Sigrid's Demon Realm-Shaking First Punch

Purgatory Corridor Academy, Foundation Level. Classroom 03. Fragrance saturated this demon realm botanical experimental garden. An endless lawn stretched out in a vibrant, lush emerald green, smooth and soft as a velvet carpet. Flanking the winding paths grew demon realm plants of bizarre shapes. Towering demon realm eucalyptus trees stood proud with lush foliage, interspersed with wild demon realm flowers of varying sizes, while twisting demon realm vines bristled with sharp barbs, radiating a feral air. These plants were like treasures of the demon realm, able to bloom only when nurtured by this fertile soil. Yet at this moment, not a single student dared admire the scenic view. All sat tense and on guard across the lawn. "..." Hyperion had slipped into this classroom without a single demon noticing, completely undetected. She blended seamlessly among the students. No one had noticed when another student had appeared behind a massive tree in the lawn's blind spot. Hyperion had switched classrooms several times. Only after evading pursuers from the Demon King's Army Special Operations Unit multiple times did she make it to this relatively safe place that had already been searched. It was unlikely the Demon King's Army search officers would return to this classroom anytime soon. She was intimately familiar with this room. It was also the best place to hide. Because back during the first Shadow World of Purgatory Corridor Academy, she had come here together with the Poet of Great Love. After the curriculum reform, this Tier-1 plant-type demon classroom had changed its subject to [Open Appreciation]. As long as they didn't damage the flora, students could rest at will inside the classroom, experiencing and studying the taxonomy of demon realm plants, or caring for them under the instructor's guidance. It was considered a remarkably relaxed subject. Supposedly, it had also led to the rise of many demon realm botanical experts in Purgatory Corridor Academy following the reform. *Tamisha, you must be hungry,* Hyperion thought, caressing the tiny gray cat hidden inside her clothes with concern. She now felt like a mother herself, worrying over baby Tamisha day in and day out. Yet her parenting skills were utterly clumsy. She always ended up on the receiving end of Tamisha's disdainful glares. The kitten looked as if it wanted nothing more than to use its paws to teach her how to properly care for a demon. Over time, Hyperion felt that if Tamisha had the ability, she would probably turn around and take care of Hyperion instead just to show her how it was done. "..." The kitten shifted slightly in her arms, keeping its movements minimal, seemingly understanding that it needed to cooperate and hide with her right now. Hyperion felt relieved. Even though Tamisha was still unwilling to turn back into her humanoid form in front of her, their bond had grown much closer. Right now it was the early hours before dawn; running around carrying a tiny gray kitten meant it was bound to be sleepy and hungry. Yet it seemed able to endure. Tamisha possessed a level of self-control far beyond her age—a good child whose self-discipline was almost heartbreaking. In truth, Hyperion was getting a bit hungry herself. Ever since inheriting Tata's cottage, spending her days leaning back in the armchair snacking, listening to tunes, and reading newspapers, Hyperion felt she got hungry much more easily. Fortunately, she had kept up with her daily exercise, so her weight hadn't changed. Thinking back to last time... She and the Poet of Great Love had spread a picnic blanket beneath the towering tree in this botanical garden, preparing to enjoy delicacies packed from the Demon King's Bestowed Restaurant as faint starlight filtered through the windows. Now, there was no way to picnic so leisurely. Hyperion's nostalgia was written all over her face. How she wished she could picnic here with Tata and see Tata's blissfully happy expression. Back then, she hadn't yet met Tata from Boss Cat's restaurant, nor had she realized Tata looked exactly identical to the Poet of Great Love. If only Xigelei were here to keep them company too. Although the four Shadow Worlds were interconnected slices of different eras, why was she dreaming of such an impossible scenario? Hyperion thought. "..." Sitting on the soft turf, Hyperion stroked the kitten in her clothes with one hand while gently touching the blossoms with her other slender hand. Looking at the flowers, mixed emotions welled within her—she couldn't tell if it was relief or anxiety. At times like this, one could only find joy in hardship and dwell on happy thoughts to make time pass faster. As long as those extraordinary great demons didn't make a personal move, she should be able to hide in Purgatory Corridor Academy for a very long time, until Lanqi came and found her. The magic lamps cast a subtle, rosy glow over the full, erect plants, softly diffusing and veiling their contours in haziness, mysterious as ghosts in night mist. Who knew how long had passed in this serene, peaceful atmosphere where one forgot the passage of