The word "protagonist"—whether in anime or novels—is often used to refer to a miraculous being.
They tend to turn calamity into fortune, overcome danger, and defeat powerful enemies.
Even when a blade is pressed to their neck, some twist of fate often ensures they come to no harm.
Although this is a real world and not quite so exaggerated,
in some mysterious way, things still unfold as if guided toward a predestined path.
Spades, Diamonds, Hearts, Clubs...
These card suits make up the foundational structure of this world.
And Yuno and Asta—those two—are akin to the Joker and the Ace.
Each might be overpowered when faced alone with a hand of four bombs.
But together—Joker and Ace—they form the strongest hand possible.
"Raaah!!"
The two let out synchronized battle cries.
Just as Ethan had predicted,
even though they knew they weren't strong enough individually,
they refused to simply stand by and watch helplessly.
They couldn't allow themselves to lag behind while Ethan faced off alone against
the demon, the First Wizard King, and Licht.
A mysterious and cryptic magic incantation echoed through the battlefield.
In the next moment, the demon conjured a black trident—a long, pitch-dark weapon—
much like Asta's Anti-Magic Sword.
With a single sweep, the trident easily slashed through the First Wizard King's Light Magic.
"Watch out!"
DOUUDUNT...!
Taking advantage of that moment of distraction,
the trident cleanly severed the Wizard King's left arm.
The demon surged forward.
Asta charged too, clashing swords with the long black trident.
BANG!
Although the trident could easily shatter ordinary magic,
it couldn't shake Asta's Anti-Magic Sword even slightly.
Their weapons collided, ringing with a piercing clarity.
"As expected, Asta is absolutely vital..."
Ethan, watching the battle while doing his best to restore his mana,
felt confident in his judgment.
The others' magic worked, yes—but it lacked lethality.
To truly destroy the demon, Anti-Magic was indispensable.
---
"Everyone—buy Asta time! Only his Anti-Magic can kill the demon!"
At Ethan's command, everyone nodded solemnly.
They weren't blind—they could clearly see the situation for what it was.
"But..."
BOOM!
In the void above, the black matter hadn't been entirely cleared away by the last attack.
It continued pouring from the massive rift in seemingly endless waves.
Previously, it was still possible to dodge by leaping into the air.
But now, with more and more of that matter piling up,
in just a few minutes, the entire space might be completely filled.
"A dead loop... it won't disappear no matter how much we destroy..."
Yami spat out the cigarette in his mouth, visibly annoyed.
He wasn't Licht, empowered by Elven buffs,
nor was he the First Wizard King with unmatched magical attributes.
Forget trying to destroy the dark matter—
even if they could, it wouldn't cut off the source.
Once their mana ran dry, it'd be game over.
How could they help others if they couldn't even protect themselves?
---
"Let me do it."
Raising his Demon-Dweller Sword, Licht's eyes burned with conviction.
After all, today's disaster stemmed from his past mistakes.
If he could end it all with his own hands, it would be the best resolution.
Ruuuummm...!
Radiant light burst forth.
Unlike Asta's Anti-Magic sword, Licht's weapon was pure white,
glowing brilliantly in his grasp.
Suddenly, Vetto, Patolli, and the others also lit up with a divine glow.
"What's going on...?"
At that moment, all across the Clover Kingdom, every surviving Elf
saw the light shining from their own bodies and stood in stunned silence.
Beams of light erupted from every corner of the land,
converging on Licht like a storm of divine vengeance.
All that brilliance poured into his sword—
the fury of the Elves, accumulated over centuries.
Even Ethan felt a chill crawl down his spine.
> "That's far beyond what even Tier Zero magic could ever unleash..."
With a single hand on the hilt, Licht raised his sword and roared:
**"Taste it! This is the wrath of the Elven Tribe over hundreds of years—
Ultimate Sword Magic: Judgment Slash!"
ZING!
White light filled the battlefield, blinding everything in its path.
In magic combat, it's usually about speed or power.
This strike had both.
Though they couldn't see, everyone heard the demon's scream of agony echoing sharply.
---
"Did... did it work?"
"Is the demon dead?"
As vision slowly returned, they saw a massive chasm cleaved through the battlefield.
Swallowing nervously, they noticed—the demon was nowhere in sight.
---
"No... something's wrong!"
Pupils narrowing, they all stared in shock at a black, pulsing heart
emerging from the darkness.
A hideous crack had split across it—
like a mouth.
---
"Lend me your sword!"
Appearing beside a stunned Asta, Ethan snatched the Anti-Magic Sword from his hands.
Anti-Magic might technically be magic,
but it was still fundamentally different from the magic of this world—
and thus, impossible for him to mimic or replicate.
The moment he grabbed it, the sword greedily sucked away his mana like a sponge.
Even at his peak, he would've only lasted a few minutes.
But Ethan didn't need minutes.
He only needed one instant.
---
"Demon... DIE!!"
SHING!
No spells. Just a thrust.
The sword was the purest weapon—a kill move in itself.
The demon's heart hadn't yet reformed—
and Ethan struck with killing intent.
But—
---
"Huh?"
The tip of the sword came within half a meter of the demon's heart—
and could go no farther.
An invisible wall seemed to block him.
He tried to push forward,
but in a flash, the Anti-Magic Sword drained the last of his mana.
> "Damn it... just a little more! If I only had a bit more mana...!"
BOOM!
A rebound shockwave sent Ethan flying.
Thankfully, Asta caught him just before he tumbled into the dark matter below.
At that moment, the demon completed its resurrection.
Limbs intact, body whole—like nothing had ever happened.
Licht's devastating ultimate move had left no wounds.
A heavy shadow fell over everyone's hearts.
---
"It didn't die... What now?"
How were they supposed to win now?
---
"Heh... haha... so close!"
The demon laughed wildly, reveling in its survival.
> "I told you—you can't kill me.
Not with this world's magic. Hahaha!"
He was fully aware of the situation.
The strongest ones left were Lumiere, Licht, and Ethan.
Lumiere had exhausted his mana.
Licht was crippled.
Ethan was nearly spent.
Asta was the only real threat—
but he was too weak to use Anti-Magic at full potential.
Unless they could one-shot him,
even destroying his body a thousand times would be useless.
---
"Damn it... Are we really going to lose like this?"
Lumiere's face twisted in fury.
He'd sealed himself away for five hundred years—
just to burn his remaining strength destroying the demon's plans.
And now, in the final hour, he saw no way to win.
---
"Prince, let's reattach your arm first!"
Nero appeared, placing his severed limb back in place.
No matter how hopeless the situation,
so long as they could still fight—they must not surrender to despair.
Sealing Magic: Eternal Dusk!
The wound sealed perfectly—
as though his arm had never been severed.
Watching this, an insane idea rose in Ethan's heart.
Wild, reckless...
almost impossible.
But if it worked...
Then maybe—just maybe—the tides could turn.
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