Tartarusios trembled as the ancient vessel slowly ascended above Atlantis.
The colossal ship groaned like a dying god awakening from an endless slumber. Massive rings beneath the city rotated with deafening force while ancient engines buried deep inside the vessel ignited one after another. Streams of pale golden energy surged across the surface of Tartarusios, illuminating the endless carvings and ancient Sacrosian markings etched into its hull.
Entire districts of Atlantis collapsed as the ship rose.
Stone towers shattered apart.
Ancient bridges snapped.
Millions of tons of dust and debris cascaded into the abyss below the floating city.
And above it all—
The battle continued.
It had evolved beyond battle.
It was hell itself.
The crimson skies of Tartarus had become unrecognizable. Endless storms spiraled through the heavens while gravity distortions bent entire sections of the atmosphere inward. Black antimatter flames consumed the horizon while hurricane-force winds tore apart the remains of Atlantis.
At the center of it all stood Almesis.
The skeletal ruler had completely abandoned restraint.
Its broken horn still leaked dark energy from the wound Altopereh had inflicted moments earlier, yet the injury only seemed to make it more violent. Infinite pressure radiated from its body in endless waves, crushing entire sections of the city every time it moved.
Each step distorted reality itself.
Its gigantic wings stretched outward violently as black gravitational ruptures formed around them.
Then Almesis roared.
The sound alone shattered dozens of floating structures surrounding Tartarusios.
Far below—
Gaisen crashed through a mountain-sized ruin.
The dragon ruler tumbled violently across the broken remains of Atlantis before slamming into the side of a gigantic tower. Wind currents erupted around its battered body as it tried to stand again.
But it was losing.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Its once-majestic wings were torn apart in multiple places. Deep fractures ran along its scales while dark blood spilled from wounds carved into its torso by Almesis' claws.
Even the storms surrounding Gaisen had weakened.
Meanwhile Altopereh still fought relentlessly.
The antimatter ruler lunged across the skies with savage fury, black plasma blades colliding against Almesis' skeletal limbs over and over again. Lasers erupted from its body in devastating bursts while micro singularity rounds detonated across the battlefield like miniature collapsing stars.
But even Altopereh—
Even it—
Could not completely overpower Almesis.
Inside Tartarusios, Lea watched the battle unfold through the massive viewing glass.
And for the first time since Youri had met her—
She looked afraid.
Not for herself.
For Gaisen.
Her hand slowly tightened.
Then suddenly—
She turned and rushed toward the exit of the control chamber.
Youri noticed immediately.
"Lea!"
She did not stop.
The alarms of Tartarusios echoed around them as the ancient vessel continued ascending higher into the crimson skies. The floor trembled beneath every impact outside.
"Lea, where are you going!?"
She finally answered while continuing forward.
"I have to help Gaisen!"
Her voice shook slightly.
"I can't let him get swallowed here!"
Youri immediately followed her through the massive corridors of Tartarusios.
The ancient ship felt endless inside.
Towering halls stretched in every direction, lined with ancient pillars and glowing Sacrosian symbols. Dust drifted through the air while old mechanisms awakened around them after countless ages of silence.
Yet despite the chaos surrounding them—
Lea moved with certainty.
As though she had walked these halls before.
That thought made Youri uneasy.
The further they moved through Tartarusios, the more violent the tremors became. Outside, Almesis unleashed another devastating shockwave that rocked the entire vessel.
The walls groaned.
Parts of the ceiling collapsed.
Then finally—
They reached the outer deck.
The massive doors opened slowly.
Instantly violent winds exploded inward.
The crimson skies stretched endlessly before them.
And the battle outside looked apocalyptic.
Gaisen roared as it unleashed a colossal tornado directly into Almesis' chest. The ruler of infinity barely staggered before retaliating instantly, grabbing the storm itself and crushing it apart with sheer gravitational force.
The tornado imploded.
Gaisen was thrown backward violently.
Altopereh intercepted again.
Its antimatter blades carved black scars through the heavens as it clashed against Almesis head-on. The impact between them split the clouds apart across the entire horizon.
Yet even now—
Almesis smiled.
As though none of this truly threatened it.
Lea stepped closer to the edge of the deck.
The winds whipped violently around her dark cloak.
Then—
She slowly turned toward Youri.
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
The crimson light illuminated half her mask while the other half remained hidden beneath shadow.
Then she finally said quietly—
"I'm sorry, Youri…"
Youri frowned.
"But you are not my Youri."
The words struck him strangely.
Not my Youri.
"What are you talking about…?"
Lea lowered her head slightly.
"At least… not yet."
Youri stared at her in confusion.
Outside, another explosion shook Tartarusios violently.
But neither moved.
"You have to get out of here," Lea continued softly.
"And I'll make sure you do."
Youri took a step forward.
"What are you planning?"
She ignored the question.
Instead—
She stepped closer to him.
"You have to promise me something."
The wind intensified.
Her hood fluttered violently behind her.
Youri looked directly at her.
Lea's voice became quieter now.
More fragile.
"No matter what happens… don't ever live a life chained by something."
Youri's eyes narrowed slightly.
Lea continued.
"Despite what you think… she taught you that."
The way she said she—Made his chest tighten.
"You know it better than anyone else."
Outside, Gaisen screamed as Almesis slammed it through multiple ancient towers.
Altopereh roared in fury and charged again.
But on the deck of Tartarusios—
The world suddenly felt silent.
Then Lea whispered the words that froze him completely.
"She doesn't love you."
Youri's eyes widened slightly.
"She pitied you."
The wind roared louder.
"And that's why you suffered."
Lea stepped even closer now.
"So promise me…"
Her voice trembled.
"When you get back…"
"No matter what…"
"Live free."
Her hand slowly reached toward his chest.
"And let her go."
The wind exploded across the deck at that exact moment.
Lea's hood was torn away violently.
Silver hair flowed into the crimson skies.
Youri froze.
His breathing stopped.
No—
Not silver—
That exact shade.
Those exact eyes.
Then the wooden mask finally broke loose.
It flew away into the storm.
And underneath it—
Was Leonora.
Not similar.
Not close.
Leonora.
Her tear-filled obsidian eyes stared directly into his.
And suddenly—
Everything stopped.
Youri could not hear the battle anymore.
Could not hear Tartarusios.
Could not hear Altopereh.
The world vanished.
Only her remained.
Leonora smiled weakly through tears.
A broken smile.
The kind someone makes when they already accepted something painful long ago.
Then—
She stepped backward.
Youri's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
But Leonora was already falling.
Her body disappeared beyond the edge of the deck as the endless winds swallowed her whole.
"LEONORA!"
Youri rushed forward instantly—
But stopped himself at the edge.
Below him stretched the endless chaos of Atlantis.
Storms.
Fire.
Gravity ruptures.
Antimatter explosions.
And somewhere beneath all of it—
She was gone.
Youri stood there motionless.
The wind roared across the deck endlessly, waving his dark hair violently beneath the crimson skies of Tartarus.
Yet he did not move.
His face remained completely still.
No anger.
No scream.
No tears.
Just silence.
The same silence that existed before worlds collapsed.
Before wars began.
Before lives ended.
Below the deck—
Almesis unleashed another catastrophic roar.
Gaisen fell again.
Altopereh charged once more.
Atlantis continued collapsing apart.
But atop Tartarusios—
Youri Kronos simply stood there staring at the empty space where Leonora once stood.
And for the first time since entering Tartarus—
He truly looked alone.