With everyone evacuating, only Jim and Goblin remained.
The battlefield grew eerily silent.
Then-
BOOM!
The two clashed with full force.
Jim's Lance of Unity met Goblin's dark claws. The impact rippled through the land, shattering the ground beneath them.
For the first time-
Goblin wasn't overwhelming his opponent.
They were evenly matched.
Blow after blow, attack after attack-neither side could gain the upper hand.
Goblin growled in frustration.
Jim held his ground.
The battlefield trembled.
Golden radiance clashed against abyssal darkness, turning the skies into a war between celestial brilliance and malevolent void.
Jim, the Warrior of Unity, spun his Lance of Unity, golden trails of energy slicing through the air. Goblin lunged at him, his monstrous claws glowing with void energy, each swipe distorting space itself.
BOOM!
Jim blocked with the lance, but the impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, leveling what was left of the ruins.
Goblin's eyes burned with fury.
"Imperfection like you... has no place in my universe!"
He teleported, appearing behind Jim-
Jim reacted instantly, spinning around with a blinding golden slash!
SLASH!
A deep gash appeared on Goblin's side, black blood spilling out-
But Goblin didn't flinch.
Instead, he let out a guttural laugh.
"Good. Finally, someone who won't fall instantly. But-"
His body pulsed-dark mist wrapped around his wound, sealing it instantly.
"You're still imperfect. You will fall."
Goblin raised his clawed hand, and the sky cracked apart.
From the abyssal rift, countless jagged tendrils of pure destruction rained down toward Jim, each one capable of wiping out a mountain in an instant.
Jim shot into the air, twisting mid-air to dodge.
One tendril scraped his shoulder.
Another nearly pierced his chest-
But Jim vanished in a golden streak, reappearing behind Goblin with a Celestic Strike!
BOOM!
Goblin was sent crashing into the earth.
The ground exploded.
But before Jim could press the attack-
Goblin's hand burst out of the debris, gripping Jim's face!
"You don't belong here!"
With a monstrous roar, Goblin hurled Jim into the sky.
Jim's body blurred through the air-
Until he flipped mid-flight, his lance glowing.
"Lance of Unity: CELESTIC DRIVE!"
A golden energy spear erupted from his weapon-
It shot toward Goblin at lightspeed!
Goblin teleported away.
Jim anticipated it.
He immediately swung his lance downward, releasing a golden shockwave!
BOOM!
Goblin materialized right into the blast!
He snarled in rage, staggering back.
Jim didn't let up.
He dashed forward-a blinding golden streak-
Goblin swung his claw-
Jim ducked.
Countered with a spinning slash!
"CELESTIC RIP!"
SLASH!
Goblin stumbled. Another wound opened up.
For the first time-Goblin gritted his teeth in frustration.
He teleported again-but Jim was already predicting it.
Jim's eyes sharpened.
"I see it now."
Goblin roared, summoning dark meteors from the sky.
They rained down like an apocalyptic storm.
Jim held his lance high.
"LANCE OF UNITY: CELESTIC BARRIER!"
A golden dome erupted around him, deflecting the meteors, sending them flying in all directions.
Goblin roared in rage.
"ENOUGH!"
He extended both hands-
A black vortex formed behind him, expanding rapidly, distorting the very fabric of reality.
Jim felt its pull.
Goblin grinned darkly.
"PERISH."
The vortex rushed forward-ready to erase Jim from existence.
Jim gripped his lance.
His eyes glowed fiercely.
"I told you. I won't let you destroy everything."
He raised his hand.
The stars themselves seemed to answer.
Golden light from every celestial body converged on him.
His Lance of Unity surged with unimaginable power.
"Final Unity Strike!"
Jim hurled his lance forward-
It pierced through the vortex-
And headed straight for Goblin.
The battlefield exploded in golden and black light, sending shockwaves across the land.
Jim stood firm, his Lance of Unity glowing brighter than ever. Goblin, however, was struggling-his body covered in deep wounds, black blood dripping from his mouth.
"Impossible..." Goblin growled, his monstrous form trembling. "How can a flawed being like you... stand against me?!"
Jim tightened his grip on the lance.
