Step. Step. Step.

With a limp, Daren moved forward, carrying the girl with long blond hair in his arms. From the outside, he looked like a prince who had rescued a beautiful lady, but the reality was much darker and fairer.

Blood dripped down Daren's lame leg, but he didn't dare stop until he reached the riverbank.

He looked at Liliane one last time. Her eyes were empty, and her heart had stopped beating some time ago. She had fought desperately for her life. Perhaps she could have been the last surviving member of the Wurhen Family, but it was not to be.

"Tsk, you're lucky the swamps are too far away." Daren frowned as he looked at the powerful stream of water that would break a man's bones in an instant. "It's much more than a rotten soul like yours deserves."

With only coldness in his eyes, Daren threw Liliane's corpse into the river, where it was immediately swallowed by the current. Even if she had been alive, she would inevitably have remained at the bottom.

Now, her story was complete.

"It seems you felt real hatred for her, didn't you?"

A calm voice sounded behind him, causing Daren to turn around.

He and Azura met each other's gaze.

"It's not that simple. I hate every one of those bastards. They came to the prison of their own free will or on their father's orders, supposedly to conduct an inspection, but in reality they just tortured the prisoners."

Azura nodded, she already knew that, but she continued to listen attentively.

"They didn't touch me because I was in charge of the excavations in the mines, but that's even worse! They beat and sometimes even tortured my guys, and I couldn't do anything but stand by and watch!"

After a few moments, she nodded deeply and looked into his eyes.

"Daren, if you don't mind, what did you go to prison for?"

He waved his hand. "It's a boring story. I beat up two bastards who thought it was fun to hang dogs by their tails. Who knew they were connected to the Wurhen Family?"

"Well, even if you had known, I don't think you would have stopped. You're a good person, better than I thought."

"Agh?" Daren raised an eyebrow. "What does that even mean, you are—!"

Suddenly, they both turned as their eyes went wide.

The dark dome in the distance trembled as a bright, yet grim light appeared outside.

This view lasted only a moment, but deep in their hearts, they understood what it was.

...

SLASH!

With his last breath, Grender swung his katana as Ozdor's head flew upward. Like a giant, he collapsed, his great body shaking the ground.

"Gha..." Grender exhaled cold air before releasing his katana.

His left arm swayed with every movement, broken in many places, more reminiscent of a flesh bag with bones than a limb.

Judith's situation was no better.

"Fuck... He's finally dead..." Judith muttered as she lay on the ground.

She lifted her sword, or rather just the hilt—it was all that remained of her Artifact as the shards were scattered across the surface.

Grender nodded. "It was the right decision to send us here. I'm not one to praise myself, but... this monster would have torn everyone else to pieces, no chance."

"Hah, I haven't seen you fight with such passion in a long time. I'm not even that angry that this bastard knocked the shit out of me..."

With difficulty, Judith got up from the ground, leaning on her scraped elbows.

She saw the light in the distance as a smirk appeared on her face.

"Look at this, Grender. It seems that trusting this devil was our best decision in the last ten years!"

...

Groza and Liam were closest to the battle site. They defeated their opponent first and had already approached Varthon, seeing the dark dome ahead.

When an unknown light burst from the top, their eyes widened.

"Shit! We have to hurry!" Groza exclaimed as she rushed forward.

"Y-Yes!" Liam replied, trying to keep up with her, which was clearly not easy.

...

Daren, Azura, Groza, and everyone else were not key figures. Their battles had a certain importance, but everything depended on whether one person remained alive or not, and that person was Ardur.

As the one who controls darkness and shadows, Ardur inevitably fought several times against the Origins who wielded flame and the power of light. They were his natural enemies, but he always emerged victorious.

That is how he earned his name, that is how he became who he was.

But...

"What is this?"

A single thought filled Ardur's mind.

The realization that Kreyn had a Title shook him, but he was able to overcome it by preparing for the moment when Kreyn would use his Order.

Unlike a Spark of Epos, which required energy and a Script of Record that worked passively-actively to activate, to use an Order of Title, it was necessary to utter a phrase, a spell. It was the activation of a command.

