Royal Palace — Azreal's Room

A soft chime echoed, and a glowing blue panel blinked to life. Sarah's voice came through, calm but tinged with something heavier, echoed out.

"My lord… I have something for you."

Azreal turned slowly from the window, his sharp golden eyes narrowing. "What is it?"

There was a brief silence—then her voice dropped, laced with something heavy.

"If you had to choose… the world, or Aria's life… which would it be?"

Azreal froze.

The words sliced through the air like a blade, cold and merciless. He stared into the glowing panel, not blinking.

"What's with that question all of a sudden?" His voice was steady, but tense. "What's the issue?"

Sarah didn't answer the question. Instead, her voice became firmer.

"Please answer my question first… or is it too hard for you to say?"

Azreal looked down. His shadow stretched long under the flickering light, his reflection distorted in the glass floor. He muttered to himself.

"The world… or Aria..."

"I've never asked myself that before. And now that I am… I don't know. Why am I clueless? This should be easy. Shouldn't it?"

Sarah cut in sharply, her voice now almost accusing.

"You can't decide, can you?"

Azreal stayed silent.

"As we all know," she continued, "Sin has obtained the key."

Azreal responded slowly, still caught in his thoughts.

"Yes..."

"I've figured out a way to make the key useless," Sarah said. Her voice held a strange pride.

Azreal's head lifted slightly. "Really? Nice work."

But Sarah's tone shifted again—grim, cold.

"Don't celebrate yet, Lord Azreal."

His eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A pause.

Then, her voice dropped like a guillotine.

"The only way to destroy the key… is to kill Aria."

Silence.

Time stopped. Not even the wind dared to blow.

Azreal's expression became unreadable. The light from the panel shimmered across his face, hiding the war raging within his mind.

Sarah spoke again, more urgently.

"We have no other choice, my lord. The fate of the world rests on this. We can't risk it all for one girl. Do you understand—?"

"Shut up."

The words came like thunder, venomous and loud. The entire room trembled.

Sarah gasped quietly.

"My lo—"

"Is that why you asked me that question?!" Azreal growled, his voice shaking with fury. He walked toward the window, his back to the panel.

"But my lord—"

Azreal spun around, his eyes glowing, golden flames swirling in his irises like a raging inferno.

"I SAID GET OUT!"

The panel shattered into flickering particles. The room pulsed violently. A red glow poured from Azreal's body as his aura exploded outward.

---

Outside Azreal's Room

Hulk was just arriving, his hand on the doorknob. The pressure from within hit him like a boulder. He dropped to his knees, gasping, the air thick and burning.

"What... the hell is this…?"

He forced the door open. Heat poured out like lava.

Inside, Azreal stood alone, his body literally boiling, steam hissing from his shoulders, arms, and chest. The floor beneath him cracked and blackened.

Hulk gasped, eyes wide.

"That aura… it's suffocating…"

He tried to resist it, tried to absorb the heat with his body, but it was overwhelming. His skin steamed, his throat dried instantly, and the world around him blurred.

"At this rate... I'll die..."

He collapsed to the ground.

Azreal turned slowly. His glowing crimson eyes landed on Hulk. The furious aura around him calmed for a moment, flickering like a dying flame.

"Hulk...?"

Steam hissed again. The glow faded. The room's temperature began to return to normal.

Right then, Nena burst into the room with Fredrick behind her. Nena rushed to Azreal's side, hugging him tightly.

"What happened?! I felt that energy spike!"

Azreal spoke coldly. "It's nothing. I was just... stressed."

Fredrick kneeled beside Hulk, checking his vitals.

"He's unconscious… looks like severe dehydration."

Nena turned and shouted at Azreal.

"I told you to rest! Hulk took the brunt of your outburst!"

Azreal looked down, guilt flickering across his face.

"I'm sorry… take care of him."

Without waiting, he turned and walked out.

"Wait!" Nena shouted. "What about food? You haven't eaten!"

He didn't answer.

Fredrick caught up to him, concern on his face.

"My lord! What's going on?! You look... different."

Azreal kept walking, his pace steady.

"My lord!" Fredrick called again.

Azreal stopped. He turned slightly, and his eyes flashed with ominous light.

"Shut up."

