BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The night sky was torn apart by two streaks of light that shot through the air at deafening speeds. When these two titanic forces collided, a horrifying shockwave ripped through the air, creating glittering cracks in space that flickered momentarily before sealing shut again.
Collision after collision thundered relentlessly—some crashed into the ground creating gaping craters, others exploded against tall building walls, toppling them like houses of cards, and still others rumbled in the sky, creating terrifying dark cloud vortexes.
Finally, the figure shrouded in dark red energy like dried blood was brutally sent flying by an attack of pure golden light that blazed blindingly bright.
BOOOOOM...!!
That annihilating laser attack was like divine wrath—obliterating anything that dared stand in its path. Lush trees turned to ash in an instant, massive stones melted like wax, and even the surrounding air trembled frighteningly.
Amidst the destruction, the black-haired youth's figure emitted thick smoke from his entire body. Though wrapped in a red shroud that seemed evil and terrifying, that protection apparently couldn't fully withstand the devastating power of the laser attack that had just struck him.
'The basic form of Uzumaki Menma still isn't strong enough to face the Son of Destiny...'
The black-haired youth—Lux—gazed at both his hands, now rough and covered with painful burn wounds. The skin on his hands was cracked like dry earth, with fresh blood dripping slowly.
Uzumaki Menma. One of the rare ✯✯✯✯ (four-star) templates he had obtained from the system.
Honestly, when he first acquired this template, Lux had felt confused and slightly puzzled. The word 'Uzumaki' only reminded him of the main character from the Naruto anime series—namely Uzumaki Naruto, the blonde-haired ninja who always shouted about his dream of becoming Hokage.
Unfortunately, the template he received wasn't that blonde protagonist, but rather a much darker alternative version—Uzumaki Menma, a figure who appeared in one of the Naruto movies with terrifying power.
Though he didn't get the template of the original Uzumaki Naruto, Lux wasn't too disappointed. After all, he understood perfectly that Uzumaki Menma's power was a dark reflection of Uzumaki Naruto's power—though it didn't encompass all aspects of it.
What fundamentally differentiated them was their nature. If Uzumaki Naruto was the embodiment of hope and perseverance, then Uzumaki Menma was the manifestation of despair and deep hatred.
Besides the character differences, there were very significant technical differences. Unlike Uzumaki Naruto who initially struggled to control Kyūbi's chakra and was often overwhelmed by the nine-tailed monster's power, Uzumaki Menma was actually able to control and utilize his Kyūbi's chakra perfectly from the start.
This total mastery gave Uzumaki Menma several terrifying unique abilities. First, he gained a passive ability from Kyūbi called 'Negative Emotions Sensing'—the ability to feel and read the negative emotions of living beings around him. Second, even more terrifyingly, he could control gravity within a certain radius using his chakra.
This ability was what prevented several deadly attacks from Shou—the Son of Destiny—from fatally injuring Lux (Menma)'s body. His body was coated with Kyūbi's chakra that functioned as invisible protective armor, creating a barrier capable of absorbing and reducing the impact of enemy attacks.
However, as could be predicted from a Son of Destiny, Shou wasn't an opponent easily defeated. With elemental powers he obtained from contracts with Transcendent beings, each of his attacks brought extraordinary destruction—exceeding the limits of the chakra defense capability in Lux (Menma)'s body.
But if anyone asked whether Shou could truly defeat Lux (Menma) in such conditions, the answer remained a big question mark...
Lux (Menma) looked up with glowing red eyes, finding Shou's figure wrapped in shimmering golden light like a war god descending from the sky. That light glittered beautifully yet terrifyingly—
Without warning, Shou's figure flickered in his golden light wrapping, shooting forward at speeds that broke the sound barrier, creating ear-splitting sonic booms!
Using gravity power for defense would be too slow and ineffective against such speed. Therefore, Lux (Menma) could only quickly cross both his arms while coating them with thick Kyūbi chakra to withstand the incoming attack!
WOSHH!! BOOOOM...!!
His entire body felt like it was struck by a giant meteor. Excruciating pain spread throughout his body, and a clot of fresh blood nearly spurted from his lips. But he forced himself to swallow that blood back.
Both arms he used to protect his body appeared severely swollen with bleeding torn wounds, but suddenly the ground beneath his feet began to shake violently and then shattered into pieces!
"<
Shou's shout echoed throughout the battle area. His previously golden-glowing form now changed to a yellowish-brown color like fertile soil. Without giving Lux (Menma) a chance to breathe, he immediately utilized the earth element to create a deadly trap that locked his opponent's movement!
Lux (Menma) narrowed his eyes sharply. Using Kyūbi chakra filled with thick hatred aura, he forcibly destroyed the earth trying to ensnare his feet with brutal force.
However, something unexpected happened—a giant hand made of hard earth suddenly appeared and gripped his body with choking strength!
It took hard struggle and much drained chakra to destroy the giant hand that locked his body!
BOOOOOM...!
On the other side, Shou had already anticipated that the earth element wouldn't be strong enough to hold a terrifying figure like Lux (Menma) for long!
Without hesitation, he immediately switched to another, more dangerous elemental form—Elementalist: Wind!
His hair and eyes changed to bright green that shimmered like emeralds. All the wind in the battle area began to spin and gather around him, submitting to his will.
With full concentration, he formed all that wind into deadly sharp weapons—shaped like giant spears that spun like mini tornadoes but with terrifying destructive power!
Without the slightest hesitation, he fired his entire arsenal of deadly wind toward Lux (Menma) at ear-splitting speeds!
Wind speed indeed couldn't be underestimated, especially since they were completely invisible to the naked eye. Even an S+ Rank fighter would be overwhelmed facing such high-speed tornado barrages!
However, Lux (Menma) showed no signs of panic. With both bare hands and fists wrapped in surging Kyūbi chakra, he directly blocked each incoming wind attack one by one with precise and deadly movements!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
He successfully parried all those wind attacks perfectly, but in the next second, the incoming attack was no longer wind element but something far more dangerous—light element in the form of a giant annihilating pillar!
Even with extraordinary endurance and vitality as a Jinchūriki, Lux (Menma) was one hundred percent certain he wouldn't be able to withstand such an attack with ordinary defense.
That's why...
Chakra began to gather and concentrate in Lux (Menma)'s right hand with terrifying intensity. Slowly, a dark purple chakra ball formed, surrounded by a series of pure white chakra rings that orbited the main ball with hypnotic movement.
Those chakra rings then began to align themselves, forming a single giant disc-like structure around the purple ball. The pattern formed resembled planetary rings with deadly beauty—like Saturn but with a far more terrifying aura!
One of Uzumaki Menma's special jutsu—
"<
The Saturn-like jutsu was thrown with full force toward Shou's light attack!
When Shou's deadly light attack met Lux (Menma)'s Rasenringu, a tremendous explosion immediately occurred!
KABOOOOM...!!
The shockwave from the collision of these two forces created an energy vortex that destroyed everything within a radius of hundreds of meters. Buildings collapsed, the ground cracked and undulated, and even the surrounding air vibrated frighteningly.
