The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

The two barely managed to stay together by interlocking their fingers, their palms already slightly white from the force of their grip.

With only the two of them alone, Venus no longer needed to maintain the illusion and reverted to her true self.

He turned his head to look at Tilisa beside him, his tone full of helplessness: "Why did you stop Arios for no reason? You've gotten yourself into this mess."

"Hehe..." Despite being in a dangerous situation, Tissa still laughed, a smile that revealed a sense of relief. "You were an accomplice too."

"What?" Viner thought he had misheard.

“A hero cannot be killed by the weapons of this world,” Tilisa replied, “but Ryujin Jakka can.”

"Time reversal again?" Wiener frowned, vaguely guessing the answer.

“Yes.” Tilisa nodded.

In order to meet the conditions for freeing the Holy Sword, Arios chose the most direct and cruel method.

He persuaded Labbel to incite the kingdom to launch a war that would sweep across the continent.

His reason was perfectly plausible—to unite the continent and fight against the demons before the demons resurrected.

This explanation not only convinced the kingdom's high-ranking officials, but also divided the academy into two factions.

Although Leia had some complaints, she was unable to restrain the now powerful Arios.

After her attempts to persuade him failed, Tilisa parted ways with Arios.

Arios led the kingdom's army in continuous conquests, spreading the flames of war to every corner.

The task of searching for and eliminating the demons fell entirely on Tilisa's shoulders.

It must be said that with the full support of the kingdom, the efficiency of searching for demons has greatly improved.

This also means that Tilissa has almost no time to catch her breath.

Almost immediately after instructing someone to deliver a Demon Blood Soul to the academy, he received new orders, leaving him with very few opportunities to return to the academy to rest.

She was busy traveling around and had no time to notice Arios's changes, nor did she realize his hidden intentions.

In reality, Arios was no longer satisfied with simply reducing the population through war.

At this rate, it would take several years just to unsheathe the holy sword, let alone unlock the later stages.

He is empowered by the power of a hero, unlike Hitrie, who could only kill the demon god when humanity was on the verge of extinction.

If Arios could reduce the population to a million, he could kill them all.

He secretly sneaked back to the academy and released all the demons sealed in the dungeon.

In order to prevent the demon from escaping, Rhea used her prayer spell without reservation to suppress it.

However, Arios took advantage of the Headmistress's weakness after performing the Prayer Spell, took her life, and framed the Empire for the crime.

After Rhea's death, the last shackle that could restrain him was shattered.

Even the noble Paladin Order was blinded by hatred and turned into the sharpest claws under Arios's command.

When Tilisa returned from the deep sea after defeating the sea demon, the human world had already become a living hell.

On one side, demons roamed freely, and on the other side, the allied forces led by Arios were invincible.

However, both sides always seemed to tacitly avoid each other.

Upon learning of Leia's death, Tilisa immediately realized that things were not as simple as they seemed.

She concealed her whereabouts and sneaked back alone into the ruins of St. Freya Academy.

By rewinding time, they found the real culprit who killed Rhea.

But it was too late.

By this time, Arios had long since transformed from a righteous hero into a ruthless butcher.

Everyone who questioned or doubted him was secretly murdered.

The rest, through constant victories and slaughter, gradually turned into fanatics.

He squandered the reputation accumulated by heroes throughout the ages, making the world regard Arios as the only hero who could save the world.

To oppose Arios at this moment is to stand against humanity.

Instead of retreating, Tilisa followed the allied forces' marching route and found Arios.

"If you continue like this, you will only destroy this world sooner than the demon god."

"So what? No more heroes will appear in the future. This is the last and only chance to kill the demon god."

If negotiations fail, then the only option left is to settle things with a sword.

Facing the demonic sword Murakumoga, stained with countless blood, in Arios's hand, Tilisa drew Ryujin Jakka for the first time.

This weapon, originally intended to be used against the demon god, ultimately pointed at the hero.

In this battle, Tilisa won a narrow victory.

Just as she was about to end it all, the allied forces, having sensed the commotion, quickly arrived, leaving Tilisa with no choice but to flee.

After this defeat, Arios became more cautious and used the excuse of recovering from his injuries to avoid showing his face again.

Meanwhile, Tilisa, who attacked him, was portrayed as a greater threat than the demon.

Without the allied forces led by Arios, and facing constant news of demonic attacks from the rear, the coalition quickly disintegrated.

But how could they, once separated, possibly be a match for the demons who had united?

The continent, which had been able to barely maintain order, fell into even greater chaos with the collapse of the allied forces.

After Arios disappeared, the situation did not improve; instead, it deteriorated rapidly, and humanity's living space was further compressed.

Tilisa then realized that Arios's defeat was most likely intentional.

In an attempt to turn the tide, Tilisa, unguarded, forcibly cast a prayer spell to reconfirm the location of the Holy Sword, and finally, dragging her weakened body, went to find it.

When the mainland population dropped to one million, the aura of the Holy Sword finally grew to an undeniable level, its dazzling power, like the blazing sun, heralding its awakening.

Just as Arios arrived at the location of the Holy Sword, a familiar figure appeared before him.

"We've come this far, do you still want to stop me?" Arios said helplessly.

“I will get everything back on track.” Tilissa showed no sign of backing down.

