"So my hounds are ineffective against the 'Crimson Devil' as well? Boy, are you ready to be crushed by me?"
Against the backdrop of wind and rain, his black cape flapped loudly. Marquis Voban smiled confidently, his tone filled with endless dominance and arrogance.
"Yare yare, how unfortunate. I have no intention of losing to an old man who's about to enter his coffin!"
Although he admitted that this old man had some skills and even he wasn't completely confident, the other party's arrogance, completely disregarding him, still made Sora quite unhappy, so he replied without politeness.
"Hmph! Do young people nowadays only know how to talk big? If that's the case, then let me first show you my carefully selected servants!"
His expression turned cold. A trace of annoyance flashed in Marquis Voban's eyes, but he quickly calmed down. He snapped his fingers, and instantly, the figures of Undead Servants materialized one by one.
"Liliana, I'll leave that Crimson Devil to you, the one known as the Fairy Knight. Whether as an opponent for the Society or as a personal rival, you won't disappoint me, will you?"
Marquis Voban glanced at Erica beside Sora, then spoke playfully to the knight girl Liliana. As for the Hime-Miko with negative combat power, he simply ignored her.
"Yes, my Lord!"
The girl replied, giving Marquis Voban a knight's salute. However, her lowered face showed a slight frown, clearly indicating that her inner feelings were not as submissive as her outward appearance.
"Erica, take Yuri and leave here. Don't get caught in our battle. Also, be careful yourself."
Gently stroking the girl's forehead, Sora instructed.
Battles between Demon Kings can easily destroy a city, just like last time when I fought that bastard Doni. At that time, I won't be able to worry about too much. Leaving Erica aside for now, it would be very dangerous if Yuri, who has no combat ability whatsoever, stayed here.
"My King, I await your triumphant return."
Standing on her tiptoes, Erica lightly kissed Sora's lips.
"Don't worry, I absolutely won't let your Yuri get hurt!"
With a playful, somewhat ambiguous smile and a mischievous wink, Erica directly picked up Yuri, who was still blushing and flustered from their intimate gesture just now, and used a jumping magic to speed away into the distance.
"Trying to escape, Erica Blandelli!"
Seeing that Erica had actually taken Yuri and fled, Liliana shouted in a sweet voice from the side.
Although the girl looked fierce, she intentionally or unintentionally slowed down her pursuit. Liliana had no intention of being polite to that hateful woman Erica, who had liked to bully and tease her since childhood, but she also didn't want Yuri to get involved in the upcoming Demon King battle.
Thinking to herself, 'Let that hateful Erica get away for a while. Once Yuri is safe after they've gone further, I'll see how I deal with her!'
"Finally, no more worries, right? Now, kid, let's have a good, satisfying fight!"
The old and cunning Marquis Voban was naturally well aware of the knight girl Liliana's little actions, but he couldn't be bothered to care. As a King, the only one he would pay attention to was Sora, who was also a King like himself.
"Go, my servants!"
With a wave of his hand, under Marquis Voban's will, swarms of Undead Servants rushed towards Sora one after another.
"What a troublesome and annoying Authority!"
Each of these Undead Servants was a renowned Great Knight in life, possessing extraordinary strength. Although they might be slightly insufficient against a powerful Demon King, the problem was that these guys were completely unkillable, making them quite troublesome and persistent.
"But—"
A glint flashed in his eyes, and Sora immediately stepped back to create distance. Holding one hand towards the sky, he began chanting the summoning incantation:
"For victory, quickly come before me! O Undying Sun, please bestow upon me the shining steed. O divine-traveling and miraculous steed, bring your master's halo!"
This was the Authority to summon the White Stallion. As Sora chanted the incantation, the clouds in the sky parted, and a dazzling sun actually rose in the originally night sky!
Neigh… Neigh neigh neigh neigh neigh…
The sound of the White Stallion neighing. Bathed in the sun's flames, carrying endless might, it galloped and shot down from the nine heavens!
"The Sun… Heavenly Flames?!"
Feeling the White Stallion's astonishing might and heat, Marquis Voban also showed a look of surprise.
However, the next moment, it turned into a look of disdain—
"Ah!!! Ah!!! Ah!!!"
Letting out a beast-like roar, Marquis Voban's body rapidly grew, and under Sora's astonished gaze not far away, he actually transformed into a tall and mighty humanoid giant wolf!
Boom!!!
Finally, the White Stallion landed on the ground. Without exception, all the Undead Servants were melted into ash. However, when the flame sphere formed by the White Stallion struck the humanoid giant wolf that Marquis Voban had transformed into, it was blocked by the two muscular arms he extended!
Not only that, the giant mouth on the wolf's head opened wide, and it actually sucked in the White Stallion's flames!
Stunned, even Sora had completely failed to anticipate this situation. He was so shocked his heart trembled. Was this Wolf Grandpa trying to defy the heavens?!
One must know that if the White Stallion's power fully erupted, destroying half a town would be an easy feat, and its extremely high temperature could melt almost anything! If the opponent had blocked or dodged it in some other way, Sora wouldn't have said anything, but this Wolf Grandpa actually ate it directly!
Seeing the opponent's still unsatisfied look, alright, Sora decided—
"Go to hell!!!"
