How It Ends

'Damn it!'

Stomp! Stomp!

"Ha!"

Kamao came from behind the Anino and blew its upper half with a jump kick.

Bugoh!

Not long after that, the Anino's upper half regenerated.

"Damn it all!!"

Enraged, the entity let out a savage, monstrous roar that reverberate all across the capital.

"Not like this! I can't be defeated like this!"

After a fit of raging scream, the entity tried to recompose itself as it stared at Kamao, Adhan, and Hunyo.

'These annoying gnats! I don't have time and power to spare on them! I need to get rid of one of them.' Saying this, the Anino glanced at Lyrica and Roselia standing far behind the three fellows, waiting for that needed opening to attack the Anino. 'If I can kill one of them, these dumbas*es won't be able to do a thing on me! It's my win! They're only fighting because of those two, to begin with!'

"...!" Lyrica sharpened her gaze as she noticed it.

She noticed how the distress and vexation in the Anino's eyes that once looked genuine, suddenly turned fake. Lyrica could tell the determination the entity is trying to hide behind that fake glow in its red eyes.

"Hey, get ready!" Lyrica told Roselia. "The Anino is about to make its next move!"

"... Right."

Roselia couldn't give the girl an immediate reply. That's because Lyrica's plan reminded her of Linah's plan to sacrifice her life to seal the entity.

Her hatred and thirst for revenge led to the Anino escaping the seal her sister sacrificed her life for. Blinded by her desire to kill the Anino, she failed to realize the mistake she had done until now.

Now, a pang of immeasurable guilt is haunting Roselia to her core. Because of her, a lot of people are suffering, and countless innocent lives have been taken. Because of her, another person is going to put her life on the line to stop the terror she brought back into the world.

"Hey!"

"Ah!"

Lyrica's shout pulled Roselia out of her clogged thoughts.

"Stop spacing out, will you?"

Roselia looked down with a melancholic expression on her face. "I'm sorry."

Hearing this, Lyrica let out a vexed sigh. "I told you if you're going to apologize, do that to the people of Kruule."

"... Yeah, you're right."

Just like thirteen years ago, the only answer Roselia could give was her affirmation. Her fear and guilt are growing worse. To Roselia, it's almost as if she was stuck in a loop.

"I know you're afraid and feeling guilty for letting that thing loose, but don't worry. Being driven by our emotions is just a fracture of what makes us humans. Instead of caging yourself with fear and guilt, find a way to correct your mistakes."

But...

"Again, don't worry. I'm doing this on my own accord. Because right now, risking my life is necessary to correct my mistakes. That being said, I have no intention of dying here tonight. That is why..."

...If there's one thing that was different between then and now...

"...I will kill the Anino."

...Is that the girl in front of Roselia is going to risk her life so that she could live another day.

Graaaahh!!

The Anino began its assault on Kamao, Adhan, and Hunyo. This signaled Lyrica and Roselia to prepare as well.

"This is it! No matter what happens, just do what I said, got it?"

"Yeah!" Roselia hardened her grip on her staff, reforming her resolve. "Don't die!"

While waiting for her moment to act, Roselia thought:

'I can't tell if she's a telepath or just someone who's good at reading and observing people. But, what she said lifted a very heavy burden off my shoulder. It's almost as if I was already forgiven for everything I did. Although I knew it wouldn't be that easy.'

***

The clash continued between Kamao, Adhan, Hunyo, and the Anino.

Pow!

Bugohm!

Bwooh!

"What's wrong? After all that idling, swinging your claws, and shooting dark flames is what you came up with?"

"Keep talking!"

After dodging the entity's claw strikes, Kamao immediately went for a left hook kick, which the Anino avoided by blowing its own head off.

"Tch...!"

Soon after regaining its missing head, the Anino breathed dark fire and pushed Kamao into the distance. Immediately, it went straight for Adhan.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Its sharp claws desperately tried to rend Adhan's Tibay although it was to no avail.

Clang! Plank! Clang!

