The black flames roared like a wave of living fire, but they failed to stop the advancing beast.
From within the inferno, Elfman burst forth, his figure wreathed in scorched smoke, charging with unstoppable force. Zancrow's eyes widened in disbelief.
Boom!
Elfman's fist crashed into Zancrow's chest, a sickening crack echoing through the forest.
"Urgh, AHH!" Zancrow coughed up blood and was sent flying, smashing through trees and knocking down several of his own followers.
"Lord Zancrow!"
"No way!"
"That guy actually hit Lord Zancrow…"
The Grimoire Heart minions fell into a frenzy. Those who hadn't already panicked began to stir with fear.
"Don't just stand there!" one shouted. "That form won't last long, rush him while we can!"
"Ohhh!!"
Dozens of them charged, surrounding Elfman in a tight semi-circle, but still kept a wary distance.
Elfman didn't move. He just stood there.
His upper clothes were completely gone, revealing a body scorched and bruised, still smoldering with small tongues of black flame clinging to his chest, shoulders, and legs.
But even just standing there, he radiated raw, monstrous pressure.
The minions hesitated.
Then, RAWRRRR!!
Elfman roared, a deafening bellow that shook the trees and exploded outward like a thunderclap.
The front line of enemies was knocked flat, hats flying, hair on end, their faces slapped red by the sheer force of wind and fury.
"That wasn't even magic…"
"What the hell is this guy…"
"He's not human. He's a monster!!"
The word monster passed between them like a curse. Their hands trembled. Some turned to flee, others collapsed where they stood.
Elfman didn't spare them another glance.
He turned, his back to them, and calmly walked over to Mal and Vina.
Even with his back exposed, no one dared chase him.
He knelt beside the wounded pair and placed a steady hand on Mal's shoulder.
"Bandage her. Do whatever you can to stop the bleeding. If we can get her back to my teammate in time, she still might make it."
Mal was shaking, his expression hollow.
"That kind of injury… there's no way she can survive…"
Elfman grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward, snarling in his face.
"Don't you give up on her! If you lose hope, then she really will die!"
"She's your sister, isn't she? Act like it! Get it together, man! Or do you still think you're a brother?!"
"I—I know!" Mal gasped, snapping back to life. "I'll do it right now!"
He tore at his clothes, bundling up fabric, pressing hard against Vina's wound. He didn't know if it would work, but he had to try.
He couldn't lose her too.
The Grimoire Heart soldiers wavered.
Should they attack now? Should they rush in and finish the job?
But then a voice rang out.
Cold, furious, and unmistakable.
"What are you all standing around for?"
"L-Lord Zancrow!"
Zancrow limped back into the clearing, hand clutched over his shoulder. His chest was bruised, his blond hair a tangled mess, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
But even injured, his presence silenced his entire force. They scrambled out of his path without a word.
Zancrow ignored them. His burning eyes locked on Elfman.
"You… you dared humiliate me like that…"
Elfman rose to his feet again, dragging himself upright. He positioned himself once more between Zancrow and the siblings.
But this time, his legs wobbled slightly.
He had hit his limit.
The endless fighting, the magic burned to shield Mal and Vina, and then taking over the full Beast King soul, it was too much.
Elfman's magic reserves were completely drained, and the remaining magic power is not enough for him to take over the beast king again.
Reaching into the pocket of his tattered pants, he found the magic book missing. All that remained were two Exploding Magic Crystals.
He'd always ignored Rhodes' habit of over-preparing for every mission, stuffing pockets with emergency tools and backup options. But now, Elfman silently thanked him. Those crystals might just be their last hope.
"Come on, next round!" Zancrow shouted, grinning madly as he raised his good hand. His left arm dangled uselessly at his side, but his right hand blazed with black fire. "The fire of a god will reduce you to ash!"
Elfman broke into a cold sweat, his jaw clenched tight. "Be ready."
Mal gave a firm nod. He had finished tying the cloth belt around Vina's wound and was poised to flee with her at the first opening.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Two Exploding Magic Crystals rolled beneath Zancrow's feet.
BOOM!
The crystals detonated in a massive blast, fire and smoke erupting skyward and sweeping across the battlefield.
"Lord Zancrow!"
"Ahhh!"
The shockwave sent several of Zancrow's minions flying, crashing into trees like broken puppets.
Elfman blinked in surprise.
That wasn't him.