"Because I fight for something greater than myself." His golden aura flared. "You think perfection is the ultimate goal-but perfection is just an illusion! It's our flaws, our bonds, our struggles that make us strong!"
Goblin's eyes twitched.
"ENOUGH!"
He raised his arms to the sky, and the very fabric of reality cracked as an ominous force began to gather.
Dark, swirling vortexes formed around him, pulling in debris, remnants of fallen warriors, even the very essence of the battlefield.
Jeromy, watching from the spaceship felt a chill run down his spine.
"Sheila! That energy-!"
Sheila's eyes widened in horror.
"Jim! Stop him! That's-!"
But before she could finish, Goblin let out a deafening roar.
"Witness my FINAL PERFECTION!"
His entire body cracked apart, revealing pulsating veins of dark energy, reshaping his monstrous form.
His horns extended, his wings grew jagged and razor-sharp, his claws turned into obsidian blades, and his eyes burned with a cataclysmic glow.
The sky turned blood-red.
The air itself trembled.
He had ascended into his Final Form-Goblin the Perfect Destroyer.
Jim staggered back.
The sheer pressure was suffocating. Even with his Warrior of Unity form, his body trembled.
Goblin floated above him, his voice deeper, colder, more godlike.
"Perfection... is here."
He disappeared.
And then-
BAM!
Jim was sent flying at light-speed, his armor cracking from a single blow to the stomach!
Before he could recover-
BOOM!
Another strike to the back!
Another to the chest!
Another. Another. Another.
Jim couldn't even react.
Goblin's speed transcended time itself.
Then-a devastating kick sent Jim crashing into the ground, creating a crater miles wide.
Jim tried to stand.
Goblin landed in front of him, expression unreadable.
"You have fought well. But unity... is nothing more than a temporary illusion."
Jim coughed blood, glaring up.
"You're wrong..."
Goblin lifted a single clawed hand.
A sphere of absolute darkness formed, expanding rapidly.
"This... will be your end."
Jim, struggling to his feet, felt his power flickering.
But he wasn't done yet.
He gripped his Lance of Unity.
_ _ _
Jim staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his lips. His body screamed in pain, his golden armor cracked, his energy flickering like a dying star.
But his will remained unshaken.
Goblin hovered above, his Perfect Destroyer form radiating cosmic destruction. The black sphere of annihilation in his claw grew larger-so dark that it swallowed the light around it.
Jeromy and Sheila watched from the Resistance ship, horror in their eyes.
"Jim... you need to move!" Sheila shouted.
But Jim stood still, gripping his Lance of Unity tightly.
"No." His voice was calm but firm.
"I won't run."
Goblin's eyes flickered.
"Still resisting? Even now?"
Jim's golden aura flared violently, pushing back the crushing weight of Goblin's energy.
"Perfection is an illusion." He stepped forward. "But unity... unity is real."
Goblin's expression twitched.
"Enough of your nonsense!"
With a single motion, he hurled the Sphere of Annihilation toward Jim.
The air tore apart. The ground shattered. Space itself warped violently.
The attack was unstoppable.
Jeromy clenched his fists. "DAMN IT, JIM! MOVE!"
Sheila's eyes watered. "This can't be it...!"
The Resistance and Celestic Justice watched in despair.
But Jim... stood firm.
As the attack closed in, his eyes glowed fiercely.
And then-
BOOM!
Jim thrust his Lance of Unity forward, and at that moment-
A miracle happened.
The Lance absorbed the attack.
The black sphere began to unravel as golden threads of unity energy spread through it.
Goblin's eyes widened. "What?!"
Jim gritted his teeth, pouring everything he had into the Lance.
"This ends now!"
A blinding pillar of golden light erupted from his body, piercing through the darkness.
Jim's Warrior of Unity form ascended further. His armor repaired itself, glowing brilliantly.
His Lance of Unity extended, growing into a divine weapon beyond anything ever seen.
Goblin stepped back instinctively. "T-This is-!"
Jim leaped forward, shattering the sound barrier.
"UNITY-FINAL JUDGMENT!"
He drove the lance straight into Goblin's chest.
Time froze.
