Chamber frowned as she watched the demonic energy creeping closer.
'Even after moving through space, the demonic energy still follows...'
Perhaps due to the Silent Spirit World magic, the demonic energy from the Devildom was rising from the sky and earth despite having traveled a great distance. She had hoped to weaken the Black Tower Master a bit, but it seemed she would have to fight at a slight disadvantage.
'Well, when was it ever not disadvantageous?'
Her magic and the Black Tower Master's weren't particularly compatible. She was used to this level of difficulty, having always fought uphill battles.
"I'll dispose of you and then kill that variable."
As the Black Tower Master formed a triangle with his hands, the faintly rising demonic energy intensified, beginning to dye the world in darkness. Mana was pushed away, replaced by deep and dense demonic energy. The Silent Spirit World he had created continued even here.
"No, even if I let you slip away, I will kill him at least."
The Black Tower Master displayed even more intense anger and killing intent towards Raon than towards her.
"Go ahead."
Chamber wiggled her finger at the Black Tower Master.
"If you can."
The moment a smile appeared on her lips, a magnificent blue light shot up from the staff floating in the air. The staff of blue light, though not containing holy power, pushed away the demonic energy of the Devildom and spread the pure mana of nature.
"I'll see how long that ugly smile of yours lasts."
The Black Tower Master stretched out his hand with an arrogant gaze. Desolate and ominous demonic energy ignited above his palm. His every movement was both a magical formula and an incantation. Following his gestures, the rising demonic energy sharpened like the fangs of a beast and fell as if to devour Chamber.
"You're not qualified to judge my smile, you know?"
Chamber chuckled and flicked her hand, causing the mana waves to intensify and melt away the fangs of demonic energy created by the Black Tower Master.
"You worm who's lived in a hole all your life."
As she brought her fingers together, the blue light streams emanating from her staff created intense waves that poured towards the Black Tower Master.
Each stream of light possessed power beyond high-level magic, but none of them managed to shock the Black Tower Master. The blue lights failed to penetrate his robe and melted away futilely.
"Demonic Spirit Barrier..."
Chamber furrowed her brow as she observed the Black Tower Master's robe fluttering like a curtain in the wind.
"What a damn troublesome thing."
That robe was a legendary-grade artifact with the Black Tower Master's true body magic inscribed on it. It absorbed all physical and magical attacks, making it impossible to inflict even the slightest wound on him with ordinary magic or martial arts. Black King Sigel's robe was a degraded version of this Demonic Spirit Barrier.
"Let's see how long you can hold out."
As Chamber wrinkled her nose and brought her hands together, magical formulas were inscribed over the faintly glowing blue light.
The light streams that had simply contained strong magical power began to change. A fire dragon made of flames rose up, a giant sword made of frost fell, and a green-tinged typhoon arose to cover the sky. It was a bombardment of the highest-level magic.
'Will it work?'
Chamber narrowed her eyes as she watched the explosions of magic striking the Demonic Spirit Barrier.
'No, even if it doesn't work, I can't stop attacking.'
What's the most important thing in a battle between great magicians? Some might say mana and magical power are important, others might say the level of magic is important, and still others might say strategy and tactics are important. But there's one aspect that everyone agrees on.
'Space.'
The magician who can pressure the opponent and consume space wins. This had been a universally accepted theory until now. Of course, she thought there was something more important than dominating space, but for now, she needed to reduce the space where the Black Tower Master could stand.
However, unfortunately, even the consecutive high-level magic failed to penetrate the Demonic Spirit Barrier and faded away futilely.
"The Demonic Spirit Barrier has become stronger."
Chamber frowned as she observed the Demonic Spirit Barrier, which hadn't even been scratched.
'Before, there used to be at least burn marks.'
Previously, it couldn't completely block the highest-level magic and would get burned or torn, but now the magic itself didn't seem to affect it at all. It seemed he had made improvements in the meantime.
"Now it's my turn."
As the Black Tower Master crossed his hands diagonally, black chains emerged from within the blue light. The chains spread in all directions as if trying to turn this place into a prison, beginning to devour the space Chamber was trying to protect.
"Were you so happy about the success of your surprise attack that you forgot?"
The Black Tower Master looked down at Chamber, raising his chin.
"Your magic doesn't work on me. No, I am the natural enemy of all magicians."
He twisted his lips as if daring her to struggle more.
"The lamp of glory shall not be extinguished even in darkness."
Chamber bit the candy in her mouth and raised her slightly bent wrist. Blue flames ignited above her palm, as if hanging a lamp. The countless expanding black chains melted into gray ash the moment they touched the blue flames. For the first time, a situation occurred where mana devoured demonic energy.
'This might work.'
The blue lotus flame is a magic that burns everything it touches. No matter how dense the demonic energy is, it won't be able to withstand this flame.
"Blue lotus flame."
The Black Tower Master clicked his tongue as he watched the demonic energy chains melting before the blue flames.
