Standing before me was a face that I have seen before, albeit only through pictures. The once colorful figure had been colored in nothing but pitch bck. If you didn’t know who he was, you would be forgiven for making the wrong guess.

  Amoriaz Keroz Sy, the founder of Sy.

  “Not much of a talker, eh?”

  His bck eyes moved, looking my way. On his left arm was a long cane, three white orbs shining above it. A dark red cloak hid most of his body, revealing only the ends of his limbs.

  “You have quite the interesting fashion sense.”

  Maybe this style was popur when he was alive, or maybe I was the one that didn’t get fashion. Regardless, my insults didn’t seem to affect him in the slightest.

  Is this man even alive?

  I knew that he was no longer the same Amoriaz, but it felt as if I was speaking to a corpse and not a living being, not even a monster.

  “Not willing to talk?”

  I guess that should be expected. Asyter did mention that the true him died a long time ago. This might be the leftovers or something. The dark thoughts? The goo? A zombie? I had no idea how to describe him, but he did look quite imposing.

  He stood up from the chair in the center of the rge throne room, stepping down to the floor. I gnced at my surroundings. The walls had some windows in them, revealing the waters outside the castle. A century ago, a rge battle took pce in this very room, but there were no signs of the fight leftover. Maybe the demon king fixed it in his free time, or maybe someone else did it.

  I hope this pce doesn’t crumble on top of me… I thought as I readied my weapon. Four wands, two in each hand. I held them facing forward, one between my index and middle fingers, the other between my middle and ring fingers.

  I need to buy time… but how long?

  Akareseki mentioned that I was Amoriaz’s target. He must have tempered with the tunnels somehow, bringing only me in here. If that’s the case, then it would take hours before the rest of the group came here, and that if they full-on sprint. Under such a condition, they wouldn’t be in a state to fight once they arrive.

  But even with my level 100 powers, I doubt I could hold him for any more than an hour. Most likely it would be below that. This is the demon king, after all. Back then, it took five level 90 just to seal him. The ten levels difference wouldn’t make much of a difference, and that not counting the number disadvantage.

  But I must try, somehow. If not, I might die here. I would hate it for the rest to come running into the room, finding nothing but my corpse lying around. The demon king might have escaped by that time.

  I checked the throne room. Looks wise, it had the same exact look as its potrayal in the game. Light blur colored floor and walls, a rge entryway at the back end across the throne, and a combination of windows and torches that gave light to the otherwise dark space.

  “Sorry, but I can’t let you go,” I said. It was more to boost my confidence than a threat.

  So this is how it felt to have the entire world on your shoulders…

  The feeling of the main protagonist fighting against impossible odds.

  The demon king turned his head downward at the floor. The same motion began the fight a hundred years ago, the first phase of the battle. He tapped his cane on the floor, a magic circle appearing right underneath him. I recognized the symbol, it had been a long while since I st saw it. Strasversaus. It was the spell that helped me discover Emori’s White Void, when the monster using it put us in a pinch.

  I ran and jumped, my eyes on Amoriaz. Strasversaus increased the speed of a limb, making the movement almost invisible. Not quick enough to be undodgeable, though.

  Which limb?

  Despite me running in circles around him, nothing came out to attack me-

  A dark red, clenched hand tore through the floor, flying straight up at me. I jumped to the right, managing to dodge it in time. More hands came up from the floor, attempting to pull me down. Their movements were fast. I leaped side-to-side, trying my best to dodge the incoming hands.

  “Akh!” Another hand appeared from the ground, forcing me to run toward the wall. A hand appeared from the wall, another from my left side. I leaped back in an attempt to dodge, but didn’t see a different hand there. It captured me, prohibiting me from moving.

  “Let me go!” I yelled. The hand tightened its grasp. The demon king began stepping, walking toward me. He dragged the cane across the ground, creating a loud screech as he came closer.

  Fire Ball!

  I formed a red circle straight on the demon king’s head then painted the symbol for Fire Ball on it. The spell registered and a bzing ball of fmes streaked across the sky, only to dissipate the second it hit Amoriaz’s face.

  “It didn’t work?” I yelled in annoyment. I turned down to the hand grasping me and tried again. I could feel the heat and pain, but the spell did nothing to the hand holding me.

  Didn’t she say it intensified the effects?

  My fire attacks didn’t do anything at all.

  I’ll try quad-casting!

  Enduring the pain from the hand, I utilized Saturn Sky. I first merged the circles, then painted the symbol for Firework, Rock Beam, Sunflower, and Iron Horse. I shot the combination straight at the face of the demon king, bsting it right in front of his face.

  The bright fsh blinded him, forcing him to look away. The hand that held me lightened up, and I used the chance to escape.

  Hold Spear!

  I deployed my second quad-casting spell, using it to try and attack. Despite the regur spells not working against him, my Hold Spear managed to stab right through, the fire burning and engulfing the demon king’s body. He teleported away, leaving nothing but smoke in his pce. I looked around, looking for where he might have gone, but the throne room was completely empty.

  “Kaakh!” A sharp thing smashed right at my stomach, pain spreading throughout my body. It sent me flying to the wall, and I fell to the floor. I held my stomach, and couldn't even begin to describe the pain I endured.

  Was it… Strasversaus?

