A fierce clash ensued as the World Tree was lit ablaze by the prince’s power. But at the same time, the crown prince had been hexed by his enemy’s cursed strikes. Silver and black clashed against each other—over and over again. Slowly but surely, the black had been pushed back by silver’s glory. Hoping to push back, the World Tree furrowed his brow as he attempted to summon the Dullahan’s armor.
“Huh?! Why won’t it appear?!” the World Tree gasped.
Try as he might, not even a ringlet of armor would appear. Ein wasn’t one to pass up this opportunity.
“Raaaaah!”
With a mighty roar, Ein sunk Ishtar deep into one of the World Tree’s shoulders. A geyser of black blood gushed from the wound and brought the glutton to his knees.
“Where in the world is such power coming from...” the World Tree murmured.
As the gears in his head began to turn, something Ein had said replayed in his mind.
“You’re right. I’m just the little ol’ powerless Ein you keep yammering on about. But you do know that I still have another skill up my sleeve, right?”
He gasped in horror upon coming to this epiphany. It couldn’t be... However, he soon convinced himself that it had to be the only logical explanation.
“You definitely woke up, there’s no arguing that,” the World Tree said. “But you’re not the only thing that awakened...”
Despite falling to his knees, the World Tree brandished his blade as he faced the crown prince. As the two clashed once more, a shock wave rippled out throughout the realm, giving the World Tree a moment to vocalize his thoughts.
“I was also growing weaker,” he said. “With that in mind, I guess I can’t use the skills I stole from you. Am I right?”
Instead of saying anything, Ein simply replied with a triumphant smile.
“Gh... Impossible!” the World Tree roared. “Are you saying that you bet it all on a silly farce?!”
“Yeah...and the odds weren’t exactly in my favor!” Ein shouted back. “But it looks like I’ve pulled one over on the house! Seems that Weaken does exactly as it describes, and you’re giving me a firsthand demonstration of its effectiveness!”
The final skill he’d obtained, Weaken, was the seemingly useless power that resided within Consort Laviola’s stone.
“I don’t know if it’s because this realm is a place within my heart or if we’re tied by an inseparable bond, but as long as this skill affects you too, I don’t care!”
Having tested Weaken before, Ein knew that it only worked on himself. Unsure if the World Tree would share in the disadvantage, the prince had staked his life on this risky gamble. Had he failed, he’d only have put himself on the back foot—an act tantamount to suicide. It all depended on exactly what these two shared between each other. However, Ein also bore the brunt of the skill as well. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have been able to put up a fight, but he was spared this time.
“The hero king’s power is despicable!” the World Tree spat.
If it wasn’t for Jayle’s power, Ein wouldn’t have had the edge in this situation. As the power didn’t belong to him, it had been left unaffected by the effects of Weaken. This left the World Tree to wither while the prince could still use Ishtar’s might to turn the tables. I’m only standing thanks to the efforts of King Jayle and Consort Laviola! The synergy between the couple’s powers was spectacular—like something out of a fairy tale. But as this story became real, Ein’s heart burned with a ferocity he’d never felt before.
“This is the end!” he shouted.
“What?!” the World tree gasped.
For a split second, Ein had vanished. Even the World Tree couldn’t keep up with his speed. When the crown prince reappeared, he was right beside his enemy as he swung down Ishtar with all his might.
“Fall to the depths, World Tree of Gluttony!” Ein bellowed.
The World Tree hastily raised the black sword to defend himself, but it shattered on impact—he’d been impaled by Ishtar. Another geyser of black blood sprayed into the air before it trickled down the silver blade, soon reaching Ein’s hand and dripping onto the ground.
The world tree sighed and gazed up at the sky. “Ah, so this is how it feels to have your hopes crushed.”
A sense of resignation washed over his face as noticed his extremities starting to fade away. Ein no longer raised his blade—the breathtaking crossing of blades had come to an end. No longer did the World Tree emanate even an ounce of magical energy, and Ein took a step back.
“This is my victory,” he said.
“No. Unfortunately, you’re wrong,” the World Tree said.
The crown prince felt a cold wind brush against his back and the tree’s masklike face morphed into a grin. The tree’s visage oozed with an inexplicable sense of unease.
“There are no winners in this battle sadly,” the tree said.
“What do you mean?” Ein demanded.
“Exactly what I said. Ah, well, I suppose you’ve won this battle, and you can be proud of that, of course. But you’ve simply won a battle within your heart... That has no bearing on the battle raging on the outside, correct?” Suddenly, the tree produced a black sword out of thin air. “Ah, put your guard down already. I’m not in the mood to fight you anymore.”
Then why do you hold your sword? But before Ein could actually ask the question, the World Tree had plunged the black blade into his own throat. He coughed grotesquely.
“Whether I win or lose, my ultimate goal hasn’t changed one bit,” the tree said. “It’s a pity that I couldn’t fuse with you, but I’ll treat myself to a nice meal before I’m gone.”
“Wait!” Ein shouted. “What are you planning?!”
“Heh. Heh heh. Perhaps we couldn’t become a single being, but let’s warmly welcome the final moments we’re about to share together!”
And with that, he disappeared. Ein fell to his knees in astonishment, but he quickly looked around as he recalled the World Tree’s final words. How can I awaken in the real world? I have to chase after him.
“Ugh... Is it because he’s still alive?” Ein wondered.
Trapped in a cage forged by his own psyche, the prince couldn’t find any sort of exit. He could quickly circle his surroundings with a quick jog, but the world only continued to crumble around him. Just then, the wilted patch of blue fire roses regained their vigor—their green leaves shining in the light once again as their petals bloomed. Only a handful of roses bloomed, creating a path forward.
“A door...”
A pair of double doors stood out in the distance—the very ones that led to the mausoleum. They proceed to yawn wide open, allowing Ein to peek inside to confirm his suspicions.