"Indeed, that flame could burn even the demonic energy of the Devildom. However..."
As he raised his chin, the black chains maintained their original form without burning even within the blue lotus flames. Rather, the power of the blue flames seemed to weaken and slowly subside.
"Did you think you had the advantage because all the accumulated demonic energy had dissipated?"
The Black Tower Master giggled as he spread his palm, which was rippling with darkness.
"As long as the Silent Spirit World is complete, that demonic energy is always with me."
He shook his head as he erased all the blue flames Chamber had created.
"On the other hand, you've consumed vast amounts of magical power trying to interfere with the Silent Spirit World. The outcome of this battle was determined from the start."
The Black Tower Master waved his hand as if there was no need to see the result. The black chains that had suddenly covered the sky and ground now enveloped Chamber and her staff.
"..."
Chamber remained silent, focusing only on the blue flames burning at the tip of her staff.
"Space is important in a battle between magicians, but that's not everything."
The Black Tower Master shook his head as he watched Chamber dying, entangled in the black chains.
"That textbook approach is your downfall."
As he dusted off his hands as if it was all over, the demonic energy of the black chains binding Chamber intensified and tightened.
"Hmph."
Just as the Black Tower Master was about to turn away with a snort, blue flames erupted from between the black chains enveloping Chamber and spread to all connected spaces. In a mere instant, all the chains that had enveloped the world melted away in the flames.
Chamber walked out from among the iron fragments scattered after losing their demonic energy. She no longer appeared as a young girl. Revealing the figure of a mature woman, she raised her elongated fingers.
"I have nothing to learn from the likes of you, so shut that mouth."
Chamber let out a sultry voice as she removed her now-smaller witch hat. As she brushed back her red hair that reached down to her waist, her golden eyes flashed as if ultimate mana was rippling.
"That appearance. Did you use alchemy?"
The Black Tower Master's lips trembled as if shocked by Chamber's transformation.
"A woman's transformation is a secret. Don't ask."
Chamber casually rolled her shoulders and tilted her head.
"Fine. No matter how you've changed, it's over once I kill you!"
As the Black Tower Master brought his hands together, monstrosities made of black darkness rose up. They were neither demonic beasts nor demonized humans, but they charged towards Chamber wrapped in even denser demonic energy.
"Always so disgusting."
Chamber twisted her lips upward.
"Your summoning magic."
One of the Black Tower Master's main magics was summoning, but it was different from ordinary summoning. Monsters that ignored physical force and had great resistance to magic. They possessed all the advantages of both general summoning and spirit summoning.
As the Black Tower Master spread his palms, Chamber's mana began to be drawn towards him. The particles of mana that had been shimmering with blue light turned into pitch-black demonic energy the moment they touched him and were absorbed into his body.
"Stop playing around and go out with a bang, why don't you?"
Chamber lowered her eyebrows and surrounded herself with a barrier of mana, but the Black Tower Master's magic absorbed even the mana imbued in that barrier, gradually increasing the demonic energy.
"I wonder if you can still say such things even after your flesh and blood are stripped away."
The Black Tower Master was gaining the upper hand by dominating space with his summoning magic and absorbing her mana.
"You, without even being able to resist once..."
"Ultimate technique."
Chamber raised her index and middle fingers in front of her eyes as she looked at the Black Tower Master opening his mouth.
"Space Rift."
As soon as the quiet incantation flowed, a shockwave erupted as if piercing space with an awl, erasing the demonic beasts summoned by the Black Tower Master and tearing apart the Demonic Spirit Barrier he was wearing.
"W-what is this..."
The Black Tower Master's jaw trembled as he looked at the blood flowing from his waist. His expression showed he couldn't understand how the Demonic Spirit Barrier had been torn and his flesh had been ripped away.
"You! What have you done!"
He shouted for an answer, his ruby-red eyes bulging.
"I told you, didn't I? Let's play with a bang."
Chamber shook her head, maintaining her concentration despite having injured the Black Tower Master.
"I've overcome you. Now darkness is no longer invincible."
The attribute of darkness is absorption, accepting everything. In fact, until now, she hadn't been able to penetrate the Black Tower Master's darkness. But now, having strengthened her body and mana to increase the power of her ultimate technique, she could shatter his darkness.
"Nonsense!"
The Black Tower Master chewed his lips as he erased the wound on his waist.
"Then feel it again. Ultimate technique: Space Rift."
As Chamber brought her hands together again to unleash her ultimate technique, the darkness surrounding the Black Tower Master was torn apart along with space itself. The Black Tower Master tried to protect the tearing space by condensing demonic energy, but Chamber's magic seemed to have already surpassed his level, erasing space itself.
In the brief moment of mana exchange, Chamber emerged victorious. The spatial slash she fired pierced right through the Black Tower Master's chest.
"Kuhek!"
