The Battle Resumes (4)

Monsters engulfed in black flames vanished without leaving so much as a single bone fragment behind. The inky blaze that had devoured countless beasts roared even fiercer, as if fed fresh ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠logs. Growing greedily on their life force, the flames swelled in size, spreading a sea of pitch-black fire.

And within that inferno, the Demon King and the Diablo Slayer clashed swords, their battle raging on.

"Your linked assaults won't work anymore."

Sabnack raised her jet-black cursed sword with a guttural chuckle. Black flames swirled like a vortex, engulfing everything around her. She seemed like an entirely different being now. Controlling the black flames, Sabnack completely overwhelmed Ardena and Allen.

Even Allen, who had charged through searing infernos to strike, realized she couldn't breach the pitch-black blaze unscathed. Abandoning her attack, she dodged Sabnack's assaults with swift footwork.

"This is on a whole other level from when you were just a kid!"

Allen's teeth ground together as she glared fiercely at Sabnack wielding the black flames. There was no way to close in. Even a brush with those black flames would mean instant death. She knew it on instinct. Those black flames were dangerous. And Sabnack, armored in them, sent chills racing up her spine.

Clad in absolute power befitting her title of Raging Flames Demon King, she dominated the battlefield with ease.

"So this is a Demon King's might..."

Ardena swallowed hard, murmuring at Sabnack's overwhelming strength. Facing a Demon King was a first for her. That raw terror was inevitable.

A devil, yet not quite. How could a mere living being wield such horrifying power? She was a walking calamity. No—Sabnack, who could single-handedly turn the field upside down, was calamity incarnate.

"Diablo Slayer, I've longed to cross blades with you at full power in a true duel of swords."

Sabnack swung her cursed sword wide. Black flames erupted violently. A ferocious firestorm raged toward Allen and Ardena simultaneously.

Black whirlwinds surged skyward. Allen and Ardena, swept into the flames, vanished in an instant.

Sabnack had flung the two knightesses outward to chat briefly with the Diablo Slayer. Were they safe? No way to tell right now.

After Allen and Ardena were repelled by the black flames, a wall of fire erupted from the ground, sealing off the space where the fierce melee had raged.

"Let's talk for a moment, Diablo Slayer."

Sabnack stepped forward, approaching a pile of rocks jutting from the earth. She sat atop it. Her suddenly enlarged body made her tight clothes chafe; she scowled, especially at her watermelon-like swollen chest straining the fabric.

"How did you kill Agares?"

Sabnack asked. Yushin Gilliard answered.

"Sliced off his head and impaled it on a spear. Hung it from a tall spire for all his oppressed victims to see."

"I see. Quite the stylish execution."

"Planning a eulogy or something?"

"Hah, as if. He died because he was weak. We rose to Demon King solely on strength. Survival of the fittest is our law—death at a superior's hands is only natural."

Sabnack smirked bitterly. Resting both hands on her sword hilt, she fixed her black eyes on Yushin, brimming with intrigue. From a Demon King's view, the Diablo Slayer was a freakish anomaly.

She'd heard tales of one who could sever immortality's favor. But seeing him firsthand? El Seed herself couldn't kill her... Yet here were two who could. Sabnack marveled at it.

"Agares died because he was irredeemable filth. Not because he was a Demon King. He just happened to be one who deserved death."

"I heard about the Tyranny Demon King from afar. Oppressing subjects of all races like slaves, ruling as a tyrant. Not my concern, though."

Sabnack didn't condemn Agares for crushing the weak. It was the natural order. The strong scorned and subjugated the weak—that was simply how things worked. Thus, she respected Yushin's slaying of him.

"I commend your courage in plotting against the Tyranny Demon King. And now you stand before me, sword raised to fell another. You're the only human to challenge Demon Kings twice."

With that, Sabnack rose, raising her sword. Conversation over. Only blades would speak now.

As she bared her battle lust, Yushin ended the talk and raised his own sword. Amid roaring flames, they pointed blades at each other. No tremor, though inferno loomed.

"Let's fight again."

"If we're restarting, why send Allen and Ardena packing? Too much for a three-on-one after all?"

"Want them back?"

"How kind."

