Chapter 375: The Hellfire Rains Completely from the Firmament
"Am I going to die?"
The moment Avrora had this thought, someone suddenly grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her behind them.
That familiar figure appeared once again, standing in front of her!
Facing the incoming scorching beam, Mahiro instinctively raised his hand, preparing to cast a barrier spell to block it.
But someone moved faster than him.
It was Sayaka.
Using the unique spirit vision of a Maihime, she glimpsed the immediate future and appeared before Mahiro to take protective action.
The moment the laser beam struck, Sayaka swung the weapon in her hand forward.
Swish!
Nalakuvera's large-caliber laser seemed to be blocked by an invisible wall, then vanished into nothingness.
"My 'Lustrous Scale' has two abilities—one of them is nullifying physical attacks. You should be thanking me, Mahiro. If it weren't for me, you'd be a pile of ashes by now!
But don't get the wrong idea. If Yukina hadn't begged me, I wouldn't have cared whether you lived or died!"
Sayaka boasted with a tsundere tone.
At that moment, she was holding a massive greatsword that seemed somewhat out of place for her.
The blade was about 120 cm long, thick and heavy.
Straight joint patterns appeared on it like engravings.
Its silver sheen reflected the sunlight, and the incantations on it closely resembled those on Yukina's Snowdrift Wolf.
It was hard to imagine that Sayaka, as slender and graceful as a model, could wield such a heavy greatsword with ease.
And this sword was the one she called 'Lustrous Scale,' its full name being Heavy Demon-Purging Bow Type Six: Der Freischütz, capable of transforming between a longbow and a blade.
However, in its blade form, it did not cut through matter but rather severed the connection between matter and space.
No matter how powerful an attack was, it could not surpass the spatial discontinuity to cause damage. Thus, the space swept by Lustrous Scale became an absolutely invincible defensive barrier for that instant.
"Senpai, Sayaka is just like that. Please don't mind her."
Yukina, who had also arrived, noticed Sayaka's proud expression and stepped forward to whisper a gentle reminder.
"But Sayaka is indeed well-suited for defending against physical attacks, while my Snowdrift Wolf can nullify Magical Power attacks."
That was true.
Just as Sayaka and Yukina were close friends, Snowdrift Wolf and Lustrous Scale were like sister weapons, capable of defeating most enemies when combined.
Sayaka added proudly:
"And it's a barrier that can block all attacks, the sturdiest blade in the world. Even against weapons created by gods, there's nothing my sword cannot cut! If you beg me, I might just help you fight... Hey!"
It had to be said that Lustrous Scale's functionality was indeed powerful.
Unfortunately, Mahiro had no intention of paying attention to Sayaka. Instead, he crouched down to check on Avrora and Pemptos, whom she held in her arms.
"Are you okay?"
"I... I'm fine, but Number Five, she..."
Avrora's voice trembled with emotion, her large, sparkling eyes glistening with tears as she tightly hugged the nearly shattered Number Five.
Avrora blamed herself deeply.
If she hadn't been careless, Pemptos wouldn't have ended up like this.
"Let me take a look."
Mahiro took No. 5 from Avrora, but after examining her, he couldn't help but frown.
It was terrible.
Leaving aside the completely incinerated left shoulder, nearly half of her body had been charred, and her internal organs were scorched. If not for the vampire's extraordinary vitality and the powerful genetic serum, this girl would have long been dead.
Even so, Pemptos could still sense that the person holding her had changed.
She struggled to open her eyes a crack, forcing out a faint smile.
"S-sorry... Big Brother Mahiro, I... I caused trouble this time... I'm sorry."
"Mahiro... can she still be saved? Please save her. I... I won't make you my servant anymore. If you can save her, you... you'll be my master."
Avrora gently tugged at his sleeve, tears streaming down her face.
She knew exactly how severe No. 5's injuries were and was truly at a loss.
If it had been any other vampire, they would have likely turned to ash on the spot from that laser beam.
"Don't worry, she can still be saved. I'll take care of it."
Mahiro's words were brief but reassuring.
He spoke little and focused on action.
Silently, he activated the "Eye of the Spirit" and began scanning Pemptos's physical data.
[Beginning trace of individual information body change history...]
"Natsuki, you're here, right?"
As soon as he spoke, Natsuki Minamiya's figure appeared.
