Honor rushed forward despite his injuries, each step left a bloody footprint. His remaining arm gripped the torn banner, using it to deflect incoming attacks despite having one functional limb.

Marie's next strike was intercepted as the banner caught Longinus and redirected it. His body twisted, holes in his torso visible as he moved, and his banner swept around to smash Marie sideways.

She quickly raised her arm to block the attack, but the force sent her flying twenty feet before she crashed.

Joseph attacked from the side, but Honor's banner met Arondight mid-thrust, the torn fabric clashing with the lance. Before it, then overpowered Arondight and forced Joseph to tumble from the terrifying force.

Veryn, Amiya, and Janus converged together, each striking at different angles.

Honor's banner became blurred despite having a single arm to wield it. He deflected Veryn's barriers, caught Amiya's weapons, and intercepted Janus's claws in sequence so fast the movements seemed simultaneous. Then he smashed all three away with a single sweeping strike.

He reached the edge of their elevated position. With his remaining hand, he plunged the banner at his side and pulled out the Star Jewel, which gave off a glow. Then Honor hurled it upwards with all his remaining strength.

A black orb formed instantly.

Cessation Orb materialized beneath the Star Jewel's trajectory. The dissolution sphere caught the artifact, cradling it in gravitational pull. Then Honor's banner swept upward, and he blasted the black orb with a wave of Dissipate, the weathering energy adding propulsion.

The orb shot skyward, carrying the Star Jewel with it.

Everyone watched as they recovered, their heads tilted back, eyes tracking the ascending sphere as it climbed higher. It rose fifty feet, a hundred feet, two hundred, and then it shrank to a pinpoint, then vanished completely before reaching the clouds.

Stunned silence crashed down as everyone realized that the Star Jewel was really gone. Their method to deal with the crimson-black tide was taken from them, leading them back a few steps.

Honor turned around despite his body being more wound than flesh. Crimson-black blood covered him completely, his white cloth beneath the armor now crimson, his black cape saturated and dripping.

Only his wyvern helm remained intact, those amber eyes still glowing behind the visor.

"Now then." He continued speaking despite struggling with damaged lungs. "To make sure you all don't disturb it, I will fully end you all."

He rushed forward, moving his broken body through sheer willpower. His left leg was dragging from severed tendons, his torso showing holes where organs should be, and his remaining arm was barely able to lift the banner.

But he charged nonetheless.

Everyone launched their attacks with rage and shock on their faces. Light, elements, weapons, and skills all converged on Honor's advancing form.

But Honor didn't evade or dodge; he simply continued rushing forward.

The attacks smashed into his body. Purging Lance burned through his chest. An elemental spiral tore chunks from his side. Claws raked across his face, shattering the helm's visor. Light beams punched more holes through his torso, making him grunt.

But Honor kept coming.

His banner swept out even as his body disintegrated under assault. It caught Veryn first, the torn fabric wrapping around her before slamming her into the ground and making her roll once more.

Amiya came next as the banner intercepted her mid-strike, redirecting momentum before smashing her sideways into Janus.

Both collapsed together.

Joseph's lance drove toward Honor's heart. The banner caught it, held it despite having no strength remaining, then twisted violently. Joseph flew backward before Honor lashed out with a kick that sent him flying.

Marie thrust Longinus with everything remaining. The spear pierced Honor's stomach, emerging from his back with blood pouring from both entrance and exit wounds.

"Good job, that one was beautifully done." Honor said before his banner swept the spear aside. The motion tore his own flesh further, but accomplished its goal. Marie was thrown clear, her body tumbling across root fragments.

Only Reinhard remained standing.

Honor reached him despite the distance, and as his remaining arm extended, the banner stretched toward Reinhard's chest.

The torn fabric moved to deliver the final strike, but Honor stopped.

The honor body was no longer listening, his legs locked mid-step, refusing further movement. His remaining arm froze with banner inches from Reinhard, unable to complete the motion. His torso swayed but couldn't fall forward or backward.

His body had been slowing throughout the exchange, movements growing more sluggish, reactions dulling, strength fading. Now it ceased entirely, refusing all commands despite consciousness remaining intact.

Honor looked terrible as his whole figure was covered in crimson-black blood. Holes showed through the torso where the attacker had punched completely through. His severed arm's stump still leaked a steady stream.

His legs barely supported his weight, knees locked in position solely because unlocking would mean collapse.

Only his helmet remained recognizable, though it even showed cracks spreading across the wyvern's surface. The visor had shattered, revealing amber eyes that stared at Reinhard with an expression mixing regret, determination, and exhaustion.

His body stood frozen at the precipice, neither advancing nor retreating, caught between will demanding continuation and flesh that had nothing left to give.

Reinhard stared at Honor's frozen form.

His chest heaved, each breath rattling through damaged ribs and bruised throat. Blood dripped from dozens of wounds, painting the charred root beneath his boots crimson. His light blue eyes were fixed on the massive warrior who stood motionless despite catastrophic injuries.

"Why!?" The word exploded from Reinhard's throat. "Why are you going so far!?"

His arm swept outward, gesturing at Honor's ruined body. At the holes punching through the torso, at the severed arm's bleeding stump, at the flesh torn and shredded by concentrated assault from six Beast Masters simultaneously.

"You've been struck by everyone's attacks!" Reinhard furrowed his brows. "Yet you keep going! Not willing to give up, as if you'd lose something!"

Honor's amber eyes met his through the cracked visor. Those pools carried something beyond exhaustion and pain.

They held a conviction that transcended physical limitations.

"Because he accepted me when no other would."

The words emerged softly despite struggling through damaged lungs. Each syllable cost visible effort, but Honor forced them out.

"I will lay everything on the line for it."

Reinhard's brows furrowed. "And that means pushing yourself till you break!?"

Silence stretched for three seconds.

Honor's body swayed slightly, not from conscious movement but from structural failure threatening complete collapse.

Blood dripped steadily, creating a small puddle around his boots.

"Yes."

The single word carried finality.

"Even if that makes me a hypocrite. Even if it means I am nothing more than a pawn when I thought I was different."

Reinhard's eyes widened, and his mouth opened. "Wait... Could it be-"

The wyvern helm shattered.

Cracks that had been spreading across its surface suddenly converged. The entire structure fractured into dozens of pieces that fell away, revealing the face beneath.

Autumn Deer antlers branched from his skull, multiple points spreading in configurations that defied normal anatomy. Leaves grew directly from the bone, their autumn colors of gold, amber, and deep red somehow maintaining vitality despite their host's condition.

Werefang teeth filled his mouth, not replacing human teeth but growing alongside them, creating double rows. The amber eyes characteristic of Werefangs mixed with intelligence beyond normal beasts, creating a gaze that was simultaneously human and inhuman.

Marie, who had already gotten back up, began to tremble as she stared in disbelief. "W-Why do you have Phantasm Beast features?" Her light-gold eyes searched Honor's revealed face desperately, seeking an explanation that made sense. "Could it be... Could it be that you are a Phantasm Beast, Honor?"

Gasps erupted from Amiya, Janus, and Veryn. Their expressions shifted through shock to horror to disbelief in rapid succession.

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