An eight-thousand-character epic chapter, high-intensity action follows.

Nanoha’s magical device, the Raising Heart, possessed numerous modes: the standard Standby Mode, the high-speed Stream Mode, the bombardment-focused Blaster Mode, the explosive Gale Mode, the enhanced Zenith Mode, the upgraded Starlight Breaker Mode, and the near-omnipotent Artilley Mode, capable of handling both long and short range, which fully compensated for Nanoha's original lack of close-quarters combat ability.

Under normal circumstances, Nanoha primarily utilized Standby Mode and Starlight Breaker Mode. After all, Starlight Breaker Mode could restrict her magical output, allowing her to remain unrivaled even at the lowest sustained power level. Therefore, the preceding modes, which had inherent flaws, and the subsequent mode resembling a humanoid Gundam, were rarely employed.

However, beyond these, Nanoha possessed one ultimate form that condensed and massively amplified the advantages of all seven previous modes: the Thunder-Striking Mode she was currently activating.

This mode had only been used once before, three years prior during a battle against the Abyss Demonic Race.

Upon deployment of Thunder-Striking Mode, Nanoha’s standard work uniform transformed into a set of blue and white magical protective gear. Compared to ten years ago, the skirt of this outfit was longer, reaching down to her ankles, and she wore a pair of white magical steel boots. Viewed from above, a pair of long, detachable blue-and-white circular shields were positioned on her shoulders. Although shaped like shields, they were actually dual-purpose armed units for both offense and defense, automatically generating defensive fields while concealing close-combat swords within.

In her hands, Nanoha now held a massive Attack Cannon. Beyond everything else, the sheer size of the muzzle alone was enough to cause a cold sweat. Further down, two protective armor plates flanked her waist. But the most terrifying element was the Raising Heart staff itself. Whatever modifications Nanoha had performed on it, the staff, which previously required manual handling, had now split into twelve floating cannons, each over a meter long, orbiting her body—above, below, left, and right.

If the Nanoha of the past was merely a magical girl wielding a staff to fire cannons, the one utilizing Thunder-Striking Mode was an absolute humanoid Gundam... though even a genuine Gundam would likely be reduced to mere scrap with a combat power rating of five in her presence.

Facing countless Abyss Demonic Race entities, Humanoid Gundam Nanoha charged forward without hesitation. There were no flashy techniques, no cool strutting; she simply carried the cannon and was trailed by the twelve floating guns, charging straight ahead… Like a tiger plunging into a flock of sheep, the moment the cannons unleashed their volley, vast swathes of the Abyss Demonic Race vanished from the battlefield.

Almost simultaneously, the others initiated their engagements. The first to breach the enemy lines was Fate.

Although Fate was inherently an all-around mage—adept at shooting magic, melee spells, searching, and wide-area magic—mastery trumped versatility. After heavily reinforcing her most proficient area, she had now completely transformed into the Battleship-Slaying Mage.

Dressed in a tight black combat suit, a black cloak billowing behind her, and wielding a retractable golden ship-cleaving sword half a meter wide and three meters long, hundreds of golden longswords formed a net of steel around her. As her golden hair whipped around, she teleported into the concentrated mass of the Abyss Demonic Race. Then... a world-ending sword formation descended from the heavens. As the hundreds of golden longswords and the ship-cleaving blade danced, the numbers of the Abyss Demonic Race visibly plummeted at an alarming rate.

Next, the two Guardian Knights, Vita and Signum, charged toward the Abyss Demonic Race on their left flank. One wielded an iron hammer the size of a small mountain, the other a longsword wreathed in roaring flames. With earth-shattering battle cries, they too dove into the horde like tigers among sheep, unleashing a terrifying massacre.

The Abyss Demonic Race advancing from the right flank met the combined resistance of Alisa and Suzuka. After absorbing the complete abilities of a certain mage rumored to possess the power to slay gods, Alisa's strength after ten years of development could only be described as terrifying. As incantations rang out, intersecting magic of lightning and fire erupted, punctuated by dragon roars that shook the heavens. It was magnificent and spectacular, powerful and shocking, leaving observers breathless.