  My eyes went around. Amoriaz’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

  Some kind of invisibility spell? Was this used in the original fight?

  I tried recalling my memories, but couldn't find it being used at all.

  I tried standing up, my body aching all over. I could feel the energy continuing to be drained from me. Had I not been a level 100, I would be dead from that strike.

  What’s… going on…?

  I need to stand up. I need to fight, yet my body refused to heed my commands.

  If… If only… If only Emori and the others were here.

  My eyelids feel heavy, my consciousness escaping my grasps.

  So this is… the strength of the demon king…

  A figure began forming in front of me, dragging his cane with him.

  Is this the end?

  I didn’t want it to be, but even moving is a pain. Now I know why the original party struggled against him.

  Swords appeared by the demon king’s side, floating in the air. My vision was hazy, I couldn't even tell their color, their form merging together with the demon king’s.

  “... Emori.”

  Her name escaped my lips. The memories I made in these few months with all my friends filled my head. Maybe this is what they called your life fshing before your eyes. As the sharp tip of his bde closed the distance, my brain called up everything our group did together these st few months. From something as simple as the little beach trip we had st spring, to the chaos we faced when we came to Nanawak. Me fighting with Emori, and the times I spent with Maya when we were still children.

  All this time, we tried our best to raise our levels, to grind for this very day. Yet, I would die here, alone. I could only hope that they would find a way to defeat him without me.

  No…

  Despite all those sorrowful thoughts, I somehow sensed that it wouldn't get to that. Emori would arrive. Maya would arrive. Solicea would arrive. Regus and Amira would arrive. Prilus would arrive.

  Somehow, someway, they will reach me. Eventually. If I just fight for a tiny bit longer.

  What is this feeling?

  Just a bit longer, a tiny bit longer.

  That thought reverberated within me, repeating itself again and again. Considering the distance between this castle and Nanawak, it was impossible. Even if they somehow were already inside this castle, it would still take time to navigate its interiors. Monsters guarded its hallways, ready to pour in the second the demon king gave his command.

  Yet somehow, I could sense that they would be here. We would fight together and win. I could feel it.

  I can't give up now!

  To protect the people I care about, to live a happy life with the people I love. I couldn’t die here. I’m a level 100, among the strongest of men that walked this very pnet. If there is one time when I couldn’t falter, it’s now.

  Boost! Myriad Dash!

  Despite Boost being an elementless spell, it somehow worked. Using the combination, I pushed myself away from the incoming sword stab. I threw my body straight at the demon king. I knocked back the demon king’s figure, sending it to the other side of the room. My body screamed in pain, yet I did my best to ignore my own senses.

  This is not real. This is an illusion.

  I told myself. Just like a video game. Just like when I witnessed the first fight all those years ago, back in my old world. The pain wasn’t real, it's just indicators for my HP going down. As long as I continued moving, as long as I continued breathing, I would get through this. It didn’t matter how, I just know I will.

  Keeping Boost active is a must. The second I let it off my vision, I failed. I combined it with a mix of spells. Since my quad-casting combination worked, I used it over and over again. I only had four in my arsenal, but they’re enough. They must be enough.

  Myriad Dash, Saturn Sky, Hold Spear, Greencano.

  Dash, Fsh, Stun, Grenade.

  I repeated the series of spells with all my might. I paid attention to three things at once. Boost, the four spells, and the demon king’s position. My relentless attacks forced him to go into the defensive. I couldn’t let him change the tides, no matter what.

  The boost’s existence made me wield five spells at once, something I couldn’t even do back when pying the game. That said, I wouldn’t call it a part of the multi-casting technique, as Boost was something active in the background.

  Using it in tandem with my quad casting spells does mean that it drained my mana pool a lot faster than I expected. It also puts a heavy strain on my brain. Even the slightest bit of mistake could send me to my death.

  Come on, just a bit more.

  I told myself, even if I knew it would take a long while for them to get here. As I continued fighting, that slightest bit of hope continued diminishing, disappearing into the sky.

  The demon king’s attacks intensified. More and more punches, stabs, and spells was sent my way. They were simir to the way he fought all those years ago, albeit at a faster and more dizzying pace.

  Or maybe it only felt like that. I was unsure.

  Eventually, the tide began shifting. The demon king used his hands and floating swords to block my attacks, his accuracy increasing with every successful block. I couldn’t keep up, being forced to slow down. How long has Boost been active? I couldn’t remember. The longer I keep this up, the longer I would be frozen if the spell shut down. Sweat descended my forehead. I quickly swiped it off, before its wet sensation could distract me.

  I began fumbling my spells. Greencano didn’t register, and a sword hurled my way.

  I still managed to use Myriad Dash to get out of the way, but-

  Something hard smacked my head, sending me tumbling straight at the wall. The crash disabled Boost, causing me to colpse to the ground, unable to move. I attempted to trigger it again, forming its symbol, but it didn’t work.

  The demon king approached me, a sword hovering straight above my heart.

  I guess this is the end.

  It had been a good run. I wished I could go a bit farther, but as, this is where-

  A pure streak of white fshed straight in front of my eyes, a feature reminiscent of a certain spell a certain someone wielded.

  Huh, guess it's not over.

  And with that thought, came the sweet, ever familiar voice.

  “Fortis!”