Chapter 256 Shattered Seal

"This is insane…!" Everett called out.

"At this rate, the seal is going to be broken by their battle," Yuna recognized.

Though the silver-haired girl found herself more concerned in the moment about the Dragonheart himself, taken aback by the monstrous form he had taken.

"...Emilio…" She quietly mumbled, watching worriedly from afar.

–

Yet, even after the explosive darkness had been unleashed against his scales, the Dragonheart endured with his cracked armor, taking the Devilheart by surprise, who watched as a massive swipe of the berserker's hand reached out from the fuming smoke.

"--!" Asher reacted.

Raising his arms, Asher managed to guard against the thrust of the Dragonheart's fist, which was the size of the Devilheart's body, knocking him back.

In response, a hiss of darkness rose around Asher as an ominous aura emitted from his demonic armor.

"You're not making this easy on me," Asher muttered.

Stomping toward him with azure flames breathing out of his maw, the Dragonheart roared out before Asher dashed across the battlefield of charred soil, thrusting his arm forward as it took to an abnormal property:

The Devilheart's limb extended, stretching out as the flesh of the demon acted unlike normal muscle, extending and expanding in size before Asher slammed his armored knuckles against the Dragonheart's head.

With such an unorthodox blow that took the enraged beast by surprise, the Dragonheart stumbled back as its scales cracked and shattered on parts of its head, revealing the hide beneath. As a result of the blow, the demonic shadows etched themselves onto the scales like a sickness.

This was fully planned by Asher, who had continuously been allowing his "Devil Force" to infect the Drafonheart's scales.

My 'Devil Force' has the ability to weaken anything it touches, and will continue lowering the sturdiness and power of anything it infects–as long as I keep applying it, Asher thought.

"He's damaged him…!" Everett yelled out.

In that moment of opportunity, the Devilheart didn't let up as he jumped high to the sky, spinning around as his left leg extended as well with an unnatural, dark bonciness before flinging forward like a rubber band.

The air cracked as the Devilheart's leg whipped against the raging colossus, once more stunning the berserker.

–

Witnessing this perplexing form of attack, the others watched in curious horror of the powerful clash, with each blow felt by the gusts of wind expanding throughout the trees.

"Is he some kinda circus freak?!" Everett asked.

"I doubt that's it," Yuna quietly responded.

It wasn't just those three that felt it; other recruits within the Valley of Parmesus, even far out from where the battle took place, could feel the aftershocks of the colossal collision of force.

In retaliation, fuming further with a blazing rage, the Dragonheart threw his head side-to-side, sending a far-reaching beam of azure flames that swept through the land, carving up the soil and cutting through trees.

"--Calm down, Emilio!" Asher yelled out.

'',

Interrupting the aimless flames that left bright-blue flames eating away at the nature around them, Asher expanded his hands, enveloping his claymore in a pitch-black energy then magnifying its size dozens of times over.

"...He'll kill him with that…!" Melisande yelled out worriedly.

Just as the silver-haired newbie tried to run in to interrupt the conflict, she was stopped as Everett grabbed her arm.

"Let me go–!" Melisande said.

"And let you die?! There's nothing we can do in a battle between those two!" Everett yelled.

The hard-hitting truth brought Melisande to silence as she gritted her teeth, looking back as the Devilheart loomed the colossal, demonic claymore over the raging Dragonheart.

"We've gotta trust Asher," Everett said, "He's out there fightin' for Emilio, too."

"--" Melisande looked down.

"For once, that guy is right. All we can do now is trust that Asher will follow through with his word," Yuna added.

"For once?!" Everett repeated.

Though it was hard to swallow, the rookie mage knew it was her only option to stay on the sidelines and watch, clutching her chest anxiously as she witnessed the mighty confrontation.

…Please, get a hold of yourself, Emilio, Melisande wished.

–

As Asher infused his weapon with volatile energy of demonic origin, its very existence caused black sparks to run across the soil, creating a vibrating force of darkness in the air before he swung it downward.

Even in his blind rage, the monstrous Dragonheart reacted in kind to this attack, summoning such plentiful heat that an azure glow manifested between its scales, empowering him with a tremendous force of flames.

Unleashing upward towards the Devilheart that embedded himself in the sky, the berserk draconic beast breathed out a beam of flames so heated, so condensed, that it became a valley-shaking spell of destruction itself, causing the air to ripple and expand from the sudden heat with steam filling the surrounding land. Even while weakened by the Devil Force, the Dragonheart didn't fail to release such devastating power.

