With a dull thud, Raian, who had charged at Kael, was sent flying. He crashed heavily to the ground, utterly humiliated. Though Raian's strength was considerable, compared to Kael it was far too weak.
Seeing Raian in such a pitiful state, the light in the eyes of the kneeling clan members dimmed further. They had hoped his attack might bring them salvation, but now it was clear—hope was faint. The enemy was simply too powerful.
Yet Raian did not give up. He quickly climbed to his feet and looked up at Kael hovering in the sky. At that moment, he fully realized Kael's strength. An enemy who could fly was formidable indeed. He knew he had already given everything in his last attack, holding nothing back. But even so, he hadn't shaken Kael at all. Instead, he had been flicked away by a single finger, his body aching all over.
Still, Raian grew more excited. Only such a strong foe was worthy of him unleashing that power. He licked his lips, his body trembling with anticipation. Wisps of black aura rose from him. It was ominous, unsettling—ordinary people would feel dread, nausea, even terror just from seeing it. In moments, the aura enveloped his entire body.
Fusui's eyes widened in disbelief. What was happening? Why did Raian possess such terrifying, strange power?
Kael recognized it. It resembled the aura of demons, yet carried a faint divine quality.
Fusui muttered: "Demon God."
Hearing this, Kael's mind flashed to Kengan Ashura, where the Kure Clan was described as gaining demon-god-like power through Removal. In that world, it was just exaggeration. Removal was strong, but not truly divine. Yet here, it seemed literal. Could Raian's body truly host the power of a demon god?
Intrigued, Kael descended, tossing Fusui aside.
He beckoned to Raian, now shrouded in black aura. "Come, little brother, let me see what this really is."
Kure Raian's eyes no longer held their former light. Instead, they burned with pure savagery. A desire to tear apart everything before him. A lust to slaughter all life. This power seemed to warp the mind.
Facing Kael's taunt, Raian became a streak of black light, rushing forward. His speed was faster, his strength greater. The air parted, forming a vacuum tunnel. Ripples shimmered at his sides, proof of his incredible velocity and force. Black aura wrapped his hands like indestructible armor. Kael could feel its exaggerated power—capable of shattering stone, pulverizing steel.
Raian's strength skyrocketed, enough to kill several of his former selves with ease.
Yet… when Kael raised a single finger, Raian's steel-shattering strike was blocked effortlessly. Just like before. Raian had grown stronger, but Kael had not weakened. Raian might have evolved from ant to elephant, but Kael remained a towering mountain. Ant or elephant, both were insignificant before the mountain.
"Interesting, but that's all." Kael pushed forward lightly.
His overwhelming force shattered Raian's black aura and crushed his arm. Bones snapped with a sickening crack. Raian was hurled dozens of meters, smashing into a wall, leaving a massive crater. Agonizing pain made him scream hysterically.
Fusui covered her mouth in shock. Though her brother was arrogant and bloodthirsty, he was still her brother. Now he had lost an arm. For a fighter, it was fatal. From this moment, Raian was no longer the clan's genius, but its cripple. Even if she disliked him, she felt a pang of sorrow.
With the black aura gone, Raian regained his sanity. Realizing his arm was ruined, he went mad.
"Kill, kill, kill… I'll kill you!!!"
Despite the gap, he attacked again.
But this time, he was struck down not by Kael, but by the clan leader—Kure Erioh.
The elder now stood before Kael. He looked like a frail, white-haired old man. Yet the aura he emitted was several times stronger than Raian's. Black energy coiled around him like armor.
It reminded Kael of Armament Haki from One Piece. But this was no Haki. It was the power of a demon god.
Kael looked at the elder and said softly: "I've heard the Kure Clan, in trying to improve their bloodline, constantly sought outsiders. But now it seems your partners weren't limited to humans. Were you truly this insane?"