Chapter 61: Battle of Another Dimension

Sometimes that crack forms within the soul of those who have lost too much… or gained something they were never meant to touch.
Power, in its purest form, doesn’t transform the body — it transforms intention.
And when that intention shatters, the world fractures with it.
Because there is no fight harder than the one where you must face what you chose to become…
…while the echo of who you once were still whispers in silence.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The air reeked of ash and betrayal.
Atahualpa walked among the charred remains of the village he once knew as his friend’s home. Each step crunched over bones and broken promises. Amid the devastation, a ritual symbol drawn in dried blood still pulsed faintly with dark energy.
“What the hell happened here…?” he whispered, heart tightening.

Back to the present.

A thunderous roar tore across the sky.
Guayas stood with his arms raised, absorbing an overwhelming surge of energy. His body overflowed with it, his aura spreading like a bottomless abyss. The darkness around him wasn’t natural — it was something else. Something the world was never meant to witness.
“I won’t lose!” he screamed, his voice distorted. “I… will become a god!”

From the edge of the battlefield, Zero narrowed his eyes.
“So that’s your vessel… isn’t it, Mammon?”
The demon of greed — human in face but monstrous in grin — simply curled his lips in delight.
“How perceptive for a human,” he mocked.
Zero’s gaze sharpened.
If I attack now, Mammon will protect him. I have to trust those two instead…

Not far away, Edén felt the atmosphere compress. The energy radiating from Guayas was suffocating — almost unreal. He analyzed him carefully, but found nothing: no hatred, no pain… no humanity.
What is this feeling…? It’s beyond anything I’ve ever faced.

“This is… what I sought,” murmured Guayas, admiring his new form with twisted joy. “I’m no longer just a man. Now, I can kill them all.”

Edén clenched his teeth. His body moved before his mind could think.
He charged forward with explosive speed — but Guayas saw him coming as if time itself had slowed.
That serene, merciless gaze had already predicted the exact instant he would pierce through Edén’s chest.

Yet, a spear intervened.

Guayas caught it easily with one hand.
“What are you doing here?” he growled, glaring at the newcomer.
“It’s been a while, my friend. I see you’ve grown strong,” Atahualpa said, stepping forward with calm resolve.
He took a few steps back, positioning himself beside Edén.
“You seem promising, young one.”
Edén blinked in confusion.
“Who are you?”
“I am Atahualpa — the Incan king. A pleasure.”
“The… king?” Edén murmured.
“But that’s not what matters now. What matters is what’s standing in front of us.”

Without another word, both men rushed into battle.

Guayas barely moved. With a single, precise kick, he sent them flying like rag dolls.
Damn it… he’s too fast, Atahualpa thought, forcing himself up. If we hold back, we don’t stand a chance.

He turned toward Edén, his expression grave.
“Young one. Stay here. I’m sorry, but right now… you’d only get in the way.”

Before Edén could respond, Atahualpa charged again.
The movements that followed defied human perception — Edén could barely track them. He saw only flashes, bursts of light, and the echo of impacts shaking the ground.

And then… an inner silence.

Edén froze amid the chaos, breathing heavily.
A burden…?

Memories stirred painfully in his chest.
When they attacked Grandfather… I just stood there. In Grek… Yohei saved me. In Nork… I protected no one. Iss died. Takemi died. Quil…

He sank to his knees. The pressure in his chest hurt more than any wound.
While others fought — he could only remember his failures.

“You’re pathetic, human,” growled a guttural voice.

From the smoke, Vorathrax emerged — a mocking shadow.
“You’ve never saved anyone. Everyone around you dies. One by one. How many more must die because of you?”

Edén’s fists clenched. The words cut deeper than any blade.
“You’re right…” he muttered through gritted teeth. “I’m weak. Everyone around me dies…”

And then, his eyes flared crimson.
“Then… I just have to kill anyone who dares to harm them. Right?”

Vorathrax froze. For the first time — he smiled, intrigued.
One of his chains snapped with a dry crack.
“What are you planning?” he growled.
“I told you,” Edén replied calmly, without even looking up. “You’re done getting in my way.”

“From now on… you’ll work for me.”

A surge of sinister energy burst from Edén’s body — dark, dense, alive — and for a moment, it seemed to devour the very logic of the world.
Vorathrax instinctively stepped back, shielding his face as if the radiance were burning him.
“Damn human!” he growled between his teeth.

Zero, still clashing with Mammon, narrowed his eyes, a crooked smile curling on his lips.
“Hey, hey… are you even human anymore, or a monster?”
Mammon turned his gaze toward Edén. For the first time, his expression tensed.
“That energy…”
“Looks like I’ve found a worthy ally,” murmured Atahualpa, leaning on his spear with a firm smile.

