BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire [Hatred Domain] erupted in an explosion of crimson energy as the colossal [Sword of Hatred] slammed toward Alex, its sheer force shattering the ground and sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
The hatred demon watched with cold satisfaction as the blade, imbued with the very essence of its rage and destruction, crashed down upon the human without mercy.
This was a weapon unlike any other, something that could rival even the legendary [Blade of Destiny].
Its sheer presence distorted the space around it, warping reality with every pulse of power.
But what truly unsettled Alex was the unmistakable sensation that if this sword struck him, if it truly connected, there would be no coming back.
He had no reason to doubt it.
His instincts, sharper than ever, screamed at him, this was different from every other attack.
This wasn’t something he could simply dodge or endure.
Even his most broken abilities, even [Destiny Shift], wouldn’t be able to save him if he was caught in its path.
And yet… Fwish!
Alex looked up, eyes locking onto the incoming blade.
What could he even do?
Against this monstrous sword, one infused with power that defied the very concept of survival, what options did he even have left?
That’s what the Hatred Demon believed, that in this moment, Alex would be paralyzed, forced to watch his own demise unfold, completely helpless before the might of its ultimate attack.
And yet…
Right before the sword completed its devastating descent, as it reached the very peak of its deadly arc, Alex smiled.
“…?!”
The Hatred Demon’s countless eyes widened ever so slightly, a flicker of confusion flashing across its monstrous visage.
But it didn’t retreat. There was no need.
“I still have my [Pure Defense]. He can’t do anything.”
It reassured itself in an instant.
This battle was already over.
BOOOOOOM!
The sword of hatred connected, and the entire domain convulsed as an explosion of crimson fury devoured everything.
Even the Hatred Demon itself was pushed back by the force of its own attack, skidding several meters as the blast surged outward in a storm of destruction.
It instinctively raised its arms, shielding its many eyes and gnashing mouths from the sheer intensity of the detonation.
For a brief moment, everything was chaos.
And then… silence.
The hatred demon lowered its arms, crimson mist swirling around its towering form.
It glanced at the massive crater left behind by its attack, an abyss of shattered ground and flickering hatred energy.
“Is it done?” It shifted its gaze to its sword, still gripped tightly in its two main arms, “It should be done. Nothing can survive this strike, not even the gods.”
A deep breath. A rare moment of stillness. It hadn’t expected this fight to push it so far.
Even within its own domain, a space crafted purely from its boundless hatred, this battle had drained more energy from it than any other.
It looked up, its gaze drawn to the massive crimson eye in the sky, the eerie moon that loomed over the battlefield.
This was supposed to be its moment of triumph.
Its final battle before ascending to the next stage of its revenge.
It had waited for so long. It had sacrificed so much.
And now, finally, it had returned, reborn from the ashes of its past destruction.
Its mind briefly flickered back to the gods, the ones who had once ambushed and slain it, sealing away its essence for centuries.
Back then, it had been unprepared, it had been powerless to fight back.
But now, now it was stronger, and soon, those gods would fall.
“Goodbye, human,” the hatred demon murmured, bringing its two empty hands together in a mock prayer, its voice laced with cruel finality.
“As I told you before.” It turned away from the battlefield, crimson flames still flickering in the aftermath of the explosion, “I was simply stronger.”
It was over… Or at least, it should have been.
Beep!
A sudden, sharp sound cut through the silence.
[You cannot leave the “Hatred Domain” until one of you two are dead.]
The hatred demon froze.
“What?”
For the first time in this battle, genuine confusion flickered through its mind.
This domain was absolute.
The rules were clear, only one of them could leave.
And yet, this message… This meant…
Fwip! SLAM!
A sudden impact.
Something, no, someone, struck its [Pure Defense] barrier, and to its utter shock, the barrier shattered instantly, its protective energy dissolving into nothing.
The next thing the hatred demon knew, it was sent flying backward, its massive frame crashing into the ground with enough force to leave deep trenches in the already ruined battlefield.
Only by activating its [Hatred Boots] and [Hatred Wings] did it stabilize itself mid-air, stopping its momentum before it could be thrown any further.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
Its enraged roar echoed through the domain, its remaining eyes darting toward where its shield had once been, only to find it completely gone, reduced to scattered fragments of crimson light.
“This shield is supposed to tank even forbidden skills… how?!”
And then, its gaze shifted.
There, standing amidst the ruins, completely unscathed… was Alex.
The hatred demon felt something it hadn’t felt in centuries.
A chill.
“You…” its voice was low, seething with barely contained fury, “And that attack… it was filled with hatred, almost as if it was mine.”
Alex stepped forward, the corners of his mouth tugging into a smirk.
“Really now?” His voice carried a mocking edge, “Well, no more shield for you either, then.”
The hatred demon’s form trembled ever so slightly, a subconscious reaction that infuriated it even further.
“Why am I trembling? I’m still stronger.”
It forced itself to stay still, to suppress the involuntary reaction.
“STOP TREMBLING.”
But all it could see now was Alex’s silhouette, his body wreathed in crimson and golden energy, his aura burning through the battlefield like an untamed inferno.
His eyes blazed with power, trails of raw energy flowing from them as he advanced.
“How,” the hatred demon demanded, gripping the [Sword of Hatred] tightly once more, preparing to attack again.
Alex simply shrugged.
“Who knows?”
But the truth was obvious to anyone who truly understood his abilities.
The hatred demon believed it had accounted for everything.
That it had seen through every one of Alex’s tricks.
It had been wrong.
Because there was one artifact it had never accounted for, one that Alex had never needed to use until now.
[You have selected the “Orb of the Unbreakable.”]
At the very last moment, when escape was impossible, Alex had activated the orb’s ability, an absolute, indestructible barrier that lasted exactly five seconds.
A shield that could not be broken. That could not be moved.
And, most importantly… That reflected all damage back at its source.
The moment the [Sword of Hatred] struck him, the orb absorbed the force and sent it hurtling right back at its wielder.
And the result?
The [Pure Defense] skill had been completely annihilated in an instant.
“You think you’re so smart?” the hatred demon growled, the mouths on its hollow face twisting in irritation.
“It doesn’t matter. One strike, and it will be over anyway.” Alex didn’t back away, “Come at me.”
The crown of calamity pulsed.
[Ready whenever you are, host.]
FWISH! BOOM!
The hatred demon shot forward in an instant, wings propelling it at blinding speeds while its [Hatred Boots] erupted with a surge of crimson fire.
In less than a fraction of a second, it had closed the distance, the [Sword of Hatred] already swinging down.
Ding!
[3 minutes before the end of the battle.]
Or, at least, that was what his instincts told him.