time. Suddenly, a piercing cold wind howled past, swirling rustling grass and leaves. Many students in the classroom raised their heads. They vaguely felt the world before their eyes dim for a split second. The cooling starlight grew increasingly faint, and the once-peaceful botanical garden was enveloped in an unspeakable, eerie mist. In the next instant... A shrill sound of tearing air echoed across the open lawn. It made Hyperion's hair stand on end! Pitted with pins and needles, Hyperion instantly tensed the muscles in her legs, vigilantly sensing her surroundings. A relentless buzzing rang in her ears, disrupting her senses as if even her perception of space had warped. The tiny gray cat in her bosom sensed the danger even sooner and began to stir. Just as Hyperion vanished into invisibility, her amber eyes shifted to the left, catching sight of purple mana barreling through like chains. Wherever it passed, it raised towering waves of corrosive mist tangled with the sea of flowers, like a steel beast ravaging a flock of sheep. There was no telling how far this attack had come from; Hyperion couldn't even see where it originated. If she hadn't activated her innate magic to conceal herself a step ahead, she might have been caught just now. Yet it was as if the opponent had anticipated her anticipation. The dense fog turned the entire Foundation Level into a cage, constantly shrinking and closing in toward her position. Every teacher and student in the botanical garden classroom fell into panic. This aura of a quasi-king great demon sent chills straight through their souls, forcing them to recall the boundless power of their mighty ancestors. The pressure of a great demon was the most primal dominance of an overlord, proof of standing near the Demon King. The tranquil botanical garden turned upside down in an instant. Peace was swallowed whole by boiling dark purple smog. Shrieks and screams arose from every direction, plunging them into a hellish poison swamp! Even if the other teachers and students wanted to flee, they dared not, for none dared defy a great demon. Not even a death edict from one. A premonition that the game was up gripped Hyperion's heart like invisible talons. Bone-chilling cold crept up her spine straight into her throat. Every breath grew agonizingly heavy. She saw it— "My princess, you truly gave this king quite the hunt." With that plaintive voice, a dark silhouette slowly approached from the distant doorway, its outline growing clearer, radiating bone-chilling malice. At the same time... Hyperion felt her limbs stiffen and her movements slow, bound by some invisible magic. To trap her, the Lord of Blasphemy hadn't hesitated to unleash an area-wide poison spell. While this damage would cause the princess some discomfort without harming her critically, the other teachers and students were not Tier-6 like Hyperion. They wailed unceasingly amid the purple fog. What was once a haven for rest and appreciation had degraded into an Asura arena of poisonous miasma and terror. The dark, scorpion-tailed figure came to a halt inside the botanical garden. Even without seeing Hyperion or sensing her presence, Melogas, Lord of Blasphemy, wore a look of certain victory. Like a predator zeroed in on its prey, she exuded a callous, ruthless aura. "Princess, you can hold out beneath this poison mist, but how long do you suppose that little kitten can last?" Beneath her chaotic and aggressive eyes, Melogas inquired into the empty air with mocking amusement. She had no desire to attack indiscriminately and accidentally kill the princess. "...!" Even though Hyperion remained invisible, the exit of the classroom was firmly blocked by Melogas, choking off her last sliver of hope. There was nowhere to run. She felt the tiny gray cat in her arms growing weaker by the second. Tamisha had cleverly held her breath, but the toxic vapor was still far too dangerous for her. "Reveal yourself, and I will dispel this poison magic," the Lord of Blasphemy said, her tone gentle yet tinged with impatience, seemingly reluctant to push things to this point with the princess. "After all, I have no desire to kill this little gray cat Caliera left behind." She much preferred resolving matters with the princess in harmony and love. "..." One of Hyperion's hands reached into her clothes to stroke the little gray cat while weighing her choices. Buying even another second would help! Even so, she couldn't be certain how long Tamisha could hold out. "Princess, show yourself willingly. I can be gentle with you in a moment," Melogas said, leisurely swaying her scorpion tail. "No one can save you." She called into the void with absolute certainty. "..." Hyperion gritted her teeth, watching the time and striving to maintain control of her body and balance. She felt Tamisha growing weaker and weaker, yet the kitten showed not the slightest hint of fear. Its stubborn endurance seemed to tell Hyperion to ignore it, to not let Melogas have her way. In her invisible state, Hyperion shook her head. If she failed to protect Tamisha, this Shadow World would likely end in failure as well. Her only choice was to deal with