As for Suzuka, who inherited the Blood Night lineage, she lacked Alisa’s sheer destructive power. However, the moment she entered a combat state, this gentle girl transformed into a cold and captivating Night Witch. Relying on speed that defied the naked eye, she weaved through the Abyss Demonic Race. From a distance, she appeared as hundreds of figures, leaving behind a trail of gore and slaughter wherever she passed, inspiring chilling terror.

Finally, there was Hayate.

Since Hayate specialized in wide-area magic, despite her vast coverage and high destructive potential, casting large spells required incantation and prevented free movement. Thus, as a precaution, the two relatively weaker Guardian Knights did not join the direct fight against the Abyss Demonic Race, instead remaining at her side to provide auxiliary support to the group.

And the fusion-capable Kourin had merged with Hayate at the very beginning.

Thus, Hayate—clad in black and white mage attire, six black wings sprouting from her back, a white hat atop her off-white hair, clutching the Book of Night Sky magic in her left hand and holding a golden staff in her right—stood back-to-back with Kourin, who wore nearly identical attire save for her hair color. Together, they began chanting the wide-area annihilation spell that represented both the gods and the end of the world: Ragnarok!

Both in terms of destructive power released and the area covered, this Ragnarok was now hundreds of times stronger than it had been ten years ago. The terrifying magical fluctuation, akin to the collapse of heaven and earth, fell upon the battlefield. Before the Abyss Demonic Race could even scream, they were turning into ash by the thousands... In a single attack, the total number of the Abyss Demonic Race was reduced by one-tenth, not even counting those eliminated by Nanoha and the others—a total output that completely surpassed the combined efforts of everyone else.

Although numerically, it seemed like Nanoha and the nine others were merely trying to stop an enemy numbering in the hundreds of millions—a futile effort—in the actual fighting, these ten women were slaughtering the Abyss Demonic Race so effectively that they couldn't even fight back, achieving total annihilation through sheer overwhelming force.

Had they faced a different foe, they might not have been so ruthless. But the Abyss Demonic Race was the enemy that had driven them to the brink of death three years ago. Moreover, their investigations had confirmed that these beings were theoretically not normal organisms, but energy-based lifeforms that eroded the world through instinct. They were not even comparable to monsters, much less humans. Against such enemies, they would naturally show no mercy.

"Wave after wave, they just keep coming, truly endless... but I won't let you succeed!"

Nanoha shouted loudly, and the twelve floating cannons fired in unison, obliterating another large contingent of the Abyss Demonic Race... Compared to her own situation, Nanoha was far more concerned about Lin Luo. Even though she knew Lin Luo's power far surpassed hers, that was no reason for her to relax. Therefore, she needed to eliminate these enemies as quickly as possible and then go support Lin Luo.

Her precognitive ability was blocked by Lin Luo’s interference, preventing her from seeing his future, but the feeling of unease in her heart was intensely strong now. She vaguely sensed that if she didn't go, something terrible would happen.

She absolutely would not allow such a thing!

Meanwhile, the very moment Nanoha and the others engaged the Abyss Demonic Race, Lin Luo had already stepped out of the Magic Cannon World and arrived in the void region of the Endless World. There, he saw the predicted person standing not far away.

"Didn't expect us to meet so soon, did you? My dear younger brother." Luo Tianyi held the Mirror of Truth as she had the last time they met, looking at Lin Luo with an expression full of meaning.

But Lin Luo was not as shocked as he was the first time he saw her. He merely shook his head and smiled faintly, "I expected this. When that fellow started rushing me, I knew you would come."

"Is that so?" Luo Tianyi offered a noncommittal, toothy smile. "You're quite composed."

"Apologies. I didn't give you the surprise you hoped for. Perhaps I disappointed you."

"Heh heh. While calmness is good, are you truly alright just showing up here to meet me? Your little girlfriends are facing a very dangerous situation, you know."

