Marlisa down on a makeshift bed, surveying the wound.

“This one’s hurt…” Randy mutters, scanning her injuries with concern.

“Let me handle it!!” one of the medical team steps forward, hands already glowing with restorative magic. They hover over her, murmuring chants, light weaving around her like a cocoon.

Even amidst the chaos, hope flickers—a fragile, stubborn flame fueled by teamwork, determination, and the unbroken bonds of family.

Randy flies back to the palace

The battlefield is finally turning in our favor.
Kline, Elowen, and Seraphina tear through the last of the portal-spawned abominations, their strikes as sharp as the wind that howls through the broken palace gates. The smell of blood and burnt magic hangs thick in the air.

Only the real threats remain—Verica and Raul.
And they’re not giving up without taking the palace with them.

Elysia, Luna, and Oswald are in a vicious three-on-two clash with them, steel ringing against steel, magic flashing like lightning. The marble floor is cracked and scorched, and every breath is heavy with exhaustion and fury.

I drop in from above, wings slicing the air.

“Hey, need back-up?” I call, landing beside Elowen and Seraphina.

“Yeah, the more the better!!” Elowen shouts, stomping a goblin hybrid into the tiles.

It’s only now—after half the palace has been wrecked—that the students who’ve been hiding with Raul finally rush in.
“Hey, let us help!!” one of them yells, their voice trembling.

Even with the portal sealed, a stubborn dozen monsters still thrash and snarl, refusing to die. It takes three capable fighters to bring one of them down. I cover the others from above, my rifle roaring in a relentless stream.

That’s when I hear it—whispers from the students.

“Wait… that’s Randy, right? The quiet kid from Form 3? The one Raul used to mess with?”
“Yeah… but look at him now…”
“He’s… better than Raul.”

Their disbelief burns hotter than the gunfire. They’ve only ever seen me as the nobody in the back of the class—the punching bag, the forgettable face in the hallway. But now… they’re watching me keep the line from collapsing.

Some of Raul’s own followers freeze mid-swing, then turn their blades toward the monsters, fighting alongside us.

I’m about to press the attack when movement catches my eye—Nerina, slipping toward the exit.

Verica’s voice cuts through the noise. “Mother!!”

“Sorry!!! Survive for me!!!” Nerina calls back.

I don’t hesitate. I fire, my shot tearing through her shoulder, and launch forward, grabbing her arm mid-flight.

“I never thought you’d be the thorn in my side,” she snarls.

I don’t answer. My hand is already pressing a tracker into her skin. She jolts, eyes widening in pain.

“What did you do!?” she screams, kicking me with inhuman strength. The impact slams me into the wall hard enough to make my vision blur.

“Farewell!!” she hisses before shooting into the sky.

Verica’s face twists into something almost feral. “You… ALL of you… ESPECIALLY YOU, LUNA!!”

Her form warps—half angel, half demon, hair split into molten gold and burning crimson. She’s beautiful… in the way a storm is beautiful—something you can’t look away from even as it destroys you.

“Beautiful…” Raul breathes, completely entranced.

“Dude… you’ve really lost it,” Oswald mutters.

Raul’s body suddenly convulses.
“Agh!!” He clutches his head, his voice warping into something inhuman.

Before our eyes, his armor blackens, his shape twisting into a monstrous dark knight, shadow clinging to him like a living thing.

The air gets heavier.
The floor cracks under his boots.

And just like that… the real boss battle begins.

Raul’s scream cuts through the air like a blade, but when his voice fades… it’s not Raul’s voice anymore.

His eyes blaze open—no longer human. They burn with a deep, unnatural yellow, like molten gold dripping with malice.
His lips curl into a smile that’s all wrong.

“…Finally… power…”

A shiver runs down my spine.

Oswald, still catching his breath from the last exchange, stumbles a step back, his instincts screaming at him. “Damn… I can feel it! Everyone—he’s stronger now!!”

No one gets a chance to react.
In a single blink, Raul is gone from where he stood.

The next instant, there’s a crash—a shockwave ripping through the hall as he collides with Oswald in midair, sending him flying across the broken marble floor. The sound of armor scraping against stone echoes painfully.

I see it.
I feel it.

If I hesitate now, it’s over.

