Agatha narrowed her eyes at the blue demon, who soon levitated down onto the ground, a bit of a way away from her and Juliana. The latter shrank in fear behind her, but she did not blame the girl; she could not. The mana radiating from this demon was enormous, dwarfing her own mana capacity many times over.
And the pure, malevolent mana that engulfed its being was downright suffocating. Even the forest itself seemed to groan and shriek, at the surrounding mana.
"Mine apologies; it has just occurred to me that I have yet to introduce myself." The demon spoke, his gaze all but focusing on the timid Juliana rather than Agatha herself. "I am known as Asmodai." He introduced himself with a curt bow.
Agatha's eyes focused on the demon as her mana flared. It may have had more mana than her, but the amount of mana you had did not determine the outcome of the battle. But she had a liability; she spared a glance at the cowering girl behind.
"On my signal, run as fast as you can; teleportation is useless; the wards were activated yet again." She whispered curtly to the horned girl. "I shall hold him off."
"Bu-"
"My, my. How rather uncouth, merely conversing away without me. Tsk, tsk." Despite his words, he did not really seem all that bothered. She would not bother with a retort, but someone else did not share that sentiment.
"You blue sack of shit!" A rather crude and familiar voice shouted out, and Agatha glanced to the side to see none other than Princess Mirabella storm her way towards them. Though there were notable tatters in her uniform and scratches on her body all around, Asmodai's handy work, no doubt.
"Still lively, as well as foul-mouthed." Asmodai commented with a smirk. "I find it surprising that you did not think to use Arcane Ascendance." He murmured lowly, but Agatha still heard him clearly. "Perhaps you are not able to?"
("Arcane Ascendance?") Confusion was evident within her, but she put her questions at the back of her mind for the time being.
"Oi blondie, get Juliana out of here; you'll only get in my way while I pummel this guy to mince meat." Mirabella ordered, and Agatha scoffed as she gave the blue-haired girl a side glance.
"You do not command me, Mirabella. Princess or not, and you cannot expect to beat this obvious Chaosmaw by yourself." Agatha bluntly stated this, holding Mirabella's gaze for a few seconds.
"Get in my way, and you're dead." Another scoff escaped Agatha upon hearing Mirabella's words.
"Right back at you, princess. Now you go." Agatha spoke, directing her attention towards Juliana. "It will get dangerous here, so make sure you run."
"But you two-"
"Don't bother worrying about this. Just get your ass out of here; I don't know about Blondie here, but I plan on winning." Mirabella stated with confidence, unmistakably.
"Quite cocky for someone who was thrown around a moment earlier." Agatha murmured, and she got a dainty middle finger in response.
"R-right." Juliana still seemed hesitant, but she still composed herself. "Well, I can still teleport despite the wards, but please be safe!" The fuzzy-haired girl stated that as a glyph formed beneath her feet.
"Do not worry..." Agatha merely stated as Mirabella continued.
"We'll win for sure." And like that, Juliana blinked out of view with the use of teleportation.
"My, my. Such conviction, or perhaps it is hubris, It matters not, I suppose, but it is passing strange that the spawns of Aragorn and Isadora should battle together." The demon muttered thoughtfully.
But neither Agatha nor Mirabella were in the mood for conversation, as the latter acted first.
With a gesture of her hand, Mirabella's mana flared. Mirabella's magic ignited, and the skies above suddenly darkened as storm clouds billowed menacingly.
In an instance a hurricane came to life, swirling and gathering force with each passing moment. It began as a gentle breeze, only to rapidly escalate into a fearsome force. The wind raged, tearing through the forest, uprooting trees effortlessly.
The eye of the hurricane formed around Asmodai, trapping him in a maelstrom of swirling winds. The gales roared as the winds grew ferocious, threatening to tear him apart with their strength.
Agatha stepped forward, without an incantation, Agatha unleashed her magic on the hurricane. Flames erupted from her palm, surging towards the hurricane. The intense heat mingled with the raging winds of the hurricane, creating a catastrophic fusion.
The fire hurricane emerged, the forest was consumed by this devastating amalgamation of fire and wind. It roared, casting destruction that licked the remains of trees swallowed by the wind.
It seemed as though the flames and hurricane were unstoppable forces, destined to consume everything in their path. But then, as quickly as it appeared, the colossal fire hurricane began to disperse. The intense heat subsided, leaving a trail of dissipating smoke in its wake.
And there, standing seemingly unscathed, was Asmodai. His eyes closed, leisurely, his body untouched by the forces that had sought to dismantle him.
Asmodai's gaze met the two girls, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Such power, as expected of spawns." He mused as Mirabella clicked her tongue while Agatha narrowed her eyes.
"Not even a scratch? And with our combined magical prowess." Agatha suddenly saw their chances of winning slip.
"Hope you ain't getting cold feet just because this punk happened to survive that." Mirabella spat out.
"Please, I am just getting started, you oaf." She retorted as they once again sprang to action.
Agatha inhaled deeply as she further steeled her nerves. She knew they had to act swiftly before he could launch a counterattack.
