Amidst the cosmic consumption of the Legion of Destruction, Zulo's forces had suffered tremendously.
There was no doubt this weakened their overall strength.
Even Zulo himself found the power he could wield had diminished significantly.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Rangers—emboldened by their advantage, their spirits soaring and convictions burning brighter— under Celenova's leadership, further amplified the power of their shared path.
As one side waned and the other waxed, the fervent Galaxy Rangers clashed with the depleted Destruction Legion, and the battle swiftly turned into a one-sided rout.
As for Zulo, the Legion's commander—
Boom—!!!
A razor-sharp blade aura tore through his chest once more.
Scattered energies sent nearby planets flying, altering the course of an entire star system.
No longer holding back, Celenova revealed a power that left everyone in awe.
She was already a standard Emanator, but with that portion of power Nanook had bestowed upon Bai Ming, her combat prowess surpassed Zulo's from the start.
And now, guided by the shared will of the Galaxy Rangers, that power was channeled through her blade.
It was as though three strands of fate had intertwined, all aimed squarely at Zulo.
"Grah! Damn you, woman! You've been toying with me all along!"
In response to Zulo's fury, 'Celenova' chuckled lightly: "Indeed. Had you not been so arrogant as to ignore the Galaxy Rangers' movements, I wouldn't have been able to set this up so smoothly."
"Damn you! None of you should be alive!!"
Golden flames erupted once more, a terrifying display of his wrath.
But in Celenova's eyes, Zulo was nothing but a cornered beast, making one last desperate stand.
"You're the one who's damned, you obsolete relic."
Celenova's clear voice carried across the battlefield.
Then she lunged forward, striking again with her blade!
Zulo tried to block, but how could he possibly defend against a blade art born from her collaboration with Acheron, when he was so thoroughly outmatched?
And so, the fearsome, close-combat specialist Zulo found himself utterly dominated by the slender, seemingly delicate Celenova.
Blades of destruction sheared through starlight, spilling rivers of his golden blood, while Zulo's counterattacks failed to land any meaningful blows.
At the same time, the vast numbers of Galaxy Rangers overwhelmed the remaining Legion forces with absolute superiority.
Even an amateur could tell which side was winning at a glance.
As the battle raged on, more and more spectators began tuning in.
What puzzled many, though, was that even now, Nanook and the other Emanators of Destruction had not reacted to the conflict in the slightest.
It was as if…they truly didn't care about their comrade's fratricidal war.
As for those other Emanators…
Zephyro remained lost in his galaxy-spanning conquest, utterly detached from reality. He couldn't care less what was happening.
Asat Pramad, browsing the Interastral Peace Corporation's live news and recalling Nanook's decree, let out a derisive snort.
Phantylia, maintaining her disguise, watched the reports and mused that even Emanators could fall prey to fate's struggles.
The other two had considered intervening, but held back in deference to Nanook's will.
As for Irontomb, well, he was still just a baby. He didn't understand the news.
None of them could figure out why the news of this battle had emerged so quietly.
They only learned of this person after she and Zulo started fighting.
But since Nanook had spoken—or not spoken—they wouldn't interfere.
Still…what baffled them was Nanook's additional remark: "If Celenova wins, do not receive her yet. It is not time."
That left the Emanators scratching their heads.
Their new star was about to make her grand debut across the galaxy—wasn't it time yet?
Then when would it be?
They didn't get it.
But they knew better than to disobey.
--+--
Meanwhile, Celenova was thoroughly enjoying the fight.
Last time, her opponent's combat skills were pathetic—nothing but a health sponge, like chopping a training dummy, but this Zulo was clearly far more skilled.
Perfect timing, since she'd just acquired a new blade style.
This was a solid, full-scale real combat trial.
Celenova was indeed getting into the rhythm.
Zulo, on the other hand, was faring worse and worse.
His body was riddled with wounds, his golden blood nearly drained dry.
Yet he stubbornly held on, struggling relentlessly.
The duel between Emanators lasted another two days.
As the battle dragged on, Zulo's forces were steadily worn down by the Galaxy Rangers, their numbers shrinking rapidly.
By the time Zulo realized he was truly powerless to change his fate, Celenova had driven him to the brink.
She thrust what felt like the umpteenth longsword deep into his chest, looking down at him with cold finality.
"You've lost, Zulo."
"Hahaha—cough!"
The intense gravity meant nothing to beings like them.
But the power behind that strike was another matter.
His eyes bore into Celenova's, hatred burning like a dying star.
"Yes, I've lost… but that doesn't mean you've won!"
Madness flashed in Zulo's gaze.
He could accept death at anyone's hands—victors reign, losers bleed. But to be utterly defeated by Celenova—an Emanator of a shared path, under the gaze of the Legion—drove the bitterness in his heart to its peak.
He clamped down hard on Celenova's sword-wielding right hand.
A torrent of rampant, chaotic Destruction energy surged from his body.
Self-destruction??
Celenova grasped his intent in an instant.
"Self-destruction" wasn't quite the right term.
He was unleashing the full extent of Destruction's power, burning his remaining life, will, everything—as kindling for one final, catastrophic release.
The resulting blast would annihilate everything in the vicinity—himself included.
Not exactly self-destruction, but close enough.
Celenova released the hilt, trying to pull away, but Zulo, burning his last reserves of life to fuel his grip, held her fast.
For a moment, she couldn't break free.
But…'Celenova' wasn't convinced the blast could kill her.
Even if she were badly injured—well, it wasn't her real body anyway. In twenty days, she'd switch to a new one.
She could just sever her own right arm and escape the blast radius.
No need to tough it out.
"Galaxy Rangers, retreat!"
With unyielding authority, 'Celenova' ordered the Galaxy Rangers still fighting the remaining Legion forces to fall back immediately.
She'd survive the blast, but many of them wouldn't, even with their shared path's power.
And against Zulo's indiscriminate detonation, she couldn't protect them.
Though the two armies were already far apart, an Emanator's self-destruction demanded as much distance as possible.
She relayed her plan swiftly, not waiting to see how the Galaxy Rangers would respond.
Just as she ripped her own right arm free and put some distance between them, a blinding golden light engulfed all her senses.
The golden flames of Destruction swept through the star system like a tidal wave, spreading across the cosmos in a spectacle of terrifying beauty.
And as those cruel, brilliant flames bloomed in the void, the great campaign to subdue Zulo
finally reached its end:
Zulo had fallen, and 'Celenova' was severely wounded.
--+--