After their triumphant victory over Overlord, the rookies lay in a daze, their clothes torn and tattered from the battle damage they had sustained. As she lies on the ground, a question that's been lingering in Miri's head finally dawns upon her. "Quick question. How will we get out of here?"
"I can perform a portal spell back to the ship's location. To do so, I'll need to perform a JōKai Transfer from each of you."
"Why?"
"I can't perform the portal spell with my JōKai alone to a place of that distance."
"I think we should wait a few more minutes before doing that. All of us are drained from the battle," says Juyon.
"Yeah, I know. I can't use magic for another 30 minutes because I used the banishment spell. I suggest just waiting another hour until we're all rested up and ready to perform it."
Navar walks over to Miri while she talks with Juyon and Denkei and gives her a tap on the shoulder. "Hey, Miri, should we check on Jax?"
"Of course."
Navar and Miri approach Jax, nudging him until he stirs from his sleep. Jax awakens with a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "I knew you guys could do it."
"Wait, how did you know we won?" asks Navar.
"I regained consciousness towards the end of the battle and watched everything with Rojo."
"That's good to know. We're just waiting thirty minutes for everyone to replenish so we can perform a portal spell to get out of here," says Miri.
"Yeah, that's a good thing. I'm tired of this plague, and I really wanna see some doctors right now to get rid of it. And those potions taste like Dad's cookin'."
Navar and Miri share a hearty chuckle with their brother. "Yeah, well, you can have some more of it once we get home," says Navar.
We now enter the POV of Overlord, wholly sunken into the banishment pit, the walls of darkness surrounding him, leaving only the sound of his heart beating. "I've seen darkness before. This "banishment" this lowly brat summoned is nothing compared to the hell I endured. Roaming the treacherous wastelands and fending for myself for those hopeless years as a child. This isn't nearly enough to keep me from exacting vengeance for my fallen brethren!" Suddenly, an immense wave of power surges from Denkei's banishment pit, accompanied by a force that lifts debris from the floor.
Astran's skin tingles as she senses the powerful energy emanating from behind her, prompting her to look. "What the hell was that?"
Denkei watches with trepidation as Overlord's hands emerge from the bottomless black pit, the sight of them causing a bead of sweat to trickle down his forehead. "No way... He overcame the banishment spell..." Denkei thinks to himself. "Guys, this battle isn't done yet! Overlord's still kicking!"
Overlord ascends from the banishment pit unharmed, looking at the group disdainfully. Astran unsheathes her blade and gives Denkei a fleeting glance. "Denkei, you've got some explaining to do. I thought banishments were inescapable."
"Yeah, somewhat, but if the person's JōKai is far superior to the casters' banishment circle, they can escape it."
"And To make matters worse, placing him in that banishment spell took everything out of us while he still looks fresh and ready to battle," says Juyon.
"Now then, time to eliminate you all," Overlord summons Spark JōKai on his palms, and streaks of light explode from his fingertips as he bombards their defenses. "Spark Summoning: Disabling Shock!" They feel the paralyzing energy of the electrical attack as Overlord's electrical sparks expand, causing them to yelp in agony.
"Guys!" says Rojo, Nozomi, and Jax.
"You all were in over your head thinking you defeated me. Rather than ending you quick and painless. I'll make all your deaths slow and agonizing so you feel every ounce of suffering," says Overlord.
Denkei tries to use his Mage stick to draw a wall, but he feels a sharp, burning sensation in his hand, causing him to falter in his efforts. "I can't even use magic now. This is not good. A lot of the defense spells that slowed this guy down aren't even accessible anymore," Denkei thinks to himself.
Navar readies his blade, and his eyes gleam with determination as he turns to his comrades, aiming to raise their spirits. "Don't give up, guys. Don't forget the reason we came here. We all knew this battle wouldn't be easy. We all knew this was gonna be a fight for our lives. Let's not lie on the ground like weaklings. Let's stand proud and tall together! If we're still alive and kickin', there's still hope we can defeat this guy! Don't forget, the guy in front of us attacked the home we all live in and the families we all cherish and love. Let's use all we got to stop him! Give it all you got until your last breath!" Navar's stirring words encourage his comrades to rise with him in solidarity.
Seiju lets out a hearty chuckle, then summons a trace of Flame JōKai on his bow. "I tell you what, you can be annoying from time to time, but you can deliver one hell of a speech."
Navar looks around and sees his worn and weary comrades standing around him and preparing to fight, inflicting an unwavering gleam of determination in his eyes. "Don't think you can bring us down so easily! We'll defeat you! No matter the cost!" Declares Navar.
