Final Battle

The air exploded with energy as Ryn raised a black, crystal-like artifact wrapped in chains. Before anyone could react, he hurled it at Daphnmon 's chest . Red runes ignited, spectral chains enveloped the Demon Queen, and within seconds, her majestic form was sucked into the crystal.

The artifact glowed as if melting from within, then fused with Ryn 's body . Her body contorted, her muscles bulging, her eyes turning into scarlet slits, and black wings sprouted from her back. An overwhelming aura filled the clearing.

"Now I'm more than a traitor. I'm the heir to Daphnmon 's power ... this is the end of you," Ryn said with a ghoulish laugh.

Margarida fell to her knees, paralyzed with terror.

Yukiko raised her staff, but her hands were shaking so much that she almost dropped it.

Ayano bit her lips, gripping her bow tightly, sweat running down her forehead.

Windy took two steps back, but soon steadied her feet, taking a deep breath.

Clementine had tears streaming down her face.

"You monster! You destroyed the only chance for peace!" Clementine screamed .

And I, Araya , felt the weight of responsibility. The entire path to this point had been leading up to this moment. Ryn was not only a traitor, he now carried the power of the demon queen herself.

Ryn spread her wings and flapped once, creating a shockwave that sent us all reeling back.

— Prepare yourselves, because none of you will leave here alive, because I am the most powerful being in this world, this entire world will be mine. — said Ryn .

I drew my swords, my heart burning with fury.

"Then this is your final choice, Ryn . No matter how much strength you've stolen, I will cut you to pieces," I said.

The final battle had begun.

Ryn 's demonic aura turned the air heavy and suffocating. The ground around her cracked with the energy emanating from her body, and even the trees began to wither. It was like fighting inside a nightmare.

I was the first to advance. With my swords drawn, I lunged straight for his chest, but Ryn blocked it with a black barrier that erupted from his skin. The impact made my arms tremble, but I managed to slide in and slice off his left wing, leaving a red line.

"You're not invincible, Ryn !" I shouted, even as I felt the weight of his aura draining my strength.

From behind, Ayano fired three enchanted arrows, each charged with a cutting wind. The arrows tore through the air, swift as thunder, but Ryn dodged them with superhuman movements. Still, one of them grazed him, leaving a cut on his leg.

"You may have stolen power, but you still bleed like anyone else!" Ayano said firmly.

Margarida  raised her hand and conjured a chain of light, attempting to bind Ryn . For a moment, he was enveloped in glowing chains, but with a roar, he blasted the magic away, sending Margarida  falling to her knees in exhaustion.

— Damn… he’s way above me… — Margarida muttered, biting her lips.

Yukiko , though trembling, raised her staff and cast Holy Healing, not to injure, but to keep the group standing. A wave of revitalizing energy washed over us all, healing cuts and restoring health.

"I'm not letting anyone fall! Not today!" Yukiko shouted , more to herself than to us.

Windy was impetuous, lifting rocks from the ground and throwing them along with blades of wind, combining her two natures. The projectiles collided with Ryn 's black shield , cracking it in several places.

—I'm going to break that defense if it's the last thing I do! — shouted Windy .

Clementine was the last to act, but it had a devastating impact. She summoned dark flames, demonic magic inherited from her bloodline, and fired at Ryn 's arm . He partially dodged it, but some of the energy corroded his skin, leaving a deep mark.

"This is just the beginning, traitor!" Clementine shouted, filled with hatred.

Ryn gave a sadistic smile.

"Do you really think you can match me? I carry the power of Daphnmon ! You're just warming me up!" Ryn shouted, belittling us.

He then raised his hand, creating black spheres that began to orbit around him, each one pulsating as if it were a small moon about to explode.

We had tested the enemy, but now he would show what he was truly capable of.

The black spheres around him began to pulse, each emitting pressure waves that shook the ground. Then they all coalesced into a ring of energy swirling around his body.

"Now you will taste the weight of a century of manipulation!" Ryn shouted, and the aura expanded like a hurricane.

From that moment on, each attack against him suffered a temporal delay: the blow would land, but only take effect a few seconds later, leaving the group confused and vulnerable.

