The battlefield was shrouded in a heavy silence… even the shadows of the trees seemed to retreat, as if fearing what was to come. Arthur stood at the center, holding his sacred sword Oria Lux, his gaze steady and full of confidence.
Before him was Demon, the feral warrior, breathing heavily and laughing softly, as if death itself was a thrill. To his right stood Melis, Lady of Deception, moving like a whisper, weaving lies even amidst the chaos of battle.
But Arthur? He was still. Calm. As though combat was merely a passing thought.
"Two against one? Another disappointment?" he muttered quietly, then turned his eyes to Sajibro standing behind him and said with chilling indifference:
"Well played, Sajibro... I wasn't in the mood for a sixth disappointment."
In a flash, Demon charged like a bolt of lightning, followed closely by Melis. Their movements were synchronized, their deception finely spun. But Arthur did not move. He simply raised his sword.
"I'll end this now." His voice rang across the battlefield like a bell from the heavens.
He lifted Oria Lux, and the blade shone with a pure, shadowed light. The ground began to tremble, and lines of darkened radiance cracked through the sky above. Demon and Melis felt something unknown—awe.
"The Purifier!"
With a cry, Arthur brought the sword down, unleashing a wave of dark light that roared like thunder across the land. It did not burn, but cleansed—purging every trace of Raizen's corrupt light from their bodies.
Melis screamed. Demon shielded his eyes. But the purifying shadow seeped through everything.
When the storm passed, ash-gray residue coated the earth, dissolving slowly. Demon and Melis collapsed to the ground—not wounded, but stripped of every corruption. Their bodies returned to a primal state of being.
That was the moment Arthur earned his title.
"The Purifier," Musayuki whispered from afar, watching in awe. "His attack wasn't born to kill… but to cleanse."
Demon and Melis staggered toward Sajibro, then knelt at his feet. Demon, with a fractured voice, said:
"We're sorry, Sajibro… We were deceived. We lost our way."
Melis followed with a humility never before seen:
"Purity revealed our falsehood. We were nothing but puppets… but now, we beg for forgiveness."
Sajibro stood atop the dark throne's staircase, his black cloak flowing, eyes shining with frozen power.
No pity. No anger. Just solid, cold indifference.
"Your apology is late. I'm not seeking feelings,"
"I seek results."
His gaze pierced them as he continued:
"Your return means nothing... unless you're ready to burn every weakness inside you."
He turned slowly, adding:
"Remember, I'm not the king you once knew… the Sajibro who forgave died when the seal broke."
"What rose again… is the Sajibro who judges."
The kneeling leaders fell silent. The message was clear—
The world of shadows had changed.
Regret had no place in it.
And in the final moment, Arthur stepped forward, planting his sword into the ground beside them. He looked toward Sajibro and declared:
"The purification is complete, my liege."
Without turning, Sajibro replied:
"Well done… Shadow Purifier."
End of Chapter Twenty-Three