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Clank!

The chains violently wrapped around the cult leader.

‘Did I get him?’

I knew clichés far too well to say something like that out loud.

As if mere magic like this could take down the cult leader?

Ridiculous. If that were the case, he wouldn’t even be the final boss to begin with.

For a moment, the air grew heavy.

A suffocating sensation gripped my chest, but only briefly.

Clang!

Clang!

Once again, there was a sound like something splitting apart.

Then, in an instant, the shadowy chains that had bound him crumbled into dust and scattered onto the floor.

As I watched the cult leader’s composed expression, I muttered involuntarily.

“…How do you cut through shadows like they’re metal?”

Of course, cutting metal isn’t exactly easy either.

But for someone of his caliber? He probably wouldn’t even notice the difference between shadows and steel.

The cult leader furrowed his brows.

“So this is the fruit of your efforts after mastering our sect’s techniques?”

“Well, the Three Elders couldn’t handle it.”

“That child was simply lacking in training.”

“Maybe. Or maybe you’re just absurdly strong.”

Shadows are, by nature, intangible.

They may appear to take form, but they act directly upon one’s ‘existence’ rather than their ‘physical body.’

In other words, the shadow chains were a technique designed to restrain and crush the very essence of a being.

The combination of its visual effect and its ability to bind existence itself made it feel like a genuine constriction—yet, in reality, it had no effect on the body.

Since humans are ruled by their sense of sight, they instinctively try to pry the chains off with their hands.

Only to realize—there’s nothing to grasp.

And in that moment of confusion, they’re strangled to death.

A technique that exploits human instinct…

—Crack.

The cult leader had simply shattered it with his hands.

Something that had no form.

How the hell did he do that?

Was he using a visual trick like I did?

Or could his hands grasp not only physical matter but also intangible entities like souls?

Damn it. My head was heating up.

And overheating in the middle of battle was never a good sign.

Usually, in moments like these—

—Fwoosh!

An attack was bound to come flying my way.

This time, it was an endless swarm of pitch-black butterflies.

They weren’t particularly fast, but their movements were eerily unpredictable, just like their appearance. I hastily summoned Ether to block them.

“Ah.”

A bewildering sight unfolded before me.

The moment my Ether touched the butterflies, it was absorbed and vanished completely. As if it had never existed in the first place.

I stared at my sword—now missing a quarter of its blade, as though it had been devoured.

Unbelievable.

What kind of attack is this?

I cursed inwardly and leaped backward. If those things could erase Ether, they’d likely erase anything else they touched as well.

Crackle!

Even when I unleashed earth-elemental energy, the result was the same.

In the end, I had to resort to divine power.

Only when bathed in the goddess’s light did the butterflies finally collide and dissipate.

“I didn’t realize you were wielding divine authority.”

“What, jealous? Why don’t you go get some yourself?”

“Impossible for one who has pledged allegiance to the Bloodstone Cult.”

Of course.

What god would bestow their power upon a heretic?

To the gods, Blood Arts were an abomination that had to be eradicated.

I wanted to make a snarky comment, but the cult leader’s next attack came immediately.

This time, it was his hand flying toward me.

Not a fist—just his open palm.

It was unmistakably just a hand.

And yet, the sheer force behind it felt as though an entire house was collapsing on me.

I raised both arms and responded with Ether extraction and reinforcement. The earth element and Ether filled every joint in my body, instantly bolstering my defenses.

Boom—!

Even so, my body was sent soaring helplessly through the air.

The scenery around me blurred as I was flung backward, and I only barely managed to plant my feet on solid ground.

Instinctively regaining my balance, I checked my body.

My shoulders, back—there wasn’t a single unscathed muscle.

As my vision cleared from the impact, I saw the cult leader still standing far away.

I must have been blown several hundred meters back while blocking that strike.

A monster.

That was all I could call him.

That attack didn’t even seem like one of his proper techniques. And yet, it had that much force.

I deliberately took my time closing the distance again.

I needed time to recover—and to formulate a plan.

A plan to kill that damn cult leader.

Dozens of strategies flashed through my mind, only to be dismissed just as quickly.

Most of them lacked the necessary firepower.

It was absurd how overwhelmingly powerful he was, despite supposedly having shattered his energy core. Even if I went all out, the best I could probably do was sever one of his limbs—if I got lucky.

That left me with only one option.

‘Infinite Cataclysm.’

My ultimate technique.

The very ability that had obliterated the Bloodstone Cult’s centuries-old barrier.

With this, I could erase him.

The problem was the casting time.

I needed to gather and merge the energy right next to him—and there was no way he’d give me that kind of opportunity.

By the time he was within a manageable distance, I subtly raised my hand.

