Chapter 386: Human? God? Angel!
"Senpai!!"
Yukina and Sayaka, who were also under fire, had already begun evasive maneuvers.
Yet Mahiro stood motionless in place, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, curling into an inexplicably strange smile.
As if he had heard Giada's words, he softly replied:
"Who says otherwise? We really are being underestimated."
At the moment the bullets arrived, Mahiro suddenly raised his left hand.
Pop pop pop pop—
A series of explosive sounds rang out as all those bullets were blocked and intercepted by a transparent barrier.
Then, he clenched his right hand into the shape of a gun, slowly raising it to point at a soldier hiding behind a tree reloading.
In the next instant, that soldier suddenly exploded and vanished, turning into a cloud of ash and dust.
Immediately after, Mahiro began to walk.
He strolled leisurely through the hail of bullets, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
Each time his fingertip pointed at someone, that person would vanish on the spot.
Witnessing this scene, La Folia was utterly stunned and dumbfounded, even dropping her loaded curse gun with a clatter to the ground.
So this rude man was actually this terrifying?!
He could make people vanish into thin air with just a flick of his finger?!
Just who was he?!
Sayaka couldn't help but glance at Yukina with a questioning look, but the latter shook her head, indicating she was already used to it.
She understood very clearly that Mahiro had never harbored any ill will toward her or the Lion King Organization.
Otherwise, on the very first day she had tailed him, she would likely have met the same fate as these soldiers.
In truth, Mahiro simply wanted to torment these guys a bit.
Suddenly interrupting his enjoyment of barbecue and a picnic—they had to pay some price for that.
Giada naturally shared the same sentiment.
And as expected, the enemy's command system soon fell into chaos.
All the squads that had landed on the island and infiltrated the mountains fled back to the beach as if they had seen a ghost, preparing to board the transport boats and return to the transport ship!
For no other reason.
It was simply too terrifying!
A woman with a ghostly figure would appear each time, taking the lives of their comrades, as if they would be next!
The other young man was even more frightening.
Bullets couldn't hit him, and grenade explosions were ineffective—that was one thing.
But once chosen by that finger, even if hiding behind cover, they would instantly vanish.
Without even a chance to scream.
Sometimes, the cover would vanish along with them!
As the saying goes—
"Fine wine in luminous cups, you and your cover fly together."
"You and your cover are equally laughable."
They were simply demons!
No, even more terrifying than demons!
Before long, all the landing forces had been completely wiped out.
Mahiro stood on the beach, gazing at the churning sea in the distance as if he had done something utterly ordinary, casually brushing aside the stray hair falling over his forehead.
"Just who... are you?"
La Folia was the first to arrive at the shore.
The sea breeze blowing toward her lifted her silver hair, yet it couldn't dispel the confusion in her eyes. Those sapphire-like eyes stared intently at the man with his back to her.
Until he turned around, his gaze meeting hers with a strange look.
"Seriously? You don't even know who I am, yet you were happily bickering with me just now?"
Hearing this, La Folia guiltily averted her gaze.
She had always been the type to easily get familiar with others, and her background sometimes made her behavior a bit too unrestrained.
As a result, she hadn't properly conversed with this man who had teased her—they had spent the entire time arguing.
This was probably what they meant by "a newborn calf fears no tiger."
If she had known he was a man who didn't even regard the three great Progenitors with respect, and whom Giada both feared and admired, their earlier conversation likely wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
"Alright, alright~ Since you don't know, I'll properly introduce myself."
Mahiro spread his hands.
Just as he was about to speak, another voice chimed in.
"The master of the Fourth Primogenitor, the escapee of the Prison Barrier, the partner of the Witch of the Notaria and the Demon Slayer—Yotsuba Mahiro!"
"Well, well, I didn't expect you to know so much."
Looking past La Folia in front of him, Mahiro spoke mockingly into the distance:
"Knowing all that, yet still daring to prance around in front of me—I don't know if you're too bold or just tired of living, Kanase Kensei."
"?!?!"
Hearing that name, La Folia's eyes widened in shock. Turning around, she saw a middle-aged man in a white lab coat crunching gravel underfoot as he walked toward them.
But calling him middle-aged might not be entirely accurate.
His hair was already streaked with gray, giving it an overall ashen appearance, and he exuded an aura of decay.
Yet that man, that face—it was unmistakably Kanase Kensei!
"Princess La Folia, it's been a long time. Fifteen years since we last met, right? You were just a child learning to speak back then."
Kanase Kensei placed a hand over his chest and bowed deeply to the girl.
But his words made La Folia wrinkle her beautiful brows in disgust.
"Kanase Kensei, you sent people to kill members of the knight order. Have you prepared yourself to face the wrath of Aldegyr?!"
"No, Your Highness. My intention was merely to invite you as a guest, not to oppose Aldegyr."
"Do you really expect me to believe that?!"
Just as La Folia was about to voice those words, Mahiro grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him.
"Enough with the nonsense, Kanase Kensei. Do you remember what I told you years ago? If you ever showed your face before me or Kannon again, I would kill you without fail."
"Kill me?"
