The Author's POV

'I won't bother creating a signal for you. I'm sure you'll know best when using the arrow, but… don't use it unless you're certain it's going to hit… I trust you'll know the exact moment when to release the arrow, and you only have one shot, so… make sure it counts…'

Standing at the top of the building with her empty bow drawn, Amanda kept reminding herself of the words that Ren had thrown at her just moments before leaving for one of the Pillars.

Right before her very eyes, a battle of a scale that she couldn't fathom was happening, and all she could do was stare at it with her breath held tightly.

'How am I supposed to interfere in that?'

Amanda kept wondering to herself the same thing over and over again as sweat trickled down the side of her face and her grip on the bow tightened.

BANG—! BANG—! The aftermath of their battle reached all the way where she was, and a strong wind pressure blew past her, scattering her hair away. She had to channel her mana on her feet in order to remain in the same spot, and when everything cleared up, she noticed a sudden change in the battle ahead.

"Oh, no…"

Amanda's heart clenched at the sight of Ren getting pummeled by the Demon King, who punched him directly in the face and tore the earth beneath the two.

Immediately, the circular projections behind her started to line up—from largest to smallest—and her entire body started to tremble.

She was just about to call forth her arrow when she was once again reminded of Ren's words, and she stopped herself.

'Not yet…'

The time wasn't ripe yet, and she knew it.

BANG—! Seeing Jezebeth punch him again, Amanda flinched but didn't look away and kept her gaze fixed on him. More than ever, she wanted to interfere, but she stopped herself again and silently clenched her teeth.

With another hit, Amanda watched as the Demon King placed his hand over Ren's face, exposing his back to her. Shortly after, a familiar set of golden runes manifested on his hand.

The same happened to Ren, whose face became colored in golden runes that slowly moved away from his face and moved to the Demon King's hand. The world around them started to twist.

Rather quickly, Ren's body started to shrivel up like a mummy, and Amanda could no longer sit still.

Placing her foot forward, she drew a silent breath, and an arrow manifested on her bow. Immediately after the arrow appeared, soft whispers echoed in the air, and golden runes floated around the area she was in.

Her bow became increasingly heavy, and Amanda felt her entire body burn at that moment as she watched her hands age. Even so, despite the pain she was experiencing, her gaze was fixed on Jezebeth's exposed back.

At the same time this was happening, Ren's body started to shrivel up more and more, and right when he seemed to be on the verge of dying, Amanda finally let go of the string.

TWAAAA—!

She was unable to recall exactly what occurred after that, but the moment she let go of the string, her bow disintegrated into a fine powder that dispersed in front of her, and the world around her became entirely white.

What followed after was a strange silence that seemed to envelop the entire world. The world soon regained its color, but…

that happened, her world turned

Thump—!

***

TWAAANG—!

entire body shook violently, and pain, unlike anything he had ever experienced, coursed through every

"Y,you…"

his head, he saw Ren staring at him while smiling weakly. With both hands on

"Akh."

sapping all of the energy from within his body, and he could literally

other hand, Ren's body started to become fuller and fuller, and gradually he returned to his

'I can't…'

before his very eyes, Jezebeth raised his head and smacked his head

It hurt a lot, and his head throbbed, but the pain was negligible compared to what he was

actions weren't for nothing, and he felt

"Ah… ah!"

Thump! Thump!

separated himself from Ren, falling butt-first against the

"Haaa… haaa…"

to channel whatever energy he had left inside of his body, but much to his horror, he realized that his

from the direction opposite him, Jezebeth looked up to see Ren wobbling

and with both hands hung low,

clenched his teeth and forced himself

despite everything that he was feeling, he continued to move toward him until they were just about a few meters

two wasted any seconds, and they both threw a fist at each other. Both hits landed squarely on each other's cheeks, and their heads tilted

they both retrieved their fists and punched

BANG—!

moment, the fight had taken a complete

or those from the four races, everyone looked in their direction as

being visibly weaker than they were before, none dared to make a single move as they continued to stare at the two of them with their

fight would decide the fate of

after blow. When Jezebeth landed a hit, so would Ren, and

themselves on the other in spite of the fact that their punches were getting sloppier and slower with the passage of

"Uakh!"

Exchanging blows, the two of them stumbled backward, and just as Jezebeth was about to move again, he suddenly felt his back burst with pain, and

needed to rush forward and headbutt him squarely in the

Thump—!

energy to do so, and as he moved his head up, he saw a foot land squarely on his face, sending his

"Urkh."

head up from that moment on as he blankly stared

but couldn't. Almost every part of his body was broken,

self, and realizing his own weakness, he couldn't help but clench his teeth in