The Heroine is My Stepsister, and I'm her Final Boss-Chapter 37: Arrow through the heart.

"HAAAAAAA!!" Eli screamed as Atlas pushed her above and beyond—literally. His hand had guided her momentum like a catapult, launching her into the sky with enough force to shatter stars. She carved through the air like an arrow tipped with fury, her spear slicing cleanly through the hollow king's core.

Black goo erupted from the creature's wound, splattering over Eli's already-withering leather armor. It sizzled against her skin but did nothing more than stain—it couldn't harm what was already broken.

Slam!

She landed hard, cracking the earth beneath her feet. One hand still gripped her spear tightly, steadying herself despite the tremors shaking the ground. Her lips curled into a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"...you know what?" she said, looking down at her missing arm—the phantom ache lingering where flesh once was. "I'm getting used to being one-handed. It's not as hard as you were making it seem."

Atlas stood silent, his guilt a living thing clawing at his insides. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze—not fully. The memory of carving off her arm burned fresh in his mind, even though it had been weeks since they'd escaped the crimson demon together. That night, desperation had driven them both to unthinkable acts. And now here they were, battered but breathing, thanks to sacrifices neither of them could ever take back.

His fingers traced the insignia ring on his chest, now pulsing faintly under his skin. A demon's heart. His heart. Veil's explanation—a twisted emergency transplant performed by his mother the ancient serpent—had done little to ease his unease. Every beat felt foreign yet undeniable, resonating deep within him like echoes from another world.

Before, his mana nerves reacted only to spells. Now? They sang with every heartbeat, tingling with raw energy coursing through veins he barely recognized anymore.

"Atlas...?" Eli called softly, stepping closer until she was almost pressed against him. Her good hand slipped around his waist, her ear leaning into the steady rhythm of his newfound pulse. "Hey... don't look so guilty," she murmured, her breath warm against his chest. "You forgot you sliced off your own arm too, didn't you? To save me. To escape."

Her words stung because they were true—but also because they weren't enough. Guilt wasn't something you could shake off with logic or reminders. Still, he nodded, brushing strands of sweat-soaked hair from her face.

'...I'll find a way,' he thought fiercely, gripping her shoulder tight for a moment before letting go. 'Eli, I will fix your hand. No matter what.'

"Hey, humans!" Veil's voice cut through their quiet moment like a knife slicing silk. His shadow stretched unnaturally long across the battlefield, swallowing minotaurs whole as they charged toward them. "I know it's mating season, but can we focus? There are more hollows ahead. Weird how all these minotaurs are running in this direction instead..."

Atlas turned sharply, addressing the writhing mass of darkness attached to his own shadow. "Do you still have the meat?"

Veil blinked multiple sets of glowing eyes embedded in his abyssal form before nodding. From somewhere within his endless void, he produced a bag made of bound leaves. Inside, dried strips of meat filled the space, preserved perfectly despite time and travel.

Atlas grabbed a handful without hesitation, tearing into the jerky with feral hunger. Each bite fueled him instantly, his body digesting the food faster than any human ever should. Energy surged through him, lighting up his veins like molten fire.

This wasn't normal—not even close. Living beings gained strength gradually, relying on months or years of balanced diets to achieve peak physical condition. But Atlas? He devoured sustenance like a star collapsing into itself, consuming everything in its path to fuel unimaginable power.

With renewed vigor, he started running toward the horde of hollows, bypassing the remaining minotaurs entirely. His blade gleamed wickedly in the dim light, catching reflections of the carnage left behind. Each step echoed louder than thunder, vibrating through the ground like war drums.

As he approached the colossal hollows—children of the hallow king they'd just defeated—memories of past battles flooded his mind. Kury's voice rang sharp and clear, cutting through doubt like a sword honed to perfection.

"Only power matters in the end," she'd preached during one of their brutal training sessions. "Unfiltered violence and destruction. Swing your sword with relentless rage. That's the way to attack. The 'Only' way."

He remembered fighting Veil, too—the sheer ferocity of each swing designed not just to kill but to annihilate. Back then, every strike carried the weight of total obliteration. Not precision; not finesse. Just raw, unbridled wrath.

And now, facing creatures born from despair itself, he embraced that lesson fully. With a roar that shook the heavens, he swung his blade sideways, channeling every ounce of strength from muscles forged by pain and survival. Momentum alone tore through the hollows, sending shockwaves rippling outward like tidal forces. Shadows exploded into fragments, dissolving into nothingness before they hit the ground.

No contact. No mana. Just brute force amplified by digestion turned into pure energy. He exhaled sharply, feeling heat radiate from his pores as he studied his trembling hands. Raw power coursed through him, waiting to be unleashed again.