The Ether daggers I had planted around him surged forward in an instant.

But—

—Clang! Clang! Clang!

Instead of the satisfying sound of blades piercing flesh, all I heard was the clatter of my attacks being blocked.

And the cult leader?

He hadn’t moved an inch.

‘It worked on the Elders, though.’

So, does being a Blood Demon put him on an entirely different level?

My mind felt hazy, so I decided to strike up a conversation.

“Why did you propose this duel? Why did you say you’d spare my life? You seem overwhelmingly stronger than me.”

“I figured I should have at least one subordinate.”

The cult leader smirked, as if making a joke.

“A world where humanity has perished wouldn’t be too lonely, would it?”

“According to my calculations, about a quarter of them will survive. Humans are more tenacious than you think. And even if they were to go extinct…”

“…?”

“Wouldn’t it be wise to keep at least one useful servant by my side? Consider it an honor. I have chosen you.”

“You’re insane. Absolutely not.”

Living in a ruined world with just the cult leader?

The very thought made my skin crawl.

I forced myself to regain composure.

This was likely a psychological tactic.

But since I was already unsettled, I decided to launch an attack as quickly as possible.

I reclaimed my Ether and used [Leap] to fire it as a long-range technique.

Perhaps due to my disgust, it flew even faster than before.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Blood Demon deflected most of them, but small cuts appeared on his arms and legs.

His lips curled slightly, as if enjoying himself—

like a warrior who hadn’t had a proper fight in a long time.

The air around his right hand began to ripple.

A dark energy started to gather.

The moment I realized it was taking the shape of a sword, I raised the Berserker’s Shield.

— Claaang!

An impossible impact reverberated through my arm.

Stars burst before my eyes.

And, of course, that was only the beginning.

The Blood Demon was skilled in swordsmanship as well—his blade relentlessly sought openings beyond my shield.

Above, below, left, right.

If my master’s sword was like a snowflake—cold and elegant—

If Richard’s sword was like a drill—piercing and direct—

Then the Blood Demon’s sword was like a serpent.

It slithered into places I least expected.

Even when I barely blocked, it flicked its tongue—sending sword aura lashing out.

Twisting my body to escape its range only left me still within striking distance, like a snake slipping forward without resistance.

‘This… I’m getting overwhelmed.’

Even with the Berserker’s Shield, reinforced with every resistance I could muster, I could feel myself being driven back.

At this rate, both my shield and my arm would be sliced clean off.

— Boom!

I swung my shield, slamming it against his hand.

It wasn’t a powerful strike.

I focused only on speed, unpredictability, and precision.

Even the Blood Demon hadn’t expected me to attack with the shield—his grip loosened, and his sword fell from his grasp.

The price?

The Berserker’s Shield was split in half.

‘Damn it.’

My small yet sturdy lifeline was gone.

I mourned it internally as I conjured a blade of Ether.

Shorter than usual—

a consequence of my earlier clash with his void butterflies.

Adjusting to the new range, I immediately unleashed the Snowflake Sword Technique.

The movements were as dry as winter branches.

The weight of accumulated snow, and the flurry of snowflakes scattering as they fell.

Each step of the technique spread elemental energy with fluidity.

The Blood Demon’s eyes widened slightly.

Then, with a flourish, he swung his long coat like a dancer.

— Fwooooosh!

An immense surge of magical energy erupted.

Swish, Swish!

The snowflakes drifting from my sword sliced through his aura,

but they soon lost their strength and fluttered away.

Swept away by the waves of energy, I was thrown backward once more.

‘Damn it.’

That exchange confirmed something.

The Blood Demon manipulates sound.

I had suspected it ever since his voice had seemed to whisper directly into my ear.

That also explained how he had been able to perceive everything within the cult’s fortress as if it were in the palm of his hand.

Like a bat using echolocation, he must have been sensing his surroundings through sound waves.

“Ian Blackangers.”

“What.”

“You are, indeed, no ordinary opponent.”

“Thanks.”

Unexpectedly, he smiled.

He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

“This feels like playing a game after a long time.”

So his memories from three hundred years ago were finally resurfacing?

“You must’ve forgotten—Fantasy X Academy isn’t the kind of game you play with a smile.”

“Perhaps. But I always enjoyed games I couldn’t clear. It meant my opponent was strong.”

I understood that sentiment.

Facing a powerful adversary was always exhilarating.

But.

“Even after three hundred years, you still see this as just a game?”

“Indeed.”

The Blood Demon nodded.

And for the first time, I thought— maybe I could win.

“For me, it’s not.”

“Hm?”

“This is the world I live in.”

— Boom!

The ground beneath him collapsed.

And as he lost his balance—

I leapt toward him.