The attacks were relentless and unceasing, simple yet persistent and difficult to shake off. No matter how fiercely Eugene wielded Levantein or unleashed magic, the attacks did not dissipate.
The solution to overcome this situation was straightforward: increase the firepower. To prevent the illusions from resetting and starting anew, he needed to burn them completely into ash.
Though the solution was simple, it was not easy to implement. Eugene would need to use Ignition to explosively increase Levantein's firepower.
Employing Ignition meant committing to a decisive, short battle. Even though he could use Ignition for an extended period of time compared to before, using it prematurely in a battle where a kill could not be guaranteed would place a heavy burden on Eugene.
‘Empty Sword.’
He overlaid divine flame upon his strikes and detonated Eclipse. Yet, he failed to eradicate Noir’s attacks. The seemingly trivial debris of buildings kept regenerating and relentlessly barraging Eugene.
It seemed familiar. Though slightly different in form, this unrelenting chain of attacks resembled the Infinite Purgatory that Hamel had favored in the past.
It couldn’t be a coincidence. Noir Giabella was the one attacking him. That madwoman could very well conceive of recreating Hamel's techniques to kill him.
‘Sienna’s here,’ Eugene realized.
Although he had dismantled the city's dream, this did not mean Noir was weakened. In particular, her obsession and rage toward Sienna and Anise were no less than before. Naturally, Eugene couldn't help but entertain a grim notion.He couldn’t allow it. Eugene bit his lip. Even as he did so, Sienna was drawing ever closer.
[Sir Eugene.]
[Hamel.]
Voices echoed in his mind.
Whooosh!
A light blossomed in Eugene's chest. He turned toward the direction of the voices.
They came from far beyond the city outskirts. Yet, Eugene's eyes could see Raimira flying near the distant fortifications, and atop her, Kristina in prayer.
[You needn't worry about us.]
[So, please.]
They whispered. Eugene lowered his hand from his chest and instead grasped Levantein with both hands.
"Was I the one hesitating?" Eugene wondered sadly, then smirked and took a deep breath.
Rumble!
Eugene began to resonate with Levantein. Power began to surge from within the blade’s core, power that could not be properly handled without the use of Ignition. His hands tingled, and his heart began to ache. Eugene clenched his teeth and glared at Levantein.
A soft groan echoed in his mind. Blood flowed profusely from the Stigmata on Kristina’s clasped hands, and a hot and painful fervor shook the consciousness of the Saints.
Kristina wasn’t physically by Eugene’s side. However, Eugene saw her. He could even see the form of Anise, who lacked a physical body.
The two suppressed their groans and continued their prayers, and the light around them grew increasingly intense. The halo of light floating above their heads also began to expand. Soon, they were enveloped in radiance.
"Oh, oh, Mother! Mother!" Raimira screamed in horror.
She could feel Kristina’s body dissolving into light and disappearing. Mer, too, gasped and leaped up. She reached hastily into the light but could not touch the Saint's body.
"It's okay,” two voices responded simultaneously.
With a whoosh, the light dispersed, and the Saints' forms vanished.
Eugene slowly lifted Levantein above his head.
Levantein felt heavy in his hands, almost crushing. Just as he thought this, Eugene saw that his hands were bloodied. The intense and powerful resonance transformed the Saints into light and drew them close to him.
"Does it hurt?" Eugene asked.
Two pairs of hands overlapped his own. Blood spilled from the Stigmata and seeped into the flames. With a whoosh, the divine flames intensified and enveloped the apparitions of the Saints.
[It does not hurt.]
[Kristina is lying, Hamel. It hurts tremendously. It feels like my soul is burning.]
The two gave opposite responses.
"Endure." He could say nothing else. Anise smiled as if she had expected this, and Kristina clasped Eugene's hand more tightly.
Whoosh!
The flames engulfed the Saints. The oppressive weight of Levantein disappeared. Eugene closed his eyes momentarily, and when he opened them, he could no longer see the Saints.
However, he felt their presence behind him. He experienced a unity he had never felt before.
[I didn't want to become one like this.]
He heard a sigh-like whisper from behind. Although he knew what it meant, Eugene feigned deafness while twisting his waist.
Whooosh!
Wings, not those of Prominence, emitted light.
Crackle!
The Divine Sword transformed everything into ash. The endlessly regenerating attacks, the illusions, everything was struck into ash. The attacks continued no more.
[Hamel, Sienna has….]
He turned his head at the somber voice.
He saw Sienna on one knee. Noir was chained in the night sky. Eugene met Noir’s gaze.
"Help me, Hamel!" Noir cried.
She looked like she was about to cry as she thrashed around. The very fact that she could do so was proof that this was all an act.
These were magical chains that recreated Incarceration’s power. Yet Noir, entwined in these chains, moved freely and soared through the sky. Noir's dark power was overpowering Sienna's spells.