"Ha!"

Adhan's right hand made its way to the entity's face, grabbing it as he hammered the Anino to the surface.

Crash!! Rumble!!

Persistently, the Anino shoved Adhan using its dark fireball.

Bwoom!

Shortly after that explosion, the entity unleashed a flurry of claw strikes at Adhan. Again, the entity's attacks are not doing a thing on Adhan's Tibay. But at the end of the day, inflicting damage to Adhan wasn't part of its plan.

It just wanted to get close to HIM.

"Die!"

"Raagh!"

With Kamao returning to battle with his Liksi, he and Adhan attempt to land a pincer attack.

"Keh!"

The Anino flew into the sky to avoid harm, making Kamao's kick and Adhan's tackle hit each other instead, causing a powerful shockwave. However, as if he knew what the entity was about to do...

Pssshhh!! Crackle!! Whistlee~!

"Ah!"

Pierce! Zzz-Pang! Pierce!

Hunyo's arrows caught the Anino from behind.

"Y-You maggot!"

Hunyo showed why he was called the "Artillery" as he began firing his elemental arrows at the Anino. He continued to pick up the pace as he fired more arrows at the entity.

Psshh! Fwoosh! Crackle! Triiiriii~!

The Anino found itself having to use more effort to avoid Hunyo's storm of arrows.

"Adhan!"

"Yeah!"

Kamao ran straight for Adhan who immediately took a horse stance while his arms are stretched forward with his hands open. Adhan is going to give Kamao a boost to jump into the sky and attack the Anino from there, but the entity noticed it.

"..."

No, the entity was already anticipating that move.

"Go!"

Kamao stepped on Adhan's open hands, allowing the bulky fellow to throw him up in the air. Before long, the red-haired man was right behind the Anino and was about to perform an axe kick.

"You fool."

The Anino cut itself in half. Kamao's axe kick went just in between the entity's severed body before it reconnected itself.

"Dark Burst!"

A burst of dark flames was unleashed. Kamao, who had no footing, was forced to take it. At that moment, the Anino descended toward Hunyo.

"I-Its coming for Hunyo?" Adhan uttered as he immediately ran straight to assist the bowman.

"Not good! That's not part of the plan the girl gave us!"

'Why's that thing heading for that archer?' Lyrica said as she watched things unfold. At the same time, she's also keeping an eye on her character window.

Listener: Lyrica Ley Rael

Lv. 30

HP: 69.4%

MP: (80) 80

dB Limit: 80

[Statistics]

Strength: 40 (-50%)

Durability: 35

Agility: 40 (+24) (+32%)

Stamina: 21

Senses: 10

Available Points: 10

[Playlist]

Playable Music:

- Jazz Harmony (Lv. Max)

- Heavy Metal (Lv. 2)

- Heavy Metal: Iron Maiden (Lv. 2)

- Heavy Metal: Hallowed Be Thy Name

- Fierock (Lv. 2)

- Flintrock

- Hip Hop (Lv. 2)

- Wind Drum

Background Music:

- Elements of Music (Lv. Max)

-

-

Original Music:

- Willow Flame

> Acquired EXP: 21,098

> Required EXP: 33,450

[Currently Playing]

> Hip Hop (1:37)

[Cool Down]

> Fierock (0:10)

Kamao, after being dragged to the surface, immediately got himself out of the Anino's Dark Burst and left it until it exploded by itself. On the other hand, Adhan is catching up with the Anino who was moving faster whilst allowing Hunyo's arrows simply go past its body.

'Could it be...?'

"Tch..."

The Anino has come face-to-face with the bowman.

"Hunyo!"

"Liksi!!"

Zoom!!

But at the same time, Adhan was right behind the Anino whilst Kamao zoomed right beside the bulky fellow using Liksi.

"You lose, you stupid gnats!"

The Anino dodged Hunyo's fire arrows before getting itself behind the man. The entity's actions made everyone, even Roselia and especially Lyrica wondering what it was planning. But the moment it unleashed its attack...