Melogas and play for time. "Dispel the poison mist. I surrender." Hyperion materialized, raising both hands as she called out to Melogas. "That's more like it." The Lord of Blasphemy tapped her fingers with satisfaction, and the purple mist vanished completely from the wrecked botanical garden. Hyperion immediately freed the tiny gray cat from her clothing, letting its head peek out to breathe the fresh air. The kitten looked at Hyperion with complex eyes. It couldn't fathom why this princess was so foolish. Its death wouldn't have mattered. Ever since Caliera died, it had felt it could go find Caliera and its mother and father at any time. Then, its eyes turned resentfully toward the scorpion-tailed great demon in the distance. "Come, child. Let Auntie give you a hug." Melogas opened her arms warmly to Hyperion. She looked as though she had no intention of blaming Hyperion at all, wishing only for Hyperion to run happily into her embrace. Yet the restless twitching of her scorpion tail gave away the fact that once Hyperion was held in her arms, her demeanor might take a sudden turn. "You aren't my aunt. In the demon realm, Mama Caliera is all I need," Hyperion said resolutely. She would never go over. She wanted to enrage the Lord of Blasphemy, lure her into attacking and draw her away from the exit. Though extremely perilous, there would be only a split second of opportunity: to turn invisible, brush past the Lord of Blasphemy, and sprint into the corridor faster than her. If she seized that opening, she could escape once more. No one was better at running away than her—nobody could catch her! "..." Melogas froze for a moment, her raised hands trembling as they lowered, her expression morphing into utter disbelief. "Caliera... Caliera again... You dare treat another demon as your mother... I am so jealous I could go mad!" Melogas's facade of a loving mother shattered into pieces, replaced by uncontrollable frenzy. "I am your only mother! Only I could love you so deeply—so deeply that I want you all to myself, to become one with you!" She shrieked, her body transforming into a purple scorpion shadow as she lunged at Hyperion. "Pervert... I don't have an aunt like you." Both Hyperion and the gray kitten in her arms glared fiercely at the Lord of Blasphemy. She had to seize that moment of escaping the tiger's jaws. Not a hair's breadth of error could be tolerated. Just as the game of hunter and prey between Melogas and Princess Hyperion reached its climax... An unexpected turn of events suddenly erupted. With a deafening crash, the wall of the botanical garden shattered into rubble. *Bzzzz!!* In the shockwave, a blast of invisible wavy mana swept through the botanical garden. Time throughout the botanical garden seemed to freeze. Every figure stood motionless like stone sculptures, their movements halted. The Lord of Blasphemy felt a wave of dizziness. *Strange, why would I feel sleepy now?* *This feeling... is it [Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber]?* *Why is the effect so weak?* Mental magic of this level caused only a fleeting lapse in attention if she deliberately resisted. Her consciousness drifted into dreamland. In less than a second, her brow furrowed as she snapped awake, turning toward the collapsed ruins on one side of the classroom. In the next instant, her cold pupils abruptly constricted. Coming into view was... A Phantom Demon silhouette. That pure, flawless white, that familiar mana, and that unique spell—without question, they all reminded Melogas of an unforgettable demon. Especially that spell. There was no mistaking it. "How could you... possibly know the Land of Gentle Slumber?" she asked tremulously. This new Phantom Demon headmaster, a male demon she had taken quite a liking to, had just used Caliera's exclusive innate magic right before her eyes. Melogas didn't even have time to care that the princess, who had been right in front of her, was gone. The princess was being held at the Phantom Demon headmaster's side. It seemed she had also fallen asleep earlier and had yet to wake. "Because Caliera gave it to me." Lanqi's eyes were steadfast as stone as he stared straight at Melogas, the emerald depth of his gaze carrying a meaning beyond words. Facing her from afar, Lanqi watched Melogas. Though he didn't want to use force within the school, if this scorpion-tailed demoness posed such a danger to Hyperion, he would fulfill his duties as headmaster and eliminate her. "Lies! You're lying! Caliera would never give her pride to anyone!!" Melogas retreated two paces, clutching her head in utter denial as she screamed. "So you liked Caliera that much?" Lanqi murmured, as if suddenly understanding something. A trace of sighing emotion, pity, and apology surfaced in his eyes. What a pity. Caliera had fancied only him, not this scorpion-tailed lady. Melogas caught every trace of that subtle expression. "No, I won't accept it..." Something seemed to shatter in her heart. The whites of her eyes blackened, shedding corrosive dark tears. "I will hurt you, I will thwart you, I will... destroy you!!" Melogas, Lord of Blasphemy, shrieked at Lanqi. She no longer