Whooosh….
A mist of purple dark power flickered. Sienna focused even more intensely as she adjusted the Demoneye of Fantasy.
Crackle.
She found her concentration wavering slightly, and unwanted visions began to blur into view.
[Ahahaha….]
An unwelcome voice echoed in her mind as she further adjusted her magic. The dark power that spread like fog met with Sienna’s mana and became soul power. The Demoneye of Fantasy fed on the vast reservoir of soul power and began to open slowly.
[You are truly a selfish and cruel woman, Sienna Merdein.]
The voice became more distinct within the echoing laughter. No, it wasn’t just the voice. A pale, beautiful hand caressed Sienna’s cheek.
[I wanted to become Hamel's eternal nightmare. I wanted Hamel to fear the nightmare forever and, secretly, to hope for its return. More than Sienna Merdein, more than Anise Slywood, more than Kristina Rogeris, I wanted to be etched stronger in his memory. I wanted him to remember me with regret and sorrow.]
The hand that had caressed her cheek now gently touched the corner of her eyes. Sienna did not respond but bit her lip instead.This was not a rampage of the Demoneye of Fantasy. She had perfect control of the Demoneye of Fantasy, including its output and authority. However — this voice was beyond her control. She had no choice but to allow her mind to be eroded by illusion and nightmare if she wanted to control the Demoneye of Fantasy.
[You think your actions were not wrong? You don't want Hamel to be plagued by nightmares for life? Ahaha, aren’t you just jealous? You must be jealous that Hamel remembers me and thinks of me more than you,] the voice accused.
Sienna didn't want to respond to the previous nonsensical talk, but she couldn’t tolerate this one. As she bit on her lip harder, blood started to flow from the puncture wound.
She snapped back, ‘Don’t be mistaken. I didn’t bind you because of such feelings. Memories? Ha! I’m more than confident that I can make Eugene think of me much more than someone like you.’
[Really?]
‘In the end, you're dead, Noir Giabella. But I'm still alive, aren’t I?’ Sienna reminded her.
Noir laughed at the response.
‘I didn’t take you in because of some petty sense of defeat,’ Sienna clarified.
[Ahaha! Getting all worked up like that. It’s quite cute. I like it, Sienna Merdein. This is... a deal , after all,] Noir agreed with a laugh.
It was a necessity.
That was why she had collected Noir’s soul in Giabella City. She took the unextinguished soul and locked it deep within the Demoneye of Fantasy. Although Sienna could control and use the Demoneye of Fantasy, she could never be as adept as its original master, Noir. As such, she had reaped Noir’s soul to use it for today’s decisive battle.
[Ahaha... When I heard you wanted to use me as a tool, I couldn’t help but laugh. Use me, Noir Giabella, as a tool? That was a remarkably arrogant thing to say. I acknowledge that you are a great wizard, Sienna Merdein, but you aren’t great enough to use me as a tool,] Noir said, sounding amused.
Noir Giabella giggled and gently touched Sienna’s eyeball with her fingertip. Sienna felt a chill run down her back as if her soul were being toyed with. Yet, she did not withdraw the Demoneye of Fantasy nor Mary.
This was a deal.
Gritting her teeth, Sienna said, ‘You don't want Eugene to die, do you? I feel the same.’
At this very moment, Eugene and Molon were confronting the Demon King of Incarceration. Despite facing attacks from all sides, the Demon King seemed hardly disadvantaged. His arms moved fluidly, blocking or deflecting all incoming strikes, and if he spotted an opening — or even when there seemed to be none — his attacks pierced through Eugene and Molon’s defenses all too easily.
‘I wouldn’t wish for your help if I could help it, but the Demon King of Incarceration — he's strong. If it's necessary to bring him down, I'll do anything. Even if it means borrowing your cursed hand,’ Sienna acknowledged readily.
[Your defeat and death are none of my concern, but I do not wish for Hamel's defeat or death. He killed me, after all. He won against me. So he must continue to live,] Noir said with a light laugh as she retracted the hand that had been caressing Sienna’s eye. [However, having my soul bound by you… I really don’t like it. That's why I call you selfish and cruel, Sienna Merdein.]
‘I won't let you have your way.’ Sienna didn’t back down.
Noir said, [To deny a dead soul even the respite of reincarnation, to snatch away the freedom of rebirth — truly… you are cruel. But, well, fine. Let's consider even this a sweet amusement. You, who do not wish for Hamel's regret and nightmares—]
Her hand moved towards the Demoneye of Fantasy.
Wooong….
The gem quivered within its nest of soul power.
[You will have no choice but to release my soul,] Noir finished.
The Demoneye of Fantasy opened.