"Wooooww, what the fuck was that!!" Eli called out, her voice equal parts awe and disbelief. She spun around to face Atlas, eyes wide like twin moons reflecting fireflies. "I sensed no mana or skill—none of your usual flashy bullshit. You just... blew them away with sheer force? How?"

Atlas didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pointed at his stomach—a canvas of chiseled abs that seemed carved by gods themselves. The dried meat he'd devoured had transformed into raw energy, fueling muscles that now hummed with latent power.

Eli smirked, leaning closer to feel those rock-hard ridges beneath her fingertips. Her touch lingered teasingly, tickling him as she trailed her fingers across his abdomen.

While Veil observed silently from the shadows, multiple glowing eyes narrowing in curiosity. '...This is indeed mating season for humans,' it thought dryly, suppressing a shiver of discomfort—or perhaps envy.

As they ventured deeper into the Sixth Realm, darkness pressed against them like an oppressive tide. Most of everything here was cloaked in shadow, but Atlas remembered faintly—crystals once adorned the sky above, mimicking stars. Their light came from reflections of the Fifth Realm's blooms, which illuminated this cursed land before its destruction. Now, only total darkness remained, swallowing all remnants of hope.

But Veil thrived in such places—he 'was' darkness itself. His presence guided their steps, ensuring none strayed too far into oblivion.

"Hmmm... we're gonna reach the location you told me about," Veil announced suddenly, breaking the silence. "Something like a temple, right?"

"Yeah," Atlas confirmed, his tone clipped yet weary. "But we'll rest near the temple first. There's a safe point there."

"Ummm... 'safe point'?" Eli echoed skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "Last 'safe point' didn't seem so safe. What makes this one different?"

"No, this one's totally safe," Atlas insisted firmly, meeting her gaze with unshakable conviction. "It's called the Garden of Eden. Specifically made to keep monsters out."

They walked until faint light pierced through the gloom ahead. Grass replaced hard sand underfoot, softening their strides. Fireflies danced lazily in the air, painting the world with fleeting luminescence.

"..Wait, I can't—" Veil hesitated mid-step, struggling to follow them any further. "...Can't seem to enter. Atlas, what is this place? I didn't sense it at all with my darkness."

Atlas glanced back briefly, offering a small shrug. "Yeah... there's a biblical story behind it. No energy to explain now. Just stay on guard out here, Veil. We'll keep moving forward."

Eli smiled softly, taking in the scene around her—the garden loomed alive with fireflies scattered everywhere, casting ethereal glows over lush greenery. "Now I believe this truly is a safe haven," she murmured, excitement bubbling in her chest.

"Why don't we just stay here forever?" she joked lightly, half-serious.

Atlas chuckled, lowering himself beneath a tree whose branches stretched skyward like ancient arms reaching for salvation. He leaned back, letting exhaustion seep out of him temporarily. "I wish, Eli. But both of us have our own worlds waiting for us."

Eli sensed his guard drop completely then, so she settled herself comfortably against his chest, resting her back against him. "Well, can't stop a woman from dreaming," she teased gently.

Atlas inhaled deeply, catching the scent of rosemary wafting off her skin. Even in this hellish ditch, she somehow smelled divine—a cruel irony considering how little he trusted his own odor these days.

"...Eli," he began hesitantly, his voice low and rough-edged. "I know you want to joke around and all—but damn, you know I'm a man myself, right?"

Eli smirked wickedly, deliberately squeezing her buttocks between his legs. "Of course I know you, dummy. I saw you as a man the moment you stood up to that demon." Her words carried weight, almost reverent. "What about it?"

Atlas didn't hold back anymore. Gently, tentatively, he slid his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. She stiffened slightly, surprised, but didn't pull away. "Then you don't mind this..." he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.

Eli turned slightly red, melting into his embrace despite herself. If time could freeze, she'd let this moment last a lifetime. "Do you remember," she said softly, breaking the spell momentarily, "when you offered me a place in your kingdom? That time I wanted to slap you like no other."

Atlas brushed stray strands of hair off her face, tucking them behind her ear. "Yeah, my arrogance as a prince was getting to me back then," he admitted ruefully, shaking his head. "What about now? Do you like me now?"

She paused, feigning deep thought. Then, with a straight face, delivered the cruelest blow yet: "I don't like you."

Atlas froze, his heart plummeting like a stone tossed into an abyss. "...Oh. Really," he managed weakly, his voice barely audible.

Eli twisted around fully now, her marble-like eyes shimmering under the firefly glow. For a heartbeat, she held his gaze steady—then cracked, laughter spilling forth like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

"Dummy!" she exclaimed, cupping his cheeks tenderly. "I love—love—LOVE YOU!"

And without giving him another second to process, she kissed him fiercely, sealing her proclamation with lips that burned brighter than any light fruit.

****

More characters pics available. If anybody have questions. I am at Discord. Link down below.

https://discord.gg/yrnQskUgPF