The moment the Word Soul Devil's gaze locked onto him, Yuuki felt it—
That suffocating sensation of being targeted.
He snapped his head upward, eyes meeting the crimson stare in the sky.
So, I'm the one you've chosen?
"Impressive," the devil rasped mockingly. "But no matter what you do, it's all meaningless."
His scarlet eyes flashed.
Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!
In an instant—
Dozens of serpentine monsters formed from black-blue gel surged in from every direction, encircling Yuuki and lunging inward in a crushing assault.
"Fire Spirit Magic — Spirit Storm!"
Yuuki's eyes sharpened. Standing atop Salamander's flaming head, he roared.
He had modeled this move after Yuno's Spirit Magic.
"ROAR!"
Salamander let out a dragonlike bellow.
Its massive body exploded into a vortex of blazing fire, wrapping Yuuki at its center. The flames contracted—
Then violently expanded.
BOOM!
A spiraling pillar of fire shot skyward from Yuuki's position, colliding head-on with the charging gel serpents.
Explosions and shrieking friction filled the air.
The impact shockwave rippled outward like a detonating bomb.
Though the attack held them back—
Yuuki did not relax.
If he didn't annihilate them completely, they would regenerate—
And grow stronger by devouring mana.
Clap!
Hovering at the vortex's core, Yuuki compressed the swirling inferno inward. The spiraling pillar collapsed around him, condensing into a dense crimson sphere of blazing mana.
He looked like a miniature sun.
"Radiance of the Little Sun!"
A barrage of thumb-thick crimson laser beams erupted from his body.
Where they passed—
The gel serpents were sliced apart and vaporized instantly.
Yuuki exhaled sharply.
"Even if devil magic stands on a higher plane… compressed Spirit Magic can still contend with it!"
"That's insane… Yuuki really is amazing!"
Asta wiped sweat from his brow, staring at the sea of fire.
Then he looked down at the Demon-Slayer Sword in his hands. Anti-magic continued leaking uncontrollably from it.
"If everyone else is mastering their power… then I can too!"
He gripped the hilt tightly.
"I'll control this completely!"
High above, the Word Soul Devil narrowed his eyes.
Yuuki had erased more than a dozen constructs in an instant.
Interesting.
"You're more entertaining than expected, toy."
He lifted one hand elegantly.
The ground churned.
More serpents burst forth.
Above Yuuki—
Massive black portals opened.
Black-blue gel poured out like a collapsing dam.
Within half a breath, Yuuki was engulfed.
Hissing filled the air.
Even if he unleashed another solar burst, he couldn't erase everything at once.
"Permeation Magic."
Yuuki vanished.
The surging gel collided in a thunderous crash where he had stood.
"Same trick again."
"Blade Storm."
The devil's voice rang cold.
A torrential rain of both magical and physical blades materialized, targeting the area where Yuuki had disappeared.
Yuuki's expression hardened.
The devil wasn't attacking randomly—
He had predicted this.
Metal clanged in empty air.
"Found you, little mouse."
The Word Soul Devil grinned, revealing blackened fangs.
A Disintegrating Spear formed in his hand.
He hurled it downward like black lightning.
Yuuki's eyes widened.
Disintegration versus Permeation…
Which was stronger?
He had no intention of testing that theory.
Should I use Fate Magic—?
He hesitated.
He had already burned half his mana using it earlier.
The devil had clearly adapted to him.
Just then—
A streak of black lightning intercepted the spear.
CLANG!
Asta blocked it with the Demon-Slayer Sword.
"You think you get all the glory?!" he shouted, forcing the spear aside.
The anti-magic spilling from his blade began to compress—
Stabilize.
Not only that—
A brilliant emerald slash tore through the falling blades overhead.
Yuno.
Yuuki slipped free of the gel and reappeared beside them.
Asta grinned.
"Guess even you can get cornered sometimes, huh?"
Yuno smirked faintly.
"You may not want to be Wizard King… but I'm defeating you before I become one."
Wind mana condensed in his palms.
A blade of pure emerald wind formed.
"Spirit Creation Magic — Spirit of Zephyr!"
Asta roared.
"Don't forget me!"
Anti-magic surged violently.
The black corruption spread across more of his body. Two-thirds of his hair had turned black.
The Demon-Slayer Sword expanded, its surface etched with dark patterns.
"Anti-Magic — Demon-Slayer Sword: Black Divider!"
Yuuki stared at the two of them.
Then laughed quietly.
"You've both gotten stronger again."
"As expected… my rivals."
They smiled.
At the Royal Capital festival, they had realized how far Yuuki had surpassed them.
Now—
They had already caught up.
"You two go."
Yuuki placed a hand lightly on each of their backs.
"I'll handle the rest."
Without hesitation, they charged.
Gel serpents that had once been overwhelming were now cleaved apart effortlessly.
The Word Soul Devil sneered.
"Nice spirit."
"But can you even touch me?"
"Then we'll remove the distance."
Yuuki shouted:
"Spatial Magic — Fallen Angel's Gate!"
Portals opened across the battlefield.
Yuuki's perception—mana and ki combined—allowed him to place them perfectly.
Asta.
Yuno.
Lumiere.
Licht.
Patry.
Each received a gateway.
They surged through in coordinated assault.
Even with his speed, the devil could not escape.
Yuuki repositioned them constantly, cutting off every retreat.
Five figures swarmed him in relentless formation.
The Word Soul Devil could not even utter a proper command.
Damn it!
Black mana intensified.
"Trash!"
"Vermin!"
"You dare—?!"
"I'm bored."
"Die!"
"Despair and resistance are nothing but my playthings!"
His body warped.
Mouths opened across his skin—
Dozens—
Hundreds—
Each muttering in discordant whispers.
He broke free of the encirclement, rising higher.
All mouths spoke in unison:
"None shall survive!"
"Soundwave Magnetic Gel — Snoyn Endidgu — Rueodiss—!"
Giant black portals erupted—
Overriding Yuuki's spatial gates.
Black-blue gel poured out like a tidal apocalypse.
Within seconds—
The chamber flooded.
They were forced into a shrinking pocket of space.
Yuuki could shield them with Permeation—
But only temporarily.
If they all phased out—
They'd become sitting ducks.
The devil could trap them here with Blade Storm until Yuuki's mana ran dry.
And once he dropped—
The gel would devour them.
No.
This had to end quickly.
Very quickly.
(End of Chapter)
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