Agatha extended her arms towards the ground. A surge of mana coursed through the area, with a resounding thud, the ground beneath them quivered, and massive roots erupted from the forest floor.
They snaked their way through the undergrowth, relentlessly advancing towards Asmodai. Each root was thick as a large tree trunk, their collective power threatening to ensnare their target.
Asmodai, however, proved to be quite evasive. He moved between the roots, he seemed to anticipate their every move, evading their grasp with the skill of an acrobat. Asmodai's footwork positioned him closer and closer to the two girls.
Sensing the danger of Asmodai closing the distance, Mirabella reacted swiftly. She sprang into action, raising her hand, she conjured a blade of pure mana within her grasp.
He watched her, waiting for her to move.
Mirabella leaped forward, her blade cutting through the air. She aimed for his head, intending to kill him instantly.
But Asmodai was hardly that easy to injure. As Mirabella's blade slashed through the air, aiming for his heart, he sidestepped effortlessly, the slightest of movements allowing him to evade her strike.
She grounded herself on the moving roots, twisting her body as she swung again, aiming for his torso. Asmodai gave a graceful leap, soaring over her. To her credit, the princess reacted as soon as he landed.
Adjusting her grip, her blade carved a large arc towards his shoulder. But then, with a swift movement, his hand collided with her conjured blade, parrying it.
"Ah?"
While Mirabella fought , Agatha still channeled her magic, directing the roots towards Asmodai. Much to their surprise, the roots that had initially targeted him began to deviate, avoiding Mirabella altogether. It was as though the roots themselves recognized her as an ally, only seeking to ensnare Asmodai.
The roots closed in, attempting to trap Asmodai in a tangled web. But with a burst of force, Asmodai leaped into the air, using the roots as leverage to propel himself towards the girls. The forest floor shook as he landed.
"Tch, the fucking bastard is just dodging." Mirabella cursed, and she backed away to Agatha. Asmodai seemed to not advance on them despite the distance.
"He is quite nimble." Agatha, who had stopped her onslaught, agreed. "But he cannot just dodge forever, so..."
"We overwhelm him." Mirabelle continued, a grin stretching onto her face.
The air grew thick with her mana again as Mirabella channeled a spell. Creating an array of a hundred upon a hundred colossal blades. Each blade may as well have been a tool for the most gruesome Death. Jagged and dark.
These blades floated in the air, their weight defying gravity as they awaited their command. Asmodai, unfazed by the spectacle before him, readied himself for another round of combat.
Mirabella sent the blades hurtling towards Asmodai. Their speed was incomprehensible—a blur of steel charging towards their target.
The demon did not look the least bit bothered, Asmodai raised his right palm, conjuring an immense wave of black flames. The flames radiated a malevolent mana, hungry and destructive. With a sweeping motion, Asmodai unleashed the fire, engulfing not only the blades but also the surrounding forest.
The forest was consumed by the dark flames. Trees crumbled to ash, wildlife scattered in terror, and the lush undergrowth wilted under the onslaught.
Realizing the imminent danger, Agatha acted swiftly. She drew upon her magic, forming a barrier around herself and Mirabella. The barrier shimmered with light, warding off the encroaching flames and shielding them from imminent harm.
Within the safety of the barrier, Agatha and Mirabella watched as the blades disintegrated under the black flames. Their efforts, although formidable, fell short against the immense power of this demon called Asmodai.
The destruction subsided, leaving behind a scene of scorched earth.
Asmodai, now with a smirk on his face, approached the barrier. He observed the two girls with amusement. The battle had taken a toll on them, but they refused to back down. That much was admirable.
"Come now; that cannot be all." He mocked, and Mirabella glared ahead.
"Fuck off, we ain't finished yet!" Mirabella barked out. "Familial Arts: Aetheric Oblivion!"
With a surge of magic, Mirabella summoned an enormous orb of light. Its creation was a breathtaking sight to behold, as foreign energy formed into a swirling mass within her grasp. The orb hovered high above them, casting a brilliant glow upon the ravaged landscape.
With a simple gesture, Mirabella released the orb. It exploded into an overwhelming burst of blinding light, illuminating the entire area. The explosion of pure destruction engulfed everything in its path, scattering debris and sending shockwaves through the air.
Trees were uprooted, the earth trembled beneath their feet, and even the air vibrated with the force of the explosion. The radiant light consumed everything, leaving no corner untouched by its overwhelming power.
In the devastation, Mirabella and Agatha remained unharmed within the protective barrier. They shielded their eyes from the blinding light, waiting with bated breath for the smoke and debris of the explosion to dissipate.
As the echoes of the explosion died down, the smoke began to thin, revealing a shocking sight. There, standing in the midst of the wreckage, was Asmodai. Unscathed and seemingly unaffected by the assault, he wore a wicked smile that sent a chill down Mirabella's spine.
"Ah, the magic of God's." Asmodai murmured with a smirk. "Powerful, but incomplete." He commented as he stepped forward. As fun as this was, it was time to end this scuffle.