cared what kind of creature this Phantom Demon was, whom she had once wanted to dissect and study; she had no desire to peel back his mysterious veil anymore. The joints of her scorpion tail bristled upright, fully primed to butcher the Phantom Demon before her. He deserved to die ten thousand deaths! The aura of a quasi-king great demon flooded the room, causing the sleeping students and teachers to wake with violent shudders. Weeping uncontrollably, they prostrated themselves on the ground, staring at the enraged quasi-king great demon. "!" Goosebumps broke out across Hyperion's skin as she opened her eyes. Upon waking, she found herself held by the shoulder by a familiar figure, while the little gray cat was still fast asleep. She looked up in surprise. The instant she saw those emerald green eyes, tears welled in hers. "Lanqi... you finally came to save me..." Even though this man had assumed a new appearance, she would never mistake that gentle gaze. "Are you alright?" Lanqi looked down and asked, paying no heed to Melogas. Because a certain demon had already declared that Melogas was her opponent. Having not seen Hyperion for a long time, Lanqi missed her dearly. Seeing her safe and sound set his heart at ease. "...Not really." Against her conscience, Hyperion relaxed her posture, pretending she couldn't stand steadily and was freezing cold, deliberately leaning her weight onto Lanqi. "Rest easy. I'm here." Thus, Lanqi didn't let go, holding her steady. In the distance, seeing the two demons acting so intimately was more than Melogas could bear. "Princess, I will teach you what modesty means! I will teach you myself!" In that instant, Melogas's form flickered. Accompanied by a roar of fury, her claws and scorpion tail seemed ready to pierce Lanqi through. Yet in the very next frame captured by Hyperion's eyes... As Melogas's terrifying stinger struck again, silver starlight scattered in the dark night, and a girl like an ethereal fairy materialized in midair. Her white dress fluttered elegantly, her bearing graceful. Not a trace of a smile touched her angelic countenance as her fair little hand, veins bulging on the back, seized Melogas's scorpion tail. "I am her aunt—" Talia had never been this angry. "Get the hell away from her, you fake aunt!!" Her knuckles twisted slightly, and the entire botanical garden was instantly enveloped in ominous fluctuations. Deep gray vines and leaves bloomed from her palm, spreading rapidly. The living vines abruptly expanded, turning into a massive predatory net that clamped down over Melogas. Every vein of the vines radiated a dark, mythical divine light that made demon souls tremble. After acquiring the Poet of Great Love's wood attribute and flowering magic, her casting of the dual-attribute Wood/Seal [Bloom of Such Exquisite Splendor] formed flowers even faster than Askesan could. [Bloom of Such Exquisite Splendor] [Category: Summon Card] [Quality: Pink Sacred] [Attribute: Wood / Seal] [Tier: 8] [Effect: Summons several vines that surround and seal the locked target. The vines possess massive damage reduction and reflect multi-stage damage back to the attacker upon taking damage.] [Remarks: Flowers without fruit, leaves without branches.] Before Melogas could react, she was engulfed by the flowers. Immediately, Talia kicked Melogas, sending her flying. The floor-to-ceiling window facing the purgatory side was smashed through entirely. Having suffered a surprise attack, sealed and struck with colossal force, Melogas was blasted right out of Purgatory Corridor Academy, flying over the Purgatory Grounds amidst the entangling flora. The moment Talia appeared with her frenzied Tier-8 mana, the prostrated demons in the botanical garden felt as though they had received an amnesty and liberation. The soul-crushing pressure Melogas had exerted upon them vanished in an instant, thoroughly dispelled by an even more domineering majesty. "...!" Hyperion stared in astonishment at the female Phantom Demon's silhouette. Not only had the familiar she summoned trapped Melogas, it had begun shrinking relentlessly, isolating Melogas in an inescapable void! Powerful, beautiful, immortal... Who else would protect her like this? Aside from Tata, aside from Teacher, among female demons there was only... "Y-You are..." Hyperion muffled a sob, tears streaming uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes. "Caliera?" Hyperion choked out between sobs. "Take good care of Hyperion," Talia told Lanqi without looking back, leaving Hyperion's question unanswered as she vanished in the direction Melogas had been kicked. She had originally wanted to order Lanqi to stop holding Hyperion. Seeing that Hyperion needed someone to care for her right now, Talia tacitly allowed it—just this once. In this Shadow World, she would play the role of Caliera well so Hyperion wouldn't be heartbroken. Talia could stay by Hyperion's side forever in the real world, but Caliera could only accompany Hyperion for these final six days in this Shadow World. Even if she was a fake Caliera, this was the final Land of Gentle Slumber. ... Above the Purgatory Grounds. The pitch-black firmament was dotted with speckles of red light, as if piercing through heaven and earth to connect with the eternal heat and torment of the purgatory. