The battlefield disappeared.
Sam's entire world narrowed to a single point.
The glowing Mana Crystal Heart.
Everything else...
The roaring monsters.
The crashing crystal pillars.
The thunderous explosions.
Faded into the background.
Only the target remained.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke rapidly.
Commander...
Prototype Combination Skill initializing.
Synchronizing...
Attack Chain...
Vertical Instant Slash...
Synchronization...
Twenty percent...
Thirty-five percent...
Fifty-one percent...
Warning.
The technique is unstable.
Probability of backlash remains high.
Sam smiled.
"Then let's make it work."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem looked up.
Its glowing eyes locked onto the descending Commander.
Its crystal heart pulsed violently.
The giant raised both arms.
Too late.
Sam's body blurred.
"Attack Chain!"
Mana surged through every muscle.
His heartbeat accelerated.
The world slowed.
One slash.
His sword struck the air.
A trail of blue mana followed behind it.
Second slash.
The first trail didn't disappear.
Instead...
It remained suspended in the air.
Third slash.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Each strike layered another ribbon of mana.
The sky became covered in intersecting lines of light.
The Mana Crystal Golem instinctively raised both arms to defend.
Rex spoke.
Ninety-one percent synchronization.
Continue.
---
Sam's eyes flashed.
"Vertical Instant Slash!"
Every ribbon of mana collapsed into a single point.
The dozens of suspended sword trails merged together.
A terrifying pressure filled the valley.
The air screamed.
Then...
Sam swung.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A crescent of compressed mana erupted from his blade.
Unlike before...
This attack didn't fly forward.
It vanished.
For the briefest moment...
Even the Mana Crystal Golem lost sight of it.
Then—
CRAAAAAAASH!!
The invisible blade struck directly against the exposed Mana Crystal Heart.
Time itself seemed to stop.
A tiny crack appeared.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
The crystal heart shattered.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Blue light exploded across the valley.
A devastating shockwave threw everything backward.
The Goblin Warlord King dug its war maul into the earth to remain standing.
Leon wrapped himself in the shadows behind a crystal formation.
The Elite Scouts were forced to the ground.
Even the charging monsters were swept off their feet.
---
The Mana Crystal Golem froze.
Its enormous body trembled violently.
Blue light poured from the shattered crystal heart.
The crystal veins spreading throughout the valley flickered.
One after another...
The towering crystal pillars lost their glow.
CRACK...
CRACK...
CRACK...
The entire valley began collapsing.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice echoed.
Direct hit confirmed.
Mana Crystal Heart destroyed.
Regional Boss entering critical failure.
Commander...
Retreat is advised.
Sam looked around.
The mountain itself was breaking apart.
"No..."
He tightened his grip on his sword.
"We finish this."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem released one final roar.
ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!!
It staggered forward.
Every remaining fragment of mana gathered around its body.
The shattered crystal armor dissolved.
Black stone cracked.
Ancient runes hidden beneath the armor ignited.
The valley trembled once again.
Leon looked toward the collapsing giant.
"...Commander."
"It's changing."
Rex immediately answered.
Negative.
This is not an evolution.
Emergency Protocol activated.
The Regional Boss is sacrificing its remaining life force.
Estimated combat power...
Increasing.
Sam's expression became serious.
"So it has one last gamble."
Affirmative.
The Mana Crystal Golem raised both fists.
Blue flames erupted from every crack in its body.
Its remaining mana compressed into a single devastating strike.
The surrounding monsters stopped fighting.
One by one...
They turned toward the dying king.
Then...
Every monster in the valley bowed its head.
As if paying their final respects.
Sam slowly raised his sword.
The Goblin Warlord King stepped to his right.
The Goblin Mage floated to his left.
Leon emerged from the shadows beside them, twin daggers gleaming with crystal dust.
Behind him...
The eight Elite Scouts took their positions.
No one retreated.
No one hesitated.
The dying king took its final step.
Sam smiled.
"Let's end this together."
The final clash...
Began.