"Fear?"
Zagred could hardly believe the foreign, incomprehensible word ringing in his ears.
"You're saying I'm afraid? Don't be absurd!" Zagred roared.
Charles merely stared coldly at him, watching the devil's frenzied denial—his body still trembling uncontrollably.
This wasn't just the effect of the Dragon's Intimidation. It was the sheer sense of danger Charles now embodied. Zagred had felt it for the first time.
In Zagred's mind, fear was something only weak and insignificant humans experienced. How could he admit that he, a devil, felt the same?
But Charles was more than willing to prove it again.
"Flame Dragon's Iron Fist!"
His fist surged with a sea of fire—yet, as if to humiliate Zagred, it moved deliberately slowly.
And even with such a telegraphed strike, Zagred only barely reacted in time.
"Vacuum Wall!"
He poured immense magic into the spell, creating a thick air barrier that did, in fact, hold against the blazing flames—but shattered the instant Charles's fist connected.
Still, Zagred managed to regain control over his stiff limbs and retreated.
Charles didn't give chase. He wasn't the only one fighting here.
"What incredible magic! The mages of this era truly are remarkable," Lumiere praised, proud of his modern successors.
There was one drawback to Charles's Mana Zone—it affected everyone equally. Inside his Dragon's Lair, all were under the crushing aura of his Draconic Will.
But unlike the devil paralyzed by terror, everyone else stood strong—true warriors, unwavering in their beliefs.
A massive sword of light pierced Zagred's chest and pinned him to a stone wall. More followed—light-fishbone swords impaling his wrists and ankles.
Zagred howled, his pride and fury momentarily masking his fear. He shattered the swords in his wrists, but before he could break free fully—
Slash! Slash!
Rhya and Yuno appeared in an instant, landing twin strikes across his chest—one from a dark magic blade, the other from a slender wind-forged longsword.
Rhya's sword mimicked Yami's dark magic that could cut through the underworld, which explained its effectiveness. But even Yuno's blade…?
"He condensed residual light and dark mana into a sword that can reach the underworld?" Lumiere marveled. "What a gifted child."
Licht smiled too. He sensed the soul inside Yuno—and its connection to himself.
Both had once been touched by the highest forbidden magic. Their very mana had changed. As a result, their spells now carried the essence of Nether Magic.
Yuno had achieved something no ordinary mage ever could—crafting magic that reached across worlds.
"Back away! Pierce! Shatter! Break! Explode! DIE!!"
Zagred lost all sanity, spewing countless Word Soul spells in a single breath, forcing Yuno and Rhya to fall back.
In doing so, they revealed the one who stood behind them, sword already raised high—
Licht.
"O demon, now feel the wrath of our Elven race—five centuries in the making!"
Lights rose from Patry, Rhya, and Yuno's bodies and flowed into Licht's sword.
More lights streamed in from the upper passage—returning to their king like swallows to their nest.
"Ultimate Sword Magic: Judgment Severance!"
Only elves, beloved of mana, had the power to wield this highest form of magic—the essence of magic's true origin.
And Licht's sword—the Demon-Dweller—was made to connect with those he shared bonds with.
And no one had more love, more trust, more loyalty from the Elves than Licht. This attack was the culmination of the entire Elven race's strength.
The blast ripped through the Shadow Palace, obliterating half the space. Black void yawned open behind the scorched impact zone.
Zagred's body had vanished.
But Charles didn't relax.
"Asta—now!"
Everyone turned. Though the devil's body had been annihilated, one thing remained—suspended midair.
A single, black heart.
And in it—a mouth. Black, fanged, and sneering.
"Heal."
Dark mana converged. A new body began forming around the heart.
Licht's attack had been mighty, but not enough to destroy a high-tier devil. That final blow still had to come from Asta's anti-magic.
"Right!" Asta shouted. His Demon-Slayer Sword warped in his hands—its blade widening, covered in black tendrils of anti-magic, distorted with violent lines.
"Demon-Slayer Sword: Black Divider!"
That was Asta—always answering the call of his comrades, rising when it counted most.
He dashed toward Zagred's half-reformed body and slashed straight for the heart.
The sword cleaved the devil in two, stopping his regeneration.
Only half a face remained—grinning in mockery.
"How unfortunate."
Asta froze.
He'd hit the heart—he was sure of it.
But the space he'd sliced through… was empty.
In the blink of an eye, Zagred fully regenerated. His body twisted hideously—sprouting mouths all over.
"Wretches!"
"Inferior creatures!"
"Magicless filth—"
"You're all DEAD!"
Dozens of mouths spewed hateful curses—some even speaking in the language of the underworld.
It was so grotesque, even Asta instinctively stepped back.
Charles called out, "Devils are nothing like us. They don't follow normal biology."
"I'll hit his heart next time for sure!" Asta replied, voice strained but unwavering.
"Don't forget—we're still here too. We'll make him show it again. You just be ready!"
Even as they spoke, the others resumed their assault.
Zagred, now in this monstrous form, could unleash even more powerful Word Soul Magic—dozens of spells simultaneously.
"Vacuum Wall!"
"Iron Spear!"
"Storm of Blades!"
It was like facing an entire Magic Knight squadron alone.
But—
"Mana Zone: Avio's Light – Glory!"
"Sword Magic: Dawn Severance – Combo!"
"Mana Zone: Twin Spirit Storm!"
"Copied Magic: Dark Cloaked – Silent Slash!"
"Light Creation Magic: Sword of Judgment!"
Their fivefold assault shattered all of Zagred's magic. He was left defenseless.
Charles crouched low. Fire coiled around him—spiraling into a burning vortex.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!"
He had never felt such overwhelming power—like he could incinerate the world itself. He knew it was an illusion—runaway strength pushing past his control.
"Still not enough. I need more training…"
But for now, he unleashed everything at the devil.
A spiraling inferno devoured Zagred, incinerating his grotesque form to ash.
Only one thing remained—
A black heart, twitching.
"Asta!" Charles and Yuno shouted in unison.
"I'm on it…!"
Asta became a black meteor once more, reaching the heart before it could regenerate.
"Let's finish this!"
Behind him loomed the image of the devil he had bonded with—his Anti-Magic shadow towering in Zagred's eyes.
The Demon-Slayer Sword fell.
And this time—
it struck true.
Zagred's heart was cleaved in two.
And with it—
Five hundred years of tragedy…
Finally came to an end.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]