"Your blind perseverance is the reason you're all so weak. Cutting off such foolish emotions and understanding the uselessness behind them will increase your strength," Overlord summons Flame JōKai onto his fingers, and the sound of sizzling flames fills the air. "I'll end this once and for all," The summoned flames blaze, filling the area with a scorching heat as the rocks melt around them.
"Guys, let's attack him before he lands that attack on us!" says Navar.
"Got it!" said everyone. With Navar out in front, they all hasten toward Overlord, their feet pounding and their breath heavy from exhaustion.
Miri launches herself at Overlord, her daggers gleaming in the light as she thrusts them forward. "Two Daggers: Pouncing Strike!"
Astran dashes toward Overlord, her blade slicing through the air in a grand arc as she swings it toward him. "Astraeus Disturbance!"
Juyon's fists move like a blur as he advances on Overlord, creating the illusion of countless fists. "Mandruk Barrage!"
Seiju calls forth three arrows of Flame JōKai, pulling back on the bowstring and sending them forth with a snap, causing the arrows to soar toward Overlord. "Flame Bow: Tri-Arrow Shot!"
Navar charges toward Overlord, the JōKai Amplification providing a sheen to his body as he swings his blade in a wide arc. "Okayasu Blade: Brave Man's Slash!"
Overlord stills the blazing flames of his JōKai and faces his opponents with his arms outstretched, ready to withstand their oncoming attacks. "I'll test my defense rather than evade them this time."
All of their attacks make contact with Overlord, but none have any effect.
Seiju's hands tremble as he drops his bow and falls to the ground, his breath catching in disbelief. "N-no way. Our strongest attacks did no damage to him."
Overlord summons a fierce gust of Wind JōKai onto his hand, accompanied by whirling winds and crumbling debris. "Wind Summoning Special Technique: 200 Gust Twister!" Overlord hurls a funnel-shaped Wind JōKai construct toward them, its swirling winds stirring up a gust of air as it scatters them throughout the arena. "Hope you said? If the odds were stacked so heavily against your favor, would you even cling on to such an insipid idea like hope? Hope is nothing but a false belief someone has when things can't get better. This universe is cruel, unjust, and unfair. Having false hope only blinds you from seeing the truth, and it leaves you dead."
As Nozomi watches the battle, her hands tremble in frustration as she kneels on the ground. "I've been standing around watching as they all battle this monster. I can't let that happen again. I won't watch any more people die!" Nozomi runs in front of Overlord, her hands outstretched to protect her comrades, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Stop! Stop! I beg you, please stop!"
"Why do you live amongst the people of Ozania? Don't you know what they've done to our brethren, young elf?" asks Overlord.
"W-what do you mean?"
"It seems they keep those events a secret from civilians. That's not surprising. Especially since corruption is a specialty of theirs."
"Nozomi, don't listen to him! He's only trying to trick you into joining him!" says Navar.
"Trick her? You don't know or understand the truth behind what your empire really is. They have tormented my and her brethren, then covered it up as if it were nothing to sustain their "image" amongst the other great dynasties. For that, all I desire is to bring forth their destruction. I'll start by eliminating you brats to give them a taste of their own medicine." Overlord summons a massive amount of Flame JōKai in his fingers, the intense heat making the stones around him shimmer as he prepares to unleash it. "Flame Summoning Special Technique: 20-Finger Incinerating Blaze!" Twenty Flame JōKai beams zigzag through the air, leaving a smoky trail in their wake.
Astran feels her strength waning as the attack approaches, her skin clammy with sweat as she struggles to stand. "Damn, I can't get up."
"Looks like this is the end. It's been an honor fighting with you guys," says Juyon.
Navar senses death's presence looming, and, in a show of courage, he rises with his head held high, a toothy smile spreading across his face. "If this is the way I die, I'll die standin' tall." Navar readies his blade, the metal glinting in the light as if he were about to attack.
Miri's eyes narrow in confusion as she raises a brow. "Navar, what are you doing?"
"If I'm going to die, I'd rather go out like a true warrior, not a coward."
Out of nowhere, Overlord's flame waves become nullified by a shower of shots from an Aqua JōKai Blaster. Overlord activates his Farsight, surveying the arena for any sign of the adversary who countered his attack. "Who did that?" Overlord thinks to himself.
From the top of the arena stairs, 499 holds a JōKai Blaster, signaling the attack came from him. "Overlord… I've come to put an end to this rebellion of yours..."