[Vitality at 20%]
My body is filled with corrupted mana.
Mana that is expelled from A Demon Lord Envoy's technique most of the time contains corrupted mana that can cause one's body to work improperly, such as the case when I almost died to Focalors' attack and when Hale died of contamination.
But for me?
Corrupted Mana?
No problem!
[Rejection of Evil will filter corrupted mana]
[Chronic Eater is eating mana in the environment]
"I guess I understand why they call you Chronic Eater. In some ways, your power is the same as Focalors' cheat skill. Though I assume it's more passive than how Focalors' works." Belial said as he charged towards me.
CLANG!
Belial clashed his hammer with Blastur.
With a blink, I raised my aura coated with light energy.
The radiating light began to burn Belial's body as he took a step back.
"Emitting aura like that. You're overdoing it if you don't have enough mana in stock." Belial said as he regenerated his burnt skin.
"Then, I'll just eat it out of you. Our attacks generate residues. I will eat that." I said, gripping my blade tightly as I raised it once more. "Even if you decide to coat corrupted Mana in your hammer, by that time I will eat it too."
Without any wasted movement, Belial moved and swung his hammer with full force, coated with black magical energy. "Then, Eat this! Scornful Sweep!"
BUK!
The hammer hit my body.
It hurts like hell, but I want it to happen.
As I got hit, I grabbed the hammer, locking it with my body as the mana channels on my armor began to stretch out, coating the hammer with my mana channels. Then, with the mana channels, I drained the corrupted mana from Belial's hammer.
The black magical energy began flowing into the blue mana channels into my body.
Seeing this, Belial released the Hammer before charging in again.
"Abyssal Fis-"
Only to falter midway because I raised my Aura of Light once more.
The extreme light element that emitted from my body grazed through Belial's skin.
He wasn't the type to react even when hurt, but due to his faltering, I can be sure that he is affected deeply.
He lost control of his hammer, and now I have finished draining the corrupted mana coated on his hammer. I raised my mana to check one more time to see if anything is left. Then I let go of the hammer and let it sink to the sea.
Belial was ultimately right.
I won't be able to keep this up for too long.
I am spending too much mana using this technique of coating the environment around me with elemental magic.
Even with the blessings I have.
[Blessings of Borreas: Capabilities at 120%]
[Blessings of Alayars: Mana Efficiency at 120%]
I won't be able to maintain this for long.
Not only that, if Belial manages to close his 2nd Vent, the power spike will be too big.
My winning condition for all of this.
It is for Belial to admit I was on par with him.
-~
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."
-~
I defeated the other three, Dantalion, Andromalius, and Decarabia. I only need to fight on par with him. But his trick is that on par was a 'subjective reasoning'.
How does one know that a guy is on par with someone else?
The answer is that you don't
Unlike Baal's term of agreement, Belial purposefully crafted it in a way that makes it subjective for him, as the one who made the contract.
But it's not like I accept all this without knowing this would happen.
In fact, he probably should've known that the deal was subjective from the start. That this 'cursed covenant' was also a double-edged blade.
***
In truth, from the start, this deal was subjective, allowing me to properly assess him.
My master's experience with fighting him is that he is pretty unpredictable. If I had made a covenant without accounting for his unpredictability, then Raymed might've ended the battle prematurely, which means I failed to see his full strength.
But now, in this condition.
I can properly assess his strength.
But the risk is, even for 1 second, I thought of fighting him seriously.
Then the covenant will be fulfilled, and Derashina's sphere cage will be undone.
Fighting him seriously is a no-no
Acknowledging his power is a no-no
But for the entire battle, he keeps surprising me over and over, making me believe that he is almost on par with me.
It was such a bother, but I think I managed to see the extent of his strength, let's see if...
Wait, he is doing that technique again.
I began to get ready to take another flight.
***
"Light was the source of everything... It creates, it guides, it destroys."
"Light was the origin and will be the end. Countless Armament"
Armaments of light appeared once more ready to be deployed.
Raymed pointed his hand forward as the weapons flew towards Belial.
