Lian calmly assessed the situation; he had half of his remaining Qi. The group of young ones had much less, and their next move would be their last. The demon's mind had been corrupted, and he now had little rationality left, but his survival instincts were powerful.
He never used a strike more powerful than necessary. As a result, using the Albedo clan's counter-attack technique wasn't very useful because directly receiving a blow from him would cost too much Qi to recover. Lian also couldn't open a gate and force the demon to fight at full strength because he would lose control of his emotions and only stop when he killed his target.
Killing him was not Lian's objective, and if something happened to Saya and the others, he wouldn't have enough remaining Qi to help. The tactic then was to break Anri's defenses by cornering him and forcing him to use all his demonic Qi in a frenzy. But to Lian's surprise, he awakened a bit of consciousness and rationality amidst his injuries. He fought with increasing caution, knowing that time was on his side.
Lian sent a message to Riria; he no longer needed to worry about Saya, so they would attack with everything they had. Riria, with deep sympathy, addressed Anri: "Anri, I also carry Elven blood in my veins. I've felt all the suffering and hatred you feel toward the world. But I've also been saved and helped by other races, like my mother, Lianna and Lian."
"And you have also experienced happiness and love for life before. Artemis is still alive and waiting for you," Riria added. The demon's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing the name Artemis, but the dark power completely obscured his mind. "Artemis..." The demon didn't understand why he felt so much hatred, but the feeling that triggered his desire for destruction resurfaced like an unstoppable tsunami. Lian's objective had been achieved.
The demon's Qi went out of control, and a fury capable of engulfing the world emerged. Those anxiously watching from afar paled. Even from a great distance, the demonic aura still struck fear into their hearts. With a gesture from Riria, the group advanced.
Anri felt their approach, and the dark Qi erupted like a deadly lightning bolt, filling the air with an atmosphere of death and desolation. The demon charged furiously, his devastating claws cutting through the air. The natural Qi around Riria concentrated, and she unleashed all her power in a final strike with her scarlet saber. The impact was deafening, and Riria, exhausted, coughed up a large amount of blood.
With the recoil, she was thrown backward at high speed, creating a significant opening. Anri attacked recklessly, without pause, like an inexorable tide of death. However, the Eclipse formation could compensate for all of Riria's openings, seamlessly connecting strikes through the gap with a speed and precision that transcended limits. Without warning, a violet spear pierced through the demon's chest while a sinister dagger penetrated his back.
Black blood spread in all directions as the Dark Elf tried to unleash his internal energy to push them away. At that moment, a bloodthirsty blade stealthily attacked from behind, tearing his left arm from his body. With a sinister roar, the demon's core finally awakened, revealing a black image of a demonic lotus. With its appearance, the demon's aura exploded once again, multiplying several times over.
His severed arm and entire body regenerated completely. However, this power was fueled by the sacrifice of his own life. Wild gales swept through as the violet spear and dagger exploded. Once the explosion subsided, Edea and Wei were sent flying backward by the terrifying Qi wave. Their faces paled, and they felt as if every bone in their bodies was about to break.
That attack had completely depleted their remaining Qi, leaving them defenseless against the consequences of the collision. Immediately, they coughed up blood. "Die!" echoed the demon's voice. A massive claw descended toward the two who were flying back, and undoubtedly, if they were hit, they would meet their end.
With a tremendous explosion, dust filled the sky. However, a figure flew out of the dust. It was Lian, carrying Wei and Edea in each arm, already exhausted and bloodied. He gathered Riria and the other two as their injuries were severe. Rumi, with an exhausted look, used all his remaining sacred Qi to heal them. Shiho remained unconscious at a safe distance as everyone was out of commission now.
The objective had been achieved: the demon had unleashed all his power, and even with Lian at his full strength, it would still be a desperate battle against the current Anri. The three struggled to remain conscious, their gazes fixed on Lian, filled with concern and fear in the face of the terrifying power they were up against.
Lian gently looked at them and smiled lightly. That tender smile instantly warmed their hearts. "Rest here. I'll settle this quickly," he said. Summoning his saber once again, Lian propped it on his shoulder and began to walk slowly toward Anri. A young man and his weapon. It was as if, at that moment, the entire sky and earth existed only for that person. His gaze was filled with disdain, challenging everyone around him.
Everyone present was mesmerized by the imposing figure. That scene was etched into their minds forever, an image impossible to erase. Even in old age, they continued to tell stories to their grandchildren about the mastery and grandeur of that figure.
*BANG!*
The two collided violently. It was as if Lian's saber had struck a steel wall. He was sent flying back, his stomach churning. A sweet taste filled his throat as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Previously, Lian had been able to fight him evenly, but now Anri had injured him with a single blow, horrifying everyone. How powerful had this demon become?
A black mist spread rapidly, and all who watched couldn't suppress the terror that surged from the depths of their hearts. They all recoiled even further. Some of them were already sweating and pale. Lian rose again with a look that showed little concern for his injuries and advanced with a dominating presence.
*BOOM!*
When their strikes collided once more, a terrible wave of Qi crushed the ground, shaking the hearts of everyone. A red mist filled the sky, completely dispelling the black mist. The world began to tremble incessantly. A four-petaled lotus appeared above Lian. At the same time, an intense boom came from the air as it seemed to turn into an ocean with enormous waves surging toward the lotus.
Both of them staggered back from the impact, spitting up blood. Lian attacked again with frenzied madness. His eyes now possessed violence and fury no less than the demon's. Several booms followed within seconds, and everyone quickly realized that Lian was getting the worst of these clashes.
He was a man who refused to retreat, no matter how terrible the shock was. His condition was deplorable, more like an undead than a human... his body was covered in blood, his bones exposed, and one of his arms was torn off.
But he always got up and attacked again with a macabre smile on his face. The sight of him swinging his saber with one arm while his severed arm was clenched between his teeth terrified everyone.
All the griffins were looking at that figure with adoration. Their claws were tightly clenched; this was their unstoppable Sovereign.