[Vitality at 88%]
Blastur, I ask you to unseal two out of three seals.
[The Sword of Light, Blastur is considering your request]
[Split Flow Deactivated]
As Dantalion announced Raymed's thoughts, Belial smiled. "Now we are talking! Turn it up!" He rose and expanded his mana as the environment began to be influenced by his power.
Raymed, unfazed, raised his own mana.
The pressure from both Belial and Raymed began crashing towards each other.
Red aura versus Red aura clashing with one another.
"You are toasted, Hero Raymed! Belial has never gone this seriously! The last time he went serious was when fighting Noa!" Seere said mockingly.
Raymed, still unfazed, keeps raising his aura as the environment, which was the island, is getting disrupted by both his and Belial's mana.
"KHAAA!!!!" Belial shouted, raising his mana.
In retort, Raymed silently raised his mana, at the last second, however.
The aura was gone.
"Hmm? Is that all?" Belial said.
Raymed lifted Avalon in his left hand and let it levitate.
In the turn of events, their mana aura clashed. Raymed abruptly stopped his mana from flowing. Confusing every Demon Lord Envoy that he is facing.
[Split Flow Activated]
Suddenly, as Raymed activated Split Flow, mana channels appeared in an instant. These mana channels go everywhere, like almost invisible stretching hands that stemmed from Raymed's body. Those said mana channels even stretched into Belial's and Seere's bodies.
Belial smiled as he finally understood what Raymed was trying to do. "You are strategic as well, it seems." He said.
Raymed grips his left hand as if something had just cracked.
SHURST!!!!
SHURST!!!!
SHURST!!!!!
.
.
.
Blood was everywhere.
But of course, it wasn't from Raymed.
Rather, it was from the Demon Lord Envoys.
The Demon Lord Envoy Seere and Belial have been impaled by Avalon from the inside out.
"GHUAA!!!!!!" Seere screamed in agony.
Meanwhile, Belial tanked the damage.
Dantalion seeped into Raymed's mind and said what he thought word for word.
At the first round of our battle, I managed to graze Belial and Seere.
I slashed Belial's forearm while I slashed and thrusted Avalon into Seere's body.
Each time my slash hit with Avalon, there is always a fragment of Avalon that was left on their body. Then, when I expanded my mana wildly, I intended to reach these shards of Avalon left in their body.
As I found it, I activated Split Flow and created Mana Channels that made immediate connections to these Avalon shards.
"All that's left is to regenerate Avalon into whole blades." Raymed and Dantalion said in unison.
"Your thoughts betray you, Raymed," Dantalion said.
"No, it does not," Raymed said.
SHURST!!! SHURST!!! SHURST!!! SHURST!!!
Then, from the ground, many Avalon impaled the Demon Lord Envoys.
"GHAAA!!" Andromalius screamed.
"GRAA!!!!" Dantalion roared.
"GHUAA!!!' Seere shouted.
Belial tanked the attack again.
"I purposefully thought that to make you let your guard down," Raymed said before disappearing in an instant.
"WHERE DID HE GO!" Seere's mouth filled with blood, asked.
"Here," Raymed whispered behind Seere as he turned around, only for Raymed to thrust Blastur straight into Seere's face, particularly where his eyes are located.
"GHUAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!" Seere screamed as he frantically moved. Raymed didn't remove Blastur. Instead, he clings to the blade.
"Seere! Calm down!" Dantalion said.
But Seere didn't calm down; he started using his teleportation magic.
Blinking from place to place erratically and impulsively.
But it didn't stop Raymed as he kept teleporting with him to the places he teleported due to Blastur still attached to Seere's face. Seere teleported to the sky, to the sands, to the waves, over and over again, screaming in agony.
As they teleported around, Raymed grabbed Avalon, levitating near him, as he began slashing it at Seere's body.
At that point, Seere's fate was already sealed.
There's no way for him to teleport into an ideal place when he himself can't see anything.
Nor can he hope to escape Blastur, who is attached to his own face.
[Demon Lord Envoy, Seere, is near death]
Blastur notified Raymed as Seere finally stopped teleporting around.
The final teleport he made was to the ground, where Raymed impaled Blastur deeper, reaching the ground.
With breath, Raymed said, "Luster Blade". Then, A powerful, magical energy was released from Blastur's blade like a lamp that shines throughout the island.
"GRAAAA!!!!!!!!!"
Seere's body disintegrated in an instant as the light faded.
As the Demonic Core emerged in the form of an orb.
[Demon Lord Envoy, Seere has died]
[The Sword Blastur is performing a temporary seal and storage]
From Blastur, chains appeared as it began enveloping the Demonic Core. Then, Blastur minimized it and absorbed it into its gem in the center of the hilt. The effect of containment isn't permanent. If Raymed didn't get to a Saint who can seal this properly, the Demon Lord Envoy will break free or worse, be absorbed by another Demon Lord Envoy, like the time with Focalors and Vepar.
[Demonic Core has been sealed and stored]
Then, the Four Demon Lord Envoys appeared once again.
