Johnny leapt upward, catching Roxanne in his arms.
At the same time, Blackheart appeared mid-air, reaching for the Contract.
But just as his claws were about to close around it—
a longsword suddenly swept in from the side and knocked the contract away.
Blackheart grabbed nothing but air.
Lucas caught the flying parchment, flipped smoothly in mid-air, and landed lightly.
"Demons are demons—never bring a brain."
He turned his hand over, and the Contract vanished into his system inventory.
At that exact moment, Mephisto abruptly lost his lock on the Contract again.
But he had already pinpointed the direction, and he was racing toward the town.
"Damn you! Hand over the Contract!"
Blackheart erupted in fury.
It was the first time he had ever been toyed with by a human.
He lunged at Lucas, claws gleaming as they slashed toward Lucas's chest.
Lucas swung up the Ultimate Divine Blade, blocking the strike.
He flipped the sword from his right hand to his left in one smooth motion—
and counter-thrust.
Rip—!
The blade tore through Blackheart's coat.
He barely dodged, the tip grazing past him.
Enraged, Blackheart slashed again.
Lucas dropped his stance low, avoiding the claw, and swept his sword toward the demon's legs.
The blade passed cleanly through—
but Blackheart had already dissolved into black mist.
He reappeared behind Lucas as a swirling mass of shadow, then expanded outward—
surrounding him.
From the dark fog, countless Blackhearts stepped forth.
"Die!"
Every one of them rushed Lucas simultaneously.
He remained calm.
Sword phantoms multiplied around him.
Waves of blade-aura burst outward in every direction, piercing one Blackheart after another.
Each one struck dissolved into black smoke—
then reformed an instant later, pouncing again.
In moments, a tidal wave of Blackhearts engulfed Lucas completely.
Johnny, alarmed, carried Roxanne to safety.
"Roxanne, I need to help Lucas. Stay here."
He turned to go.
Roxanne seized his hand. "Be careful… I'll be waiting."
Her eyes were red.
She and Johnny had loved each other since childhood.
When he vanished years ago, she'd never been able to let him go.
Now that they were finally reunited, danger rose again—
and she feared losing him a second time.
Johnny embraced her tightly.
"Wait for me. I'm not leaving you ever again."
He kissed her forehead, then ran toward Lucas, flames erupting across his body as he transformed.
At that moment—
A burst of violet energy exploded from within the mass of demons, accompanied by crackling thunder.
BOOM—BOOM—!
Lightning ravaged the area.
Thunder roared.
Bolts shattered every clone, scattering the black fog.
The ground crystallized under the surge of electricity, turning the earth into a blackened lightning field.
Lucas stood in the center, sword in hand, violet energy burning in his eyes.
Blackheart reappeared outside the field, terror written across his face.
The lightning had shaken him deeply.
Before he could react—
a flaming chain wrapped around his body.
The scorching heat and hellfire seared him, forcing a scream from his throat.
He dissolved into black vapor to escape the chain—
But BANG!
A gunshot rang out.
A holy-charged bullet pierced his half-formed body.
His abdomen exploded into a bowl-sized crater, tearing half his waist apart.
The wound burned pitch-black.
Blackheart was immune to attacks only while fully incorporeal.
The instant he formed a body, he was vulnerable—
and Lucas had accidentally shot him at the perfect moment.
The sacred energy prevented him from healing.
As the son of a Hell-lord, Blackheart had never been humiliated like this.
"I'll kill you all!"
He roared.
His body swelled, black mist erupting outward.
He grew to over five meters tall.
His skin turned obsidian, molten lava flowing beneath.
Curved ram horns jutted from his skull.
His muscles bulged like stone, and his scarlet eyes blazed with fire.
Blackheart revealed his true demonic form.
The demonic aura blasted outward, collapsing nearby buildings.
Lucas slashed through the incoming wave of demonic force, unharmed.
The Ghost Rider withstood it as well.
"ROAR!"
Blackheart hammered a fist toward Lucas.
The descending punch unleashed spears of demonic energy like raining lances.
Wind blades gathered around Lucas, firing forward to collide with the demonic aura.
Lucas charged in instead of retreating, thrusting straight for Blackheart's massive fist.
The Ultimate Divine Blade pierced cleanly through his palm.
But the brute force of the demon transferred through the blade, slamming into Lucas's arms.
Gritting his teeth, Lucas held firm—
twisting the sword and gouging out a huge chunk of demonic flesh.
Blackheart recoiled.
At that moment, the Ghost Rider's chain whipped around his arm and held it fast.
The Ghost Rider's strength was formidable—
dragging the demon's arm taut.
Lucas leapt up and swung down—
SHRRK—!
Blackheart's arm was severed.
The giant limb crashed to the ground, lava-like blood spewing everywhere.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Blackheart clutched the stump, thrashing.
Lava splattered wildly, burning pits into the ground wherever it landed.
His eyes blazed even brighter.
Twin beams of molten heat fired from his gaze—
cutting across the ground toward the Ghost Rider.
The Ghost Rider snapped his chain to block—
but the beams were hotter than hellfire itself.
The chain melted.
The beams pierced through his chest and blasted him backward into a collapsing building.
Debris buried him instantly.
Lucas seized the moment.
He leapt behind the demon and slashed at his neck.
CLANG—!
Blackheart tilted his head.
Lucas's blade struck his horn—sparks flying.
The demon swung a massive hand—
Lucas, still mid-air, couldn't dodge.
The slap sent him flying.
His sword was knocked from his grasp, embedding itself in the ground.
"Cough—! Damn… what does this thing eat to get that strong?"
Lucas staggered up and charged again.
"Atmospheric Burst!"
Wind blades erupted—
merging into a massive tornado.
Inside, green spectral claws flickered in and out.
"Go!"
Lucas pointed, and the tornado shot forward faster than Blackheart could react.
It engulfed him instantly—
shredding his body with countless claw-slashes.
Lava-like blood sprayed in all directions, turning the vortex into a blazing orange inferno.
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