“……….”

Miko stared at Darius in silence. The look in his eyes were different than before. There was no compassion in his eyes, but there was also no hatred either. This look made Darius feel like Miko wasn’t looking at him, but something further away.

“Miko!”

That’s when Regis and Ishma fell down from the sky with crow and dragon wings, and landed in front of Miko. They quickly approached him and looked at him with curious eyes.

“You’re Miko….right?”

Regis asked. Although she could feel that she was connected to the person in front of her, she couldn’t recognize him as Miko. Other than the fact that he looks completely different, his aura, mind, and even his soul felt different.

“……….”

Miko stretched his hands out towards them. They immediately threw up their guards as if they were dealing with a stranger. It was only after he placed his hands on their heads that their bodies relaxed. They looked and saw him smiling at them. The smile was gentle and warm and was filled with love.

“Ishma, Regis….Thanks for everything. I’m alive now thanks to you two.”

He caressed their heads tenderly, before walking past them.

“I’ve been working you two to the bone for a while now, so take a break.”

“A break? I wanna fight too. More importantly, what’s up with you?”

Ishma complained.

“I’ve just realized some things that I should’ve already known.”

He looked back at them.

“Also, I want you to bare witness to me taking the first step to reaching the top.”

The smile on his face was so warm that the girls couldn’t find the words to tell him no. Despite just witnessing him suffering a crushing lost, they felt like he would be alright from his smile alone.

They nodded in unison. Miko turned his head and the smile immediately fell from his face.

“…..I gotta say Miko, you’re filled with surprises. I don’t know what kind of form that is, but I take it that you’re finally up for a real battle.”

Darius said after regaining his composure.

“Not you.”

“Huh?”

Miko crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“The one I want to fight is not you, Nebulous.”

Darius looked at him with widen eyes, before relaxing and sighing.

“And here I thought you’re finally ready.”

He looked disappointed.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something here. I’m ready to fight, but I no longer have any interest in you.”

Miko’s gaze became sharp.

“Bring out Darius, fake.”

“Darius? Who the hell is that?”

*Bam!*

Darius was suddenly forced out of the sky by a kick to the head by Miko, who pop up out of nowhere.

“Ugh?!”

Darius laid on the ground with his entire body aching. He looked up at Miko, who had two jet black Dragon wings on his back.

“I already know that there’s no use trying to reason with you.”

Miko lifted his hand over his head and a ball of black flames started dancing in his palm.

“So I’ll just beat you to death until he comes out.”

He threw the ball and it immediately turned into a giant fireball.

“Fuck!”

Darius created dozens of orbs in front of him and made them fire dozens of lasers to counter the fireball. An explosion of red and black flames occurred as a result.

Darius used the cover of the explosion to sneak up behind Miko. He thrust one of the orbs at Miko’s back.

“?!”

At that moment, a hand made of darkness formed on Miko’s back thrusting a dark sphere back at Darius.

*Bam!*

The sphere and the orb clashed and caused another explosion. Darius retreated with a serious expression.

*Swoosh!*

Dozens of black hands rushed out of the smoke of the explosion, straight at Darius, who fired countless beams and destroyed them. He then formed dozens more and fired a barrage of beams in Miko’s directions.

“Roar!”

Suddenly a roar resounded in the area. A large black beast’s head emerged from the smoke and devoured Darius’ lasers, and then rushed at him. Darius formed a light sword in his hand and met the beast’s charge.

*Bam!*

His sword clashed with the beast and cut it in two. The two halves of the head were passing him, when they suddenly stopped and transformed into an Iron Maiden, trying to capture him inside. He fired a powerful laser and used the force to escape being caught.

“Seriously, what’s with these strange abilities? He didn’t have them earlier.”

“You’re reactions are better than I expected.”

The smoke dispersed and Miko was seen hovering using his wings.

“While this is a good chance to test this forms abilities, I still want to fight Darius.”

Miko turned into a shadow and disappeared from where he was, before emerging from Nebulous’ shadow and attack him from below. Nebulous tried to move out of the way, but he was easily grabbed by Miko.

“Let Darius out.”

“I don’t know any Darius!”

“Really? Then why have you appeared so weak since I mentioned him? Isn’t that because you’re being shaken to your core?”

Miko looked at him with apathy.

“Weak? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Miko lifted him by his leg and threw at the ground.

*Bam!*

Darius’ body bounced off the floor for a second before being forced into the earth, by Miko stomping him in the chest.

“You’re weak. If it’s the current you, I could’ve beaten you easily without needing to taking this form.”

He increased the pressure on Nebulous’ chest with his foot.

“I know everything about you, Darius. I know everything you’ve went through and everything you’ve experienced to the point you can say I’m a second you. Meaning, I know how you think. It’s same for you isn’t it? You must’ve seen everything about me. So you are a second me.”

Miko looked down on him.

“I also know that just like how Darry’s weaker than Nebulous, Nebulous is weaker than you. That’s why I have no interest in fighting a mere façade. I want to fight the man that gave up everything even himself for his ideals. I want to fight Darius Flameheart!”

A beastly smile appeared on Miko’s face.

“Let’s put an end to everything. Just you and me. Two peas in the pod. That’s what you want right? The current me can do it.”

Miko lifted him off the ground with his foot and kicked him away like ball. Darius’ body bounced off the ground a couple times before he caught his footing and stopped himself.

“Put an end to everything?”

A smile appeared on Darius face.

“When did you get so cocky, Miko? You haven’t beaten me in a spar once. How do you expect to beat me in a real fight?”

He stood up straight and stared at Miko.

“Darry….”

Miko shook his head.

“I can do it. I’m the man who’ll stand at the top after all.”

“The top?”

Darius burst out laughing.

