As everyone turned to see who had fired the beam of light, their eyes widened in shock. Standing before them was none other than the Goddess of Light—the very deity worshipped by all. Myths spoke of her as the strongest among the divine, and fear spread across the heroes' faces.

Yet, amidst their terror, Kai Seung remained completely composed. His cold gaze was locked onto the goddess.

The Goddess of Light turned to her comrades, speaking calmly.

"It’s just one of them. This should be over soon. I entrust it to you."

But as she laid eyes on her allies, her expression froze.

Their bodies were annihilated—obliterated beyond recognition. As she turned, seeking the remaining ones, she found Kai standing exactly where he had been before, his piercing gaze boring into her very soul.

For the first time in her existence, she felt something foreign—fear.

She moved at the speed of light, closing the distance instantly, and delivered a crushing blow to Kai’s stomach. He barely managed to react before she fired another ray of divine light, piercing clean through his body.

Calista, Jinwoo, and Minseok gasped in horror. The Goddess of Light was beyond anything they had ever faced.

But then…

A deep, abyssal laughter echoed through the battlefield.

Kai Seung slowly lifted his head, and a creepy, unsettling smile spread across his bloodied face. His body twisted unnaturally, shadows writhing around him like living entities. His blue eyes glowed red, and a thick, smoky black aura radiated from him, distorting the very air.

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The wave of terror spread across the battlefield.

The Goddess of Light braced herself, watching as Kai glitched, disappearing from sight. Before she could react—

CRACK!

A devastating kick to the stomach sent her hurtling through the sky. Her surroundings blurred as she was launched across the battlefield in an instant. The impact sent her crashing into the moon itself, leaving behind an enormous crater.

The world stood still.

And yet, she returned.

Her divine body allowed her to heal instantly, but she was shaken. He was evolving mid-battle.

She attacked again, but before she could even think, her surroundings shifted violently.

Another devastating impact struck her—this time, sending her into an unknown location.

Kai Seung returned to his comrades, who could only stare in awe and shame. They had been nothing but a burden to him. Calista, Jinwoo, and Minseok hugged him tightly, refusing to let go.

Kai, slowly returning to himself, blinked in confusion.

“Why are you hugging me so tightly? What happened? And… where are the others?”

Before they could answer, a voice interrupted.

"Have you forgotten why you were fighting?"

Kai turned to the source and saw a cloaked figure, tossing a small object toward him.

“Squeeze it,” the figure instructed.

The Goddess of Light, now standing again, did as told. A new set of clothes materialized in her hands.

Kai smirked. "Wear them. Or do you prefer staying in such revealing, tattered clothes?"

The Goddess of Light trembled in fury.

"I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU CHERISH!"

Her divine energy surged as she lunged toward them—

But she never reached them.

A black aura engulfed Kai as he moved faster than the eye could perceive, his speed warping reality itself. In a single moment, his knee met her gut, sending her soaring across the battlefield.

She coughed up golden blood, her body breaking through buildings, mountains—entire landscapes were obliterated.

Before she could stop herself, Kai was already there. His hand wrapped around her face, his glowing red eyes staring deep into her soul.

"You claim to erase the darkness?" His voice was a chilling whisper. "Then let me teach you something."

The sky darkened completely, and a massive wave of black energy erupted from Kai. The golden light of the goddess was swallowed whole, her very existence consumed in an instant.

All that remained was ash.

Kai descended back to his comrades, his heart still pounding. He turned to Calista, and as soon as their eyes met, he remembered—

The kiss.

His face turned crimson.

"T-That… back there…"

A flood of memories filled his mind. He had never thought of her that way before. Had he truly overlooked something so obvious?

Meanwhile, in the heavens, the gods watched the battle unfold in stunned silence.

"That mortal… he can use Mana, Aura, and Ether simultaneously?" one of them whispered in disbelief.

Suddenly, a portal opened.

A deity wearing a skeletal mask and holding a scythe stepped forward.

The gods fell silent.

The God of Death had arrived.

Without a word, he gazed at the crystal that had been used to watch the battle. His voice was a chilling whisper.

"That boy… has surpassed time itself."

The gods stared in shock as he stepped forward—opening a portal to the mortal realm.