Boom.
The ensuing shockwave made the Demon King of Incarceration flinch. He couldn't hide his dismay and turned his head. He saw the blooming Mary and the resonating purple gem. The Demon King of Incarceration immediately recognized what it was: the Demoneye of Fantasy. He immediately tried to retreat, but the sinister light emitted by the Demoneye of Fantasy allowed no room to escape as it burrowed into the Demon King’s psyche.
‘This is…’ the Demon King thought.
His vision blurred. The eternity that the Demon King of Incarceration had lived began to erode.
The Demoneye of Fantasy was interfering with his mind. The Demoneye of Fantasy should never have attained such a realm, but Noir Giabella had transcended the limits of the Demoneye of Fantasy multiple times. She had reached the realms of the incomprehensible.
‘…Profound,' the Demon King realized.
He wanted to resist, but it wasn’t going his way. The relentless attacks by Eugene and Molon were a distraction. The two Saints synchronized and clutched at the Demon King’s dark power, bothering him. In such a critical situation, the Demoneye of Fantasy pierced through the Demon King of Incarceration’s psyche.
‘Sienna Merdein. This level of magic… no, this isn’t entirely her own magic,’ the Demon King concluded.
He saw Sienna in his distorted vision. She had outstretched Mary towards him. The Demon King of Incarceration sensed the presence of the Sage in that ancient staff.
‘So it is,’ the Demon King thought.
The staff wasn’t simply passed down to Sienna. The staff contained the will of the Sage, Vishur Laviola. The magic of Mary enhanced the Demoneye of Fantasy and stirred the Demon King’s mind more profoundly.
The Demon King of Incarceration unwittingly turned his gaze away without a word. There was deep darkness. Someone stood there silently, watching him. What he saw was just an illusion. He knew this, and seeing it now brought him no sentiment.
However, the Demoneye of Fantasy forced even the unfelt emotions to surface. The contrived agitation shook the Demon King of Incarceration’s mind, and amidst such turmoil, his dark power and the offense faltered.
"Hahaha…." In the end, the Demon King of Incarceration could only let out a short laugh.
He felt an emotion that was surprisingly nostalgic. The illusion standing in the darkness, taking the form of Vermouth but not being Vermouth, whispered something to the Demon King of Incarceration.
"Surprisingly, I feel no hatred,” the Demon King said to himself with a chuckle.
Puff!
His dark power was severed. The sword of divine fire, blazing crimson, slashed toward the Demon King’s neck. Simultaneously, a massive axe, wrapped in divine fire, dug into the Demon King's waist.
Crack!
With a horrific noise, everything came to a stop. The sword had failed to slice through the Demon King’s neck completely. It had stopped, and the same was true for the axe. Molon exerted more force on the axe with a glare, but it remained stuck after having cleaved halfway through the Demon King’s body.
"It’s been too long," the Demon King said.
Despite his neck and waist being half-severed, the Demon King's expression remained tranquil. He felt pain, but such a degree of pain could not disturb his peace.
Indeed, this pain was far less than the constant agony the Demon King of Incarceration always bore — thousands, tens of thousands of chains piercing through his soul, the sensation of those chaotically interlocking chains eternally grinding his soul. Compared to the undying and never-loosening curse, the pain of this earthly realm was merely a tickle.
"It’s been… so long, I almost welcome it," the Demon King said softly.
Sienna's eyes wavered. What she had intended to create through the Demoneye of Fantasy was fear . However, while the Demoneye of Fantasy had caused some disturbance to the Demon King, it had not induced fear. Even the contrived agitation could no longer shake him. With a faint smile, the Demon King withdrew his gaze.
"So,” he said.
Eugene and Molon sensed it simultaneously. They tried to extract their weapons embedded in the Demon King's body, but it didn't go as planned. Instead, a massive flow orchestrated by the Demon King pulled them in, preventing their escape.
"Have you seen my abyss?" he asked as he tilted his head and laughed.
Whoooosh….
The Demon King regained control over his dark power as if it had never been interrupted. Power converged on both of his fists, and Eugene and Molon both felt an intuition. Eugene immediately released his sword and stretched both hands toward the Demon King. Molon also released his axe and grasped the thin air.
Eugene immediately conjured Eclipse at maximum output. Just before it exploded, Molon forcefully extracted the flow of dark power he had gripped in space.
Boom!
The explosion of Eclipse engulfed the Demon King, and at the same time, Molon grabbed Eugene and leaped backward.
Fwoosh….
The flames fluttered and then disappeared. Eugene rubbed his sore back and gave Molon a sideways glance.
"Bastard, take it easy,” he said.