***
While covering his face to protect from debris and dust from that tremendous explosion, Shou's expression showed slight surprise he couldn't hide. He hadn't expected the youth before him to possess such strong and deadly techniques—capable of matching his light elemental power.
However, his amazement didn't last long, as he soon realized one important thing: victory was already in his grasp.
"Surrender now. You're no match for me," Shou said with a cold, piercing voice.
He stared at the teenage figure before him who appeared weak and severely injured. The upper part of his robe was torn to shreds with edges still glowing and emitting thin smoke like it had been burned by hellfire.
Though he managed to deflect part of Shou's deadly attack, the youth still suffered serious destructive impact.
After all, among all the elements Shou mastered, the light element was the most deadly and difficult to withstand.
However, instead of showing signs of surrender, the teenager actually laughed loudly upon hearing that statement.
"Hahaha, just because you managed to wound me, you think you've completely defeated me?" his voice was filled with an annoying condescending tone.
Shou narrowed his eyes sharply. His expression turned cold and terrifying. The golden light circle above his head began to glow with threatening intensity. "This is the last warning I'll give you."
"You are indeed strong, I acknowledge that. But..." A sly grin formed on his face. "I told you from the beginning, defeating me won't be as easy as you imagine."
"You—" Shou wanted to express his anger, but suddenly the cold, piercing voice of Nine Elemental Hydra sounded in his mind.
"[Fool, get away from there right now!]"
"?!!!"
BOOOOOOM...!!
At that moment, some kind of punch with a terrifying transparent red aura directly struck Shou's body with unthinkable force, making the youth vomit fresh blood due to the extremely painful internal impact!
"Uhuk, what the—" Shou's expression turned horrified when he saw the teenage figure walking slowly toward him with a body increasingly enveloped in thickening and terrifying dark red aura.
"I actually didn't want to use this form too quickly, but..." his voice became deeper and more terrifying. "Kyūbi wants to kill you so badly that he can't restrain himself anymore. So what can I do..."
His jet-black hair became even blacker like a starless night. The three whisker marks on both his cheeks became darker and looked like living tattoos. His glowing red eyes became more dangerous and filled with evil, while his two fangs appeared to grow longer like the teeth of a wild monster.
The aura—or more precisely chakra—of transparent dark red began to writhe and envelop his entire body from head to toe, like a living, breathing cloak of death.
Most striking and terrifying was that he began to form one transparent chakra tail behind his body. Initially just one, then it became two, then increased again to become three tails swaying with hypnotic yet terrifying movement!
He raised his head to the sky and roared like a monster from hell!
ROAAAAR!!
His roar created a shockwave that shattered windows of surrounding buildings and made the ground tremble violently.
"?!!" An expression of deep disbelief formed on Shou's pale face.
Feeling the thick killing intent and unstoppable hatred suddenly explode from this teenage figure like a tsunami of negative emotions, Shou's entire body trembled uncontrollably.
He was about to launch a counterattack, but—
The teenage figure suddenly flickered and disappeared from view.
BOOOOOM...!!
At that moment, Shou only felt all his bones and flesh seemingly crushed by a horrifying punch from an unexpected direction!
"PFFFTT...!!"
Fresh blood spurted from Shou's mouth in shocking amounts!
His body staggered trying to balance himself, but in the next second, a giant fist with thor's hammer-like power once again struck him from a different angle!
BOOOOOM...!!
'W-what's happening? I can't see his movements at all!'
The speed of the monster before him had surpassed normal human visual capability!
Every time he tried to fix his body position or take a fighting stance, his body would be struck with terrifying damage from directions he could never predict!
There was absolutely no chance to retaliate or even breathe calmly!
Feeling his entire body about to shatter into pieces, Shou realized he would die within seconds if he only relied on Elementalist: Light!
"<
BOOOOOM...!!
And fortunately, this time he finally managed to withstand that deadly attack!
His entire body was enveloped by a shimmering silver layer like pure diamond. Both his hands, which had become as hard as diamonds, directly bore the horrifying burden of that monster's strike!
At that moment, Shou's gaze met directly with the human-shaped monster staring at him with eyes full of madness and deep hatred.
Staring at those eyes filled with pure evil, Shou shuddered in horror. Without hesitation, he immediately slammed his fist with all his might toward that terrifying face.
BOOOOOM...!!
The Diamond element enveloping Shou's body wasn't ordinary Diamond element that was only hard and durable. His Diamond had unique and terrifying characteristics—capable of absorbing all types of physical attacks then reflecting them directly back to the attacker with multiplied force.
Therefore, when Shou launched his counterattack, the teenager also felt the power of his own attack turning back on him with terrifying intensity!
His body was thrown at ear-splitting speed, penetrating several tall buildings in succession like a projectile, causing him to be buried in towering rubble of concrete and steel!
BOOOOM...!!
However, Shou didn't feel relieved in the slightest. Instead, when he felt the terrifying chakra pressure beginning to gather and concentrate from the direction of the building rubble, his fighter's instincts screamed danger!
Without wasting time, he immediately switched to an elemental form that didn't require long time to gather energy—an element most suitable for fast and brutal close-range combat.
And that element was none other than Elementalist: Wind!
"<
Shou, who now had emerald green hair and eyes, immediately controlled all the wind in the battle area to form a wind shield that spun at shredding speeds—any creature attempting to approach him would be torn to shreds!
BOOOM! SLASH! SLASH!
The strategy proved successful. The humanoid monster figure was prevented from touching Shou and his body was savagely shredded by the wind vortex sharp as knives!
However, unfortunately, before Shou could feel relieved, he saw with shock that the hand wrapped in thick red chakra forcibly broke through the wind barrier despite this wind barrier being a vicious tornado-like killer vortex!
That hand was full of torn wounds and horrifying blood, but as if uncaring about the severe damage to his own body, the owner of that hand forced himself to enter with terrifying determination!
'What kind of madman is this?!' Shou broke into cold sweat. He tried to increase the wind element's power to forcibly push that monster out, but the more he did that, the stronger the resistance given by that monster became!
Until finally, that terrifying creature's head successfully entered Shou's wind vortex shield.
Shou's expression became horrified when he realized that slowly the skin on that monster's face began to peel away due to the sharp wind exposure. Not just the face, the skin on both his hands also peeled away like a molting snake's skin.
Surprisingly, beneath the peeling human skin wasn't flesh and blood like normal creatures, but some kind of glowing red substance with black lines like living spider webs!
In the next second, there were no longer any signs of humanity in his appearance. What emerged now was a humanoid monster with a terrifying red-black body, having four chakra tails swaying behind his body like giant tentacles!
At that moment, the four-tailed monster's mouth opened wide, and a real death threat began to form!
A purple energy ball with terrifying chakra intensity gathered in his throat, then was fired directly toward Shou's face!
KABOOOOOOM...!!
A tremendous explosion like a mini nuclear bomb immediately devastated everything within a radius of hundreds of meters. The wind vortex shield instantly vanished without a trace due to that horrifying explosion wave.