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and blazing fire. This was an area of eternal magic-infused volcanoes. Purgatory Corridor Academy stood atop this purgatory, its terrain scored with scorched fissures from countless baptisms of fire. The eerie crimson rocks surrounding it took on a somber sheen under the glow of starlight and purgatory flames. Now, the outskirts of Purgatory City Pasqual had become the battleground to the death for two great demons. Talia hovered above the sea of purgatorial fire, glaring into the distance at Melogas, who had torn free from the vines. While Purgatory Corridor Academy was protected by a barrier, it wouldn't allow two Tier-8 great demons to fight without holding back. To minimize casualties to the school, demon teachers, and students, the Purgatory Grounds were the proper battlefield. Talia had wanted to fight this Lord of Blasphemy from the start. Just hearing her torment Hyperion and shamelessly call herself Hyperion's aunt was reason enough for Talia to know she had to fight her. "That hurt..." Melogas hissed faintly, her joints creaking. Her rage had reached its peak. Now, she had to tear something apart to quiet the storm inside her. She hated being ambushed and sent flying by another demon. Earlier, her full attention had been on Lanqi and Hyperion, giving no thought to the possibility that another full-power Phantom Demon could split off from him. Even when the gray-haired demoness appeared and restrained her, Melogas hadn't reacted in time, focused solely on striking Lanqi. "Die, scum." Talia ignored her. She had already been condensing violent mana. Channeling mana to her fingertips, blowing back the strands of hair at her temples, the air in the direction she pointed began to warp, opening deep gray fissures. Any object swallowed by them seemed destined to be pulverized in an instant. Lanqi had told her she could go all out; so long as the school wasn't destroyed, she had no worries. Though she was certain of Melogas's power, she knew she couldn't drag this out into an endurance match. Her best option was to open with an ultimate move to injure Melogas, then vanish on the spot, allowing Lanqi to escape with Hyperion. It had been a long time since she fought with such reckless abandon. Gray lines encircled and locked down Melogas along the edges of the vines. [Sky-Ripping Chords] [Category: Equipment Card] [Quality: Pink Sacred] [Attribute: Seal / Space] [Tier: 8] [Effect: Within 60 seconds of activation, creates twelve sealed rifts in space. Once touched by an enemy, they trigger defense-ignoring explosions. Rifts that have existed for more than 1 second can also be actively detonated. Cooldown: 150 seconds.] [Remarks: Suspicion, hatred, fear, pity. Your emergence has made humanity more restrained.] Because this noble Tier-8 spell card possessed dual attributes of Seal and Space, pure sealers couldn't learn it, forcing even Bishop of Extinction Askesan to carry the card. Accidentally touching those fissure-like gray lines in the air would cause them to rapidly expand and erupt in crisscrossing detonations. Previously, when she unleashed Sky-Ripping Chords with all her might in the City of Flowers, Palieu, it directly took down Perlman, who had gone into a hyper-frenzy via a legendary magic tool fragment. "Do you know how weak you are?... Huh?" Melogas, whose attention had initially been fixed on Talia's spell, suddenly froze in astonishment when she finally got a clear look at this gray-haired demoness radiating overwhelming pressure. It wasn't just the Nine-Seal Demon King aura. More importantly, it was her veil of the fallen heaven and the Land of Gentle Slumber mana lingering upon her. Amid the chaos... Melogas pierced the fog in an instant. "Caliera! You have Nine Seals?! I knew you wouldn't die so easily—you are Caliera!!" Melogas's eyes filled with wild excitement, concealing a twisted fanaticism. Everything made sense now. Why that male demon bore Caliera's scent. Why he had been able to use the Land of Gentle Slumber just now. Why he seemed like an unknown outsider. Caliera was dwelling inside him! "I've dreamed of killing you with my own hands, Caliera! Or having you kill me! Yet you never harbored any murderous intent toward me—do you know how furious that made me?!" Melogas laughed and cried at once, shouting like a woman reunited with a long-lost lover. Though Melogas didn't know why Caliera had become so weak, the reason she had stopped at nothing to reach Tier 9 was for this very opportunity—a chance to fight to the death with Caliera! A dream she thought would never come true had become reality at this very moment. Melogas frantically wiped away tears flowing endlessly from invisible eyes. "Caliera, kill me, or let me kill you!" In a joy that nearly tore her chest apart, she shouted out her deepest desires. The entire space began to warp. Deep gray vines descending from the heavens and black fissures surging from the earth were about to engulf Melogas in an instant. It