"Above us!" Mal called out, pointing skyward.
Elfman looked up and broke into a grin. "Rhodes!"
Covered in red feathered Take Over form, Rhodes dove from above, landing beside Elfman in a controlled glide.
"Sorry I'm late," Rhodes said casually, brushing ash off his shoulder. "Ran into a little problem on the way."
Elfman opened his mouth to respond, but the flame and smoke from the blast suddenly reversed direction, sucked toward a single point, Zancrow's open mouth.
Like drinking water, he swallowed the entire inferno whole.
"What a revolting flame," Zancrow muttered, wiping his mouth along with the blood smeared on his lips. "Looks like I've got one more offering to feed the divine fire."
"He… he ate the fire?!" Mal gasped in horror.
Rhodes and Elfman exchanged glances, their expressions grim. This wasn't new to them. They'd seen this before.
And that made it worse.
With narrowed eyes, Rhodes asked, "Wait… are you a Dragon Slayer?"
To his surprise, Zancrow actually responded.
"Dragon Slayer?" he sneered. "Don't insult me with that primitive title. What I wield isn't for slaying lizards. I kill gods. I am a God Slayer!"
Elfman's eyes widened.
No wonder he kept going on about divine fire.
A God Slayer… That explained everything—the black flames, the immunity to ordinary fire, the immense destructive power.
But then something else clicked for Elfman.
He thought back to Rhodes' surprise attack. He hadn't used any magic. Only the Exploding Crystals.
'If Rhodes was resorting to magic books and crystals… then his magic reserves must be nearly depleted too.'
Rhodes, meanwhile, didn't take Zancrow's theatrics too seriously. God Slayer magic, Dragon Slayer magic, at the end of the day, it was all just Lost Magic.
'If it was really that unbeatable, how did Elfman manage to beat him into the dirt earlier?'
But... now that he thought about it, this guy's personality was something else.
Rhodes put on a dramatic gasp, eyes wide in "awe."
"W-Wait! You're saying this is God Slayer Magic?! A tier above Dragon Slayer Magic?! No wonder you can digest that much exploding fire!"
Zancrow puffed up his chest proudly, laughing through the blood still on his lips.
"Exactly! It's just fire, after all. The god who first gifted fire to mortals was divine! All flames are under the rule of the gods!"
"Oh yeah?" Rhodes said, his tone skeptical, eyebrows raised. "I've got a type of fire you absolutely cannot eat."
Elfman, despite his injuries, glanced sideways.
'No way. He's not actually going to do it, is he…?'
Zancrow scoffed. "Ha! Ridiculous! If such a fire exists, show it to me!"
And then Rhodes actually started chanting.
Elfman stared in disbelief.
'He's really doing it?! This man is seriously just... built different.'
Zancrow's minions looked like they wanted to interrupt, but none of them dared to speak up, fearing the wrath of Zancrow more than the enemy's so-called "fire." Besides, it was just fire. Lord Zancrow eats that for breakfast... right?
Rhodes held his pendant high and called out:
"Come forth!"
A small rumble followed. Then—
"Krug!"
The ground cracked open as two bulky, beetle-like monsters emerged from the earth with slow, heavy movements. And then Rhodes added:
"Take Over-Krug!"
A magical glow enveloped him, and his form changed slightly, completing the transformation.
Elfman blinked.
'Wait a minute… that's not the tree monster. Wasn't the Brambleback the one that used fire magic?'
Rhodes raised a hand dramatically. "Now prepare yourselves for the strongest flame in the world!"
Zancrow narrowed his eyes, still entirely unfazed. "Fine! Bring it on! All fire is mine to—"
He stopped mid-sentence. His expression froze.
The giant stone beetle turned and, without warning, chomped down on Elfman.
The smaller beetle grabbed Mal in its mandibles.
And then, both beetles promptly dug underground with their passengers in tow.
Rhodes picked up the unconscious Vina, tucked her in his arms, and, without a second of hesitation, sprinted straight for the woods before diving underground with expert timing.
Everything about the "ultimate flame" had been a lie.
Zancrow stood there in stunned silence, his mind blank.
And then he erupted.
"You little…!!!"
He roared in fury, his entire body surging with raging black flames. His hands slammed together as he raised his injured arm with trembling force and struck the ground with a thunderous crash.
"WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!!!"
...
Bonus Chapter @400 PS
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