Jay's consciousness wavered between clarity and oblivion, his body submerged in an ocean of relentless agony. It felt as though a thousand sharp needles were piercing into his very marrow, each wave of pain stripping away the last fragments of his resolve. Every second stretched endlessly, a brutal trial that seemed to herald his final judgment.
But then, something stirred. A foreign yet overwhelmingly powerful force began to surge into his body. It was a searing sensation, like molten lava coursing through his veins, spreading rapidly through every inch of his battered frame. The fire mended his wounds, restored his depleted energy, and erased the pain that had once threatened to shatter him.
This new power not only alleviated his suffering but dragged his consciousness back from the brink of collapse.
Jay felt his hands grow hot, an immense strength pulsing at his fingertips. Inside, it was as if a fiery heart had begun to beat, pumping waves of blazing energy through him. He could feel life flowing through him again, vibrant and unyielding.
"Hephaestus…" he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible yet brimming with awe. The name resonated within him, carrying the weight of ancient divinity. This power, this flame, was more than a gift—it was a connection, a bond forged with an ancient god who had reignited his courage and determination.
Fully restored, Jay was no longer the fragile warrior teetering on the edge of defeat. He was reborn, transformed into a being empowered by the fire of the forge.
His eyes snapped open, and a radiant golden-red light blazed forth, illuminating everything around him like a raging inferno. His pupils sharpened, as if capable of piercing the darkness to find the heart of every obstacle. From deep within, the scorching fire surged outward, merging seamlessly with his being.
Jay rose to his feet, his body wreathed in flames, exuding an intense heat that seemed to make the very air tremble. His blood roared in his veins, his strength surged with unrelenting power, and an indomitable force awakened within him. It was a sensation unlike anything he had ever known—a feeling of invincibility, as though he could tear apart the heavens and reduce all obstacles to ash.
His gaze fell upon the unconscious Vilk lying nearby.
"Vilk…" Jay growled, his voice low and trembling with suppressed fury. "I swear, this will all be avenged!"
His eyes then shifted to Mara, who stood in the distance. A fierce determination ignited in his soul. This wasn't just anger—it was a deep, unshakable conviction. Jay felt the transformation within him, not just the flames of Hephaestus but the culmination of his own relentless struggles and willpower. He was no longer the lost and helpless boy. He was now a force to be reckoned with, a man who could seize control of his fate and rewrite the course of destiny.
"Now, it's time for retribution!" he declared, his voice hoarse but unyielding, brimming with purpose.
The air around him trembled as he roared, the temperature rising sharply. Flames spiraled around him, as though the world itself were igniting in response to his resolve. His presence radiated an overwhelming aura of strength, every ounce of his being now consumed by this newfound power.
With each step he took, the ground beneath him seemed to quake. Jay felt the fire surging through him, his heart pounding like a war drum. There was no room left for weakness or hesitation.
It was time to end everything.
Mara's gaze darkened as he fixed his eyes on the newly revitalized Jay and Ares. A faint frown creased his brow, and unease began to gnaw at him. Just moments ago, he had driven Jay into utter despair, watching as the human collapsed, his life seemingly extinguished. But now, standing before him was a reborn warrior, exuding a terrifying, unparalleled power.
Jay's cold eyes met Mara's, and the Infernal Halberd in his hands emitted a fiery golden-red glow. Flames danced along its blade, eager to consume all in their path. Jay took a deep breath, steadying the raging fire within him, but the murderous intent in his eyes remained sharp and unyielding.
"Mara," Jay's low, resonant voice echoed through the chamber, "you said this would be my grave. But now, I'm telling you—this will be your end."
Ares stood resolute at Jay's side, his war spear gleaming with an intense brilliance. His aura had grown even stronger, and the injuries that had once plagued him were completely healed by Jay's rejuvenated spirit energy. His battle intent burned brighter than ever before.
"Master," Ares said firmly, his eyes alight with determination, "let us fight together and bury this arrogant monster in flames!"
Jay hesitated no longer. He gripped the Infernal Halberd tightly as spirit energy surged through him, igniting the weapon's flames to burn even brighter. In a low, commanding voice, he intoned:
"Earthfire Surge."
This was the second skill unlocked by the awakened halberd, a devastating ability that summoned molten lava from the depths of the earth, unleashing a tide of annihilating flames upon his enemies.
The ground trembled violently as the temperature in the hall skyrocketed. Cracks began to spread outward from beneath Jay's feet, releasing streams of molten lava that erupted into massive flames. A tidal wave of fire surged forward, bearing down on Mara with devastating force.
Mara's eyes widened in alarm. He quickly raised his hands, summoning Dark Source Shield, a dense black barrier of energy that materialized in front of him. The tidal flames crashed against the shield with a deafening explosion, forcing Mara back several steps.
