“You’re still standing?” Zarek scoffed, his voice echoing through the ruins. “You should’ve stayed down, boy.”

Light clenched his fists, his aura surging around him in golden waves. “I’ll stay down when you’re finished,” he replied, his tone cold and resolute.

Zarek’s smirk faded, replaced by a scowl. “Then I’ll make sure you never stand again.”

Zarek slammed his fists into the ground, summoning a massive wave of jagged earth spikes that tore through the battlefield like a tsunami. The ground quaked beneath Light’s feet as the spikes raced toward him.

Light’s Astral Awareness flared, his senses sharpening. He leapt into the air, dodging the spikes with precision. Mid-air, he extended his hand, summoning a torrent of flames that spiraled downward.

“Blazing Spiral!”

The fiery vortex engulfed the spikes, melting them into molten rubble. Light landed gracefully, immediately summoning a bolt of lightning in his palm.

“Static Lance!” he roared, hurling the crackling bolt at Zarek.

The attack struck Zarek square in the chest, the impact sending him skidding backward. He growled, brushing off the attack as his Etherea flared brighter.

“You think that’s enough to stop me?” Zarek bellowed, raising his hands as the ground beneath him erupted. A massive pillar of earth formed in his grasp, crackling with his Etherea.

With a roar, Zarek swung the pillar like a club, the force of the attack creating shockwaves that rippled through the battlefield. Light dodged narrowly, the pillar smashing into the ground and sending debris flying.

Light steadied himself, his aura intensifying as he drew upon his Cosmic Dominion. The concepts of “strength” and “will” resonated within him, forming into something tangible.

He raised his fists, his Etherea surging as he charged forward. “You’re not invincible, Zarek!”

Light’s punches landed with devastating force, each one a burst of cosmic energy. Zarek staggered under the relentless assault, his defenses faltering.

“You little pest!” Zarek growled, summoning a barrier of earth to shield himself. But Light’s determination was unyielding.

He slammed his fist into the barrier, shattering it with a golden explosion. “This ends now!”

Zarek roared in frustration, summoning another massive wave of spikes. Light countered with a whirlwind of wind and fire, the two forces colliding in a spectacular explosion.

Light steadied himself, his battered body trembling as he summoned every ounce of strength he had left. The air around him crackled with energy, his Cosmic Dominion resonating deeply as he grasped the concept of pure creation and destruction. His aura flared brighter than ever before, golden tendrils of energy spiraling upward like a celestial storm.

Zarek staggered but smirked, raising his fists. “What now, boy? You think you can take me down with that little trick?”

“This isn’t a trick,” Light said, his voice calm but fierce. “This is everything.”

His hands extended outward, a massive sphere of energy forming between them. The orb shimmered with an intensity that seemed to draw in the light around it, its surface swirling with starlight and bursts of golden radiance. The sheer force of it cracked the ground beneath him, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

“This is Genesis Impact,” Light said, his voice rising with conviction. “The culmination of everything I’ve fought for.”

He surged forward, the massive sphere compressing into his fist, its glow so blinding that Zarek instinctively raised his arms in defense. With a roar, Light leapt into the air, the energy in his fist distorting the very space around him.

“For everyone you’ve hurt, and everyone I’ve sworn to protect!”

Light’s fist connected with Zarek’s chest, the impact releasing an explosion of golden energy that lit up the entire battlefield like a second sun. The force of the blow obliterated the ground beneath them, sending a shockwave that rippled across the ruins of Nevar.

Zarek’s roar of defiance was drowned out by the deafening blast as he was hurled back with earth-shattering force, his aura extinguished in an instant. The energy dissipated, leaving behind a crater where the attack had landed, golden embers floating gently in the air.

Light stumbled, blood dripping from his lips as the glow around him faded. He fell to his knees, his breathing ragged, the strain of the attack evident in every fiber of his being.

Behind him, Riya rushed forward, catching him before he could collapse. “Light!”

“I’m fine,” he muttered, his voice weak but determined. “But… I can’t… use that again. Not yet.”

As the dust settled, Zarek’s motionless form lay at the edge of the crater, his towering menace reduced to nothing but silence. Light, his strength spent, glanced at his team. The battle was over—but at a cost he could barely comprehend.

Light stumbled, his body on the verge of collapse. Riya rushed to his side, draping his arm over her shoulder to support him.

“We did it,” she said softly, her emerald eyes filled with relief.

Mark, battered and bruised, limped toward them with a faint grin. “Guess he wasn’t so tough after all.”

Ace, unconscious but alive, was carried by Zane, who struggled under his weight. Swen followed close behind, her usually stoic face showing a hint of concern.

As the team regrouped, the distant sound of sirens filled the air. Nevar’s military and authorities surrounded the battlefield, their weapons trained on the group.

Light straightened, his exhaustion hidden behind a calm facade. He stepped forward, addressing the soldiers. “We are not here to fight you. Zarek is defeated, We’ll leave peacefully, Neither of us wants to escalate this matter further.”

The agents hesitated, their weapons still trained on the pair. After a tense moment, their leader gave a nod, signaling for them to stand down.

Light and Mark secured Zarek in advanced handcuffs before dragging him to their jet. The flight back to Apex was silent, the weight of their victory and its consequences heavy on their minds.

But as they approached the island, the sight of fighter jets escorting them reminded them that their actions would not go unpunished.