Hum... hum... hum...

The debris and massive broken pieces of the Colosseum began to float slowly around the figure. With a harsh stretch of her skeletal back, she unfurled her wings.

Each bone creaked as if the world itself held its breath.

"Measly mortals... You dare make fun of me by showing my defeat."

Her voice rose, heavy with rage.

"Me... The Archangel of War, getting defeated... You dare show false narratives?"

Her words carried a violent shockwave that rippled through the air. Buildings cracked, stones shattered, and the ground split apart, throwing dust into the sky as thunder rolled from her voice alone.

"Damn!" someone shouted as many SSS ranks were forced to their knees. The pressure of her presence crushed them. They were beings who stood like gods among mortals, yet before her, they felt no better than frightened children.

The Archangel of War suddenly stopped speaking and turned her head slowly, her hollow eyes fixing in a particular direction.

"Where are you going?"

Everyone followed her gaze. It landed on Arnold, Balthar, and Noctus. The three were quietly trying to retreat.

Getting caught in the act like a mouse running away after stealing.

Sweat started dripping from their foreheads.

They froze.

"Our work is done so we should leave," Noctus said stiffly. His voice shook even though he tried to sound calm.

Balthar and Arnold glared at him and whispered harshly, "Shut up."

They quickly pulled out scrolls, opening a portal. The swirling gate leading to Nightstar formed before them.

"Sorry, we will take our departure..." Arnold muttered, stepping toward it.

But the moment they tried to step in, the portal shattered like glass.

"Huh!" The three felt their blood freeze in their veins.

They turned slowly, dread choking their breath. The Archangel of War floated right in front of them, her wings spread, her face twisted with cold fury.

"Did I say you can leave?"

"This..." Balthar stepped back, but there was nowhere to run.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

The explosion was so massive that the sky lit up white. A thick mushroom-shaped cloud rose, swallowing everything in its reach. The earth shook with such force that even mountains in the distance trembled. Wind blasted outward, ripping trees from the soil and hurling them away.

Buildings collapsed like sand. The stone turned to dust. The ground split open, creating deep, jagged ravines.

Duke Serpentine stumbled back, his entire body shaking.

"What?" he screamed in shock. His voice cracked with fear. He was not alone. Every Duke, every Knight, every warrior except Ruth jumped back in terror.

Ruth stood still, his face calm, though his eyes were cold. Something rolled across the ground, bouncing and thudding until it stopped at his feet.

He looked down.

It was a broken body.

The body of Arnold, the Divine Archer.

Silence spread. A cold silence that crushed the heart.

As the destruction faded, a massive crater stood where the Colosseum once existed.

Nothing of it remained.

The Archangel of War hovered above the crater and spoke.

"You two managed to survive."

Inside the crater lay Balthar and Noctus, barely breathing, bodies broken and covered in blood.

She turned away from them. Her gaze swept across the battlefield.

"Run."

That was the only thought the Dukes felt inside their hearts. Run or die.

Thankfully, someone interrupted the dread.

"Haaa... I have had enough of your antics, bitch."

A voice echoed through the dust. A figure walked out, covered in dirt and scratches.

"Lord Ramos!" voices shouted in relief.

Ramos slapped the dust from his robe and looked at the ruined capital.

"It seems even if the situation is handled, the capital will be gone."

He clicked his tongue.

"Tsk... Tsk... I cannot believe the type of nuisance I have to fight even after my retirement."

"Don't worry... You will not be alone."

"Huh?"

Ramos turned and saw Edward walking toward him with his hands folded behind his back.

"You..." Ramos stared. "With a leg in the coffin, you want to fight?"

"I have been quite bored recently so I think I should move a bit," Edward said calmly.

"Your Majesty, you cannot... Let me take this load." Pleard appeared with a trembling voice and bowed deeply before Edward.

His hands were shaking as he bent his knees and his eyes were filled with worry and helplessness as if he already foresaw the outcome.

Edward looked at him quietly. The old Emperor's gaze held a mixture of sadness and relief, like a man who had finally made peace with the weight of his life.