"This wicked witch is tormenting me!" Noir screamed shrilly.
Eugene ground his teeth as he looked away. Sienna was….
[It's okay. Lady Sienna has just lost consciousness for a moment.]
[Do not misunderstand. The injuries to her limbs remain because Sienna wishes it so.]
Two voices spoke at once. Yet, his mind was not muddled. These voices melted into his consciousness as if Eugene himself were conjuring them.
It wasn't just that. His vision had broadened. As the weight of Levantein lessened, the limits of his miracles grew larger. He hadn't anticipated such abilities during the baptism. This… it was a miracle.
‘Light.’
The divine immensity, which Eugene alone found overwhelming to bear, was something he was now sharing with Anise and Kristina, both Saints of Light.
How much, then, had the limits of his miracles grown? How far could it go? He had no idea. He had no choice but to try. Eugene leaned forward.
"Hmm," Noir hummed as she concentrated.
She erased the look of impending tears and looked down. Just moments before, Eugene had been opposite her, but now suddenly below her. Whether by rapid movement or magic, either was easy for Eugene. Such feats should no longer surprise Noir.
Yet, she was surprised now. It was impossible for Noir to not sense everything in her surroundings. But just now, she had failed to sense Eugene’s movement.
Noir saw the wings behind Eugene — not those of Prominence but wings of a different light. Noir's eyes narrowed. They were clearly wings, yet they did not appear so to Noir at that moment.
Instead, she saw Kristina and Anise. It seemed as if the duo stood behind Eugene. Noir's lips twisted into a smile.
"Ahaha!" Noir's twisted lips parted in laughter.
Crack!
The chains that bound her shattered and dispersed. Noir spread her wings wide and stood upright against the night sky.
Eugene reached out toward Sienna. A brilliant light infused into her and instantly regenerated her crushed limbs. Simultaneously, Noir’s fingers pointed toward Eugene.
Bang.
She intended for an explosion. She had hoped so. However, the dark power meant for an unrealized illusion was severed right before Eugene's eyes. Noir found the tip of Levantein pointed directly towards her.
Bang!
Contrary to her expectations, an explosion erupted right in front of Noir. A dark crimson inferno engulfed her. Noir laughed softly while waving her palm. She gently extended her palm and pushed the flames away. She clenched her fingers to extinguish the fire.
In that brief moment, Eugene reached Noir. With sudden acceleration, Levantein was thrust into Noir’s throat.
It was blocked. A white palm caught the blazing blade of fire. The ring on the little finger shone distinctly even within the flames. Noir attempted to deflect the attack.
Whoosh.
But it didn't budge. Though the sword felt as light as a feather to Eugene, to Noir, it felt immensely heavy.
The flames bursting forth from Levantein chained into Empty Sword.
Boom!
The consecutive blasts accelerated Levantein. Blocking and holding out was no longer possible. Noir was overpowered and sent flying backward.
"Oh my," Noir uttered a brief exclamation while looking at her palm. There were burns. The blade had indeed penetrated. Unwittingly, she laughed.
The sword was heavy. The wounds were hot. All of it excited Noir. She clenched her throbbing hand. She stopped herself from being thrown even further and abruptly halted in midair.
She saw Eugene helping Sienna to her feet. The sight was somewhat irritating.
Still, she could accept it. No matter whose help he had, no matter who he stood behind or beside….
"In the end, today, here, all you see is me," Noir said triumphantly.
Excitement and love transcended even jealousy. How long had she awaited this moment? She felt her emotions anew through the burns on her palm. To be honest, Noir had not imagined her defeat until just now.
She had failed to grasp the death she had so eagerly anticipated. But now, things were different. Sienna's magic had startled her, and Hamel's sword, empowered by the Saints’ prayers, had reached Noir even in reality, not just in dreams.
This was no duel. It was merely a desperate attempt by each to kill the other. Fighting fair and square? From the start, the battlefield had overwhelmingly favored Noir.
But it felt as if the battle had become somewhat more balanced. She could feel her defeat, which had been impossible, drawing slightly closer. Was death drawing closer?
"Damn wench,” Sienna spat.
Her limbs were healed, but the ache inside her chest and the headache had not faded. This was the price for recreating the Demon King's power without the Demoneye.
"Can you fight?" Eugene asked.
"Why? After all of this, you’re going to ask me for help?” Sienna asked in irritation.
"I told you before, I never said I was going to fight alone. I said I would go in alone,” Eugene retorted.
"It looked very much like you were going to fight alone,” Sienna complained.
"If I really planned to fight alone, I wouldn't have come with you, and I wouldn't have chosen this place. I would have drawn her into a duel, like with Gavid," Eugene answered.
"I really, truly, dislike that. Why do we have to fight on a battlefield that overwhelmingly favors her?” grumbled Sienna.
"Would she have come out if I called her?" Eugene asked.
