The aftermath of the battle was a quiet one. The battlefield, once cracked and shattered under the weight of Chaos's destruction, now lay in a delicate peace. The winds, no longer howling with the force of dark energy, gently blew across the plains. The sky was a soft gradient of dawn colors, casting pale pinks and blues over the horizon as the first rays of light touched the ground.
Ezra, kneeling on the remnants of the cracked earth, let the weight of what had just transpired settle in. He could still feel the reverberations of the Soul Ripper coursing through him, the power of it both a blessing and a curse. His breath was ragged, his body drained from the immense energy expended, but there was no time to rest. There was a nagging feeling that gnawed at the edge of his thoughts—this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
Escanor was the first to approach him, his usually golden aura dimmed but still burning bright, a flicker of determination in his eyes.
"We did it, Ezra," Escanor said, his voice heavy with relief, but also tinged with something else—something that Ezra couldn't quite place.
Ezra nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "For now. But this... it's not over."
Ban walked up next, slinging his weapon over his shoulder, a smirk on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. "He's right. If anything, we've only just begun."
Meliodas joined them soon after, his hands resting on the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He had seen too many battles to let his guard down. "The countdown... it's still ticking. And we all know what that means."
Ezra turned his gaze to the familiar system interface hovering before him, the numbers shifting in front of his eyes.
[Countdown to the Main Story: 135,200 Hours.]
The countdown was ticking forward—time was not on their side.
"There's something we don't understand about this system," Merlin's voice rang out as she approached, her face contemplative. "It's not just about the powers you gain, Ezra. This countdown... it's tied to something greater. Something that will change the course of everything. The system is preparing you for something, but it won't be kind."
Ezra's heart skipped a beat. He knew that whatever the system had in store for him, it wasn't going to be something he could easily overcome. But he had come this far, and he had no intention of backing down now.
"I don't know what's coming next," Ezra said, standing up. "But we have to be ready. Whatever this system is, whatever it's planning, we need to figure it out before time runs out."
Escanor placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're with you, Ezra. You're not in this alone."
Ban grinned. "Yeah, we'll fight through anything. After all, we've got our own battle scars to prove it."
As the group stood together, their resolve unshakable, the silence around them was broken only by the distant sound of the wind. Yet, despite their victory, the sense of unease remained. They had stopped Chaos—temporarily—but the true threat was still looming, hiding just beyond the horizon.
"We'll need to head to Liones," Meliodas suggested. "There's still a chance to unravel whatever is pulling the strings behind all this."
Ezra nodded, his gaze steady, but inwardly, doubts swirled. Liones would be their next destination. They had no answers yet, but they would need to dig deeper, unravel the secrets that had been kept hidden for so long. The journey was far from over.
As they began to prepare for the journey ahead, Merlin called out from the distance, her tone sharp. "Ezra! There's something I need to show you."
Ezra's stomach tightened as he turned to face her. The intensity in her eyes was undeniable.
Merlin held out a small orb, shimmering with a strange energy. "I've been studying the system and its connection to this world. I believe this orb contains fragments of the truth. If we can unlock its secrets, we may understand what the system truly is."
Ezra hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. He reached out and took the orb from her hands, feeling a strange pulse of energy course through him as he made contact with it. His mind was immediately filled with visions—fragments of memories and images that seemed foreign yet intimately familiar.
He saw glimpses of ancient gods, their power radiating through the fabric of the universe. He saw the system—no longer just an interface, but something living, evolving, and watching. It had a mind of its own, a consciousness that extended far beyond his understanding.
And then, in the darkest corner of his vision, he saw it—an entity, twisted and formless, a being born of both light and shadow. Its eyes glowed with malice, and its laughter echoed in his mind, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.
"Chaos is only a fragment," Ezra whispered, his voice trembling with the weight of the revelation. "There's something worse... something controlling it."
Merlin's eyes narrowed. "We've only scratched the surface. But we need to move quickly. The longer we wait, the more powerful whatever is behind this becomes."
Ezra looked around at his friends, his resolve hardening. "We'll stop it. Together."
The orb's energy pulsed again, its secrets still partially hidden, but it was clear now that the next phase of their journey would be even more dangerous than the last. The true enemy was still out there, and it wasn't just chaos they had to face. It was the force that had created it—something older, more powerful, and more cunning than any of them could have ever imagined.
The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they would need to fight not just for their world, but for their very souls.
[Countdown to the Main Story: 135,150 Hours.]
The clock was ticking, and the storm was just beginning.