Thunderous explosions and monstrous roars echoed across the swamp wasteland, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the poisoned terrain. The sky flickered with bursts of fire and violent energy, while the ground below continued to fracture under the relentless clash.

From a distant mountainside, Fjolnir watched.

Even from such a distance, the battle felt suffocating.

Emery moved with fluid precision across the shattered terrain, his figure constantly shifting as he weaved through the abomination’s relentless assaults. Rather than meeting its force head-on, he relied on speed and control, slipping past crushing blows by mere inches before countering with sharp, decisive strikes. Each movement was calculated, his body bending through space itself as he turned defense into offense in a seamless rhythm.

Above him, Morgana surged through the sky like a streak of living fire, her wings trailing blazing arcs as she unleashed coordinated bursts of flame. Her attacks fell in perfect timing with Emery’s movements, striking from above whenever the creature’s attention shifted, forcing it to divide its focus between ground and sky.

Together, they formed a relentless two-front assault, their coordination tightening with each exchange.

Every collision between them unleashed devastating shockwaves that rippled across the wasteland. The ground split further with each impact, the air trembled under the pressure, and the entire region seemed to groan under the strain, as though the planet itself struggled to endure the sheer magnitude of their battle.

Near Fjolrin, the Phantom Blade stood trembling, his composure completely shattered.

"We’re going to die..." he muttered, his voice unsteady as his eyes remained fixed on the distant devastation. "Call your transport... we need to leave."

Not long ago, that same man had surrendered without hesitation, offering everything he knew about the Midnight Brotherhood in exchange for survival. Secrets, hidden operations—he had been willing to expose it all just to escape this battlefield alive.

Fjolnir had not even responded.

His gaze remained locked on the fight.

Frustration at his own weakness, a deep, suffocating helplessness.

The power he had invoked earlier still lingered within him, but its backlash had left his internal energy chaotic and unstable. All he could do now was watch, forced into the role of a spectator while his junior faced the abomination.

Another eruption lit up the sky.

High above the battlefield, Morgana unfurled her bone wings to their full span, the structure of pale, jagged bone now wrapped in layers of blazing cosmic fire. As she hovered, flames surged outward from her form, gathering rapidly around her hands before expanding into massive lotus-shaped constructs that pulsed with intense energy.

[Lotus Cosmic Flame]

With a decisive motion, she released them

The fiery lotuses descended in succession, crashing into the battlefield with explosive force before unfolding upon impact. Each bloom spread outward into a wide inferno, layers of flame cascading over one another as they latched onto the target, refusing to disperse even as the surrounding terrain fractured under the heat.

These were no ordinary flames.

They were alive.

Born from the fusion of her cosmic fire and Gaia’s vitality, the flames carried a persistent, almost predatory nature. They fed on surrounding energy, clinging to whatever they touched, continuing to burn long after the initial impact.

That very technique had been enough to overwhelm Madam Butcher, leaving her no chance to recover once the living flames took hold.

Against the Chimera Sovereign, however, the result was far less decisive.

The inferno scorched deeply into its flesh, burning through layers of muscle and leaving large sections of its body charred and split open, yet the damage never lasted. Almost immediately, its abnormal regeneration activated, new flesh forcing its way through the burnt surface as the wounds closed at a visible pace.

Dozens of exchanges had already passed between Emery and Morgana against the abomination, yet with every clash, the Chimera Sovereign only grew stronger.

And it was still evolving.

Its grotesque crimson body began to change once more. The six writhing python heads that once lashed outward independently had disappeared, merging into a massive, snake-scaled arm with six elongated fingers, their edges hardened into jagged, fang-like blades that resembled the diamond fangs of the serpents they had replaced. The spider limbs that once protruded from its back had also vanished, their place taken by a thick, crystallized shell—pitch-black and smooth, layered like obsidian armor, radiating an unbreakable quality.

The rest of its form followed suit.

Muscles thickened and compressed.

Flesh reinforced.

Its entire body expanded steadily, its presence growing heavier and more oppressive as it rose—

Larger and larger—

Until it stood nearly fifteen meters tall, a towering abomination that dominated the battlefield.

The creature rampaged wildly, each step shaking the ground as it forced Emery into constant retreat. Its attacks carried overwhelming force, leaving no room for direct confrontation.

Without warning, it leapt.

