Amelia Merwin was subdued during the battle on the main streets, and the liches were annihilated. In other words, there was no longer a need to be wary of the proliferation of the undead.
In addition, the undead that were still alive were noticeably weakened. They were still mobile due to the remaining dark power inside of them, but they were no longer strengthened or could execute higher orders. The undead were reduced to mere meat shields and posed no significant threat to the Liberation Army.
The real issue was the demons of Ravesta. Most of them were high-ranking demons, and they were powerful. However, the Liberation Army had plenty of powerhouses, including the leaders of the knightly orders, the Archwizards, the warriors, and the mercenary leaders, to match the high-ranking demons.
Melkith was particularly eye-catching among them as she rampaged in her Omega Force. She attracted the attention of the enemies with her enormous size. Moreover, her strength was incomparable, and with just a few swings of her arm, she could sweep away legions of the undead. As a result, she forced a considerable number of high-ranking demons to engage her.
"Omega Fire Storm!"
The enemies kept coming without rest, but Melkith did not tire at all. On the contrary, she was energized and overflowing with power in her current state. She craved more formidable foes and more intense battles.
Wind! Flame! Lightning! Earth!
The power of the four Spirit Kings was concentrated in Melkith. Additionally, all the spirit wizards of the White Tower of Magic were supporting her from behind to enhance the power of the spirits.
Thus, it was called Omega Force, which surpassed Union Force. She was empowered not only by the power of the four Spirit Kings but also by that of various other spirits, making each of Melkith's movements akin to natural disasters.
Harpeuron, the fifty-seventh-ranked demon who boasted his strength, was left in a near-death state by a single strike from Melkith in her Infinity Force form. Although most of the demons challenging Melkith right now were stronger than Harpeuron, the gap between Infinite Force and Omega Force was also greater than the gap between the demons themselves."You're weak! Too weak!" Melkith proclaimed, launching haughty kicks and punches. "The north! Only the Northern Conquest can make my heart race!"
Her movements lacked finesse and could even be called amateurish, but their power was terrifyingly destructive. Even the most powerful demons suffered fatal wounds if merely grazed. Therefore, the demons had no choice but to desperately avoid Melkith's attacks.
"The storm calls me!" Melkith bellowed.
All her shouts were for Tempest, who finally gave in today. Melkith was aware of Tempest's desire for the North, even if she didn't know the specifics. If Tempest wished for a conquest of the north, Melkith was more than willing to join.
"People look like ants from up here!" she shouted.
Such was the enormity of Melkith at that moment.
Right. If it’s now, yes, in my current state, I might be stronger than even the Wise Sienna….
Melkith quickly ceased her dangerous contemplation. In the not-too-distant sky, she could see the figure of Sienna floating in her own galaxy. Now that she had obtained Omega Force, Melkith could gauge Sienna’s power more accurately than before.
"That’s my sis,” Melkith nodded in a quick change of attitude.
Currently, Sienna was interfering on every battlefield. She was distinctly supporting each individual with her power. The stars flowing from Sienna's galaxy transformed into magic suitable for each warrior's situation to guide the flow of the battle.
Who among the world's wizards could accomplish such a feat? It was a straightforward task for an Archwizard to bombard a battlefield and seize victory. However, it was impossible to attend to everyone on this chaotic battlefield and match magical support with their needs.
‘I should seriously consider learning martial arts when I return,’ Melkith contemplated.
She took pride in her own punches and kicks. She knew others called them crude and awkward, but wasn’t it ultimately all about landing the hits?
However, rampaging in front of so many people brought her to a sudden realization. If she was going to punch and kick anyway, wouldn’t it be better to do it so perfectly that anyone watching would be amazed?
[Enemy reinforcements are coming.]
[They appear like demonic beasts but are not. Please be cautious when dealing with them.]
Voices resonated from the sun high in the sky like oracles. The voice belonged to the Saint, and the priests were immediately relaying the message to all allies upon hearing it.
Soon, the flying squad spotted the enemy reinforcements. They looked like… monsters. They looked slightly similar to demonic beasts but weren’t exactly demonic beasts. This subtle difference was almost indescribable. It came as an instinctive feeling.
None of the grotesque and ominous monsters were small. Even the smallest of the bunch were larger than an average ogre. Some ran on two legs, others on four, and some crawled like insects. There were even those with differently shaped wings soaring through the sky.
"What is that?" muttered Melkith.
She had been frantically swatting the fleeing demons but looked shocked when she saw the monsters. These monsters were approaching rapidly and seemed to number over a thousand.
"I thought they were enemy reinforcements!?" Melkith exclaimed in horror.
As they advanced, the monsters were crushing and decimating the undead from the rear. It was evident that the monsters lacked the reasoning to distinguish friend from foe.
The sudden arrival of these monsters perplexed not only Melkith but also the desperate demons. While they were horrified by the monsters crushing through the undead, they also felt an inexplicable sense of nostalgia. The demons of Ravesta did not know about the Nur. However, they could vaguely sense the dark power mixed within these creatures.