"This is impossible!" Mara roared, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Your spirit energy has broken through to the late Boundary-Breaking Realm—or even beyond! And that halberd's power far exceeds anything I anticipated!"
Jay smirked coldly, his grip on the Infernal Halberd tightening as he strode forward. Each step radiated an aura of unstoppable dominance, the ground beneath him scorched by the waves of fiery energy emanating from his body.
"Mara, you think you know everything, but you're wrong," Jay said, his voice icy and resolute. "Rising from the depths of despair—that is my creed. The rules of the spirit domain were never yours to decide!"
Mara's expression grew darker still. Clenching his fists, he bellowed, "So what if you've broken through? I am Mara, the wielder of supreme power! You humans are nothing but insects!"
Before his words had fully echoed, Mara unleashed a torrent of dark energy, summoning Dark Source Wave, a massive black shockwave that hurtled toward Jay.
Ares reacted swiftly, his war spear slicing through the air with unyielding precision. He unleashed Spear of Annihilation, its destructive force colliding with the dark energy. The two powers clashed violently, exploding in a blinding burst of light and energy that shook the hall to its foundations.
Jay remained undeterred. His eyes locked onto Mara as he raised the Infernal Halberd. With a surge of fiery energy, molten earth erupted around him as his figure blurred into a streak of flame, hurtling toward his foe.
"Mara, today I will end you!" Jay roared as he brought the Infernal Halberd down, wreathed in searing flames, aiming directly at Mara's head.
Mara let out a furious roar as a surge of dark energy erupted from his body. "I don't care how powerful you are! Today, I will erase you from existence! Dark Source Shield!"
Jay immediately leaped back, taking a defensive stance within the blazing inferno that surrounded him. He stood tall, gripping the Infernal Halberd, his entire body wreathed in flames of gold and crimson. Behind him, a towering figure began to materialize—a deity clad in heavy, gleaming armor, wielding a massive, fiery hammer.
It was Hephaestus, one of the Olympian gods, the divine master of fire and forge, who now descended upon the battlefield.
"Come forth, Hephaestus!" Jay's voice thundered through the chamber, resonating like a storm.
As Hephaestus's form solidified, his hammer burned with the intensity of molten magma. The ground beneath trembled at his arrival. His piercing, unwavering gaze locked onto Mara, exuding an oppressive aura that made the air around him almost unbearable.
Mara's expression grew darker, his fury barely concealing the dread creeping into his heart. Never had he imagined that a spirit wielder he had pushed to the brink of death would possess such a formidable trump card. Staring at Jay, his voice seethed with venom.
"A Spirit-Armed Body... And not just one but two divine spirit arms? Damn it! A mutt like you—how dare you wield such power!"
Jay smirked faintly, his grip on the Infernal Halberd tightening, his eyes gleaming with unrelenting determination. "Mara, this is the price of underestimating me. From the moment I stepped into the spirit realm, I vowed to never fall, no matter how strong my opponent. Today, I'll use you to prove the strength of humanity—and the power of my conviction!"
Hephaestus raised his hammer high, his deep voice resonating like the rumble of a distant volcano. "Master, my strength is yours. Together, we will burn away all darkness from this world."
Mara roared in anger, his body erupting with dark energy. "I don't care what you are! Spirit-Armed Body or not, I'll obliterate you today! Dark Source Shield!"
With a sweeping motion of his hands, Mara summoned a thick, impenetrable shield of black energy before him. However, standing against the combined might of Jay and Hephaestus, the barrier appeared far less invincible than he had hoped.
Jay wasted no time. With a sharp motion, he unleashed Earthfire Surge once more. Torrents of searing flames, like molten lava, surged toward Mara. At the same time, Hephaestus swung his fiery hammer down with devastating force. The resulting explosion of fire and earth sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber, shaking its very foundation.
"Do you really think your Dark Source Shield can stop my power?" Jay said coldly. "Let me show you the true strength of a Spirit-Armed Body!"
Mara gritted his teeth, pouring all his energy into reinforcing his shield. Yet the relentless onslaught of flames and hammer strikes pushed him back step by step. His once-confident demeanor gave way to a flicker of fear.
"This can't be happening…" Mara muttered under his breath, disbelief etched across his face. "A Spirit-Armed Body with divine spirit arms—how can such overwhelming power exist? Damn it!"
Jay refused to relent. His attacks came in relentless waves, each strike fueled by the fusion of his energy with Hephaestus's divine power. Every blow radiated destruction, threatening to bring the entire temple crumbling down.
Bound by the unyielding force of their combined might, Mara found himself cornered, his defenses faltering against the wrath of the flames.