Only now, her gaze was slightly evasive, unwilling to meet Mahiro's eyes.
Mahiro didn't look up at her either, his focus still on scanning the information about Pemptos. Perhaps because her body contained a Beast Vassal of calamity-level power and she had lived for an exceedingly long time, the accumulated data was overwhelming.
This caused his reading speed to slow, and fine beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.
But his voice remained cold.
"Give me a reason."
Natsuki looked uneasy, her grip tightening slightly on the handle of her parasol. She didn't answer immediately, taking a moment to think before speaking.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought the little ones out."
"That's not what I want to hear."
"The security forces were insufficient, so I wanted to turn them into a force to protect the people of Itogami Island. That way, we could also reduce the targeting from the Lion King Organization and other groups."
Even though the excuse was rather flimsy, it was indeed Natsuki Minamiya's true intention.
But Mahiro's attitude remained cold.
"What about Astarte?"
"She's fine."
"That's good."
[Restoration point confirmed.]
[Beginning restoration.]
As if a miracle had descended, in the blink of an eye, Pemptos's injuries vanished without a trace.
Sayaka was left utterly stunned by this sight.
How could such a miraculous power exist in the world?!
Even Yukina, who had seen it once before, couldn't help but be astonished.
Mahiro paid no attention to their shock. After returning the fully recovered No. 5 to Avrora, he slowly stood up.
His gaze, slightly cold, looked toward the Nalakuvera climbing up from the ruins.
"Mahiro, I never expected something like this to happen. All of this is my responsibility."
Natsuki wanted to explain, wanted to apologize.
She could clearly sense Mahiro's emotions at this moment.
He was angry.
And it was the kind of intense fury she had never seen before.
It was also the first time she felt fear and nervousness.
However, Mahiro remained unmoved by her apology.
He simply said, "Take care of them. I'll be right back," and prepared to head toward the group of Nalakuvera.
Everything had unfolded completely beyond his expectations.
Number Five's injury was entirely outside his plans.
He also never expected that Natsuki Minamiya would bring these little ones out to help.
Although the twelve girls hosted Progenitor-level Beast Vassals capable of destroying the world, he had never considered using them for anything.
After all, isn't it only natural for an older brother to take care of his younger sisters?
Still, this misfortune had turned into a blessing, allowing him to fully analyze the Fifth Star Beast Vassal, Regulus Aurum, representing the Leo constellation of the zodiac.
But just then, a cheerful laugh suddenly rang out.
"Oh ho, I don't quite understand the current situation, but things seem pretty bad, don't they?"
"Vatler? Why are you here too?" Sayaka glanced back at Vatler, her expression far from pleased.
Compared to Mahiro, she disliked this guy even more.
"What business do you have here, Serpent Bearer?" Natsuki frowned, seemingly displeased.
"Well, of course, I came to witness the weapon capable of slaying a Vampire Progenitor. Who would have thought those brainless Beastmen could actually awaken this ancient weapon..."
Vatler spoke with excitement.
However, the next second, his voice abruptly cut off.
It was only because Mahiro suddenly turned his head, giving him a cold, indifferent glance, and said icily:
"Stay right here quietly. Don't even think about making a move, or I won't mind killing you first."
Under normal circumstances, Vatler might have directly summoned his Beast Vassal to devour the other, or respectfully bowed to show his admiration.
But at this moment, Vatler could only freeze in place, not daring to move a muscle.
Even when facing the old man, the First Progenitor, he had never acted like this.
Because, in that brief moment of eye contact, he glimpsed the cruelty and madness swirling in Mahiro's eyes.
It felt as if even the slightest movement would cause this man to tear him to pieces!
"Senpai, I'll help too!"
At that moment, Yukina stepped forward, tightly gripping Snowdrift Wolf, wanting to fight alongside him.
But Mahiro paid no attention, not even giving her a glance, and immediately charged toward the Nalakuvera on the other end of the island.
He was truly furious.
So, he needed to vent.
To release the indescribable anger burning inside him.
It had to be said, Number Five's injury had indeed affected him significantly.
The rage that had welled up in his heart was something he hadn't felt since the world of Black Bullet.
He had never felt this way before—not during the darkest times in the Imperial City, not when witnessing Yukime critically injured and on the brink of death, not even when learning that Charles and Marianne had used Lelouch and Nunnally as mere tools.
But now, an overwhelming rage surged within him!