"It’s fine. Those small fry are no match for them; sending more won't help."

"Such confidence. However... the danger I speak of isn't them."

"Oh? Did you bring other helpers this time?"

Luo Tianyi shook her head and smiled. "If my helpers dealt with them, they’d likely be utterly annihilated in mere seconds... Well, it’s no great matter. I merely nudged the malice of this world a bit, allowing it to enter a state of excessive self-awareness. It’s nothing too impressive—just enough to easily dispatch a Quasi-Heavenly rank opponent."

Although Luo Tianyi spoke so lightly, Lin Luo’s heart tightened upon hearing that. Being able to easily kill a Quasi-Heavenly rank meant the lowest possible power level was Half-Step Heavenly rank!

Luo Tianyi sent a being of that caliber into his inner world?

Nanoha and the others... might be in danger!

"Worried? Want to go back and check? Don't worry, I can let you finish your business first."

"When did you become so magnanimous?"

"Because the outcome is the same. No matter what they do, they are doomed. I am always rather lenient towards the dead."

"That’s truly kind of you, but... I won't be going back."

"Oh~~ That is rather surprising. I didn't realize my dear brother possessed such a cold-blooded, ruthless side."

"You are mistaken. I am not going back because I have no need to. No matter how powerful the enemy, I believe in her... Nanoha will not lose!" As if making a solemn vow, Lin Luo said seriously.

Luo Tianyi’s smile instantly chilled.

"Brother, you will die."

"Are you referring to me?"

Luo Tianyi offered no answer, only fixing him with an icy gaze.

"You are different from last time. If last time you held a twisted love for me, now I sense only hatred for me," Lin Luo returned the gaze, a sigh rising within him.

"Love and hate are separated by a single step," Luo Tianyi stated.

"You are correct. Without love, there can be no hate," Lin Luo nodded, stating gravely. "Love for power, love for money, love for strength, love for beauty, or even love for friends and family—all can evolve into a sin capable of destroying everything around it. Just like between you and me; without love, how could things have progressed to this point? Ultimately... love is the most beautiful thing, but it is also the original sin of everything."

"You finally understand. My dear brother, I, your elder sister, am truly gratified. Now, can you die?" Luo Tianyi tilted her head, a pathological smile spreading across her face.

"I think... the time is not yet right."

"Oh? Do you think you have a way to deal with me? Do you know that the only reason you survived last time was because I had no intention of killing you? But now, I have changed my mind."

"Of course, I know. However, I am also different from last time..." As he spoke, Lin Luo suddenly closed his eyes, tilting his head up toward the sky, and three words emerged from his mouth: "I... Accept!"

The very instant the last word fell, an incomparably vast and surging presence erupted from within him, transforming into visible waves of energy that swept across the Endless World centered on him. In mere moments, countless dead stars began to shine with vibrant life, and worlds shrouded in darkness were pulled back into the daylight. Withered flora lifted their heads, releasing fragrance; barren trees sprouted new leaves and branches... Everything in the entire Endless World was enveloped in an aura of vitality, and even Luo Tianyi could not help but stagger backward under this pressure, barely managing to stand firm with all her strength.

"You...!" When the aura subsided, Luo Tianyi’s face showed an emotion for the first time—astonishment. She looked at Lin Luo with disbelief, almost unable to speak.

"Long time no see, my sister. Now... I can call you that," Lin Luo opened his eyes and looked back at Luo Tianyi. His face held a confidence and pride never seen before, surpassing the omnipotence of a god looking down upon mortals, or the authority of an emperor surveying his subjects from the throne. Yet, he possessed neither the arrogance of a deity nor the tyranny of an emperor; instead, he emanated a natural harmony, as if merged with the entire world.

This was an aura: powerful yet not boastful, dominant yet not overbearing—the very essence of supremacy over all things.

"I see!" Regaining her composure, Luo Tianyi looked at the unchanged Lin Luo whose aura had utterly transformed. She finally understood what had happened. "So that's why you dared to stand before me. You have returned, my brother... or should I call you... Commander?"

