Clones

The battlefield was momentarily silent after Toron snapped his fingers. In a split second, every devil collapsed, their forms disintegrating into ash. The gods stood frozen, their weapons lowered, staring in disbelief at the battlefield littered with vanishing remains.

Toron smirked, brushing his hands together. "So fragile. Pathetic devils."

But then, something felt off. The air grew heavy, and the ashes on the ground swirled unnaturally, reforming into spectral shapes before dissipating. Toron's eyes narrowed as he muttered, "Clones…?"

Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted in the nearby town, sending a shockwave that shook the ground beneath them. Screams echoed in the distance, followed by the crackling of flames.

Elesta's heart sank. "They've distracted us! The devils are attacking our people!" she shouted, gripping her sword tightly.

The Celestial King cursed under his breath. "The devils have grown more cunning and powerful. Even we cannot tell the difference between clones and their real forms. We must move quickly to protect our people. Let's go! Save them at all costs!"

The gods surged forward, but Toron stood rooted to the spot, his face twisted in disdain.

"Wasting our time on these insignificant lives," Toron muttered, his fists clenching. His aura flared, the air around him distorting. "While you run to save them, I'll do what actually matters—I'll face the Dark Devil myself." Without waiting for a response, he leapt into the air, disappearing in the direction of the Gate of Darkness.

The remaining gods split into groups, each captain leading a charge in a different direction to trap the devils. Fires raged in the distance as the troop spread out, determined to protect the innocent and fight back the infernal threat.

In another part of the battlefield, Lucifer stood, a smirk on his face as Elesta approached.

"Well, well," he said, his voice smooth and mocking. "It's been a long time, Elesta. Glad to see you again."

Elesta stopped a few paces away, her gaze piercing. "You were a good person once, Alex," she said, her tone tinged with both sorrow and disappointment.

Lucifer's smirk twisted into a sneer. "My name is Lucifer. Alex is dead—long gone."

"Is that so?" Elesta replied, her grip tightening on her sword. "Then I'll grieve for Alex another day. Right now, I'll deal with Lucifer."

She released a wave of her aura, the flames around her sword roaring to life. The ground beneath her cracked as her power surged, and she lunged forward, her blade glowing with divine light.

But before her strike could land, the world around her warped. The colors of the battlefield shifted, blending into an eerie, surreal landscape. The skies turned crimson, the ground dissolving into a sea of shadows.

Lucifer laughed, his voice echoing ominously. "Welcome to my fake reality. No matter how strong you are, you won't break it this time. I've been blessed by the Dark Devil himself."

Elesta swung her sword, releasing a torrent of holy fire, but the flames dissipated into nothingness, leaving her visibly shocked. She tried again, summoning divine energy to shatter the illusion, but the reality remained intact.

Lucifer's laughter grew louder. "You see, Elesta, I'm not the weak fool you once knew. I've transcended. This realm is my domain now." He raised his scythe, the weapon radiating malevolent energy. "Let's see if you're as entertaining to kill as you are to talk to."

Elesta's eyes narrowed, her determination unwavering despite the odds. "You may have grown stronger, Lucifer, but strength without purpose is just destruction. And I will stop you."

The two clashed, elesta's weapons sparking as they collided. Each strike from Elesta sent shockwaves through the fake reality, while Lucifer's scythe moved with deadly precision, countering her every move.

The clash between Elesta and Lucifer grew more intense, their energies colliding with devastating force. Lucifer's smirk was unwavering as he taunted her.

"You'll never surpass me, Elesta," he sneered. "Not now, not ever."

Elesta's grip on her weapon tightened, her eyes burning with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "I heard Alex was dead," she said, her voice cutting through the tension.

Lucifer's expression darkened, his teeth grinding audibly. "Don't say that name!" he roared, his aura flaring with dark energy.

Their weapons met again, sparks flying as Elesta's divine blade clashed with the force of Lucifer's dark energy. Despite his fury, Elesta maintained her composure, her movements precise and deliberate.

"You talk too much, Lucifer," Elesta said, parrying a blow and stepping forward with a swift strike. Her blade moved like lightning, slicing cleanly through the air and connecting with Lucifer's neck.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Lucifer's eyes widened in disbelief as his head separated from his body. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Elesta stood over him, her blade glowing with divine light. "You're weak, Lucifer," she said coldly, her voice echoing through the warped reality.

But then, the environment began to shift. The vibrant hues of the fake reality darkened to a deep, eerie blue. The air grew heavy, and a cold rain began to fall.

A voice echoed all around her, deep and mocking. "This isn't reality, Elesta. You can't kill me here."

Elesta's eyes narrowed as she scanned the shifting surroundings. "A fake reality, huh?" she said, her tone laced with defiance. "Then let's see how much you can control it."

The rain intensified, and shadows danced in the dark blue haze. Lucifer's form reappeared, standing tall and untouched, his laughter reverberating through the altered space.

"You're trapped here, Elesta," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Your blade is useless in my world."

Elesta smirked, her determination unwavering. "If this is your world, then I'll tear it apart."

She raised her sword, its light cutting through the gloom, and launched herself at Lucifer once more. Each strike of her blade sent ripples through the fake reality, and with each ripple, the illusion flickered.

Lucifer's confident demeanor began to falter as cracks appeared in the environment. "Impossible," he muttered, his voice losing its edge.

Elesta's strikes grew fiercer, her resolve unshakable. "You may have created this world," she said, her blade slicing through the shadows, "but it's nothing compared to the truth."

As the battle raged on, the fake reality trembled, threatening to collapse under the weight of Elesta's divine power.