SHUCT! SHUCT! SHUCT!
Belial flies through the sky, evading the strikes of Raymed's weapons.
Like before, Belial tried to evade while making the weapons of light crash onto each other. He understood that even if these weapons are homing like missiles, the strength lies in their number, not in their perfect ability to target.
But it was harder to evade than just strike over with his hammer.
Belial smiled as he expanded his aura.
The trick to creating the Mana Channel that Raymed did.
The trick to control weapons remotely, Belial had understood the basis and was able to do the same. Belial's hammer that sank to the ocean appeared and was making its way to him.
Raymed noticed this and smiled,
"Gargantua, Colossal, Abyssal! Surtur. Black Frost. Skadi. Solomon!"
Mana surged—flame and frost colliding.
Third time, a colossal spear manifested, swirling with crimson fire and arctic blue.
Then a flash of light for a split second blinding everything before Raymed said, "Light be your guide!" Raymed incorporated Light Energy at his spell.
"Great Polarized Surya Javelin!" Raymed stood by and said his technique as the force of the javelin broke through the air, directed at Belial.
Belial smiled as his Hammer almost reached him while the Javelin had just started firing.
Once again, you missed your opportunity.
Even if you manage to know my weakness.
Once this attack hits, there will be enough residues for me to close my second vent.
The moment Belial touched his hammer and lifted it to his shoulder, he sensed something.
BOOM!
The hammer explodes, damaging Belial's face. Abruptly interrupting his field of vision.
It can't be.
So at the time, when he raised his mana after eating the corrupted mana coating from my hammer...
He coats it with light magic and blasts it at this moment.
Then, at that moment, when Belial's hammer just exploded, the Javelin came.
BOOM!!!
Belial was hit with the Javelin full force.
He is slowly regenerating his body due to the blast and is about to prepare for the next clash with Raymed.
What he doesn't know is that...
Raymed was already behind him.
"This is my last attack, Belial!"
***
Belial, the sixth rank, strength is no joke.
I planted two traps.
I planted the coating on his hammer.
I also purposefully made him think that the entire time I was going to stay down there.
I have made too many mana residues.
No one knows when he will be able to close another vent.
If he closes another vent, then I will lose, and Derashina won't be safe.
So this is the last attack I can make.
I need to finish this in one go.
[Split Flow Deactivate]
[Vitality at 10%]
[You have 20% of your mana left]
I channeled my remaining Mana to Blastur.
10% 20%
However, it's still not enough.
[Opening the seal of Demonic Cores!]
I opened the seal of Demonic Cores of Dantalion, Andromalius, Seere, and Decarabia.
After only a few seconds, I sealed it back again,
[Demonic Cores have been sealed!]
Blastur filtered corrupted mana.
While my body eats mana.
With a trick like this, I can drain a few more extras of mana.
I didn't mean that I need the Demonic Cores to do this.
But, I need a crazy amount of Mana to pull it off.
I took a deep breath before channeling my mana once again towards Blastur.
I made a T-pose with Blastur on my right hand.
The red gem on my armor glows, charging and imbuing Blastur with mana.
I slowly moved my arms over my head.
Grasping Blastur with both my hands as it shines with light energy.
Then I hang Blastur overhead as a tail of light begins to form from Blastur.
The light energy begins to gather from myself and from the environment.
"This is my last attack, Belial!"
Belial, who heard my declaration, looked to his back.
"HAAA!"
.
.
.
He evaded the strike of my blade.
"You missed?" Belial asked.
Then at that moment. From the red gem of Blastur, light energy charged as it shot out a beam. A beam made of a light element. A beam of destruction made from light energy.
Belial instinctively lifts his hammer to guard himself.
CRCHS!! CRCHSS!!
The light energy crashed into Belial's hammer as it made a cracking sound.
"What is this?"
I began to remember my friends.
Kourin.
Thalamik.
Carmilla.
Hale.
Diko.
Killiar.
Trish.
Lulu.
Dwargo.
Illias.
Besitulars.
Derashina.
Alayars.
Borreas.
Oberon.