Ayano fired a volley of wind-powered arrows, but Ryn merely raised her hand: the arrows hung motionless in the air, then exploded in all directions. One of them nearly hit Yukiko .

"Damn it, even the air obeys him now!" Ayano roared, preparing another shot.

Desperately, Margarida  tried to use binding magic again, this time wrapping the ground in chains that rose from below. For a moment, the chains held Ryn captive , but then, with a snap, they broke, and the fragments hurled back at her.

She raised her arm in time, but it came away bleeding.

— He even turns my own magic against me… — said Margarida .

Yukiko , seeing Margarida injured, ran to heal her, even at the risk.

"I said I won't let anyone fall!" Yukiko shouted, but her hands were shaking. The healing power worked, but Yukiko began to deplete her mana much faster than usual.

Ryn smiled.

"You'll burn yourself out, healer," Ryn said mockingly.

Windy gathered all her energy, creating a fusion: a spear made of stone and condensed wind. She threw it at Ryn 's chest . The impact was devastating, cracking his energy ring for a few seconds.

"There it is! It can be broken!" Windy cried, exhausted but hopeful.

Clementine seized the opportunity. She summoned black demonic flames and launched them directly at Ryn 's chest . The fire spread, and he roared in pain, but then absorbed some of the flames into himself.

"You feed me without realizing it!" he laughed, as his skin burned and regenerated.

Ryn raised her arms and unleashed a wave of black energy in a circular explosion, like an earthquake of darkness. Everyone was thrown against trees, rocks, and the ground.

Ryn 's voice echoed like thunder.

"This isn't just my fight. This is the end of all the races that betrayed me. And you are just the beginning," Ryn continued .

The group was wounded, but standing. Tension was high: they knew this would be a fight of endurance, intelligence, and unity.

Ryn 's artifact began to glow more intensely, distorting the space around it. Trees twisted, the sky seemed to shatter into black fissures. His every step altered the local gravity, making fighting nearly impossible.

"You guys should have given up already..." Ryn muttered, raising her hand and creating a black spear with Daphnmon 's energy .

Ryn 's delays . Each stroke had a rhythm, a cadence. They just had to decipher it.

Ryn 's attacks had a fixed delay of three seconds before reflecting.

— So that's it... If I attack, I need to move before the return. — I thought.

"Listen! His blows have a delay! Use that to our advantage!" I shouted to everyone.

I raised my swords and charged, striking in sequence and retreating in rhythm. For the first time, I struck Ryn without being crushed back.

Ayano caught on quickly. She unleashed a barrage of enchanted arrows, timing each shot to the cadence of the delay. The arrows struck Ryn one after another before he could deflect them all.

"So it's not invincible… just complicated!" Ayano shouted confidently.

Margarida  used her binding magic again, but this time just as Ryn was about to parry an attack. The chains managed to hold him captive for a few moments.

"I got you, traitor!" Margarida  yelled, allowing Araya and Ayano to press harder.

Yukiko , in tears but determined, stopped just healing. She channeled offensive Holy Light, which she would normally use against undead, and launched it directly at the artifact Ryn carried.

The explosion was intense, cracking the surface of the crystal.

"Healing can also hurt!" Yukiko said, surprising even herself.

Windy , seeing the crack, combined cutting wind with stone blades and launched it like a cannon at the artifact. The impact opened the crack in the crystal even further, releasing unstable energy.

"It's working! He's not invincible!" Windy said confidently.

Clementine , the most experienced, took advantage of the instability. She used her mixed-race blood to conjure ancient demonic fire, which could only be controlled by those connected to Daphnmon .

The fire hit Ryn full on, forcing him to retreat for the first time.

"This power isn't yours, damn you... and it will consume you!" Clementine screamed .

Ryn fell to her knees, but her laughter echoed, sinister.

“Do you… believe you won? No, you just hastened the inevitable.” Ryn shouted.

Ryn 's body began to elongate, horns sprouted, and demonic markings appeared on his skin.

Now it was no longer just Ryn , but an imperfect fusion with Daphnmon 's power .

Ryn 's body completely distorted. Her skin turned black with glowing veins, spiked horns grew from the top of her head, demonic wings sprouted from her back, and her eyes glowed a deep red.