He looked at Sienna with an incredulous expression. Sienna paused to catch her breath and think. It was a dreadful thought, but if Sienna were Noir….
"She wouldn't come out,” Sienna admitted.
There was no reason to give up a battlefield where one could be overwhelmingly powerful and omnipotent. Sienna would have done the same.
"It’s not too late to drag her out now, right? What if we just ran away?” asked Sienna.
"I don't want to run,” Eugene answered simply.
"That’s what’s irritating about you. You can afford to say something so brazen after nearly dying,” Sienna muttered as she picked up her staff.
She knew it, too. Running away today or retreating wouldn't make it easier to gain the upper hand next time. In fact, next time, it might be even more terrible.
While they might be able to shatter the city's dreams now, could they do the same next time? Nor could they simply disregard the presence of Noir Giabella.
If Eugene ignored her, Noir would not hesitate to join forces with the Demon King of Incarceration and move her realm. Then, her dream might no longer stay contained in Giabella City. Noir’s dream could unfold across all of Pandemonium.
Then, they would truly stand no chance. Before even climbing Babel, they would be annihilated by Noir, who would have the assistance of the Demon King of Incarceration. If not now, they would never have another chance to kill Noir.
This was their chance to kill.
Sienna pursed her lips and looked at Eugene. She did not know what dream Eugene had had. But it had been difficult to shatter the dream, and Eugene must have had terrible nightmares in Noir’s realm.
She wanted to ask. What nightmare had he had? What conclusion had he reached? Did he really want to kill Noir? Was it truly okay to kill Noir?
It couldn't be alright. No matter how resolved he was, if they killed Noir, they couldn't just happily celebrate victory as before. In some form or another, there would be consequences.
However, Eugene was prepared to endure even that.
"If it were merely a contest of strength, you would have the advantage," Sienna said.
She didn't want to shake Eugene's resolve by asking again. Her role on this battlefield was to help Eugene win.
"Just fight however you want. I'll take care of those damned Demoneyes for you. So—" Sienna stopped mid-sentence and looked up. Eugene, too, quickly glanced upwards.
It was night. With no moon or stars, the sky was dark, but a different kind of darkness had suddenly cast itself over them.
It was a building. A massive building was plummeting towards Eugene and Sienna. Sienna frowned and raised her weapon.
"So, don't stay by my side. Go,” she said.
Magical light surrounded Sienna and shot towards the building. Hundreds of beams silently obliterated the falling mass. The remaining debris fell like rain, and the Demoneye of Fantasy transformed the remnants into other forms.
But Sienna wasn’t about to let Noir do as she liked. Sienna's magic captured the fantasy.
She had just promised to block it, and her magic produced infinity. Unlike the Demoneye of Divine Glory, the Demoneye of Fantasy was innate to Noir. It was not a borrowed power from the Demon King of Incarceration but Noir's own ability. Borrowed powers could be mimicked, but this fantasy could not be countered by Sienna’s imitation.
In that case, she would keep clashing with magic. Just as Noir's Demoneye of Fantasy made illusions into reality, Sienna's magic made wishes into reality. Their approach was different. If it came down to a clash between the two, Sienna would lose.
It didn't matter. What Sienna had committed to was blocking the fantasies.
She opened a path with magic. Eugene did not hesitate to let go of Sienna. Although the support was gone, Sienna did not stagger. She saw Eugene, who had swiftly flown ahead from a distance. She did not want him to look back. She didn't want to make him turn around.
Noir did not concern herself with how Sienna was blocking her fantasies. Instead, she turned her gaze and saw Eugene approaching rapidly.
She saw the flames of Levantein. That sword was concerning, even for Noir. The burn on her palm still throbbed painfully, stubbornly refusing to heal. Being cut by that sword was indeed lethal.
But she felt that the very form of the sword was actually a weakness. A sword could only slash or stab. No matter how powerful those flames were, the shape they took — a sword — meant that Noir could feel Hamel less. For Noir, that was regrettable. The form of a sword was simply too honest. It could not fully express the merciless intent to kill that Hamel, whom Noir loved, felt.
"…?" She was delayed for a moment due to her thoughts. To her surprise, Eugene had suddenly thrown Levantein.
Levantein was the Holy Moonlight Sword, a blade forged by the Light for Eugene. It was a Divine Sword of Eugene and the Light, meant to kill the Demon King of Incarceration and the Demon King of Destruction. That sword was now flying like a dagger towards Noir.
It was surprising but not a drastic departure from straightforward tactics. Noir sneered and dodged. She dodged Levantein without breaking a sweat.
"Wait," Noir had barely uttered, but Eugene didn't stop.
At the same moment he threw Levantein, he performed a miracle. An interdimensional leap, unseen even by Noir, positioned Eugene right in front of Noir.
He punched Noir in the face.
'Now you decide not to use the sword?' Noir thought while spitting blood.
Openbookworm & DantheMan's Thoughts
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