Fortunately, there was an outlet for his fury right before him—the so-called god-slaying weapon created by the gods themselves, Nalakuvera!
Driven by anger, he recalled the description of Nalakuvera from the original work:
Its prototype was the flying chariot (Pushpaka Ratha) from Indian mythology, and the youthful deity worshipped in Taoism—the three-headed, eight-armed war god "Nezha," who possessed an artificial body forged from lotus and gold, wielding a fire-spewing spear and bracelets capable of shattering enemies' skulls.
How dare such a monstrosity be associated with the Marshal of the Central Altar, the Great Deity of the Three Altars and Seas from Journey to the West?
Just die already!
Covering a distance of nearly several kilometers in an instant, Mahiro appeared before it. Before Nalakuvera's mechanical brain could even react, he leaped into the air and delivered a fierce punch downward toward the colossal steel beast.
"Die!!"
Boom!!
Despite being just a seemingly frail human throwing an ordinary punch, he effortlessly shattered Nalakuvera's sturdy defenses, reducing it to a pile of scrap metal.
But Mahiro was not satisfied; his rage was far from spent.
He grabbed the wreckage of the Nalakuvera and hurled it violently at another one.
"Smash—it!!"
Boom!!!
He was like a madman.
Using no magical power, employing no magic, relying solely on the strength of his own body.
Thanks to the regenerative abilities of the Gastrea Virus and the adaptability of the Tyrant genes, Mahiro's body existed in a state of constant destruction and repair.
Bones fractured, only to reconnect the next second.
Muscles tore, fibers swiftly stitching themselves back together.
Rebar fragments shot through his body like bullets, and he pulled them out, using them as spears to stab into the Knightmares before him.
When struck by the fire-spewing spear, the "Regeneration" magic activated automatically, restoring his body to its peak condition once more.
Eventually, his clothing was completely torn apart, revealing his bare upper body, muscles gleaming like molten iron under the sunlight.
Blood mixed with sweat slowly trickled down the contours of his muscles.
The madness and ferocity in his eyes grew increasingly intense, no longer restrained but fully unleashed!
His attacks grew stronger with each strike, his body's adaptability far surpassing that of the biological weapon, Nalakuvera.
Throughout the slaughter, the only ability he activated was his "Copy Eyes."
He couldn't even tell if it was an illusion, but in the process of repeatedly destroying and analyzing Nalakuvera, its autonomous evolution ability seemed to resonate with the Tyrant genes within him, enhancing his genetic capacity for evolution!
This only drove his attacks to become even more frenzied.
"Come forth—『Regulus-Aurum』!"
"Roar—!!"
In response to his savage call, crimson magical patterns, resembling fresh blood, surfaced on Mahiro's forearm.
The moment his fist descended, a massive lion wreathed in golden lightning charged forth, its equally savage roar shaking heaven and earth.
The already shattered artificial island instantly experienced tremors akin to an eight-magnitude earthquake.
Amidst bursts of maniacal laughter and the roars of beasts, the tremors grew increasingly violent.
The steel ground was torn apart.
The sea surged with towering waves.
It seemed as though the island might sink into the ocean at any moment.
Both Sayaka and Yukina couldn't help but gasp in astonishment, for the power displayed by Mahiro had completely exceeded their expectations. They could only stare dumbfounded at the spectacle before them.
Yukina's combat abilities were extraordinary, but Sayaka's swordsmanship was no less impressive.
Yet, when facing the outright monster before them, even their combined efforts could only barely hold it at bay.
However, Mahiro, relying solely on his fists and physical strength, had destroyed a weapon capable of killing a Progenitor and even suppressed an entire group of them!
His might could only be described as absurd.
Even though these Nalakuvera units could malfunction and then recover from being mere scrap metal, under the force of Mahiro's powerful fists, they were only fit to return to being worthless iron.
It was a completely one-sided slaughter.
There was no semblance left of a god-slaying weapon.
Even the well-traveled Natsuki Minamiya was so shocked that her jaw hung open.
It seemed she had come to know Mahiro anew; his current display was even more formidable than when he had brutally defeated the Third Progenitor, Giada.
Vatler, meanwhile, was drenched in cold sweat.
Recalling all the underhanded schemes he had pulled before, he wished he could flee this place immediately and return to the Warlord's Empire.
But that was impossible.