Kanase Kensei suddenly broke into a smile, as if he'd heard a joke, and shook his head.
"No, no, no. The one who will die today is you. I admit you are indeed strong, comparable to the other three Progenitors. But against a true angel, how much chance do you think you really stand?"
As soon as he finished speaking.
A piercing shriek tore through the sky above.
It was a mournful, sacred, and solemn cry that no human vocal cords could ever produce.
The girl who should have been circling in the distance now appeared directly above Kanase Kensei. Her white garment resembled a patient's gown, with incantations carved into her slender limbs, and the gaze transmitted through her mask had long since become hollow.
Behind her grew asymmetrical, ugly wings...
The moment this angel appeared, Mahiro's "Copy Eyes" automatically activated and began analyzing this artificial angel.
It must be said that this artificial angel was indeed powerful—at the very least, far stronger than the one he had previously eliminated.
Especially the divine power contained within its body, which was terrifyingly, astonishingly abundant.
In comparison, the previous one was like an uncharged defective product.
But—
So what?
His gaze slowly lowered, once again falling upon Kanase Kensei.
"Haha, how about it? This is my most proud creation! So what if I don't have a spirit medium with Aldegyr bloodline?! I can still create a true angel! Mahiro, are you already scared stiff?!"
Perhaps due to being targeted too harshly and the overwhelming pressure from him, Kanase Kensei laughed maniacally like a madman.
However, Mahiro merely calmly uttered two words:
"Is that so?"
"But whether I'm scared or whether I'll be killed, I'm afraid you won't have the chance to see it."
As he finished speaking.
A faint glimmer flashed in Mahiro's eyes.
Instantly, Kanase Kensei, who had been laughing wildly, suddenly fell silent like a duck whose throat had been squeezed, his eyes bulging out.
He clutched his neck desperately, involuntarily bending over.
The next moment.
With a bang!, Kanase Kensei exploded into a mist of blood on the spot.
The splattered blood stained the beach, only to be washed clean by the surging waves, as if he had never existed in this world.
"Although it's my first time using it, I didn't expect the Ichijo family's magic for manipulating liquids to be quite handy."
Mahiro murmured to himself while standing in place.
Even La Folia hadn't yet managed to regain her composure.
"Kanase Kensei... he died just like that?"
"Yes, he's dead."
Mahiro nodded, then added, "But Your Highness, I still hope you hide quickly. Otherwise, there's a high probability you'll be caught up by that counterfeit angel above us~"
"Eh?"
Before La Folia could understand what he meant, Mahiro grabbed her by the collar and tossed her toward the woods as if discarding trash.
"Mahiro!!"
"Enough talk, I'm saving your life! You two take care of this princess!"
Mahiro's voice came from afar.
Immediately after, the white-haired princess was caught by Yukina and Sayaka, who had rushed over.
Then they saw Mahiro vanish from his spot, shooting toward the angel in the sky like an arrow.
"Cold steel queen, sacred sword that slays demons—"
"—Become a blade of steel here and aid me in vanquishing all enemies!"
[I want to eat grilled meat too, Master.]
The holy Demon King Killing Sacred Sword had already appeared in his hand, yet Est's words nearly caused him to lose his grip on the longsword.
"You really are a glutton!"
Mahiro swung his sword once more, slashing at the angel hovering mid-air.
"Kyriiiiiiiiii——!"
The artificial angel let out a sharp, piercing shriek.
Immediately, a dazzling radiance erupted from its body, blocking the strike of the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword!
Not only that, the flesh of the opponent, already altered and refined by divine power, underwent yet another transformation.
The sharp teeth lining its mouth fell out one by one, while the youthful face hidden behind the mask gradually transformed into a visage of perfect golden proportions.
The asymmetrical, ugly wings were replaced, and three pairs of beautiful, newly grown wings shimmered brilliantly.
Emerging on the surface of these wings was a massive eye.
That "eye" gazed down at him with an emotionless, all-seeing emptiness, as if seeing through everything.
"Has the divine descent been fully completed?!"
Upon witnessing this, Giada's face, both alluring and delicate, was filled with astonishment.
The light, bright enough to dispel darkness and illuminate the night sky, shone upon her, and she actually felt a faint, stinging pain!
A very familiar sting.
Just like the burning pain she felt when sunlight touched her skin back when she was still a member of the Deva royal family!
But being bathed in this light was even more intense than that!
"Mahiro! That angel has completed its divine descent. The power it wields from now on will be pure, unadulterated divine power!"
"Hah, obviously. You don't need to tell me that—I can see it for myself!"
For once, Mahiro bluntly retorted in the face of advice.
At this moment, his forehead was already drenched in cold sweat.
Not because of the holy angel before him, but because he felt an intense pain in his body—as if it were being forcibly torn apart by some force, or as if it were being burned by flames!
Damn it, what's going on?!
Driven by the pain, Mahiro pressed down harder with the sword in his hand, faintly creating the illusion that he might cleave through the curtain of light.
But under the increased force, his forearm actually began to rot away!
As if decaying, it revealed the stark white bone hidden beneath the flesh, with blood vessels clearly visible!
