"I failed? No… no, that's impossible…"
"The descent of God… the rise of the new era of magic…"
"No one can stop it no one!"
Marshall's broken voice echoed through the air, trembling with madness.
Perched atop the crumbling body of the Drum of Emptiness, his face was contorted, veins bulging, bloodshot eyes gleaming with insanity.
Then, with a crazed scream, he threw his head back
"**O Demon God take it! My body! My will! My soul ** take it all!!"
CRACK!!
His head exploded into a mist of blood and bone.
It was horrifying. Brutal.
But above all it was deliberate.
Marshall, cruel and cold-blooded even to his allies, was just as merciless to himself.
He had chosen self-sacrifice.
To become the final offering.
To feed the Drum of the Void the last piece of power it needed his own life.
A massive, blood-red magic circle tore open the sky above, pulsating with an ancient and unspeakable aura. The sigils etched into it spun in reverse, chanting in a tongue not meant for mortals.
Space trembled.
The crumbling Drum of the Void, moments from collapse, began to absorb the dark ritual.
And then
It regenerated.
Its body reknit itself in seconds flesh, armor, and bone. But it wasn't merely restored.
It became more monstrous than ever before.
Deeper.
Darker.
Stronger.
And in the shadows of the fractured space behind it… a pair of colossal scarlet eyes slowly opened, glowing like twin hellfires in the abyss.
Time seemed to slow.
But it all happened in a blink.
"Not good…!!"
Mira's heart pounded. Her instincts screamed danger.
Without thinking, she stepped forward, trying to force her body to respond.
She reached toward her chest toward her soul intending to reawaken her Satan Soul once more.
But
"Aaghhh!!"
The backlash of overdrawn magic ripped through her.
Her knees buckled.
Pain flooded her body like molten iron.
She nearly collapsed.
The cost of her previous transformation had pushed her body to its limit and now, she couldn't transform again.
The reborn Drum of the Void slowly turned its massive head.
Its gaze those bloodshot, soulless eyes swept across the broken battlefield… and stopped on Chase, still being shielded by Mira's trembling form.
A dark chuckle rumbled from deep within its chest.
"Haha…"
"You pitiful, insignificant worm…"
"Even now… you're hiding behind a woman?"
Its voice was warped Marshall's hatred fused with something older, something demonic.
A twisted god had risen.
And it remembered.
"This vessel… is still far from perfect."
The Drum of the Void's voice rumbled like a whisper from the abyss."Was the sacrifice… not enough?"
Its scarlet eyes narrowed, dimming with disdain.
"Foolish descendants of man… You wield my power, and yet… can't even complete such a trivial task."
Its tone dripped with ancient contempt.
Then, without another word, the massive entity slowly raised its palm.
A fresh vortex of chaos condensed at its center, darker and denser than any before.
The very air warped. Space buckled around the forming spiral.
Then
BOOM!!!
The vortex surged forward, howling like a voidstorm, and detonated in front of Mira with crushing force.
She stared wide-eyed, rooted in place her body frozen by exhaustion, her face stricken with despair.
But when the smoke cleared
She was still standing.
Unharmed.
"What…?"
Mira blinked.
The flames crackled before her. And then, rising through the embers, a massive silhouette emerged from the heart of the blast.
A warrior.
Cloaked in searing light, holding a towering shield scarred, but unyielding.
He stood between her and the destruction like a silent guardian.
Then like the last flame of a candle he shimmered…
…and vanished into stardust.
Mira's lips parted in astonishment.
"That was… the Giant Shield Guardian?!"
Her eyes widened, the spark of disbelief flaring into wonder.
A four-star monster card known for its legendary defense one she'd only seen Chase use once in a duel for fun.
Across the battlefield, even the Drum of the Void seemed briefly shaken.
Its crimson eyes flickered.
This shouldn't be possible.
It still retained Marshall's memories he knew the island's card-based space magic had been completely sealed.
No duelist could summon here.
And yet…
A card had answered.
It stared in silence as the embers settled and then
A gust of wind swirled through the chaos.
And from within it
A long, dark blue cloak fluttered into view.
