The next second, Gram blazed with incandescent fury. The sword's core flared white-hot, and a concentrated burst of divine fire erupted outward, engulfing Bako completely.
"—Aaaaaahhh!"
The Demon Lord's scream tore through the molten air as the inferno devoured him. Flames clung to his armor and skin like living parasites, refusing to fade. For an instant, his enormous frame staggered, but willpower like iron snapped his body back under control. His crimson eyes burned through the inferno.
With a roar, he channeled invisible force into his golden sword and swung it in a blinding arc toward the winged figure descending upon him. The impact shook the world. The strike was blocked, but Bako's lips twisted into a cruel grin as he pressed harder, his raw power sending the winged adversary tumbling through the air.