"You should understand by now that my defeat last time was just me deliberately losing to you. If you draw your sword against me again, I won't hold back."

"Look at the wronged souls entwined around the sword, do you still have the nerve to say that?"

“...I was thinking, if even you die, no one in this world will remember my achievements anymore, which is quite a pity.” Arios suddenly said with a hint of regret.

"I only regret that I couldn't stop you from the beginning."

With the Holy Sword as their witness, the two, who were once both teacher and friend, began their final battle.

The Murakumo, which had absorbed the flesh and blood of countless lives, and Ryujin Jakka, in his Bankai form, clashed repeatedly before finally shattering together.

Looking at the shattered Ryujin Jakka, a hint of heartache flashed in Tissa's eyes.

Arios, however, threw away the hilt of his sword without any reaction and condensed a longsword from pure sword energy.

He had long realized that the Ryujin Jakka in Tilissa's hand was a divine weapon that surpassed even the Soun-ga.

To eliminate this destabilizing factor, Arios even ordered the village of Lumiel to be leveled.

“You always said I couldn’t learn magic, so let’s appraise this spiritual weapon that’s simulated with sword energy.”

"Then I'll let you see this sword of the mortal realm."

Under Arios's astonished gaze, Tilisa drew the holy sword from behind her.

"Holy Sword Escudora, brave warrior, beseech me to die."

Chapter 586 The Broken Moon of the Underworld

"Cough, I didn't expect that someone like you would appear after Hitler. If it were you, you would indeed have a chance to kill the Demon God without relying on us."

Arios's gaze fell on the holy sword that had pierced his chest, and his eyes gradually regained some clarity.

"But is it really worth it? Although you have drawn the Holy Sword, you can only watch more humans die before you have a chance to kill the Demon God."

"The difference is probably that you don't have to get your hands dirty; you just have to wait quietly for them to go to their destruction."

Even if Tilisa went through great lengths to defeat him, what she left for this world was not hope.

“You don’t need to worry about that.” Tissa gripped the holy sword tightly, as if confirming something. “If there were a chance to do it all over again—”

“I will still use the same method.” Arios directly discouraged Tilissa. “You should have realized long ago that I have never been from the same world as you. Even if more of you die, what does it matter to me?”

"But it would be a real shame for you to disappear along with this world. Go and kill the Demon God, and we will give you a chance to be reborn."

"I would rather leave this opportunity to the world."

Tissa answered without hesitation.

She suddenly swung the longsword, completely destroying Arios's body. The body that once carried endless ambition was pulverized under the holy sword's might.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Escudo's voice rang out. "Even without Arios, the situation might not be any better. Without the hero's suppression, humanity's predicament will become even more difficult."

“Since the goddess is willing to believe in the possibilities of humanity, why can’t I? Lend me your power, Escudo.”

Arios's figure loomed over the entire world like a shadow; his existence had long been entangled with too many causes and effects.

Tissa verified countless times that even with the power of the Holy Sword, it was difficult to alter the timeline of his existence.

Only by killing Arios can we have a chance to change all of this.

As for the future—

A small figure flashed before Tilisa's eyes, yet it was a figure that was doing its utmost to protect her.

I hope you can find a more correct path than Arios and I.

The wind lifted the hem of her dress, and the holy sword in her hand emitted a scorching yet warm light, as if responding to her determination.

Tilisa took a deep breath, plunged the holy sword into the ground, and unleashed the power of the emblem without reservation.

Even if the world's population were reduced to only a million, and even if Arios, the most disruptive force in the world, had disappeared, such a large-scale time reversal would still be incredibly difficult.

The Celestial Pulse Emblem began to disintegrate under extreme stress, cracks spreading along her abdomen, forcing her to lean on the Holy Sword for support.

She didn't know how long she had persevered, only that her hands suddenly felt empty, and time returned to the final stage of Arios's Holy Sword Trial.

With a soft "snap," the last sphere of light shattered, and the obstacle protecting the trial participants finally disappeared.

Before he could make a move, Tissa rushed in front of him and, without hesitation, pierced his chest with her sword.

"I'm sorry," she murmured softly.

Arios glanced down at the blade that had pierced him and gave a helpless smile: "I really didn't expect to die at your hands twice."

“I’ll be watching you from above, seeing just how far this guy who killed me twice is capable of.” His voice gradually faded until it disappeared into nothingness.

------------

"Finished?" Wiener asked.

"Do you know how much determination I had to make back then, and this is how you reacted?" Tilissa glared at him, clearly dissatisfied.

“Then I can’t just clap my hands and say Arios is dead, okay?” Vena couldn’t help but say.

Even if Tilisa says that Arios once pushed humanity to the brink of extinction, for Venus today, these are just stories he has never personally experienced.

Moreover, if Arios hadn't reminded him, he might still be trapped in the Holy Sword Trial and have missed the chance to save Tilisa.

In this respect alone, Viña should even thank Arios.

“I believe you made the right choice, isn’t that enough?” Wiener asked.

"...You're right."

Upon hearing Venere's words, Tissa felt a great sense of relief.

At least she no longer has to bear this secret alone.

"Instead of all this, we should hurry up and think about how to get out. If we don't die at the hands of the demons, but are trapped in this godforsaken place, Arios Spring will laugh us to death if it knows."

"I have no choice."