The Final Battle Begins - Hafil Village in Danger
Back at the castle, the last thing that happened was Tokito sinking his teeth into Kortus's shoulder, knocking her out of the fight. Now only Nanagi and Rodius stood between the world and the monster their master had become. Tokito growled like a rabid beast, saliva dripping from his mouth, his aura twisted and terrifying.
Nanagi knew the wall spell wouldn't hold forever—she had to close the distance. Meanwhile, Rodius hesitated. Even though a monster now stood before him, it was still their master… deep down, he clung to the belief that Tokito was still in there somewhere.
With both hands gripping the hilt of her sword, sweat pouring from her palms, Nanagi launched forward in a straight charge. Tokito waited, eyes empty, letting her come. Just as she reached him, he swung—she narrowly dodged to the left, trying to attack from behind. But Tokito had no weak spots. Her strikes found only aura.
Guter, who had been thrown earlier, was still unconscious, bones shattered from the impact with the wall. He couldn't fight. Nanagi was doing her best just to keep Tokito from casting another spell like before.
Though he was a mage by class, Tokito's raw physical power in close combat was monstrous. But against someone trained in swordsmanship like Nanagi, there was still a chance. She tried to exploit that. Tokito, however, had begun mimicking her footsteps, reading her position even without sight. She had to use a lot of her aura just to keep her blade from breaking under his pressure.
In a blur, Tokito surged forward, concentrating his aura into his hand. He grabbed Nanagi's sword and snapped it in half like it was nothing. As he reached for her head with his other hand, Rodius finally charged in.
Slamming Tokito into the wall, Rodius followed up with a devastating punch straight to the abdomen—so powerful that it left a gaping hole in Tokito's midsection. Blood spilled out like a waterfall, staining the stone floor red. But it wasn't enough. Even with his internal organs crushed, Tokito was still on his feet. The demonic king's regeneration may have been sealed, but his true strength was still terrifying.
Pinned against the wall, Tokito absorbed the hits as Rodius pounded his face again and again—thirty strikes per second. But Tokito channeled his aura to his skull, shielding it. Then, he grabbed Rodius's wrist and slammed him into the ground.
The force was like an earthquake. Blood gushed from Rodius's mouth before he passed out. Now, everything rested on Nanagi—but she had no weapon. Tokito could sense they were both no longer threats and began limping toward his true target: Guter.
He grabbed the boy by the hair and raised him high, slamming him into the ground with ease. Then, his fingernails began to stretch—sharpening into deadly blades. Just as he was about to drive his claws into Guter's skull—Guter vanished.
Kortus had returned.
His aura still familiar, even through pain, Kortus had come to stall their master. Her shoulder was wrapped, and her fan weapon glowed faintly with magic. Before the enemy could react, Kortus had already revived Rodius and he whispered to Nanagi:
"Kortus can hold him off for a while. The demon army should be near Hafil Village by now. We'll retreat. Don't worry. Guter's safe. We'll keep him away from the monster."
Nanagi didn't like it—but it was their best option. Kortus was the most intact among them. If she gave it his all, she could buy them half an hour. While she fought, Nanagi ran, carrying Guter in her arms. Tokito didn't even realize Guter had been taken. Kortus had left a fake aura in her place, masking the truth.
Facing Tokito alone, Kortus unleashed her strongest technique—Freezing Chill Magic—hoping to calm their rampaging master.
But Tokito, burning like a volcano, chased after her like a wild animal. Even with his speed, the icy wind around them couldn't hold him back. Kortus closed her fan and darted toward the wall. Tokito bounded after her with unnatural jumps, leaving flames behind that were snuffed out by the force of their motion.
As Kortus reached the wall, she turned, spreading her arms.
"Come, my lord. Kill me if you must."
Tokito fused his fingers, turning his claws into one giant spike aimed directly at Kortus's heart, targeting her mana. But it was a trap.
Kortus had left a false aura at the wall and cloaked his real one as she escaped. Tokito punched into the wall—his arm embedded deeply. Trying to pull it out, he found it stuck. He had no choice but to use magic.
That's when it happened. He summoned a fan made of light magic—the very same spell that belonged to Kortus.
"He stole it… when he bit me… he stole my magic…?" Kortus whispered in horror as Tokito severed his own trapped hand, controlling the summoned fan with telekinesis.
With both arms now gone, Tokito bared his teeth and lunged at Kortus again. While Kortus struggled to control the stolen fans, Tokito kicked her hard in the side—right at the kidneys—sending her flying.
Kortus smashed through the prison wall, coughing blood, her bones shattered. Seeing her aura fade, Tokito turned back toward Guter. But Guter's presence was gone.
Furious, Tokito stomped toward Kortus, who lay half-conscious among the rubble. He pressed his foot into Kortus's stomach.
"Where… is the target…?"
But Kortus was unconscious and could not answer. Enraged, Tokito stomped again and again until finally Kortus gasped, vomiting blood. Though Tokito couldn't see her, Kortus stared up at what remained of their master's face. She grabbed Tokito's leg and pulled, trying to bring him down. As Tokito stumbled, Kortus made a desperate attempt to decapitate him—but Tokito, with his zombie-like body, was too fast. Kortus collapsed, completely spent.
Tokito stood, scanning for mana. He caught a trace—Rodius. And just like that, he turned and ran, his body broken but his power unstoppable.
Rodius had reached the edge of Hafil Village.
They'd split up to draw out the monster. Nanagi would circle around the village, preparing for the final stand. Rodius would lead Tokito away and stall him long enough for a plan to form.