Now, Belial, Decarabia, Dantalion, and Andromalius remained.
"That was fast. Did you all break through the blades?" Raymed asked.
This time, the Demon Lord Envoys didn't answer. Their faces gloom as if they were now dead serious. Well, almost everyone, Belial still smiled, amused.
[You are overflowing with Mana]
"Next, Dantalion," Raymed said before expanding his mana once again.
[Split Flow Deactivated]
As he charged, his aura began rupturing the environment, spreading his reach beyond the whole island.
"He is trying to use the technique from before!" Dantalion said.
"Teleporting around while slashing Seere, he must've intended to use 'Avalon' excessively," Andromalius said.
Belial charged at Raymed with his sword.
FWOOSH!
But Raymed dodges it.
Still charging his mana.
"It may still be imperfect. But, I gotta focus on my priorities." Mana began expelling from Raymed's body in intervals of 0.1 seconds.
Belial widened his eyes in excitement.
"Mana channel again?" Andromalius asked.
"No, these are Mana Roots!" Dantalion said.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Then it was too late.
"Imperfect Alterity: Cosmopolis."
Raymed's eyes flamed with red mana.
As once again energy spread like a shockwave throughout the island, sea, and sky.
ZZWUNGGG!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
But nothing happened.
Abruptly, Raymed flew to the sky while Belial chased him.
"Alterity. High Human Magic of imposing rules to change reality. But I didn't understand what he did." Andromalius asked.
"Indeed, his Alterity isn't attack-focused. It's to gather information. His target wasn't us. It's to find the hostage." Dantalion explained.
***
Meanwhile, the battle with Raumstar is slowly closing in. At their usual base in South Jaka City, Thalamik were having a meeting with Diko, Besitulars, and Dwargo.
"Thalamik, there is still no news from Raymed," Diko said as the topic came to who would join in the war as backups.
"He will be fine," Thalamik said with confidence. "Raymed will definitely come here to help. He might just have something to do. But I have a feeling that he can solve it quickly."
"How come you are so certain?" Dwargo asked.
"How? Is that even a question? It's Raymed we are talking about! I don't actually know about how Carmilla progresses in terms of strength. But I am confident to say that Raymed, as of now, is the 'strongest'. When he breaks that bracelet that we made, he will progress once again on a level incomprehensible to anyone. I am certain!" Thalamik said with a smile.
Diko, Besitulars, and Dwargo looked at each other before smiling.
"If the Great Fiend Kaiser himself is glazing Ray that much, we can't help but be confident!" Diko said.
"Hey! Why are you saying my title like it's some joke! But indeed, even if he finds a stronger opponent. Then-"
"Then?" Dwargo asked.
"Then he will just get stronger!" Thalamik smiled.
***
[Considerable amount of mana has been used.]
[Blastur can still regenerate]
[Vitality at 99%]
I flew as fast as I could towards the sky.
In truth, My Imperfect Alterity: Cosmopolis has a very huge range, but it lacks the ability, unlike Thalamik's. I don't understand how to make Alterity in his scale and manage to prolong it. So I took many shortcuts. I shortened the duration. I simplify the rules. For the range, I use much mana that I can use to allow it to activate without straining my body.
My rule was one. Everything and every living being shall be revealed. No matter how hidden, bypassing all illusions. The information is then relayed to everyone inside the Alterity range.
The Demon Lord Envoy didn't feel any different because they already knew where she was.
But I didn't.
That's why I used it.
Derashina was located up in the sky.
Inside some sort of sphere-like barrier.
I arrived at a sphere that is cloaking her presence.
Blastur, can you free her?
[Blastur thinks it may not be a good idea]
[Alert: Demon Lord Envoy, Belial incoming]
CLANG!!!
"Welcome back, Belial," I said, parrying his attack.
"No perfect guard this time? So you need to activate Split Flow before using it, huh?" Demon Lord Envoy Belial smiled before moving backwards. "I tell you something, Hero Raymed."
I looked at him with a sharp gaze.
"Even if you manage to unseal her, you can't guarantee her safety. That's why I put her in a seal in the first place. That's why-"
"Hold it right there, Belial. I seriously can't read you. What are you actually aiming at?"
"Hahahaha!" He laughed as if amused. "From the start, I was not tasked to kill you. I am here on behalf of Baal. She is my teacher and she asked me a favour. I was particularly interested to see how strong this person is. That person happened to be you."
Hearing that name once again, memories of my fight with her resurfaced.
-~
"I am Baal.. The first rank, Demon Lord Envoy"
"I want a duel," Baal stated as her lips twisted into a confident smirk. "You're interesting, human. That raw, monstrous power you wield intrigues me. Let's test it."
-~
Baal, the first rank Demon Lord Envoy, is the strongest of them all.
"Then what do you hope to gain? Telling me that won't change the fact that we have to fight." I said, readying my swords once more.
Belial smirked and said, "If you manage to kill the other 3, and fight on par with me. I will retreat and give you Princess Derashina safe and sound."