"Hate Impulse!"

BWAAAAAAMMM!!

"Uwooooogh!"

"Waaaaaahh!"

"We're going to fall!"

A sudden outburst of energy that only lasted for almost a second, but was powerful enough to send the three men out of the plateau and even caught Roselia and Lyrica by surprise.

'I see, I get it now.'

Roselia and Lyrica watched as the Anino fly straight toward the two of them.

'It got rid of them so it doesn't get interrupted...'

The Anino was heading for Lyrica at first, but the moment she tried to punch the entity, it immediately diverted and went for Roselia instead.

'...Once it starts going after one of us!'

From the palm of the entity's hand, a spark of dark flames emerged.

"That's..." Roselia fired beams of blue rose petals.

"Spark!"

"That's right." The Anino's featureless face imitated a wicked smile. 'Once I use my Spark, I won't be able to use my other abilities nor can I reshape my body until the sumpa has entered its target. But although they didn't know that, I need to play it safe. That was why I had to get rid of the pests first.'

At that point, the Anino could have won the battle. But just like always, the Anino made another error.

'Unlike the Spark I used on the people of this kingdom, I can manually trigger this one the moment it enters the target. Once I finish off Blue Rose, I'll retreat and wait for the moment to strike back. Then I'll kill you next, Lyr–'

"Wind Drum!"

"What?!"

The Anino did not concern itself over Lyrica. The girl used Wind Drum to catch up to the Spark that's chasing Roselia.

"Impossible! She already exhausted her mana and even used Mana Burst afterward! It shouldn't be possible for her to move like that!"

Lyrica is exhausted after using all the mana she had. On top of that, she also used Mana Burst twice to refill her exhausted mana. But while it doesn't mean she's standing next to death's door, the fatigue she's trying to endure felt as if she was barely clinging on to life.

The only reason she was still moving was that some of her strength came back because Fierock's cooldown was over. On top of that, she activated Jazz Harmony at 100dB and she was using Wind Drum to send herself forward, allowing her to move fast with less effort whilst ignoring her exhaustion. Hence, she was able to get between Roselia and the Spark. However...

"...Hah. You fool!"

The Spark collided with Lyrica's chest, slowly making its way inside her body.

"Kurhk!"

She tried to rake it off with her fingers but her fingers are just passing through it.

"My Spark cannot and will not stop until it finds a target!"

"H-How troublesome...!"

The hardened expression on Lyrica's face brought joy and pleasure to the entity.

"I feel sorry for you, Himala. You could've just risked it and went for me but I guess you tried to play safe!"

The entity broke into a proud cackle.

"I was planning to finish off Blue Rose first, but it can't be helped. You're the one who took over the line for that trash. Now perish!"

The glow in the Anino's red eyes flickered for a split second, signaling the curse to activate.

"Ngah–"

Right from where the Spark entered, dark flames emerged. Without delay, the flames immediately crawled all over Lyrica's body, burning her from the inside out.

"Aaaaahhh!!"

"No!!"

And just like that, Lyrica was burned to death. Leaving no trace of her very existence whatsoever.

Seeing another death in the hands of the Anino, great despair dawned on Roselia.

"Impossible..." Roselia fell to her knees.

"You!"

In utter terror, the Anino's voice alone immediately directed the woman's attention at the entity.

"The despair in your eyes, the tears coming out of them, and the realization of your powerlessness. They all bring me great pleasure. But!" Said the Anino as it began charging up a dark fireball from the palm of its hand. "What will bring me real pleasure is your death!"

The dark fireball grew in size and power. The Blue Rose could do nothing but just watch until she meet her demise.

"Farewell, Blue Rose."

Without remorse, the Anino released its fireball at Roselia.

"...!"

A powerful explosion upon impact incinerated Roselia. Like Lyrica, the Blue Rose died without a trace remaining. Just a burned part of the land.

"At last. Lyrica and the Blue Rose are gone." The entity's snicker soon turned into a loud, boisterous, victorious laughter. "I win!"

