Above the city of Broken Wind City, dark clouds churned and lightning flashed. The massive monster seemed like a demon crawling out of the depths of hell, wreaking havoc across the entire city. Its blood-red eyes flashed with a frenzied light, attacking everything in its path. Each violent strike sent shockwaves through the city, causing the entire city to tremble on the brink of collapse.
"Only that boy can harm the monster now. We need to work together to stop its movements!"
The voice of the robed beggar echoed in the air, clear and powerful. All eyes were on him, his words acting as a clear command, urging everyone into action. He quickly followed up, casting a powerful binding magic. As his magic flowed, many fine threads made of rainwater emerged behind him, rapidly entangling the monster's massive body.
The monster howled, attempting to break free from the restraints. The frenzied power it unleashed tore the water threads apart. But at that moment, Luna, Dan, and the Lord also unleashed their magic. Luna's elemental magic summoned a strong wind, attempting to drag the monster's body; Dan directed a tidal wave of seawater toward the monster to suppress its movements; the Lord, not to be outdone, used divine magic to cast golden binding runes, attempting to restrict the monster's actions.
Despite their efforts, the monster's power was too overwhelming. These binding spells only slightly slowed it down and had little effect. Its body erupted with tremendous force, rendering their magic nearly useless as it broke free from the restraints, continuing its rampage.
Leo gripped his broken sword tightly and swiftly navigated the air, fiercely engaging with the monster. With every clash, he could feel the monster's overwhelming power and uncontrollable brutality, like a massive torrent. Each strike he made could only push the monster back slightly, never inflicting any significant damage.
At that moment, the monster suddenly turned and, like a flash of lightning, charged at Leo in the air. It raised its enormous claws and slammed them down with a terrifying force.
"Leo, be careful!" Luna's urgent voice rang out.
But it was too late. The monster's massive claws descended like a landslide, striking Leo with immense force. Leo felt a crushing power overwhelm him, as if he had been thrown into a raging sea, plummeting toward the ground. The air became heavy with pressure, and Leo coughed up blood, feeling his internal organs shudder. The broken sword slipped from his hand, falling into the distant ruins.
The monster, seeing this, grinned wickedly, and without hesitation, it charged toward Leo again. Its claws, sharp as knives, pointed directly at Leo's chest, as if signaling the end of his life.
However, to everyone's surprise, Luna suddenly rushed forward.
"No!" Leo almost screamed in despair, his eyes filled with unbearable pain and helplessness.
Just as the monster's claws were about to pierce Leo's body, Luna unhesitatingly positioned herself in front of him. Her body was immediately impaled by the monster's claws, blood and mechanical parts scattered around like meteorites hitting the ground.
"Luna—!" Leo's heart nearly stopped beating. His gaze lost focus, leaving only deep sorrow and helplessness for Luna.
Luna coughed up blood, the intense pain draining the color from her face. Her hands gripped the monster's arm tightly, using her final strength to cast a binding spell.
"Bind!"
With her whispered incantation, the sound of a massive bell echoed through the sky. In the distance, the Mechanical Court seemed to sense the summons, quickly appearing in the air. Its metallic wings fluttered slightly, and the mechanical sounds reverberated through the sky. At Luna's call, the Mechanical Court shifted its form, releasing a laser from its core that struck the monster's arm.
The monster's arm immediately turned into transparent crystal, revealing fine cracks. It struggled violently, as if experiencing intense pain. Yet, it did not stop attacking. Instead, it furiously swung its arm.
During the monster's flailing, Luna's body was violently thrown away, spinning through the air like a broken doll, crashing hard into the ground. The Mechanical Court also dissipated, transforming into golden specks of light.
Leo witnessed everything, tears filling his eyes, his mind almost devoid of any rational thought. He screamed in despair, "No—Luna! Luna!"
But even so, Luna's body remained on the ground, blood and golden liquid mingling, mechanical parts scattered around. Leo wanted to rush over, but a crushing sense of helplessness held him back. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move.
The monster, seeing this, rapidly healed its crystal-arm, new flesh growing like a tidal wave, becoming stronger than before. It charged at Leo again, its claws like lightning, aiming for him.
In that critical moment, Dan swiftly lifted Leo from the ground and flew into the air. The monster's claws followed closely behind, almost grazing Dan, creating a violent air current.
"Get moving!" Dan growled in a low voice, his tone filled with unshakable determination.
As he evaded the monster's pursuit, he quickly placed Leo in a relatively safe spot. The monster was relentless, angrily lunging forward. Dan, now wielding his twin blades, was ready to fight.
Leo sat on the ground, staring blankly at the unfolding scene. Everything around him seemed to blur, and Luna's sacrifice shattered his soul. His eyes became hollow, as though he had lost any meaning for survival.
Yet, the battle raged on.
