On the other side of the battlefield, Rynel stood facing Chronael.
The time mist surrounding the angel quivered subtly, making the space around him appear to crack like glass pressed from within.
Chronael's speed was inhuman—
a single slash equaled three normal attacks.
"Kneel, Rynel. I can still forgive you," Chronael said flatly.
Rynel smiled faintly.
"If I kneel… the first to fall will be you."
He assessed quickly: his opponent's main power controlled time. If he wanted to win, he had to surpass that speed.
"Teleport."
He vanished and reappeared right in front of Chronael. The Black Kama emerged from his sword, but the black scythe vanished the moment it touched Chronael's blade—swallowed by the time distortion.
Rynel did not stop. Teleport. He attacked again.
Chronael easily deflected it.
Then it was Chronael's turn.
Three sword shadows appeared simultaneously—triple strikes in one swing.
Rynel blocked them all.
The battle became a blur of teleportation.
Rynel disappeared, reappeared, moving behind, to the side, above.
The clash of energy between the time sword and the darkness blade shattered the sky with black-and-white light.
"Your sword… can stop attacks. I've tested it many times," Rynel said with a smile.
Chronael was momentarily shocked—his secret exposed.
Rynel vanished again, but his rhythm was different this time.
He appeared behind Chronael and struck, but the attack was deflected.
Rynel teleported in front once more and tried to attack Chronael again,
but just as the swords nearly met—
Rynel changed his teleport direction at the last second.
He appeared right behind Chronael.
"Got you," Rynel said.
His sword, engulfed in black flames, pierced Chronael's defense.
Black fire enveloped the wound.
The archangel's body slowly split, the white light fading from his wings.
"Belzebub."
Black mist exploded from Rynel's hands, swallowing both Chronael and Lazarion.
The Great Sage's voice echoed:
«Skill acquired: Time Kontorora — partial control over the flow of time.»
«Skill acquired: Control Seitoshi — control over life and death.»
Rynel gazed at the sky.
In the distance, Azradiel was nearly finished with a summoning spell.
"Sniper," he whispered. "Take him down."
BANG— the first bullet pierced Azradiel's head.
Yet he continued his incantation.
The second, third, fourth shots—
and when the sixth bullet hit, his body collapsed.
But it was too late.
The spell had completed.
Cracked black light appeared in the air, and three figures emerged from the magic circle:
— a human cloaked in dark red aura, wearing a hooded jacket and wielding a black sword,
— a sorcerer in purple robes,
— and a healer with golden light dancing in their palms.
Azradiel fell… then his body was dragged in, swallowed by Rynel's darkness.
«Dimension Skill successfully acquired.»
«Five angels have been devoured.»
«Evolution conditions fulfilled.»
Meanwhile, in the evacuation area, chaos erupted.
People screamed hysterically while pointing at live broadcast screens.
"Impossible… How did he appear?
That's… Shadow from the manga King of Death!"
"And that's Marie from The Legendary Wizard!"
"Althena too?! From Queen of Healer!"
Three legendary fictional characters—who had only ever appeared in manga pages—now stood in the real world.
Their aura alone made hundreds tremble with fear.
"Why are these characters in the real world?!" one evacuee shouted.
As the panic peaked, the sky cracked.
From the light's crevice, two angels slowly descended.
Pyraeth — the Angel of Fire.
Oblivar — the Angel of Destruction.
Oblivar stepped forward, his voice echoing like a collapse of ruins:
"Hand over your children to us… or this place will be destroyed along with you."
Humans screamed in terror.
Cries erupted.
Women hugged their children.
Some men collapsed, hopeless.
Yet two men stepped forward calmly, as if the threat meant nothing.
The first man snorted.
"Well, well… it seems Lord Rynel's words were true."
The second stretched his neck.
"Good. I was getting bored just waiting and watching here."
They stood before the angels without fear.
They were Lazrel and Velnarion.
Lazrel looked at the trembling evacuees.
"Stay calm. We'll handle this."
Oblivar stared sharply at them.
"Who are you?"
Lazrel slowly drew his sword.
"I am Lazrel, loyal servant of the Demon King Rynel."
Velnarion smiled, revealing his dragon fangs.
"I am Velnarion… Rynel's trusted dragon."
Without warning, Velnarion whispered:
"Jigen Hen'i."
In an instant, the space around them folded.
The angels, Lazrel, and Velnarion vanished—transported to the battle dimension.
DIMENSION 1 – Lazrel vs Oblivar
Lazrel stood facing Oblivar.
His legendary sword reflected dark light.
Oblivar opened the duel with a massive slash.
Lazrel blocked it without moving a step, then countered quickly—Oblivar dodged, two strikes clashed, sparks flying.
Oblivar swung his sword, creating waves of destruction.
"Hakai Slash!"
Lazrel moved his sword.
"Oblivion Edge."
The two colossal attacks collided.
The explosion shook the dimension.
Oblivar didn't stop. The second, third, and subsequent attacks came.
Yet Lazrel again blocked them using the same technique.
The fierce battle continued.
Oblivar grew frustrated, unleashing a relentless barrage.
Lazrel held everything off with icy composure.
TING! TANG! TRAANG!
Finally—
Lazrel spotted a gap.