The Anino continued to celebrate its victory out loud until...

Doghm!

"Ugh!"

The entity was shaken by a very sharp pain. A pain that doesn't go away, but only gets worse by the second. A heavy pressure squeezed the entity down the surface.

Doghm! Doghm!

"Gachk! I-It's too heavy... W-What is...?"

The Anino looked down. Only to see a pure-white light coming out of its body. Growing concern and panic quickly corrupted the entity's mind.

"What's–"

Doghm! Doghm! Doghm!

"What's going on!"

Doghm! Doghm!

More and more lights continue to pierce the entity from the inside out.

Doghm! Doghm!

Right then, the lights began widening whilst tearing off the Anino's ghostly body.

"Impossible... This is...!"

"250dB: Heavy Metal: Hallowed Be Thy Name."

The Anino was petrified the moment it heard that voice. The voice of the girl the entity already killed.

Doghm! Doghm!

"Y-You! Impossible! You're already dead! Huh?!"

The Anino finally realized it.

"Where is...?"

It looked around and saw Roselia on the side. But unlike thirteen years ago, the woman was standing and watching the Anino meet its end.

"You... You again!!" The Anino shouted angrily with a gnarly voice. "Your–!"

Doghm! Doghm!

"Graaaahh!!"

The Anino tried to get to Roselia.

DOOGHM! DOOGHM!

But the overwhelming pain and pressure stopped the entity in its tracks.

"T-This can't be...!"

DOOGHM!

The entity's lower torso has been completely swallowed by Lyrica's Hallowed Be Thy Name. The lights that spawned in its upper body and arms have also started expanding. It's only a matter of time now until the only thing that's left is the entity's head.

"I know for a fact that I'm not the right person to say this, but..."

"Keh..." The Anino faced the girl.

"... Once you arrive in hell, you better repent for your sins."

Grip!

Lyrica clenched her left fist, and the light coming from the entity grew stronger. The Anino's upper torso and its arms have been completely disintegrated. It could feel its strength being sapped away by the second. But...

"Repent? I'm not repenting sh*t!" The Anino locked its eyes at Lyrica. "I simply embraced what people wanted me to become! This is all you! That is why I will never regret my actions even in hell!"

While this is happening, Roselia went to the edge of the plateau, in the direction where Kamao, Adhan, and Hunyo got blasted away by the entity's Hate Impulse.

There she saw the three stuck in the branches of a big tree Hunyo spawned using his green, or rather nature bead he had with him.

"I shall admit defeat." The Anino declared. "But let me warn you, Himala. My defeat is only the beginning. Because from now on, things are going to be more difficult for you and this world!"

"Thank you for the kind warning, but I don't care." Lyrica boldly replied. "It doesn't matter to me how difficult and troublesome things may get. I'll overcome them and that's it."

The entity chortled. "You have no idea what's heading your way."

DOOGHM! DOOGHM! DOOGHM!

Lights appeared all around the entity's floating head.

"THEY are coming! Their arrival will bring Alteria into great turmoil! And not even the heroes will be able to help you or this wretched world against them!"

Lyrica wordlessly watched as the piercing lights slowly grow and erase what was left of the entity's face.

"I'm gonna watch you and this world burn and perish! Even if I'm defeated, I will still have the last laugh!"

After imparting its last words, the Anino finally vanished into nothingness. Soon after that, the screams reverberating from the royal castle and all around the capital also came to a full stop.

Lyrica retracted her arm and let it relax as she stared at the spot where the Anino vanished.

"Even until death, you refused to show remorse for everything you did. It's unfortunate, but I can't find an ounce of sympathy for you even if your reasons justified your actions."

[You Have Defeated The Anino!]

Seeing the holographic screen announcing the defeat of the Anino made a deep sigh escape Lyrica's lips.

[You Received 25,000 EXP!]

[Level Up!]

"This is karma. Both for you and the people who made you turn into a monster."