Fredrick froze as Azreal walked away in silence.

"What's happening to him…?" Fredrick whispered.

---

Second Gate of Hell — Training Grounds

BOOM.

A gust of wind blew ash across the desolate wasteland. The ground was scorched black. Aria stood before Veymar, her fists clenched.

"Attack me," he said, grinning. "Show me everything you've got."

Aria's eyes burned. Memories of Azreal danced in her mind. Her heart pounded.

Her aura flared. Fire erupted around her feet. Cat ears made of flame popped above her head, followed by two burning tails. Her eyes glowed pink, fierce and divine.

WHOOSH. She blasted forward, her fist aiming straight at Veymar's chest. It hit.

Or so she thought.

CLANG.

Her punch was blocked by an invisible wall—Veymar's shield.

She gritted her teeth. "What is this?!"

Veymar chuckled. "Impressive speed. But that's not enough. Come on, show me your true fire!"

Aria's body trembled as memories of Azreal wounded and unconscious flashed through her mind. Her eyes welled up.

"Because of me... he suffered. I need strength!"

She screamed. Her entire body erupted in light.

FWOOOM. A sphere of pink holy flames consumed her, the energy shaking the ground. Veymar took a step back, shielding his eyes.

Then—CRACK.

The shield shattered. A wave of power burst out.

Flames peeled away like burning skin, revealing Aria—transformed. Her fox form. Two burning tails swirled behind her. Her claws dripped fire, and a flaming jaw mask adorned her head.

Veymar's eyes lit up. "Now we're talking!"

A massive tail shot down at him.

BOOM! He took the hit full force. The ground exploded beneath them.

He emerged from the smoke, clothes burned, grinning wildly.

"Now it's my turn."

A scythe of black fire formed in his hands.

"You've lit a fire in me, girl. Don't disappoint me!"

He charged forward. Aria responded by launching dozens of fiery tails at him, each one twisting and curving like dragons.

He leapt over them, spinning mid-air.

SLASH.

The scythe carved through the air, cutting flames apart. He flipped again, then dove at her.

Aria's tails wrapped into a typhoon of flame, chasing him through the sky.

Veymar laughed. "Beautiful!"

He raised his scythe and dropped down.

BOOOOM!

A wave of explosive fire tore the ground apart.

He landed, panting lightly.

"Are you—"

A massive tail blindsided him.

CRASH. He flew back, clothes in tatters.

The fox screamed. A gust of wind exploded outward. Her energy pulsed like a heart, two more tails sprouting from her back.

"Six tails?!" Veymar yelled, grinning. "You're full of surprises!"

He dashed again—this time splitting into five clones.

The fox launched flaming tails. One by one, the clones were wiped out.

"Too slow," he whispered, appearing above her.

He lifted his scythe and brought it down.

FWOOOSH.

Flames burst from the fox's mouth, forming a massive pink fire beam.

KAAAH!

The beam crashed into Veymar, blasting him into the sky. Smoke and fire followed.

He fell, scythe barely holding up. His armor burned. He landed hard.

Breathing heavy, he chuckled.

"Guess I have to use it after all..."

His aura surged. The scythe in his hand shattered—reforming as something massive.

A long, demonic black scythe with glowing purple veins.

"Soul Weapon — Noctis Reaver."

The sky darkened.

"Let's end this. One swing."

Tails shot at him.

SLASH.

He cut them clean.

He leapt forward, raising the weapon high.

"Eclipse Severance!"

KRAAAAAASH!

A giant crescent slash tore through the entire battlefield—splitting the land, the air, and the flame in half. An explosion followed, dust rising to the heavens.

When the smoke cleared… the fox was gone.

Aria lay unconscious, her body back to normal.

Veymar walked over, lifting her gently.

He smiled. "Thanks for the warm-up."

---

Final Gate of Hell — Lava Lake

Azreal walked alone, silent.

Boiling lava crashed around him. He stepped into it without hesitation.

HISSSSS.

Steam exploded around him, covering everything.

His golden eyes glowed. The lava hissed louder.

---

Val'Karas — The Crimson Room

An explosion ripped through a dark hall, blowing walls apart.

Y'tharion stood still in the smoke, eyes glowing red.

He raised a single hand.

"It's time."

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