Asher looked down towards the quickly-approaching flames of eradication before finally swinging his magnified blade down. It was not a simple slice; the edge of steel, wrapped in absolute shadows cut through space itself, contorting the air as it bypassed all defenses.

["Pinnacle Demonic Front"]

The magnificent, but horrifying slash moved as an ethereal force, passing through the draconic flames and reaching the Dragonheart, though at the same time, the azure glow reached the Devilheart, resulting in a catastrophic impact–

BOOOOOOM

A heat that turned the verdant leaves hanging on the closest trees black and to ash expanded violently, ripping through the region as the azure flames expelled in an explosion and the permablack slash tore a new ravine into the land.

Everett was forced to plant himself down with all of his might, yelling out for the other two beside him to hunker down, "Hold—!!!"

It felt as though everything was crumbling apart; the pressure of the clashing mana weighed down on those witnessing the clash like an amplified gravity, pressing them against the soil as the ground rumbled and groaned.

After what felt like an eternity, it finally settled as droplets of black, like a gloomy snowfall, rained down on the desecrated area.

"...Holy…" Everett slowly let out, moving his shield out of the way.

It was difficult to recognize the land from the moment prior as trees were felled, or burned away entirely, leaving the steep valley around the sealed fortress carved up with a newly-made crater that reached deep.

What Melisande looked for the most, and subsequently the others, was the result of the clash of powers.

'',

"There…!" Melisande pointed.

In the center of it all, Asher stood on the ground with his claymore, returned to its normal size, still clad in his demonic hide as he breathed out.

"...Huff…" Asher exhaled after unleashing the majestic clash.

Before the Devilheart stood the monstrous Dragonheart, though stagnant as a massive gash cut down through its shoulder and into its center, leaving a mass of black blood spilling onto the soil below.

"Emilio…!" Melisande yelled.

Though before the emerald-eyed girl could relinquish herself to negative emotions, she witnessed an unexpected result of the scenery before her.

Suddenly, the colossal dragon humanoid crumbled away, turning to azure dust as falling from within it was Emilio himself, wearing rags and unconscious as he dropped down.

Dashing in, Asher managed to catch the exhausted Dragonheart before he fell harshly, dropping to a knee as he kept him up.

"...I've got you, friend," Asher quietly said, allowing his Devilheart armor to dissolve as he revealed a tiresome smile.

The others rushed in happily, delighted at the return of their friend in normal capacity as they surrounded the unconscious young mage.

"Emilio!" Melisande smiled.

"Ya really pulled it off!" Everett told Asher, giving him a slap on the shoulder and a laugh.

As they began to celebrate, it was all cut short as a sudden sensation brought them all to a statuesque pause, feeling an existence that went beyond any description of 'malicious'.

It stirred goosebumps over their bodies as the air turned cold even in the battlefield once baked by flames.

Asher slowly brought his gaze over, checking the sealed fortress as he confirmed his worst fears: the chains on the front gate, keeping the Dread locked up, were burned away and shattered.

…I was too careless. In that final clash, the aftershock was enough to reach the seal! Asher realized.

Jumping to his feet, Asher slung Emilio's arm around his shoulder, guiding the unconscious figure up as he yelled to the others, "Run…!"

There was no time left.

Before any of the others could react, all eyes befell the ominous gates before as a whisper of evil trailed out as a foul wind, brushing past the gates. It was a bone-chilling sensation, whatever existed behind those gates before suddenly, with violent force, the once sealed gates were thrown open by a dark force within.

Asher was the only one able to break free from the shackles of the cold, gripping fear as he hoisted the unconscious Dragonheart up and placed him in Everett's arms.

"—What?" Everett snapped into focus just then as Emilio was placed on his arms.

Asher yelled out, snapping them all out of their frozen fear, "Get out of here! I'll hold it off!"

"You…what about you?!" Melisande called out.

The Devilheart bolstered himself with his demonic armor once more, cladding himself in its nefarious, yet selfless sheen, standing with his back to them.

"I'll be alright! Just get out of here!" Asher told them, "I don't plan on dying here, if that's what you're worried about!"

Though it was a hard pill to swallow, leaving the claymore-wielding recruit alone in the face of the unsealed horror within the ominous, black walls, the others knew it was best for Emilio, and them.

It was easy to tell even for the likes of Everett, who had no experience in the art of magecraft, feeling the density of the evil emanating from the broken seal.

…That right there is pure evil. Somethin' like that…I can feel it; I don't stand a chance. My fingers are quiverin'. Right now, the best I can do is get this guy safely out of here, Everett thought.