Sabnack extended a hand. The raging black flames parted like the Red Sea. Allen and Ardena appeared, bewildered as the blocking fire vanished. Spotting Yushin, they rushed to his side, swords trained on Sabnack.

"Oppa, you hurt?"

"Fine. Just shot the breeze with the Demon King."

"I was busting my ass to break through those flames 'cause I was worried, and you were just chatting?"

"...Don't make me sound like the bad guy."

Ending the exchange with Allen, Ardena spoke up.

"As you know, Sabnack's power has surged beyond prediction. This sudden clearing of flames? Arrogance—she plans to face us all at once."

"Yeah."

"We can win. I believe that."

"Me too."

Yushin nodded in agreement. They could win. He clung to that faith. No abandoning hope before such a foe. He'd steeled himself for this since leaving Maherith—clashing with a Demon King's despairing might.

"Talk over? Then let's begin anew."

Black flames converged into slashing blasts that shot forth. Onslaught poured down. Razor-sharp, heavy strikes menaced Yushin and the knightesses.

They dodged by hurling themselves aside, or met strikes head-on with their blades. The tide hadn't shifted. In this three-on-one, Sabnack held the edge, relentlessly pushing back the Diablo Slayer's side.

"Sabnack!"

Yushin bellowed. He unleashed a massive slash crackling with blue lightning, confronting the black flames directly. A shockwave jolted their bodies. Thunderous roar like entwined bolts and peals pierced their ears painfully.

Bursting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠through the black flames, Yushin reached Sabnack's side and swung wide, clashing swords.

"A lightning-wielding blade... I've been impressed since our first clash. To command such mighty thunder in a human body—fitting for the one called Diablo Slayer, with your freakish talents."

"You're no slouch yourself, in my book."

"This is fate. A duel of raging flames and thunderbolts. Let's settle who's stronger. I'll erase the Diablo Slayer who felled the Tyranny Demon King, Agares—by my hand, a Demon King's."

Sabnack sought to etch her fame deeper. No better chance than slaying the Diablo Slayer. Few could match a Demon King.

"Die, you bastard!!"

Allen roared, unleashing Dragon Pursuer and charging Sabnack. Sabnack arched back fluidly, evading. Ardena and Yushin followed with thrusts, but Sabnack dissolved into black flames, vanishing.

True to its name of afterimage and illusion, she left only flames and reappeared behind. She swung her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cursed sword. Yushin reflexively countered with Lightning Sword Karus, blocking.

Three slashes hammered Sabnack simultaneously. Amazed yet blocking the lightning, she endured. Deflecting three thunderous strikes at once was no easy feat, but she managed.

"Impressive. For a short-lived human to reach such heights. Young, even, yet matching my swordsmanship."

Sabnack genuinely admired her worthy foe. His swordplay was exceptional, his lightning mastery superb. Pity to kill him now—he could grow stronger. Give him five years, half a decade, and he'd return even mightier. She regretted ending such boundless potential prematurely.

"Another One blessed by the gods. I thank fate for granting this deathmatch. Call it chance. Clashing swords with you, the Diablo Slayer, delights me to no end."

Sabnack prattled on without halting her blade. She swung wildly. Razor edges tore the air, menacing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yushin. Scratches marred his steel-blue armor—traces of strikes he'd missed.

Without the dragon armor's protection, this duel might've ended boringly quick.

"Give it everything! All your forms, every scrap of power—make me enjoy this! I crave crushing a foe at full throttle!!"

Sabnack bellowed, face alight with fervor and bloodlust. Yushin swung steadily. Growing accustomed, he not only parried but counterattacked at times, sating her desire.

As Allen and Ardena joined, easing the pressure, Yushin yelled at Sabnack.

"You've been yapping nonstop, seriously! You fight with your mouth? Just swordfight already—instead of all this fate, arch-nemesis crap. Whatever you've been reading, shut your trap in battle! This ain't our first rodeo."

Shock, bafflement, and shame flooded Sabnack's face at Yushin's shout. She bit her lip hard. Her pale cheeks burned hotter than red flames. Especially "fight with your mouth?"—that stung deep. Her bitten lip quivered like a spasm. The blow had hit hard.