His voice echoed in multiple tones, as if several people were speaking at once.

—I'm not Ryn anymore … I'm something else. I'm a god. — Ryn said with a smile.

The air grew heavy. Each breath the group took seemed to tear from their lungs. The broken seal behind them vibrated, as if responding to the corrupted power now taking shape before them all.

I raised my swords, but I felt my hands trembling.

— I can't back down now... if I fall, everyone falls with me. — I thought.

Ryn 's massive blows . The impact was so strong that the ground cracked, but I retreated in time to counterattack.

Ayano stood back, firing arrows infused with wind magic. Each shot was now a slashing blast capable of tearing through demonic flesh.

" Ryn ! You're not touching them while I'm breathing!" Ayano shouted .

Ryn 's wings and restrict his flight.

"You're not my friend anymore, you're just a monster!" Margarida  screamed.

Yukiko stretched out her hands and released a barrier of Holy Light to protect the group. But this time, her energy wasn't just for defense: she focused all her faith on transforming the barrier into a prison that burned the enemy.

"Even if I die here, I won't let you win!" Yukiko shouted .

Windy ran along the flanks, combining sharp rocks and gusts of wind, creating spinning blades that flew like tornadoes.

"I'll cut you into pieces, Ryn !" Windy shouted .

Clementine glared at the demonic fusion with a cold gaze. Using the demonic fire inherited from Daphnmon , she released columns of black flames that clashed with Ryn 's energy blasts .

"That power doesn't belong to you, damn you. It will consume you before you defeat us!" Clementine screamed .

Ryn , now more monstrous than human, roared with deafening fury. He flapped his wings, creating a storm of energy that threw everyone away. The ground cracked, and hellish fissures began to appear around the battlefield.

"You don't understand... all of this was inevitable! I'm going to erase you and rewrite this world!" Ryn screamed .

Ryn , warped by his fusion with Daphnmon , roared with a force that shook the air. But his body began to crack like glass. Glowing lines spread across his demonic skin, and his once firm voice was now a mixture of pain and madness.

"Her power… is greater than I imagined! But I will not lose! I am the fate of this world!" Ryn shouted .

Black flames and crimson lightning exploded around him, and the battlefield transformed into an abyss of chaos. Ryn 's every step further cracked the ground, as if the entire demonic realm would crumble.

I raised my swords, panting, feeling every muscle burn. Sweat and blood covered my body. But there was something beyond the pain: the certainty that this was the decisive moment.

—Ryn , if this world needs a god… then I'll be the demon that takes you down! — I told him.

I activated Poison Slime and Slow Slime , creating a slimy area beneath Ryn , who tried to fly away. But Clementine and Windy pulled him back to the ground.

Ayano focused all her energy into a single arrow, imbued with wind and fire.

"That's my last arrow, Ryn !" Ayano shouted .

The shot pierced the air and struck one of the demonic wings, tearing it to shreds. Ryn screamed, falling hard.

Desperate but firm, Margarida  raised both hands and summoned streams of black light, a forbidden spell she had never dared to use.

"If I'm going to finish you off, I'll pay the price!" Margarida shouted.

Ryn 's legs , draining her energy while burning her monstrous skin.

In tears, Yukiko unleashed a new ability called Divine Lightning. Golden bolts of lightning fell upon Ryn like divine judgments, causing him to writhe.

"I won't run away anymore! This time I'll fight until the end!" Yukiko shouted .

In a fury, Windy raised stone columns and cut through the air with gusts of wind.

" Kalea died because of you, Frederica too! You'll pay, Ryn !" Windy shouted .

The stones turned into flying blades that pierced his body from all sides.

Clementine approached and dug her hands into one of Ryn 's demonic shoulders. Using her inherited demonic fire, she began to pull Daphnmon 's essence from within him.

"You stole this power, but you can't control it! I'll take it from you, even if it costs me my life!" Clementine screamed , wanting to save Daphnmon .

Ryn , even in the midst of her collapse, laughed desperately.

"You may hurt me, but I am eternal! I am the truth that manipulates all races!" Ryn shouted, trying to show confidence.

