Chaos reigned in the city of Babadar.
On one side, civilians ran in panic, desperately trying to escape the city. On the other, the Revolutionaries gave everything they had to fight off the Imperial Guards. Where once stood a mighty castle, now lay a battlefield in ruins — the stage for a clash between two monstrously powerful individuals.
— So you dodged that... okay, okay. But the next one? I'm sure your head's gonna fly! — Oliver sneered, pointing his sword at Phaul.
Phaul glared back, frustrated thoughts racing through his mind:
"Damn it... He's way too fast. And this body... it's neither agile nor strong enough to handle even 20% of my power... This is gonna be tough."
Oliver crouched slightly, preparing for another swift, devastating strike. His eyes locked onto Phaul's, aura blazing.
— Space Thash! — he roared.
Phaul couldn't even see the incoming attack. Oliver's blade was already near his neck, and in his mind, Oliver mocked:
"Goodbye, weakling."
But at the last second, a shadowy figure blocked the strike and landed a powerful kick that sent Oliver flying several meters away. As he got up, he noticed Phaul wasn't alone. Beside him stood a distorted figure clad in thin but durable armor from the waist down.
— Two against one...? I still don't think that's enough — Oliver smirked, getting ready for another round.
Phaul mirrored the stance, fists raised in front of him.
— TIME TO PLAY!! — Oliver shouted as he charged.
Meanwhile, near the city gate, a group of Revolutionaries directed civilians toward the exit.
— This way! Hurry!
Suddenly, three Imperial soldiers appeared, charging straight at them.
— More terrorists over here! — Get them!
The clash was brief. Swords clanged, and the soldiers were swiftly taken down. Yuri, his black hair messy and his armor barely holding together, scoffed:
— These guys are pathetic. I expected more from Babadar's trash.
Out of nowhere, one of the fallen soldiers lunged up and swung his blade at Yuri's neck. Startled, Yuri turned instinctively, wide-eyed. But just before the blade struck, someone intercepted the blow.
— WHY DID YOU—
The sentence never finished. The figure slit the soldier's throat without hesitation. Everyone stared in disbelief — a Babadar guard had killed another.
The traitor turned to them and, with a crooked grin, asked:
— Got room for one more Revolutionary?
Back at the ruins of the castle, the battle continued.
Oliver traded fierce blows with Phaul's summoned figure. He slashed at its abdomen, but the shade dodged with ease, spun, and countered with a kick. Oliver blocked it but was thrown kilometers away, crashing through walls and debris.
Recovering swiftly, he returned to the fight.
"To keep up with me like this... that thing must be at least four times the speed of sound... Incredible. I want to see... how long it lasts!"
The fight escalated. Oliver aimed to decapitate the shadow, who evaded and tried a low sweep. He vanished and reappeared behind it, blade raised.
But Phaul intervened with a punch to the face, sending Oliver crashing down.
Spitting blood, Oliver stood and taunted:
— That punch was pathetic. This shadow's clearly twice as strong as you. Guess that's how you and Anin beat Babadar... But it doesn't matter. This game ends now!
His aura erupted, doubling in size. In a flash, he was in front of Phaul, about to slice him in two. The shadow leapt in and blocked — but this time, was split in half.
Desperate, Phaul watched his summon vanish.
"Damn it..."
Then came a voice in his head:
"Having that much trouble beating him?"
— Shut up! — the Demon Lord snapped.
— I didn't say anything — Oliver blinked.
— Not you, idiot! — Phaul growled.
"Look, I know you want to steal my body, but if we don't work together, we're both screwed."
Oliver prepared another strike. Phaul hesitated.
— You better have a plan, or we're toast!
"I might. But it could fail."
— Just say it already!
"Do you have any way to swap places with your shadows?"
— Huh?
"Like... switching positions or consciousness with them?"
— What are you even talking about?
"Just switch with me and you'll find out."
— Not happening!
But Oliver charged again. Phaul shouted:
— Soul!
The shadow reappeared, weakened, and barely blocked the attack. With no other option, Phaul handed the body back to Shizu.
— Finally! My body again!
"You should worry more about the enemy than the body, idiot."
Oliver attacked once more.
— So, genius?! What's the plan?
Shizu crossed his fingers, touched his lips, and muttered:
— I think this is how he did it...
— SOUL RESERVE!
The shadow returned — fully restored. Shizu commanded:
— Attack!
The battle reignited. Oliver was stunned:
"This summon... It's on my level? That means it's moving at ten times the speed of sound!"
The shadow aimed a kick at his neck; he dodged.
— IT'S OVER! — he yelled, ready to finish it.
— SOUL SWAP! — Shizu barked.
They switched. The Demon Lord took control and landed a brutal punch that launched Oliver into the distance.
From there, the battlefield became a blur of rapid swaps. Shizu and the summon alternated constantly, confusing Oliver. At one point, the shadow charged a powerful kick enveloped in a glowing blue aura.
— SWAP... OF... SOULS!
Shizu switched again. The kick landed perfectly.
Oliver crashed violently through buildings, causing chaos as citizens fled in terror.
Bleeding, his armor destroyed, Oliver stood. Shizu didn't waste time.
— Attack, Soul!
The summon rushed in. Oliver barely dodged.
— Now, Phaul!
Back in control, Phaul delivered a fierce left hook with crimson aura, launching Oliver skyward. The summon struck him again mid-air, sending him crashing into castle rubble.
On his knees, Oliver coughed blood.
— Cof... Cof... Impossible... I'd never lose to trash... like you...
Phaul approached.
— Honestly, if it was just me, I would've lost. Too bad it wasn't.
— Bastard...
Suddenly, an enormous purple aura exploded behind Oliver.
He turned in panic.
— E-Empress? You're finally awak—
Babadar's hammer silenced him with a single blow.
Half of Oliver's body vanished. Only his legs remained.
Now more muscular, her aura darker and deadlier, the Empress glared at the remains of her former commander.
— I don't remember making trash like you a commander.
Phaul, drained, tried to summon his ally again — but fell to his knees.
— Ugh... I used too much energy... This kid's body is at its limit...
Babadar stared at him with disgust, her aura surging again. The Demon Lord made a decision.
— This is madness. Not worth it!
He relinquished the body. Shizu returned, immediately vomiting blood.
— You idiot... You're abandoning me here?
Looking down, he saw a foot.
Looking up — she stood there.
Hammer raised.
— I'm screwed.