Boom!!!
A terrifying shockwave swept in every direction. The Lord of Lava roared in pain as his massive body staggered backward. A deep golden fissure split his molten arm, and Holy Flame burned in the wound, preventing it from healing.
"Damn it! His power..."
The Lord of Lava was shaken.
Though both were gods, he could clearly sense that Helion's power far surpassed his own. In a head-on clash like this, light's dominance over darkness was laid bare.
The Lord of Torture's chains had been severed, but they quickly reformed, though their glow had dimmed considerably.
They all knew they were only buying time. Victory depended on whether the Night Lady could hold off Artemis and whether Dies Martin could stabilize the situation before light completely consumed the core.
But Artemis's second Light Arrow was already poised to fly. Its tip shone even more fiercely than before, aimed once again at the breach that had yet to fully close.
"It's over, remnants of darkness."
Artemis's voice rang out like a final judgment.
At that critical moment, madness and resolve flashed through Dies Martin's eyes.
"You want to purify us? Then have a taste of corruption yourselves!"
Dark energy far denser and more sinister than before erupted from Dies Martin's will. This was no mere defense. Laden with corrosive, warping force, it surged toward the Light Arrow Artemis was about to fire and the Light Power that had already seeped through the veil!
This was more than a clash of power. It was a desperate attempt to fight poison with poison!
He meant to corrupt that pure light with his own Source of Deceit!
In the distance, the Undead and Abyssal gods who had been watching drew back involuntarily as they sensed the sudden surge of dark energy, rife with chaos