My rifle snaps up. “Not on my watch.”

The report of my shot cuts the air, the muzzle flash illuminating Raul’s warped silhouette for a heartbeat. He twists mid-flight, the bullet grazing his shoulder. His head jerks toward me—slowly, like a predator locking onto prey.

Then… his grin widens.

“Oh? You…”

He spreads those dark, corrupted wings. With one powerful beat, the air distorts from the force, loose tiles and debris lifting around him. In the next heartbeat, he’s in front of me—too fast, too close.

A cold realization hits.

It’s just him and me now.

One on one.

And from the way his presence crushes the air around us…

I know this is going to be nothing like the Raul I fought before.

While Raul and I trade blows, the air cracking with every impact, the palace throne hall is a storm of chaos.

Luna, Elysia, Seraphina, Kline, Elowen, Oswald, and Marlisa are locked in a desperate clash with Verica—her angelic-demonic form radiating both beauty and malice. Every movement she makes feels like it could shatter the air itself.

Then—
A groan from the rubble.

Alfian.

His eyes snap open, burning with confusion. “What the… what the fuck?!”

Verica’s gaze slides toward him, a predator spotting fresh prey. Her lips curl into a cruel smile.
“Well… well… now it’s your turn.”

Before anyone can react, her magic surges. Black and gold light engulfs Alfian, twisting his body, warping bone and muscle. His screams turn into a deep, guttural roar as his form reshapes.

When the light fades, what stands there is a nightmare: a towering beast with the mane of a lion, the stripes of a tiger, massive eagle wings stretching wide, and a crocodile’s tail coiled like a whip. His hands end in claws sharp enough to shred steel.

“Ah… finally! I’ve got power!” His voice is deeper now, distorted with beastly growls.

Oswald, ever the master of timing, yells, “Bro! Look in a mirror!”

Alfian catches his reflection in a broken shard of palace glass—his monstrous, two-legged figure glaring back. His grin only widens.
“Hahhahaha!! This is perfect!”

Verica, already retreating, calls out, “Protect me!”

Kline steps forward, cracking his neck, his hands already glowing with alchemical energy. “Let’s see you handle this—Deoch arwrolachd!”

A golden mist bursts outward, washing over Luna, Elysia, Seraphina, Elowen, Oswald, and Marlisa. Their muscles tense, senses sharpening—power and defense doubled in an instant.

“Nice timing!” Luna flashes a rare smile before charging.

Alfian moves to block, his claws cutting the air.

“MOVE!” Luna’s voice is a command. Her rapier ignites with lightning and flame as she shouts, “Luabrys!!”

She vanishes—no, she accelerates, becoming a blur. The next heartbeat, Alfian staggers, deep cuts scoring his beastly hide. Sparks fly as metal sings against monstrous flesh.

Kline wastes no time, slamming his palms to the ground. “Dìoghaidh Nádair!”

Thick, thorned vines burst from the cracked marble, wrapping around Alfian’s limbs, tightening with nature’s fury.

“Gahhh!! What the hell is this?!” Alfian roars, thrashing, the floor shattering beneath him.

“Don’t let him break free!” Seraphina’s voice cuts in. She leaps forward, spear poised, the blade glinting in the palace’s fractured light. With a roar, she drives it toward Alfian’s chest—

CLANG!

The weapon bounces off, sparks exploding from the impact.

“Tch—damn it! This hide is like armor!” Seraphina grits her teeth, planting herself between the monster and her allies.

The beast grins—fangs glistening. “You’ll have to do better than that…”

Elysia’s bowstring hums like a war drum, releasing a storm of arrows that streak toward Verica in blinding arcs of silver. Each shaft finds its mark, forcing the half-angelic, half-demonic woman to weave through the air with gritted teeth.

But then—
Marlisa moves.

Her voice rings out in a strange, flowing chant, her hands glowing with runes of blue and gold.
“Réimse feachda socraichte aig y ffenest thar gach leth!”

With a resonant crack, every palace window flares with shimmering light. A translucent barrier spreads across them like crystalline ice, sealing off every possible escape route.

Verica slams against one in a burst of wingbeats—only to rebound violently, her face twisting in disbelief.
“You… you dare!?”