"Although I don't know if you're Marshall, the Drum of the Void, or something far worse," Chase said steadily, stepping past Mira and positioning himself between her and the monstrous figure before them, "what I do know is this Mira is strong. Being protected by her isn't something to be ashamed of." His voice was calm, unwavering, though his body trembled from fatigue. "If she hadn't bought me that time, I wouldn't have been able to reconnect with my deck at all."
It wasn't entirely the truth but it was close enough. And in that moment, it was the best statement he could offer without revealing the desperate reality of his current condition.
The Drum of the Void's eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling from within its chest. "You're saying you broke my dimensional seal? A mere human managed to pierce through my space lock?" It sounded personally offended, baffled by the idea that anyone, let alone this ragged, near-collapse duelist, could overcome its domain.
Chase tilted his head with a faint smirk. "Times have changed, Mr. God of War. Don't underestimate the bond between a duelist and his deck."
"Bonds?" the creature scoffed, its expression contorting into a sneer. "You're barely standing. Your breath is weak. You look like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be snuffed out at any moment."
With that, the demon lord laughed deep, echoing, scornful. The flicker of doubt it had felt just moments ago had already been rationalized away. Its analysis was sharp, and not wrong. Chase had indeed exhausted himself in the earlier battle against the Dark Guild. He had flown across the sea without rest, burned through high-tier spells like the Holy Light Sealing Sword and the Hexagram Curse to protect innocent lives. His magic reserves were all but empty.
Even the Giant Shield Guardian summoned moments ago had been a miracle, a last act of defiance before collapse. To the Drum of the Void, this was nothing more than a bluff. The man before it was spent. The white-haired woman behind him, powerless. All that remained was the final blow.
But Chase didn't flinch. His expression didn't change. He stood tall, even as the wind threatened to knock him down.
"So," he said softly, raising his hand toward his heart. "Why don't you come find out?"
Chase stood firm, arms crossed over his chest as he stared up at the towering Drum of the Void without the slightest trace of fear. A thin, confident smile curled across his face. "Go ahead," he called out. "Use those mighty fists of yours and smash us into pulp."
The taunt was so blatant it might as well have been written across his forehead in glowing letters "Come at me."
The Drum of the Void hesitated.
Something about this setup felt too perfect. Even He, a warped demon born of ancient power, felt a sliver of doubt worming into His mind. Through Marshall's memories, He had inherited knowledge of this era and in particular, of the card wizards who seemed to defy logic and reason with elaborate traps and ridiculous reversals. Always scheming. Always bluffing.
But if He retreated now if word of that ever reached the ears of His former rivals, the other ancient demons they'd never let Him live it down. They'd mock Him for eternity.
That thought alone ignited fury in His eyes.
"You arrogant little worm. You want it? Then I'll give it to you!"
Despite His words, He remained cautious. Instead of charging in, He raised His arm and unleashed a beam of chaotic energy. A column of warped light tore through the earth, uprooting boulders and sending dust flying as it surged forward packed with enough power to erase both Mira and Chase in a single blast.
And that was the moment Chase had been waiting for.
With a flick of his wrist, he activated the trap card buried beneath the broken stone at his feet.
Trap Card: Physical Enhancer Super Z!
A radiant circle of energy flared beneath him. Golden lines of light surged upward, enveloping his body in a glowing aura.
Physical Enhancer Super Z a rare trap card with a singular effect: when the player is about to receive fatal damage, it forcibly restores their maximum magic capacity. But it came with a steep cost. The chant to activate it was long and complex, and the card could only be triggered under very specific conditions: when under direct threat from the enemy.
That's why Chase hadn't waited.
Back during Mira's battle with the Drum, while the enemy had been distracted and all eyes were off him, he had already prepared the card and hidden it beneath his feet. All he had needed… was for the enemy to strike.
Now, as the blast surged toward him, the trap finally activated.
His magic flared to life once more.
A rush of magic exploded through Chase's body, surging into every limb like a second heartbeat. In an instant, his mana was fully restored, overflowing with power. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, raised his fist, and with a single punch shattered the incoming chaotic light column into nothingness.