"If I had gone easy, we would have been hit by that punch,” responded Molon.
Had they been hit, it would have been more than just a sore back. Thus, Eugene didn't scold him further.
Instead, Eugene looked at Sienna. He frowned as he looked at the Demoneye of Fantasy she was holding. He couldn’t be sure... but Eugene felt an ominous presence from the Demoneye of Fantasy.
"Hey, you... don’t tell me..." Eugene started to say but stopped midway.
He had asked before, but now, seeing the current state of the Demoneye of Fantasy, he couldn’t help but conjure an uneasy possibility.
However, Sienna did not offer any excuses to Eugene. She couldn't. With her mouth gaping, she staggered back and collapsed to the ground. Noir did the same. Noir’s soul, visible only to Sienna, felt horror from the abyss she had delved into with the Demoneye of Fantasy.
"You saw it," Noir whispered.
As the divine fire cleared, the Demon King of Incarceration emerged. The sword that had half-decapitated his neck had turned into a flame and disappeared, but Molon’s axe was still embedded in his waist. The Demon King chuckled, pulled out the axe, and then threw it back at Molon.
Bang!
In an instant, the axe became embedded in Molon. Although he had managed to catch it just barely, the large blade of the axe still gouged slightly into his chest. Yet, instead of groaning, Molon uttered a war cry and charged at the Demon King of Incarceration.
Eugene withdrew his gaze from Sienna. He thought what she had done was outrageous, and he felt angry that she had prepared such a thing secretly. However, now was not the time to rebuke Sienna, and even Eugene had to admit that such a measure was necessary. Indeed, the Demoneye of Fantasy had momentarily created an opening against the Demon King of Incarceration.
Thus, Eugene joined Molon in his assault on the Demon King. The flames that swirled around him became a longsword. His previous attack had been incredibly shallow. Even launching Eclipse point-blank and slashing the Demon King’s neck and waist seemed merely superficial to cause any damage to the Demon King. Despite the divine flames being lethal to immortal beings like Demon Kings, they failed to penetrate deeply into the Demon King of Incarceration. Eugene needed to cut deeper.
The divine fire began to stack. The crimson-blazing flames layered repeatedly until they turned completely black. But that was still not enough power. The flames could no longer maintain the form of a sword after being excessively condensed. But it didn’t matter. What Eugene wielded was no longer something for a precise strike but a lump of brute force.
‘Molon...!’
Eugene didn’t voice his words, but Molon heard his voice and felt Eugene’s intent. He did not hesitate or falter. It was a cruel and reckless demand, but Molon did not know hesitation and doubt.
[This is insane...!]
Anise and Kristina also realized Eugene’s intention. They cursed inwardly but did not go against Eugene’s will. The blessings of the Saints concentrated on Molon.
"Aaaaaaah!"
With a scream, Molon threw his axe. The axe, filled with tremendous power, tore through space and flew at the Demon King of Incarceration. Such an attack was clumsy and slow for the Demon King. He stretched out his hand and caused a shockwave to alter the trajectory of the axe long before it could even make contact. Molon was no longer holding anything. He grabbed the space.
Crrrrack!
The torn space was forcibly pulled by Molon’s grip, drawing the Demon King slightly closer. Molon threw a fierce fist, but the Demon King of Incarceration merely grinned in response.
It ended in an instant. The Demon King’s fist swiftly knocked Molon unconscious. A flurry of blows destroyed Molon’s body in a flash. Molon lost consciousness, and yet, he did not stop. His body was regenerated instantly, and he grasped the Demon King’s waist with his broken, bloodied hand.
Simultaneously, Sienna's magic manifested. The Demoneye of Fantasy, combined with her magic, transformed reality. Magic fetters from all directions momentarily obscured the Demon King of Incarceration’s vision.
A massive surge of killing intent could be felt from above him. The Demon King of Incarceration’s knees buckled. The blackened blade of the Divine Sword struck down at the Demon King’s hand, but the massive power was not something he could deflect with his bare hand.
"Excellent," The Demon King of Incarceration sincerely expressed his admiration.
Crack!
The Divine Sword severed the Demon King’s hand, and it slashed at his shoulder. However, it did not cleave through. Like before, the sword dug in a little and then stopped.
"Glug..."
Molon, still gripping the Demon King's waist, vomited blood and knelt down. In contrast, the Demon King of Incarceration straightened his knees. Eugene did not let go of the Divine Sword, which had stopped around the ribs. He glared at the Demon King.
"Can't you... be killed?" Eugene finally asked.
The Demon King of Incarceration smiled wryly and nodded.
"It’s a curse," he admitted.
Even if he wanted to, he could not die.