Chapter Text

The village was in ruins. Tidy, little cottages were now nothing more than piles of straw, wood, and masonry. Stables and barns turned smoky black as enchanted flames burned them to the ground. The dirt path was littered in the deep scars made by the blade of a great and powerful broadsword. This village, once a peaceful place for humans and monsters alike, was now another victim of war.

The monster King, Irpac Dreemurr, stood amid the fallen village, his broadsword drawn and his shield ready to defend. His body was covered in hideous wounds, dust seeping from them and staining the ground. The king was exhausted; he’d been defending himself from his enemies all night without a rest, and even now, when the morning sun was peeking over the horizon, the challengers refused to stop. The weary king looked up at the seven humans before him. They were powerful beings, mages with strong SOULS, high LVs, and an abundance of EXP. Just one of them was enough to slaughter millions. Irpac’s eyes narrowed; he wouldn’t allow them to win. Not yet.

“Give up, Dreemurr,” the leader mage called out. “Look at yourself: you can barely stand, your body is crumbling away, and you’re all alone. You’re only prolonging the inevitable.”

“My body may be weak,” panted the king. “But my Determination is strong.”

“Your determination? Strong?” The seven mages began to laugh cruelly. “You’re delusional, you wretched beast. Your determination is nothing compared to ours.”

“Maybe, but I will continue to use what little I have until I’ve been slain,” Irpac shot back. “I will never back down, not before my people and allies find safety.”

“You really think this will save them?” another mage jeered. “You really are a fool.”

CRACK!

A bolt of magical lightning came down from the sky, aiming directly for the boss monster. With the little strength Irpac still had, he turned, his shield blocking the bolt before it could strike him. This left him open for another attack, and a beam of lethal magic shot towards the king’s exposed back.

“ARGH!” Irpac bellowed, falling onto one knee. His shield and sword slipped from his hands, clattering against the ground. With his body now open for attack, round after round of powerful spells were cast, and Irpac was assaulted with unrelenting magical force. The king held on for as long as he could, but eventually collapsed, his body aching to rest. There was silence; the mages waited to see the king’s body turn into a pile of dust. Seconds passed, soon becoming minutes. The body still remained.

“No,” murmured a mage. “He can’t still be alive...no monster could ever survive such an attack…”

But, to the mages’ dismay, the body began to move, and it slowly stood back up. It seemed that death would have to wait; the king’s Determination hadn’t faded just yet. The mages backed away.

“This has gone on for far too long,” said the leader mage. “The time has come...we must use our ultimate spell.” The other six mages gasped.

“The ultimate spell?” One of them echoed. “But...that spell’s power is equal to that of a god’s...that spell could destroy us as well. It could even destroy the entire world.”

“For the sake of humans,” the leader mage began. “We will have to take that risk.”

The decision was made. Together, the mages began to put their magic together, charging up a powerful attack that filled the land with an ominous, white glow. Irpac watched. He would not run. He would not beg for mercy. He would not even defend himself. This was how his life would end. His eyes closed, and his maw opened, emitting his final words:

“My wife, my child, my people, my comrades...live on.”