Goblin's body convulsed, his Perfect Destroyer form cracking apart.
His eyes shook in disbelief.
"No... NO!"
A massive explosion of energy erupted, swallowing both of them. The sky split apart, the land shook violently, and a golden wave of energy spread across the entire battlefield.
The impact was so massive that even Dark Void turned his head from his own rampage.
As the light faded...
Jim stood alone, his Unity form wearing off.
After a few moments...
Jim collapsed onto the shattered battlefield, his breath shallow, his body motionless. The golden glow of his Warrior of Unity form had completely faded, leaving him in his normal, battered state.
The land around him was unrecognizable-scorched, cracked, and reshaped by the sheer power of the battle. The very air still trembled from the remnants of their clash.
Sheila and Jeromy, aboard the Resistance flagship, watched in horror.
"Turn the ship around! NOW!" Sheila commanded, her voice filled with urgency.
Jeromy gritted his teeth. "Damn it... he used everything he had!"
The Celestic Justice and Resistance fleets quickly redirected toward Jim's position, engines roaring as they pushed at maximum speed.
Jeromy clenched his fists. "Hang on, kid... we're coming."
On the Ground
Jim's vision blurred as he lay on the ground, barely holding onto consciousness. Every inch of his body screamed in pain.
Through his hazy sight, he could see... figures.
The spirits of the fallen Resistance and Celestic Justice warriors.
Edward stood before him, his face filled with pride and sorrow.
"You did it, kid," Edward said softly. "You proved that unity... is stronger than perfection."
Jim tried to speak, but no words came out.
Edward knelt beside him, placing a hand on his chest. "But you're not done yet."
A faint, warm energy flowed into Jim's body.
"Rest... but don't give up."
With that, the spirits slowly faded into the golden horizon.
_ _ _
The Resistance flagship descended rapidly, landing near Jim's broken body.
Sheila and Jeromy rushed out first, followed by medical teams.
Jeromy knelt beside Jim, checking for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.
"He's alive!" Jeromy shouted.
Sheila let out a breath of relief. "Get him on board, NOW!"
The medics lifted Jim carefully onto a stretcher, rushing him into the ship's medical bay.
Sheila and Jeromy followed closely, their faces grim.
The doors sealed shut, and the ship took off into the sky-carrying Jim to safety.
But even as they left...
A dark presence loomed in SOLUNA.
_ _ _
Jim lay unconscious on the med-bay stretcher, his breathing steady but weak. The battle had pushed him beyond his limits, and even though he had defeated Goblin, the price was clear-he wouldn't be in fighting form even if he woke up.
A medical officer wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the others. "Jim is stable, but he needs time to recover. His body took a massive toll, and forcing him awake won't change the fact that he won't be able to fight for a while."
Sheila clenched her fists. "Damn it... I knew he pushed himself too far."
Jeromy exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "We all did."
Gravik stared at Jim's unconscious form. His voice was quiet but firm. "I can't even imagine the level of power he unleashed... but even that wasn't enough to end everything."
Sheila took a deep breath and turned to the others. "We're heading back to Soluna."
Most of them nodded in agreement immediately.
But Gravik tensed. He looked away, hesitant.
"Sheila... I can't go back."
Sheila narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
Gravik's voice was bitter. "If Dark Void sees me... he'll kill me."
There was a heavy silence in the room.
Sheila finally spoke, her voice calm but unshakable. "I don't care."
Gravik looked at her, surprised.
"My husband is there. My kids are there." Sheila's voice hardened. "Even if I have to go alone, I will."
"You're not going alone," Jeromy said. "We're all going."
Sheila smirked slightly. "I figured you'd say that."
Gravik gritted his teeth. "You're all insane. Dark Void will slaughter us if we go back! We should be escaping, regrouping-"
"No." Sheila cut him off. "Jim would say the same thing if he was conscious. We don't run."
Jeromy nodded. "Even if we can't fight, we can still help-even if it's just a little."
There was another silence.
Then Gravik sighed.
"You people are really going to be the reason of death for me."
Sheila smiled. "Then let's not waste any more time."
With that, the fleet adjusted course-heading straight back to Soluna.