"Either name works. You may call me whatever you wish," Lin Luo said calmly.

Indeed, the Lin Luo before her was no longer the pure Lin Luo; he was now also the Commander of the Travelers’ Troupe!

"Th-that... What is that?!"

They thought their battle was over once the Abyss Demonic Race was wiped out, but unexpectedly, the moment the last of the demons were destroyed, a terrifying figure materialized before them, completely shrouded in black energy while simultaneously absorbing darkness from all directions at unimaginable speed.

Roars, shrieks, and wails—countless sounds that made the scalp tingle emanated from the shadow as it drank the darkness, instilling fear, unease, and confusion... All manner of negative emotions surged from the depths of their hearts.

Although its true form and origin were unknown, just looking at it caused an indescribable trembling. The instinct for survival urged them to flee this existence immediately!

Nanoha and the others would not flee, but their wills were undeniably suppressed. They could no longer control their bodies freely; driven by instinct, they slowly retreated backward, their eyes wide with terror.

Then, just as the shadow absorbed all the darkness in the world, it let out a contented sigh. Its distorted form slowly stabilized, taking on a complete human shape: black body, black skin, black hair. Only the eyes and the terrifying fangs revealed when its mouth opened were jarringly, starkly pale.

"Not bad, little ones. You managed to force me out a bit sooner than I expected. Very good, very good. Such a feast... HAHAHAHA!!!" The shadow spread its arms and threw its head back in mad laughter.

"Who are you?" Nanoha asked, her brow tightly furrowed.

"Who am I?" The shadow suddenly lowered its head, its gaze—a thousand times more terrifying than a demon's—locking directly onto Nanoha. "What a foolish question! Seeing what just happened, don't you understand my existence? Then let me tell you—I am the Evil of this world!"

Even Nanoha involuntarily flinched when stared at by the shadow. It wasn't cowardice, but the instinct of life signaling an existential threat; simply being stared at felt like impending death.

"The... Evil of this world?" The others stirred in unison, a vague understanding dawning on them.

Perhaps it was a need to show off, or perhaps their expressions of dread pleased it. The shadow grinned wickedly and roared with laughter again. "That's right, that’s exactly it. Because humanity is truly ugly; every person harbors infinite wickedness inside their hearts. And I absorb all that wickedness to become my power, establishing my existence. However... this is only my half-self."

"Half-self?"

"Hahaha! You want to know, don't you? You surely want to know!" The shadow pointed at them excitedly. "It’s fine to tell you. Human wickedness is merely my half-self. My other half is the darkness of the world. Didn't you know? The entire world is composed of Light and Darkness. Because anything can be explained by Light and Darkness; existence requires opposition. Therefore... combining the darkness of the world with the wickedness of humanity—that is me!"

"This... How is this possible?!"

The group could hardly believe it.

The existence of this shadow could actually be explained quite simply. If one establishes a point of opposition, then all things can be divided into two opposing entities: male and female, good and evil, long and short, beautiful and ugly—there is no neutrality. Following this theory, the world was divided into Light and Darkness, and humanity was composed entirely of Goodness and Wickedness.

This shadow, which combined the darkness of the world and the wickedness of humanity, represented half the world and half of humanity—equivalent to half a Gaia plus half an Alaya!

And it was a composite of multiples, as this entire Magic Cannon World contained countless planets, the starry cosmos, and everything existing within this world—all were parts of its half-self!

Such a composite entity far surpassed the value of the Gaia and Alaya from the Nasuverse.

No, the two entities couldn't even be compared!

"Hahaha! Are you scared? Yes, that's the look! While your fear cannot become my power, your terror is an infinitely beautiful sight to me. Appreciating this beauty is fantastic! And then, to kill you while you are paralyzed by fear... Ahhh, I'm getting too excited!"

The shadow began to tremble violently.

"The one who should die is you!" A sudden angry roar cut through the air. Vita finally swung her giant iron hammer toward the shadow.