was at this moment that Melogas got serious. The dark purple mana around her expanded explosively, transforming into a vast cosmos. In an instant, a nearly translucent, turbid purple silhouette radiated from Melogas. Mist shrouded the skies above the Purgatory Grounds. The sheer torrent of her ordinary mana collided with the deep gray chains, blowing them entirely away. "..." Talia merely stared at Melogas as if looking at a lunatic. She found this scorpion-tailed demoness utterly incomprehensible. And at this moment, Talia finally sensed how terrifying this creature's mana was when she got serious. It was completely beyond comparison with any enemy she had encountered before! The moment Talia and Melogas's mana collided, a terrible vortex gathered at the center, threatening to swallow everything. Hundreds of millions of beams erupted over the Purgatory Grounds, far more brilliant than black-and-white detonations. The light was so dazzling that ancient night and eternal day seemed to converge here. The entire structure of Purgatory Corridor Academy trembled under the collision. Even with the barrier's protection, every pane of glass facing this direction shattered! After a long time... Only flames remained in the Purgatory Grounds once more. The smoke gradually cleared. Melogas was still completely unharmed. Only a faint line of blood was drawn across her cheek. With a strange expression, she raised her hand, touched the blood on her face, and brought her fingertip to her lips to lightly taste it. It was as if she deeply relished the injury Caliera had bestowed upon her. "Monster..." Talia glared at her opponent, at a loss for words. After their direct clash, she was completely certain that Melogas was a great demon on a totally different level from Perlman. In the City of Flowers, Palieu, Perlman had basically met defeat when hit with the full brunt of Sky-Ripping Chords. Yet for Melogas, a spell of this caliber posed no threat at all; it was like scratching an itch. "Ah, that gaze... Are you really Caliera?..." The Lord of Blasphemy casually shifted her gaze from her fingertip to her opponent. Stimulated by Caliera's disdainful glare, she let out an overly ecstatic moan. With flushed cheeks, Melogas stared straight at Talia, longing for a communion of minds, or even souls. "?" Talia didn't understand what Melogas meant at first. Only after thinking for a moment did she realize. Her hostile glare seemed to have brought Melogas immense pleasure. "Are you sick in the head?!" Talia snapped angrily. She even laced her voice with Demon Sound. Or rather, she had been using Demon Sound to disrupt the other's mind from the start, but strangely, it had achieved little effect. "Yes, just like that... I can feel your love..." Melogas looked as if she were about to collapse to the ground, yet she couldn't contain her excitement, hovering on the verge of berserk frenzy. She spoke using her own Demon Sound as well. "Aargh!" Talia couldn't take it anymore. *Disgusting!!* Even in her own era, she had never seen such a great demon. It was also possible that Melogas's Demon Sound was affecting Talia's mind, making it harder to endure. Likewise, Talia's Demon Sound was affecting Melogas, driving her near the point of fainting from ecstasy. As wielders of Demon Sound, both possessed extraordinarily high resistance to sonic magic; neither could subdue the other with it, yet both suffered slight interference from the other's resonance. "Die! Just die!!" Before the words faded, mana capable of shaking the earth surged around the gray-haired demoness, staining the purgatorial rock walls a dark red. Countless bottomless cracks spread like spiderwebs in all directions. Immediately after, black-red cursed flames erupted from beneath the earth. She commanded these eerie fires to rage around Melogas like vengeful wraiths, determined to incinerate her to ash. Having obtained the Bishop of Destruction's [Original Slate - Fire], all of Talia's fire-attribute spells received a boost. [Original Slate - Fire] [Category: Equipment Card] [Quality: Orange Epic] [Attribute: Fire] [Tier: 5] [Passive Effect: The Original Slate cannot be destroyed. Only living beings of the mortal realm may soul-bind it, with a maximum of one slate bound at a time. Comprehensively empowers all fire-attribute spells, combat skills, equipment, and summons. The slate unbinds upon the death of the soul-bound user.] [Remarks: If pain cannot be concealed in the proper world, simply pile fresh scars atop the old.] If she acquired dual-attribute Seal and Fire spells in the future, she could even enjoy the amplification of two Original Slates. Lanqi had also instructed her to use Fire and Seal attributes as much as possible in pivotal battles within the Shadow World, as the reward mechanism gave a high probability of granting items of corresponding attributes at the end. Fighting in a fire-attribute environment gave her an advantage. Not only was her own affinity for fire higher than Melogas's, but casting fire spells here also yielded double the result with half the effort. Talia didn't want to hear Melogas speak another word. "Hahaha! Caliera, when