The humanoid monster with four tails raised his head and roared with a no longer human voice!
ROAAAAR...!!
Initially he had four tails, but now the negative chakra in his body grew stronger and he began to grow one additional tail!
Madness, deep hatred, and pure evil... All of it was clearly visible flowing in every movement and gaze.
But suddenly, the ground beneath that monster trembled violently and then a giant golem 20 meters tall made of solid earth and rocks appeared. The golem immediately gripped the monster's body with both its large hands, intending to annihilate him without giving a chance to escape!
However—size and physical strength weren't everything in this battle.
When the giant golem tried to destroy the five-tailed monster with its grip, the monster's entire body seemed to boil from within due to uncontrolled chakra, then a tremendous internal explosion occurred—!
BOOOOOOOOM...!
Shou's figure was thrown far when he was forced to exit the golem that shattered into pieces. His gaze was filled with deep fear when he felt the limitless aura targeting his life like a predator that had locked onto its prey!
With no other choice, he transformed into white lightning—Elementalist: Thunder!
Creating lightning strikes throughout his body, he immediately struck with speed that shattered the sound barrier!
At the same time, that monster figure seemed to find its prey and immediately shot forward with equally terrifying speed!
BOOOOOOOM...!!
Their collision instantly shattered the sound barrier and created a shockwave that shook the entire city, but it was Shou's figure that was brutally knocked back!
The youth who had just recovered thanks to the Water element's regeneration ability was immediately severely injured with a battered body!
However, the humanoid monster showed no mercy whatsoever. He once again gathered purple energy ball in his mouth and fired it toward Shou with clear killing intent!
With great difficulty and nearly exhausted remaining energy, Shou transformed to Diamond element to withstand that deadly attack!
BOOOOOM....!!
Wave after wave of destruction annihilated the entire area indiscriminately. Skyscraper buildings immediately turned to ash, the ground became boiling craters with terrifying temperatures.
Feeling his throat dry from fear, Shou could only stare wide-eyed when he saw dozens of red-black arms that seemed to have limitless length moving at high speed toward him!
Some attacked from the air with movements like giant snakes, some suddenly emerged from the ground like deadly tree roots, and others came from all other directions.
But their goal was all the same—to grip and tear Shou's figure until nothing remained!
His body tensed with adrenaline, Shou immediately transformed to Elementalist: Flame!
BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!
Blazing fire aura spread in all directions. Utilizing the thrust from fire explosions he generated from both his feet, Shou's figure moved quickly through the air while firing melting fire pillars toward the dozens of monster hands targeting his life!
But at that moment, the terrifying creature moved at speeds that penetrated the sound barrier. Leaping here and there with completely inhuman maneuvers, he continued trying to target Shou's figure in the air!
Realizing the critical situation, Shou immediately used Maximum Output Flame!
Fire with extremely hot and terrifying temperatures immediately blazed throughout his body, causing the surrounding air to distort like a mirage.
When that monster leaped directly toward him with killing intent, Shou immediately released one burning attack that melted the entire area within a wide radius!
KABOOOOOOOM...!!!
"Hah, hah, hah..." Shou's breath was labored as he knelt, his body trembling violently as the area around him transformed into hell—building ruins scattered like giant skeletons, while terrifying flames licked the sky hungrily, creating dancing shadows that were eerie among the debris still emitting thick smoke.
A momentary, suffocating silence was suddenly torn by a tremendous tremor.
BOOOOOOOOOM...!!
An aura explosion more terrifying than before erupted from the ruins, creating a dark red energy vortex that made the air vibrate like heat waves from hell's mouth. Shou felt every cell in his body screaming in deep primitive fear.
"W-what kind of monster is this..." he whispered with a hoarse voice, eyes wide staring at the figure rising from the debris like a reborn devil.
From behind the billowing smoke and dust, emerged a figure that made Shou's blood freeze. No longer human—even the last traces of humanity had been completely eroded. What now stood before him was a seven-tailed monster with a posture like a wild beast. Both his hands touched the ground which immediately melted and burned from the heat of the chakra aura flowing from his body.
The seven tails behind him swayed creating terrifying hot winds, each movement producing air distortion that made the surrounding scenery appear to wave like a mirage. Most terrifying was the white skull that formed and attached to his body and head, giving a frightening impression of death.
"...Are you afraid?"
That voice—no longer a human voice, but an echo from hell's depths that made Shou's spine tremble uncontrollably.
"?!!" Shou startled, his eyes searching for the source of the voice. That monster's mouth didn't move, yet that terrifying voice clearly came from him, as if communicating directly with Shou's soul.
The monster realized his confusion and let out laughter that made hair stand on end—a sound that could never be produced by any living creature.
"I feel it clearly... You no longer have confidence in your pathetic power," he said with a tone full of sadistic pleasure. "Fear, anxiety, doubt... all of it flows within you."
"You..." Shou's voice trembled like leaves in a storm, his throat dry as a desert. "What exactly are you?"
No human could survive in such an ocean of hatred and madness. Even war veterans would lose their sanity just by feeling a small portion of this terrifying aura.
The monster let out louder laughter, a sound that made glass shards around them vibrate and crumble to dust.
"After all this, after witnessing all the destruction I've caused, you still dare to ask?" His tone was full of cruel mockery. "You're truly terrified to your very core. No wonder you completely failed to protect that Spirit you care about. You really are a very... very... weak creature."
Each final word was spoken with emphasis that made Shou's soul feel struck by an iron hammer. His gaze changed—from fear to burning anger, but he could only bite his lips until they bled and clench both hands so tightly his nails pierced his palms. Because in the deepest part of his heart, he knew that monster was right.
He was indeed very weak...
But even so...
With slow movements full of determination, Shou took a long breath to calm the storm within his chest. His eyes, previously clouded with fear, now emitted a different light—the light of a decision that could no longer be withdrawn.
"You're right," he said with a trembling but firm voice. "I am very weak, but..."
Suddenly, the air around Shou changed. Very dark and thick [Mana] began to flow out from his body like death's mist. His red hair and eyes slowly changed color to deep purple, like the sky before a tremendous storm.
"I also don't intend to lose! <
Shou's scream echoed to all corners, his voice reverberating like death's cry. The tremendous and oppressive dark aura began to spin around his body, creating a darkness vortex that sucked the light around him!
BOOOOOOM...!!
The transformation began with an energy explosion that made the ground beneath him crack and shatter into pieces.
So far, there were two elements Shou always avoided at all costs: Time and Dark. Time because each use would reduce his lifespan, while the Dark element... it would slowly damage his soul, corroding his humanity from within.
But to face a monster with speed, strength, and endurance that surpassed logic, Shou was forced to unleash one of his strongest elements—even if it meant sacrificing part of his own soul.
A pair of swords emanating thick darkness aura materialized in both his hands, their blades appearing to absorb light like small black holes. His purple hair became longer and flowed backward as if blown by night wind, while a pair of large wings like a fallen angel grew from his back, each wing feather radiating terrifying darkness energy.
