Chapter 533: Completely Outclassed

Leon and Cavin clashed again, their weapons colliding with enough force to send powerful shockwaves across the stronghold.

Cavin thrust his spear forward, releasing a concentrated beam of silver energy that forced Leon to retreat.

Leon raised his sword and deflected the beam toward the ground, causing an explosion that scattered debris everywhere.

He used the resulting dust cloud to approach Cavin from the side, striking at his neck before following up with another slash aimed at his abdomen.

Both attacks landed, leaving visible damage on Cavin’s body, yet the silver scales quickly regenerated and erased the wounds.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Cavin sneered. "You keep struggling, yet nothing you do can stop me. Your strength will eventually run out. You should have accepted your fate when you had the chance!"

Leon ignored his provocation and glanced at the staff in his hand.

If he wanted to end this battle, he would have to create an opening large enough to strike Cavin’s soul directly.

Leon raised his staff.

Undead Summoning!

One after another, his undead emerged from the ground, their bodies taking shape as the surrounding energy gathered around them.

Forty Undead Skeletons appeared first, followed by ten Undead Mages and ten Undead Berserkers, forming a sizable force around Leon.

The Undead Skeletons immediately raised their weapons, while the Undead Mages began gathering magical energy.

The Undead Berserkers prepared to charge, their bodies radiating a violent aura as they waited for their master’s command.

However, before Leon could give them any instructions, Cavin moved.

"How pathetic," he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

Cavin swung his spear downward.

The surrounding silver shards immediately responded, shooting into the ground before countless silver spikes erupted across the battlefield.

The spikes spread in every direction, impaling the newly summoned undead before they could even begin their assault.

Leon attempted to move out of the attack’s path, but the spikes erupted too quickly for him to avoid them completely.

’Can’t use [Time Stop] yet, I need to an opening...’

Fortunately, his [Soul Armor] protected him completely, with his soul only being slightly affected.

’Goddamn it...!’

Cavin watched him before raising his spear once more.

Silver energy gathered around its tip, growing brighter and more concentrated until the surrounding air began to distort beneath the pressure.

Leon turned his gaze toward his companions at that moment.

Violet was helping Emilia and Celeste, making certain that they were both fine.

"Your companions will die here, and their deaths will be a fitting offering to the God of Souls," Cavin continued. "He gave us the strength to stand above everyone else, and he will reward us for destroying those who dare challenge his will. You should feel honored that your death will take place before a being so far above you."

"Stop talking, good god," Leon groaned.

The energy surrounding Cavin’s spear reached its peak, and he thrust the weapon forward.

A tremendous wave of silver aura surged toward Leon, swallowing the ruined ground in its path.

The force behind the attack was far greater than anything Cavin had released before, and the surrounding silver shards followed behind it, forming a storm of sharp crystals that threatened to tear apart everything caught within its range.

Leon understood that he could no longer afford to defend himself as he had before.

If he tried to dodge, the attack would likely reach the women behind him, and if he attempted to block it directly, he might not withstand the impact.

He had only one option left.

Time Stop!

The world fell silent as time froze around him.

The silver aura stopped in midair, the flying shards remained suspended, and Cavin’s expression became motionless.

He knew he was reaching his limit.

He had already used [Time Stop] repeatedly throughout the battle, and his body could no longer withstand another activation after this one.

Once the effect ended, he would have nothing left to rely on.

He could not waste a single moment.

Time resumed as Leon activated [Eclipse Annihilation], the skill’s power strong enough to disrupt Cavin’s attack.

Cavin’s damaged head separated from his neck and fell away from his body, while the remaining silver shards immediately began moving to repair the injuries.

"Fool," Cavin’s mangled head could still speak. "When will you learn that—"

Cataclysmic Soul Fireball!

A massive fireball formed in at the tip of Leon’s staff.

However, rather than aiming it at the oni leader, Leon abruptly turned and launched the attack toward Empress, who remained unconscious on the ground.

The moment Cavin realized what Leon was doing, his expression changed.

His body did not waste even an instant.

Despite the devastating injuries inflicted by [Eclipse Annihilation], he blitzed away from his position and spread his arms in front of Empress, placing himself directly in the fireball’s path.

BOOM!

A massive explosion erupted as the fireball struck Cavin head-on.

When the flames finally began to dissipate, Cavin’s body fell to its knees.

His silver scales were cracked and broken, and his regeneration could not help with the damage as it was a soul attack.

Cavin’s severed head coughed as the silver shards gathered around it and dragged it back toward his neck.

The crystals reattached it to his body, though blood poured from his mouth and his voice trembled with pain.

"H-Haha, c-coward," he roared, struggling to raise his head. "I-I did not attack your c-companions, and yet you dare to target mine...!"

"Shut up," Leon replied, taking his stance once more. "One more attack and you’re both done."

Even though Cavin had suffered considerable damage, his opponent still possessed enough power to fight back, and Leon could not afford to let the battle drag on much longer.

’Should I just use [Berserk]?’ he thought.

The forbidden skill had always been a last resort, and he had hoped to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary.

However, the situation had become desperate enough that he could no longer dismiss the possibility.

[Berserk (Forbidden Skill): Channel your entire power into your soul, doubling your combat power for three seconds, though once the time is over, you will pass out on the spot.]

It was a massive gamble, especially because he did not have [Life Vessel] at the moment.

Without it, he could not use his own death to negate the side effect of the skill.

Still, if he failed to finish Cavin now, the man would continue attacking until Leon and the girls were all dead.

Leon tightened his grip on his sword, preparing himself to make the decision.

Cavin slowly raised his spear, and the silver shards around his body began to gather again.

His gaze shifted past Leon toward Violet, Emilia and Celeste, and he pointed at them, about to use another skill.

But seeing that, Leon knew he didn’t have a choice anymore.

"I’m going to kill them now—"

Leon did not allow him to finish.

Berserk!

An overwhelming surge of power erupted from Leon’s body as the forbidden skill took effect.

His aura expanded violently, covering him from head to toe until only his eyes remained visible.

"Huh?"

Cavin barely had time to react.

Leon appeared beside him and swung his sword, severing both of Cavin’s arms before the man could complete his attack.

A second slash followed immediately, cutting through the leader’s neck and separating his head from his body once again.

The entire exchange happened so quickly that Cavin could not even understand what had occurred until his head was already falling.

Leon did not give him an opportunity to regenerate freely.

Soul Chains!

The chains erupte from the ground and wrapped around Cavin’s body.

The chains tightened around his torso and limbs, restraining him before his silver shards could repair the damage and allowing Leon to turn toward Empress.

Fwoosh!

Cataclysmic Soul Fireball!

Leon launched another fireball directly at the unconscious woman.

Once again, Cavin’s body reacted without hesitation.

Even with his arms and head severed, and his body bound by the soul chains, he forced himself to move, using the remaining power of the fusion to rush toward Empress and place himself between her and the incoming attack.

The fireball struck him directly once again.

BOOM!

His body was thrown backward before crashing into the ground, and the silver shards that had protected him scattered across the crater.

For a moment, he could do nothing but stare at Leon, his eyes wide with disbelief.

’H-How did he grow so strong?’ Cavin thought, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. ’How did he manage to grow so much in such a short time?’

The human who had been struggling to fight him moments earlier had suddenly become so powerful that Cavin could barely react to his movements.

Looking at Leon’s face, now completely covered by his overwhelming aura, Cavin finally understood the difference between them.

He was completely outclassed.