Vatler feared that if he made even the slightest move now, this madman would charge over and tear him to pieces.
As a Vampire, he was naturally prideful, especially as a cannibalistic Vampire—only a Progenitor could make him lower his arrogant head.
But now, Vatler was genuinely and truly afraid.
"Yukina!"
"Yes!"
Exchanging a glance, Sayaka and Yukina gripped their respective weapons, ready to lend their aid.
Meanwhile, on the ravaged battlefield.
Mahiro hovered mid-air, coldly gazing down at the multiple units now buried deep within the underground craters.
These tireless, emotionless machines, after continuous evolution and repairs, seemed to have developed something akin to fear. The smoothly curved armor on their backs slowly began to open.
Their appearance was reminiscent of a stag beetle spreading its wings.
Inside the armor were cylindrical thrusters.
With a thunderous roar, the nozzles of the Nalakuvera burst forth with propulsive energy.
They were actually trying to escape!
"Don't even think about running!"
"Dance of the Suanni, and the High Goddess True Archer, I beseech you here. The blazing steed of the aurora, the resplendent qilin, you who command celestial music and roaring thunder, become the weapon clad in wrathful flames to pierce through evil spirits and demonic ghosts!"
Clear, prayer-like words flowed from Sayaka's lips.
The Cursed Power refined within her body further amplified her bow, loading it into a silver arrow that she shot toward the heavens like a plea offered up to the sky.
A sharp whistling sound pierced the atmosphere, transforming into a terrifying, distant howl akin to a wail of anguish.
The incantation echoing across the entire battlefield traced a massive invisible magic circle spanning several kilometers in radius across the sky.
A torrential rain of arrows descended from the heavens, successfully halting the Nalakuvera attempting to take flight, forcing them to plummet back into the deep pit like falling stars.
By now, Yukina had also arrived at the battlefield. Wielding Snowdrift Wolf, she launched surprise attacks on any remaining stragglers.
"O divine child of the Suanni and exalted Sword Shaman, I beseech thee here: dawn of demon-slaying, sacred wolf of snow and mist, lend me thy steely divine might to vanquish evil gods and countless demons!"
With the silver spear's gleam leading her charge, Yukina sprinted forward and, the moment her prayer concluded, leaped high to drive Snowdrift Wolf's tip deep into a Nalakuvera's head.
The final Nalakuvera crashed back down into the pit's depths.
"Tch."
Mahiro's gaze shifted slightly toward the two girls below as he raised his palm high toward the sky.
"Cold, steely queen, Demon King Killing Sacred Sword—"
"—manifest here as a weapon of steel to aid me in slaying all foes!"
[As you wish.]
Responding to the call, Est instantly shimmered with light, gathering and coalescing in Mahiro's palm into a silver-white pistol.
[Material Conversion — Water]
[Gravity Control]
[Fourth State Phase Transition]
[Gamma Ray Filtration]
[Coulomb Force Control]
[Neutron Barrier]
[Spatial Transfer]
In an instant, seven spells activated simultaneously.
Sayaka and Yukina, who had been on guard against the Nalakuvera, suddenly felt their vision blur. By the time they regained their senses, they found themselves enveloped in a scorching embrace.
An intense masculine scent mixed with the smell of blood instantly surrounded the two girls.
Sayaka panicked immediately.
"Huh? Yotsuba Mahiro? Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing?!"
The girl pressed her hands against Mahiro's chest, desperately pushing to break free from the embrace, but his arm held her waist like steel reinforcement, leaving her utterly immobile.
Most crucially, Sayaka, who suffered from androphobia, felt no discomfort at all—only embarrassment.
And a fleeting thought swirling in her heart: a desire to nestle into this warm chest.
"Stop struggling!"
Mahiro tightened his grip slightly and scolded, "Unless you want to be burned to a crisp."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Sayaka looked up to see a transparent spherical barrier surrounding them, while a massive fireball had appeared in the sky above!
Like a blazing sun!
Witnessing this, even Natsuki Minamiya's expression changed.
She immediately used Spatial Transfer to evacuate everyone.
Then, Mahiro swung his arm downward and whispered:
"Let calamitous flames descend from the heavens!"
Boom—
The fireball, capable of boiling seawater and melting metal into vapor, plummeted straight from the sky.
Like a sun crashing to earth.
It slammed into the now-deserted expanded artificial island below!