Silence.
The entire valley seemed to stop breathing.
Only one figure remained in motion.
Sam.
Blue lightning surged around his sword as the unstable mana gathered into a single point.
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice echoed rapidly.
Prototype Combination Skill...
Synchronization Complete.
Mana Output...
One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Percent.
Warning.
Weapon integrity approaching critical limits.
Sam smiled.
"Then it better finish the job."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem looked up.
Its shattered crystal heart burned like a dying sun.
The remaining blue mana rushed toward its core.
It raised its massive fist.
Preparing one final strike.
Too late.
Sam disappeared.
BOOOOOOM!!
The air exploded behind him.
He appeared directly before the exposed crystal heart.
His sword moved.
Not once...
But dozens of times.
"Attack Chain!"
The first slash landed.
The second crossed the first.
The third.
The fourth.
The tenth.
The twentieth.
Countless afterimages surrounded the Mana Crystal Golem.
Each strike carved another crack into the exposed core.
The crystal began to scream.
---
"Now..."
Sam twisted his body.
Every lingering sword trail collapsed into a single line.
"Vertical Instant Slash!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The compressed blade of mana pierced directly through the center of the Mana Crystal Heart.
Time froze.
The glowing crystal stopped pulsing.
A single crack spread across its surface.
Then another.
Then thousands.
CRACK...
CRACK...
CRAAAAAAACK!!
The Mana Crystal Heart...
Shattered.
---
For a heartbeat...
Nothing happened.
The Mana Crystal Golem remained perfectly still.
Its glowing blue eyes slowly dimmed.
The blue mana flowing through its body began fading.
Its enormous fists relaxed.
The giant looked down at the hole where its heart had once been.
It understood.
It had lost.
---
A deep rumble echoed throughout the valley.
Not from the collapsing mountain...
But from the Mana Crystal Golem itself.
Its body began breaking apart.
Chunks of crystal armor fell away.
Stone cracked.
Blue light escaped from every fracture.
The ancient guardian slowly looked toward Sam.
There was no hatred in its eyes.
No rage.
Only relief.
As though it had finally been released from an endless duty.
---
The Goblin Warlord King lowered its war maul.
The Goblin Mage slowly lowered its staff.
Even the monsters surrounding the battlefield stopped moving.
One by one...
They looked toward their fallen king.
The Mana Crystal Golem slowly raised one massive hand.
Not to attack.
But toward the endless sky.
Its body dissolved into countless blue motes of light.
The particles drifted across the valley like glowing stars.
Its final roar echoed through the mountains.
It was no longer a roar of battle.
It was a farewell.
Then...
The Regional Boss disappeared.
---
Silence returned.
No monsters moved.
No crystal pillars erupted.
The entire Mana Crystal Valley became still.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Regional Boss...
Eliminated.
Mission Objective Complete.
For several seconds...
Sam simply stood there.
His breathing was heavy.
His sword hung loosely at his side.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"We did it."
---
The Goblin Warlord King walked toward him.
It planted its crystal war maul into the earth.
Then knelt.
"My..."
Its deep voice echoed across the silent valley.
"...Commander."
Sam laughed.
"You did well."
The Goblin Warlord King bowed its head.
"It... was... an honor... to fight... beside... you."
Nearby...
The Goblin Mage quietly floated beside them.
Its soul flames burned brighter than ever.
Leon emerged from the shadows.
His twin daggers were stained with monster blood.
One by one...
The eight Elite Scouts stepped from the forest.
Every scout was exhausted.
Several carried wounds.
But every one of them...
Was alive.
Leon smiled.
"Mission accomplished."
Sam nodded.
"Mission accomplished."
---
Then...
The sky changed.
Dark clouds gathered above the Mana Crystal Valley.
Golden light burst through the heavens.
A gigantic System screen slowly stretched across the sky.
It illuminated not only the valley...
But every kingdom.
Every Commander.
Every survivor.
Across the entire world.
The System...
Was about to speak.