The boy and Veroth continued their battle amidst the chaos.
Dragon warriors surrounded them.
The two fought through them without hesitation.
Blood stained the air.
Bodies littered the shattered ground.
Veroth suddenly dashed toward the boy, swinging his leg forward for a devastating kick.
The boy reacted instantly.
He caught Veroth’s leg with one hand and seized his neck with the other.
With a violent motion, he hurled Veroth away.
Veroth went tumbling through the air.
Then—
SHNK!
A jagged sword suddenly pierced through his chest, pinning him against the ground.
The boy retrieved the sword.
His grip tightened around the hilt.
Then he sprinted toward Veroth.
But before he could reach him, the boy glanced upward.
The Dragon of Old raised one enormous claw.
The sky split apart.
A gigantic sword descended from above and stabbed into the ground between the boy and Veroth.
The impact shook the battlefield.
Veroth looked up at the enormous weapon.
His expression twisted with fury.
“I’m gonna fucking kill you, stupid dragon!”
Veroth jumped onto the gigantic sword.
He began climbing the enormous blade.
The boy followed.
His eyes burned with murderous intent.
Suddenly—
The great sword was ripped from the ground.
It rotated horizontally, sending both fighters scrambling to maintain their footing.
Veroth looked across the massive blade.
The boy stared back.
Neither spoke.
Then they charged.
Veroth sprinted toward him.
The boy matched his speed.
The two collided.
Veroth tackled the boy to the ground and immediately began throwing punch after punch.
The boy narrowly dodged one strike.
He seized Veroth by the neck.
Then—
BOOM!
He drove a powerful punch into Veroth’s face.
The enormous sword began tilting further.
And further.
Until gravity finally won.
The two fighters were thrown from the blade.
They plummeted toward the ground while continuing to exchange blows.
The boy managed to gain the upper hand.
As they fell at terrifying speed, he twisted Veroth beneath him.
Then he used Veroth’s body as a shield.
BOOM!
They slammed into the jagged ground.
The impact shook the battlefield.
The boy wasn’t finished.
He grabbed Veroth and repeatedly slammed his head against the jagged spikes protruding from the ground.
Veroth’s spirit energy suddenly erupted.
Madness surged through his body.
A violent burst of energy sent the boy staggering backward.
Veroth slowly rose.
He looked at the boy.
Despite his injuries, he smiled.
“Before you die…”
He wiped blood from his mouth.
“I just want to thank you.”
His smile widened.
“You’ve done what even a demigod himself couldn’t do for me.”
The battle continued.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every punch created a shockwave.
Every collision tore apart the surrounding landscape.
The fight was becoming desperate.
And then the boy felt it.
That same feeling.
The same feeling he had experienced within the Abyss.
Desperate survival.
Veroth suddenly kicked the boy directly in the chest.
CRACK!
A rib fractured.
Before the boy could recover, Veroth followed with an uppercut.
The boy was launched into the air.
He immediately summoned his jagged sword.
With all his strength, he hurled it downward.
The blade descended toward Veroth.
The boy landed.
Then immediately dashed forward.
Veroth caught the sword.
He ripped it out of his stomach.
Blood poured from the wound.
Yet he continued moving.
He charged toward the boy.
The two threw their fists simultaneously.
Their attacks collided.
BOOM!
A massive shockwave rippled through the air.
The boy gained the upper hand once again.
He tackled Veroth to the ground.
He gritted his teeth.
Spirit energy surged into his fists.
Then he unleashed a barrage.
Punch after punch slammed into Veroth’s face.
Every strike carried lethal intent.
But before he could throw another—
The Dragon of Old opened its mouth.
A terrifying frost suddenly swept across the battlefield.
The temperature plummeted.
Both the boy and Veroth were caught within it.
The boy immediately jumped backward.
He gritted his teeth.
“Damnit!”
He glared toward the ancient dragon.
“Why won’t you fuck off already?!”
Far away, the white-haired youth watched the battle.
He sighed.
“Alright, dragon…”
His eyes narrowed.
“Let’s leave them alone.”
Immediately after—
Something enormous erupted from beneath the ground.
A terrifying dragon made entirely of flesh and organs emerged from the earth.
Its gigantic jaws opened.
It lunged forward.
CRUNCH!
The flesh dragon clamped its jaws around the neck of the Dragon of Old.
A tremendous shockwave swept across the realm.
The boy and Veroth were both thrown away by the impact.
Somewhere in the First Dragon Realm
Vinhor sat atop a gigantic corrupted cyclops.
He sighed.
Then he plunged his hand into his own chest.
He reached inside and pulled out a bronze key.
He stared at it for a moment.
Then chuckled.
“Alright, Lady Nova…”
His eyes narrowed.
“It’s up to you now.”
The boy stood over Veroth.
Both were battered and bruised.
The boy placed both hands around Veroth’s neck.
Veroth gritted his teeth.
“Come on.”
He looked up at him.
“Do it.”
The boy stared down at him.
Then slowly released his grip.
“Move on.”
Veroth coughed violently.
Blood escaped his mouth.
“We’ll meet again, boy.”
He coughed again.
“I promise you.”
The boy turned away.
He began walking.
Then stopped.
A thought crossed his mind.
A faint chuckle escaped him.
He turned around.
He walked back toward Veroth.
The boy placed one foot against Veroth’s face.
His voice became low.
“This cycle between us ends here.”
He pressed down.
“I must continue to live…”
His expression hardened.
“…and represent my ancestors.”
His foot pressed harder.
And then—
The last survivor of humanity ended the cycle.
The boy slowly looked toward the gray sky.
Rain began falling.
But these weren’t ordinary drops.
They were black.
The boy narrowed his eyes.
“Corruption…”
Meanwhile
Lady Nova stood face-to-face with the white-haired youth.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
She plunged her hand into her own chest.
Then pulled out a bronze key.
Two bronze keys immediately flew through the distance.
At the same time—
Multiple collective authorities descended upon the First Dragon Realm.
The white-haired youth looked toward the sky.
He could feel it.
The Dragons of Old were gathering within the Third Dragon Realm.
He chuckled.
“That’s interesting.”
His eyes returned to Lady Nova.
“You’re placing your puny little trust in that human.”
He tilted his head.
“Why?”
Lady Nova remained silent.
Then she finally answered.
“The smallest crumb…”
Her eyes narrowed.
“…can devour us all if given enough time.”
The white-haired youth sighed.
“Such troublesome creatures.”
Purple, flesh-like wings suddenly erupted from his back.
A third bloodshot eye opened in the center of his forehead.
Darkness slowly began swallowing everything around them.
The Final Departure
The boy continued walking.
Black drops of corruption struck his body and traveled down his skin.
His expression was empty.
For the moment, he seemed completely devoid of emotion.
Then—
A few meters ahead of him—
Three bronze keys appeared.
The boy stopped.
A faint smile formed on his face.
“Finally.”
The three keys floated toward one another.
They collided.
A burst of energy erupted.
The keys merged together, forming a larger bronze key.
The boy reached out and grabbed it.
He turned around.
For the final time, he looked toward the Dragon Realm.
Black stains began appearing across reality.
They spread.
Growing larger.
Larger.
Until everything was swallowed by darkness.
Two crimson moons rose in the distance.
Their eerie light illuminated the darkness.
Yet the boy felt no despair.
Because that despair…
Wasn’t meant for him.
The boy chuckled.
“So…”
He looked toward the crimson moons.
“Looks like he has arrived too.”
And with that—
The boy vanished.
He left the Dragon Realm behind.