"Seeking death!" But the shadow didn't even look at her. It simply flicked its hand, and a beam of black light shot out, wiping across Vita's body like a rag. Then... with no chance for resistance, Vita’s body instantly disintegrated and vanished.

"Vita!" The faces of everyone present changed drastically. Hayate let out a mournful scream.

"You brute! Ahhhh..." Although as Guardian Seals, the Guardian Knights could not die before Hayate, watching a companion they lived and fought alongside be erased so easily was emotionally intolerable. Driven by rage, Signum ignored the warning from Vita's fate and charged forward with her sword.

"Don't!!!" Hayate shouted frantically.

But it was too late. With the same casual sweep, barely reaching the shadow's vicinity, Signum followed in Vita’s footsteps.

"Hahaha, although you are a group of foolish creatures, you have given me some pleasure. So... who is going to sacrifice themselves next?" The shadow cackled maniacally, baring its fangs.

"You actually! You actually!..." Hayate trembled with rage, nearly charging forward herself, but before she could move, Nanoha and Fate quickly blocked her path.

"Hayate, calm down!"

"That fellow's ability is unknown; we cannot act rashly. Besides, Vita and Signum aren't truly dead. As long as you live, they will be fine."

"...I understand." Persuaded by Nanoha and Fate, Hayate finally settled down a bit, but her gaze fixed upon the silhouette across from them remained alight with fury.

The other three Book-Keepers shared the same sentiment, but more than anger, their primary concern was protecting Hayate. Thus, instead of advancing, they clustered more tightly around her, their vigilance heightened... They trusted that if Vita and Signum were here, they would do the same.

"What is this, no attack? A wise choice, perhaps. But truly disappointing," the shadowy figure expressed his regret without concealment, then added, "Since you won't come to me, I'll come to you!"

A wicked, cold smile spread across his face, and the moment his words dropped, he vanished from his spot.

"Start by eliminating the weak!"

Almost the instant he disappeared, his voice echoed behind Shamal and Zafira, the two Book-Keepers. They turned instinctively, only to see a curtain of blackness descend, and then... then there was nothing more.

"So weak," the shadowy figure sighed. Before anyone could react, he lunged towards Hayate, the closest target.

"Watch out!"

The first to sense it was Fate, one of the Book-Keepers. Without a moment of thought, acting purely on reflex, the fiercely protective Fate threw herself between Hayate and the shadow. Then... a flash of black light erupted, and the last Book-Keeper instantly disintegrated.

"Aaaargh! I will kill you!"

In that moment, Hayate finally snapped. Requiring no incantation, merely raising her staff, the Todesfall—even more terrifying than when she had joined forces with Fate earlier—descended. But it was useless. The shadowy figure smirked, extended a finger, and the Todesfall was shattered. A black halo enveloped Hayate, and then...

The Night Sky Grimoire immediately fractured into pieces. Next, the Golden Staff splintered. Finally... with a crashing sound, even Hayate herself shattered like a crystal ball dropped onto stone.

As she broke apart, her face remained locked in an expression of shock and rage.

"Hayate!!!" Nanoha and Fate’s eyes instantly became bloodshot, their teeth grinding as they charged toward the shadow.

The death of the Book-Keepers could still be borne with a degree of composure, for those deaths weren't final. But Hayate's death meant they were all truly gone! How could they possibly remain calm under such circumstances?

The shadow merely chuckled, vanishing from his spot with lightning speed to reappear behind Suzuka.

Because everything happened so suddenly—three Book-Keepers and Hayate eliminated in less than a second—Suzuka had been utterly stunned. Thus, when the shadow attacked her, she was naturally unable to defend herself.

A beam of black light cleaved downward, splitting Suzuka’s body instantly down the middle.

"Na... noha..." She weakly reached out, calling Nanoha’s name, but before the sound fully left her lips, her bisected body erupted into black flames and vanished.

"Suzuka? Suzuka! Aaaargh! Give Suzuka back to me!"

