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Nightmare.

A type of dream—an unpleasant one that induces negative emotions.

The nightmare authority wielded by the Duke of Celestial Grace.

The moment the Sky of Nightmares spread, everyone beneath it without permission fell into a nightmare.

Only the final stage of Isabel’s Wings of the Goddess could completely block this worst kind of area-wide spell.

But that wasn’t the only effect of the nightmare sky.

Imperial knights, Tower Masters, and even nobles who had collapsed on the ground began to rise.

They were moving under someone else's will, puppeteered by the nightmare.

RUMBLEEEEE!

From all directions of the Imperial Palace, people started pouring in.

All had been caught by the nightmare and were now being controlled.

The Duke of Celestial Grace had used the puppet emperor to make contact with numerous nobles.

In doing so, he must have planted nightmares within them.

He had anticipated even this kind of scenario.

“You!”

“Senior!”

Isabel ran over to me and wrapped me in her wings.

Nikita rushed to cool my body with the frost of the Ice Dragon.

Thanks to them, my injured body began to recover a little.

Sharin and Xenia also stood by my side before I realized it.

“...The mana is too awful.”

“Even breathing is annoying~.”

Xenia trembled, and Sharin clicked her tongue.

But despite everything, my gaze was solely fixed on the Duke of Celestial Grace.

After Iris died, the Duke had no more tricks left.

That’s why he had pulled out even his final, hidden card.

At that moment, a radiant blue light burst forth.

It shot past the imperial knights and Tower Masters, striking toward the Duke of Celestial Grace.

CRASHHHHH!

But around the duke was a semi-transparent barrier.

The current, unable to pierce it, scattered and vanished.

“So... some kind of magic immunity.”

Standing there was the Blue Tower Master.

Unlike the other Tower Masters, he had consistently stayed on our side and had no contact with the Duke.

Thanks to that, he had not fallen victim to the nightmare sky and could maintain his mana.

Even so, the other Tower Masters who were under control didn’t stop.

Even in their old bodies, they recklessly unleashed mana.

“They’re all ancient geezers. Bet they’ll cry about their backs tomorrow.”

The Blue Tower Master gathered mana, preparing to take them on.

But even he couldn’t stop all of them alone.

He could only deal with about two Tower Masters and a few knights.

Whooosh—

A massive peach-colored air current surged.

My face stiffened.

The Empire’s sword and the strongest knight of this era—

The Captain of the Imperial Knights: Hanadin Rapidedia.

He was releasing such fierce hostility that my skin tingled.

Right alongside him, Duke of Iron Wall, Gerhardt Stormfell, raised the spear handed to him by the imperial knights.

The spear transformed into a massive halberd as it hit the ground with a quake.

The two pillars of the Empire were rising to their feet.

Though immensely powerful, they had been exposed to the nightmare for too long.

They couldn’t escape it through their own will anymore.

The imperial knights drew their swords in unison, following Hanadin.

The nobles ensnared by the Duke were no different.

“...Saintess, Saint, how much longer can you maintain this barrier?”

At my question, Acrede and the Saint exchanged glances.

“About 15 minutes. That’s our limit.”

They had conjured the sanctuary too abruptly.

A sanctuary gains power and duration the longer the prayer to the Goddess continues.

It was only because they were a Saintess and Saint that they could maintain it for 15 minutes.

Ordinarily, it would have broken much sooner.

“That’s... not enough.”

The Blue Tower Master gathered magic at his fingertip, thinking briefly.

He was calculating whether the Duke of Celestial Grace could be defeated in this time.

His eyes met mine.

His expression said, You predicted this much, didn’t you?

He was right.

I wasn’t unaware of this possibility.

And that’s why I had prepared.

Taken precautions.

I just didn’t know it would lead to Iris’s death.

My eyes fell on Iris, whom I held in my arms.

“Hania.”

I called out to Hania, who was sitting on the ground.

“There’s one way to bring Iris back.”

Hania slowly lifted her gaze.

The others also turned to look at me.

“Husband… You said he was a vampire mystic, right?”

“No. That’s not it.”

The vampire mysticism didn’t restore someone to life entirely.

Iris wouldn’t want to come back that way.

My eyes turned toward Iris’s body standing beside the Duke of Celestial Grace.

I couldn’t be sure how this would end.

But one thing was certain—I could truly bring Iris back.

“...You’re about to do something reckless again, aren’t you?”

Isabel grabbed my collar tightly.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say I wouldn’t.

“I’m sorry, Isabel.”

I apologized beforehand and stood up.

“This is the only way to save Iris.”

Isabel bit her lip at my pained expression.

“So please… help me.”

“...You better be ready for a scolding later.”

In the end, Isabel agreed to my request.

My gaze turned to Nikita next.

“I owe you a lot, senior.”

She smiled warmly.

There was anxiety in her, but more than anything—she believed in me.

“Good thing I trained in celestial magic.”

Xenia was the same.

BOOM!

In the meantime, the Blue Tower Master was taking on the nightmare-bound imperial knights and Tower Masters.

“I’ll hold them off.”

He declared that he alone would confront the Empire’s might.

He, too, had chosen to support this plan.

“Sharin, prepare the magic.”

“Phew, my husband better give me a reward later.”

I'll give you anything you want.

This battle had to end swiftly and decisively.

“Lady Acrede, can you expand the sanctuary?”

“But if I do, it will only last five minutes.”

Acrede answered cautiously.

“That’s fine.”

That amount of time is enough.

“Vikamon.”

At that moment, Hania picked up a sword that had been lying on the ground and stood up.