“Do you know what kind of people you’ll have to face to reach the top?”

“It doesn’t matter who they are, I’ll defeat them and reach the top.”

“Such big words.”

Darius replied.

“However, I wouldn’t want anyone else at the top; you’re pretty much me after all. But I don’t intend to make it easy for you.”

He took a fighting stance.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Darius Flameheart.”

Miko took a similar stance.

“Miko.”

“Nice to meet you!”

The two moved at the same time. Two orbs attached themselves to Darius’ back and propel him into the air, while Miko nose dived to meet him half way. Darius’ fist was covered with white light, while Miko’s was covered with darkness. The two threw a punch at the same time.

*BOOM!*

Darkness and flames exploded and devoured everything around them. The two were forced back, and immediately rushed towards their opponent again, this time forming swords of darkness and compressed flames.

*Bam!*

The two blades clashed and causing a deafening sound. Miko slashed his sword at Darius neck, but he deflected with a palm strike with his free hand, before thrusting his blade at Miko’s heart.

Miko twisted his body and avoided the sword before swinging his leg upwards and kick Darius under the chin. He then rush at him with the sword again, but Darius fired a laser to destroy the sword, and then hit Miko with a roundhouse kick.

*Bam!*

Miko was forced out of the air and crashed into the ground. Darius chased after him thrusting his sword down at him.

“Ohh!”

Miko suddenly sprung to his feet and threw a punch upwards. The punch shattered Darius sword like glass. He then grabbed him by the hair and slammed him on the ground.

He stooped to slug Darius in the face, but Darius swung his leg up and hit him in the head. Miko took a step back, allowing Darius the chance to get to his feet.

Darius jumped and spun around with a kick to Miko’s neck.

*Bam!*

Miko’s neck was forcibly bent to the side and he fell to the ground. Darius then slammed a large orb on his chest, but at same time Miko slammed a dark sphere in his stomach.

“Heh.”

The two smiled at each other, and then-

*Boom!*

An explosion of flames and darkness blew them away. Their bodies bounced off the ground a few times before they rolled to their feet.

“Hahahaha! This is fun Darius! Who knew that I could have this much fun trying to kill you!”

Miko laughed and removed his trench coat that was covered with burns. His muscular body was revealed to the world.

“Oh? In that form I doubt anyone would mistake you for a girl.”

Darius placed his hand on his chin.

“You’re almost as handsome as me.”

The two spoke like old friends ideally chatting, rather than two persons who were trying to kill each other.

Darkness started leaking out of Miko’s body, while Darius started glowing.

*Bam!*

They kicked off the ground at the same time. They moved so fast that it seemed like a black and white line was racing towards each other. They tackled each other without any reserves for defense.

*Bam!*

Their clash resulted in a shockwave which blew all the rubble around them away, and cleared the field for them. They were gripping each other’s hands in a test of strength to push the other away.

“Ahhh!”

Miko roared and threw Darius, he leaped after him with darkness gathering around his arm.

“Dark Cannon!”

*Bam!*

He threw a punch and a burst of darkness rushed forth and ripped apart the ground and air. Darius flew upwards to avoid it and it destroyed everything that was behind him as a result.

He thrust his palms in front of him and an orb the size of a human appeared in front of him.

“Devil’s Light!”

*BOOM!*

A gigantic beam hit the earth and caused mass destruction, which spread for almost a mile.

“Roar!”

A loud roar resounded and a black lion like beast emerge out of the explosion. At the center of it Miko could be seen completely unharmed by the attack. He moved his hands and the beast leaped at Darius and wanted to devour him.

“Hahaha!”

Darius laughed and lifted by hands overhead. Light gathered and formed a light spear the size of a bus. He swung his arms down and the spear shot down and pierced through the dark beast.

“Ugh?!”

It hit Miko head on and forced him underground. He caught it with his hands, but was being burnt and forced deeper underground.

“Ohhh!”

He roared and two giant hands made of darkness slammed down on the sides of the spear and stopped it.

“It’s not over yet.”

Darius smiled and snapped his fingers. At that moment, Miko saw the spear started shining brighter.

“Shit!”

*BOOM!*

The spear exploded and caused a massive explosion that devoured everything for more than a mile. Countless buildings got caught up and was instantly vaporized. The rumbling from explosion shook the entire capital. People started to panic because they realized that the magnitude of the battle had grown.

The chance of them getting caught in the crossfire was now high.

Meanwhile, the explosion faded and left a massive crater behind, that looked like it was around 50m deep.

“Where is he?”

Darius started looking around form Miko, but couldn’t see him.

“Hm?”

That’s when a massive shadow fell on the land. He looked up to see what it was.

“?!”

He was shocked to see a dark fist the size of a building only a few meters away from him. He immediately knew he couldn’t dodge it, so he erected a barrier of compressed flames around him.

*Bam!*

The fist hit the barrier and forced him out of the sky into the crater he created. The earth shook and cracks spread throughout the area. The fist disappeared and left a godly fist print in the ground.

Miko landed on the ground with his body covered in wounds from the blast. His body was bleeding, but his blood was black. He had a wide smile on his face.

*Bam!*

At that moment, Darius appeared from underground. He too was covered in wounds. He stood up and faced Miko.

“Calling you a monster is appropriate. I’ve never heard of someone your age being this strong.”

“I’m sure there’s a lot out there like me, or even stronger. Your niece might be one. She’s Ouroboros’ Proxy after all.”

“Luka, huh? Interesting. Then I guess I’m behind the times.”

The two of them laughed. Despite seriously trying to kill each other, the two looked like they were having the time of their life. They didn’t care about the damage they’ve caused. They only wanted to kill the one in front of them. They only wanted to defeat themselves.

“Now then, time for the finale!”