“Desolate Fire, it’s time to release your power,” Via said in a low voice. “Go as wild as you can. Don’t worry about whether I can endure it.”
“Understood, Demon King!!” Desolate Fire responded excitedly.
“Release—”
Via grabbed Desolate Fire and hurled it toward the sky.
The demonic blade wreathed in black flames spun several times in mid-air before falling back down under gravity, piercing straight through Via’s body.
Hmm? Is she committing suicide?
Sali saw this scene and could not help but sneer.
After all that big talk, she still chose to escape the fight through death when faced with absolute power suppression. How ridiculous—
Before Sali could finish his thought, black flames erupted from Via’s body, engulfing the entire square.
All Abyssal Force was devoured, forming a black vortex. At the center of the black flames, a singularity formed, greedily swallowing every bit of Abyssal Force around it.
The black rain falling from the sky evaporated instantly, turning into mist.
Thump! Thump!
Sali’s expression froze. His body began trembling uncontrollably.
From within the black flames came a booming sound like a giant bell, striking his soul and preventing him from lifting his head.
Was that… a heartbeat?
He could not understand how there could be a creature in this world whose heartbeat sounded so overwhelming.
“Huh?!”
Nicholas also sensed something was wrong. He assumed a defensive stance, staring fixedly ahead without blinking.
Within the black vortex, a crimson light slowly moved forward as black lines outlined an enormous body.
It was a massive black beast.
“What… is that?” Kurei asked, stunned by the sight.
Melu was too shocked to speak.
The black beast was wreathed in black flames. Its body resembled that of a tiger or panther, with a massive tail made of black fire. Every time its four limbs stepped on the ground, Abyssal Force eroded the earth beneath into a black-red color, turning it into its own domain that spread rapidly outward, transforming the space into its territory.
“This is actually a Demon King Beast?” Sashaya was genuinely surprised.
“Demon King Beast? Lady Sashaya, what is that?” Kurei asked, hearing an unfamiliar term.
“You all should know this, right? If demonkind uses Abyssal Force without restraint and exceeds a certain threshold, they will be corroded by it and turn into abyssal beasts. Although their strength increases further, they lose all rationality and soon destroy themselves.”
“Of course we know that. It’s basic common sense for our race.”
Sashaya continued, “The same applies to the Demon King. If a Demon King comes into too much contact with the power of the abyss, they will suffer backlash, lose their sanity, and fall into an abyssal beast.” She paused. “But have you ever considered what would happen if a peak Legendary-tier Demon King were corrupted by Abyssal Force and broke through after becoming an abyssal beast?”
“What would it become?” Kurei had never thought about it.
“In my long life, I have only seen it once. A peak Legendary-tier Demon King who fell and broke through became a Mythical-tier Demon King Beast—the kind that only exists in legends.”
Sashaya’s expression was extremely serious.
“Although that Demon King Beast only lived for less than a day, its terrifying power was something no one in the world could contend with.”
“So the Demon King has turned into a Demon King Beast!”
“It seems so. Via released all of Desolate Fire’s power. With the support of the Demon King Armament’s system, she absorbed all the Abyssal Force and went completely berserk, becoming a Demon King Beast. Although there’s still some gap from true Mythical tier, this power is more than enough to crush any Legendary-tier opponent.”
“Is the Demon King really this powerful?”
“In theory, she shouldn’t be able to become a Demon King Beast. But Via was able to push the power to this level, which must be thanks to the amplification from her bloodline. She wasn’t lying—she really is the descendant of the Original Demon King.”
Even Sashaya felt a trace of wariness as she looked at Via, who had transformed into the Demon King Beast.
“Bullshit! How could this possibly be a Demon King Beast!!” Sali screamed hysterically. “This is nothing but a bluff! Nicholas, crush her!!”
“Kill!”
The soulless Nicholas knew no fear. He obeyed Sali’s command. The ancient runes on his body lit up as he reinforced himself with Abyssal Force.
Just like before, he stomped on the ground, shattering it, and used the recoil to accelerate at high speed. He appeared in front of the Demon King Beast and slammed both fists forward.
Space itself shattered under his domineering power.
His earth-shaking strike landed solidly on the Demon King Beast, forcing it back.
“Heh heh heh, hahahaha!” Sali laughed wildly. “I don’t care if you’re Ville or not. Anyone who dares stand in my way must die here! You fool.”
Sashaya pulled down the brim of her hat. She could already foresee the outcome.
Nicholas’s fists rained down on the Demon King Beast like a violent storm.
At first, Sali thought Nicholas had the upper hand and felt smug. But he gradually realized something was wrong.
Why was the Demon King Beast completely unharmed despite taking so many space-shattering punches from Nicholas?
He noticed that the black flames on the Demon King Beast were burning even more fiercely.
“No, Lord Sali, something’s wrong!!” Hels shouted in horror. “The Demon King Beast is absorbing Nicholas’s Abyssal Force!”
“What?!”
Sali’s eyes widened.
Just as Hels said, with every strike Nicholas landed, the Demon King Beast’s aura grew stronger. Its body continued to expand, becoming more and more oppressive.
Rather than an attack, it was more like feeding the Demon King Beast energy.
“A Demon King Beast stands at the very apex of the abyss. Attacking it with Abyssal Force is as stupid as attacking the ocean with water magic—it has no meaning whatsoever,” Sashaya commented. “Once Via becomes a Demon King Beast, there is no way for demonkind to kill her unless she destroys herself in her own madness.”
Sali was at a loss for a moment. He could no longer think of any way to turn the situation around.
The Abyssal Force in Nicholas’s body was continuously drained by the Demon King Beast. Finally, he began to show signs of decline. His movements slowed, revealing openings.
Roar!
The massive Demon King Beast opened its maw, bit down on Nicholas’s body, and lifted him into the air.
Like an execution, the Demon King Beast closed its sharp teeth, crushing Nicholas’s seemingly indestructible body and biting him cleanly in half. Blood announced the end of the battle.
Cool cat form