The Black Tower Master coughed up blood and lowered his head. He trembled all over from the pain he was feeling for the first time in decades. But Chamber's offensive wasn't over yet. She employed her ultimate technique again as if intending to finish it now.
"Ultimate technique: Magical Field!"
The Black Tower Master brought out an ultimate technique to block Chamber's ultimate technique, to avoid any further pain. Although Magical Field is a magic that deeply compresses demonic energy and then erases everything existing before one's eyes, now he had no choice but to use it to block the Space Rift.
As the ultimate techniques of the upper-level Transcendents collided one after another, purple sparks spread across the sky. It was as if an enraged thunder dragon was dropping lightning onto the earth.
"Are you really trying to die, woman?"
The Black Tower Master gritted his teeth as he watched Chamber continuously employing her ultimate technique.
"Why would I die?"
Chamber sneered as she brought her hands forward.
"You're the only one dying here."
She curled her lips upward and used Space Rift again.
"Damn woman!"
The Black Tower Master screamed and unleashed Magical Field again. Black darkness spread like a cozy blanket, forming a wall to protect him. The darkness was torn away, and new darkness filled its place, but the magic that had devoured space seemed unsatisfied and consumed even the newly sprouted demonic energy.
The clash between magic that cuts through everything and magic that receives everything. Ultimate magic that could erase each other's lives with a single mistake collided repeatedly.
Chamber and the Black Tower Master remained motionless, maintaining the formulas of their ultimate techniques. Although a terrifying competition was taking place between the two, the movement was so fast that there seemed to be no change on the surface.
Blood dripped from Chamber's nose, and blue veins bulged on the Black Tower Master's pale skin. It meant that both Transcendents were pushing themselves to the brink of death to pressure each other.
But Chamber continued her ultimate technique even while coughing up blood, and the Black Tower Master had no choice but to keep using Magical Field to defend against her magic. As ultimate techniques clashed with ultimate techniques, space itself collapsed, and purple currents covered the entire sky.
* * *
The Black Tower Master bit his lip as he continued to receive Chamber's relentless Space Rifts.
'She's insane. This is impossible without being crazy!'
An ultimate technique is a magic that puts a burden not only on the enemy but also on oneself even with a single use. But now Chamber was pouring them out as if they were ordinary magic. It felt like a determination to kill the enemy even if it meant dying herself.
'The problem is...'
Even knowing this, there's no other way. The Space Rifts that Chamber was creating had enough power to penetrate the Demonic Spirit Barrier and damage his body and soul. If he took one more hit, he would collapse, so he had to keep using ultimate techniques as well.
'At this rate, it will be mutual destruction.'
It's true that he had the advantage in terms of compatibility, but if the battle continued like this, neither would win, neither would lose, and both would die.
'Damn it...'
He had one more thing prepared besides the Silent Spirit World, but in a situation like this, he couldn't summon it. He had to end it here somehow.
'A method. A method... Ah!'
As the Black Tower Master continued to unfold Magical Fields, his eyes caught sight of the black fragments remaining behind Chamber. They were the demonic beasts he had summoned at the beginning.
'With that...'
An opportunity to escape this situation had arisen. The Black Tower Master diverted the demonic energy he had been focusing on his ultimate technique and poured it into the summoned beasts. The demonic beasts, receiving demonic energy as nourishment, screamed with joy and instantly expanded their bodies.
'Kill Chamber!'
At the Black Tower Master's command, the demonic beasts bit into Chamber's flesh and crushed her bones as she focused on her ultimate technique. Though small in size, being summoned creatures made of demonic energy, they could easily tear apart a human.
"Ultimate technique: Space Rift."
But even as her flesh was torn away and her bones crumbled, Chamber did not unfold her two fingers held in front of her. Her ultimate technique shattered the Magical Field and pierced through his chest. It was not Chamber who lost concentration first, but himself.
"What..."
The Black Tower Master's open mouth trembled. Wounds caused by demonic energy are more painful and heated than ordinary wounds. To endure that pain and use an ultimate technique was beyond human concentration.
"Kuaaaa!"
The Black Tower Master instructed the demonic beasts to completely kill Chamber as he unfolded Magical Field again.
"Ultimate technique."
Chamber did not lose her focus even as she bled red blood from her entire body.
"Space Rift."
The Magical Field distorted, and his shoulder crumbled.
"W-wait..."
"Ultimate technique: Space Rift."
Now he couldn't even unfold Magical Field. Her ultimate technique tore through the Demonic Spirit Barrier and pierced his chest.
"Kuheheuk..."
The Black Tower Master finally fell to his knees, unable to withstand the pain. Not just physical pain, but mental pain also came, making his mind ring as if he was about to faint.
"Ultimate technique."
Chamber did not stop her incantation even though the Black Tower Master had fallen. She raised her fingers, now visible to the bone from being bitten by the demonic beasts, and completed her magic until the very end.
"Space Rift."
"Damn..."
With the Black Tower Master's weakened groan, the last strand of demonic energy burst forth.