Ardur had one, and Kreyn was no exception to the rule.

The power of each Order differed greatly from one Origin to another. In many ways, it depended on the Origin himself, but mainly it all came down to the essence of the Title as well as the Order.

Each word had to reflect the effect of the ability, as it did when Ardur activated his Order, covering Kreyn with a dome of darkness from which it was impossible to escape.

The best he could hope for was that Ardur's shadows would tear him apart quickly, without torturing him.

Now, it was Kreyn's turn to respond in kind.

"Light – Bring My Path."

As soon as these words were spoken, Kreyn's frame trembled as he moved forward.

Dozens of shadows were torn to pieces upon contact with his grim light, while streams of darkness followed him.

Unlike a burning or bright light, Kreyn did not attempt to burn the darkness or scare it away. No, the darkness followed him, enveloping the light emanating from his path, afraid to harm him, but unwilling to leave his presence.

Realizing that action was necessary, Ardur looked at his sword, preparing to meet Kreyn in battle.

He couldn't lose now!

"KREYN! I will not let you destroy my family!!!"

With a furious roar, Ardur swung his sword, raising a wave of darkness that was supposed to stop Kreyn, ending his life here and now.

But...

"Agh...?"

What Ardur saw made his eyes widen.

Kreyn passed through the wave, as his light prevented the darkness from approaching him. In response to Ardur's call, he showed him a calm, exalted expression and a gaze filled with deep arrogance.

He was better, and he wanted Ardur to know that before he died.

THRUST!

Blood gushed from Ardur's chest as his eyes widened from the bright wave of pain that filled his shattered mind.

Slowly, he lowered his gaze, though he already knew what he would see.

Kreyn's palm pierced his heart like a grim spear, and nothing could stop him after he had used his Order.

"The last card was in my sleeve after all, wasn't it?"

Blood spurted from the corners of Ardur's mouth as he glared at Kreyn with rage.

"Y-YOU... You have no honor, you... pathetic worm!"

Despite his mortal wound and piercing pain, Ardur raised his sword, preparing to bring the heavy blade down on Kreyn, taking him to hell with him.

"You've lived so many years, but still haven't learned to admit defeat?"

Kreyn spun around, pulling Ardur's heart out of his chest.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Drops of dark blood dripped from Kreyn's hand, splattering on the cold ground.

"GHR!!!"

With a gasp, Ardur leaned forward, reaching out to grab his heart, but everything blurred before his eyes as he collapsed onto his back.

The next thing he saw was Kreyn towering over him, his face and streams of darkness swirling around his light.

Tap.

Kreyn placed his palm on Ardur's bloodied chest as a faint smirk formed on his face.

"I took everything from you, Ardur. I'm sure your last daughter, your brother, and your people are all dead by now. You are the last surviving member of the Wurhen Family."

With his last ounce of strength, Ardur raised his hand to grab Kreyn by the collar, but he failed to do so.

"Don't worry. I'm not so cruel as to leave you alone after everything you've been through. You can be glad, Ardur, you will not leave this world alone."

"What... what are you talking about..." His hoarse voice rang out.

At the same moment, the seal on Kreyn's chest glowed brightly as the ghost lurking in the wave dagger finally fulfilled its last favor. Now, it was going to take someone's life and leave forever.

With a crimson flash, the energy pulse ran through Kreyn's arm, heading straight for Ardur as the silhouette of the ghost was reflected in his eyes for a moment.

"AHH!!"

At his last breath, Ardur clutched his heart as horror was etched into his eyes.

With that gaze, defeated by the darkest light, Ardur von Wurhen died.

Kreyn looked at the red light that had faded deep in Ardur's black eyes and nodded. He stood up and directed his gaze upward — to the blue moon that diligently illuminated the entire battlefield.

Perhaps the moon was the only observer that did not have to sacrifice anything, but even its light could not penetrate Ardur's dark dome.

With a deep sigh, Kreyn reached up and grabbed the moon.

"The first victory... is mine!"

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