Directly activating the Authority of [Phoenix], he used Divine Speed Flash to appear behind Marquis Voban. This Wolf Grandpa was about to defy the heavens, how could Sora dare to let him continue being so arrogant? He had to strike first!
"O shining bull with golden horns, grant me aid!"
Leaping up, he clasped his hands together, fingers intertwined into a fist. Sora directly chanted the incantation for [Bull], feeling as if his arms instantly possessed millions of pounds of force. Without hesitation, he smashed down towards Marquis Voban!
Boom!!!
A sky-shattering loud noise. The air was blasted apart by Sora's fist. Marquis Voban, who had transformed into a werewolf, was directly smashed into the ground, creating a hundred-meter wide pit and disappearing into the dust, while Sora himself was sent flying into the sky by the powerful recoil.
He was very confident in this strike of his. Let alone a person, even a lump of iron would be smashed to pieces! However, Sora did not show a triumphant expression. As he was still being thrown upwards in the air, his expression was solemn.
Because, even under his strongest strike just now, he still hadn't defeated Marquis Voban. As the dust dissipated, the tall wolf-shaped giant shadow reappeared in the large pit below.
His body was a bloody mess, completely deformed by the blow, but it was recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye, returning to its original state in the blink of an eye!
"Indeed, is this a Wolf Grandpa who defies the heavens?" Although he had already anticipated that the opponent was very strong, Sora hadn't expected him to be strong to this extent!
It was one thing to be able to transform into a giant wolf and devour the White Stallion's flames, but he actually possessed a recovery Authority similar to his own [Ram]. This was truly troublesome!
"Hahaha… King Kusanagi Sora, you truly haven't disappointed this King! This power! This decisiveness! It's making this King's blood boil!"
"Now, let this King give you some return gifts for your hospitality!" Looking at Sora in the air, Marquis Voban, who had transformed into a werewolf, laughed heartily. His ferocious wolf mouth, filled with fangs, opened wide, and he shot out a dazzling object towards Sora.
An extremely dangerous feeling arose in his heart. What made Sora's eyes almost pop out was that the thing shot out from the mouth of Marquis Voban, who had transformed into a werewolf, was actually the "White Stallion" he had just used against him!
Not only did he devour the White Stallion, but now he was actually using it against him! Sora was perfectly clear about how strong the White Stallion's power was. He wasn't as fierce as that Wolf Grandpa who could just swallow it whole. If he were hit, even if he didn't die, he'd lose several layers of skin.
"For victory, quickly come before me! O Undying Sun, please bestow upon me the shining steed. O divine-traveling and miraculous steed, bring your master's halo!"
Holding up the sky with one hand, he quickly chanted the incantation to summon the White Stallion again. There was no other way; if he had to deal with a White Stallion, then he would use a White Stallion as well!
Two White Stallions, bathed in the Sun God's Fire, one shot towards the sky, the other galloped towards the ground. Transforming into two dazzling spheres of light, they finally collided in mid-air!
BOOM!!!
A sky-shattering roar, fiery red shockwaves continuously spread outwards, illuminating the originally silent and dark city as if it were daytime…
…
"Your scurrying around like a mouse ends here, Erica Blandelli!"
From atop a tall building, the knight girl Liliana, using Flying Magic, descended from the sky, blocking the path of Erica and Yuri. Drawing her beloved sword, Il Maestro, the girl's expression as she looked at Erica carried a hint of peculiar resentment and anger.
"If you're going to describe it, I'd rather you say 'flying around like a swallow', Lily!"
Putting down Yuri from her back, Erica also summoned her beloved sword, Lion Heart, and smiled with a mischievous look.
Unlike Liliana's peculiar resentment and anger, Erica had the appearance of meeting an old friend with warmth. Of course, it would have been even more perfect if that warmth wasn't mixed with a hint of mischievous expression…
"Erica-san, Liliana-san, everyone please don't…"
Seeing the two facing off, Yuri on the side wanted to step forward to mediate, but her words were cut short by Erica—
"Yuri, this isn't a personal matter between us right now. This is a war between Kings. Lily isn't on the same side as us. If you stop her, you might harm her!"
"So, be a good girl and hide on the side. In the King's words, it's not Yuri's time to appear yet."
With a smiling expression, although there was no intention of giving an order, Erica exuded an undeniable queen-like aura.
"Erica-san… Liliana-san…"
Biting her lip tightly, clenching her hands, although she didn't want to accept it, Yuri knew that what Erica said was the truth. If Liliana didn't fight them now, she would definitely be severely punished by that Marquis Voban later. Just thinking of that Marquis's terror and cruelty…
Finally, Yuri silently retreated to the side, clasping her hands together and watching the two girls with immense worry.
"My wings. Steel that becomes the form of my phantom blade! Il Maestro, grant me power!"
"Now, Lily, it's time for a duel, Heart of the Lion!"
Magic power surged, Liliana and Erica each chanted their battle incantations.
In contrast to this, a huge explosion sounded from afar, a fiery red shockwave swept across the entire sky, illuminating the whole town as if it were daytime.
As if hearing the call to battle, the two girls simultaneously swung the magic swords in their hands, pushed off the ground with unified force, and shot towards each other…