At that moment, Fiona heard it clearly—a resonance echoing from every part of Licia’s body as they leaned on one another.
"Licia-sama!? That sound again…!?"
"…I’m sorry. I decided that being like this just wasn’t good enough."
Licia was no longer merely being shielded by Ren, nor was she acting as his guardian in the way Roses Kaitas had once done. She was neither a passive object of protection nor a selfless defender.
"I said we would stand together…!" she declared.
That summer, when the battle with Roses Kaitas had ended, she had vowed to hold her sword closer to Ren than anyone else—closer to the boy who had pledged to become a Sword King. Her admiration remained as strong as ever, but she had taken a step beyond it. She had found the resolve to stand as his equal.
"That is—what I decided!"
It was an exquisite sound, distinct from Ren’s, yet possessed of a clarity that rivaled his own. It was a melody so pure it threatened to bring tears to the eyes. The pressure assailing Licia and Fiona was instantly wiped away as the tone rang out with even greater fervor. Eventually, the music fell silent, and the blade of Byakuen became shrouded in a surge of power.
Here and now, the Sword Saint sang.
"That’s why… I will, too!"
Two Authority Swords.
The ultimate proof of a Sword Saint of the Strong Sword style was unleashed simultaneously by two people. It was a phenomenon so rare it bordered on the impossible, an event with virtually no precedent in the annals of history. Because this special Art manifested differently depending on the user, it created a spectacle that only these two could produce.
"Impossible… How can this be…!?"
Following Mascheria’s lament, the power she was gathering expanded violently. The massive sphere of light failed to explode—instead, a brilliant wave of power reminiscent of Diamond Dust rose up to support the two-colored wave released by Ren.
Amidst the beautiful frost that warded off the surrounding magic, the moment arrived. The light dancing in the air was erased, turning into the fading embers of mana. The power that had been on the verge of detonating vanished with an ear-piercing crack.
Beyond the swirling particles of light, Mascheria stood speechless. Ren looked at Licia, who stood right beside him.
"Licia! What was that!?"
"Explanation later! I don’t really understand it yet myself!"
Mascheria was still standing, and so was the Forbidden Book. However, the atmosphere shifted. The three of them noticed the change instantly and braced themselves.
"Mascheria loathes this world," the woman said.
She spoke of the untouched memories left in the world's deepest layers. To reach them, they had to end this battle and force the Forbidden Book of Memories to absorb the God's Haze. Ren and the others readied their weapons and magic, bracing for the impact.
"A mundane life, born in some nameless village to die of old age—Mascheria loves that. A turbulent life in a great city, rich with experience and salted by failure—Mascheria loves that, too. Even a wandering existence with no home to call its own. She cherishes them all."
The princess of the fallen nation sang her defiance.
"But… a tasteless life like a diary entry written by a great and foolish master—that is what Mascheria loathes above all else."
Mascheria tore a new page from the Forbidden Book and cast it into the air. As it drifted toward the ceiling, it drew in the surrounding God's Haze, churning a vast amount of mana. It was a power far beyond human reach, channeled through a single scrap of paper.
"Therefore, Mascheria… denies this world!"
Her fingertips caught the final page of the book. With a roar, the paper transformed into a bead of blinding light.
"The Last Page, Il Mitesia—that is the language of Medil!"
The mana rising from the Forbidden Book of Memories formed a pillar, expanding its power and releasing a light more brilliant than anything they had seen before. For a heartbeat, all sound was sucked into the light, and the three of them shared a silent look.
Then, the swallowed sound returned with a vengeance. The light exploded with a shockwave of pure destruction. Ren and Licia moved to intercept it with their Authority Swords while Fiona squeezed out every drop of her strength to freeze the onslaught with her ice magic.
A desperate level of destructive force surged against their three-colored wave and the powerful ice. The impact was immense, but the three of them refused to yield.
"We… definitely…!"
However, it wasn’t enough. Even with two Sword Saints and a master of magic like Fiona, their exhausted bodies couldn't fully withstand the pressure. The Flame Magic Sword in Ren’s hand shattered for the first time.
The recoil forced Ren back, and the power released by Mascheria surged even harder. As the magic sword broke, a vast amount of mana drained from Ren's body, and his consciousness began to flicker.
But as Ren grit his teeth and knelt, enduring the strain, a strange heat took hold. The world slowed into extreme motion. A pure white light filled his vision, and he felt a familiar warmth against his back—but unlike before, it was untainted by darkness.
It was noble and beautiful. A deep, endless, crimson flame.
—How fragile. How weak.
The shadow of the Dragon King flickered within the fire.
"…Shut up," Ren thought. "Why are your flames manifesting now?"
Whether a vision or a final memory, the flames spoke to him.
Devour everything. Turn it all to ash and demonstrate your royal authority.
"…I was going to do that anyway."
The shadow flickered again.
Then do it. That defiled book mocked my final battle. As the Ashton who slaughtered me, you must judge that insult.
"…I know. I have no intention of losing."
Then grasp it. Once more, take the Flame of Genesis into your hand.
Ren stood up. As the world began to move again, he turned to the side and flashed a small smile at the worried Licia and Fiona.
"I’m not doing this just because you told me to," he whispered to the shadow in his heart.
A fierce spirit dwelled in Ren’s eyes. Holding the hilt of the sword that had manifested once more, he took a heroic step forward.
The Dragon King’s voice rang out clearly.
『Even without the black sword, you should be able to call it forth.』
"…The black sword?"
Was it that jet-black longsword from the space Ren had wandered into when influenced by Fiona’s power? The Dragon King didn't answer. Instead, it spoke to his back.
