The air wailed.
It was as if the entire space had been submerged in a viscous, cold colloid.
Every breath became difficult, the air drawn into the lungs carrying a sweet, putrid smell of decay, like opening the coffin of a thousand-year-old tomb.
When that figure emerged from the gaping hole in the Phantom Lord guildhall, it was as if all color had been drained from the world.
The sunlight turned a deathly pale, the wind ceased to flow, and even sound was devoured by a deeper silence.
Ace stood in the center of the ruins, the hem of his black trench coat unmoving amidst the formless pressure.
His Digital Soul surged within him, forming a barrier invisible to the naked eye, isolating him from the all-corroding aura of death.
But he could feel it—every inch of space was "dying."
The ground beneath Jose Porla's feet withered and turned to ash-gray.
Cracks spread like a spider's web, from which a dark purple mist seeped.
The mist, as if alive, coiled around Jose's gaunt body, tracing bizarre patterns on his pale skin.
One of the Ten Wizard Saints.
His mere presence turned the thousand-meter radius into a domain of death.
"Not bad," Jose spoke, his voice like the scraping of two pieces of rotten wood.
His dark purple eyes stared at Ace, a ghostly fire burning in their depths. "You're the third person to stand so steadily in my 'Realm of Death.' The first was Makarov, the second was a little girl who plays with ice... and now, there's you."
Ace did not respond.
His gaze swept over Jose—that thin, purple film of air, the tendrils of death magic swimming through the atmosphere, and the ever-expanding "deadlands" at Jose's feet.
It was full of openings.
And yet, it had no openings at all.
"You demolished my branch, crippled my Dragon Slayer, and now you've even destroyed the Magical Giant." Jose tilted his head, a faint "crack" sounding from his neck bones.
"Digital Summoner Ace, are you determined to make an enemy of Phantom Lord?"
"You were the ones who made the first move," Ace said calmly.
"Heh... so what if we did? They're just a bunch of trash from Fairy Tail." Jose smiled, a smile full of malice.
"But you're different. A rare powerhouse among summoners, with immense potential. If you're willing to join Phantom Lord, I can give you the position of Vice-Guild Master. Resources, power, anything you desire."
"Unnecessary."
Jose's smile vanished.
"You don't know what's good for you," he said softly, then raised his right hand.
It was such a simple motion.
And yet, Five pitch-black tendrils of death erupted from the ground!
Their surfaces were covered in sucker-like magical structures, each one "breathing," inhaling and exhaling a dark purple aura of death.
They slithered and coiled like living things, sealing off all of Ace's escape routes.
But Ace had no intention of dodging.
He simply looked at the tendrils with bored indifference.
"BlackWarGreymon."
The moment the low voice fell, a black dragon's shadow had already crashed down like a meteorite!
BOOM—!!!
BlackWarGreymon stomped, shattering three of the tendrils instantly.
Its crimson dragon eyes burned with ferocity.
It didn't even glance at the fragmented death magic; its second foot was already sweeping toward Jose's head with a shriek that tore through the air!
Bang!
The sole of its foot stopped three inches above Jose's head.
That thin, purple film of air reappeared, completely absorbing the force that could shatter mountains.
"Impressive brute strength," Jose commented, casually waving his left hand.
A strange pulling force emanated, attempting to throw BlackWarGreymon aside.
But BlackWarGreymon didn't budge.
"What?" Jose's eyes widened slightly.
"You think your little parlor tricks work on a Dragon of Steel?" BlackWarGreymon growled.
It simply flexed its leg, and the sheer physical density of its Chrome Digizoid armor shattered the magical pull.
With a roar, BlackWarGreymon spun, its Dramon Killer gauntlets tearing through the air.
The purple barrier flickered and groaned under the strain.
Jose scowled, forced to retreat a step. "Your technique is not bad."
He flicked his wrist, summoning a wave of concentrated death magic to blast BlackWarGreymon back.
The dragon skid across the ground, digging deep furrows into the earth, but stood up immediately, unharmed.
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly.
He saw it clearly.
Jose's power wasn't overwhelmingly strong, but "bizarre."
That purple film of air could absorb and disperse impact, while his death magic eroded life force.
However, against data lifeforms, the erosion was meaningless.
"Is the probing over?" Jose asked, his dark purple eyes fixed on Ace. "If this is all you've got, then you can die."
He clasped his hands before his chest.
A tide of dark purple death magic surged out, condensing into twelve blurry, ghostly black shadows.
These dark soldiers were wrapped in black robes, with only their red-glowing eyes visible.
They let out shrill cries like wailing infants, each one exuding a thick aura of death.
"My Ghost Soldiers," Jose said softly. "Go."
The twelve black shadows pounced on Ace simultaneously!
Their speed wasn't fast, but wherever they passed, even the air was stained dark purple.
The ground withered beneath their feet.
Ace still didn't move.
He didn't even look at the approaching shadows.
Because two figures had already appeared in front of him.
On the left, CresGarurumon.
The golden, wolf-like Digimon swung its Yellow Moon blade as it charged.
The blade erupted with a dazzling golden brilliance, like a rising sun!
On the right, Sakuyamon. It tapped its Vajra Staff on the ground.
"Kongoukai Mandara."
A pink cherry blossom barrier expanded instantly.
The black shadows that entered it didn't just get caught; they were obliterated. The holy purification aura of a Mega Level Shaman was an absolute counter to Jose's necromancy.
The ghosts screamed as they dissolved into nothingness.
"Yellow Moon Slash!"
CresGarurumon's golden blade slashed through the remaining shadows like a hot knife through butter.
The death magic was purified by the sheer holy energy of the attack.
For the first time, Jose's expression changed.
He stared intently at Sakuyamon and CresGarurumon, the ghostly fire in his dark purple pupils flickering violently.
"Holy attribute... purification that touches the level of laws... How could you possibly summon such beings?! This level of power should have long—"
"Should have long what?" Ace finally spoke, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather.
"Disappeared? Been lost? Or perhaps, should not exist in this world?"
Jose fell silent.
The death magic around him began to stir restlessly, like an angered viper.
"Interesting," Jose finally spat out. "Too interesting. Ace, you have more secrets than I imagined."
He spread his arms wide.
This time, it was no longer a casual probe.
Dark purple magic gushed forth endlessly from Jose's seemingly frail body.
His eyes widened, his face contorted in a savage snarl, and he let out a deafening roar.
"DEATH WAVE!"
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