The Ex-Machina units chose to stay by Ren's side, helping him set up devices to redirect attacks, while Ren taught them to think for themselves instead of relying solely on data.
Once everything was in place, they needed to lure the battle to a specific coordinate. Ren arrived at the location, confident the enemy would come.
Riku and Schwi arrived and were shocked to see the Ex-Machina units standing beside Ren.
"This unit is Üc207Pr4f57t9." Schwi revealed her Ex-Machina code. As a Ghost, she couldn't expose her real name.
"Prüfer, you once questioned whether Ex-Machina units have a heart. What is a heart?" Einzig immediately accessed her information through the Ex-Machina code.
"Heart…" Schwi fell silent, unwilling to share her data with the other Ex-Machina units.
"Einzig, a heart isn't understood through data sharing, but through your own comprehension and analysis." Ren intervened.
"Focus all attacks on this point." Riku pointed to the position on the map where they stood.
"Question: The Dwarves, Elves, and Flügel races make the chance of the Suniaster appearing only 36%. Even so, shall we proceed?" Einzig asked, confused.
"It's already high enough." Riku smiled.
"I will make the Suniaster appear." Ren said with unwavering determination.
"You…" Riku looked at Ren, seeing the firm belief in his eyes, then said, "Alright. Swear to the Covenant. Don't die."
"Don't worry. No one will die." Ren waved and then turned to leave, knowing the last step required action.
The tension steadily rose. Both the Dwarves and Elves began preparing for the final war, while the Flügels received the God of War's command to face the battle and crush the wisdom of the weak with the strength of the strong.
Not far from the battlefield, Ren was lifted into the air by the Ex-Machina units, whose goal was to replicate attacks and construct defensive walls, ensuring no attack went off target.
"Ghost, when this war is over, the previous promise will be fulfilled. At that time, please tell us… what is a heart?" Einzig spoke calmly, despite the desperate situation where even a small mistake could be fatal.
Ren didn't speak. He only looked toward the three sides not far away.
They still had some distance to the target, and the black ash grew even denser.
Tsunamis, raging winds, and earthquakes signaled how much destruction this war would bring.
E-Bomb and the Void Zero Protection targeted the sky, aiming at the Flügels above.
The Flügels didn't hesitate. They unleashed all their power in a single Godly Smite.
This one strike managed to block both E-Bomb and the Void Zero Protection.
"Einzig, all Ex-Machina Units, prepare. Analyze the attack, replicate it, release at maximum power, then use Accelerator to leave here!" Ren shouted.
Even speaking here forced him to inhale large amounts of black ash, and his self-made mask could no longer stop it.
"All Ex-Machina Units, prepare," Einzig merely signaled, and the units began analyzing.
The attacks from the three sides were quickly redirected by the pre-set traps, aiming for one location, though slightly off-course.
At that moment, the Ex-Machina Units' attacks also launched. Nearly ten thousand Ex-Machinas focused their fire, enough to kill even Old Deus.
Their attack corrected the misaligned attacks, bringing everything back on track.
"Born and raised weaklings, you have proven yourselves. Perhaps my opponents are the weak ones like you."
In that instant, a thousand thunderclaps surged.
The divine sound struck fear into the Dwarves and Elves present, while the Flügels looked up at the sky—their creator.
"What are you still doing? Use Accelerator and leave now!" Ren tore off his mask, fearing his voice wasn't loud enough.
He inhaled a lethal amount of black ash in the process.
"But the war isn't over. The probability of the Suniaster appearing is only fifty-three percent," Einzig said calmly.
"That doesn't concern you anymore," Ren shouted, watching the attack draw closer.
"Ex-Machina Units are just tools. They will fulfill the contract. Do not fear their death. Tools are not life. This does not violate the pact," Einzig replied.
The other Ex-Machina Units also seemed ready to die without hesitation.
"Einzig, in that game, I haven't told you my second demand yet," Ren said.
His clothes had burned away, revealing skin corroded by black ash.
At that moment, Einzig realized the truth: the Ghost had always been human.
A human born and raised in this world, untouched by any god.
"This is the final order. Use Accelerator to leave here." Ren gave the command.
The Ex-Machina units were extremely obedient. A spatial tunnel had already appeared behind them.
"What is a heart?" Einzig asked the last question.
"A heart is what you truly want to do, something you're willing to give everything for."
"I don't understand." Einzig looked at Ren. The other Ex-Machina had already entered the spatial tunnel, leaving only Einzig behind.
"Your actions just now proved that you have a heart. Otherwise, why would you betray our agreement and disobey the final order?" Ren turned to look at the dark clouds in the sky.
He needed to force the opponent to use their strongest attack. The chance for Suniaster to appear had to come.
At this moment, he was deeply thankful that he had the fused power.
To end the war without sacrificing everyone and rely only on wisdom—otherwise, the Ex-Machina would have died one after another, just like in the original story, deceiving themselves as the only justification.
"Einzig, this is the last time I'll give you an order. You've finally found the threshold of the heart. Leave now, and go find the meaning of a heart." Ren drew the blade made for him by the Ex-Machina. Holding it, he felt as if he could split the sky itself.
"Human, can you tell me your name? Not something like 'Ghost'." Einzig's voice was pleading.
"Ren. Just call me Ren."
With Einzig's departure, Ren finally exhaled in relief.
"Jibril, meeting you has been the worst luck of eight lifetimes. I actually became the first of my selves to die. What an embarrassment." Ren raised his blade. His hair and clothes were burnt away, and his skin badly scorched, but he had no regrets.
"Your power is not strong, and your body cannot endure. Is this the sorrow of the weak?" God of War Artosh spoke with doubt for the first time.
"Sorry. This game did not give you satisfaction." Ren closed his eyes and struck with everything left in him. The slash made his skin sag and destroyed his body completely.
The rules of ability sharing allowed him to grow stronger in ways rational to his own world. In this world, he could not escape the limits of being human.
Using a power not meant for this world and beyond his body's endurance caused his body to collapse.
"You have proven yourselves to me. I will use all my strength to defeat you." God of War Artosh unleashed his strongest attack.
"This should be enough. Suniaster will appear, for sure." Ren did not resist. He calmly accepted his death.
He already knew the God of War would fight back with immense power. If he could cross over again, he wanted to go to the peaceful future game world.
As God of War Artosh's attack exceeded the limit, all assaults began to vanish. The Spirit Corridor dissipated. Suniaster appeared before Riku. In the end, Riku still told a lie, allowing Schwi to live.
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