Oswald grins, eyes flashing with pride. “Nice job, little sis!!”

Without hesitation, he pivots on his heel. His right fist begins to glow—gold, radiant, almost blinding.
“Solas rionnag!!!”

The blow lands square on Verica’s chest with a thunderous crack, the force reverberating through the hall.

“EARGHHH!! W-What is this… this sharp… pain!?” Verica gasps, her wings faltering. The holy energy burns her to the core, forcing her to crash down hard onto the marble floor.

Meanwhile, Alfian’s monstrous form spirals further into frenzy, roaring like a caged god. His claws shred pillars, tail smashing through the floor, every strike laced with killing intent.

“Don’t give him an inch—take him down!!” someone shouts, and the cry is taken up by every knight, every student, every warrior still standing with Luna.

Swords clash, shields splinter, spells crackle against Alfian’s hide. Yet the beast laughs—a deep, rumbling mockery that shakes the walls.

And above them all—
Raul and I are still locked in a death dance.

We streak through the shattered air toward the ceiling, the clash of steel and energy lighting up the hall. His blade slices past my cheek, close enough to singe my skin, the next swing forcing me to dive backward.

Then—he feints.

In one brutal motion, Raul hooks my guard and hurls me downward. I crash toward the ground like a meteor, twisting in midair. My suit’s servos scream as I swing my machine gun into place, unleashing a roaring storm of bullets.

But Raul…
Raul is already gone.

He moves like a shadow split from the wind, every round missing by inches, the sound of my own gunfire deafening me as I try to track him.

“Tch… damn it, he’s fast—!”

Raul raises his hand, dark runes spiraling around his fingers like a whirlpool of malice. His eyes burn with golden-red light as he chants in a voice that rumbles through the air:

“Dorchadas sanctaidd!”

A sphere of pure blackness blossoms from his palm, its surface swirling like liquid night. The magic pulses—cold, heavy, suffocating—before it rockets straight toward me.

It hits—
A bone-jarring impact that sends me crashing into the marble below, dust and debris exploding outward.

I blink, coughing. And then I notice…
Nothing.

No pain.
No burning.
No… anything.

A slow grin spreads across my face. “Ohhh… Hah… guess the anti-magic skill attribute does work after all.”

Raul’s confident smirk cracks. “What—!?”

“Yeah,” I say, dusting off my armor as I rise into the air, “newsflash—your magic works about as well on me as a water gun on a tank.”

I tap a control on my forearm, the holographic panel flickering to life. Beep—system engaged.
A nostalgic grin tugs at my lips. “Been saving this one… straight out of Gundam, baby.”

I thrust my arm forward.
“Charging drone—assist and cover!”

From my back, three metallic drones detach with a sharp hiss, their eyes glowing crimson. In perfect synchronization, they fan out around me, their rotors slicing through the air.

Vrrrrr—CH-CH-CH!
Each drone’s twin-mounted guns open fire, a storm of glowing tracers stitching the air toward Raul.

He dodges, weaving through the barrage like a phantom, the drones adjusting instantly, tightening their circle. The palace air fills with the sharp rhythm of gunfire, the glow of bullets reflecting in Raul’s furious eyes.

And me?
I can’t help smirking as I hover above the chaos.
“Let’s see you dance, golden boy…”

“Bastard!!!” Raul’s roar shakes the air, his voice laced with madness. His golden eyes blaze like molten metal, but behind them… nothing human remains.

I hover in front of him, keeping my distance. “Hey!!! Don’t you remember home!?” My voice echoes in the grand hall, a mix of frustration and… maybe a bit of hope.

“This is my home now!!!” Raul snarls, spreading his corrupted wings wide. Energy crackles along his claws, the air twisting under the sheer force of his presence.

Yeah… he’s gone. Overpowered, arrogant, and completely lost in delusion. Knocking him down is going to take more than just brute force.

Behind us, the battle rages. The others are still struggling—Elysia’s arrows whistle through the air, Luna and Oswald exchange heavy blows with Verica, and Seraphina is locked in a vicious clash with the last wave of hybrids. Every heartbeat feels like it could tip the balance.

And then—
WHOOOM!
Fu Xi crashes into the scene like a meteor, his blade cutting through the chaos. Without hesitation, he lunges at Alfian.

