"Go get him!"
At Mariabell's command, Gai lunged forward with a crazed fury twisting his face. His hatred was palpable—feral, irrational. Had he escaped after being taken by the Magical Inquisitors? It didn't matter now.
"Hmph! Someone like you dares bare your fangs at Atem-sama—"
Shion snarled, but Yuuki intercepted her.
"Your opponent is me."
"Oh? A puppet, controlled by that woman? Very well. A weakling such as you is unworthy of my time!" Shion roared, eyes glowing crimson.
That meant she was serious.
Youki surged violently from her body as she raised her odachi and clashed with Yuuki in a storm of sparks.
Good—she would handle that for now.
My real concern was the man charging toward me.
He was stronger than an average Holy Knight, but Gobta would manage him well enough. Even with Ranga beside him, I felt a faint unease… but nothing worth diverting attention for.
"Gobta! Show them the might of the Four Heavenly Kings!" Shion called. I had almost forgotten that running gag existed.
"Yes ma'am!" Gobta shouted. "Then I'll unveil my trump card!"
"Transformation!"
Magic Wolf Transformation—Gobta and Ranga merged, forming the imposing werewolf form with none of Gobta's usual silliness in sight.
Good.
This version of Gobta had far greater control than one month ago. He was no longer being carried by Ranga—he was fighting as one.
Their opponent was undeniably powerful—even stronger than the Ten Great Saints—but Gobta now could handle it. He would not fall.
My focus returned to Gai.
I lifted my left hand, gathered divine youki infused with judgment, and released it.
Gai was annihilated instantly—reduced to nothing, erased from existence.
Even corrupted by Mariabell's Greed, surpassing his natural limits, he was still nothing before me.
"You wish for death? Very well. I shall grant you judgment before the end."
The words were cruel—but they were justice.
"Liar! What is this—how does this world have power like—"
"What is what? This is my strength when I cast aside restraint. Now understand the type of enemy you provoked. I shall devour your soul until even reincarnation rejects you. Prepare yourself."
Pre-battle etiquette.
I would show him no mercy.
I had acknowledged Mariabell as my enemy.
And enemies… are eliminated.
I had to finish this quickly to reinforce Milim. With that duty in mind, I stepped toward Mariabell.
She trembled as she realized it.
She was facing Atem, King of Eterna, one of the most terrifying beings walking this world.
"I… I get the feeling that Atem-sama is absolutely terrifying now."
"Idiot. Why are you panicking when you're a Heavenly King? Gobta! Pay attention! This is the true form of our King, Atem-sama! Ahh… witnessing such majesty… I am blessed!"
"I-Is that so? I feel like the Atem-sama we see every day is also the real one…"
"I admit Atem-sama is beautiful, dignified, and radiant in his daily state. Hehe… meanwhile, even secretary number two, Diablo, isn't fortunate enough to witness this moment! He will regret this greatly. I shall brag endlessly."
Mariabell thought they sounded idiotic.
But she didn't have the luxury of dwelling on it.
She had to face me.
This… was no joke.
During the council meeting she had insulted me—yet I hardly reacted, maintaining composure. Some fools called me "Mild."
They were blind.
The King of Eterna did not lose control easily. But when he turned serious…
Not even Mariabell dared underestimate him.
She had poured everything into strengthening Gai—burning his soul and remaining life force. His strength surpassed most majin. Even Frey or Karion would struggle.
Yet I erased him with a flick.
That was the chasm between us.
Mariabell possessed power stronger than Gai through her reincarnated soul—yet even she recognized the threat I posed.
So she enacted her ultimate gambit.
Holy Purification Barrier.
The bane of monsters.
The strongest killing barrier humans could create.
She had arranged Blood Shadows around the castle long before this moment.
"Before you boast, know your place! Know the difference between human intellect and monster instinct!" she shouted.
She activated the barrier.
"Eh!? My body feels heavy—"
"I remember this… stronger than before! Is this its true power?"
Gobta wavered. Shion scoffed.
Mariabell gritted her teeth.
These were genuine Heavenly Kings—ridiculously powerful majin. Gobta nearly won the tournament; Shion, equal in rank, was terrifyingly strong. And there were others—majins who accompanied me.
A ridiculous force.
Even without Veldora, facing them head-on would be suicide.
But—
Now the demon lord was trapped in the Purification Barrier.
Or so she believed.
Her smug smile was short-lived.
"As expected. You used it."
I smiled calmly. "Which is why I already countered it."
A moment later—
The entire Holy Purification Barrier collapsed.
"What!? What did you DO!?"
"Do you imagine I walk around without preparations?"
My voice echoed with regal authority.
"You attempted to ensnare me. And so, I allowed myself to be the bait—so you would reveal yourself. Glenda was never eliminated. She betrayed you. Therefore, your barrier was doomed from the start."
Her expression froze.
He's right.
I wasn't overconfident…
I was naïve.
Now her trump card was destroyed.
Gai dead.
Yuuki barely holding Shion off.
Lamar struggling against Gobta.
Her forces faltered everywhere.
Mariabell was the only one who could change anything.
So she burned her soul—her very essence.
"Then I'll gamble everything! And kill you!"
"Very well."
I stepped forward. "I shall answer with my full power as well."
She moved first.
Her kick cracked the air, stronger than cannon fire. But I blocked it effortlessly and sent her tumbling.
She recovered instantly, attacking again—
"Die! —Death Wish!—"
Darkness surged.
Reversal of the instinct to live—Mariabell's ultimate technique.
A deadly sin skill born from human emotion.
She had every reason to believe she would win.
But—
"Analysis complete," Solarys intoned silently in my mind.
"Her ability cannot harm you."
I had long awakened my Ultimate Skill.
Her Unique Skill was hopelessly outclassed.
Mariabell wilted.
"How disappointing…" she murmured.
"Even you cannot resist the desire to live."
"But I already cast aside such trivial instincts long ago."
I stepped out of the darkness untouched.
"It is your misunderstanding that led you here."
Mariabell panicked.
She unleashed everything.
But she could no longer touch me.
I sighed—disappointed.
"I shall send you on your way painlessly. Reflect inside my body."
I activated:
Judgment of Osirion
A fusion of Horus' Eye of Eternity, Duel of Destiny, and Anubis' Predation.
Atem sees all lies, condemns all evil, and devours the souls of the guilty.
Yet right before it activated—
CLANG!
Shion flew across the room, slammed brutally into stone.
Yuuki had struck her.
Her regeneration stalled.
Impossible.
"Shion!"
" "AHAHAHA—HAHAHAHA!" "
Mariabell and Yuuki laughed together—mad, unhinged.
"Impressive, Atem. I underestimated you… You're truly a monster…"
"Indeed." Yuuki grinned. "But don't forget about me."
Mariabell unleashed a wave of darkness over Yuuki.
«Answer: Individual Yuuki Kagurazaka's strength has drastically increased.
Mariabell Rosso has transferred power via Skill Greed.»
Of course she had another trick.
"Tch. Don't cry if you die," Yuuki sneered.
"That line belongs to me."
We clashed—kicks crossing, both of us sent flying.
He was shockingly strong. Stronger physically than Mariabell. He defeated Shion before she could execute a single technique.
But I wasn't about to show mercy.
As we fought, Mariabell slipped away toward the center of the tomb.
Yuuki blocked me from pursuing her—but it didn't matter.
I had locked onto her soul. She could not escape.
Yuuki was the real obstacle.
Fine.
I had wasted enough time.
I invoked—
Absolute Probability Manipulation
Fate itself twists to Atem's will.
Events, laws, outcomes—everything bends to ensure his inevitable victory.
And the battle shifted.