At that moment, everyone looked at me. I understood: the final blow had to be mine.

My body in tatters, I teleported straight above Ryn , and concentrated everything—Minotaur Strength, Alchemy, Slime Venom, and Slime Pleasure —into a single blade.

—This is the copy you can't steal… my will! — I shouted.

Ryn 's scream echoed like a thousand voices being destroyed, until it faded into a heavy silence.

His body crumbled into black dust. The artifact fell to pieces, and Daphnmon 's energy dispersed, vanishing into thin air like smoke.

Silence. Just our heavy breathing and the destroyed ground around us.

I fell to my knees, exhausted, but with a clear feeling: the final battle was over.

The cold wind of the demonic realm blew across the ruins of the battlefield. Ryn 's body was gone, only dark ash slowly dissolving into the air. The energy that had been drained from Daphnmon also vanished, leaving a feeling of emptiness and profound silence.

I remained kneeling, my swords digging into the ground to keep me upright. Every breath was an effort, but my heart pounded: we had won. The weight of what had happened still made no sense, but a certainty burned within me: the traitor had fallen.

Margarida walked up to me, her face streaked with tears and ash.

"I… I can't believe Ryn was against us the whole time." There was pain and anger in Margarida 's voice, but also a quiet relief that we were still alive.

Yukiko knelt down next to me and placed her glowing hands over my wounds.

"You fought to the limit, Araya …" her voice trembled, Yukiko said .

The sacred healing enveloped me like a gentle warmth, but I could tell her sadness was greater than any magic.

Ayano looked at the horizon, holding the destroyed bow.

— Betraying friends, manipulating everything… that was the real Ryn . — Ayano said .

Windy , her eyes filled with tears, banged her fist against a cracked stone.

— Kalea , Frederica … you're not coming back. But their blood wasn't in vain. — said Windy .

The wind around her howled as if sharing her fury.

Clementine closed her eyes and crossed her arms, serious.

" Ryn didn't just betray you. He betrayed the very history of this world. Now, with it destroyed, the seal is unstable… and Daphnmon can awaken on her own," Clementine said happily.

Her words brought home the gravity of the situation: the battle was over, but the war was not.

No one celebrated. The air was thick, heavy with grief and uncertainty. We had survived, but at the cost of two companions and the terrible truth about Ryn .

I, standing again, looked at everyone.

"This isn't our victory. It's just the beginning," I said hoarsely.

And everyone understood: the journey to Daphnmon was just entering its most dangerous phase.

The battlefield was silent, the smell of blood and ash still in the air. However, a strange energy began to pulse beneath our feet. It was as if the demonic realm itself had held its breath.

From the spot where Ryn had been consumed by the artifact, red cracks began to spread across the ground. They looked like living, pulsing veins, radiating an oppressive aura that made each of us feel our hearts race.

Windy instinctively recoiled, eyes wide.

"The seal... couldn't handle the shock of absorption. It's... breaking on its own," Windy said in surprise.

Clementine clenched her fists

— It's not an 'if' anymore. Daphnmon will wake up now. — Clementine said .

The air grew dense, as if gravity had increased. Dark clouds began to form rapidly above us, swirling in a spiral. A muffled roar echoed, but it didn't come from the sky, but from deep underground.

Yukiko fell to her knees, her hands on her head.

From the cracks, black flames and a frigid wind began to escape, as if two opposing elements were merging. Gradually, a figure took shape in the center of the chaos: giant obsidian wings, a female silhouette surrounded by broken chains, and golden eyes that burned like distorted suns.

It was Daphnmon .

Not a mindless monster, but a majestic and terrifying presence, which at once exuded power and sadness.

Her voice resonated, deep, as if it were part of the earth itself:

— Millennia... millennia of chains, of lies, of blood... — said Daphnmon .

She opened her eyes fully, and a wave of energy swept across the field. I felt my legs buckle; it wasn't just magic, it was the essence of a being that had been imprisoned for over a hundred years.

Daphnmon then looked at us, and every word of hers seemed to go straight to our hearts.

"You... heroes... humans... traitors. Who among you dares to proclaim yourself my enemy, when the truth is before your eyes?" Daphnmon asked.