The strike hits hard.
Alfian’s monstrous form—lion fangs bared, tiger claws flashing—flies across the chamber and smashes into the wall, the stone spiderwebbing under the impact.

He staggers to his feet, muscles twitching, eyes wild. Whatever shred of humanity was left in him… is gone. His roar is pure beast.

That’s when I hear it—
A familiar, almost joyful voice in my earpiece.

“Hey, I see someone outside… something’s flying. What do you need me to do?” Gindol’s tone is casual, but I can hearthe grin.

My lips curl into a smirk. “Shoot it.!!!”

Outside the kingdom…

The sky is clear except for a single figure darting between clouds—Nerina. Her wings cut through the air with desperate speed, her expression twisted in frustration.

“That Kuzman… if I knew he was incompetent, I’d have handled this myself from the start…” she mutters.

But her escape doesn’t last long.
A shadow falls over her.
The Skybreak—sleek, massive, and bristling with weaponry—glides into view, its engines humming with lethal intent.

On the deck, Gindol stands beside Anduril, Elowen’s father, both of them grinning like boys with a new toy.

“Hey,” Gindol calls over the wind, “Randy said this thing could take down anything we aim it at…”

Anduril cracks his neck, eyes locked on the fleeing Nerina. “Well then… let’s put that claim to the test.”

With a push of the control lever, the Skybreak’s main gun comes to life.
A low, ominous hummmmm fills the air, building into a deafening roar. The barrel glows brighter… brighter… until it releases—

FWOOOOOOM!!!

A blinding beam lances across the sky, cutting through clouds and air alike. Nerina barely has time to turn, her eyes widening in shock—

“Wha—?!”

—and then she’s gone. Vaporized in an instant.

The recoil shakes the entire ship. Silence falls for a heartbeat… before both men erupt into laughter, clapping each other on the back.

“Hah!! Did you see that?!” Gindol’s grin is pure adrenaline.

“Overkill,” Anduril chuckles, “but in the best way.”

Back in my comms, their voices crackle through.

“Randy, we took her down!!!”

I can’t help but smirk mid-dogfight with Raul. “Music to my ears!!!”

Inside the palace – my POV

Raul hovers in front of me, eyes glowing like molten gold, his corrupted wings beating the air into violent gusts. My three drones zip around him, firing rapid bursts of gunfire. But the bastard moves like he’s dancing through the air—every bullet, every beam, he slips past with inhuman precision.

“Tch… fine, let’s see you dodge this.” I pull my sidearms, letting both guns bark in a relentless storm of fire. Sparks fly as rounds scrape past his armor, but he twists and spins just out of my kill zone.

Below, on the ground

Kline’s voice cuts through the chaos. “This is getting nowhere… cover for me!!!”

Without waiting for a reply, he pulls back from the frontline.

Elowen’s head snaps toward him. “What are you doing?!”

And then—FWOOOM—a shimmering dome of energy blossoms around him, sealing him inside like a glass bubble. He drops into a lotus position, eyes closed, palms glowing faintly as strange runes begin to spiral under him.

Elowen’s expression twitches. 😅💢 “Hey! This is NOT the time to meditate!!!”

Kline’s voice echoes in her mind, calm but urgent. “Just cover me. I need to calculate and take this thing down in one go!!”

Elowen exhales sharply, raising her hammer. “Fine! But if you die, I’m resurrecting you just to kill you again!” She plants her feet, shield of steel and will, ready to block anything that dares approach Kline.

Luna darts in, her rapier sparking with fire and lightning. “Elowen’s right—keep them away from Kline! I can feel it—he’s charging something big!”

“Got it!!!” Elysia calls, loosing a flurry of arrows before flipping forward, twin blades flashing in her hands as she charges Verica.

Oswald intercepts Verica’s counter, his golden-charged fist slamming into her guard with a shockwave. “Stay down, demon!”

Meanwhile, Seraphina and Marlisa move in perfect sync, one sweeping low with a spear, the other darting high with a blade. Their target—Alfian, who swats aside debris with monstrous claws.

The palace floor shakes under the clash of steel, magic, and rage. Above, Raul still refuses to fall… and my trigger finger is starting to itch.

The air crackles with raw power.