The massive body soared into the air before crashing down with catastrophic weight.

BOOM!!

The impact carved out a massive crater, sending shockwaves rippling through the swamp and triggering a violent tremor that spread across the entire area.

Before the debris had even settled, one of its arms shifted.

The snake-scaled limb elongated unnaturally, stretching forward as its clawed hand expanded, the diamond-like fingers extending into a crushing strike that descended toward Emery with terrifying speed.

"That’s a close one!!"

Emery barely escaped.

His figure flickered through space, reappearing at a distance as the attack obliterated everything where he had stood moments before.

The ground split further.

From the cracks, thick clouds of toxic vapor began to rise, spreading rapidly across the battlefield as the planet’s natural hazards were stirred awake by the destruction.

Emery remained unaffected.

But Morgana was forced higher into the sky, her wings carrying her above the spreading poison as she avoided the dangerous fumes below.

"Damn... this thing is crazy strong..."

He could no longer clearly measure the Chimera Sovereign’s exact realm, but the pressure it exerted spoke for itself. Its combat strength had surpassed any Three Cosmos opponent he had ever faced, reaching a level where even a single direct hit could result in serious injury.

There was only one option that could match it.

His full primal transformation.

But Emery hesitated.

He had been trying to maintain control over his mind, and he would rather not lose it now. More importantly, his dark avatar was approaching a critical breakthrough, and disturbing that process would be costly.

Searching for another solution, Emery finally let out a quiet sigh. Then his gaze drifted across the battlefield before stopping at a distant hill, where a faint cluster of drifting smoke lingered quietly above the ruins. It was subtle, nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding haze of dust and poison—but to Emery, it was anything but natural.

Focusing his mind, he reached out with a mental message.

<It’s getting a little out of control... do you have any ideas, Brother Cloud?>

For a brief moment, there was no response.

Then—

The smoke shifted.

What had once been scattered vapor began to gather, condensing into a dense, humid mass. Slowly, it took shape, forming a humanoid silhouette composed entirely of swirling mist. A faint mask-like outline emerged within it, giving the figure a presence that felt both distant and unmistakably real.

"What’s with asking for ideas?" the figure replied, his voice calm, tinged with mild amusement. "Just say you need my help. That’s what I’m assigned for anyway."

The figure that emerged from the drifting smoke was none other than the Qilin Grand Magus—Typhon.

He had been present from the very beginning.

As Emery’s assigned bodyguard, Typhon had remained concealed within the battlefield long before the first clash began, his presence masked so completely that even seasoned Grand Magus failed to detect him.

That concealment was not merely a display of his own ability, but a deliberate arrangement made by Emery himself. He had instructed Typhon to remain hidden—not only to avoid exposing their full strength, but also to prevent alarming the Midnight Brotherhood. At the same time, Emery had used this as an opportunity to test himself, forcing his own growth while holding Typhon back as a final safeguard.

A last resort.

The instant the hybrid grand magus revealed himself, the Chimera Sovereign reacted.Its massive body twisted mid-motion, its attention locking onto the newly emerged presence.

"More Allies!! Huh I’ll devour them all!!

With a thunderous roar, it charged, its steps crushing the ground as it closed the distance in seconds. A massive arm swung downward, carrying enough force to obliterate the entire hill beneath it.

The strike landed.

BOOM!!

The hill shattered, stone and debris exploding outward—

But Typhon was already gone.

At the very instant the strike descended, his body dissolved into drifting mist, dispersing completely as though he had never occupied that space at all. There was no trace of resistance, no lingering presence—only the illusion of a target erased.

This was Typhon’s movement techniqus

Even more profound than Emery’s.

More elusive.

Not merely speed or teleportation, but a seamless transition between form and formlessness.

A heartbeat later, the mist gathered once more.

Typhon reformed beside Emery, his figure condensing naturally, completely unharmed as if the devastating strike had never occurred. His expression remained calm, almost amused, as he glanced toward the towering abomination before turning his attention back to Emery.

"So," he said lightly, "should I finish him for you?"

Emery shook his head.

"No."

There was a brief pause as his expression sharpened.

"I have something I want to try... But I’ll need your assistance."

Typhon’s smile deepened slightly, a hint of anticipation flickering in his eyes.

"Alright," he replied. "Let’s do it."