Meanwhile, as Albedo was running toward the arena where Dila was standing, his chest tightened with fear. No... my daughter... I don't want to lose her. The words echoed in his mind as he charged forward. His legs moved faster, pushing him downhill, leaping over rocks, rolling across the dirt, and then bursting forward again. His heart pounded hard, louder than the rush of wind in his ears. Every step carried only one thought.... Is she safe? Is Dila alright?

As he was about to arrive from afar, his voice broke the air.

"Dila!"

His eyes widened in horror as he saw her.... levitating in the air, her body limp and unconscious. The Cascade Shield around her crackled violently, its unstable barrier ejecting bursts of lightning that struck the pavement below, tearing into stone and scattering sparks everywhere.

Her staff slipped from her grasp, falling as if abandoned, yet her body remained suspended mid-air.

Albedo's heart clenched. His voice shattered into a scream.

"Nooo!"

The storm of energy lit his expression, his pupils trembling as he felt it.... the faint thread of her life force slipping away, leaking out of her fragile body.

"She can't handle this much of a load.... my daughter....!"

His chest tightened, blood rushing in his ears as the realization burned through him.

Albedo's face twisted as he searched desperately for a way to cancel the barrier.... but there was none. He had no choice. His body surged forward, voice erupting. Casting a skill, collapsing roar. His hand flared with violent energy, forming into a dense energy almost bursting with raw power.

Instead of releasing it like a wild beam, he clenched it tight, shaping it into a sharpened claw. With a furious leap upward, he slashed down at the Cascade Shield. Haaaaa! Sparks flew like grinding steel, scattering in all directions as his strike reverberated.

"How come... it's this hard?!" he roared, leaping back. His energy claw shifted, reshaping into a colossal fist of crackling power. Each punch slammed against the barrier, shaking the arena itself. Pillars cracked and crumbled under the sheer force of his impacts.... yet the Shield remained, unbroken.

Albedo roared again, his voice breaking as he slammed his glowing fist against the barrier. Sparks scattered like shattered stars, but the shield held firm. He struck harder, again and again, each blow collapsing the arena's pillars around him even more, yet nothing broke through.

"Hiyaaaa!" His cry was desperate, ragged, his body trembling as he charged once more. Tears streamed down his face, swelling his blue eyes until they burned with pain.

In that moment in his mind, he saw her.... his daughter's small figure running toward him, her soft silver hair swaying, her frail voice whispering with warmth. Papa, I want to be strong like you....

Albedo's fist crashed again against the barrier. "You're dead...." he sobbed, the words choking as he smashed, clawed, and hammered without end. His voice was hoarse, his body shaking, but he did not stop. Each strike carried the weight of his grief, his swollen eyes flooding until he could no longer see the shield he fought against.

And then suddenly a voice echoed in the arena.... Nari's voice burst out.

☆ Your daughter is not dead.... she needs help! Cancel out this energy or else she really will be dead! ☆

Albedo didn't even question who was speaking.... only how. He froze, his charging spell halted for a moment.

"But I'm running out of time..." he muttered.

☆ I said wait! ☆

The Archane staff suddenly levitated, spinning in the air before blasting itself like a catapult toward him. Albedo dodged instantly, eyes narrowing.

"What are you doing.... whatever you are?"

☆ Do you want to help your daughter or not?! Stop questioning.... or I'll die along with my master too! I'm not ready to die, you know! ☆

Albedo's face darkened.... then slowly, his resolve shifted. His expression hardened, yet a rare flicker of desperation touched his voice.

"...Okay. For the sake of my daughter's life.... I will follow your orders.... whoever you are."

And then Nari's frail voice cracked in desperation. ☆ Grab that staff.... the one struck to the floor.... hurry! ☆

Albedo's eyes widened. "You mean.... that ancient staff forged by the Luminous Goddess?"

☆ Duhhh.... what else do you see lying there, a stick?! ☆ her tone wavered, almost breaking.

Albedo clenched his jaw, sweat sliding down his temple. "But that staff.... it belongs only to the chosen one.... the true wielder."

☆ Just do it! ☆ Nari screamed, her voice trembling. ☆ I can't hold her life force anymore.... hurry, hurry.... please, old fart! ☆

And then Albedo shouted, "Be respectful!"