This isn't a skirmish; it's a war of attrition. A battle of endurance. We hold the line by the sheer force of our will, while their power grows exponentially. They aren't just powered up. They're becoming something grotesque. Inhuman.

A smirk tugs at my mouth. This is what a real battle feels like.

I'm actually enjoying it.

A frantic voice cuts through the chaos, overriding the clash of steel and magic.

"Randy! We need a solution!" Luna's voice is strained with urgency.

"I'm a little busy here with golden boy!" I yell back, dodging a massive energy blast and firing a quick series of shots.

"While Kline is busy, we need to find a weakness to slow them down!" she insists.

Elysia overhears our conversation.

"Hey! Oswald! I heard your sister could use that skill already?" she shouts, her voice filled with hope.

Oswald grins. "Yeah! Hey, Lisa!"

"What?" Marlisa replies, her gaze fixed on the injured Seraphina.

"Could you use the scan skill?!"

"Huh? Why now?"

"Umm… hey! Where to?" Oswald asks.

"Aim at Alfian and Raul!" Luna commands, her voice clear and purposeful.

Marlisa leaps back from the fight, a safe distance away. Her hands fly through ancient gestures as she chants.

"Lorg scanáil agus meas priodol."

A faint, ethereal light spreads across the battlefield, washing over Alfian and Raul. They shimmer for a moment.

"Is that done?" someone asks impatiently.

"You're asking the impossible... let me see... huh? Wait… everyone!"

"Anything?" Luna's voice is tight with anticipation.

"Yeah! This is interesting! Oswald!"

"What?!"

"Aim at the left shoulder! Just a nudge! That's for Alfian!"

"Got it!"

"And Randy! When Raul was a hero-class, he had no weakness, but now he has multiple elemental weaknesses, and one of them is lightning!"

A bolt of inspiration. "Got it!" I shout.

"Luna! I'll lure him in! You take him down with lightning!"

"Go!" she yells, and a faint blue glow begins to swirl around her hands.

I propel myself toward Raul. He responds with blind fury, a shadowy, corrupted aura erupting from his body. This isn't the hero-class knight anymore.

He’s a fallen knight.

He doesn't speak. He just lunges, a terrifying, silent whirlwind. We exchange blows in the air, his powerful strikes met by my frantic shots.

Time slows down.

I lock eyes with Luna. We're on the same wavelength. She'll hit me with the blast, knowing I'm immune. I trust her completely.

"An stoirm mhòrfawr!"

A deafening BOOM rips through the air. A massive bolt of chained lightning strikes the ceiling, the energy ricocheting across the battlefield. A thunderclap so loud it shakes the very foundation of the palace roars in our ears.

The lightning hits Raul head-on, and he screams. "EARGHHHHHH!" His body flashes into smoky ash, but he doesn't disappear. He's down. Suppressed.

He's alive.

A sharp click sounds behind me, like a snake's hiss. Verica, her eyes blazing, growls, "Stupid knight!"

Before Elysia can react, Verica's foot lashes out in a brutal, lightning-fast kick. Elysia crashes into Oswald.

Verica's gaze turns to me. I fly back, putting distance between us. Her eyes, filled with a dangerous, seductive glint, fix on me.

"You are an interesting guy… more interesting than Raul..."

I feel nothing but cold focus. Her seductive gaze is just another psychological weapon.

We exchange blows, but my goal is to capture her. Not defeat her. Her mother is already vaporized. I can't let her escape too.

"Give it up..." I say, my voice low.

"Why not?" she replies with a teasing smile.

"It won't end well for either of us. Surrender now, or else..."

"Or else what?"

My vision narrows. My aim is her heart. I fire off a rapid succession of shots. Each one hits its mark, but her grin only widens.

"Ahhh! That is the stuff!" she moans, her voice filled with pleasure.

Suddenly, Luna is there, a whirlwind of furious motion. "He is mine!" she screams, a blade of pure magic slicing Verica multiple times.

I see it in Luna's eyes: pure, unadulterated rage. She glares at me.

"Looking like that is disgusting and vulgar! Just like what you picture... in your memories, isn't it?" Luna hisses, her voice dripping with venom.

I freeze. "What the heck?!" She knows. Of course she knows. Luna's ability lets her access our shared knowledge.

