Jade stood there—battered, broken, and drenched in blood. His ribs were shattered, his fingers half gone, yet a psychotic smile still stretched across his face.
Upon hearing Alter Jade's words, he chuckled through the blood in his throat.
"I was already thinking about doing that… you fake."
Alter Jade's grin widened—mad, twisted, and eager. Both of them began walking toward each other, step by step, two reflections on a collision course. Neither spoke. The silence was louder than any scream.
Then—
CLANK!
In a blur, Alter Jade flicked his katana free with his thumb. Before the scabbard could hit the floor, he kicked it—launching it with such force that the air cracked and the marble beneath fractured in a trail of craters.
Jade's eyes flickered. Dodging was impossible; his body was too damaged. So he met the attack head-on.
He took a stance, exhaled—then swung.
CLANG!!
The scabbard split cleanly in two.
"Whoa… such a sharp blade," Jade muttered, half-surprised, half-thrilled.
But before he could recover—
A hand gripped his hair.
"Let's go for a ride," Alter Jade said, grinning like a demon.
BOOM!
Jade's skull cracked against the marble as Alter Jade dragged him across the floor, leaving a smear of blood and debris in his wake. Then, with inhuman strength, Alter Jade hurled him into the air, leaving him vulnerable—no guard, no balance.
Alter Jade raised his sword. "Die."
He slashed through the air, sending an X-shaped wave of golden light screaming toward Jade.
Still midair, Jade clenched his teeth. There was no way to dodge properly in this position. His body was beyond limits, but his will refused to break.
"I don't care if I break my body… I don't care if I lose my mind…"
He exhaled, left arm steady on his blade.
"…I'll do whatever it takes to defeat you."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"OBLITERATE."
A crimson crescent of lightning erupted from his blade, sharper and faster than before. It collided with Alter Jade's attack—
BOOOOM!
The explosion rocked the throne room. Shards of stone and light filled the air. Jade crashed to the ground with a heavy THUD, coughing blood, lungs burning.
Before he could move—something seized his leg.
Alter Jade was already there, grinning. "Don't tell me you're done already."
With monstrous strength, he swung Jade like a rag doll, slamming him into the ground again and again until the marble cracked beneath the impact. Then he lifted Jade by the throat, his smile cruel and proud.
"Look at you," he said softly. "Pathetic. You thought you could face me with that little strength? I'll admit—you surprised me for a moment. But if this is all you've got, your journey ends here."
Jade wheezed—but then, to Alter Jade's surprise, he began laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Alter Jade's grin faltered. "What the hell are you laughing at?"
Jade spat blood onto the cracked floor, a manic grin splitting his face.
"I get it now… I finally get it."
He raised his gaze, eyes wild but clear.
"All this time, I've been trying to kill my fear. How stupid can I be?"
He spread his arms wide—an open invitation to strike.
"You… you're my worst fear. You're the voice that whispers, what if I fail. You're the doubt that says, it's not worth it. And I've been trying to destroy a piece of myself."
His laughter stopped. His expression became eerily calm.
"You can't kill a shadow. But you can step on it. You can't own it. But you can make it follow you."
He took a step forward, aura flaring.
"So that's what I'll do. I'm not going to destroy you… I'm going to absorb you."
His voice deepened.
"Your power, your arrogance, your perfection… it's all mine. You don't rule me anymore—you serve me."
A new energy began to swirl around him. Not chaotic like Obliterate, but calm, absolute, divine.
"I'm not afraid of the void anymore… because I'll fill it with my will. My purpose."
His gaze locked onto Alter Jade.
"You are not my fear. You are my fuel. Now—come be consumed."
The throne room began to tremble. Reality warped; the air shimmered as Alter Jade started fading away, his form dissolving into golden essence.
Alter Jade laughed softly. "You finally understood your purpose." He smiled—not cruel, but proud. "Hey… you were a valuable opponent. I can't wait to see what we become."
His body vanished, his golden energy flowing into Jade's chest.
Jade fell to his knees as warmth surged through him. His wounds closed, his fingers regrew, his breath steadied. Power flooded his veins.
He stood and walked toward the throne at the end of the hall. Its ominous presence stared back at him.
A chaotic smile crept across his face.
He sat down slowly—like a king claiming what was always his.
"Alter Jade… you were also a valuable opponent."
{You have successfully defeated your worst fear.}
{Body Reconstruction will begin in 3s… 2s…}
"Wait—body reconstruction?"
Pain exploded through him. His heart seized; his body convulsed violently. He fell from the throne, clutching his chest as every nerve screamed.
"What… what the hell is happening to me?"
His vision blurred. The world dimmed. The last thing he saw was the throne dissolving into darkness.
And then—
nothing.