Moreover, this decay was gradually spreading to other parts of his body.
Yet, in less than the blink of an eye, fresh flesh and blood regenerated on his forearm.
Like a snake shedding its skin.
[Master, your power seems a bit off.]
Est's voice came again, this time filled with deep concern.
"I know!"
Mahiro gritted his teeth and replied. He had already begun his second, or even third, clash with this evolving angel.
He was well aware of what was happening to his body.
The Magical Power within him had already begun transforming into divine power.
He didn't understand exactly what was happening.
He only knew that the situation likely stemmed from the "Copy Eyes."
In the past, the "Copy Eyes" had analyzed the divine power used by the artificial angel and even replicated it, allowing a trace of that power to emerge within him.
And that earlier sword strike seemed to have caused his power to resonate with this fully realized angel.
Resulting in the metamorphosis of his power.
The earlier decay of his flesh was the result of being eroded by divine power!
"Aaaaaa!"
The angel suddenly began shrieking once more.
The eyes on her wings simultaneously emitted a blinding, sun-like radiance, instantly enveloping Mahiro entirely.
The released flash formed a massive sword of light, pouring down from the sky toward the ground.
The light sword plunged into the soil, triggering a tremendous explosion as astonishing destructive force swept across the entire island.
The hard bedrock shattered into dust, and pure white flames raged across the landscape.
In an instant, the colossal light sword obliterated half of the island!
"Senpai!!!"
Seeing this, Yukina immediately charged forward, raising her silver spear and beginning her dance.
In that moment, she enveloped herself with the immense spiritual energy amplified by "Snowdrift Wolf." The "Divine Oscillation Wave Drive Ritual" inscribed on Snowdrift Wolf was gradually taking shape. Meanwhile, Sayaka wordlessly drew her bowstring, aiming at the angel hovering in mid-air.
["O divine child of Suanni and exalted Sword Shaman, I beseech thee here: Dawn of Exorcism, Divine Wolf of Yukasumi, hasten with the divine might of steel to aid me in vanquishing evil gods and a hundred demons!"]
["O dancing maiden of Suanni and exalted true archer goddess, I chant my plea here. Aurora's fiery steed, resplendent Kirin, thou who command heavenly music and roaring thunder, become the instrument that pierces demonic spirits and netherworld ghosts with wrathful flames!"]
This was likely the first joint attack between a Sword Shaman and a Shamanic War Dancer—the Seventh Style Assault Demon-Slaying Spear and the Sixth Style Heavy Demon-Slaying Bow.
Like a storm of arrows from a written indictment, a torrential downpour fell from the sky. Dashing through the deluge, Yukina leaped high into the air, gripping her spear with both hands in a reverse hold, and thrust its tip fiercely toward the angel!
"Give Senpai back to me!!"
"An angel? I'm quite interested as well~"
Scattered light deflected Snowdrift Wolf's thrust. To be precise, the "Divine Oscillation Wave Drive Ritual" was completely ineffective against the fully ascended angel.
Without the effect of the "Divine Oscillation Wave Drive Ritual," Snowdrift Wolf was merely a slightly sharper cross-shaped spear.
At that very moment, Giada appeared behind the angel, standing atop the head of a massive skeletal giant.
Simultaneously, she flicked out two drops of Progenitor blood, each containing immense magical power.
"Xiuhtectli, Camaxtli, subdue!!"
At her summons, the Chaos Bride's Beast Vassals crossed boundaries to arrive.
Pillars of scorching lava erupted from the earth's veins, while dazzling lightning bolts shone with even more blinding radiance.
In an instant, the collision of the two dyed half the sky crimson, as if everything in the world were about to burn.
Coiling lightning wrapped around the angel like chains.
Endless, searing magma surged forth like a flood, engulfing her completely.
Moreover, a rain of arrows descended with a calming force, suppressing the angel's power.
Had they succeeded?
No.
The next second, a pale, delicate hand suddenly extended.
Once again, the angel's radiance burst forth!
It shattered the scorching flood.
It tore apart the lightning.
It completely dispersed the rain of arrows!
That delicate hand then reached toward Yukina's defenseless chest, aiming straight for her heart!
At that moment, only one thought crossed Yukina's mind.
That she was doomed...
"You bastard, I, Hu Hansan, am not dead yet!"
A sudden roar echoed, and in the next instant, Mahiro appeared before Yukina as if teleporting, grabbing the angel's arm.
With a fierce, forceful tug—
Riiip—
The angel's arm was actually torn off with brute force.
The splattering blood instantly covered the earth with a layer of golden radiance.
"Aaaaaa——!!"
This time, the angel no longer let out a roar, but a cry of agony.
However, what greeted her was not a healing light, but Mahiro's large hand.
He directly grabbed her cheek, rendering her completely unable to move.
"Look at me, you bastard!"
Mahiro forcibly turned the angel's head toward himself, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Only to see the magic circle in his pupils rapidly spinning.
Although his pupils remained blood-red and crimson, the whites of his eyes were no longer pure white—instead, they were now suffused with a divine golden hue!
And the words that spilled from his mouth were like divine pronouncements.
"Disappear."