Even running, Tokito wouldn't reach the village for twenty minutes. That was Nanagi's only window—to heal, and repair her sword.
But Tokito's legs were starting to give out again. He limped, dragging his ruined body forward. Rodius, watching from a treetop, muttered:
"Kortus didn't make it… but that's not her fault. Our master's stronger than even me now. This will be the last stand. It's either victory… or the end of the world."
One of the guards, seeing Kortus unconscious, hoisted her onto a horse and raced after them. They knew that saving Tokito might still depend on Kortus's presence.
Tokito was nearing the village. His hands gone, he guided the fans with magic, his steps crushing the earth. His body was falling apart, but his aura alone could wipe out entire armies.
At the edge of the forest, Rodius stepped forward—his body completely reinforced with aura. Tokito's summoned fans struck first. Four of them, coming from different angles, all controlled at once. But unlike Kortus, Rodius could fight them all at once.
He caught two fans with his claws and hurled them back. Even when they struck Tokito, they melted harmlessly—only for Tokito to regenerate them instantly.
Suddenly, from the melting mass of aura, a new arm formed on Tokito's body.
Rodius hadn't noticed until it was too late.
Tokito grabbed his face with his newly formed hand and slammed him against a tree. Even Rodius… couldn't stand against this monster.
After securing yet another victory, Tokito continued making his way toward the village, drawn by the faint traces of Guter's mana. His pace was slow, but he arrived within ten minutes. At the village entrance, every villager and soldier turned their eyes toward him. The commander trembled—he was only a C-rank, and Tokito's aura terrified him.
Nanagi appeared from behind, placing her right hand firmly on the commander's shoulder.
"This is the monster you came to investigate," she said coldly. "Powerful, isn't he? Don't interfere—evacuate the villagers. We'll take it from here."
Though her body was still recovering, Nanagi stood strong. But Rodius was nowhere in sight.
Her gaze fell to Tokito's hand.
There, in his grasp—Rodius' severed arm.
"R-Rodius? This can't be real… I told him to run if it got too dangerous… D-Don't tell me…"
Her worst fears were confirmed. Rodius had fallen in a single blow. Tokito had taken his arm to steal his power.
Nanagi's aura surged as rage overtook her. Tokito responded by raising the arm to his mouth and devouring it whole. In an instant, he was brimming with the mana of an S-rank mage.
Nanagi grabbed a sword from one of the approaching soldiers. She would stop her master—even if it meant killing him.
From the depths of the forest, two more mana signatures surged into the sky—Kortus and Rodius. They were alive. Rodius was wounded, Kortus was weakened—but they were alive.
This battle was no longer just a clash of comrades. It was a war for the future of their kingdom… and for the world.
Kortus flung out her fans, using them to pin down Tokito's floating weapons. Rodius seized Tokito's left hand while Nanagi grabbed onto his torso, locking him in place. Tokito struggled, but his overworked muscles were too damaged to resist.
Watching all of this unfold, Lilia stepped forward. Her heart twisted at the sight of her older brother—no longer human, barely alive. She approached, facing the bloodied monster that was once Tokito.
As the beast lunged to bite her, Rodius sacrificed his own hand to block its jaws.
Lilia stepped onto Tokito's foot, climbed up to reach his face, and gently kissed his cheek. Then she dropped back down, her face filled with quiet sorrow.
Tokito's body stopped moving.
His left hand hung limp, and blood began to spill from it. Realizing the tension had left his master's body, Rodius let go.
Silence fell like a curtain.
Kortus fell to her knees on Tokito's right side, sobbing.
Nanagi held him tightly from the front, her tears soaking his chest.
Rodius clung to him from behind, shaking with emotion.
And little Lilia stood at Tokito's feet, crying in front of her fallen brother.
Tokito looked dead.
But Rodius… he could still feel it. His master's mana was fading, drifting back into nature. If they didn't do something soon, Tokito's brain—his soul—would be lost forever.
"Master, please… don't leave us!"
His voice thundered across the village, deep and desperate. The very air seemed to tremble.
Kortus raised her head slowly, eyes wide. "What are you saying, Rodius?"
"If we don't act now," he cried, "he's going to die for real! His mana is leaving his body—his soul's not inside. If we don't hold it together until he returns, his mind will be gone!"
The weight of his words crushed Kortus. She clutched her mouth and wept even harder.
Nanagi released her hold on Tokito and turned to Rodius, trembling.
"You're saying he'll die? Rodius, don't joke around right now!"
"Why won't you believe me?! His mana is escaping! If we don't anchor it—he'll never come back!"
"No… Demon King…"
"Brother…"
"Master…"
As Rodius focused his aura, a glowing magic circle appeared beneath him—golden and inscribed with sacred words. When it vanished, Rodius could feel it—something was coming.
His instincts sharpened like a beast. He growled, his claws extending, his muscles swelling.
No one else sensed it yet.
But he knew.
The Holy Warriors had arrived.
The strongest force from Tafavu, here to finish the job.
At the front of the group stood a radiant figure—long, clean golden hair braided like a maiden's, shining like the sun. Clad in black robes resembling a flowing sash, their presence was serene… and terrifying.
Their left hand rested on the hilt of a blade strapped to their side.
Rodius, wounded and bleeding… Nanagi and Kortus, drained and broken…
How could they face the twelve Holy Warriors like this?
And at the center of it all stood Tokito, unmoving, unconscious.
Would they be able to protect their Demon King?
How they can stop Hero Shou?
Or was this… the end?