did you learn so many new tricks?" Melogas laughed wildly in the sea of fire, questioning Talia. Demon Sound was a debuff to both Talia and Melogas, but for Talia it was painful degradation, while for Melogas it was a delightful debilitation. "Shut up, you filthy thing!" Talia yelled with immense fury. Even with the Nine Seals granting a specialized bonus against fellow demons, double buffs from the Original Slate: Seal, the Original Slate - Fire in hand, and fighting in the fire-rich terrain of the Purgatory Grounds—fully stacking buffs and debuffs—the sheer gap in raw strength was too immense. She still couldn't overcome the Lord of Blasphemy. "When you curse, it sounds like you're flirting. Did you know that?" Hearing Talia's curses, Melogas's eyes grew clear with delight. Unable to wait another second, she lunged toward Talia. ... Purgatory Corridor Academy, Foundation Level. The crimson glow unique to Pasqual illuminated the land, converging at the horizon into a red halo like the reflection of hellfire or a gathering place for countless departed souls. By the shattered window of the botanical garden classroom, Lanqi watched the distant collision of silver-white and purple comets. "Why can't even Caliera beat Melogas...?" Beside Lanqi, Hyperion watched the invincible Caliera fall into a disadvantage against Melogas, and her heart turned cold. She had thought that once Mama Caliera arrived, everything would be fine. A Tier-9 Caliera fighting a peak Tier-8 Melogas should have won handily in a few moves. She never imagined Caliera would also be trapped in a bitter fight. Melogas's strength filled Hyperion with despair. Thank goodness they hadn't had a falling out with Melogas in the Demon King's City back then. Otherwise, even Antanas and the other three combined might not have beaten Melogas. Not to mention there were several other great demons in the Demon King's City! A fight would have guaranteed their total annihilation. "Lanqi, can you help her? You have a way, right!" Hyperion tugged at the corner of Lanqi's coat and asked him. Lanqi was clearly evaluating Melogas's strength based on the clash just now to decide whether to run or fight. Since he had stopped here, he must believe it was winnable. Lanqi looked at Hyperion and gave an affirmative nod. He turned his head and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Save meeee!!!" Lanqi shouted toward the corridor with all his might. When the sound faded... There was no movement from the depths of the corridor. "..." Hyperion's face flushed slightly. She remembered shouting the exact same words in roughly the same place back then. She couldn't tell if Lanqi was doing this by accident or on purpose. *You've gotten naughty, Lanqi,* she wanted to grumble. Yet she couldn't understand who Lanqi was calling to for help. How could shouting like that actually summon an expert capable of defeating the invincible Lord of Blasphemy?! ... Smoke billowed over the purgatory. The earth-shattering battle raged on. Volcanoes fractured; magma spread everywhere. The once-smooth rock walls were riddled with pierced craters. Smoke and dust churned amid the rubble, the air heavy with the scorched odor of poison gas. The white-robed, gray-haired Demon King continued to fight, locked in bloody combat. She had gotten a bit hot-headed. In the past, encountering an opponent she clearly couldn't beat, she would definitely have chosen to run. This time, however, she genuinely wanted to kill this scorpion! And Lanqi hadn't told her to run either. Talia simply unleashed her long-suppressed demonic nature, battling this creature to the death. By now, she was covered in wounds. Her skin, once white as snow, was stained with charred ash and dark red blood. Beneath the cold silver moon high above, Talia gritted her teeth, resisting the formidable foe before her with everything she had. Melogas's dark silhouette remained as agile and lethal as purple flames. When Talia attacked, Melogas often stood unmoved, yet Melogas's counterattacks were exceedingly difficult for Talia to parry. The perilous situation left Talia struggling on all fronts. She didn't know whether Lanqi had successfully escaped to safety with Hyperion. Right now, she was immortal. Even if she died, Lanqi could resummon her at the cost of a massive amount of mana. As long as Lanqi didn't die, she wouldn't die. Even if it meant fighting to the bitter end, she would definitely hold back Melogas. Before Talia could catch her breath, Melogas's scorpion tail thrust at her again. Talia's heart leapt. The two demonic shadows collided once more, air detonating and thunder roaring deafeningly. Earth-shaking shockwaves surged through the firmament, turning into twisted gales that dyed the horizon of Pasqual in a deep blood-crimson like black flames. Smoke and dust mixed with sparks and rubble billowed upward, blanketing the purgatorial magma in apocalyptic ruins. Just as Talia grew anxious, Melogas abruptly halted. "You shouldn't be this weak, Caliera!" Melogas seemed finally enraged by Talia's weakness. Sonic waves of Demon Sound surged violently, rippling in concentric rings until a