The Afterglow Swarm King had been successfully defeated, its supernova brilliance reflected clearly in everyone's eyes.
Yet within that radiant sea of supernova light, Titania wore a deep frown.
"What's going on? Why hasn't that guy flown back yet?"
She'd clearly seen Sora being hurled outward by the blast, but due to the turbulent energy tides unleashed by the Afterglow Swarm King's final moments, she couldn't reach out to intercept him.
Still, by this point, even that dragon—who earlier kept sniffing at her—had vanished.
No matter how delayed, surely Sora should've returned by now.
But no matter how she searched, Titania couldn't find any trace of Sora or Dragreder.
Has something gone wrong?
A faint unease crept into Titania's heart. After some thought, she decided to seek out Sora's current location.
If the reason for Sora's delay was his own incompetence, then she'd mock him mercilessly.
But if there was another reason, then she…
"What—what the hell is this?!"
As Titania arrived at the battlefield, she was utterly stunned by the devastation before her eyes.
The area was absolute chaos, filled with countless flying fragments of shattered stone. Even the bravest spaceship pilots would hesitate upon witnessing such debris.
The reason for these rocks became clear when she glanced around.
Nearby planets were no longer spherical, each damaged in its own unique way.
One planet had lost nearly a third of its mass, while another displayed a deep, elongated crater…
The fierce battle had torn these planets apart, drastically increasing the asteroid count in this region.
Yet even amid this chaos, the battle continued fiercely.
Six blazing red meteors darted frantically among the rocks, occasionally hurling fireballs at the relentless shadows pursuing them.
Needless to say, those meteors were Sora and his remaining clones, desperately evading Starcrusher Swarm King's duplicates.
Originally numbering nine, three clones had already been cut down, leaving only six to barely hold the line.
Even so, Sora felt his pressure to survive had been stretched to its absolute limit.
At this point, Starcrusher Swarm King was basically like Sun Wukong's golden staff—one solid strike meant instant annihilation.
It wasn't an exaggeration at all; Starcrusher's hardened body combined with Diabolical Swarm King's speed meant it could easily shatter entire planets just by collision alone.
Not to mention, it wielded forelimbs far deadlier and sharper than Diabolical's.
One touch from Starcrusher would bring unimaginable consequences!
Therefore, Sora's concentration was pushed to the absolute maximum, continually searching for even the smallest opening.
But if you were to ask if he'd found one…
Then Sora would only respond with silence…
I haven't found a single damn opening! Sora's heart was incredibly heavy.
He narrowly evaded another strike from Starcrusher Swarm King, helplessly watching as it instantly pivoted and continued the chase.
Yes, you're right—this is exactly what Sora was currently dealing with:
A body capable of casually crushing planets without injury, a weapon capable of slicing his clones neatly in half, incredible speed combined with perfect 360-degree mobility, and even the ability to create duplicates—duplicates that not only inherited all the original's traits but could also wield illusions! Add to that its absurdly impenetrable defense and it was just—it was just, AAAHHHHHH!!!
At that moment, Sora finally understood what the player who famously quoted the Bible must've felt.
Facing an assassin with the durability of a tank was impossible no matter where you encountered it!
"At this rate, I probably won't last much longer…"
Sora easily came to this conclusion.
His body, completely exhausted from earlier battles without rest, could no longer sustain intense concentration over extended periods.
His three previous clones had already been sliced apart due to momentary lapses.
As the battle dragged on, his mental state deteriorated even further.
If this continued, he would likely die here.
My death isn't the biggest issue… the real problem is…
Those refugees probably wouldn't be able to escape.
At this moment, Sora's greatest worry was precisely that.
Starcrusher Swarm King could easily catch up to the temporary encampment. Given the ruthless declaration it made earlier—about exterminating every planet and every lifeform nearby—Sora fully believed it would follow through.
Considering its current speed, the entire encampment would likely be wiped out in less than half a minute.
Everyone who'd barely survived the previous swarm disaster would end up annihilated by Starcrusher Swarm King anyway.
This was absolutely not something Sora wanted to see happen.
Thus, he had to desperately drag out this battle, doing everything he could to let the refugee camp get farther away… just a little bit farther…
"You idiot, watch out!"
A sudden voice snapped Sora back to reality. He immediately saw the razor-sharp forelimb sweeping directly toward him.
I'm the original body! If I get sliced, the remaining clones will all collapse!
Damn it—he'd lost focus again!
Sora hastily twisted his body, attempting to evade.
Unfortunately, it was already too late. Starcrusher's duplicate may have been slower than the original, but at this close range, it was still beyond Sora's ability to dodge.
He watched helplessly as the blade neared his waist—if this strike landed, he'd instantly become two halves of a Sora!
Yet right at that moment, countless crystals abruptly formed, forcefully blocking the strike!
It was Titania! Upon seeing Sora in danger, she'd quickly used her power to shield him.
CLANG—!!
Even though the attack was blocked, the tremendous force still slammed into Sora, sending him hurtling backward like a fired cannonball.
Crashing through countless rocks and kicking up enormous dust clouds, he finally came to a violent halt embedded in a planetary fragment.
