"Face reality. Only by fusing completely with me do you stand a glimmer of a chance of winning."

  The voice in his mind announced coldly.

  "Yes! Fusion! I haven’t failed yet! Fusion——"

  A pain as if his soul was being torn apart spread throughout Merkphis’s body.

  "Ughhh——!!!"

  After the scream, he fell silent......

  Boom——!!!

  In the next moment, a meteor shot out of the abyss.

  "Fairy Queen——!!!"

  Merkphis hovered in mid-air.

  "I am a god! I am invincible!!!"

  Hum——!

  The once-dim sacrificial ritual circle blazed with red light again.

  Countless pitch-black tentacles surged toward Merkphis in the sky, pouring an immense amount of power into him.

  Thump! Thump! Thump......

  An eerie heartbeat echoed through the air.

  Merkphis completely lost his original form, transforming into a massive, twisted mass.

  Boom——!

  A beam of light pierced the twisted mass, but countless new tentacles quickly swarmed the wound, repairing it.

  Boom! Boom! Boom......

  Semiris stared unflinchingly at the scene, her attacks never ceasing.

  At the same time, her aura continued to swell relentlessly......

  Boom——!

  A wave of pitch-black power spread out.

  The twisted flesh gradually unfolded, transforming into a giant that seemed to be an aggregate of distorted creatures.

  This was Merkphis now.

  "Fairy Queen——!!!"

  A hoarse, ear-piercing voice resounded through the sky.

  Thud——!

  The twisted giant charged toward Semiris.

  Boom! Boom! Boom......

  The two instantly engaged in a blur of combat in the air.

  "I am the god of the new world!"

  Amidst the fierce battle, Merkphis shouted as he swung countless fists.

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  "No one can stop me——!!!"

  "......A god?"

  On the opposite side, Semiris—her body surrounded by swirling lights of various elements—muttered softly.

  "All for...... such a reason!!!"

  Boom——!

  "Everyone......"

  Semiris, her power swollen to its limit, erupted with a strange wave of energy.

  Merkphis was sent flying directly by the wave.

  "What?! What kind of power is this......"

  Merkphis, barely stabilizing his form, stared at Semiris in shock.

  At this moment, Semiris seemed to be on fire—her entire body wrapped in boiling flames of pure, extreme magic.

  She slowly raised her head, her gaze like that of a true god.

  The magical flames around her gradually transformed into a phantom of divine armor.

  "Merkphis, give everyone...... back to me——!!!"

  Boom——!

  A streak of light flashed across heaven and earth.

  The earth split in two at that instant, a bottomless chasm appearing in its wake......

  "That’s——"

  Hulim stared at the scene in shock.

  Even though she had never seen it with her own eyes, she was deeply familiar with the characteristics of that magic.

  "Body and Spirit Unleashed!"

  The Sixth-Rank Ultimate Magic!

  "So...... it was Semiris who created it at this moment."

  Merkphis’s body was split in two by the attack.

  "How is this possible......"

  Even now, his eyes were filled with disbelief.

  Boom——!

  In the next moment,

  an even more powerful torrent of power struck his body.

  His form began to shatter piece by piece.

  "No——, I refuse to accept this! I am a god! The god of the new world......"

  Boom——!!!

  Amidst a devastating explosion, Merkphis vanished completely from the world.

  As he disappeared, all Calamity Beasts across the world collapsed. With their master dead, these lower subordinates followed him into oblivion......

  After some time,

  on the desolate, shattered earth, only a withered giant tree and a fairy kneeling on the ground remained.

  Her eyes were empty as she stared at the sky.

  "Winnie."

  Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  "Sylph......"

  Drip.

  A tear fell to the ground.

  "Galamand......"

  Drip.

  "Ogrum......"

  Drip.

  "Aurora......"

  "Scherfil......"

  "Avery......"

  Drip, drip......

  Tears gradually soaked the ground beneath her.

  "No...... Don’t leave Semiris alone......"

  "......"

  Hulim stood behind Semiris, raising her right hand.

  She paused just before touching her hair.

  It was already too late...... Nothing would change......

  The entire world’s scenery blurred and twisted at that moment.

  The figure of the weeping Semiris gradually faded from sight......

  Hulim returned to the initial dark space.

  She saw the original glimmer of light again. Back then, just as the seven figures were about to reach Semiris’s side, she had entered the final memory node.

  But now, she finally saw clearly.

  The seven figures had stopped behind Semiris.

  Semiris turned around, looking at the seven behind her—her eyes filled with tears.

  "Winnie, Sylph, Galamand, Ogrum, Aurora, Scherfil, Avery......"

  Winnie stretched out her right hand and gently ruffled Semiris’s hair.

  "Semiris, we have to go. You must live well on your own from now on."

  "Yeah, keep going, Semiris~!"

  "Be as strong as this lord!"

  "And remember to become a mature lady!"

  "T-That’s right...... Please don’t be sad. Live happily from now on."

  "Farewell."

  "Protect Lady Terra and this world."

  "E-Everyone......"

  Semiris sobbed uncontrollably, shaking her head frantically.

  "No...... Semiris doesn’t want this......"

  Winnie knelt down and gently comforted her.

  "It’s okay. If it’s you, Semiris, you’ll be fine~. One day, Semiris will meet other beings who cherish you......"

  "So, live well~."

  Winnie stood up and joined the others.

  Their bodies began to fade.

  "Goodbye, Semiris.

  "Our little sister......"

  The seven completely dissolved into light particles and scattered into the air.

  "No...... Please don’t...... I don’t want this......"

  "Semiris doesn’t want this——!"

  "Waaaaah——!"

  Semiris sat on the ground, crying bitterly.

  "Come back! Don’t leave Semiris alone! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave, I......"

  The light gradually faded away.

  Semiris’s figure disappeared into the depths of the memory fragments along with the light.

  Splash!

  The ground shattered at that moment.

  Hulim’s body plummeted downward into the void.

  As she fell, countless fragments displaying scenes passed her by.

  Within them,

  she saw the memories of the other six members of the Seven Sages.

  Everything from the past, the world’s secrets, understanding of magic, methods of combat......

  At this moment,

  Hulim was sublimating at an unprecedented speed......