I looked downwards.
-~
"If it's trust you're worried about, human, I'll even form a cursed covenant with you," Baal offered, her tone turning serious.
"It's a binding magical contract. Should I fail to honor my word, the curse will punish me severely—far worse than anything you could do." Her explanation was clear and devoid of deception. I studied her face carefully; her eyes showed no sign of deceit. She offered a hand to shake.
-~
"Are you willing to make a Cursed Covenant ?" I asked.
"Cursed Convenant, huh? You even know that?"
"The last time I met Baal, she made a covenant with me. I won't allow any deceit in our terms." I said confidently.
"Then we shall make one."
[The Sword 'Blastur' will make sure that the Covenant is bound]
Belial raised his mana and offered me a handshake with his left hand, "My contract is as follows. If you Hero Raymed, manage to defeat the other three and fight on par with me. The sphere caging Mermaid Princess Derashina will automatically disappear. Her safety will also be guaranteed. I will give my insurance, which is my Demonic Core, if I breach this contract."
[Blastur confirmed the contract to be binding and true]
I slowly flew, letting Avalon levitate. As I went closer towards Belial, I finally shook his hand, saying, "You have a deal."
Belial smiled cocky.
"But what did you mean by fighting on par? You just meant that I need to fight you, right? If I accidentally kill you, that would not void the contract, now would it?" I said, smiling at him. "I mean, you did try to kill me and kidnap Derashina first."
Belial laughed before saying, "You might try your best, Hero Raymed. I look forward to seeing your true strength."
[Split Flow Activated]
I flew inches back with Avalon levitating near me. Then, I slashed Avalon with Blastur.
Just as I did that, the other Demon Lord Envoys finally caught up.
Decarabia, Dantalion, Andromalius, and Belial were now facing me once more.
Avalon split into fragments.
[Split Flow Deactivated]
I charge my mana, spiking my mana channels to all my surroundings, reaching as far as I can.
[Split Flow Activated]
I regenerated all Avalon fragments as swords.
Then I break it all to pieces once more using my mana.
[Split Flow Deactivated]
I charge my mana by spiking my channels.
[Split Flow Activated]
In that instant, I stretched my hands as all of my Avalon began to fly towards me.
From the island below.
From the sea.
From the sands.
From everywhere.
My eyes fixated on all the Demon Lord Envoys before me.
I pointed towards them with Blastur.
"Countless Armament!"
At that moment, every sword launched forward homing like a missile.
SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!! SWUTCH!!!
The countless swords flew.
Wait a little bit, Derashina, I will free you soon.
***
The Demon Lord Envoys flew, evading each and every Avalon that was directed to them.
"This is really annoying. Even if I can read minds. Reading too many at once is not that easy." Dantalion proclaimed, evading the swords.
Then a thought came to mind,
I will go right
Dantalion turned to her right only to be stabbed.
SHURST!!!
Raymed appeared, thrusting Blastur from Dantalion's left.
"ASSHOLE! YOU TRICKED ME!"
Raymed stayed silent as he pushed Dantalion down towards the island.
BOOM!
Both of them crashed and landed, with Raymed landing on top of Dantalion.
Unlike Seere, she manoeuvred to let herself go from Blastur. She moved, aiming to gain the upper hand, and used her knives to attack, managing to graze Raymed's naked torso. The cuts on Raymed's body quickly regenerate.
[You are still overflowing with a considerable amount of Mana]
[Vitality at 99%]
Raymed smiled, looking at Dantalion.
"That kind of attack won't hurt me. My body regenerates faster than you can damage it."
Raymed slowly walked with Blastur on his shoulder.
"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!"
Dantalion made her knives glow as she sent an energy wave that grazed Raymed's body.
SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!! SCRPTT!!
Cuts appeared on Raymed's body as he just sauntered closer.
"I WON'T LOSE", Dantalion tried hard to listen to Raymed's mind.
Only to hear....
This is the end for you.Dantalion.
Raymed moved slowly before thrusting Blastur once more towards her body.
[Demon Lord Envoy, Dantalion, is near death]
"You may kill me, but I have transmitted your information about your skills and about what happened here to"
"Don't care. Couldn't care less." Raymed said before saying, "Luster Blade"
Glorious light encumbers Dantalion's body as she disappears, leaving her demonic core.
[Demon Lord Envoy, Dantalion has died]
[The Sword Blastur is performing a temporary seal and storage]
[Demonic Core has been sealed and stored]
Next, Andromalius! Raymed thought.
"Right, I forgot Dantalion is no longer here," Raymed said before turning his back already knowing someone is behind him. "I am coming for you next, Andromalius." He said with fiery red eyes.
"I would've gone for you first, but Seere and Dantalion's cheat skill is far more annoying. You, on the other hand, are not that annoying." Raymed raised his aura as he lifted Blastur. Both Andromalius and Raymed were raising their swords, waiting for the other to make a move.
TAP.
BOOM!!!