With remarkable agility, Igdifir began the confrontation with an uppercut to Abaguo, sending him soaring towards the ground. Both Igdifir and Jacob had significantly improved, rising from a meager level 52 to an impressive level 182, equivalent to the intermediate beginner in the game Deity Battle. Igdifir now appeared faster, leaving little doubt about his acquisition of new skills. Moreover, five new orb symbols circled above his head: Earth, Fire, Water, Lightning, and Air.
After this, Jacob and Marshal freed Yanis, Alora, and Gwendoline from the chains binding them. Once released, the group ascended to the surface with the flying aid of Igdifir. The narrow tunnel, carved by Abaguo's assault, was dimly lit by external flames and the moon visible through the cloudy sky.
Returning to the apocalyptic surface, they were horrified by the massive pile of soulless corpses. Blood and flesh were everywhere, an unimaginable sight. Their rescue mission had utterly failed. But what horrified them most was seeing Garnal's lifeless body before Abaguo, his hand drenched in blood. Words could not express Marshal's horror at the dreadful scene.
I swore to protect you with my life, Garnal. Forgive me, I failed... Marshal was haunted by the memories of the pure-hearted teenager who always managed to smile, his life taken needlessly by what he considered his incompetence. He knew this night would scar his memory forever, haunted by the painful loss of a child he could only save once.
"How could you? Taking the life of an innocent..." Marshal's voice hinted at his desire for vengeance for Garnal and all the other innocently taken lives.
"Oh! There you are! Forgive me, Marshal, I was busy absorbing your little bird. We can resume our battle if you wish!" Abaguo's words epitomized him as a true demon, for no human could utter such heartless words.
"Enough talk, I will end this fight as quickly as it began," he vowed.
Declaring this, Abaguo moved at supersonic speed, striking Gwendoline's face and throwing her to the ground, intent on finishing her off for good.
Yanis immediately retaliated, delivering a spinning kick to Abaguo's midsection, sending him flying towards the nearby houses. Without uttering a word, Yanis leaped towards Abaguo with a devastating jump, causing the village cobblestones to tremble beneath his power, sending shockwaves through the air. His fists charged with mana, ready to unleash their power. Through Yanis's eyes, Abaguo's body was overwhelmed with red dots, powered by demonic mana.
Thanks to the forest mission and some training, I gained the ability to see my opponents' weak points. They can be fatal or just painful... but in his case, nothing affects him.
As Yanis struck with surgical precision, targeting Abaguo's weak spots with a flurry of martial arts techniques, Abaguo, an archdemon, remained unfazed. Annoyed, Abaguo hurled Yanis back with a surge of demonic mana.
Crashing like a meteorite into the village square, Yanis created a massive crater. As the others beheld Abaguo's devastating power, Jacob rushed to Yanis, helping him up with an outstretched hand.
"Are you okay?! Did you get that bastard?" he inquired.
"No, it's like he's ignoring my strikes."
"And that's exactly what I'm doing!" declared Abaguo.
Emerging behind them, he turned his attention to Rogue, who had been paralyzed with fear since the battle's onset. With a sinister grin, Abaguo reached out to absorb his soul.
Now, your soul will be mine, boy!
However, despite his overwhelming fear, Rogue instinctively activated his unique power to hack Abaguo's movements, freezing him in place.
Damn, this isn't good!
Seizing this moment, Alora firmly touched Abaguo's neck to put him to sleep. But being a demon, sleep had no effect on him. Breaking free from Rogue's digital grasp after a swift punch, Marshal tried to strike Abaguo with his sword. Abaguo narrowly dodged, but this action hinted Marshal to his vulnerability.
He dodges my blows, whereas normally, he'd take them head-on, confident in his instant regeneration. But with angelic energy, he's uncertain of survival! I have no choice; I need to slice him to know for sure.
"The Lost Ones! Attack him without me!"
Yanis was the first to strike, delivering a punch that pierced through Abaguo's midsection. Abaguo shot him a deathly glare, his face darkening. He retaliated, shoving Yanis back with a swift elbow and shouting, "How dare you?!"
Abaguo was fighting with all his might against the combined onslaught of Gwendoline, Jacob, and Igdifir. Each unleashed their unique techniques and magical spells in a desperate bid to weaken or perhaps even kill him. Glancing upwards, Abaguo saw Yanis diving towards him from the starlit sky.
Bathed in the moon's glow, Yanis's face bore a mix of hope and vengeance as he aimed his foot, a tribute to Garnal, like a meteor prepared to strike.
[Demonic Magic: Hell's Explosion]
Abaguo's spell produced red magical circles, from which a series of hellish explosions erupted into the void. The blasts effectively repelled the Lost Ones who had attacked him moments earlier.
Elsewhere, Igdifir, having honed a new ability during his training, decided to deploy it.
[Unleash Mother Nature]
Igdifir's power split the sky, emitting blinding lights from a colossal multidimensional portal. From it, an array of devastating attacks emerged: raging water torrents, destructive hurricanes, searing firestorms, crushing avalanches, and blinding lightning bolts. As if in a grand spectacle, Igdifir's offenses rained down unrelentingly on Abaguo, who, however, effortlessly regenerated, wearing a smug and mischievous grin.
"Not bad! But it's useless. I'm immortal now."
As he spoke these words, the shadow of a katana emerged beneath him. In a flash, Marshal decapitated him with angelic energy, catching him off guard.
"It's over, Abaguo. You're going back to Hell!"
Marshal was joined by Rogue, who added his hacking prowess to counteract Abaguo's regenerative abilities. Yanis and Igdifir continued their brute force assault.
Not far away, Jacob summoned his futuristic sword, Final Omega.
[Technique 95: Eternal Distinction]
In a light-speed dash, Jacob charged at Abaguo, delivering a final sword strike that left a purple streak in its wake. Abaguo's demonic body and soul were now doomed to be perpetually sliced, preventing any healing. However, it wasn't enough to defeat him as Jacob's technique hadn't lasted long enough to permanently affect Abaguo. Jacob fell to the ground, and Igdifir vanished soon after.
"Jacob!" Alora screamed.
To their horror, they saw Abaguo, mouth wide open in laughter, drawing energy from Marshal's angelic power. It was over. Abaguo had achieved his ultimate goal, becoming the first Transcendent Archdemon. He reveled in his victory over humans, proud to have fulfilled his life's ambition.
"I HAVE BECOME THE FIRST TRANSCENDENT ARCHDEMON!"
In a desperate gesture, Marshal extended his hand toward Abaguo, around whom white magical runes began to form.
[Angelic Magic: Divine Miracle]
This is my last card as an angelic human. If this fails... we have only to fight and hope for help from Rahman... and possibly Meyla and Hermiel!
As the white runes wrapped around Abaguo, a beam of light descended from the sky towards him. Its intensity only grew, yet it failed to penetrate Abaguo's flesh, confirming his rise to the rank of an Emotion Archdemon.
Falling to his knees, Marshal still bore the hopes of all Trillia's humanity. Abaguo approached, shoulders raised in pride, hands on his hips, and a triumphant smile on his face.
"Humans... you amuse me with your weakness. We demons need nothing but souls, whether from humans, ogres, goblins, elves, dragons! The demon race is superior to all others on this planet!"
"Don't overestimate yourself!" Marshal, reinvigorated by the sight of Garnal's body, was determined to defend his honor. With katana in hand, he rushed at Abaguo, slashing him hundreds of times.
"Go ahead, slash all you want! It makes no difference!" Abaguo taunted.
Regardless of what Marshal believed, Abaguo was right. Every time he was sliced, he regenerated instantly, over and over again.