Guayas stepped back, disbelief distorting his features — more human than ever in his confusion.
“I–Impossible… no human could wield such power. It’s inconceivable!”

Edén lifted his gaze, eyes glowing with an infernal crimson light. His voice no longer sounded human — there was something else in it, a resolve sharp enough to cut through fear.
“I stopped being human a long time ago.
Now get ready, Guayas. You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done.”

Far away, the clash between Mammon and Zero had turned the land into a wasteland of rubble and shockwaves.
After a brutal collision, both were thrown back, panting heavily.
Zero steadied himself midair, tightening his grip on his sword. Mammon, however, wasn’t looking at him — his eyes were fixed on Guayas.

“What’s wrong?” asked Zero. “You look distracted.”
Mammon scowled, irritated.
“They’re pathetic. They need borrowed power to feel strong. How disappointing…”
“Does it bother you?” Zero teased. “Or scare you?”
“It’s nothing,” the demon snapped, turning back toward him.

But Zero had already noticed it. Something had shifted.
Mammon was distracted — uncertain. And for an opponent like him… that was gold.

“Hate to break it to you, demon,” said Zero, his energy flaring, “but I don’t have time for your games.”
Mammon smirked mockingly.
“Trying to act tough? How pathetic.”
“Die,” said Zero flatly.

In a flash, he struck.
A single clean slash.

Mammon’s body split into two perfect halves that fell to the ground.
Zero exhaled slowly — until he heard it.

Laughter.

The two halves began to twitch, tremble, pull together…
Reforming.

“What the—?” Zero muttered, frowning. “You’ve gotta be kidding me… this is real?”
Mammon stood up as if nothing had happened, brushing dust off his shoulder.
“What’s with that face, human? Scared? Did you really think you could kill me that easily? How stupid.”

Zero’s jaw tightened around his sword handle.
“Scared? Who do you think I am? I’m excited.”

He launched forward like a storm, unleashing a barrage of furious, lightning-fast strikes.
Dozens of slashes tore through Mammon — but each wound closed instantly.

Zero stopped abruptly, panting.
“You’ve got to be joking… this has to be some kind of sick joke…”
Mammon sighed, bored.
“What a disappointment. I thought you’d be an interesting opponent. But you’re not even at ten percent of my true power.”

Then he extended his hand and uttered a single phrase:
“Chains of Greed.”

Golden chains erupted from the ground, coiling around Zero’s arms.
They stopped him instantly — pinning him in place as if time itself had frozen for him.

“What… what is this?”
Zero tried to move — nothing. Not even an inch.
A binding technique? No… it’s more than that… it’s absorbing my energy. Draining it drop by drop…

Mammon grinned, savoring the moment.
“Relax. I won’t kill you right away. I’ll drain you completely first. That way, you can watch as I use your energy to wipe out your friends.”

Zero closed his eyes for a second and sighed. Then he thought:
“This is so boring… I was expecting something like ‘Boom!’ or ‘Pow!’ but this is more like ‘Clink!’— nothing exciting at all. Nothing!”

Mammon blinked, irritated.
“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”
Zero tilted his head lazily.
“This guy’s so noisy… doesn’t he see I’m thinking?”

Then his eyes shifted toward Guayas.
There — on his neck — he saw it. A mark. A faint symbol, barely visible, but crucial.
So that’s it… Mammon’s not really here. This isn’t his true body. Just a projection — an anchor tied to Guayas.

Zero’s gaze sharpened.
“Can I ask you something?”
Mammon raised an eyebrow, amused.
“Negotiating for your life?”
“No, thanks. I just want to know — what are you demons really after in this world?”

Mammon’s grin widened.
“Ah, that’s a good question.
You see… soon, our true master will awaken. The firstborn of chaos — Hakai.”
“The lord of chaos…?” Zero muttered.
“We’re simply preparing the stage. This world will belong to him.”

Zero nodded slowly.
“Perfect. That’s all I needed to know.”
“Huh?”

“Anzu.”

From Zero’s sword came a demonic voice.
“Yes, master?”
“Wake up.”

A wave of cursed energy flooded the battlefield.
The golden chains shattered like glass under pressure.

Mammon staggered back, eyes wide.
“Another demon? Traitors!”

Zero raised his sword, now wreathed in a violet aura.
His eyes burned like flames.
“I don’t care about your so-called Hakai.
Your plans, your gods, your demon pride — none of it matters to me.
If you lay a hand on the people I love… I’ll destroy you all.”

A surge of energy swept across the ground.

High above, two hidden figures watched from the shadows.
“Well, well… looks like the boss finally got serious.”
“The boss is amazing…”

For the first time, Mammon was sweating.
And Zero — was smiling.