"You are one of the Ten Commandments, Galan," Meliodas said, positioning himself in front of Ella.
"Meliodas, it's you, indeed. Ha-ha-ha, you haven't changed a bit," Galan replied, approaching them.
Diana, trembling with fear, exclaimed, "How can such creatures exist?"
The knight's voice quivered as he said, "I cannot stop trembling."
Hork remarked, "Merlin, your eye seems to be malfunctioning."
Merlin chuckled, saying, "Hmm?"
Hork continued, "His power level reads 26,000."
King asked, "Is that truly his strength level?"
Ser Hork replied, "Indeed, but there's something not quite right about it. What does his power category indicate?"
After some calculations, Hork announced, "Magic power is zero."
Gelda explained, "This is due to the seal of the Goddess Clan."
The King concluded, "So, if we want to defeat him, this is our best chance."
Gelda confirmed, "You've understood correctly."
"Hmph? Impossible. You?" said Galan, glaring at Ella. "How does he know who I am?" she asked.
"Oh, oh, how forgetful of us. Never mind, my dear Princess Ellyra, now you shall remember all your transgressions!" Galan declared, preparing to attack Ella. But Meliodas struck first, delivering a blow that Galan deftly parried with his spear.
Meliodas' clones sprung into existence around him, but he swiftly dispatched them with a single blow of his own spear. Once again, he summoned a powerful gust of wind, causing the clones to vanish.
"Just an illusion... No, I distinctly felt something. Those illusory figures had substance," Galan mused, only to be met with further assault from behind. "And now from behind as well. Just as you wished, but you're upstairs," Galan remarked, seizing Meliodas by the throat. He regarded Meliodas with a smirk. "An intriguing technique, but I'm not one for tricks," Galan said, maintaining his hold on Meliodas as the latter struggled to free himself.
"What manner of creature is this?" inquired the knight. Another knight asked, "Is His Majesty unharmed?"
Arthur responded, "Aye," sitting in a perfect cubical form. Galan lowered himself to Meliodas's level and said, "Art thou truly Meliodas?"
Meliodas uttered a grunt in response. The king prepared to attack, but Diana intervened, saying, "Diana, cease!" Gelda stopped her.
Diana approached Meliodas and said, "Release him." Merlin cast a spell, returning Diana to her original form, and she retrieved a hammer. "Him?!" Diana exclaimed, swinging at Meliodas.
Galan redirected Diana's strike, and the hammer struck Diana with great force. She collapsed to the ground. Gelda, the king, and Ella cried out in alarm.
Harlequin said, "You will pay for this," as Chastyfol launched lightning bolts, none of which missed their target.
"You will pay for this, Faye!" Galan exclaimed, and with a swift movement, he cleaved the Chastafol in two, inflicting severe wounds upon the King.
King, startled, flew off to the side, exclaiming, "Huh?!"
Merlin, observing the situation, prepared to teleport Galan. However, Galan, having noticed her intention, swiftly evaded. Meliodas, falling to the ground, remarked, "What? Galan has vanished?"
Arthur, perplexed, asked, "Where has Galan disappeared to?"
Ella, tears welling up in her eyes, responded, "This is Merlin's teleportation!"
Ban, astonished, said, "If you can do that, why not send him to the mouth of a volcano or some other remote location?"
Merlin explained, "I did not teleport him. The range of my spell extends several miles, but he managed to evade it with a single leap." She turned to face him, ready to confront him once again.
"I detest sorcerers like you most of all," Galan declared, launching into action.
"Merlin!" Gelda exclaimed, deciding to strike. "Get away from her!" she cried, delivering a powerful blow to Galan.
"This strength is all too familiar," Galan remarked, his gaze fixed on Gelda. "And here you are, fanged creature, your treachery must be avenged."
"Grr," Gelda growled. "There were reasons for my actions. I had no desire to obey your master, and I never will, so I won't allow you to take a life," she declared, summoning her powers.
Hork gasped. "Level 23,000 power?!"
"Attack," said Gelda, as Galan abruptly vanished and reappeared before her. She reacted swiftly, blocking the blow. "No, that's enough," Ella said softly. But Galan did not relent. He struck with greater force and aggression. Gelda narrowly avoided his blows, striking in return, but in the midst of this, she committed a grave error. She was hurled several meters away, crashing through the wall of the house.
Ella called out, "Gelda." Ella could not move or act. Galan intended to attack Merlin once more, but she spoke up.
"Wait… let's make a bargain."
"Your strength, as one of the Ten Commandments under the demon king's command, to be frank, surpasses my expectations far beyond what I had anticipated. Ser Galan, you certainly possess the ability to destroy us at your whim, but might I beg for your mercy? Merlin said, addressing Galan, her mind racing with thoughts.
