Chapter 348: End of the Battle

BOOOM—!

Aziza’s feet carved two deep trenches through the ruined ground as her barrier endured another explosion. Before the dust could settle, a golden sickle curved around her barrier and tore across her shoulder.

"You bitch!"

She twisted towards Levada, only for Regis’s fist to strike her from the opposite side. Purple and black energy erupted against her ribs, sending her crashing through the remains of a stone platform.

Levada immediately followed, her chained sickles converging towards the demon lord’s throat.

CLANG!

Two black tentacles intercepted the blades. The collision sent a violent tremor through the chains, splitting the skin of Levada’s palms as she was forced backwards.

Regis caught one of the tentacles before it could pursue her. His fingers sank into its surface, and with a fierce pull, he tore it apart.

’Again...’

Levada’s eyes narrowed as black mist escaped between his fingers. That strange purple energy remained wrapped around his arm alongside demonic power, neither showing any sign of repelling the other.

However, there was no time to question him.

The scattered mist drifted towards the portal, while another surge of demonic power poured down into Aziza’s body. Her broken ribs snapped back into place.

’We can’t keep doing this...’

Regis swallowed the blood rising in his throat. His regeneration had already consumed too much energy, and even keeping his arms raised was becoming difficult.

At this rate, they would collapse before the demon lord did.

[The mist. Don’t let it return to the portal.]

Levada heard his voice through their telepathic connection as she narrowly avoided a tentacle aimed at her head.

[Then stop letting them hit me!]

Regis gritted his teeth and stepped in front of her. A tentacle struck his crossed arms, driving him several meters backwards, but he grabbed it before it could withdraw.

[Now!]

Aether and demonic power crushed the tentacle within his grasp. This time, Levada’s sickle swept through the resulting mist, blessed aura spreading along its blade.

HISSS—!

The black mist churned against the golden light before dissipating. Nothing returned to the portal.

Aziza’s expression changed.

"Don’t you dare!"

The remaining tentacles lashed out together, abandoning their defense. Regis dragged Levada aside as the ground where she had stood disappeared beneath a series of deafening impacts.

[You saw that, right?]

[I’m not blind!]

Despite her words, Levada adjusted her grip. She had also noticed that the destroyed tentacle had not immediately reformed.

Her six red stars shone with a golden glimmer as her wings spread wider.

She shot upwards while Regis charged straight ahead.

Aziza’s gaze flickered between them. One attacked her body while the other targeted the tentacles connecting her to the portal, forcing her to divide her attention.

Regis drove his fist against her barrier again. Cracks spread across its surface, but before he could strike once more, Aziza thrust her hand through the opening and seized his wrist.

CRACK!

"Caught you."

His bones broke beneath her grip. At the same time, an eerie pink radiance flooded her eyes.

"Why don’t you kill that annoying woman for me?"

Regis’s blood-red eyes met hers without wavering.

"Why don’t you shut up?"

His forehead slammed into her face.

Aziza staggered, losing her grip as Levada’s sickles cut through two more tentacles above them. Golden light immediately swallowed the escaping mist.

’Her charm didn’t work...?’

Levada had seen the exchange clearly, but kept her sickles moving. Each time she thought she understood her supposed ally, he did something that made her question him again.

Below her, Aziza suddenly changed targets.

Levada deflected the first tentacle and severed the second. The third struck her side before she could withdraw her sickles, shattering several ribs and sending her tumbling through the air. Her wings flickered as another black shadow approached her throat.

"!!!"

A streak of light crossed her vision.

[Lux Aeterna]

Regis appeared between them and struck the tentacle aside. Pain shot through his injured wrist as he forced it to bear the impact.

[Can you still fight?]

[Of course!]

Levada steadied herself, her eyes narrowing. He had used an aura art of the light element, yet the demonic power around him had not disappeared.

Just what was she fighting alongside?

Below them, Aziza raised both hands. The remaining tentacles tightened as tremendous demonic power gathered around her body.

Regis felt his scalp tingle.

[Hold her. Just for a moment.]

[You think I can restrain someone at the Seven Star Realm!?]

[You don’t need to win. Just stop her from moving!]

Levada glanced at his trembling arm, then at the portal above.

She gritted her teeth.

[Chains of Abstinence]

Golden chains erupted around Aziza, winding around her arms and legs. The demon lord screamed as divine and demonic power collided, black cracks immediately spreading across the restraints.

"These little tricks—!"

Before she could finish, Regis landed behind her.

His gaze fixed on the remaining tentacles gathered at her back.

[Weakpoint Creation]

A splitting pain assaulted his mind. Blood trickled from his nose, but he forced every last bit of concentration on the point where his fist would land.

"Break!"

BOOOM—!

Purple and black energy tore through the created weak point, severing the remaining connections in one violent burst.

Levada released her collapsing chains and swung both sickles upwards. Blessed aura engulfed the severed ends before the black mist could escape.

The seventh star on Aziza’s chest flickered violently before going dark.

The power gathering around her hands scattered, leaving her coughing blood as her strength plummeted.

"No! No, you can’t—!"

Regis ignored her as he thrust his other hand towards the portal. Now deprived of the tentacles sustaining its connection, the portal trembled violently as a blast of aether struck its edge, and Levada’s flying sickles followed through the opening he had torn.

Golden light spread across the trembling boundary. Demonic power surged towards the breach, trying to close it, but Levada’s blessed aura kept eating through it while Regis forced the opening wider.

CRAAACK—!

The portal folded inward. Its black surface twisted violently before collapsing, releasing a shockwave that threw all three figures towards the ground.

Regis landed badly, his knee buckling beneath him.

However, his eyes never left Aziza.

Only six black stars remained shining on her chest, while the wounds across her body remained open.

"Wait! I can—"

Regis lunged before she could finish. His fist struck the barrier she hurriedly conjured, stopping for a moment before he forced his trembling arm forwards and drove it into her chest.

For a moment, he saw the faces of those who would never return with him.

He clenched his jaw before releasing the energy gathered within his fist.

Aziza’s body convulsed. Before she could struggle free, Levada’s sickle swept across her neck.

Her head fell, followed by her body. Levada poured blessed aura through her chain until golden light consumed the remains and the last traces of demonic power dispersed.

This time, no tentacles came to save her.

"Hah... Hah..."

Regis staggered backwards. His demonization receded, revealing a pale, white-haired young man covered in blood.

Levada lowered her sickles, but her gaze remained fixed on him.

She had watched him wield magic, aura, demonic power, and an unfamiliar purple energy. He had resisted Aziza’s charm and repeatedly protected an Executor who had threatened to kill him.

Now, without the horns and scales, he looked painfully human.

The Executor of Chastity hesitated for a moment before asking, her eyes filled with endless doubt.

"Who are you, really?"