The Hatred Demon surged forward, closing the distance between itself and Alex in an instant.
Its [Hatred Wings] flared violently, and its [Hatred Boots] sent it hurtling through the air with blinding speed.
In less than a fraction of a second, it was already upon him, its massive [Sword of Hatred] descending like an executioner’s blade, aimed directly at Alex’s head.
“Just die, you parasite,” the Hatred Demon growled, its many mouths twisting with disgust.
But then…
SLASH! BOOM!
A sudden, violent pulse erupted from Alex’s crown.
The [Crown of Calamity] reacted instantly, its power surging forth in a way it never had before.
Hundreds, no, thousands of black and crimson tendrils burst outward, coiling and twisting like serpents hunting prey.
In the blink of an eye, they fused together, forming something new.
A dark sword, massive, ominous, and overflowing with an aura of destruction, materialized in front of Alex, intercepting the oncoming [Sword of Hatred].
BOOM!
The moment the blades clashed, the entire [Hatred Domain] trembled as if the world itself was being torn apart.
A violent shockwave exploded outward, rippling through the domain, its force so immense that even the outside world felt its echoes.
“When… will you… fucking die…” the Hatred Demon hissed, its countless pupils shaking.
But it wasn’t fear that clouded its vision, it was rage. Pure, undiluted rage.
It could not understand. It had overpowered Alex in every way, crushed him again and again, yet here he stood.
Still alive. Still fighting.
And now, wielding a weapon strong enough to almost match its own.
The [Sword of Calamity], born entirely from the [Crown of Calamity]’s energy, now opposed the [Sword of Hatred].
The very same crown that had been gathering power all this time had finally revealed its purpose.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The Hatred Demon snarled, its fury reaching new heights.
Two of its four arms gripped the [Sword of Hatred] tighter, swinging it relentlessly.
It attacked without pause, its strikes ruthless and unforgiving, each one aiming to cut Alex down.
But the [Sword of Calamity] refused to fall behind.
With each vicious slash the Hatred Demon unleashed, the [Crown of Calamity] retaliated, matching its opponent blow for blow.
Each collision sent shockwaves through the air, forcing both combatants slightly apart before they lunged at each other again.
Neither yielded. Neither relented.
Alex gritted his teeth.
He was trusting the [Crown of Calamity] completely, allowing it to act on its own, knowing that survival depended on it.
But he couldn’t just sit back and rely on it forever.
He needed something more. He needed his trump card. But until it was ready, he had to act.
Without hesitation, he reached into his inventory and selected one of his remaining [Universal Orbs].
[You have selected the “Orb of the Storm.”]
A surge of power rippled through his hand as the orb activated.
Electricity crackled around it, filling the air with a volatile energy that promised destruction.
Alex barely had time to unleash it before…
Fwish! SLASH!
The Hatred Demon moved faster than his eyes could track.
Its blade carved through the orb in a single, effortless strike, splitting it cleanly in two.
Ding!
[The “Orb of the Storm” has been destroyed.]
Alex blinked.
‘Huh.’
He hadn’t expected that. He’d always assumed the [Universal Orbs] were immune to being destroyed before activation.
But now, he knew better. No time to dwell on it.
The battle raged on, and the Hatred Demon’s attacks showed no sign of slowing.
The [Crown of Calamity] continued to fight back, wielding the [Sword of Calamity] with precision, but Alex could sense it wouldn’t last.
[The Crown of Calamity informs the host that continuing like this is not sustainable. The Hatred Demon will eventually break through.]
Alex already felt it: his defenses weren’t going to last.
It was only a matter of time now. The seconds ticked by, each one marked by the relentless clash of blades.
Then… SLASH!
A tendril from the [Sword of Calamity] snapped apart.
Then another. And another.
[I give us at most five seconds before the sword is destroyed. We will not be able to defend ourselves afterward.]
Alex clenched his fists but remained steady. He couldn’t let doubt creep in now.
[4 seconds.]
“You truly believe anything you do will ever matter?” the Hatred Demon snarled, its voice dripping with contempt, “IT’S ALL USELESS!”
[3 seconds.]
Alex didn’t respond.
He could tell, the Hatred Demon was losing patience, or perhaps, it was losing something else: its composure.
[2 seconds.]
Because even beings as powerful as this could sense it: the whisper of death approaching, the unseen force that lurked just beyond their reach.
[1 second.]
“JUST… DIE!”
SLASH!
The Hatred Demon swung one final time, and this time, the [Sword of Calamity] could no longer hold.
The black tendrils had frayed and weakened to the point of breaking apart completely.
The blade shattered, and Alex was left defenseless.
“As I thought,” the Hatred Demon grinned, the mouths in its void-like face stretching grotesquely, “All your efforts were meaningless. Goodbye.”
It pulled back its [Sword of Hatred], gathering power.
The blade pulsed violently, activating its special perk, [Charged Hatred].
It had done this before, pulling its sword back for a single second to focus its hatred, then striking down with force amplified beyond reason.
But this time, it was stronger than ever.
The battle had only fueled its hatred further, making this final attack its most devastating yet.
[The end is near, host.]
“Are we fucked?” Alphox groaned.
“It was nice fighting alongside you,” Astolf, the Undead King, sighed.
All three of his companions had seemingly lost hope after that.
But even as the [Sword of Hatred] came crashing down, Alex still smiled.
“No,” he said softly, his voice filled with certainty, “We won.”
And the reason for that was quite simple…
Fwish! SLASH!
The [Sword of Hatred] struck down, aiming for Alex’s head.
But it never reached him. Instead, it met resistance.
A radiant, golden force stopped the blade in its tracks.
[Hello, master. Sorry for being late.]
A figure stood before Alex now, dressed in flowing white robes, its golden eyes glowing with an ethereal light.
Its long white hair cascaded past its waist, untouched by the chaos around it.
And in its hands was the [Blade of Destiny], it had arrived.
With a single, effortless movement, the angel lifted its blade slightly, just enough to push the [Sword of Hatred] back.
The Hatred Demon staggered, its eyes wide with disbelief.
“What the… how…” it whispered, “You are…”
[Death,] the angel answered, smiling softly, [This time, there won’t be any coming back from it.]
It turned toward Alex, eyes glowing with power.
[What do you want me to cut, master?]
The moment Alex had been waiting for had finally come.
“YOU THINK THIS SKILL OF YOURS WILL DO ANYTHING?” the Hatred Demon bellowed, “MY SWORD OF HATRED IS ALSO A FORBIDDEN SKILL!”
Fwish! SLASH!
It swung again, but the angel barely reacted, blocking every strike with casual ease.
[Please tell me, master,] the angel urged.
It wasn’t concerned. It wasn’t struggling. It was simply waiting for Alex’s command.
And so, with a victorious smile, Alex pointed at the Hatred Demon.
“I want you to cut the Hatred Demon so I can strike its heart again,” he declared.
The angel nodded, [Very well.]
It turned toward the Hatred Demon, its golden eyes brimming with power.