『Do not forgive the one who mocked that battle.』
The surging fire was the Flame of Genesis that had claimed the Dragon King—a hellfire of the beginning that would scorch anything, a flame even divinity should fear. The world regained its full speed. Ren stepped forward to finish what he had started.
"Not yet… Mascheria!"
"Impossible—you still have this much power!?"
Ren swung the Flame Magic Sword with every bit of his remaining strength. The fire crawled along the ground toward the Forbidden Book. Although most of the flames were swallowed by the God's Haze, Ren’s will proved stronger.
"Hyaaaaaaaah!"
The flames struck the gemstone embedded in the book's cover. The gem caught fire and cracked down the center. When it finally shattered, a brilliance of pure mana was unleashed. The ancient power dwelling within the Forbidden Book flowed into the bracelet on Ren’s arm.
Level 8: Magic Sword Awakening enabled under specific conditions.
All Ren had lacked was the rank of his Magic Sword Summoning Arts. With the mastery he had painstakingly built until today, he could control it. The text denoting the Flame Magic Sword blurred and shifted, the characters flickering until they reformed into a new name.
Flame Ma— (Level 1: 1/1)
Just like that day in the Baldur Mountains, Ren knew even without looking. The name of the blade had finished its transformation.
"Flame Sword, Asval—!"
After several years, the legendary blade returned to the world. The magic sword in Ren’s hand assumed its true, majestic form—the very weapon Fiona had witnessed years ago. A staggering amount of mana drained from him, but as long as he could stand, it was enough.
"…It’s the flames from that time!"
"Yes! I can use it better now than I did back then!"
He exchanged a look with Licia.
"In that case—Ren!"
"Yeah! For sure this time!"
Mascheria understood then that the fire Ren held was directly linked to the power of the Dragon King she had glimpsed. She realized how much he must have trained to be able to wield such a blade.
"No matter what I do, I cannot kill you… I suppose that is simply how it is."
She was still smiling. She looked at Ren and spoke as she released all her power at once.
But perhaps because of the fire's influence, golden light began to leak from the Forbidden Book against Mascheria’s will. The spine was crumbling, and the pages were turning into golden particles. The torrent of mana was being incinerated.
Mascheria realized the match was over. She knew that no matter how many times she tried, they would keep standing. Even with her eyes illuminated by the ancient flames, she remained composed. Without letting go of the book, she suddenly turned her back on them.
"Why… why turn your back on us!?"
"I refuse to simply accept life in Elfen's world," she replied. "So, Mascheria has decided to walk her own path. The Forbidden Book and the God's Haze still remain ahead."
Her relentless, incomprehensible thirst for knowledge was still burning.
"Death will not come to Mascheria. I will decipher the world within the God's Haze."
"You… you’re still saying that!?"
"I'll say it as many times as I must."
The Forbidden Book of Memories had lost its physical form, its silhouette maintained only by lingering mana.
"Therefore, Ren Ashton, I shall leave this battle for now. Someday, you and Mascheria shall meet again… in a place where the world won't interfere. Just the two of us."
Her thirst for knowledge would not die, and neither would she.
"Next time, for sure—I will make the descendant of the Divine Child mine."
The light of the Forbidden Book synchronized with the God's Haze, assimilating into the very phenomenon it had once tried to absorb. The Witch of Medil reached out and touched the haze directly.
"—Ah, that’s right."
As she began to fade, she left behind her final words.
"I hate your way of thinking, but I hate this world even more. So, if the world tries to demand something foolish of you, you should just brush it aside."
"Mascheria!? What do you—!?"
"It would be far too boring if you weren't there when we meet again."
She left behind words that only Ren could truly understand, and just before vanishing, she looked up into the void. Cherishing the writhing haze, the witch smiled and mocked the heavens.
"—Take that, Elfen. I’ve said it. I, Mascheria, have said it."
With that unwavering smile, Mascheria cast herself and her book into the God's Haze.
There was no time for relief.
"—Ren! We have to hurry!"
The temple had begun to collapse in earnest. Climbing the stairs, they saw the battlefield being swallowed by God's Haze as it surged toward the surface. They sprinted through the main hall, the floor giving way behind them. They used magic and blades to cut through the falling debris.
Finally, they were met by brilliant sunlight.
Once they escaped the crumbling ruin, they ran into the plaza and turned back. The temple's grand facade was gone. The subterranean levels had already collapsed, and it was only a matter of time before the surface structures followed suit. Yet, the three of them did not retreat.
"You won't tell us to run away on our own anymore, will you?"
"…I won't. I've made my choice, too."
"Good. If you told me to run, I was going to get angry again."
Their steps were unsteady, and their exhaustion was so severe that remaining conscious felt like a miracle. Even so, the God's Haze continued to overflow from the ruins. They had to neutralize it.
"—Ugh."
Ren nearly collapsed, but he felt support on both sides.
"It's okay. We're right here."
"We are here. No matter what happens… we are with you."
Supported by them, a weak smile touched his lips. The words came naturally, warmed by the bond they shared.
"I’m really glad the two of you were here."
"Honestly, you're only saying that now?"
"But I am very happy to hear it."
To put an end to this day's battle, Ren raised the Flame Sword Asval. Though every movement was agony, he felt filled with more courage and vitality than ever before.
The time for the end had arrived.
"It might be presumptuous to challenge the power of a god… but," Ren whispered.
The three of them stared at the fluctuating God's Haze as if speaking to a lost child.
"We will guide you back—back to where you belong."
The wind was gentle, and the rustling of the trees sounded like the world answering back. It was a beautiful resonance, echoing through the silence.