"Gah—!"
The impact's force surged violently within him, causing Sora to cough up blood involuntarily.
If only there had been a sun nearby, Sora might've relied on its energy to slowly heal.
But this place lacked even the faintest sunlight. All that remained was the distant afterglow of the supernova left by Afterglow Swarm King's death.
At the same time, cracks appeared along the attacking forelimb of Starcrusher's duplicate.
[This is…Crystal Pincer Blades?] Starcrusher Swarm King sensed something familiar.
Wasn't this the very same crystal pincers it often used against its enemies?
If someone else could use this, that meant…
Starcrusher Swarm King and its duplicates simultaneously turned their gazes toward Titania.
Could this weakling really be the newborn AEON of Propagation?
Sensing the hostile gazes, Titania involuntarily shivered slightly.
"What are you looking at? Never seen the splendor of an AEON before?"
Though Titania felt increasingly uneasy, she still straightened her posture confidently.
[Why are you so weak?] This was something Starcrusher Swarm King couldn't understand.
Why was the newborn AEON of Propagation so frail?
Why was it this weak?
A brief silence fell over the battlefield.
"You—what the hell did you just say?!" Titania's eyebrows shot upward angrily, ready to retort instantly.
But just then, a sudden kick landed squarely on her backside from behind!
She fell forward uncontrollably, narrowly dodging a deadly flash of light that sliced through the space she'd just occupied.
?!
Titania whipped around, instantly seeing Sora sliced cleanly in half.
Her eyes widened involuntarily, only to realize a moment later that Sora had shattered into fragments of mirror shards, vanishing instantly.
[Hmph, didn't land a killing blow?] Starcrusher Swarm King growled in annoyance.
As soon as Titania appeared, its primary target had shifted from Sora directly onto her.
Thus, it had revealed astonishing cunning, seizing the opportunity for a sneak attack.
Yet unexpectedly, Sora had emerged right then to interfere.
Before Titania could even process this, a reflection of the starry sky engulfed her, pulling her swiftly into the [Mirror World].
Upon entering the [Mirror World], Sora finally had a brief moment to catch his breath.
"Hah…hahh…" Heavy breaths escaped him as he momentarily suppressed the damage wracking his body.
"Hey, hey, hey! You okay? You look like you could drop dead at any second," Titania spoke carelessly as ever, earning a weary sideways glance from Sora.
If you don't know what to say, better to keep quiet—no need to play smart at a time like this.
"Relax. After some sunshine, I'll be good as new."
Once he stabilized himself, Sora quickly filled Titania in on the situation, outlining their current predicament and brainstorming ways to deal with Starcrusher Swarm King.
"You're the only one who can breach its defense," Sora stated plainly, recalling clearly how Titania's crystals had shattered the Emanator's forelimb.
In other words, the crystals Titania conjured were capable of harming Starcrusher.
Thus, at this moment, she was crucial for defeating it.
"I'll need your help very soon."
Realizing this was no time for jokes, Titania nodded seriously. "I got it."
Then Sora quickly explained a plan he'd just conceived. Hearing it, Titania's eyes widened with disbelief.
"Wait, wait, wait—this joke of yours isn't funny at all!"
Such a reckless plan—just what kind of insane mind did Sora have?
"Don't worry. Even if something happens to you, I'll be fine."
"You—!" Titania clenched her teeth tightly, suppressing a surge of emotions before reluctantly asking, "Are you confident it'll work?"
"For the first time, around seventy percent. But if we have to try again, absolutely not…"
"I mean confident you'll survive!"
Sora paused briefly, then smiled faintly. "Survival guaranteed."
...
The battlefield where Sora and Starcrusher Swarm King had clashed now lay eerily silent.
A long time passed before Starcrusher finally released its camouflage, slowly emerging in this starfield.
[Escaped? Rather than hiding, he actually fled?] It assumed Sora had hidden somewhere, and thus had waited patiently in ambush.
But after so long, its opponent hadn't appeared…
Could he truly have run away?
As Starcrusher pondered this, its senses suddenly alerted it to a mirrored fragment of starry space appearing in the void ahead.
Exactly the same scene as when Sora vanished earlier!
Sure enough, as Starcrusher predicted, Sora quickly darted out from within.
[So you were hiding after all. Unfortunately, you encountered me!] Starcrusher swiftly chased after the rapidly fleeing figure in space.
[Hand over the newborn AEON, and I'll give you a quick death.] Its primary goal had never wavered.
"If death awaits either way, why would I—" Before Sora could even finish speaking, a sudden flash of light sliced straight through him, cutting him neatly in two.
[Then there's no reason for you to remain alive, either.] Starcrusher had no patience to argue with insects. If Sora wouldn't yield, then Starcrusher would search itself.
Sliced in half, Sora's expression was frozen in shock, as if unable to believe that Starcrusher had attacked without hesitation.
But soon, the corner of his lips curled into a faint smile. His body rapidly cracked, countless mirror-like fractures spreading across his skin.
In the next instant, his form shattered, scattering countless tiny objects into space.
Starcrusher stared suspiciously at these tiny glinting objects.
