Just moments after Ishtar’s reawakening, the artificial Kingsland suddenly ceased to be. The unmoving sky that hung over Ein’s head had shattered like a pane of glass, giving way to a creeping darkness that swallowed up everything it touched. Despite the void closing in around him, Ein felt as if he were falling through air. However, he soon found himself in a tranquil garden filled with blue fire roses and similarly blue skies above him. In the middle of this garden stood a particular figure—alone with his back turned to the crown prince.
“Someone’s getting in my way,” he said. “I can feel my power being repelled.”
“Oh, so the first thing you say is an excuse. I see...” Ein replied.
“That wasn’t my intention, but it doesn’t matter. I can’t say that I’ve regained my full strength, but I’m confident that I’m still powerful enough to stand before you.” The man kept his back turned as he went on, “My only concern lies within that sword and its power.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
“That power was nowhere among the abilities that I’d pilfered from your being, nor could I sense even a trace of it from the black blade fastened to your corporeal body.”
Upon turning to face Ein, the man flashed a strained smile. However, he’d managed to keep his cool—he didn’t feel cornered in the slightest.
“And that’s when I understood what had happened,” he said. “That sword’s power was part of you all along.”
“You know, I assumed that you’d just let your guard down,” Ein retorted.
“Oh, please. Don’t spout such silly nonsense. Since trying to fuse with your consciousness, I haven’t once given myself the chance to relax. Like I said earlier, my diminished strength precluded me from fighting you directly. I hadn’t fully recovered yet.”
And in an instant, the man unleashed an overwhelming pressure into the air. But as Ein had already prepared himself for this, he remained completely unfazed.
“This will go only one of two ways,” the man said. “I force you to fuse with me or you put me down with that power of yours. Is that clear? As you can see, I’m quite desperate here.”
“In that case, I’ll end it here and now,” Ein said as he stepped forward, firmly gripping Ishtar in his hand. Even as the prince approached his foe, the pair still stood a good distance away from each other.
“Shall we introduce ourselves?”
“No need.”
“Why not cry out your name? Just like you did when you mercilessly slaughtered your father?”
“But it would serve no purpose. We know each other very well, after all.”
“Oh? But I haven’t told you my name.”
“After all of these clashes of ours, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know who you are. I named you after all.”
The man’s joyful smile beamed in stark contrast to Ein’s icy glare.
“Can’t you say my name? Just once at least?” the man requested.
“I planned on it,” Ein replied. “Talking to you would be a bother otherwise.”
In a flash, Ein vanished. There was a strong gust of wind, and he instantly reappeared behind the man. With its tip directly aimed at the man’s throat, Ishtar burned with a scorching silver light.
“I’ll begin,” Ein said in a low voice.
Just as Ein swung the king’s blade, a familiar black blade appeared to parry his strike. The prince knew this blade very well—intimately so. The man turned around to lock eyes with the royal.
Ein shouted at the top of his lungs. “World Tree of Gluttony!”
As blades of black and silver clashed, the repeated blows resulted in a flurry of magical energy. After even more strikes, the residual energy exploded and the blue fire roses’ azure petals danced in the air.
“This feels great!” the man cried with glee. “You finally said my name!”
“I regret it!” Ein roared back. “I should’ve never given you a name!”
“Oh, don’t say that! You’ll make me sad! Very soon, we’ll fuse and blossom as the perfected World Tree of Gluttony!”
They displayed equal power and skill. Ein felt like he was fighting his own shadow—his enemy had been born from him and evolved, after all. Still, the crown prince looked annoyed when he noticed the World Tree fighting with his black sword. Ein gradually realized that while they were on even footing, his enemy had more power at his disposal. And that wasn’t all.
“I suppose that the strength of this blade alone isn’t enough to best you,” the World Tree said.
He then shot out a salvo of Phantom Hands—each tendril locked onto Ein. However, the prince took a page out of the specter’s book and sliced through every single one. As he continued to parry the attacks, he calmly assessed his situation. I knew it, he thought. There was no doubt in his mind. The World Tree of Gluttony could access every skill that Ein had absorbed. He scoffed at himself for collecting such a vast and troublesome set of abilities.
“I was born when you transformed into a Demon Lord,” the World Tree said.
“Yeah, I guessed as much,” Ein replied.
“Ever since then, I’ve been a Demon Lord as well. But make no mistake, I’m the one who holds all the power, not you, Ein. It is I who became the Demon Lord, ruling over all the power you absorbed.” The World Tree declared that he had every power required of a Demon Lord in the palm of his hand. “However, I couldn’t take your dryad abilities. It seems that I can’t steal something you were born with.”
It was like trying to take wings away from a bird—its innate abilities still remained.
“If you’ve got all my skills, you don’t need to fuse with me!” Ein declared.
The ice dragon’s power suddenly fell over the garden, and biting frost quickly ate away at the prince’s skin. But Ein used Ishtar to clear the way before approaching the World Tree.
“No, I still must fuse with you,” the World Tree said. “Unless that is done, I cannot use all my powers as freely as I wish.”
Just after raising Ishtar into the air, Ein unleashed a series of slashes that were so swift, they were practically invisible to the naked eye. In their wake, each swing left a trail of silver flame that sliced through tendrils and frost alike. With godlike speed, the prince’s blade reached the World Tree, but the blow was soon blocked, causing a dull clang to ring throughout the air.
The Dullahan’s pitch-black gauntlet had caught the blow with its woven magic structure. However, this supposed final, uncrackable layer of defense crumbled with another swift strike from Ishtar.
“Good grief, I suppose this isn’t enough against you,” the World Tree said with an exaggerated sigh.
He had found himself coming face-to-face with the very blade that had once slain the previous Demon Lord. Even with all of his power, the World Tree couldn’t simply do as he pleased.
“I’d expect no less from my own father,” he said.
“I’m not done yet!” Ein shouted.
The crown prince flicked his blade again, assaulting the World Tree with a flurry of attacks. He was able to cut through the man’s defenses, confident that he could pierce through the World Tree’s windpipe. Yet, the World Tree seemed as calm as ever; even facing the blade, he was completely undeterred.
“Let me ask you one final time,” the World Tree said, his voice filled with pity as he knew what he was about to do to Ein. It was as though he knew that he’d win. “Hero...”
The World Tree paused for a moment as magical energy burst out from his gauntlet. Ein covered his face with his hands and was quickly overpowered as the enemy backed away.
“Why don’t we fuse and consume everything?” the World Tree offered.
“Gh...” Ein grunted. “Why would you...”
“It’s hunger. As you say, I’m a glutton. I’d consume all living creatures just to see if I can satiate my cravings.”
“Only nothingness lies at the end of that road! Do you want to boast of your power in a world devoid of others?!”
For the first time, the World Tree of Gluttony laughed from the bottom of his heart.
“Heh,” the World Tree chuckled. “I’m not trying to be the strongest in the world. I simply want to consume everything in it. Perhaps see if it may sate my hunger.”
“You mean...” Ein said.
“That’s all. It’s so simple. It doesn’t matter if I’m all alone after it’s all over. If my hunger has been satisfied, I’ll happily spend my remaining days by my lonesome.”
The World Tree knew quite well that no one else would understand his train of thought. He looked on proudly.