"Since you've all given me such a grand gift, I'll repay you in kind!" A devilish grin spread across Tenraku's face as he activated the power of the Black Evil Dragon King. With a pull, an imposing and powerful black flame erupted from the samurai Giant.
It was none other than Vritra's Flame of Curses!
"My beautiful ladies, if you can escape, do so quickly, because—"
"If you don't, you'll die!"
Tenraku's voice seemed to echo from the depths of the underworld. Then, to the incredulous expressions of Rias and her companions, countless pitch-black fireballs erupted from the samurai Giant!
Ten... a hundred... a thousand... ten thousand... or perhaps hundreds of thousands?!
There were too many to count, an endless torrent bursting forth in all directions!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
Every inch of the dimensional space became a target for the cursing fireballs, and the girls of Rias had nowhere to hide. They could only desperately cast defensive magic, trying to shield themselves.
However, that wasn't all.
"Let the flames burn even fiercer!"
"HaHaHaHaHaHa..."
Centered around the samurai Giant, the fierce flames surged once again. A colossal wave of fire spread out, engulfing and consuming every inch of space!
The arena outside the dimensional space fell into an eerie silence. Host Naud Gamigin's mouth hung agape, his eyes almost bulging out. He had witnessed quite a few shocking things today, and he thought he couldn't be surprised anymore. Yet, he was proven wrong.
He had to be surprised. Just look at this scene, it resembles a hellish nightmare!
Indeed, the scene within the dimensional space was akin to hell itself. The sky was filled with burning, cursed black flames, and the earth below was desolate and charred. Many areas had turned into a glass-like substance from melted sand and stone.
Perhaps even hell would be better than this!
"R-Rook of Her Highness Rias, exit!"
"Queen of Her Highness Sona, exit!"
"Knight of Her Highness Sona, exit!"
With trembling voices, the host announced that in the recent explosion of flames, Rossweisse, Shinra Tsubaki, and Bennia had all been defeated and eliminated!
"Heh... Xenovia, Irina, I didn't expect you both to hang on."
Rias and Sona's survival against Tenraku wasn't surprising, but Xenovia and Irina's resilience did earn them Tenraku's admiration.
Surrounded by a divine glow, Xenovia and Irina were both half-kneeling on the ground, panting heavily.
If it weren't for the timely protection of Durandal and Excalibur, they would have been eliminated just like Rossweisse.
"So this is the power of the Holy Lord-sama, truly magnificent and despair-inducing."
Standing up with her sword, Xenovia murmured to herself, her eyes gleaming with boundless zeal.
"Hey, Tenraku, do you want to kill us?!"
With her face smeared with black soot, Irina shouted at Tenraku, her breath still heaving. She had truly thought she was going to die just now, and her heart had nearly jumped out of her chest in fear.
"You foolish Irina, I plan to tease you all for a lifetime. How could I bear to kill you?"
"I've controlled the force, you won't die."
Standing in the crystal space on Susanoo's forehead, Tenraku answered with a mischievous smile on his face.
Though Irina knew Tenraku was speaking the truth and he would never actually harm them, it only made her more irritated. According to Tenraku, even that move that had nearly scared them to death had been delivered with restraint.
How infuriating!
"Xenovia, I'm going to take down that scoundrel Tenraku, help me!"
As an equally proud young woman, Irina's self-esteem was thoroughly ignited, and a seriousness never seen before appeared on her adorable face. Sensing Irina's determination, Xenovia nodded.
"I understand. Rias, Irina, and I will give it our all to try and damage Tenraku as much as possible. The rest is up to you."
Knowing full well that the two of them had no chance of defeating Tenraku, and that this might be a one-way trip, Xenovia spoke in advance. Lips tightly pressed together, Rias felt a deep sense of unease watching her comrades head towards what seemed like a certain danger.
Yet, she still nodded. This was the determination of her Knights. As their queen, if she were to intervene, it would only be an insult to them.
"Irina, let's go!"
"Okay!"
With a gleam of determination in their eyes, Xenovia and Irina moved simultaneously, like two sharp arrows, charging toward Tenraku.
"Rias, you're truly lucky to have Knights like them."
"Ah, being their queen is my greatest honor..."
...
"Knowing you're not my match and still rushing in, Xenovia, Irina, your courage moves me!" Tenraku chuckled and spoke as he watched the two girls charging at him.
With no energy left to spare for idle chatter with Tenraku, Xenovia, who led the charge, leaped into the air. She then raised her Holy Sword high.
"Durandal!"
Activating her Spirit Power with all her might, Xenovia's Holy Sword, enveloped in Spirit Qi, transformed into a colossal Spirit Power blade, about a hundred meters in length.
"Yah!"
With a cry, Xenovia swung the Spirit Power blade down towards the samurai Giant, which drew its purple radiant greatsword to parry.
Boom!
At the moment the swords clashed, a tremendous explosion echoed through the air. The recoil force caused Xenovia to cough up a mouthful of blood, but the valiant Knight gritted her teeth and held on.
"Irina!"
"Understood!"
Irina also soared into the air, raising her Holy Sword. Excalibur, too, transformed into a hundred-meter-long blade of light.
"Take this, Tenraku!"
A cold light flashed as the immense blade of light sliced through the samurai Giant, cleaving it in half from neck to waist.
"Ooooohhhhhhh!"
The arena outside the dimensional space erupted in thunderous cheers, offering the two brave Knight girls the warmest applause.
"We... we did it..."
Eyes wide, even Xenovia and Irina themselves could hardly believe it – they had actually succeeded!
With a resounding crash, the samurai Giant, now split in two, fell to the ground.
However, just then, a figure shot towards them. With two muffled thuds, Xenovia and Irina's eyes widened, and they both lost consciousness...
To be continued...