With a huge exhale, a small spark arose from the magic.

The spark expanded, gradually diffusing like red paint on a black canvas, enveloping all the magic and coloring the sky crimson.

The flame burned as sharply as the magic that had once covered the sky.

Though it was a scene that could evoke fear, neither the civilians seeking refuge nor the heroes protecting them felt that way.

Only warmth radiated from the bright red flames, instead of heat.

“Scarlet….”

Yoon Si-woo stared blankly at the flames filling the sky before slowly reaching his hand towards it.

But at that moment when he extended his hand, the flames that scattered warmth over the world began to disperse like a mirage.

“Ah….”

He waved his hand as if trying to catch the strands of fire that were drifting away.

Even though he knew he could no longer grasp it, he desperately waved his outstretched hand and clenched it tightly.

Yet when he opened his hand, nothing remained.

Not the darkness that had stretched across the sky.

Not the flames that had consumed the darkness.

And ultimately, not even the sight of the girl who saved the world.

All had vanished from the world without leaving a trace.

“……Ah.”

Yoon Si-woo collapsed onto the ground.

He knew.

This was the conclusion the girl had desired.

Surely, she had been happy till the last moment for being able to protect the world, to protect them.

However,

“Ah, ah…”

Yoon Si-woo could not endure the outcome that the girl did not wish for.

“Ugh, hwaah… kuh-huh…”

Yoon Si-woo sat there on the ground, clutching his chest.

It was gone.

Something that had taken a large place here had vanished as if a hole had opened up.

That feeling of loss, that pain.

It was indescribable.

To Yoon Si-woo, the girl was a precious existence.

Thus, he expected the pain of losing her to be immense.

But in losing her, he realized.

To him, she had become something beyond precious; she had become an indispensable presence.

“Ahh, hwaah…! Hwaaaah…!!!”

Yoon Si-woo writhed in despair over what he had lost.

Clutching at his chest, he released a wail that sounded as if his soul was crying.

He endured the pain for a while, screaming until he suddenly slumped.

“……”

His demeanor, completely devoid of the reason to live, seemed so precarious.

A newborn baby, an elderly person lying in bed all day seemed more vigorous.

What remained was not the hero, Yoon Si-woo, who had become the hope of many but merely a frail boy mourning the loss of something valuable.

Such a miserable figure left those nearby at a loss for how to console him, leading to a silence enveloping Yoon Si-woo for a while.

[…Si-woo.]

Breaking the silence was Lucy.

In the shape of a sword, Lucy appeared before Yoon Si-woo, gazing at him for a moment before quietly asking.

[…Si-woo, do you remember the contract you made with me before?]

“…….”

Though Yoon Si-woo did not respond, Lucy continued without waiting for an answer as she saw his gaze slowly turn to her.

You wanted to become stronger. So I helped awaken the true abilities of the Holy Swords, and as a result, you became strong.

As Lucy mentioned, with her help, Yoon Si-woo had grown stronger.

Strong enough that he wouldn’t lose against common foes.

…Back then, I had a wish in exchange for making you stronger.

However, Lucy’s expectation was not to merely become strong enough not to lose against ordinary enemies.

I refuse to see you lose to anyone. You should become stronger than anyone else. That is what I wished for you.

What Lucy demanded as a price was to become stronger than anyone else.

There wouldn’t be anyone comparable among humans.

If there were, it would be a witch, but now that all the witches except for her were dead, Yoon Si-woo had been infinitely close to that state.

I did my utmost to help you become strong. Therefore, you must do your best to become stronger than anyone else.

Or, to be precise, he had been closer to that state until now.

But what is that pitiful sight?

Lucy looked down at Yoon Si-woo, who had slumped to the ground.

Having lost the motivation to grow stronger, he had grown weak.

So weak that anyone could knock him down at any moment.

I cannot bear to see you like this.

She had not wanted to see such a weak and miserable figure.

Thus, Lucy made her decision.

To employ the final measure she had kept until now.

Once she made up her mind, strength surged within her.

It manifested as a sword, severing the chains that bound her.

Then, Lucy’s form, which had taken the shape of a sword, shimmered for a moment.

And the next instant,

There stood a woman with ebony hair.

Those around her unconsciously held their breath at her presence, like an extraordinarily sharp sword tempered to perfection.

The woman walked toward Yoon Si-woo, holding a pitch-black sword that matched her hair color, and pointed it at him, saying,

“Si-woo, take the sword. I shall personally discipline you until you regain your senses.”

Yoon Si-woo’s gaze turned toward the sword aimed at him.

He was familiar with the figure.

It was Lucy’s appearance he had seen numerous times in the imagined world created by the guiding Holy Sword.

Yet even though it was his first time facing her in reality, Yoon Si-woo remained indifferent despite her pointing a sword at him.

He lacked the energy to feel surprised by such things, as well as the reasons to heed her command to take the sword.

“It seems like you are completely out of your mind.”

Naturally, Lucy had expected Yoon Si-woo to react that way.

“Then how about this, Si-woo? If you defeat me this time—”

Thus, Lucy threw out the bait toward Yoon Si-woo.

“—I will tell you how to bring back that girl.”

It was bait he could never resist.

“…What?”

The moment he heard Lucy’s words, light returned to Yoon Si-woo’s previously lifeless eyes.

He stared at Lucy as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard, as if he had received a malicious joke.

“…What did you just say?”

Lucy met Yoon Si-woo’s sharp glare.

Seeing the revived light in his eyes, she chuckled softly and replied.

“I said that if you defeat me, I will tell you how to bring that girl back. Did you not hear me?”

“…If you were just joking, then even if you are Lucy, I won’t forgive you.”

“I have never lied to you. From the beginning, you should know whether I am telling the truth or lying. Or have you decided to no longer believe in the flawed truth because you were fooled by that witch’s trick?”

As Lucy spoke, a pure white dagger suddenly appeared before Yoon Si-woo.

He had shouted that it was [false] several times at the Truth of the Holy Sword in disbelief, but it didn’t matter—he dismissed it and returned it to the sheath, watching Lucy in silence.

According to Lucy’s words, she had not spoken falsehoods.

She had no reason to do so.

Which meant…

“…You really do know how to bring back Scarlet?”

It implied that she indeed knew how to resurrect Scarlet.

Yoon Si-woo clenched his fists tightly and spoke to Lucy.

“Then tell me. Right now.”

Hope surged in the possibility of reclaiming Scarlet.

Once that hope emerged, his spirit returned as if a switch had been flipped, and Lucy smiled joyfully and responded.

“I said it, didn’t I? If you defeat me, I’ll tell you how.”

“…If I can’t win, you won’t tell me?”

“Of course. I have expressed my desire for you to become stronger than anyone else. Without exception.”

Now that all the witches, except for her, were gone, Yoon Si-woo had come closer to becoming the strongest.

But he was still not the strongest.

Because there remained a witch here who could match him.

This would be the final test as her disciple.

“Now, defeat me and seize what you wish for: both the method and supremacy.”

At those words, Yoon Si-woo charged toward the last remaining witch in this world.

The arrogant witch, Lucifel.