A glowing purple aura enveloped his entire body, giving the impression of a death god descending to the human world.
After the transformation was complete, Shou's sharp gaze pierced directly into the eyes of the seven-tailed monster before him. His eyes were no longer ordinary human eyes—but the eyes of a predator ready to kill or be killed.
He raised his right foot to step forward, his muscles tensing like springs ready to be released, then—
His figure flickered, disappearing from view.
Not just him—the seven-tailed monster also flickered at the same time!
And then, the real battle began!
WOOOOSH...!! BOOOOOOM....!!!
The collision between the thick purple darkness elemental power and the red chakra of the seven-tailed monster created a horrifying shockwave. Every energy clash between them annihilated everything in their path—stones became dust, iron melted, and the air itself appeared distorted by the intensity of the colliding forces.
Shou's purple sword slashes absorbed all types of life nearby, creating dead zones where even grass would never be able to grow again. Meanwhile, dozens of giant chakra arms from the seven-tailed monster moved at speeds that human eyes couldn't follow, trying to tear their opponent apart with inhuman savagery.
Each of their collisions was like a natural disaster on a small scale—energy waves spread in all directions, tearing apart buildings, uprooting trees from their roots, and creating small craters in the already destroyed ground.
BOOOOOOOOOM....!!!
"KUH?!"
Shou's body was struck with tremendous force, sending him flying like a ragdoll. Blood flowed from the corner of his lips, feeling like his internal organs had shifted from that horrifying impact. But while maneuvering in the air with both his darkness wings, he drew both swords to annihilate all the chakra hands chasing him with madness.
SLASSSSHH...!!!
His darkness slashes were like a tornado of death, annihilating all chakra hands in an instant. Every movement of his sword left dark traces in the air that wouldn't disappear for some time, like wounds in the fabric of reality itself.
But Shou's instincts, honed in various battles, screamed—deadly threat was coming from behind!
He turned with reflexes already embedded in his bones, and sure enough. At ear-splitting speed creating sonic explosions, the seven-tailed monster shot forward attacking with a giant hand-shaped chakra strike that could destroy mountains!
Shou swung both his darkness swords in a cross formation, preparing to receive the strike that could end his life—
KABOOOOOOM...!!!
The shockwave that occurred when both forces met created an explosion that felt like the end of the world. The ground within a radius of hundreds of meters cracked and split, buildings still standing collapsed like houses of cards, and even clouds in the sky scattered from the air pressure generated.
Both Shou and the seven-tailed monster were thrown with tremendous force, their bodies leaving trails of destruction as they were dragged across the ground and crashed into anything that blocked their path.
But the silence only lasted a second. Before the dust settled, both figures had risen and roared with equal madness, then shot toward each other at speeds beyond human capability to comprehend!
Shou, purple eyes blazing with darkness lightning, thrust one of his swords into the ground with full force. At that moment, as if called by divine power, countless darkness spears emerged from underground—each spear as sharp as a needle but as large as a tree trunk, all rushing toward the seven-tailed monster simultaneously like a forest of death growing in an instant!
The seven-tailed monster stared at the rain of approaching darkness spears with terrifying eyes.
Using his chakra hands that could change size at will—from needle-sized to giant tree-sized—he only needed a few swipes to destroy that entire darkness spear forest into energy fragments scattered in the air!
BOOOOOOOM....!!
While flying, Shou felt the ground beneath him shake like an earthquake. His eyes widened seeing so many transparent red chakra hands—each as large as buildings—moving toward him from all directions. The sky was covered by the shadows of those giant hands, creating a terrifying artificial eclipse.
But Shou only needed one sword swing to respond to this threat.
BOOOOOOOM....!!!
Though only one swing, that movement actually contained thousands of invisible slashes. In a fraction of a second, all those giant chakra hands were cut into small fragments that disappeared like smoke.
However, a roar that made hearts stop beating suddenly shattered the air, making Shou's expression turn fully alert. Both his sword blades were enveloped in thicker darkness aura and he immediately turned while thrusting his sword forward in a movement calculated to the millimeter!
And his calculation was correct—the seven-tailed monster had leaped with impossible height and speed, his claws that could split steel like paper ready to tear Shou apart like a hunting wild beast!
BOOOOOM...! BOOOOM...!!! BOOOOM...!!!
It couldn't be avoided anymore—both immediately exchanged attacks at speeds beyond human visual capability. Ordinary people would only see flashes of purple and red colliding like lightning, creating energy waves capable of killing any living creature within a kilometer radius just from the air pressure alone!
Each collision of sword with claw created sparks of energy fire that burned the air. Each of their movements left trails of destruction—ground cracked, stones crumbled to dust, and reality itself seemed to vibrate from the intensity of this unnatural battle.
BOOOOOOOOOM....!!
Though Dark element power was extremely terrifying and could absorb life itself, when it came to pure strength and endurance, there was no doubt that the seven-tailed monster was far more superior!
Shou's body finally reached its limit. He was slammed to the ground with force that made his entire body feel crushed, every bone screaming in pain, every muscle torn and bruised.
Supporting his nearly destroyed body with both swords stuck in the ground, Shou vomited blood already mixed with fragments of internal organs. His expression changed to something terrifying—no longer a human face, but the face of someone who had lost everything and was ready to take the entire world with him into destruction.
With a scream more resembling a wild beast's roar, he created hundreds of darkness balls around him—each ball the size of a human head but containing energy that could absorb life from Rank A creatures in an instant. Then, like rain of death, he launched them all simultaneously!
WOOOOSH...!
The seven-tailed monster, with its terrifying instincts, immediately realized that those orbs of darkness were no ordinary threat.
With speed that created successive sonic booms, it instantly used the building debris as footholds before shooting into the air like a launched rocket!
BOOOOOOM...!!
From the air, its form resembled a meteor falling with destructive intent. It moved in zigzag patterns with maneuvers that defied the laws of physics, dodging every dark orb that shot forth with astounding precision.
Seeing how easily the seven-tailed monster maneuvered through the air without wings or any assistance, Shou couldn't hold back the curse that escaped his bloodied lips.
"Fuck! Even I, who has wings, can't perform maneuvers like that!"
As he thought this, his eyes caught sight of the seven-tailed monster that had already changed direction and was now charging toward him with uncontrolled madness—like a meteor guided by malevolent will!
BOOOOOOOOOM....!!!
The impact was like the collision of two planets. The seven-tailed monster struck Shou with speed that created shockwaves reaching the sky, sending the young man hurtling with tremendous force for hundreds of meters, his body smashing through every obstacle in his path like an uncontrolled cannonball!
Feeling his ribs crack and internal organs shift from their original positions, Shou could only rely on the survival instincts already embedded in his DNA. His two crossed swords, which were holding back the monster's assault with all remaining strength, suddenly blazed with dark light more intense than the darkness of a moonless night.
Then, as if summoned by the god of death himself, the dark light roared out from both swords, instantly annihilating everything in its path for hundreds of meters!
