Zodia's towering pillars of light began to hum, their magic circles spinning violently as energy condensed within them. In the next instant, they fired—devastating beams of godlike power tearing through the sky straight toward Kazuki.
Kazuki clenched his teeth as purple flames and crackling purple lightning erupted from his body. The two forces twisted together, forming a colossal being of raging fire and electricity.
"Now go," Kazuki roared.
"Inferno God!"
The massive entity let out a thunderous roar and charged forward, colliding head-on with Zodia's attack. The clash detonated into a blinding explosion that shook the heavens, ripping apart the land beneath them.
The two powers struggled violently, neither willing to give way.
Kazuki's arms trembled as sweat poured down his face.
"I can't hold this much longer", he thought desperately. "His attack is overwhelming mine. This… this is all I've got left. Damn it—we're finished.".
Zodia narrowed his eyes, watching closely as his energy steadily overpowered Kazuki's technique, he watched closely as Kazuki's technique was struggling with his. Energy drove through the wastelands, Kazuki was sweating, his hands burning up.
Zodia thought to himself "This boy… he's controlling both flames and lightning—no, not just any flames and lightning. Purple variants… much more powerful and dangerous than typical fire and lightning.".
His eyes widened slightly "Could he be—? No. Impossible.
From a distance, Ukina observed the clash in silence.
"That Kazuki boy truly is exceptional," she murmured. "Wielding flames and lightning simultaneously is rare enough—but his versions surpass even natural prodigies like Kenji who could wield both elements at the same time casually without problems. That talent alone placed him in A-rank… yet it's meaningless against Zodia."
She glanced at her hand, where the Malenia Stones glowed faintly. A slow smile formed on her lips.
"Once Zodia finishes playing, he'll absorb these stones and reclaim his full divinity. Then the world will finally change. The Dark Sign will rise again… and every loyal follower will be rewarded."
Back on the battlefield, Zodia spoke calmly as his power continued to overwhelm Kazuki.
"I'm impressed you're still standing. Truly. Lasting this long against me is no small feat."
His smile sharpened.
"But I'm tired. Let's end this."
With a sudden surge, Zodia's beams completely swallowed Inferno God. The resulting explosion erased everything in its path—mountains crumbling, the continent itself scarred beyond recognition.
When the smoke finally cleared, Kazuki stood barely upright, blood running down his face and the rest of his body. Behind him, Alex struggled to remain on his feet.
"Kazuki!" Alex shouted. "Answer me—are you alive?!"
Kazuki scoffed weakly as his face bled.
"Relax. I'm not dead… yet."
Alex slammed his fist into the ground, rage boiling over.
"Is there anything we can do to this monster?! We used everything—every plan, every technique—hell, we even made moves up from the top of our heads! And it still wasn't enough!"
Zodia sighed, clearly losing interest.
"I almost pity you," he said. "Almost enough to offer comfort. But this has dragged on long enough."
He raised a hand.
"But first…"
"Illusion Technique."
A strange sensation rippled through Kazuki's body, his head felt a massive wave of drowsiness, it was like his mind almost shot off. His eyes widened.
"Huh? What was that?An illusion? Why did I just feel like my mind just left my body? What did this man do?!".
Zodia clicked his tongue internally.
"No effect. As expected. Spirits are resistant to high-level illusions.
Ukina's eyes lit up with realization.
"So illusions don't work on him… even Zodia's."
She smirked. "Shinki… you clever fox. You must've left hidden safeguards within him. Those lightning magic circles, that was your signature technique."
Zodia shifted his attention to Alex.
"Let's try something else."
A small magic circle formed at his fingertip.
"Mind Control.", he stretched his hand put as he cast out his technique.
Alex suddenly groaned, clutching his head as pain surged through his head "AHH! GAAHA!", Kazuki turned to him "WHAT WRONG, ALEX?!", he asked his friend with worry. Alex struggled to keep himself together "MY HEAD! IT HURTS! SOMETHING'S GOING ON! ITS LIKE IM BEING STABBED IN THE HEAD OVER AND OVER!", Alex explained while in pain.
Zodia found himself standing inside Alex's mind—a vast, dark void. Blood pooled beneath his feet "So this is how his inner world looks like.", Zodia thought.
A low growl echoed, this got Zodia's attention. By the time Zodia looked front, he saw a massive demon, grinning with pure malice. Its entire body covered in red deminic aura.
For the first time in ages, Zodia felt something unfamiliar. [FEAR].
He snapped back to reality, a single bead of sweat sliding down his cheek.
"So that's what this is…" he muttered. Zodia smirked "It's been a very long time since I've felt fear.".
His eyes widened
"All the more reason to end this quickly."
Energy gathered at his fingertip, so dense the sky itself reacted—lightning crackling wildly as violent winds tore across the battlefield.
"It was fun while it lasted. Seriously, it was fun. You gave me a very interesting fight i haven't felt in ages.", Zodia said coldly.
"Now disappear."
He fired the beam.
Alex and Kazuki stood frozen, completely helpless.
Then—
"Hey, brat...", a voice echoed inside Alex.
"Take this."
A monstrous surge of dark demonic energy erupted from Alex's body, violently deflecting Zodia's attack back at him. The resulting explosion wiped out everything behind Zodia—mountains reduced to dust, the land annihilated.
Zodia dodged just in time—but not unscathed.
A thin scratch marked his cheek "He deflected my attack?", Zodia thought with annoyance.
His eyes locked onto Alex.
Alex stood transformed—one side of his body covered in jagged demonic scales, his left eye glowing crimson. His hair darkened to deep red and black, a twisted wing extending from his back. His left arm had transformed into a dark demonic arm. Alex grinned. It was a feral, murderous grin.
END OF CHAPTER