Golden flames filled the Forgotten Forge.
Renzo stood at the center of the sanctuary, one hand holding Starbreaker, the other gripping Chrono Fang.
The air around him had changed.
No—
Reality itself had changed.
Every step he took caused golden runes to appear beneath his feet.
The forge recognized him.
The sanctuary obeyed him.
The title Forge Monarch was no longer merely a class.
It was an authority.
Corvus stared at him with countless crimson eyes.
For the first time since the battle began—
The Devourer hesitated.
"A mortal should not possess that power."
Renzo calmly looked at the ancient entity.
"I'm not interested in what should or shouldn't exist."
Golden flames erupted around his body.
"I'm only interested in surviving."
Corvus roared.
Darkness exploded across the heavens.
The giant creature raised one hand.
Thousands of black spears formed behind it.
Each spear radiated enough power to erase an entire city.
Kensei-Ryu spoke quietly.
"Those are Divine Corruption Spears."
"Do not let them touch you."
Corvus pointed downward.
The sky collapsed.
The spears descended.
Like a rain of destruction.
Renzo did not move.
He simply raised Starbreaker.
A single thought crossed his mind.
Create.
Golden light exploded.
Hundreds of weapons materialized around him.
Swords.
Spears.
Shields.
Axes.
Hammers.
Every weapon forged from pure Divine Essence.
Kensei-Ryu laughed.
"You're copying the forge itself."
Renzo swung Starbreaker.
"Go."
The divine weapons launched upward.
Golden steel collided against endless darkness.
BOOOOOOM!
The sky erupted.
One by one, the black spears shattered.
The entire forge trembled.
Corvus' crimson eyes widened.
"Instant creation?"
"Impossible!"
Renzo took a step forward.
The distance between them vanished.
Flow Form.
Zero-Point Reaction.
Forge Monarch.
All three powers merged perfectly.
He appeared directly before Corvus.
Chrono Fang flashed.
SHING!
The divine blade cut across the Devourer's arm.
A deep wound opened.
Dark blood spilled into the forge.
Corvus roared in pain.
The creature immediately retaliated.
A giant claw descended.
Renzo raised his left hand.
Without thinking—
A golden shield appeared.
The claw struck.
BOOM!
The shield shattered.
But the attack stopped.
Renzo blinked.
He had not consciously forged the shield.
His class had responded automatically.
Vulcanos spoke.
"The Forge Monarch creates what is necessary."
"Not what is requested."
Corvus roared again.
Dark tendrils erupted from its body.
Thousands of them.
They spread across the forge like a living plague.
Everywhere they touched—
Metal corroded.
Stone decayed.
Flames died.
The corruption was trying to consume the sanctuary itself.
Hephaestion finally moved.
The colossal Heart of the Forge raised one hand.
Golden stars filled the sky.
The corruption slowed.
But it did not disappear.
Corvus laughed.
"Your sanctuary is dying."
"Creation cannot defeat entropy."
Renzo looked around.
The tendrils were spreading too quickly.
If this continued—
The Forgotten Forge would fall.
Then Astrax's sacrifice would become meaningless.
Renzo closed his eyes.
He remembered the title.
Forge Monarch.
Creation.
Dominion.
Reforging.
Suddenly—
A realization struck him.
He opened his eyes.
Then slammed Starbreaker into the ground.
BOOM!
Golden flames spread across the entire forge.
Every damaged furnace began repairing itself.
Every cracked pillar reformed.
Every broken weapon restored.
A blue window appeared.
Authority of Reforging Activated
Divine Essence Consumption:
High
Corvus' eyes widened.
The corruption began retreating.
The sanctuary was repairing itself.
Faster than the darkness could destroy it.
Hephaestion smiled.
"Good."
"Now you understand."
Renzo finally understood.
He did not need to destroy the corruption.
He could overwrite it.
He could restore reality faster than corruption could consume it.
Corvus roared in fury.
"THEN I SHALL DESTROY YOU DIRECTLY!"
The Devourer's body began changing.
Darkness condensed.
Its humanoid form collapsed inward.
Smaller.
Denser.
More dangerous.
A second system window appeared.
Corvus
Phase Two Initiated
Kensei-Ryu's voice became serious.
"Be careful."
"That form is stronger."
The darkness compressed into a humanoid warrior.
Roughly Renzo's height.
Black armor.
A crimson sword.
And a single burning eye.
The pressure became even greater.
Corvus slowly pointed the sword at Renzo.
"Let us see…"
The ancient entity smiled.
"…whether a newly born Monarch can truly wield divine power."
Renzo raised Chrono Fang.
Golden flames covered the blade.
His Divine Essence surged.
The forge itself echoed behind him.
One black sword.
One golden blade.
The final duel was about to begin.
And this time—
It would not be a battle between a god and a monster.
It would be a battle between two sovereign powers.