SLASSHHH....!!! BOOOOOOMM...!!!
"Hah... Hah..." The pair of dark wings that had wrapped around his body as a shield slowly opened, revealing Shou's battered but still living form. Utilizing the dark element that had absorbed various life energies from the surrounding area, his body began to recover at an amazing pace—wounds closed, cracked bones mended, and energy began flowing again through his blood vessels.
But... Even though his body recovered...
BOOOOM!!
Red chakra filled with hatred once again pierced the sky, creating a pillar of energy visible from dozens of kilometers away.
Witnessing this sight, Shou finally had to acknowledge in his heart just how terrifying and illogical the creature he was facing truly was. After receiving successive attacks from the Dark element capable of absorbing life itself, the seven-tailed monster not only didn't weaken—it became far stronger than before, as if each attack only made it more ferocious!
"[Pathetic. Losing to a creature like that... You're truly disgraceful. Well, it was to be expected, I suppose.]" The mocking voice of Nine Elemental Hydra, cold and arrogant, rang in his ears like salt on an open wound.
"SHUT UP!" Shou screamed with anger that had reached its peak, his purple eyes blazing with dark lightning.
Nine Elemental Hydra in her captivating woman form only laughed with a disdainful tone, but secretly her gaze shifted to the seven-tailed monster that was a living manifestation of pure hatred and madness that made even a Transcendent being like herself feel... intrigued.
The seven-tailed monster was now forming a massive purple energy ball in its mouth—already the size of a car and still growing. Though it appeared to be an ordinary energy ball, Shou with his honed battle instincts knew that the energy contained within was enough to level an entire city in an instant, perhaps even more!
With resolute determination, he rose to his feet despite his entire body still screaming in pain. He combined his two swords into one giant sword, and all the remaining Dark element in his body began gathering on the blade, creating an aura that made the surrounding air as cold as ice and as dark as eternal darkness.
The seven-tailed monster was ready to fire the city-destroying energy ball from its mouth, its white eyes gleaming with anticipation to witness total destruction. But Shou was also prepared with his final attack!
Both of them, in a moment that would determine the fate of the entire city and all who lived within it, unleashed attacks capable of causing catastrophic disaster!
WOOOOSHHH....!!!
The dark sword slash that absorbed all life energy and the energy ball resembling a weapon of mass destruction shot forth at light speed toward each other. The air between the two attacks began to distort, reality itself seemed to vibrate as two opposing forces were about to meet.
And when they finally collided at the midpoint—
KABOOOOOOOOOM....!!!
The explosion exceeded all imagination of destruction. Like a nuclear bomb detonated on the ground's surface, blinding light radiated in all directions, followed by waves of heat and energy radiation that erased two kilometers within its range from the face of the earth.
Buildings didn't just collapse—they vaporized without a trace. Asphalt roads didn't just crack—they transformed into plasma. People who were still alive, even those kilometers away, died instantly from the terrifying explosion's radiation!
In just the blink of an eye, most of the city that had once been bustling with life was destroyed and leveled, transformed into a giant crater still glowing with residual energy from this unnatural battle!
ROAAAARR....!!
From the center of destruction, the seven-tailed monster's roar could still be heard. The humanoid creature emitted thick smoke from its red body, its red-black skin appearing slightly burned and cracked. Even a monster with illogical endurance wasn't entirely immune to the devastating explosion that occurred right before it.
Slowly, the seven-tailed monster now faintly grew an additional tail behind it.
With its increasingly savage appearance and eyes glowing like two red stars in the darkness, it seemed to be searching for Shou's presence among the debris and flames still burning...
That's when—
STAB...!!
Without any warning, without sound, without even detectable air movement, a massive dark sword—as large as a giant tree—successfully pierced the monster's body precisely in the stomach with perfect accuracy!
BOOOOOOOM...!
The seven-tailed monster roared with a sound that made the remaining glass in the area vibrate and shatter. Its roar was no longer the sound of a living creature—but a scream from the depths of hell itself as the dark sword began absorbing the vitality and life energy flowing through its body!
However, the monster with vitality beyond logic didn't surrender so easily. Its resistance was tremendous and devastating, every movement of its body creating destructive energy waves!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Purple energy balls filled with terrifying power were fired one by one from its mouth, each shot destroying an area the size of a soccer field around it in a final attempt to break free!
But the sword's owner—Shou who appeared from nowhere—could only exert all remaining strength to drive his sword deeper with a final decision!
This was the only opportunity that might never come again!
Just before that final attack, using the highly risky Time element—which could reduce his lifespan by years—he had managed to manipulate time to approach the eight-tailed monster undetected. Then, using all the remaining Dark element in his body, he created the purest and most deadly dark sword he had ever made to deliver one attack that would determine everything!
But even after being pierced by the strongest dark sword ever created, this eight-tailed monster still showed illogical vitality! Even S+ Rank Magical Beasts would have died multiple times from such a thrust!
With a decision born from desperation, Shou created dark chains that emerged from the ground and air, then controlled them to chain the eight-tailed monster's entire body—binding every limb, every tail, even its neck—to lock all movement and ensure the monster couldn't break free!
Of course, with endurance and vitality beyond reason, the seven-tailed monster still put up terrifying resistance. Every pull of the dark chains was countered with energy explosions trying to sever those bonds, forcing Shou to use all remaining Dark element to strengthen the chains and maintain the sword piercing the monster's body!
BOOOOOOOOM....!!!
The tremors from the monster's resistance created successive earthquakes that made the ground within a kilometer radius crack and split. But gradually, like a fire running out of oxygen, the eight-tailed monster's movements began to weaken...
Its breathing, which had been like blasts of hot wind, became slow and shallow. Its white eyes that had blazed like stars began to dim. Even the aura of hatred and madness that had enveloped its body began to thin.
Several minutes that felt like eternity later, the seven-tailed monster finally became calm... its body still trembled occasionally, but its resistance was almost gone.
"[Not bad... You actually managed to subdue it]" Nine Elemental Hydra commented in her usual indifferent tone, but there was something in her voice—a kind of displeasure that was hard to explain, as if she wasn't entirely pleased with Shou's victory.
Shou, too exhausted and pained to notice the subtle nuance in his contracted creature's voice, only focused on holding his right arm that felt like it was burning from within. With breath full of suffering and pain, he stared sharply at the seven-tailed monster now lying weakly before him.
"You can no longer resist," Shou's voice sounded cold and piercing, each word filled with undeniable authority. "Now answer my question... Where is Mayuri?"
Suffocating silence enveloped the destroyed battlefield. The seven-tailed monster remained silent, its heavy breathing creating thin mist in the cold air. But then, something horrifying happened—the monster's face slowly formed a completely inhuman grin. That smile was so terrifying it would make anyone's hair stand on end.
"You're really stupid..." the monster's voice echoed with a painfully mocking tone.
"You—" Anger exploded in Shou's chest. He was about to issue a more vicious threat, but suddenly his dangerous instincts honed through various battles screamed loudly in his mind.