His movements suddenly accelerated.
He advanced, slashing from above. Oblivar sidestepped.
But Lazrel's movement suddenly changed; he twisted the hilt, slashing from below.
SLASH!
The upward strike pierced Oblivar's shoulder.
Light blood splattered.
Oblivar growled in anger.
"I will destroy you!
Zetsumetsu Breaker!!"
His sword glowed gold—energy enough to obliterate anything it touched.
But Lazrel only smiled.
"Unfortunately, I already know the weakness of that skill."
Oblivar was shocked.
He attacked blindly, dozens of times, relentlessly pursuing.
Lazrel dodged effortlessly.
"That power is useless," Lazrel said as he leapt back.
"If the attacks never hit their target."
Angry, Oblivar gathered numerous small orbs behind him.
"Ruin Spheres!"
Hundreds of energy spheres shot forth.
Lazrel deflected all of them; not a single one touched him.
"Low-level magic like that won't hurt me."
Lazrel spun his sword and extended his hand.
"Akuma Chain."
Black chains ensnared Oblivar, binding his hands, feet, and wings.
Oblivar struggled violently, but the chains didn't move.
"The chains," Lazrel explained, "will not release without the creator's permission."
Lazrel took a deep breath.
"Now… I will show the power granted by Lord Rynel."
He raised his hands.
"Fire burns within my soul."
A fire orb appeared behind his right.
"Wind guides me."
A wind orb appeared on the left.
"Light is beneath me."
A light orb formed under his feet.
"Darkness fills me."
A black orb appeared above his head.
The four orbs merged, spinning rapidly, combining into one—
A massive black orb with red-gold flames and green sparks formed before him.
"I swear loyalty to King Rynel…
The King of all Kings."
Lazrel pointed at Oblivar.
"CHAOS!!"
The dimension suddenly froze, becoming silent.
"FLARE!!"
The attack shot forth, striking Oblivar.
The explosion was so immense it engulfed the dimension.
When the light faded—
Nothing remained.
The Angel of Destruction had vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, in another dimension, Velnarion and Pyraeth fought fiercely.
Sword slashes, punches, and sparks of energy filled the air.
Velnarion blocked every Pyraeth strike with his bare hands—dragon scales on his arms glinting gold as he deflected sword and shield blows.
Pyraeth, clad in full armor, pressed relentlessly forward, yet every Velnarion strike shook his shield and forced him backward, step by step.
"Agh… this power… incredible!" Pyraeth growled inwardly.
He lunged, swinging his sword at Velnarion's neck.
BRANG!
Velnarion deflected it with a low laugh.
"Hahaha… you'll never pierce my dragon scales."
The words made Pyraeth clench tightly.
If his sword was caught—he was done.
He activated a skill:
"Fire Sword!"
His sword transformed into a blazing red flame blade.
Velnarion narrowed his eyes—he knew he couldn't hold it for long, so he chose to deflect instead of catching.
Pyraeth surged again.
Flaming slashes rained from all directions.
Velnarion deflected each attack, countering with powerful punches that pushed Pyraeth back.
Yet Pyraeth's shield could still withstand the hits.
Gasping, Pyraeth activated the next skill:
"Purifying Fire!"
Giant tongues of flame erupted from his sword, shooting rapidly toward Velnarion.
But Velnarion raised his hand.
"Lightning Shield."
Hundreds of lightning strikes formed a protective wall around him.
Pyraeth's fire hit—but did not penetrate.
Pyraeth began to panic.
Her attacks were useless.
"Then… this one!"
She raised her sword high.
"Destroyer Fireball!"
A giant, spinning, nauseatingly hot fireball formed and shot toward Velnarion.
Velnarion stretched out his hands; lightning surged up his arms.
"Thunder Dragon Fury!"
A massive thunder dragon appeared, roaring, and slammed into the fireball.
BOOM!!
The clash shattered the space around them.
Blinding light.
Shockwaves swept the dimension.
Then both vanished, destroyed simultaneously.
Velnarion exhaled shortly.
"Playtime's over… now it's your turn to end."
Lightning enveloped his hands until they were almost invisible, replaced by bluish-white flashes.
In an instant, he disappeared.
Pyraeth only caught a flash.
BAM!!
The strike hit her shield—it shattered instantly.
Residual lightning pierced Pyraeth's armor, burning her flesh.
"A—AARGH!!"
Pyraeth's holy armor collapsed piece by piece.
She fell face-first, body scorched and riddled with energy cracks.
"P-please… forgive me… have mercy…" her voice trembled, body shivering.
Velnarion stood before her, eyes cold.
"Forgiveness? Mercy?"
He smirked cruelly.
"You had neither when you tried to kill those children.
And now you ask it from me? Don't dream."
Velnarion clenched his fists, lightning engulfing them again.
He pounded Pyraeth repeatedly.
Each strike destroyed parts of the angel's armor until nothing remained.
Pyraeth was battered, barely able to stand.
Velnarion drew back his hand.
"Thunder Fist."
Dark lightning covered his hand, making it appear like pure light.
He struck Pyraeth's chest.
BOOM!!
The lightning pierced her body completely.
The angelic light extinguished.
Pyraeth's body fell to the ground—instantly dead.