Tears streamed down Alisa’s face as she lunged recklessly toward the shadow.

Swish!

Like a flash of lightning, as black light sliced across Alisa’s neck, her cry cut off abruptly. She felt herself being tossed high into the air.

Then, before she could look down, her headless body and the flying head dissolved into dissipating black firelight.

"Suzuka! Alisa!"

Nanoha screamed their names in anguish, blood tears now streaming from her eyes. The speed of it all was so overwhelming that even pushing her limits, she could only watch, helpless, as her dearest friends met their gruesome ends right before her eyes.

"Nanoha! Get out of the way!"

Nanoha, her vision obscured by blood tears, didn't see the incoming black light. But Fate caught sight of it clearly. Instantly accelerating, Fate threw herself in front of Nanoha without hesitation, and then... the black light pierced her body. The residual energy flung Nanoha backward, instantly dissolving her Raising Heart's Ascent Form.

"Fate?"

Rising swiftly from the ground, Nanoha stared at the figure opposite her in dumbfounded horror.

"Na... noha, please... you must... live... on..."

Fate looked at Nanoha, a tragically beautiful smile gracing her lips. Before she could finish speaking, her entire body dispersed into swirling black light.

Plop.

Mouth agape, Nanoha knelt heavily on the ground, her expression utterly broken.

"Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira, Fate, Luft, Suzuka, Alisa, Hayate, Fate... everyone is dead. All dead, they won't come back, never, never again. Why? Why is this happening?"

Ten vibrant lives, healthy just moments ago, extinguished before her eyes in less than twenty seconds. Nanoha could not process such a brutal reality.

Head bowed, hands pressed against the ground, bloody tears splattered onto the earth. Her fingers dug fiercely into the iron-hard soil, drawing blood that she was completely unaware of. She sat there, seemingly paralyzed, mumbling to herself: "I promised I would protect everyone. I swore in my heart I would protect them no matter the cost. But... why? They are all gone, and I’m the only one left. Why? A hero? Someone who couldn't even protect her most precious friends—what right do I have to be called a hero? What am I doing? What am I doing? What... what can I even do now?"

"I can do nothing, I can do absolutely nothing. Not a hero. I’m not a hero at all. I’m nothing... like an idiot, like trash. Why am I still alive? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why..."

"Hahaha! How amusing! I never thought you would be such an interesting person!" Instead of striking with lightning speed and killing indiscriminately as before, upon witnessing Nanoha's breakdown, the shadow laughed uncontrollably, as if he had discovered the most exquisite thing in the world. "Too fascinating! Your sorrow, your self-loathing, the insecurity of realizing your own powerlessness—it’s more delicious than anything else, hahahaha!"

After laughing for a time, the shadow seemed satisfied and delivered his final, cruel blow: "Don't worry, I won't let you remain alone in this world. Soon... I will send you over right now, so you can all reunite in the next world!"

As he spoke, he began walking toward Nanoha.

"Hahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!"

But at that moment, Nanoha, who had been utterly drained of hope, suddenly burst into manic laughter, as if driven mad.

"Hm?" The shadow frowned, noticing that Nanoha was now enveloped in darkness even deeper than his own, blazing like a roaring fire. A sense of dread washed over him, and he instinctively recoiled.

What is this? Why is this person's darkness more potent than mine? Impossible!

"That ugly face of yours makes me sick just looking at it!" Without making any physical move, Nanoha stood up, holding the spear-shaped Sol Invictus in her left hand while pressing her right hand against her face, laughing scornfully.

Then, as she lowered her hand, her bangs obscured her expression, hiding it from view. But her voice was terrifyingly low. "I showed you a little courtesy, and you grew bold. Since you want to play this game so badly, bring it on. I’m tired of seeing that ugly face. I think I'll make sure you vanish forever..."

"That’s right. Please! Do! Your! Worst!"

Lifting her head, Nanoha pointed a finger at the shadow before her. Her exquisitely beautiful face was contorted into a cruel, savage grin.

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