The raging winds were already dying down, the great cracks in the sky vanishing as though some divine artist was blending them with the canvas of Aigas. The clouds were starting to emerge over the brightening horizon again, while fresh air allowed itself back into the world.

Aigas felt expansive and habitable, rich and ripe with potential for harboring more than just the demons who had been using it as a battleground. Other than an anomalous continent like Amanas – which was always shielded with the greatest defenses and obscured – only Edagon remained. Around it, small fragments of islands, like crumbs, were beginning to form around it.

<He did not disappoint.> Suzamete said, looking up with a relieved smile.

<…Barely.> Luserus' voice sounded in her ear. He, too, was relieved, though. Overjoyed, even. <An unbelievable menace. He really just went and defeated three Deities plus Fulgardt and restored Aigas.>

<…Yes.> A pause. <And now, I'll have to make good on my promise.>

Everyone else standing on Edagon with Suzamete was also celebrating in their own way the victory. Even to mortals, it was obvious what had ultimately happened.

Pherdanta now had enough reason to don a bright smile. Kintar sighed in relief, muttering something about how she wouldn't have made a bet against her master on this.

Grim and Yuyui were watching the slow emergence of the sun while wrapping their arms around each other's waist.

Baddan and Savast were more reserved with their reactions. Baddan's furs fluttered wildly, mirroring the giddy feeling he'd gotten just now, while Savast's eyes seemed to turn paler. He was still steeped in deep thought since the battle earlier.

Kenno might have been the only one who hadn't been anxiously waiting for the result of the battle. He did not have any doubts about Skullius coming out on top. It wasn't entirely because of greater virtues, however. There was something he desperately needed to tell his master.

Araeyn, Weaver, and Beyrmir, who was slowly starting to take shape after absorbing the mass of energy from the exploding Deity, mirrored Kenno. They both never doubted Skullius; indeed, not even Araeyn did. The Authority of Dimensions had felt that as soon as it happened, after all. With that, there was no way his master would lose, even if the sentiment didn't entirely feel right to him. He still wished it were him who obtained it.

The Stark Troops were resting, but retained a strategic formation. Always. They didn't have the luxury of rendering themselves openly to expressions of joy. A lot of them had more reason to feel absolutely foul than joyous, after all. Their own performance against the terrible threats they had faced today caused them great distress. They had a long way to go.

…!

Suddenly, the Stark Constellations on all their foreheads buzzed, sparks of Ju`wtte flying from them. It happened for everyone –Troops and Stars – prompting them all to turn to the same location on the continent.

Along with a rather dramatic and mature pressure, merigold Ju'wtte fired from somewhere a few hundred meters away in violent throngs, pushing against space to make way.

The Unlimited Stars were the first to react. They tensed. All of them had the same thought:

The other Skullius?

What was Future Skullius doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be gone?

Belatedly, Elita and Aurolio thought the same thing and followed after the Unlimited Stars when they warped towards the sparks of Ju`wtte.

Everyone else followed, gathering a few steps away from the Ju'wtte. Only when everyone, including Suzamete, had gathered, did someone casually step out of the whipping merigold lightning.

Slicked back, honey-coloured hair, four eyes, four arms… and a hooded jacket made of clouds.

It was…

Silently, everyone rid themselves of the misconception.

The lack of a beard gave it away, as did the thing that was flying over Skullius' head like some bizarre crown.

It wasn't Future Skullius before them, however much it felt like it.

The crowd of experts that emerged from behind Skullius further confirmed that it was the same Hybrid Warmoth everyone knew.

…But he was changed. He was so different that the Apostles fell on one knee at once and bowed their heads.

The Mages and the experts from the Houses and Families also fell, but only because they lost consciousness. The pressure blasting from Skullius, untamed, was beyond Divinity and Null Life Essence. Anyone without severe tempering as a combatant couldn't stand it.

The only ones among the mortals left standing were the anomalies, hard-grit survivors like Vali and Maxim, Ashema, and of course, all the members of the Stark Soul Order.

As Skullius approached, though, even they felt a weakness in their knees, shoulders, and minds. They resisted it, however. The Unlimited Stars, in fact, marched forward to meet their master, braving his indomitable presence, which thinned by the second until it became bearable.

Skullius had reined it in after realising how overbearing it was unrestrained.

The Unlimited Stars stood in a perfect line in front of Skullius. The Hybrid Warmoth tilted his head and smirked.

"Sheesh. You don't even feel like the same person. I'd curtsy and kiss your hand or whatever, but I don't have a fancy dress, master," said Kintar with an insidious smile that turned her eyes into crescents.

"I wouldn't demand that of you socketholes anyway," said Skullius with a chuckle as he reached in to snatch Kintar before she could even see him move. He slung his arm around her neck, embracing her and ruffling her hair violently with another hand. "We're supposed to be equals, remember?"

"In a way," said Pherdanta, shaking her head. She chuckled, as did Grim, Yuyui, Baddan, and even Savast.

Something about seeing Skullius, despite how monstrous he was likely to be now, casually messing with Kintar, as he would have done before, made their hearts mellow.

Nothing had changed about Skullius… even though clearly everything had changed.

"Stop, dammit! And why are you naked under this jacket of yours?" Kintar was screaming as she struggled to free herself. When she finally pulled free and floated in the air, a cross look on her face, she narrowed her eyes at the crowd behind Skullius.

All of them looked rather dumbfounded.

How casual Skullius was behaving was only a small part of the reason.

'Woah,' thought Kintar. 'Most of them are high-end Incandescent Stagers, and a few are at the Beyond the Veil Stage.' Her eyes sparkled, her annoyance at Skullius forgotten. She spotted a few particularly interesting individuals among the experts, too. Her insidious smile returned.

Skullius noticed everyone's attention drifting to the former denizens of the Labyrinth of the Yoke. He turned to Suzamete, who looked to have only expected this outcome since Aigas began recovering. They shared knowing looks. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"There's much to do," he said to the Deity. "And I bet some of them can help a great deal."