“We will bring Lady Iris back.”

Determination burned fiercely in her eyes.

That resolve gave me the strength once more to bring Iris back.

“Have you all finished talking?”

Then, Duke of Celestial Grace asked us instead.

“It’s been a long plan. Really, a long time.”

Even with his expressionless face, I could feel the terrifying energy radiating from him.

A plan that had been crafted over a lifetime.

Although my interference had twisted several things, it was clear that Iris would have become Emperor.

But now, even that had become impossible.

It was revealed to the world that Duke of Celestial Grace had joined hands with the Demon Sovereign.

From the moment Iris died in front of everyone’s eyes, there was no turning back for him.

“Do you even understand what it means that you ruined all of this? Vikamon Niflheim.”

He called my name.

Duke of Celestial Grace must have investigated me thoroughly.

But even if he had, he wouldn’t have found anything.

He wouldn’t have known why I was doing this, or what my true purpose was.

“Doesn’t matter.”

The only clear fact was that I was an obstacle.

“Now hand over my granddaughter’s head.”

Hearing that, a smile crept across my lips.

“If you want it—”

And then, to everyone's horror, I hurled Iris's head high into the air with all my strength.

“Come and take it.”

Iris’s head soared into the sky.

In that moment—Duke of Celestial Grace, the imperial knights, the Tower Masters, even the Demon Sovereign possessing Iris—

All looked up at the sky.

My right hand reached up, unhesitating.

Those who realized what I was about to do all stepped forward at once.

Come, Lightning Caller.

Lightning pierced through the dark clouds as Sharin unleashed a divine magic circle.

Where the lightning struck—

A massive divine magic circle formed, far larger than any before.

The lightning pierced through it, and finally turned crimson as it struck me.

The blessings of the Saint and the Saintess simultaneously infused my body, forcing it to move.

Xenia's numerous support spells further enhanced it.

A dragon's roar echoed as crimson lightning engulfed my body.

True Dragon form – Celestial Dragon

A body that should not have been able to move now took a step forward, empowered by all these blessings.

Whoosh!

At the same time, the sanctuary expanded across the entire imperial palace, momentarily neutralizing the sky of nightmares.

But those already caught in the nightmare could not be brought back.

Still, as everyone looked up, they were blinded by the sudden burst of radiant light.

Imperial knights covered their eyes and nobles collapsed in shock.

Even the Tower Masters were affected.

“Ha.”

The blue Tower Master, who never laughed in life, gave me a short chuckle.

And at the same time, he incapacitated two Tower Masters in a single blow.

BOOM!

I, soaring through the sky, snatched Iris’s head once more.

At that moment, someone jumped toward me.

Duke Ironwall — Gerhardt Stormfell.

To him, eyes were merely one of many senses.

Even without sight, his movements were unaffected.

The same went for the imperial knights.

Blinding their sight would only delay them briefly before they resumed swinging their swords.

But that short window—was enough.

Behind me, two figures leapt simultaneously.

Isabel Luna, unfurling the Wings of the Goddess.

Nikita Cynthia, cloaked in frost dragon magic.

Both unleashed their maximum firepower against Duke Ironwall.

KRRAAAACKKK!!!

These two were the best in close-range magical combat.

Even Duke Ironwall couldn’t easily withstand their combined force.

As they carved an opening, I kicked through the air.

My body, clutching Iris’s, let out a crimson surge as I dove downward.

An imperial knight swung his sword at me in haste—

But two spells shot ahead and sent him flying.

Support from Sharin and Xenia.

The distance between me and Duke of Celestial Grace shortened.

I clutched Iris’s head tighter as flames of ash began to burn within me.

Then, a peach-colored aura clearly appeared in my vision.

One person walked toward me slowly, exuding a chilling murderous intent.

An overwhelming torrent of aura from his entire body.

Anyone seeing that aura would know why he reigned as Commander of the Imperial Knights.

Imperial Commander Hanadin Rapidedia.

He kicked off the ground to intercept me.

The earth exploded behind him as the distance shrank.

I prepared for impact, pulling back my right arm.

Thud!

Someone who had barely caught up behind me unleashed the same peach-colored aura as Hanadin.

Hania Rapidedia.

She swung her sword with all her might from behind me.

“My father's sword—”

And then, their blades clashed.

“—I know it best!”

CRASSSHHH!!!

As their swords met, peach-colored aura burst in all directions.

Seeing that, I stepped forward once more.

Hania risked her life to block Hanadin.

Carrying her will, I too ran with everything I had.

Now a lightning bolt, no one could stop me.

Finally, I reached Duke of Celestial Grace.

He, as if expecting it, raised the black watch in his hand.

But I had no intention of dancing to his expectations.

Sorry, but you’re not my goal.

Thud—

I dashed past him.

His eyes widened in delayed surprise.

Where I arrived was—

Right in front of the beheaded Iris.

Now possessed by the Demon Sovereign.

As I reached her, I swung her head with all my might.

Iris’s head connected with her neck, joined with a black seam.

The Demon Sovereign had already seized her soul and bound it in place.

Even if the body died, as long as the soul remained, she could be revived.

But in place of Iris’s soul, the Demon Sovereign now tried to take that seat.

If that happened, it wouldn’t be a true resurrection.

So that Iris’s soul could return—

Fwoooosh—

—I transferred the Demon Sovereign into me.

Corrupted flame possesses the power to burn souls.

The Flame of Ash is no different.

I had once fused with Vulkan’s soul through this very process.

I knew it better than anyone.

Therefore—

Burn it all, Flame of Ash.

This time, the Demon Sovereign.