The battlefield fell quiet.
Ash drifted down over broken stone as the massive beast collapsed, its armor split clean through, its body lifeless before it even hit the ground. The impact shook the cavern, then everything went still.
Reinhart stood where he was, sword lowered. His silver hair and cloak moved with the lingering flow of mana, the blade in his hand faintly glowing from Astral Breaker's aftereffect.
He looked ahead.
Beyond the ruined guardians, deep within the chamber, a soft golden light pulsed steadily. Each step forward made the air heavier. Heat built around him, and thin lines of gold light leaked through the stone walls, as if something radiant was sealed inside.
At the center of the chamber, he stopped.
A pool of molten gold shimmered before him.
Helios Gold.
Reinhart narrowed his eyes. "So this is it. No wonder Lord Velsun wants it."
The magicules here were dense—far denser than before. Even his reinforced body felt the pressure. The ground resisted him, as if pushing back. Golden flames lashed out from the pool, sharp and testing.
Reinhart planted his sword into the ground. Its aura spread, steadying the mana around him. Without hesitation, he walked forward.
The heat burned. His skin tightened. Still, he didn't slow.
"I must take it back to Lord Velsun" he said quietly, "I won't turn back."
He reached into the molten light.
Pain surged instantly, divine fire tearing at his arm. Reinhart gritted his teeth as silver light flared around him, forcing the flames back. Bit by bit, he pushed deeper until his fingers closed around something solid.
He pulled.
The pool erupted in violent flame, then settled just as quickly. The light dimmed. The chamber cooled.
In Reinhart's hand rested a glowing ingot of Helios Gold.
He studied it for a moment, then nodded once. "Mission complete."
Turning away, he left the chamber behind, his footsteps echoing until even they faded.
Zalario flew through open space, wings stretched wide as he cut through the void. His face remained calm. His focus never wavered.
Aurora Crystals lay ahead.
They formed only at the frozen edges of space, where light bent endlessly through the stars. No mortal could survive there. The pressure alone would tear them apart.
Zalario pressed on.
The cold sharpened. Space itself felt brittle. His magic senses picked up a shift ahead—powerful, watchful.
A guardian emerged.
Crystal fragments joined together, forming a towering figure of refracted light. Its voice rang out, sharp and clear.
"Leave. This place is forbidden."
Zalario didn't slow. "I'm not here to leave."
The guardian raised its arm. Spears of light formed instantly and fired.
Zalario drew his sword and swung once. The light bent away from him, scattering harmlessly into space.
He surged forward.
The guardian glowed brighter, space cracking under its power. Zalario met it head-on, movements tight and efficient.
A magic circle formed before him.
"Light Magic: Halo Barrage."
Rings of light spread outward, firing beams that tore through the guardian's body. Crystal fragments drifted free, only to reform moments later.
"Light cannot destroy light," the guardian said.
Zalario shifted his grip on the sword. "Mine can."
He vanished, reappearing above the guardian in a flash of speed.
"Dawn Sever."
His blade cut down, splitting into countless overlapping strikes. The guardian's chest fractured. Before it could recover, radiant chains wrapped around its limbs, halting its regeneration.
The guardian struggled. "Why do you want the crystals? This was not Lord Veldanava's order."
Zalario raised his blade, light gathering along its edge.
"For my friend," he said. "That's enough."
He struck.
The guardian shattered, dissolving into drifting aurora light.
Zalario lowered his sword and looked ahead.
At the edge of space, the Aurora Crystal waited.
He reached for it.
Zalario hovered in silence as the last fragments of the cosmic guardian broke apart and faded into the void. His body glowed faintly, wings steady, breath sharp but controlled.
Ahead of him, embedded in a jagged spire of frozen starlight, pulsed the Aurora Crystal.
It was enormous—larger than any structure he'd seen before. Light shifted endlessly across its surface, bending into colors that didn't exist anywhere else. Each pulse sent waves of magic through space, brushing against Zalario's senses.
He descended slowly, wings folding as his boots touched the frozen ground. When he reached out, the crystal resisted.
Light lashed outward, tearing through the starlight around it.
Zalario didn't pull back.
"Easy," he said quietly.
Threads of light magic wrapped around his hand, steady and precise. He pushed his will forward, not forcing, not rushing. The crystal trembled, then slowly yielded.
With a final flash, it detached from the spire and floated into his grasp.
The energy hit him instantly.
For a brief moment, his vision fractured—stars forming and dying in the same breath. Zalario staggered, jaw tightening as he forced the power down, locking it in place.
When the pressure settled, he exhaled.
A faint smile crossed his face. "Got it, Velsun."
He spread his wings and vanished into the void.
Underground Forge
The forge burned steadily beneath the earth, heat rolling across stone walls. Velsun stood near the center, arms crossed, calm on the surface—but heavy with thought.
Karlos noticed.
"Lord Velsun," he asked carefully, "is something wrong?"
"It's nothing," Velsun replied.
But his mind wandered anyway.
So much has changed, he thought. Veldora's happy. Ramiris is my wife. And now I'm about to forge a Genesis-grade weapon.
A smirk formed.If I can be the strongest… why not be the strongest?
The forge crackled.
"Lad," Mimir's voice echoed, "three presences are approaching fast. They've gathered everything."
Velsun nodded. "Then we wait."
The air shifted moments later.
Reinhart arrived first, cloak settling as he stepped forward, Helios Gold glowing faintly in his grasp. Zalario followed, wings folding as he landed, Aurora Crystal shining like frozen starlight. The ground rumbled as Veldora appeared last, grinning widely.
"Aniki! You should've seen the thing I fought!" Veldora laughed, striking a ridiculous pose. "But hey, Storm Dragon always delivers!"
Velsun chuckled. "Thanks, little brother."
He turned to the others. "You both succeeded?"
Reinhart nodded. "Yes, Velsun-sama."
Zalario did the same.
One by one, the materials were placed on the forge table—Sunfire Mithril, Helios Gold, Aurora Crystal. The air grew dense, magic reacting to their presence.
"You all made this possible," Velsun said. .""Thank you guys
No one spoke. They didn't need to.
Velsun closed his eyes. Mimir.
"First," Mimir said, "attune yourself to each material. Treat them as living things. Control comes before fusion."
"Sunfire Mithril first," Velsun murmured.
He extended his hands.
Heat flowed naturally from him, slow and measured. The metal responded, pulsing in rhythm with his essence. The forge hummed louder, recognizing its master.
"Careful," Mimir warned. "This is a very delicate process."
Velsun smirked, golden eyes opening. "I know."
The light intensified as the first bond formed.
The forging had begun.