Snap!

  Leonagnus clapped his hands again, bringing them together in a prayer-like gesture.

  "【????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????】"

  "Earth Magic—Rock Fusion Blast!"

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Countless rocks rose from the earth into the sky, converging rapidly around a single core.

  "Die——!!!""Go!"

  The pitch-black fire orb and ultra-high density compressed rock cannonballs hurtled toward each other at top speed.

  Boom——!

  After a dazzling flash of light, a terrifying shockwave whipped up a storm above Haelinx.

  Whoosh——!

  Sargas, clutching his magic blade tightly, surged toward Leonagnus at breakneck speed, accompanied by a sonic boom.

  Leonagnus stretched out one hand, manipulating the earth to form stone pillars that rushed to meet Sargas.

  "Useless! Useless! Your attacks are useless now!!!"

  Sargas swung his blade wildly, sending countless pitch-black fire blades flying. Every stone pillar in his path was shattered to pieces!

  This time, the pillars could neither block nor trap him.

  Thud!

  In an instant, Sargas breached Leonagnus’ defenses and stood before him.

  "——Die!"

  He raised his greatsword, wreathed in pitch-black flames, and brought it crashing down on Leonagnus.

  Leonagnus summoned a rock shield to block.

  Boom!

  The massive pitch-black fire blade sliced through the shield, striking Leonagnus and sending him plummeting to the earth.

  Boom——!

  The dark flame blade carved a deep chasm into the ground, and Leonagnus’ figure disappeared into the crevice.

  "Leonagnus——!"

  Sandor’s face twisted with anxiety, and he was about to rush forward.

  But Sylvia reached out and stopped him.

  "Sylvia, what are you doing?!"

  "Don’t be impulsive......"

  Sylvia shook her head.

  "Don’t forget...... Leonagnus hasn’t unleashed his full strength yet."

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Sylvia’s reminder stunned Sandor. After a moment of realization, the anxiety on his face faded.

  "You’re right. I lost my head."

  "Good. Stay calm and watch—he’s about to show his true power......"

  At the center of the battle,

  Sargas stared at the chasm below, feeling confused.

  "Dead? Impossible......"

  He refused to believe his archenemy had been defeated so easily.

  But why had Leonagnus’ aura vanished?

  Crack! Crack......

  The rocks beneath his feet began to tremble.

  Sargas narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip on his blade.

  Whoosh!

  Pitch-black flames blazed fiercely on the sword—he was ready to unleash another attack at any moment.

  "Sargas......"

  The earth surged, and Leonagnus emerged from underground.

  Standing atop a stone pillar, he rose slowly into the sky.

  "Compared to twenty years ago, you’ve indeed grown much stronger."

  "What are you trying to say?"

  Sargas stared warily at Leonagnus. He sensed something was different about him, but couldn’t pinpoint what.

  Crackle!

  A crisp popping sound erupted from Leonagnus’ body.

  He rolled his joints slightly,

  speaking slowly:

  "Twenty years ago...... a strike like that would have been enough to defeat you. But now, I have no choice but to use my full strength."

  "Hah??? What nonsense are you talking about! Die for me——!"

  Enraged, Sargas swung his blade again.

  Another pitch-black fire blade hurtled toward Leonagnus.

  Leonagnus watched the approaching blade calmly. He extended his right hand at a leisurely pace,

  clenching it into a knife-hand strike.

  Then——

  "【??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????】"

  "Non-Attribute, Tier 5—"

  "Aura!"

  A transparent, bubble-like white aura suddenly enveloped Leonagnus’ entire body.

  He brought his knife-hand down in a swift slash.

  Boom——!

  The pitch-black fire blade in mid-air exploded as if struck by an invisible force.

  "What!? That’s impossible! How can you——"

  Sargas’ eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Leonagnus as if he’d seen a ghost.

  "......A long time ago,"

  Leonagnus said faintly,

  "you only cared about your own affairs. You didn’t even...... know that I possess Dual Attributes."

  "That can’t be!!! If you’re Dual Attribute, then back then——"

  Sargas’ voice trailed off, his unspoken words catching in his throat.

  He’d realized a truth he couldn’t bear to face:

  twenty years ago,

  Leonagnus had defeated him without using even half his strength......

  "One more thing to remind you......"

  Leonagnus said softly.

  Whoosh!

  In the next instant, he vanished from sight.

  When he reappeared, he was already in front of Sargas.

  "......Never engage a Rank A Non-Attribute user in close combat."

  "Wha——"

  Sizzle!

  Sargas managed only a single syllable.

  Leonagnus’ knife-hand struck his body.

  A gruesome wound tore across Sargas’ torso.

  Even with his enhanced physicality from demonization, the gap between his body and that of a Rank A Non-Attribute user was insurmountable......

  A rain of blood fell from the sky as Sargas’ body plummeted downward.

  Thud——!

  "I...... Ugh...... I refuse to accept this......"

  Sargas lay on the ground, spitting up blood, his eyes fixed on Leonagnus in the sky.

  "I refuse to accept this——!!!" Burning Purgatory——!!!"

  Boom——!!!

  A massive pillar of pitch-black flames shot into the sky, spreading rapidly across the city as if intent on turning the world into a dark inferno.

  Leonagnus looked down at Sargas calmly, then closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.

  "Sargas, let this be the end of your sinful life......"

  He raised his hands to the sky and began chanting.

  "【?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????】"

  Boom!

  From the distant vault of heaven, a crimson-glowing object fell, hurtling toward the earth at extreme speed.

  As it drew closer, its light intensified, dyeing the sky a fiery hue.

  Boom——!

  When the object broke through the clouds and appeared before everyone, its deafening, destructive roar echoed across Haelinx.

  "Earth Attribute, Tier 5—Meteor Fall!!!"

  "Hu——!"

  Leonagnus took a deep breath, clenched his right fist, and drew it back. His body began to free-fall downward.

  Boom!

  The massive meteor passed by his side.

  Thud——!

  At that moment, Leonagnus’ feet seemed to step on an invisible wall of air. With a sonic boom, he shot forward like a white meteor, catching up to the falling meteor.

  He swung his clenched fist downward.

  In the next instant, the entire meteor was shrouded in white Aura, its speed increasing exponentially.

  Boom——!!!

  A blinding light eclipsed the sun itself. The meteor crashed into Haelinx, triggering a cataclysmic explosion and the most powerful earthquake the city had ever endured.

  ......