Margarida was breathing quickly, almost in panic, but she remained standing, trying to hide her fear.

Ayano aimed an arrow, but hesitated as she felt the weight of that aura.

Yukiko was still on her knees, sweating coldly.

Windy remained defensive, but his eyes showed respect and curiosity.

Clementine just lowered her head.

— Your Majesty... finally free, — Clementine murmured happily.

And I, Araya , could only think: If she wanted to, she could destroy us in seconds. But why do I feel... that she is not the real enemy?

The air still pulsed with the energy released by the broken seal. My heart was racing, but I took a deep breath and took a step forward. I couldn't let fear take over.

— Daphnmon … — my voice echoed firmly, even though my legs were trembling.

"You don't need to fight us. The real enemy isn't you," I told her.

Her golden eyes narrowed, as if examining me from within.

"A human dares speak of peace? After centuries of your race hunting me, sealing me, vilifying me as the 'king of demons'?" Daphnmon asked.

The weight of his words almost crushed me, but I didn't give up.

"I won't repeat the mistakes of the past. Ryn was the traitor . He used his power to try to manipulate us. And we... defeated him. Now, I want to negotiate. Not war, but a deal." I told her with the utmost confidence.

She tilted her head, and her voice came out like muffled thunder:

"Do you believe you can speak for all humans? That they will accept peace just because you wish it?" Daphnmon asked.

I felt Margarida behind me, nervous, but I took another step.

"I don't know if everyone will accept it. But I will. And I will fight for others to accept it too. If you destroy us, everything returns to the cycle of hate. If you listen to us, there's a chance you can break it," I replied.

There was a heavy silence. The wind died. Even the crows circling above the trees fell silent. Daphnmon closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, a different spark shone there.

“There is courage in you… and foolishness too.” Daphnmon raised his hand, and the broken chains dissolved into dust.

—But I recognize something… the same flame I saw in the ancient copy hero, seven hundred years ago. — concludes Daphnmon .

Then she raised her voice for all to hear:

"Very well, Araya . I accept your proposal. I will not attack you, as long as you do not raise arms against me. This will be our initial peace pact." Daphnmon accepted the agreement.

I took a deep breath, feeling my shoulders relax for the first time since the fight.

"So let this be the beginning of something new. No more chains, no more lies," I said.

She gave a slight nod.

"But make no mistake, human. Peace has a price. And you will have to prove it with actions, not just words," Daphnmon said .

Daphnmon suddenly began to stare at Margarida .

"You're the granddaughter of the Heroine of Absolute Magic!" Daphnmon said.

We were all surprised, as Margarida had the blood of the same world that Ayano , Yukiko , and I came from. Margarida sighs.

—I'm going to reveal once and for all why I came to hate the Copy Hero, and also why I hate commoners, — said Margarida .

It was something we always wanted to know from the moment we saw her getting along with Windy Stone.

— the old Copy Hero from 60 years ago, the same Copy Hero who is dead and was married to Clementine , this bastard tried to kill the other companions to steal their powers, so the world started to hate the Copy Hero... he killed my grandmother who my mother always said was happy doing missions with her group. — Margarida  finally explained her hatred towards me.

Everyone couldn't process what they heard.

—It seems we even had Copy Heroes who were cruel beings. — said Daphnmon .

— Forgive me... I didn't know that, after the death of his companions, he started acting strange, I could never have imagined that was it. — Clementine said sadly upon learning what her late husband had done.

—Now comes the worst part, — said Windy .

Her speech left everyone with a greater fear that a sadder story would be told.

"My mother, like my grandmother, was a sweet and kind person who helped everyone. She always helped the commoners, she helped anyone in need, regardless of race or class. But one night, she was brutally murdered by the commoners in the commoners' area. Looking back now, I suspect Ryn manipulated this to make my father become someone else, because before my mother's death, Albert was a wonderful person," said Margarida, crying as she remembered everything.

I, who always judged her as a spoiled princess, could never imagine that she had suffered to this extent.

—Guys, starting today, let's make this world a better world. — I shouted to them.

They all agreed, I swear this world will be a better world.