The battle raged on, the monster rampaging through everything around it as if it had lost all sanity. Each time it swung its blood-red claws, the air seemed to tear apart, and the shockwaves disrupted everyone's movements. Dan's body was battered and bruised; his dual daggers could no longer handle the monster's relentless assault. His body was covered in wounds, blood staining his clothes, and it felt as though all his strength had been drained.
Seeing this, the beggar quickly swam over to Dan's side, his expression serious. A powerful magical aura emanated from his entire body as he prepared to fight alongside Dan. Though the beggar's physical strength had waned, his deep mastery of magic allowed him to still unleash potent spells, helping Dan fend off the monster's attacks.
However, despite their combined efforts, the monster's power still overwhelmed them. Each attack from the creature was even more ferocious than the last, its massive size and brutal power suffocating any fighter caught in its path.
Leo stood at a distance, watching this scene unfold, his heart filled with helplessness. Though he had witnessed Luna's sacrifice, he still couldn't summon the strength to retaliate. The broken sword fell to the ground, and Leo stood frozen, his mind in turmoil. He wanted to rise again but found no motivation.
Suddenly, a low, mournful howl broke through his silence. He snapped his head up and saw the monster's claws tear through Dan's back, blood spraying out instantly. Dan's body trembled violently, stumbling back a few steps but still managing to maintain his balance.
"Dan!" Leo cried out, his heart tightening, panic flashing in his eyes.
Seeing Dan wounded, the monster grew even more frenzied, turning and lunging at Dan's back. Its claws, sharp as blades, were filled with killing intent as they stabbed toward Dan's chest. Just as Dan's life seemed to be slipping away, the monster's attack suddenly stopped.
Leo reacted almost instinctively, rushing forward with all his might. He grabbed the fallen broken sword and gripped it tightly, using the last of his strength to block the monster's fatal strike. The sword clashed against the monster's claws, producing a deafening screech of metal. The force of the impact reverberated through Leo's arm, almost making him feel as if his bones had shattered.
Leo gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with rage and determination. He did not retreat; instead, he held the broken sword firmly against the monster's claws, desperately guarding Dan's life.
At that moment, a silver light suddenly illuminated the surface of the sea, lighting up the entire sky. Countless souls of merfolk and humans surged from the depths of the Tide Sanctuary Tree, rising from the water and floating toward Broken Wind City. It was like an invisible torrent, rapidly gathering behind Leo. The faces of these souls were serene and relieved, their figures drifting through the air, carrying a divine aura. They seemed to be there for Leo, giving him their final strength.
Leo's heart trembled with shock. He stood motionless, stunned by the sight. The gathering of souls felt like a mysterious calling, a force that filled him with unprecedented power. Just then, the voice of the Tide Sanctuary Tree echoed in his ears: "I lend you all my strength, Leo. End this."
A glimmer of understanding flashed in Leo's eyes. He looked down at the broken sword in his hand, noticing the silver wave patterns on its blade became clearer. Suddenly, he felt the Five-Pointed Star brand on his collarbone stir, releasing a surge of black energy. This energy flowed out from the brand, quickly attaching itself to the sword.
The silver patterns of the sword intertwined with the black energy, creating a unique balance. Leo gripped the sword tightly and looked up at the monster in the air. In that moment, he seemed to feel the gaze and expectations of countless souls. His eyes became unwavering.
"This is the path I must take," Leo whispered. He raised the broken sword, sensing the source of all his inner power. A massive image of the broken sword materialized in the air, and as Leo moved, the sword image swung down with great force.
At that instant, all the souls seemed to transform into beams of light, rushing toward the monster's body, taking away the filth and evil that had plagued it. The monster's body was split in half by the sword image, blood and energy splattering in all directions. The air was filled with the nauseating stench of blood. The monster's screams echoed through the sky before gradually fading, finally becoming a pool of lifeless blood that slowly fell to the ground.
The figure of the young city lord Hua gradually emerged. His body became translucent, his features clear, but he was no longer the mad and fiery monster; he had returned to his true form.
The city lord rushed through the air toward Hua and held his weakened son in his arms. Hua weakly opened his eyes and managed a faint smile. "Dad…"
The city lord's eyes were filled with pain and regret as he clutched his son tightly. Tears had already spilled from his eyes. "Hua… how did you end up like this? Why did it come to this?"
The young city lord smiled weakly, his eyes filled with a sense of relief. "Dad, you never cared about me… you only cared about your people. No matter what I did, whether I tried to do better or fell into corruption, I just wanted you to see me, to give me some attention. Though I took the wrong path, I don't regret it, Dad."
With that, the young city lord's body began to fade, turning into dust that blew away with the wind. The souls of humans and merfolk suspended in the air bid their families a final farewell before following the wind as well.
The city lord fell to his knees, holding the name of his son, who had already disappeared. He murmured painfully, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" His voice was filled with regret and self-blame, as if he had lost the most important thing in his life.
At this moment, the sky gradually returned to calm, and the suffocating darkness above Broken Wind City dissipated. People gathered from all directions, silently watching it all as though they had yet to wake from this nightmare.