The day arrived faster than I expected.
When I opened my eyes that morning, there was no more room for doubt or preparation. Everything that could be done had already been done. The rest depended only on me.
Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, illuminating the room in a calm manner, almost indifferent to what that day meant.
I spent a few seconds lying there, staring at the ceiling and feeling my body.
It felt light.
Stable.
Without any signs of fatigue.
My mana flowed consistently.
It was as if everything was exactly where it needed to be.
I got up slowly and walked to the balcony.
The sky was clear, without a single cloud.
The air carried a gentle breeze, different from the previous days.
I looked at Vailor one last time, taking in every detail.
That city had become more than just a place I passed through.
It was a place I needed to protect.
"So the day has come."
Scarlett's voice came from behind me.
I didn't need to turn around to know the others were there as well.
It had become something natural.
"It has," I replied.
I slowly turned around.
Rai'kanna stood with her arms crossed, her gaze firm.
Liriel looked more serious than usual.
Elara observed in silence, analyzing every detail.
Lyannis wore a faint smile, though tension hid behind it.
Vespera, as always, remained quiet but attentive.
"You're really going there alone?" Liriel asked.
"Yes."
"Even knowing it could be a trap?"
"Even so."
She sighed, clearly dissatisfied.
"I still don't think this is the best choice."
"I know," I replied.
"But it's the necessary choice."
Scarlett stepped a little closer.
"We'll stay nearby."
"I know."
"If something gets out of control..."
"It won't," I interrupted calmly.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You can't guarantee that."
"I can guarantee that I'll fight until the end."
Rai'kanna stepped forward.
"And if that's not enough?"
I looked directly at her.
"Then I'll make it enough."
The silence that followed was not one of disagreement.
It was acceptance.
There was nothing left to discuss.
We went downstairs together to the main hall.
Breakfast was simple and direct.
No one tried to prolong the moment with unnecessary conversation.
Each of them seemed focused on their own thoughts.
After finishing, I picked up my sword and adjusted it at my waist.
The armor was not active yet, but I could already feel my connection to it.
"Ready?" Elara asked.
"Yes."
Lyannis tilted her head.
"Then let's go."
We left the mansion together.
The city was already awake, but there was something different in the air.
Some people looked at us as we passed.
They didn't know exactly what was happening, but they could sense that something important was about to occur.
We continued toward the gates of Vailor.
The guards stepped aside without question.
The moment we crossed the gates, the atmosphere changed.
The world felt more open.
More silent.
We stopped there for a moment.
"From here on, I go alone," I said.
Scarlett nodded.
"We'll follow at a distance."
"I know."
Liriel stepped forward.
"Be careful."
"I will."
Rai'kanna stared at me for a few more seconds.
"Come back."
"I'll come back."
Elara, Lyannis, and Vespera said nothing, but their expressions were enough.
Without another word, I turned around and started walking.
The journey to the Dead Region was long, but I maintained a steady pace.
There was no rush.
Every step was calculated and firm.
The environment gradually changed.
The vegetation disappeared, replaced by drier, harsher terrain.
The wind grew stronger, carrying particles of sand.
The sky remained clear, but the atmosphere was different.
Heavier.
After several hours, I finally arrived.
The Dead Region.
A vast desert stretched before me.
Sand as far as the eye could see.
No visible life.
No sound besides the wind.
I stopped in the center of a more open area.
I looked around, analyzing the surroundings.
It was a perfect location for a battle of this level.
Nothing to protect.
Nothing to destroy except the land itself.
"Makes sense," I thought.
I closed my eyes for a moment and felt.
The presences.
Distant, but there.
The girls were hidden, observing.
I could faintly sense their energies, carefully controlled.
They were keeping their distance exactly as agreed.
"Good," I concluded.
I opened my eyes again and took a deep breath.
The silence was absolute.
Time seemed slower.
Every second dragged on in an almost irritating way.
But then...
I felt it.
A different presence.
Heavy.
Dense.
It was nothing like the other demons I had faced before.
This was...
Greater.
More concentrated.
More dangerous.
My body reacted automatically.
My stance changed.
My hand moved to my sword.
The wind intensified for a moment, as if reacting to that presence.
And then...
He appeared.
He did not come running.
He did not emerge in some explosive fashion.
He was simply there.
Standing before me, several meters away.
The Second General of the demons.
Tall.
Imposing.
With a presence that pressured the environment around him.
His eyes were fixed on me, analyzing every detail.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
We simply observed one another.
Then he smiled faintly.
"So you came."
His voice was steady and controlled.
"I said I would," I replied.
He nodded slowly.
"Few would."
"I'm not like the others."
"I can see that."
The wind continued to blow, raising small waves of sand around us.
He took a step forward.
"I hope you didn't bring anyone to interfere."
"I didn't."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I can sense distant presences."
"Observers."
"They won't interfere?"
"They won't."
He seemed satisfied with the answer.
"Good."
For a moment, silence returned.
But this time, it was different.
Heavier.
More charged.
My hand tightened around the sword's hilt.
Energy began to flow.
Without saying another word, I drew my sword.
At the same instant, I activated the armor.
Energy enveloped my body, forming rapidly around me.
He watched with interest.
"So that is your power."
"Part of it."
He smiled again.
Then, with a slow movement, he raised his hand.
And a gigantic axe appeared.
The pressure in the surroundings increased.
The air became heavier.
The sand around us began to move irregularly.
"Let's see how far you can go," he said.
I adjusted my stance.
"Come."
He tilted his head slightly.
"No."
His eyes gleamed.
"You attack first."
For a second, everything fell completely silent.
Then I moved.
The ground beneath my feet gave way slightly from the force of my movement.
My sword cut through the air in a fast, direct arc.
And in that instant...
The battle began.