In the capital city of Prisma on the Orpris continent, an unprecedented atmosphere of tension gripped the grand halls of the Continental Martial Alliance headquarters.

Having returned via the central teleportation arrays, Commander Dasatama and Commander Yarko had immediately convened an emergency summit with the high council and continental representatives. Drums of war echoed through the city streets as military defense divisions and academy garrisons organized their formations, locking down the perimeter arrays. The global Full War mandate was in full effect.

Standing on the high observation balcony overlooking the central square, Barsha stood alongside Gayatri, Alicia, Nora, and Astro. The Sky Squad members observed the frantic movements of the defensive divisions below.

"The entire continent is mobilizing," Barsha noted, her sharp eyes scanning the heavy defensive artillery being calibrated along the city walls. "Commander Dasatama and Commander Yarko have placed every garrison on maximum readiness."

"It's not just Prisma," Gayatri added softly, her sensory domain expanding across the atmospheric channels. "The energy pulses from the communication arrays indicate that every provincial capital across all five continents has initiated emergency lockdown. The martial world is standing as one."

Alicia adjusted the ancestral scroll strapped to her back, her expression grave. "If Aji's report regarding the Second World is correct, Shura's legions could manifest anywhere without warning. Ordinary barriers won't hold against an army of that scale."

"Speaking of Aji..." Nora interjected, looking around the balcony, "...where is he? He hasn't returned since he vanished from the Samarkan portal station."

Before Barsha could reply, a subtle distortion rippled in the air behind them. From a quiet fold in space, a solitary figure stepped smoothly onto the stone balcony.

It was Aji.

"Aji!" Barsha turned quickly, her eyes widening as she felt his presence. Though he appeared calm and unhurried as always, her sharp assassin instincts picked up a faint, lingering trace of high-density lightning aura clinging to his robes. "Where have you been? The high council has already issued the global call to arms!"

Aji offered a quiet, reassuring smile. "I simply took care of a potential complication on the Denad continent."

"A complication?" Gayatri asked, stepping forward. Her sensory domain suddenly probed his vessel, and her eyes widened in utter disbelief. "Aji... the massive concentration of dark magic I detected earlier on the Denad continent... the two supreme signatures and the army of two hundred thousand..."

"They will no longer be participating in this war," Aji interrupted gently, his voice soft yet absolute.

A heavy silence fell over the balcony. Alicia, Nora, and Astro stared at him in shock. Gayatri gasped, recognizing the truth behind his words. In a matter of hours, Aji had traveled across continents and single-handedly neutralized one-fifth of the Demon Lord's absolute striking power.

Before anyone could ask further questions, the sky directly above the city of Prisma suddenly turned a violent, bruised purple.

BOOOOOOM!

A thunderous spatial tremor shook the entire capital, cracking the stone flagstones of the central square. High above the clouds, eight massive, swirling vortexes of void energy tore through the atmosphere, expanding into gaping spatial gateways hundreds of meters wide.

The dark army's specialized spatial teams had completed their task.

"They're here!" Commander Yarko's voice boomed across the city through magic-amplified arrays. "All divisions, raise the absolute defensive barrier! Prepare for engagement!"

From the eight massive spatial gateways, a torrent of pitch-black dark magic erupted, blotting out the sun. The remaining eight Annihilation Demons—including the massive Warlord Tora, the elemental grandmaster Widi, the heavy juggernaut Hexos, the dark manipulator Zero, the fleet-footed assassin Metri, the hollow-blade master Alumero, the dark warlord Draudo, and the undead summoner Rukio—emerged at the head of their respective legions.

Hundreds of thousands of dark operatives and mutated dreadnoughts poured out of the spatial rifts like a tidal wave of shadows, descending upon the capital city of Prisma.

At the center of the spatial rift, floating high above his assembled army, stood Lord Demon Shura. Clad in dark, ancient armor and wrapped in the suffocating aura of the perfected Blood Supreme, his crimson eyes looked down upon the city with absolute, terrifying authority.

Beside him, Nesia surveyed the defensive formations below, a cold, vengeful smile gracing her lips.

"Mortals of the martial alliance!" Shura's voice reverberated across the continent, carrying a heavy, soul-crushing pressure that forced lower-tier cultivators to their knees. "Your defiance ends today. Bow before my mandate, or be erased from existence!"

On the ground below, Commander Dasatama vaulted onto the main rampart, drawing his custom broadsword as a pillar of golden light erupted from his core. "Righteous warriors of the five continents! Stand firm! Protect our home to the final breath!"

The war drums roared as thousands of orthodox cultivators and defense guards drew their weapons, unleashing their internal aura to meet the descending dark army.

High on the balcony, Barsha drew her dual daggers, her speed domain flaring with crackling energy. "Sky Squad! Form up! Our battle begins now!"

Alicia, Nora, Astro, and Gayatri unsealed their respective weapons, falling into battle formation behind Barsha.

Aji stood quietly at the edge of the balcony, looking up at the floating form of Lord Demon Shura. Unsheathing his longsword and trench dagger, his eyes flashed with brilliant celestial light.

The final war for the fate of the realm had begun.