"What?!" the Drum of the Void gasped, its eyes widening in disbelief. Even with all His caution and preparation, the result stunned Him. Chase had not only survived but obliterated His attack with raw strength.
Chase turned his head slightly, glancing back at Mira with calm confidence. "Mira," he said, "you should be able to handle it now, right? Receiving new demonic power and all that."
Mira blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off by his words. But then it hit her she remembered. That deep conversation they had long ago, the one where they had discussed the theory of demonic resonance. If the conditions were right, it was entirely possible for someone to share their magic with her… to offer a new demon soul for her to receive.
And if it was Chase doing it, she had no doubt it could work.
With renewed fire in her eyes, she gave him a firm nod. "Yes. If it's coming from you… I can do it."
Chase smiled knowingly, as if this had always been part of his plan.
"Then follow my will, and answer the call… Devil's Summons!!"
Sizzle.
The sky above darkened at once, thunderclouds churning as black lightning split the heavens. A single bolt crashed down before Chase with a deafening crack, striking the earth and charring the stone.
From within the blast, a figure slowly emerged.
A towering form, cloaked in power grayish-white exoskeleton like bone armor, rippling dark red muscle, twin curved devil horns, and massive dark blue wings that spread wide with an eerie screech. As the smoke cleared, a pair of glowing, unsettling eyes stared forward, full of ancient intelligence and malice.
[Devil's Summons] a six-star monster card from the Demon clan. Known for its dark power that far surpassed others of its rank, it stood as one of Chase's rarest and most dangerous allies. Among demons of its tier, it was in a class of its own.
The summoned demon took one look at its master, and then at Mira. In a rare moment of awareness, it nodded slightly, as if understanding exactly what was being asked.
Chase extended his hand. "Please… lend me your power, Devil's Summons."
Mira stepped forward without hesitation and placed her hand gently on the forehead of the towering Devil's Summons. Closing her eyes, she focused. Her magic surged, resonating with the demonic energy in front of her. Because the creature had been summoned by Chase, the connection between them flowed easily there was no resistance, no struggle. Just trust.
A radiant light burst forth as Mira invoked her Receiving Magic.
The brilliance lit up the entire battlefield. When it faded, standing in place of the demon was Mira once more but not the same Mira.
She had transformed.
Now clad in sleek white demonic armor etched with runes of ancient power, her wings were more defined, her eyes sharper, and her entire presence radiated overwhelming magical force. A new evolution had arrived Demon · Devil Summoner · Mirajane had taken the field.
The Drum of the Void reeled. "Y-You… are you really a card wizard?!"
Kong Zhigu's composure cracked, his voice breaking into a furious snarl. Nothing made sense anymore. His magic had failed to finish either of them. He had been outmaneuvered, outlasted, and now outnumbered. "What the hell is going on?! How are you still alive?!"
Chase didn't bother with words. He raised his right hand, a glowing card pinched between his fingers. In a flash of brilliant white light, five figures descended onto the battlefield each one radiating its own brand of terrifying strength.
The towering Rock Giant slammed its fists together. The Cursed Dragon spread its tattered wings with a shriek. The graceful Elf Swordsman readied her blade. The brooding Dark Knight stepped forward in silence. And finally, from the center of a swirling black magic circle, emerged the robed figure the Dark Magician Girl had once proudly called her master the Black Magician, a seven-star monster, tall and regal, his staff aglow with arcane energy.
Chase stood calmly at the heart of his summoned warriors, his voice quiet and full of fire. "If Natsu were here… he'd probably say something right about now."
He turned to Mira, now fully transformed, and smiled.
Mira's lips curled upward as she caught his gaze. Without needing a single word, she understood. Her smile widened, full of mischief and flame.
And in perfect sync, they declared together:
"I'm on fire!"
That was the final straw.
The Drum of the Void this ancient creature, this god of chaos, this lonely, bitter monster snapped.
"Damn you humans! TURN TO DUST UNDER MY MAGIC!!"
BOOOOOM!!
The magic of both sides erupted with ferocity, clashing in a blinding explosion that engulfed the entire island. Flame and shadow surged skyward, shockwaves leveling what was left of the battlefield.
And in the heart of it all Chase and Mira charged forward, side by side.
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