But it was too late.
The concentrated force of Alex's strike was overwhelming, far beyond what Varkoth's defences could handle in their vulnerable state.
The armour that had once seemed impenetrable to crack, and the energy surrounding it flickered and faded as the Phoenix fire bore down on it.
CRACK!
And then, with a deafening crack, the armour shattered.
Virtue's Edge, still vibrating with the remnants of power it had just unleashed, cleaved through Varkoth's defences, slicing into his flesh with a precision that was almost surgical.
The blade dug deep, cutting through bone, muscle and any other organic matter as if they were nothing.
The searing heat of the flames cauterised the wound even as it was inflicted.
Varkoth's body jerked violently, the force of his strike sending shockwaves through him.
His eyes, which had been clouded with pain, fear, and horror suddenly slammed open in shock.
For a brief moment, the Red Demon prodigy was confused, aware of nothing that had happened in the real world.
But then the pain hit him, and he looked down only to see a sword deeply embedded in his chest, with flames so hot that even the air around him was turning into plasma.
'I... I- what happened...?'
Varkoth looked around himself, looking lost.
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"I told you Varkoth, I wouldn't be so sure this battle would be my last."
Alex spoke from the side, taunting Varkoth even while he was down, just like he had done to Alex.
"This is what happens when you get overconfident; when you underestimate just who you're up against."
Varkoth's thoughts spiralled into chaos as the reality of his situation began to sink in.
His body was now just a crumbling ruin.
He stared at the blade lodged in his chest, at the flames that crackles and hissed, and a profound sense of disbelief settled over him.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go...
He was the Red Demon prodigy, feared and revered in multiple races!
Despite everything, there was a strange respect in Alex's eyes.
"I guess it is," Alex replied quietly.
There was no gloating, no further taunts.
The battle was over, and Alex had no further desire to add further suffering on top.
Finally, the last light of Varkoth's life faded away in the dead silence of the battlefield, his eyes tightly locked onto Alex the whole time, until they closed for the final time.
In his final moments, there was no more fear, no more anger.
Only a deep, profound sadness that his life had ended so early.
He had so much potential to fulfil, with dreams of becoming an S tier one day, and perhaps even becoming the next Red Demon king.
But such dreams would never come to pass now.
***
Far from the battlefield, deep within the heart of the Shen Wu system's military base, Colonel Margit was reviewing the latest reports from his subordinates.
The situation on the battlefield was finally starting to look up thanks to Alex's involvement.
Ever since Alex had spent the last week going on rampage after rampage for over 20 hours each day, the battles in the Shen Wu system were finally going in the Human side's favour!
Bleep!
But before a rare smile could form on Colonel Margit's face, a sudden alarm blared from his communicator, cutting through the relative quiet of his private study.
Margit's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the device.
The alert was one that rarely appeared, and it was one that he dreaded to see appear every day he spent in this war.
"An attack surpassing the level of lower life forms has been detected on the main battlefield. I repeat!..."
"What the hell...?" Margit muttered, his brow furrowing in anger.
There was only one individual in the Shen Wu system who could unleash an attack at the level of a higher life form other than himself.
And that was the Red Demon commander!
"Damn it!" Margit growled, his fist slamming onto the console.
"How dare that fucker enter the battlefield!"