‘The Incarnation’s minions? But I've never heard of such monsters….’
The demons felt a familiar power, but it seemed clear that these monsters were not allies. Even if the demons tried to regard them as allies, the monsters seemed unlikely to hesitate in their indiscriminate attacks. Such was the ominous aura they exuded.
[Those are the Nur! Why are they here?] Sienna asked in surprise while observing the battlefield from the sky.
[They started pouring out from the royal palace,] answered Anise.
[Did that bastard summon them?] questioned Sienna.
[The presence of humans in the palace vanished simultaneously. I'm not sure how he did it, but perhaps he used them as sacrifices for the summoning.] Anise expressed her displeasure without hiding her emotions.
Sienna's face soured as well to reflect Anise’s expression. She clicked her tongue and lifted Frost.
The Nur were the true vassals of Destruction, the vanguard of the Demon King of Destruction. They were monsters that indiscriminately slaughtered all living beings they encountered. Their numbers were significant, and their mere breaths were ominously unsettling. Sienna was determined to stop the monsters before they reached the allies, and she raised her mana to attack.
Just as she was about to release her magic, a deafening noise, like thousands of thunders striking simultaneously, shook the heavens. It was as if the sky itself was crumbling, or rather, as if the world was ending. Such was the enormity of the sound.
The explosive sound came without warning, and it caused everyone to look up in shock.
Most onlookers couldn't comprehend what they were seeing. There was a collision of swirling colors and black flames. As everything merged into one, the world’s light flickered for a moment.
Some couldn't withstand it and collapsed on the spot. Although there was no physical blast, the emotional storm it spread was overwhelming.
Sienna was no exception. She barely managed to steady her trembling form as she stood in the sky.
"The Demon King of Destruction," she thought in surprise as she felt the Demon King from those colors. The piercing noise had left her ears ringing and her head spinning.
[Kristina? Anise?] she called out but was greeted with silence. It seemed that their connection was temporarily severed by the shockwave. Sienna continued to gaze at the sky while feeling a sense of inevitable unease.
"…My god,” muttered Sienna.
The flickering had stopped, but the sky hadn't returned to normal. A vast, black scar lingered across the heavens, undulating as if it were alive. Sienna understood the significance of what she was seeing.
She couldn't fathom what had been done, but Eugene, that madman, had truly left a scar on this world. She immediately sought out Eugene and Mer, who should have been with him.
They were nowhere to be found. Neither Eugene nor Mer existed in this world any longer.
"Could it be?" muttered Sienna.
They weren’t dead, which could only mean—
Sienna stared intently at the wound in the sky with disbelief.
***
"Come here, you bastard."
The sudden curse wasn't what startled the specter. Instead, he was left wondering where they exactly were.
The sky? No. This place was a pitch-black world of nothingness, just like… the palace of Incarceration in Babel.
It was dark. No light existed. Yet, Eugene and the specter stood out starkly against the black backdrop as if they were freshly painted.
‘Where's Hauria?’ the specter wondered.
Looking down revealed no city in sight. Had the city vanished entirely due to the recent collision? That… seemed absurd. Others might, but Hamel or Eugene wouldn't do such a thing.
"Where is this…?" The specter’s question hung unfinished as Eugene charged toward him.
Fwooosh!
Despite the darkness, Eugene's flames didn't blend into the background. The single wing of black flames trailed behind him, and he reached the specter in an instant.
Eugene had neither the Holy Sword nor the Moonlight Sword in his hands. Both swords had temporarily lost their light after unleashing all their power in one go.
The specter was in a similar state. He was still surrounded by chaotic flames but could not unleash his dark power as before. There was a brief lull in power for both of them, and they both recognized this fact.
‘Crazy bastard…!’ the specter cursed, appalled.
Eugene was at a clear disadvantage in this situation. With the Holy Sword and Moonlight Sword dimmed, the natural course of action was to retreat to recover.
No matter how strong Eugene Lionheart was, attacking a Demon King without any weapons was akin to suicide.
Suicide? Was that really true?
The specter had to reconsider when he saw Eugene’s clenched fist. The specter knew too well the darkness that silenced Kamash and the Centipede Mountains in a single strike. It was this very technique that had ended the specter in the battlefield of Kochilla within the Samar Rainforest, where he first encountered Eugene.
~
— I can't win this.
~
He had muttered those words as Hamel’s body disintegrated. When he was left with nothing but a pitiful soul, the specter reflected on how he had been defeated. He pondered deeply about the flames.
The flames wrapped around Eugene's fist now were much stronger than those he had seen in Samar. To be struck by it would mean more than just pain.
The specter realized the truth too late. Suicide? No. That man was charging with absolute conviction to kill the specter.
Crackle!
The specter was sent flying backward. Although he managed to defend himself, he still felt the impact of the strike. The flames around him churned in color, and a crack appeared on the mask he donned.
"Ugh…!"