Reflecting faintly in space, they looked like miniature mirrors.
But moments later, these mirrors rapidly expanded, joining seamlessly together to form an enormous mirror.
Sora had placed all the compressed mirrors he'd been carrying into this final gamble—after all, with Titania around, such items could be replenished later.
[What is this?] Sensing danger, Starcrusher immediately attempted to flee.
Yet, at that moment, reflected clearly in the mirror's surface, Titania's figure appeared in the reflected starlight.
Titania extended her arms, gathering something unseen.
Starcrusher hesitated for just an instant—not because of Titania, but because a blazing red figure suddenly charged from nearby!
"ROARRRR!!!"
With Dragreder's furious roar, it pushed a pitch-black sphere directly toward Starcrusher!
Titania had created a channel within the [Mirror World], enabling Dragreder's surprise assault!
[You think this can ambush me?!]
Dragreder was incredibly fast, yet Starcrusher was even faster!
It spun rapidly, mantis-like forelimbs slashing ruthlessly, instantly slicing through the pitch-black sphere Dragreder pushed forward.
Its blades effortlessly cleaved the outer shell, encountering no resistance, as if the sphere itself were hollow.
But suddenly, dazzling brilliance erupted directly into Starcrusher's face!
[This is…?!]
BOOM—!
Long-contained stellar energies surged violently outward the instant the outer shell shattered!
This black sphere was precisely the star that the Afterglow Swarm King had pushed here earlier!
Sora had hidden it within the [Mirror World] and now brought it out specifically to face Starcrusher.
The raging heat and golden energies pinned Starcrusher in place.
Seizing this chance, Sora immediately swiped a card!
'[FINAL VENT!!]'
Dragreder, having lifted the star, instantly appeared at Sora's side, transforming into a blazing motorbike.
Sora twisted the throttle fully open, two crimson flame trails roaring behind, accelerating him dramatically.
"Titania!" Sora urgently shouted her name.
"Stop rushing me!" Titania focused intently, channeling her power to form crystalline spikes directly ahead of Sora's rapidly approaching figure.
If they could breach Starcrusher's defenses, every previous action had been solely to prepare for this exact moment!
"CHAAAARGE!!!"
"ROARRRRR!!!" (CHAAAARGE!!!)
Sora and Dragreder roared simultaneously—he'd already defeated four Propagation Emanators; could a mere Starcrusher Swarm King still act this arrogant?!
[WHAT?!]
Though unaffected by the star's heat, Starcrusher perceived a deadly threat rapidly approaching from behind.
Crystal pincers could pierce even Qlipoth's Walls—and as a wielder itself, Starcrusher knew precisely how deadly they were!
Sure enough, intense agony instantly erupted within Starcrusher as the crystal-equipped Sora pierced violently into its body.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted continuously along his path, flames and flesh scattering violently outward in sprays of bloody fireworks.
If this continued, Starcrusher might genuinely be penetrated completely by Sora.
However…
Starcrusher Swarm King wasn't easily defeated!
[Then let's see who lasts until the end!]
Under Titania's horrified gaze, Starcrusher twisted its immense body, forcibly plunging itself directly into the blazing star nearby.
No reason only you can use this tactic!
Hiss!
The nauseating scent of burning flesh quickly filled the area.
Suddenly sensing something within the star, Starcrusher violently twisted again, razor-sharp forelimbs slashing brutally downward.
Witnessing this, Titania screamed out desperately: "SORAAAAAAA—!!!!"
...
At the same instant, every Glamoth Iron Cavalry soldier working diligently within the encampment raised their heads simultaneously.
Their eyes met, stunned confusion mirrored in every expression.
If it had been just one, they'd have assumed it was their own mistake—but all of them sensed it simultaneously. It couldn't possibly be an error.
"The heartbeat…?"
That heartbeat constantly transmitted through their bracelets had just abruptly ceased.
Even after waiting anxiously, it didn't resume.
What happened? What exactly happened out there?
Could Sora…? No, impossible. He has to be fine!
They desperately clung to this hope, praying that heartbeat would resume again soon.
Ten seconds…thirty seconds…one minute…
Nothing. Still nothing.
The longer they waited, the greater their dread. Horrible possibilities filled their minds.
This panicked state stretched painfully. The familiar heartbeat never returned.
"Wait a little longer. Calm down, just wait a bit more!" Mitsutake softly reassured them, urging calm.
Waiting felt torturously slow, each second stretching endlessly—
Then suddenly, a loud thud! broke the tension. On deck, Asatsuba wore a briefly joyful expression.
But quickly, she realized it wasn't the heartbeat—it was someone collapsing onto the deck.
A burned, dazed Titania lay there, alongside another scorched-black figure sprawled motionlessly.
"Where's Sora?! Where's Sora?!" Asatsuba anxiously rushed forward, demanding answers.
But Titania's eyes simply settled on the charred figure beside her.
In the deck's reflection, Dragreder lay similarly blackened, head drooping lifelessly.
Witnessing this scene, Titania averted her gaze.
"He's dead."
Sora…dead?!
Asatsuba staggered backward, eyes wide with disbelief.