Nari's frail voice snapped back, ☆ shut up and pick it up! ☆

Albedo blinked, stunned, his teeth grinding. "Oky... oky!" He sprinted toward the staff, his heavy steps pounding against the broken ground.

As he drew closer, his breath hitched. The staff wasn't just lying there... it was pulsing. A faint light trembled from its core, like the heartbeat of something alive. His chest tightened as he slowed, intimidated by the overwhelming aura pressing down on him.

The divine staff... forged by the Luminous Goddess herself.

For the first time in centuries, Albedo's hand trembled.

Nari sighed softly. ☆ Yeah yeah... Divine Goddess... blah blah blah... just wrap your hands around it and pull already ☆

Albedo's jaw clenched as he gripped the staff. He roared, his voice thundering through the air. "Haaaaaaa!"

The veins across his arms and neck bulged as his body trembled. His feet sank into the ground, the earth cracking beneath him. The staff barely shifted, its weight pressing down on him like a mountain.

"My god... this... this staff... how can it be so heavy?! Does my daughter really carry this around?!" His breath hitched, sweat streaming as he snarled through clenched teeth. "She must be... insanely strong... lifting this thing..."

☆ It was super light to her, you know ☆ Nari's frail voice teased, almost as if mocking him.

His teeth gnashed, desperation pouring into his cry. "Dila...!"

☆ Pour all your magic into it... every last drop you've got! ☆

"But... my power... it's already spent!" His eyes burned, tears slipping out as he kept forcing his body. His voice broke as he screamed louder, his hands refusing to let go even as his strength crumbled. "Dilaaaaaa!"

And then Nari sighed. "Oky... I will help you."

The system voice followed right after, frail yet firm.

☆ Transferring energy to Albedo.... Target acquired.... Transfer complete ☆

Nari's energy surged, flowing first through Dila's body and then into Albedo's. A wave of raw force coursed through him, and his eyes widened.

"Wow... I feel such power," he muttered, gripping his fists as if testing his strength.

Albedo's gaze narrowed. "Is this... your power?"

But Nari's voice cut him off, sharp and scolding.

☆ Shut up, old fart. You're the reason Dila was forced to fight you... just so she could live a free life. Now quit wasting time and pull that staff! Hurry! My power is already weakening because I transferred some to you ☆

And then Albedo lifted the staff with both hands, his arms trembling, his back cracking as he forced himself upright. "Argghhh.... it's nothing.... just for my daughter's sake!" he shouted, veins showing as sweat dripped down his face.

"Hurry.... what should I do?!" he roared, desperation filling his voice.

Nari's voice came through faintly, almost fading like a broken signal. ☆ S...say.... system reboot.... ☆

Albedo's eyes widened. "What is that?!"

☆ J...just say it.... say it now.... ☆ her delicate voice cracked.

"System reboot!!" Albedo shouted, his voice breaking like thunder.

At once the staff erupted, its magic surging in all directions. The force cut off every thread of power from Nari and from Dila, ripping the unstable currents apart. The ground trembled, then.... silence. The violent shaking stopped. The air stilled. The world returned to normal.

It was midday now, sunlight spilling across the ruins. Albedo's eyes watered as tears broke free. His grip slipped and the staff fell, almost crushing his foot, but it struck the stone pavement instead, planting itself deep into the cracks.

"Dila!!" he cried out.

Her body dropped limply from the air. He lunged forward, catching her in his arms before she could hit the ground. Her chest rose faintly, but her face was pale as snow, unconscious and fragile.

Albedo stared at her, shaking. He couldn't even tell if she was alive or not.... only that she was slipping further and further from him.

He shouted, "Dila! Are you okay?!" His hands trembled as he leaned closer, pressing his ear against her chest, desperate to catch even the faintest sound.

Then... he heard it. A weak heartbeat, fragile but still there.

"Thank goodness... Goddess Luminous didn't abandon you... my dear... my one and only daughter." His voice cracked, relief washing over him as his body loosened from the tight knot of fear.

He cradled Dila gently in his arms, letting her fragile body rest on his lap. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale, yet she was alive.

Albedo sat there, his own body trembling. His hands covered his face before lowering slowly, tears falling one after another. "I'm sorry... my daughter... I will never... ever... ever challenge you again..." His words broke apart, carried by sobs.

Tears streamed down, dripping onto Dila's cheeks as if fate itself let his guilt fall directly onto the one he hurt most.