"Damn it! Why has the castle started to crumble? What the hell is going on!?"
"Has the duel between Yugo-dono and Abyss been settled!?"
"Look! Everyone, look up there!!"
Meanwhile, Marcos and his companions had made a hasty exit after destroying Finale, forced out by the violent tremors rocking Hauvent Castle.
As they rushed onto the grounds, wondering if there had been a breakthrough in the fight and worrying for Yugo as he faced the enemy leader, Melt looked toward the sky. She pointed upward, and the others followed her gaze, falling into a stunned silence.
"A piece of the castle is... flying?!" Anhel exclaimed. "And that glow—is that the magic power Finale collected!?"
"Abyss is with it! But what on earth is he doing!?"
"That bastard...! He’s planning to drop all that energy from the sky! Abyss is cornered, and this is his final, desperate gambit!!"
While the others stood paralyzed by the sight, Anhel, the engineer, was the first to see through the villain’s scheme.
Judging by the fact that Abyss had reverted from his monstrous state back to a humanoid Magic Armor Beast form, Yugo had likely pushed him to the brink, forcing this last resort. Finale was gone, and with it the weapon's ability to fire, but the stored magic remained. If he supplemented that energy with his own power and dropped the shell as a kinetic bomb, the resulting explosion would be enough to wipe Wind Island off the map.
As the others realized the gravity of the situation, they looked back to the sky, aghast.
"Where’s Yugo!? Is he safe!?"
"It doesn't look like he's with Abyss! He must have been left behind!"
"What should we do!? If we don't act, Abyss will drop that magic power shell and destroy everything!"
Realizing Yugo had been abandoned on the castle rooftop, the group scrambled to decide on a course of action. Marcos, however, watched Abyss and the tower fragment ascend higher and higher into the heavens. His expression was one of pure agony as he worked his mind at a fever pitch.
What can I do? In this moment, what am I truly capable of? What is the one thing I must do with everything I have?
He looked up at the swelling radiance of the magic power and remembered a maxim he had heard many times before: the only thing that mattered was giving his all to the task he was capable of right now. Marcos caught his breath as a realization struck him. He spun around and shouted to his comrades.
"Everyone! Attack me!"
"Wh—What!? Marcos, what are you saying!?"
"Launch me into the sky! Hurry! We’re out of time!!"
"...! I see!"
Recognizing the intent in Marcos’s eyes as he readied his Giga Scissors, the group nodded in unison. They drew their magic items and steadied their breathing. Melt was the first to speak.
"I used quite a bit of magic power to take down Finale, but I can still manage one serious blast. Marcos... I’m counting on you!"
"Be ready, all right? This is going to hurt."
"I know. Now... come!!"
Marcos braced himself, clenching his fists. Anhel moved first, swinging her hammer in a massive, upward arc. The Upper Swing caught him perfectly, launching him into the air. While he was still ascending, Melt unleashed her magic.
"We’re counting on you, Marcos!"
A barrage of Purple Magic Power Swords slammed into his shield in rapid succession, providing a continuous boost that pushed him higher and higher. Above the tree line, Setsuna and Sakura gathered their strength. They struck the earth simultaneously, summoning a localized gale and a surging geyser that propelled Marcos further into the atmosphere.
"This is everything we have! The rest is up to you!"
"Marcos-dono! We entrust the rest to your hands!!"
The momentum from the combined chain of attacks carried Marcos high into the sky. As he struggled to maintain his balance and close the distance to Abyss, Raiha took a deep, steadying breath for the final strike.
"This power may be a curse, but right now... it’s our only hope!"
She opened her eyes wide, revealing the Dragon's Eyes she usually kept hidden behind her long bangs. Releasing her full power, she exhaled a torrent of savage electricity from her mouth.
"Thunder Dragon Roar!!"
"Ugh! Oooooooooooh!!"
The shield took the brunt of the raging lightning, but the explosive force behind it sent Marcos hurtling toward Abyss at incredible speed. He performed a mid-air roll, utilizing the momentum from his friends to soar toward the ascending tower.
Abyss glanced down at the approaching warrior, a mocking sneer twisting his face.
"A mere gnat. What could someone of your caliber possibly hope to achieve now?"