Yagami silently replayed his friend's words in his mind… while the mocking laughter of the Thousand-To Lord echoed through the hall.
But slowly, Yagami rose.
His eyes blazed with rage and power.
With a voice that chilled the air, he said:
"Who exactly are you laughing at?"
In a single instant, a crushing, magic-infused punch slammed into the Lord's chest.
The Lord's body smashed into the wall with terrifying force.
Yagami gave no respite.
Punch after punch, so fast nothing could be seen; only the sound of explosions and the Lord's weakening cries.
Finally, a last devastating blow.
The wall behind the Lord shattered, and he was hurled through it, body broken and mangled.
Several ribs and one arm shattered, the Thousand-To Lord crawled backward in horror.
Yagami advanced like a demon wreathed in flames.
The Lord stammered:
"What… what are you now…?"
With every ounce of strength he screamed:
"High-tier Earth Magic… Mud Prison!"
Mud and earth swirled around Yagami, forming a massive sphere that trapped him.
But barely seconds later, a black-magic explosion roared from within; the prison shattered like glass.
The Lord retreated in panic:
"No… I can't let him get any closer!"
Yagami didn't take a single step back.
With a roar of pure fury he cried:
"Special Plant Magic… Hellwhip!"
A flaming, thorned whip lashed out, striking the Lord's left eye and ripping it from its socket.
The whip coiled around the Lord's legs and dragged him violently toward Yagami.
Yagami drew his sword and swung for the neck.
The Lord barely blocked with his bare hands… but the whip still held him fast.
Yagami yanked the whip again; the Lord severed it with black magic and freed himself.
Then Yagami seized the Lord's bone sword.
His hands began to tremble; an overwhelming flood of magic poured into him, nearly suffocating.
Yagami rasped: "What kind of sword is this… it's swallowing all my magic like it's alive!"
A terrifying voice rang inside his head; the sword itself spoke:
"I've never seen anything like you. You're neither monster nor human.
If you want my power, you must give something in return."
The former Lord screamed:
"You made a contract with me! You can't disobey me; come back here!"
The sword replied coldly:
"Our bond is broken. You lost the left eye I was bound to.
I fed on that eye in exchange for my power.
With it gone, the contract is void."
Yagami laughed darkly:
"Fine. I'll give you my left eye in exchange for your power."
Sword:
"Not your left eye."
Yagami:
"Then choose whatever you want."
Sword:
"I'll make the contract… with your dick."
Both Yagami and the former Lord stood dumbfounded.
"WHAAAAT?!"
Yagami shrugged:
"Fine. Just give me your power so I can kill your previous master."
The sword transformed:
Black hilt, blood-red blade.
The former Lord roared in rage:
"You filthy degenerates! I'll kill both of you!
Forbidden Magic… Ultimate Black Blade!"
A blade of pure darkness formed in his hand and he hurled it at Yagami.
Yagami, now brimming with confidence, declared:
"Greed Sword… Magic Devourer!"
He raised the transformed sword; it swallowed the black blade whole.
The forbidden magic now burned inside Yagami's weapon.
Without hesitation, Yagami charged;
with a power forged from grief, rage, and darkest magic,
he severed the Thousand-To Lord's head from his body.
Dead silence fell.
Only the dull thud of the head hitting the ground marked the end of the battle.
Yagami, bleeding heavily from his own wounds, barely stood.
Gasping, he muttered:
"I have to take his power now… or I'll die too…"
With the last of his strength, he crawled to the corpse.
His hand shook, but he didn't hesitate.
With a scream of agony, he tore out his own right eye…
and replaced it with the Lord's.
Instantly, a strange, dark aura enveloped him.
His body lifted off the ground, floating in mid-air.
Black energy swirled around him… his wounds healed in seconds…
and a new, savage, merciless power exploded within him.
Yagami opened his new eye; a terrifying yellow glow poured from it.
He was no longer merely a warrior.
He had become something far beyond.
Level: SSSS+
XP: 600,000
HP: 6800
New Skill: Black Magic, Magic Devourer
New Weapon: Demon Sword
Yagami whispered to himself:
"I'm still too weak… I need to conquer more Thousand-Tos.
I have to grow stronger…
That swordsman was on a completely different level.
Even with the power I have now, I still can't beat him…"
He raised the silent sword:
"And you… what the hell are you?"
The sword gave no answer; as if it had fallen asleep.
Yagami laughed maniacally:
"Once I'm strong enough… I'll become king.
I'll build a new world of my own.
Hahahahahahaha!"