I have but ten seconds to save those present and compel Galan to withdraw without further harming Camelot, she mused. If you divulge to me the purpose behind the Ten Commandments, I shall reciprocate with the information you seek. Merlin spoke, but then a crackling noise echoed through the air.
Meliodas gasped, clutching his injured arm, "Merlin! No... he's..."
The knights inquired, "What's happening to Lady Merlin?!"
Ban exclaimed, "She's turned to stone!"
Galan spoke, "You deceived me, did you not?"
Arthur cried out, "No! Merlin!" Ella could not bear to look, but Merlin appeared frozen, unable to move.
"I am Galan, the 'Truth' of the Ten Commandments! Whosoever you be, lying to me shall turn you to stone! This is an edict given to me by the Demon Lord himself, and there is no escape. Now… shatter!" Galan declared, preparing to strike down his foe.
"Wait! No need for violence!" Arthur cried out, intervening. Meliodas swiftly attacked Galan, leaving a dark mark upon his brow.
"Oh? Has Meliodas' power level risen to 4,400?" Hork exclaimed. This momentary distraction was enough for Ban to seize Merlin and whisk her away.
The knights cried out in unison, "For Lord Meliodas!"
Galan seemed perplexed. Ban launched an attack, but Galan swiftly countered with a flurry of strikes, chopping the knights to pieces. Ban himself was also divided in two. Meliodas lost his arms and collapsed to the ground, his strength diminished.
Hork exclaimed in disbelief, "Is this some kind of madness?"
Ella interjected, "Wait. Stop this… this violence."
"Kha-kha," Meliodas uttered, seemingly resigned to his fate. A dark mark began to spread across his face, transforming his eyes into pools of utter blackness. Galan, sensing a familiar presence, turned to face the source. Meliodas rose to his feet, his hands returning to their original position, concealed beneath a shroud of darkness.
"It's as if we're back in Bizel," King remarked upon witnessing the transformation.
Galan exclaimed, "This form…" before Meliodas abruptly delivered a powerful punch to his stomach, sending him flying several meters away.
Hork exclaimed in astonishment, "Power level 10,300? Impressive!"
Meliodas unleashed a flurry of strikes, causing a gust of wind to rise once more, scattering fragments of buildings in all directions. Diana cried out, "Captain!"
"Don't let me…" Meliodas gasped, blood trickling from his lips. "Not yet…"
Arthur's voice echoed with concern, "Is he in control of this power?"
Ban, having regained consciousness, interjected, "Not entirely."
"Do not let… this darkness consume you…" Meliodas murmured, attempting to subdue this power. "Control it…"
"What are you muttering about?" Galan inquired, but then Meliodas suddenly extended his hand, causing Galan to be engulfed by a column of darkness.
"You… This is the power of darkness. How have you… weakened?!" Galan exclaimed, hurling a spear at Meliodas as he approached him. "Now it's not even entertaining. Indeed, time spares none," Galan remarked, finally reaching Meliodas' side. He brandished his spear. "The traitor Meliodas and those foolish enough to defy the Ten Commandments…" he declared, removing his spear from Meliodas.
Meliodas uttered a single syllable. Galan prepared to deliver the final blow with his spear.
Ella intervened, retrieving a sword from the ground. "Stop," she commanded.
Galan, however, raised his spear to strike, only to be abruptly hurled twenty meters away.
Hork exclaimed in surprise. "Ella?!"
"Do not dare harm anyone else."
"Ella, flee at once!" Meliodas exclaimed, incapacitated.
Ella responded, "I cannot."
Galan, rising from the ground, exclaimed, "You have dug your own grave, accursed goddess!" The symbols of the clan of the goddess appeared in Ella's eyes.
"Is that so? Is your power level beyond comparison?" Hork exclaimed. Galan launched the assault, and Ella evaded, delivering a powerful punch to his face.
Ella declared, "The Ark!" Galan was enshrouded in a sphere of light. He roared in agonizing pain. Harnessing all his might, he broke free from the Ark and delivered the first blow to Ella's flank, causing blood to flow profusely.
"You will not triumph over me," Galan declared.
The goddess responded, "You are already defeated." She summoned her full power and directed it towards Galan, propelling him several miles away. Ella, having expended too much energy, collapsed unconscious.
"Ellyra?!" Arthur exclaimed, the spell that Merlin had cast falling away as he rushed towards her. Gelda, finally roused from Galan's assault, stirred.
"Quickly, must they all be tended to by the physicians? Hurry!" Arthur cried out. The knights swiftly regained their composure and escorted the injured back to the castle.