Facing the endless waves of the Demon King’s army headon, Gill, Taegrus, and Reiya forged a path towards Wesler.
“Welser’s head is mine. I have a personal vendetta against him.”, declared Reiya.
“Hey, the same goes for me too. I should be the one to do him in!”, exclaimed Gill.
“Hold on you guys, rather than discussing who’s going to do him in, shouldn’t we discuss how? Just to be clear, I don’t mind sitting out this time. Panda’s are originally a pacifist race after all.”, joked Taegrus.
“We get it, we get it, panda’s are cowards”, Gill said, grinning all the while.
“Don’t misunderstand, I just figured you two couldn’t wait to fight him!”
“Then let me fight him first. I can’t forgive him for how he used Frayla… nor what he did to Kirik and Shaela.”, Gill tightened his fist, “If I mess up, then you can continue the fight for me. How’s that sound Reiya?”
“Alright, but you’re going to need keep your cool if you expect to beat him.”, replied Reiya.
“Got it.”
Gill’s ultra magic stone shone brightly. I still can’t fully unseal it’s power, Gill thought to himself. Gill’s intuition, from all the battle up till now, told him that he could at most manage to control half the ultra magic stone’s power. However, even controlling the magic stone for long periods of time would be difficult, Gill would realistically only have one chance to get it right.
“Pearlshine, I’m counting on you to watch my back.”
“We only got one shot at this Gill.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Taegrus brandished the rainbow jewel he obtained at the Floating Isles. Within the jewel resided the power of its guardian, Ra, a power capable of dispelling any threat for a short period of time. However, after using it once, he would have to charge it with magic energy and thus it could not be used in succession. But in a battle of this level, even once could prove to be enough. No, it would have to be enough. The Demon King could cast perfect defensive sorcery using his five attributes of crests. However, no matter how strong the opponent, there would be a chink in their armor when they shift from defense to attack. If they had any shot of winning this, they would have to aim for that.
“Well then, shall we begin?”, Gill said as he began to simultaneously cast two chants. He began by forming two wind blades, then enveloping them respectively with the attributes of fire and water. The ability to surpass his natural attribute, as well as even cast conflicting attributes together, was thanks to the power of the ultra magic stone.
As the fire began to merge with the wind blade, Gill swiftly leapt towards the Demon King. Gill closed a wider gap faster than he had done the previous battle, and yet the Demon King remained unshaken. Even his new speed was all within his prediction. Observing Gill’s magic attack, the Demon King summoned a barrier from his water crest, extinguishing the fire in Gill’s wind blade. This is where the real battle begins. The Demon King’s strategy consisted of defending and then immediately counter attacking with a certain kill strike. Meaning, if one could avoid that certain kill strike, an opening would form.
Taegrus negated the Demon King’s counterattack with the power of the rainbow gem. That attack would have certainly slain Gill, and yet, instead, their opponent’s attack had been staved off, leaving the Demon King momentarily defenseless. Using his second wind blade, Gill ran the Demon King through, finally ending the battle… or at least that was the plan.
“Naive.”, the Demon King's words reached Gill’s ears. The Demon King had prepared two chants as well. Fully calculating the possibility of Gill evading the first blow, Welser had preemptively readied a second. Had Gill’s judgement been clouded by impatience, anger, and the sorrow of Frayla’s death?
“S-shoot..!”
“And that’s why I said to keep your cool Gill.”
However the one to take Wesler’s blow would not be Gill, but Reiya, rushing in from behind. Reiya’s body violently contorted as the strike rang throughout her body. No matter how you looked at it, it was an instantaneous death.
Gill cried out, “Reiya!!!”, however, Reiya did not die. No, rather, she had died. Right before Gill’s eyes, time had seemed to rewind as Reiya’s being had been reformed. 10 years ago, Gill had witnessed a similar spectacle. At that time, Gill had defeated Reiya, only to have her immediately resuscitate. The concept of death itself, to Reiya, was something that did not seem to exist.
“This is… as expected, the power of eternity.”, the Demon King exclaimed.
“I’m here to repay my debt from that time, Wesler!”, Reiya shouted. The Demon King was now left defenseless, the only chance would have to be now, “Howl! Ominous Moon!”
Reiya’s sword glistened as if responding to its owner and pierced the Demon King through. From the wound, blood and magic power poured out like a waterfall, before dispersing into mist behind him.
“Gill. Just so you know, the one with a vendetta against Wesler is me. A vendetta spanning, quite literally, thousands of years before yours.”, Reiya wearily explained, “And with this it ends.”
The Demon King groaned his last words, “...You’re too late. The seeds of calamity have already sprung forth from the Gates of the Outer World. The messengers of despair… as well as the witch herself, will appear in this world before long.”
“I’m aware. I’ve been anticipating their arrival above all else…”, Reiya replied to the Demon King's final words.
With that, the Demon King faded, his essence vanishing towards the Gates to the Outer World. Reiya sheathed her blade, before turning to face Gill and Taegrus.
“Let’s set off to close the Gates to the Outer World. On the way there I’ll teach you everything you want to know. The story of the path I’ve taken up until now… as well as the true enemy we must defeat.”
Reiya then began to tell them everything. She told her story, about the far ‘future’.
Meanwhile... at the Gates to the Outer World.
“Tch, Totally useless. This is why newcomers can’t be relied on.”, Ayu kicked the Demon King while laughing sadistically. “Now then, it seems the rest will arrive soon. I have no more need for this.” Ayu kicked the Demon King to the side.
“My true soul, quickly, quickly I must recover it…”
Ayu’s vacant eyes seemed to be wishing for something.