The specter twisted his body while swallowing back the surging blood. His dark power had yet to recover. He could not wield a sword, so he had no choice but to mimic Eugene and extend his fist.
That proved to be a mistake. The moment he thrust his fist forward, he came to a realization. His memories, experiences, and instincts — all judged his reaction as wrong. Had he not already experienced this before?
The specter was once again reminded of this. ‘The gap in our skill is….’
It was overwhelming. In terms of pure output of power, abilities, and magic, the specter could compete with Eugene. But if it came down to a purely physical brawl, the specter could never defeat Eugene.
That was an immutable truth. After considering every possible option, the specter desperately extended his hand to escape, but Eugene’s hand found its place around the specter’s wrist, as if it were only natural. The encircling grip was dreadful and relentless. The specter's arm was crushed in an instant.
Without hesitation, the specter severed his own arm. The only clear advantage he had at this moment was immortality, similar to that of a Demon King.
Whir!
The specter's eyes wavered. He had just realized his mistake a few seconds ago. Even though he lost an arm, it had already regenerated.
Continuing like this would yield no different outcome. Yet, the specter didn't widen the gap between himself and Eugene; instead, he closed in on Eugene. Why he did so was none of Eugene's concern. An Eclipse formed in each of Eugene's hands.
He intended to barrage the specter with rapid strikes. If the fool dared to try and respond in kind, Eugene was confident he could deflect the attacks. Otherwise, he could simply obliterate the specter even if he tried to defend.
But the specter's actions were peculiar. Eugene found Eclipse being diverted sideways. The dark world was immediately filled with explosions.
Neither Eugene nor the specter were caught in the blast. One went astray, but it posed no problem for Eugene. The other Eclipse was ready in his left hand, and Prominence prepared a makeshift Eclipse at his back.
Though not as powerful as the ones he conjured directly, the advantage lay in being able to fire rapidly. With Eugene's current power, he could convert all the flame feathers into Eclipses and unleash a volley in the blink of an eye.
‘Punch first, then….’
Divinity was sparked in his mind.
Failure.
Eugene felt a sensation similar to when he had cut through Molon’s axe. His eyes filled with divine energy. It was a revelation, distinct from predictions or prophecies. In an instant, countless strategies for successfully executing his planned attack flooded Eugene's mind.
He came to a conclusion immediately. All of his strategies were destined to fail. No matter the attack, it wouldn't reach the specter.
But even knowing this, Eugene still launched Eclipse. It wasn't out of disbelief in the divine revelation; on the contrary, he trusted it enough to want to verify it firsthand.
The sequence of events seemed to slow down for Eugene. Eclipse approached the specter, and its surface bubbled like a sun on the verge of explosion. The specter's hand caught the Eclipse, handling it delicately as if it were a fragile glass orb. The touch of his fingers calmed the sun's fury, and soon, the specter's dark power wrapped around Eclipse like a thin sheet as he flung it aside.
The result was an explosion. Nothing was caught in it. Feathers dropped from Prominence and clustered together into hundreds of suns. Black spots spread on the surface of the mini suns, unleashing a barrage of Eclipses.
The specter's flames boiled in anticipation of the onslaught. The chaotic mix of colors in the flames whirled around the specter's shoulders like a lion's mane. The specter remained motionless, yet the flames it conjured consumed Eugene's.
It didn’t result in a reversal of Eugene’s mana. Instead, it simply burned away.
Eugene kept moving.
He was well-acquainted with this process. It was the same as when he first encountered Vermouth and when they first dueled under the condition of becoming allies.
What followed was….
Eugene advanced. Flames continued to flare, and blows were exchanged. The specter's movements suddenly changed, and it felt as if Eugene was fighting a different person than before. This was different from when the specter merely mimicked magic.
Eugene knew this process, as well as the specter’s fluid movements.
The specter was better at deflecting rather than meeting blows head-on. After countless confrontations, Eugene had to become familiar with parrying to keep up with the specter's movements.
And that infuriated him even more. It was revolting. Divine energy responded to his vehemence. The divine energy in his eyes pierced through the gaps in his opponent’s movements. Without a moment's hesitation, Eugene moved towards that opening.
Boom!
His fist connected with the specter's chest once. The shock of the penetration caused the specter to stop momentarily.
Eugene could have continued his assault and crushed the specter’s head.
But he chose not to. Instead, he grabbed the mask the specter wore.
"I,” Eugene said, crushing the mask completely with his hand and continuing, “Hate this the most.”
Eugene glared at the specter’s face. There was a possibility that the specter was Vermouth. Perhaps he would find Vermouth’s face staring back at him.
But he had never actually believed in the possibility. There was no way this was Vermouth.
"What the fuck is wrong with your expression?” Eugene questioned.
He just wanted to see the face behind the mask.
“Why the fuck do you look like you've got some tragic backstory?"
His hand, which had shattered the mask, formed a fist again.
"Despicable." As he spat the word, he slammed his fist squarely in the specter's face.