"No. You need to remain alive to help the upcoming one. Let me fight this one for the last time." His voice was low but firm. There was no hesitation in it.

Pleard's eyes turned red. He clenched his teeth so hard that blood almost dripped from his gums. He shook his head and tried to speak, but his voice cracked. "Your Majesty... please... you have already given more than anyone. Why must you be the one again?"

Edward placed a hand on Pleard's shoulder. His palm was weak but still carried a familiar warmth that reminded Pleard of all the years he had followed him.

"There is no better place to die than a battlefield," Edward said and then laughed softly. It was not a joyful laugh, but a tired one that belonged to someone who had held the world together for too long. "I lived as a warrior .So,I will die as one. That is enough."

Pleard lowered his head. Tears fell to the broken ground below. He wanted to scream, to hold Edward back, to trade places with him, but he could not move. His heart felt like it was being crushed inside his chest.

Ramos stepped beside Edward and raised his chin. "Then I will go with you. You think I will let an old bastard like you take all the glory?"

Edward snorted and nodded once. A silent understanding passed between the two men, old friends who had seen countless battles together.

Before Pleard could speak further, a voice shook the land.

"Insolent..."

The scream was so loud that the air itself trembled. A crimson ray shot toward Ramos and Edward. The moment it hit the ground, a huge blast erupted.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Flames and dust swallowed everything. Buildings collapsed and the ground dented deeply. But the two men had already appeared miles away.

Ramos spit dust from his mouth. "This girl is quite feisty."

"Hmmm. These Angel-level women are quite hard to please," Edward replied and exhaled slowly. His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp.

High above the sky, the Archangel of War looked down at them. Her eyes were burning with golden hatred.

"Demi-Gods..." she whispered. The Archangel's expression shifted, surprise flickering for a moment.

"However, it is useless. I have descended with my full power. It is over." She laughed wildly, amusement filling every echo.

But the laughter stopped.

Ramos and Edward's frail backs began to change. There was a sound like bones cracking and reshaping. Their bodies began to straighten, decades of exhaustion peeling away.

Their hunched spines rose tall and steady. Their wrinkled skin tightened and smoothed, gaining a youthful glow and strength. Muscles grew, dense and powerful, pulsing with life.

White-silver hair grew long and thick from Ramos's head, flowing like moonlit water.

Golden hair bloomed from Edward's scalp and fell behind him like a royal banner in the wind.

Their eyes burned with divine force, filled with the pride and sharp focus of warriors who had returned to their peak.

Ramos summoned his sword, a blade of water and steel that shimmered like a restless sea. Edward held a spear, its shaft engraved with ancient Imperial marks.

The sky shook.

The Archangel raised her hand and a wave of divine fire shot forward, tearing through the clouds. The air split apart and space shook violently.

Ramos swung his sword and an ocean surged from thin air. Water coiled like a dragon and crashed against the burning light.

Edward stepped forward and thrust his spear. The ground roared. Imperial Majesty Art exploded, creating a force that made the sky bend downward. The storm of power shot directly at the Archangel.

The first collision shook the capital.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Spear, sword, and divine fire crashed together. Wind howled so fiercely that every knight below fell to their knees.

The structures were shredded and the earth cracked open.

Edward turned around and shouted.

"Protect the city."

As soon as the command resounded,all the SSS ranks formed to protect the City and people from the impact.

The Archangel formed a barrier of divinity. It flashed like a black sun and reflected their attacks. The shockwave blasted back, destroying mountains at a distance. Yet Ramos and Edward did not stop. Their feet slid back slightly, but then they pushed forward again.

Ramos slashed, water blades cutting through darkness. Edward spun his spear and golden waves shot out, each strike heavy enough to tear apart stars.

The Archangel spread her wings and thousands of bloody divine arrows rained down. Each one could erase an army.

Ramos moved his sword and behind him a huge turbulent ocean appeared.

Edward threw his spear that cut across the sky.

Attacks collided again and again, neither side gaining ground.

BOOOOOOOM!