The thought is a curse and a blessing. My brain barely processes the chaos before my mouth betrays me.

"That’s not fair! You’re not cute at all! Not doing the ‘nya!’” I taunt, smirking.

Luna’s foot stomps down with a metallic screech that rattles my teeth. “Hmph!” She swings her armored leg like a guillotine, smashing into Verica’s side. The clang echoes through the battlefield.

Verica snarls and lashes back with a vicious swipe—only to find my gun already in her face.
I pull the trigger in short, precise bursts, mixing bullets with close-quarters strikes—gun-fu, the way I like it. Sparks, steel, and gunpowder fill the air.

Before we can trade more barbs, a voice slices through the noise like a whipcrack.

“Oi! Mind you’re done with this after the battle!”
Elowen’s tone could make a dragon flinch.

Luna snorts but dashes forward again, all focus now on Verica. I match her step for step, our movements falling into a dangerous, practiced rhythm—strike, parry, fire, dodge. A deadly dance under a burning sky.

From the side, Elysia bellows,

“Stop being brats!!! Help the others with that brute!!!”

I glance over—Raul’s down, knights swarming to restrain him. But Alfian… Alfian isn’t Alfian anymore.
His eyes glow feral red. Muscles ripple. His roar is half-man, half-monster. Berserk mode.

Kline holds the line against him, but there’s something… off. This isn’t full resistance—it feels like we’re being stalled.

Verica’s attacks start to look deliberate, controlled—like she’s waiting.

Then Gindol’s voice cracks over the comm crystal, urgent.

“Hey!!! We have a new problem!!!”

“Huh?”

“Brace!!!”

The ceiling above us detonates into blinding light. Debris rains down. A silhouette drops through the smoke—tall, armored, exuding raw killing intent.

Black hair flows like ink down his back, framing sharp, golden eyes that glow like molten metal. Pointed ears. Full samurai armor—every plate polished to a deadly shine.

Verica gasps.

“My lord Azazothik!!! You came to save me!!!”

The air turns heavy. My lungs feel crushed. Even Alfian freezes mid-rage.

Azazothik’s voice is deep, cold.

“Nerina… how foolish. Impatient.”

Before Verica can respond, his blade flashes—one clean thrust through her chest. The weapon gleams with a crimson glow, ornate yet monstrous.

Luna’s voice hisses in my ear,

“That’s Lord Azazothik… one of the demon kingdom’s northern generals. He’s… terrifying.”

I can feel it—power so dense it presses on my bones. And yet…

A laugh cuts through the tension.
Kline.

“Hahaha! Why the hell are you guys afraid of him?!”

Azazothik’s golden gaze snaps to him.

“…The alchemist.”

“In the flesh!”

He lunges—blade driving through Kline’s chest. My heart drops.

“KLINE!!!”

But the body flickers, distorts—only a hologram. The real Kline grins from inside a protective sphere high above.

“Fool ya! Randy! He’s no different than Raul—just stronger! Fight him!!”

I don’t think—I move. My body feels lighter, sharper. I rush in, knee slamming into Azazothik’s face. He’s forced to leap back, eyes wide.

“Impossible…”

“Yeah, you’re just a guy in fancy armor. Why was I even afraid?!”

Kline shouts,

“His armor’s laced with a herb from demon lands—it makes you feel fear. It’s chemical, not magic!”

“Ohhh… got it!”

We clash—steel against bone, shots weaving into my strikes. But mid-fight, Kline’s voice cuts back in.

“Hey Randy… you sense it?”

“Huh?”

“Ask Gindol.”

While I trade blows with the general, I open the comm.

“Gindol?”

“Large group of dragons inbound! And an airship—armed enough to wipe that fleet!”

“Got it. One ship’s going down now!”

Azazothik is starting to falter. Without that fear aura, he’s… manageable. Almost easy.

But then he chants,

“Stoirm eira—”

Frost swirls around us, but it bounces off me. I kick him square in the face.

Kline’s voice is urgent now.

“I’m preparing a full-scale purification-kill spell! It’s gonna be… big.”

“Like a nuclear bomb?”

“…What’s a nuclear bomb?”

“Later! Just do it!”