A deadly threat—something capable of ending his life in an instant—was approaching from behind!
The young man's eyes widened, his pupils contracting in shock. Nine Elemental Hydra, who had seemed calm until now, also furrowed her brow.
There, standing magnificently and terrifyingly, was a lizard-like monster whose body was wrapped in eternal flames. Every breath it took exhaled flames capable of melting steel in seconds. Its lava-like eyes gazed at them with the stare of a predator that had found its prey.
Salamander—one of the S+ Rank Magical Beasts!
This creature was Shou's intended target for his journey to this small city. He had come to make a contract with this Magical Beast, but his timing couldn't have been worse!
Nine Elemental Hydra sensed the drastic change in the battle's atmosphere. "[Very bad... It might be attracted by your fight and sensing a great threat to its territory]"
"Damn it, is this the time for casual conversation?!" Shou screamed with explosive frustration. Cold sweat poured down his temples.
The atmosphere around them changed drastically. The air began vibrating with terrifying intensity, creating visual distortions like mirages.
Shou's expression changed completely when he felt the concentration of hot and dense [Mana] rapidly gathering in the Salamander's gaping mouth!
Without wasting a single second, Shou immediately transformed!
"<
BOOOOOOM....!!!
Fire breath at temperatures reaching thousands of degrees celsius shot forth like a destructive laser, burning and annihilating everything in its path! Earth turned to lava, rocks melted like wax, and the air itself caught fire!
Nine Elemental Hydra watched this entire battle with a strange expression—no longer indifferent as usual. Something had changed in her eyes. She glanced toward Shou who barely managed to dodge and was now beginning to launch counterattacks against the rampaging Salamander.
Then, her gaze slowly shifted toward the seven-tailed monster still groaning in pain. Due to the dark sword embedded deep in its body, the monster couldn't move and could only endure torture from the Salamander's fire breath that continued sweeping the area.
With almost soundless steps, Nine Elemental Hydra slowly approached the seven-tailed monster. Her usually cold and arrogant gaze now changed into something very different—gentle, full of attention, even... full of affection?
"[I will help you]" she whispered in a voice almost like a gentle song.
The Transcendent being raised her graceful hand. With such an easy gesture—just a light finger snap—she managed to destroy the dark sword that had been embedded so deep in the seven-tailed monster's body.
The seven-tailed monster immediately began an amazing regeneration process. The wounds on its body closed at an illogical speed, torn flesh reunited, and its terrifying aura began to rise again. However, it looked at Nine Elemental Hydra with narrowed eyes.
Nine Elemental Hydra seemed unconcerned with that gaze. With movements flowing like water, she extended her hand and began caressing the monster's face with surprising tenderness.
This scene looked incredibly unbelievable—a woman with almost divine beauty, elegant and arrogant, now giving affectionate caresses to a red humanoid monster that was the embodiment of pure hatred and madness.
"[I would be very grateful if you could help that weak human]" Nine Elemental Hydra's voice sounded gentle, but there was surprising emotional depth within it. "[After all, I'm still bound by contract to him. If he dies, I will die as well. In return...]"
She paused for a moment, as if weighing the words she would speak. Then, in a voice almost like a whisper, she continued:
"[... Once my contract with him ends, I will become 'yours'.]"
Those words sounded completely illogical to anyone who heard them. Even the most arrogant being would consider Nine Elemental Hydra to have lost her sanity. She was a Transcendent being whose pride exceeded the highest mountains—how could she willingly become the possession of a creature that wasn't even SSS Rank?
However, this was the most sincere feeling Nine Elemental Hydra had ever experienced in her entire existence. For thousands of years, the only reason she was born into this world was to search for a figure who embodied hatred equal to her own.
Initially, she thought that person was Shou, because the young man's hatred toward the world was greater than any human she had ever encountered. But...
She never expected to meet a figure whose hatred had reached a level equal to that of a Transcendent. When she first met him, Nine Elemental Hydra experienced an emotional explosion she had never felt before—something she didn't even understand...
Poor Shou... He didn't know that in a few moments he would lose his contracted creature for the second time in his life...
A long silence enveloped them. The seven-tailed monster gazed deeply into Nine Elemental Hydra's eyes, as if trying to read every emotion hidden behind that beautiful gaze.
Then—
ROAAAARRR...!!!
A terrifyingly loud roar exploded from the seven-tailed monster's throat, creating waves of hot and fierce wind that swept the entire area. That sound wasn't just an ordinary roar—it was the manifestation of pure hatred that had crystallized into physical force.
Nine Elemental Hydra's beautiful hair that gleamed like diamonds fluttered dramatically in that terrible wind wave. But the woman only smiled broadly—the happiest smile she had shown in thousands of years of existence.
Then, in the blink of an eye—
WHOOSSH...!!
The seven-tailed monster's form disappeared from its place, moving at a speed that truly broke the sound barrier. All that remained were traces of shockwaves and cracked ground from its speed explosion.
***
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Hellfire pounded the air with unbridled fury. Deadly heat waves swept across the entire battlefield, turning stone to lava and air to burning poison. In the midst of that terrifying whirlwind of destruction, Shou's form in Elementalist Earth manifestation was thrown about like a raggedy doll played with by a giant!
BANG!
His body crashed into building debris with a heartbreaking sound. Dust and rubble flew everywhere, creating a suffocating gray cloud.
"COUGH! HACK!"
Fresh blood spurted from his lips like a fountain of death. The thick red liquid flowed profusely, soaking the already cracked ground. The earth armor that had been as solid as chain mail on his body was now shattered to pieces, leaving horrifying bleeding wounds all over his body.
With labored breathing and vision beginning to blur, Shou stared at the terrifying figure before him. The giant Salamander stood menacingly—nearly fifty meters tall, its skin gleaming like molten metal, and from its wide-open mouth, blue-green fire flowed like a river from hell. Those large reptilian eyes radiated pure hatred that made Shou's soul shudder with fear.
'Fuck! If only I were in prime condition, I would have finished off this bastard monster long ago!'
Anger and frustration burned in his chest hotter than Salamander's fire. Shou clenched his fists until his nails pierced through his palm skin, drawing fresh blood.
As the possessor of part of Nine Elemental Hydra's power, he should have been able to defeat this creature easily. But fate said otherwise—the prolonged battle against the seven-tailed monster, combined with using Dark and Time elements that drained his vital energy, had reduced him to nothing more than a dying ordinary human.
'That damn bitch! Where is that fucking woman?! Is she willing to let me die?!'
Even more burning anger consumed his heart. Nine Elemental Hydra—the arrogant woman who should have been his ally—hadn't shown her face at all. If only she had intervened from the beginning, Shou wouldn't be in such a dire state! He wouldn't taste the bitterness of defeat on the brink of death!
His strength was truly exhausted. Even to activate the Water element that could heal his wounds, he needed time he didn't possess. Salamander wouldn't give him that opportunity.
'Is... this the end of my life?'