I even remembered her.
Morgwynevere.
I gritted my teeth and screamed, "HAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"
All my energy! Please make this one blast the last attack I need to defeat Belial!
"GOOOOO!!!!"
The light energy crashes again with Belial as he tries to guard against the beam.
***
What? What the hell is this power?
How did he still have so many?
Ghhh!!!
Belial held his might against the beam Raymed launched at him with his sword.
CRACK!!
Cracks appeared in his Great Hammer.
That's right, I haven't even coated my Great Hammer.
Now it's not that strong to guard against this attack.
But I won't lose to you!
That was the moment.
The moment Belial said that he won't lose to Raymed.
That was the moment Belial fulfilled the end of the cursed covenant.
He looked upwards. The Sphere is slowly disintegrating.
He had failed to lock Derashina's cage tight.
Hero Raymed. Indeed, I acknowledge your strength.
BUT I WON'T LOSE TO YOU!
He no longer cared about Derashina. No longer caring if even the cursed covenant has been completed.
What Belial wants now is to block this attack.
"HAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!" Raymed screamed as the energy only became stronger.
CRACKS!!!
.
CRUANGK!!!
The Great Hammer of Belial was shattered into a million pieces.
Belial was then subject to the might of Raymed's beam of destruction.
"GOOO!!!!" Raymed screamed, his eyes red as the beam struck Belial.
"BRIGHTEST STAR OF HOPE:...."
.
.
.
Raymed took a deep breath.
"PHOTON-"
"RAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!"
The beam of destruction expanded its size as it struck at Belial.
Belial was then pushed towards the border of this pocket dimension that should've been invisible.
So this is your strength, Hero Raymed.
HAHAHAHAA!
May we fight like this once again!
"GOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Raymed shouted that his red aura had begun to flame crazily.
BOOOOM!
The explosion lit up the skies.
The battle was over.
Raymed was the winner.
***
"Princess Derashina..." A voice called out to Derashina.
Asleep for quite some time, Derashina slowly opened her eyes.
Seeing a knight in gleaming armor carrying her in his arms, slowly descending to the ground below. To the small island that is almost destroyed because of the dangerous battle that took place.
"Hero Raymed," Derashina said with a tear on her face. "I am sorry. I didn't account for Raumstar was trying to"
"It wasn't your fault." Raymed shook his head. "More than that. We should figure out how to get out of here." They reached the ground.
"Are you able to walk okay?" Raymed asked.
"Yes. Thank you."
"Alright."
BRUK!
"RAYMED!" Derashina panicked as she saw Raymed abruptly tumble.
"My bad. I need to rest a bit." Raymed said to Derashina.
"Hahaha. You had me scared for a second." Derashina sat beside Raymed, who was lying on his back.
"After I rest, let's investigate. The border of the pocket dimension." Raymed said.
"Wait, is there always a hole visible in the sky?" Derashina asked.
"HUH?"
Raymed sat and looked at the sky.
A hole.
A huge hole was present in the sky.
"Does that mean we can get out of that hole?" Raymed asked.
"Erm. I am not sure!" Derashina said.
"Might as well try! Hang on Tight! Derashina!"
"Hang on tight? Wait- AA!"
Raymed abruptly carried Derashina on his back as he went to the sky.
Then the hole slowly closed.
"THE HOLE IS CLOSING??" Derashina asked.
"IT SEEMS SOO!!!" Raymed gritted his teeth as he tried to accelerate his flight.
Just then, however, something appeared from beyond that hole.
Raymed instinctively went back for a second.
"Who are you?!" Raymed asked.
Then a figure appeared, with long, white, lavender-hued hair and red eyes.
Derashina shivered in fear.
The figure then unleashed her golden chains.
With a smile, she said,
.
.
.
.
"What are you talking about, Ray? Do you seriously don't know who I am?"
The figure entered the pocket dimension through the hole. Whilst holding the hole with her golden chains.
.
.
.
Raymed smiled. "Took you long enough, Carmilla!"
"AH! MS. CARMILLA THE SAINT!!" Derashina said.