tangible soundwave swept out, blasting away rock debris across the land and dispelling the cloud mist in the sky, threatening to tear heaven and earth apart. Mana erupted; excruciating pain struck. Talia's magical defense proved utterly fragile before this sudden point-blank assault, crumbling instantly like paper. Melogas's scorpion tail grazed her at the same moment. A searing pain of virulent poisoning instantly tore through her entire body. Talia leapt backward with all her might. At this life-and-death juncture, Talia endured the agony and concentrated all her mana. Black-red flames surged from the depths of the purgatory, neutralizing the poison mist in midair. Under Talia's control, the black-red tongues of fire spiraled rapidly, coalescing into a majestic tempest that roared toward Melogas. Melogas carved a magic circle with her scorpion tail; the toxic crest etched into the heavens pierced through layer after layer of fire curtains, stamping squarely onto Talia. Even though Talia raised her shield in time to negate most of the impact, the sheer agony threw her breathing into disarray. "Lord of Blasphemy, you're not so tough after all," Talia mocked, forcing through the pain as she glared at Melogas once more. Just this once... She refused to lose. "Is—that—so—?" Melogas seemed to be losing her head as well. Even now, Caliera refused to acknowledge her, driving the tangled love and hatred in Melogas's heart to an absolute peak. She raised her hand. Now, she would show Caliera her supreme killing move. The greatest venting of love in her entire life. The demonic crest in Melogas's hand released a purple beam straight into the sky. It condensed and bloomed overhead, forming a magic circle that covered an area far beyond the horizon, blanketing the sky above Talia. This mana seemed ready to make the magma in the purgatory surge and the atmosphere in the night sky collapse; the entire world would be illuminated by this power, turning night into day. Melogas no longer cared whether Purgatory City Pasqual would survive the moment it detonated! Talia knew the scale of this spell was far beyond her. Under the crushing weight of mana Melogas had yet to fully release, she couldn't even maintain her telekinetic flight and began to plummet toward the purgatorial magma. Taking this head-on was impossible; she could only prepare to be resummoned. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. It didn't come from Melogas. It felt like a disturbance. Yet she couldn't pinpoint the direction. Melogas had also noticed this increasingly ominous sound. *Demolition noises from inside Purgatory Corridor Academy?* Before her mind could finish processing the thought... A fracturing sound that had seemed inside the building just a second ago was now right in front of Melogas's face. A girl with emerald-green hair and purple eyes filled Melogas's entire field of vision out of nowhere, her gaze looking down with bone-chilling severity. Those purple eyes, which had usually remained relaxed and lazy, were now coated in frigid frost, replaced by absolute resolve. Giving the Lord of Blasphemy zero time to react, she drove her fist straight into Melogas's body! The berserk force churned the magma mountains of the Purgatory Grounds into surging waves and brought them crashing down. Faster than thunder, the roar echoed across the entire region of Purgatory City Pasqual! The earth quaked; vast fissures split across the mountain ranges, collapsing downward step by step. Even kilometers away at the Corridor Academy, intricately carved statues and window panes shattered and rained down in an instant, fragments scattering in the wind. "Caliera, I'm sorry I'm late." Having blown Melogas away with a single punch, Xigelei caught the stunned, floating Talia steadily in her arms. "???" Talia wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Held in a bridal carry by Xigelei, she stared wide-eyed at Xigelei's face, which had taken on an entirely different aura. Just now, a terrifying silver comet had shot past, severely wounding Melogas with raw physical force. After fighting for so long, this was the first time Talia felt that Melogas's defense was so paper-thin. And this absolute powerhouse protecting her like a God of War was her precious Xigelei? *So at the start... I really couldn't outmuscle Xigelei?!* *It wasn't an illusion!* ... Far away inside Purgatory Corridor Academy, Lanqi raised his cloaked coat to shield Hyperion from the shockwave. Only after the gale subsided did he slowly lower his arm. Hyperion stared under the moon with wide eyes. She had witnessed the Goddess of the Moon descend with her own eyes, heavily wounding Melogas on her behalf. The solid damage from that single punch was probably more than everything Caliera had dealt throughout their protracted clash! Just what caliber of powerhouse was this? When she got a clearer view of that silhouette... Hyperion trembled all over. Shaking, she raised a hand and pointed high into the air. "Holy shit, Xigelei!!" Hyperion yelled. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that her frail, delicate little sister Xigelei had become so fierce!