For the first time in his life, Shou felt the cold grip of death. Fear began creeping into his soul, making his chest tight and his hands tremble.
He tried to rise with great difficulty, but his body could no longer obey him. His muscles screamed in pain, his bones were cracked, and his eyes began to blur.
The giant Salamander slowly stepped toward him. Each step made the earth tremble and crack. The ground beneath its feet melted into glowing lava. Its mouth opened wide, revealing rows of sword-like teeth gleaming in the internal fire's light.
From its throat, a low rumbling sound resonated—like a death song ready to devour its victim.
Shou closed his eyes, preparing to accept the bitter end—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of successive explosions shattered the deathly silence!
"?!!" Shou's eyes widened, surprise replacing his despair.
From an unexpected direction, dozens of red light balls of various sizes shot at terrifying speed toward the Salamander. They moved like meteors falling from the sky, leaving glowing light trails in the air. One by one they struck the giant's body mercilessly!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each explosion created tremendous shockwaves. The ground cracked and scattered, the air vibrated violently, and deafening rumbling sounds echoed. The mighty Salamander staggered, its massive body shaken by endless explosions.
ROAAAAAAAR!
A roar of pain and anger thundered from the monster's mouth. Whether it was a sign of suffering or overflowing rage, it was clear the Salamander wasn't pleased with this sudden attack!
Its large body began emitting extraordinary heat. The surrounding air rippled like water, and the temperature rose drastically until Shou felt his skin would burn alive. The Salamander tried to reverse the situation by exploding all its heat energy at once!
'Crazy! I'll definitely die roasted!'
Shou felt horrified imagining his body becoming charcoal. He was one hundred percent certain he wouldn't survive this tremendous heat explosion!
But—
WHOOOOSH!
A house-sized purple energy ball shot through the air, piercing the heat wave like a knife cutting butter!
KAAAAABOOOOOM...!!
The explosion exceeded all imagination! Like a nuclear bomb exploding on earth's surface, blinding white light consumed everything. The resulting shockwave leveled everything within dozens of meters radius. Even the Salamander, an S+ Rank Magical Beast—a monster equivalent to a natural disaster—was thrown far with its injured body!
When that blinding light slowly faded, inhuman laughter echoed in the air.
"Hahaha... Pathetic..."
That voice sounded so cold and full of scorn, making Shou's hair stand on end. With eyes still watery from the glare, he looked toward the voice's source and almost couldn't believe what he saw.
There stood a figure he knew very well—the seven-tailed monster he had just fought with such difficulty!
"Y-you! How can you be here?!" Shou's voice trembled between anger and fear. His throat was dry, making his voice hoarse and creaky.
"[I'm the one who freed him. Why? Not satisfied?]"
Nine Elemental Hydra's arrogant and indifferent voice suddenly emerged from emptiness. The beautiful woman with a terrifying aura floated in the air, looking at Shou with a disdainful sneer that was very painful. Her beautiful hair fluttered in the wind, and her heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one blue—radiated pure contempt.
Hearing that confession, Shou's blood immediately boiled. The anger he had long suppressed exploded like a volcano.
"I FOUGHT TO THE DEATH AGAINST THAT MONSTER, BUT YOU HELPED IT INSTEAD?!" he screamed with a broken voice, expending what little strength he had left.
What was more humiliating, he was now under the protection of the seven-tailed monster he had just fought! His pride as a warrior was shattered to pieces.
But Nine Elemental Hydra only laughed cynically, her voice echoing like death bells.
"[Why should I care about your struggle? Besides...]" She looked contemptuously at Shou lying weakly. "[You were just lucky to survive fighting him. That's all.]"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Shou's anger reached its peak, but his words were cut off when the sound of tremendous explosions and deadly heat waves came from the Salamander's direction as it began rising again!
Nine Elemental Hydra also narrowed her eyes, observing the situation with keen interest. At that moment, the seven-tailed monster began moving forward. Its deep and terrifying voice echoed in the air.
"Honestly, I hoped you'd die by that Salamander." The seven-tailed monster laughed with a soul-chilling voice. "Wouldn't that be ironic and funny? Killed by the creature you wanted to contract? But..."
It paused for a moment, its white eyes gleaming with pure cruelty.
"I changed my mind. If you die just like that, it's boring. I'd rather see you suffer slowly until death. For instance, when you finally manage to save that Spirit you're looking for, you'll realize that all your struggles have been in vain."
"BASTARD!" Shou was truly furious hearing those cruel words, but his broken body couldn't do anything. He could only stare with teary eyes, full of hatred and despair.
Nine Elemental Hydra observed all this with an interested expression, like watching an entertaining show.
"I'll help you a little," he said "but I don't know if your luck will last much longer."
Those ambiguous words left puzzles in Shou's mind, but in the next second his expression changed completely to extreme shock.
The terrifying seven-tailed monster suddenly disappeared, replaced by the figure of a 15-year-old teenager. His jet-black hair gleamed under the firelight, and most striking were his pair of eyes with glowing red pupils that had vertical black lines in their centers. On both his cheeks were three lines like cat whiskers that gave a strange yet terrifying impression.
This sudden transformation was confusing, but Shou quickly understood the reason.
From various directions, nine lights moved at lightning speed toward the youth. They were the creatures summoned earlier—five animals and four humanoids, each with terrifying strong auras. One by one they entered the youth's body forcefully, like being struck by invisible forces that compelled them to merge!
Instantly, the youth's aura changed drastically. The air around him became darker, denser, and filled with hatred that could almost be touched. The pressure he emanated made Shou struggle to breathe.
While grinning with an extremely cruel expression—a grin that made blood freeze—the teenager said in a cold voice full of superiority.
"I'll show you the fundamental difference between you who only half-heartedly borrow your contracted creature's power and me who uses the original power of my 'creatures'."
As those words were spoken, a terrifying phenomenon occurred. The pebbles around them began lifting and floating in the air without apparent cause. The earth trembled with unnatural force. An atmosphere full of destruction and hatred filled the air, making every living being nearby feel the real threat of death.
Even the Salamander—the mighty S+ Rank monster—felt danger threatening its life! Its instincts screamed that this wasn't an opponent to be underestimated.
The giant lizard monster immediately breathed its hottest fire—blue-green flame waves that could melt metal in an instant—but it was already one step too late!
The youth spoke in a cynical and cruel tone, his voice echoing as if from hell's depths.
"Come out, Kyūbi."
As those words were spoken—
BOOOOOOOM....!!
The Salamander's fire attack destroyed the entire area within hundreds of meters radius, turning everything into a sea of fire and lava. But whether it was Shou, Nine Elemental Hydra, Salamander, or even people in the distance, everyone felt an extremely terrifying spiritual pressure—pressure filled with pure hatred!
ROAAAAAAAR...!!
A soul-piercing roar penetrated every corner of the world. That sound was so terrifying that birds in the sky fell dead, wild animals ran in panic, and even humans miles away felt inexplicable fear.
"W-what is that..." Shou's eyes widened, his body trembling violently.
