Charles also heard the power level Hawk saw for him, but he knew that wasn't his limit.
A power level is real-time data; it depends on the subject's current state and can only reflect present combat strength.
For example, Galand's actual power level should be 27,000, but since he had 1,000 Magic showing as zero after just breaking free of the seal, Hawk only saw 26,000.
And Galand also has the magic \[Critical Over], which can burst his power level straight up to the 40,000 range.
Likewise, Charles has two burst skills, Dragon King Physique and Dragonflame Battle Gear; if he used them, his power level would shoot up dramatically, too.
But right now, there was obviously no need.
Propping himself up on his spear, Galand stood. Moving made him cough up another mouthful of purple blood. Then he asked the same question Meliodas had.
"Are you really human?"
Charles flexed his wrist. "Do you look down on humans that much? Then let me show you human strength!"
Galand hadn't met the one who was "human, but also stood at the pinnacle of all races," so Charles would give him a demonstration.
The hole in Galand's chest healed rapidly. He roared, "Don't get cocky, human!"
He took one step—and in the next instant, appeared before Charles, chopping down with his spear.
He struck in anger; the blow was so heavy the ground shuddered. But when the dust blew aside, he saw Charles standing there, one foot pinning the spear, already driven into the earth.
Galand heaved twice with both arms, but the spear didn't budge—while Charles's fist was already coming in.
His entire head twisted, and then his whole body began to convulse violently—that was Charles's fist landing who knew how many times in an instant!
"Dammit!"
Galand bellowed, flinging his arms up and flipping Charles off his braced spear.
He chased in, spear lashing wildly at the somersaulting Charles.
"Misery Scatter Slash!"
Galand's arms and spear seemed to turn into a whip, leaving countless afterimages in the air, striking from strange angles at Charles.
Charles stayed unhurried; his arms seemed to vanish as he parried every attack.
On the final clash, Charles snapped a side kick straight into Galand's blocking spear.
The shaft bent into a semicircle; when it sprang straight, the rebound launched Galand backward.
His feet carved two long furrows in the ground before he stopped. After a few breaths, he looked up at the ever-calm Charles.
"Accursed human—are you mocking me? I am one of the Demon Clan's strongest—one of the Ten Commandments, Galand of Truth!"
With his roar, his aura exploded. A gigantic demonic phantom rose at his back and loosed a soul-shaking bellow at Charles.
That roar didn't exist in the material world, yet everyone behind them froze. It was suppression at the level of life and soul.
To Charles, it was a breeze on his face.
"Give me a break. Don't play beast in front of me."
Flames surged around him, forming a majestic phantom beast with spread wings at his back.
Galand watched the flaming beast swell in an instant until its head loomed over him—then its jaws split wide and swallowed him whole.
He snapped awake at the last moment, realizing that had been only an illusion induced by his opponent's overwhelming presence.
What he couldn't forgive was that, in that instant, he had truly felt the urge to flee.
As a warrior, the wise move now would be to trust that instinct and retreat.
His magic hadn't recovered yet; he couldn't use Critical Over. This was the result of rashly picking a fight alone.
Pulling back for now and returning in full power to challenge Charles again was no disgrace.
But as one of the Ten Commandments, the Demon King's personal guard, Galand could not discard his pride and flee in disarray.
Charles, however, was annoyed. In the original course of events, Galand fled from Escanor and broke his own commandment, turning to stone.
What—so his own pressure wasn't up to Escanor's?
A man's competitive streak can be silly; Galand could never have guessed that this is why Charles suddenly got serious.
He didn't even have time to react before Charles burst right up into his face.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
An upward kick launched Galand into the air—then his vision filled with a flame-wreathed fist.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Before he even saw the fist land, a gaping hole opened in his chest. A shock ring blasted outward and slammed Galand into the ground.
He didn't even spare time to heal; only one thought remained.
"Move, damn you!"
Charles was right above him, a fist raised and packed with surging flame. If that punch landed, he was dead.
A savage survival instinct erupted; Galand swung his spear, the air bursting.
Using the recoil, his body rolled away.
It was sloppy, but he did dodge the crushing blow.
Charles's fist hit the ground; the earth split open, flames raced through the fissures, and molten rock seethed up.
Standing atop a lava-laced plain, Charles looked more like an earth-rending demon than Galand did.
Galand seized on the opening after Charles's strike and thrust his spear.
Charles tilted his head, but the blade grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow cut.
What flowed from the wound wasn't red blood, but fire. In the glow, the cut knit shut at once.
Galand was certain: the man before him was no ordinary human. How could any human possess such an ability?
Charles smiled. Ever since absorbing Ignia's power, his Dragon Slayer magic had evolved.
Now, even without invoking Dragon King Physique, the potent power of the dragon could heal his wounds.
Galand didn't know that. He only knew he had to set aside his pride, escape at all costs, and tell the other Commandments about Charles.
Otherwise, the Demon Clan's revival would run into an unexpected disaster because of this man.
In that instant he made up his mind and flicked his gaze elsewhere.
If he couldn't run from Charles, he'd have to look for his chance somewhere else!
With a thunderous crash, Charles punched him flying again. Galand tumbled across the ground, then got control and stabbed his spear into the soil.
He roared and heaved—flipping up an entire slab of earth. Then he smashed his spear into it, shattering it.
The broken ground turned into a barrage of shells… aimed at the resting Meliodas and the others.
Charles frowned and fired off a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist; the surging flames devoured every chunk of stone.
"If you want to run, you have to leave something behind!"
Galand, leaping skyward, heard an explosion at his ear—then a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see a hand thrust through him, gripping something.
He spat purple blood and didn't dare linger. Wrenching himself off Charles's arm, he kicked into a burst and vanished into the sky.
Charles didn't give chase. He looked instead at what he held.
It was a stone etched with strange symbols—something he'd just ripped from Galand's body.
With this in hand, whether Galand lived or died no longer mattered, because this was the Ten Commandments' foundation.
One-twentieth of the Demon King's magic power made manifest—the Commandment of Truth.
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