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***
Baal's body crackled with blue-white electricity, lightning coursing through her tiny Bangboo frame with the dignity of a god.
The miniature Musou Isshin katana, thirty centimeters long, fit perfectly in her grasp.
She lifted the blade with a calm air, as though it were an ordinary gesture.
Five hundred years ago, she had been the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma. Though not as relentlessly devoted to the martial path as her sister, her divine form had cut down countless monsters.
In the bloody war of Khaenri'ah, she had grown into a warrior fully deserving of her title as an Archon.
Even if this current body was no longer divine, she did not fear a monster akin to a Lawachurl.
Baal drew the katana to her hip and softly closed her violet eyes.
Her breathing steadied into silence—yet the lightning surged brighter still.
Arcs of blue-white light leapt and twined, slowly transforming into a more dreadful golden radiance.
Sol'sgrasp of electromagnetism relied on technological refinement, his railgun capable of devastating force.
But Baal shaped that same force into elemental lightning—wielded it with the sword art of a god who commands thunder. Its might was not a whit lesser.
…
"So dense… such powerful electricity, it's like real lightning is splitting the sky right in front of me." Nicole stared at Baal, stunned. "That much would drain an entire Hollow Tower, wouldn't it?"
She swore she had never seen such intensity of Ether coursing through any Proxy.
Take Anby for instance—her attacks relied on storing energy in her scabbard before release. Troublesome, and far weaker than the golden thunder that now blazed around Baal.
"You Cunning Hares are really full of surprises—even a Bangboo of yours can release lightning like this, meow!" Nekomiya Mana shuddered, clutching the little girl tighter.
She remembered—this Bangboo wasn't fond of her. If it zapped her once… she'd end up as charred cat-ash.
"Of course!" Nicole answered with pride. She had no idea why Baal had power of this scale, but pride was the right response now.
Still, looking at that tiny frame, she couldn't help but worry. Could such a small figure really face the Dead End Butcher?
At that instant, Baal opened her eyes. Her violet gaze was cold and merciless, the lightning around her surging to its limit.
In a flash, she vanished—reappearing above the Dead End Butcher's head.
Then her thunder-wreathed blade descended.
"ROAR!"
The Dead End Butcher sensed the imminent threat, abandoning its assault on Anby and Billy to throw an arm up before its head.
Skkkt!
The thunder-charged blade sliced into the green flesh.
Skin and muscle tough as steel meant nothing.
The edge cleaved through—its massive forearm severed as if through soft butter.
The huge limb that fell was nearly twice Baal's entire size.
"AAARGH! ROOOAR!"
The Dead End Butcher bellowed, springing back in a desperate retreat.
With its dim intellect, it understood—this tiny foe was terrifying. It was no opponent it could match.
But Baal did not let go. Lightning flashed again as she pursued, blade poised. "Rampaging beast—you've already claimed countless lives. I will not allow you to remain a scourge upon this world!"
Cornered, the Dead End Butcher howled and fell into madness, its colossal axe lashing out in a storm of strikes.
But missing half an arm, it was no contest.
Roars and wild swings could not stem the storm of slashes. Each blow from Baal carved fresh wounds, lightning searing deeper into its flesh.
Freed from the monster's pressure, Billy and Anby stood frozen in awe.
"This… this is really Boss Sol's Bangboo?" Billy's eyes nearly bulged out. "N-no way… she's a monster!"
The Dead End Butcher, torn apart piece by piece under Baal's strikes, was unrecognizable.
He almost suspected Sol himself was hiding inside the Bangboo—how else could such strength emerge from such a small purple thing?
"That's Baal, no mistake." Anby's tone was steady, but her heart was in turmoil. She's so strong.
Moments ago, the Dead End Butcher's axe had left her arms tingling from the force of blocking.
Now, the four-meter-tall monster couldn't last even a few exchanges against this Bangboo.
Watching the Dead End Butcher's battered state, Billy even felt a pang of pity.
This Bangboo was too brutal.
From now on, he swore, he'd treat her with nothing but respect—because if she ever dismantled him, there would be nowhere to complain.