Above us, the Skybreaker rips through the enemy airship lines.

“They’re falling like flies!!” I yell.

Verica’s bleeding out. Azazothik’s breathing hard. But Kline—Kline is in the middle of a storm of magic, chanting in multiple tongues.

The sphere around him grows, light intensifying until it swallows the city. Ancient syllables spill from his lips:

“Heyā kaukaba shìjiè… Premāt min al-walā’… Bhavatu quwwa wú suǒ hài…”

The ground trembles. The entire city is wrapped in a colossal magic circle. Even Gindol sounds rattled.

“By the gods… who’s conjuring this?!”

Anduril murmurs,

“Only a legendary wizard… or a sage…”

“Shì zhēn smaraṇaṃ al-qadīr…”

Kline roars the final words,

“Infiǧāra visphoṭa!!!”

Daylight erupts in the middle of the night. Demons scream, their forms burning away under a wave of holy energy. Azazothik’s voice twists in agony.

“EARGH!! Th—Ayameva Zha’ṛṣiḥ!!!”

Corruption peels off Raul and Alfian, their bodies collapsing, freed. Wounds vanish. Shadows dissolve.

I stand in the cleansing wind, untouched.

“…Magic. Figures.”

The battlefield is silent. The sky is clean. The stench of fear is gone.

I look up at Kline and yell,

“KLINE, YOU ASSHOLE—THAT WAS OVERKILL!!!”

The air still glows faintly from the blast. Ash drifts down like snow. The stench of burned malice lingers in my throat.

Kline lands with a flourish, laughing like some cartoon villain who just blew up the hero’s hometown.

“Hahahaha! Now that’s how you do magic!”

The magical pressure fades. My knees feel light again. Everyone’s wounds knit shut, the paralysis gone. For the first time in this madness, I look at Kline and… damn it… I feel it. That comrade-in-arms spark.

We bump fists.

“You’ve gotta tell me about that nuclear bomb thing,” he says, grinning.

“You’re gonna make one?” I raise an eyebrow.

“If it’s good, I will.”

“…Ugh.”

Seraphina slithers closer, her bladed spear resting against her shoulder.

“Is it over?”

“I think so,” I answer, scanning the wreckage.

Kline flicks a hand dismissively.

“Of course it worked. That magic blast purged anything with malice! Pretty sure even your bad habits got cleansed.”

“…What are you, a saint?” I smirk.

“Huh!? Bleh! I’d rather be called a drunk than that. Peh!” He spits to the side for emphasis.

Before I can retort, Elowen stomps over in full blacksmith swagger and crushes both of us in a bear hug.

“That was amazing, you two! Glad to have you in our party!”

And then—Seraphina joins in from behind, her serpent coils wrapping around us like a python.
Tighter.
Tighter.
Oh no.

“Oi! Oi! Oi! You’re gonna break us apart!” Kline wheezes.

“Hey… hey… hey… this is getting too mushy…” I grunt, ribs creaking.

Kline’s voice suddenly spikes into pure male hysteria.

“Shit!! I can feel Elowen’s boobs now!!!”

“You idiot! Get us out of here!” I snap.

“Wait… ah… this kind of feeling… YESSSS!!!” Kline howls like he’s been blessed by the gods.

“I’m going to kill you!” Elowen snarls, her cheeks burning red.

Seraphina squeezes tighter.

“We all are, my best bud! I’m never letting go!”

I’m halfway to blacking out. The world’s turning fuzzy. And okay, yes—Elowen’s actually a looker. And Seraphina’s… warm. Kline, on the other hand, is grinning like he’s already ascended to heaven from being double-flanked.

Me? Well…

Elysia’s looming behind me with a demon emoji practically hovering over her head.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself…”

“Kie!!!” Oswald chirps, biting my finger out of nowhere.

Marlisa narrows her eyes, her oni-like glare full of accusation.

“Is it really that enjoyable, Randy? You… have touched mine…”

“Huh? When did I—? And no offense, but yours aren’t that soft anyway.”

Luna steps forward. Her smile is sweet. Her eyes… are not.
Her voice drips like poisoned honey.

“So… you enjoyed this moment, huh?”

Yandere mode: engaged.
I might survive demon generals.
But this? This is how I die.

To be continued