Nine Elemental Hydra had the opposite reaction—her eyes sparkled with full interest and admiration watching this spectacular emergence.
What emerged from behind the smoke and fire was a truly terrifying figure—a giant fox monster twice the size of the Salamander. If the Salamander was fifty meters tall, then this monster reached a hundred meters in height, dominating the land surface with its terrifying presence.
Its fur was dark orange like hellfire, gleaming with unnatural light. Nine tails behind it swayed wildly with hypnotic yet terrifying movements, creating tremendously powerful wind vortexes capable of toppling tall buildings.
Most terrifying were its pair of evil red eyes. Those pupils with vertical black lines in their centers truly reflected boundless hatred—hatred that was thousands of years old and never faded. Looking into those eyes was like staring into a bottomless hell abyss.
This creature could technically be classified as an SS Rank Magical Beast, but the amount of hatred and almost unlimited spiritual energy it emanated exceeded the average SS Rank monster. This wasn't just an ordinary monster—it was a being born from pure hatred and crystallized rage.
The aura it emanated... was very similar to the appearance of a final boss from a Dungeon Break!
"This is the difference between us, do you understand now?" The youth stood atop the fox monster's head, looking down with a painful grin of superiority.
Shou only stared with empty eyes, his mouth open but no words coming out. His brain couldn't process the reality before him.
He gritted his teeth hard until a grinding sound was heard, but ultimately chose to remain silent. Only his nails had already pierced deep into his palms, drawing blood that dripped to the ground.
The youth laughed mockingly, his voice echoing in the hot air.
"Hahaha! That expression... very satisfying!"
Then he looked at the Salamander that was now frozen in fear upon feeling the hatred-filled aura from the nine-tailed fox monster Kyūbi. The Salamander's large body trembled, and for the first time in its life, the S+ Rank monster felt fear that made it want to leave the battle.
And indeed that's what it did—the Salamander did something very unexpected, namely flee!
The proud Magical Beast knew very well that the nine-tailed fox monster before it was far stronger and more dangerous. Its survival instincts screamed to immediately leave this place.
"Heh, knows when to retreat. Not stupid." The youth nodded with satisfaction. "Only... leaving just like that without permission, isn't that rather impolite?"
That sentence raised questions in the witnesses' minds, but the youth only grinned with an extremely cruel expression. He raised his right hand, and then something formed that made everyone's blood freeze.
A baseball-sized black ball with white energy rings rotating around it. The same technique used when fighting Shou earlier, but there was something different—the aura it emanated was far more terrifying, and the energy contained within felt like it could annihilate dozens of mountains!
The youth looked at Shou with the cruelest grin ever, his eyes gleaming with pure cruelty.
"This is my farewell to you. Remember well the name of the person who will soon kill you..." He paused for dramatic effect. "Uzumaki Menma."
Then, with a movement that was very casual yet full of terrifying power—
"<
He released the ringed black ball toward the fleeing Salamander. The projectile descended at seemingly normal speed, even appearing slow, making Shou doubt whether the attack was truly dangerous.
But that doubt immediately vanished once the black ball touched its target.
What happened next was—
Total annihilation.
White light brighter than a thousand suns exploded and soared high into the sky, creating an energy column visible from dozens of kilometers away!
KAAAAAABOOOOOM...!!!
An explosion truly resembling an actual nuclear bomb exploded with unimaginable force. The resulting shockwave obliterated everything within several kilometers radius—nothing remained, nothing could survive.
Living beings still breathing, solid buildings that had stood for years, streets made of the strongest materials, vehicles, trees, even large stones—everything was swallowed by the terrifying light like divine punishment descending directly from heaven to annihilate all sins.
There were indeed sounds of resistance and defense efforts from various parties, but the attack enhanced by Kyūbi's power was extremely deadly and unstoppable. Nothing could survive this total destruction.
In one dark night and with one terrifying attack, a city that had stood for hundreds of years became total ruins in seconds. The city built with great effort vanished instantly, leaving only a gaping giant crater and the pungent aroma of death.
And Shou, who managed to escape the explosion area using his remaining strength to transform into Elementalist Thunder, could only witness all this destruction with disbelieving eyes and a soul shattered to pieces.
His body trembled violently—whether from fear, anger, or trauma from witnessing the mass destruction that had just occurred. His watery eyes stared emptily toward the giant crater that had once been a city.
Recalling the name of the youth who knew information about the girl he had long sought, he could only mumble with a trembling voice while grinding his teeth until his gums bled.
"Uzumaki Menma... I swear... I will definitely defeat you someday..."
But when the shadow of the nine-tailed fox monster with boundless hatred aura reappeared in his mind, his entire body trembled uncontrollably. Uncontrollable fear crept through every inch of his body.
With dragging steps and a body nearly collapsing, he slowly left the place that had become a silent witness to this mass destruction. Blood still dripped from various wounds on his body, leaving red trails on the cracked ground.
In the distance, atop the destroyed city's ruins, the figure of Lux (Menma) still stood calmly on Kyūbi's head.
The night wind moved his hair, and the cruel grin was still carved on his face that appeared so young yet harbored very deep darkness.
"Tonight's show was quite entertaining," he murmured in a casual tone, as if what had just happened was merely an ordinary game.
Those red eyes with vertical-lined pupils gazed toward Shou slowly disappearing into the night's darkness, and his grin grew wider.
"I want to see how he'll develop at our next meeting... But that might be his last chance to live."
His voice echoed in the cold night air...
***
The template that Lux currently has:
1. Raiden Ei / Shogun
• Origin : Genshin Impact
2. Takamiya Mayuri
• Origin : Date a Live
3. Artemisia Bell Ashcroft
• Origin : Date a Live
4. Inaba Tsukuyo
• Origin : Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism
5. Dabi / Todoroki Toya
• Origin : Boku no Hero Academia
6. Tomioka Giyū
• Origin : Kimetsu no Yaiba / Demon Slayer
7. Kiana Kaslana – Herrscher of the Void
• Origin : Honkai Impact 3rd
8. Takamiya Mio (Limited)
• Origin : Date a Live
9. Itsuka Kotori
• Origin : Date a Live
10. Aoi Sui
• Origin : Mission, Yozakura Family
11. Yozakura Tsubomi
• Origin : Mission, Yozakura Family
12. Morax
• Origin : Genshin Impact
13. Cecilus Segmunt
• Origin: Re;Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
14. Konno Yūki
• Origin : Sword Art Online
15. Kurogane Ouma
• Origin : Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry
16. Kurome
• Origin : Akame Ga Kill
17. Ji Xuanyuan
• Origin : Honkai Impact 3rd
18. Tsukuyomi Tsukasa
• Origin : Tonikaku Kawaii / Fly Me to the Moon
19. Xiang Yu
• Origin : Fate/Grand Order
20. Kokushibo / Tsugikuni Michikatsu
• Origin : Kimetsu no Yaiba / Demon Slayer
21. Observer α (Alpha)
• Origin : Azur Lane
22. Uzumaki Menma
• Origin : Naruto