My fist smashed into the Demon God King’s face.

Watching him fly backward, I’m certain my power is more than enough.

As long as the sun’s out, the hero’s job skill [Guide to Light] activates, and with the enhancement of “Sacred Garb (Kamui),” I’ve surpassed the Demon God King in strength.

I’ll defeat him before this effect wears off.

I raise the sword I’m holding high. After countless clashes with the Demon God King, the blade must’ve absorbed a massive amount of impact.

Without hesitation, I bring it down—its surface glowing bright.

“Wang’s Sacred Sword (Kaletovruff)!!”

The blade is engulfed in light, stretching as it descends from above the Demon God King’s head. No resistance at all—its edge slices straight through his body.

The Demon God King splits in two. Rivers of blood spurt out. Any normal being would’ve died from that… but—

He presses both hands against his severed head. Instantly, the wound heals. Of course… that’s the power of [Super Regeneration].

Not so easy to kill, huh?

I ready the sword again, preparing to strike—then, light erupts from all directions.

I barely dodge, but still, a sliver of skin is torn away.

“Dragon Blast…?”

Looking around, I see cracks in space itself, and from them, cannon-like openings peek out. Can they really manipulate space this skillfully…?

I’m impressed—just for a second—but now’s not the time.

I weave through the barrage of Dragon Blasts, dozens of beams crossing in chaotic bursts. Normally, this’d be a nightmare—

I open a portal to the extradimensional space right in front of me. This should be the same space the Demon God King uses. I look into the endless white expanse—there it is, just as I thought.

From a single fissure, countless tentacles stretch out, extending through multiple other rifts to reach the outside.

I dive into the extradimensional space, close the distance in an instant, and sever every tentacle.

Forcing open the rift where the tentacles emerged, I find the Demon God King, stunned, turning around in shock.

I leap out of the space and strike at the Demon God King, still unbalanced.

The Demon God King barely dodges, slashing past the blade’s edge, then opens a portal to the extradimensional space in the opposite direction, trying to teleport away. But I dive into the space too, chasing after him, and slice at his back as he runs.

He grunts—“Gh!”—blood dripping, yet still forces open a portal to escape, collapsing out into the open.

I follow right behind, bursting out—only for the Demon God King to slam his hands together, reshaping them into a massive cannon formation. He fires a colossal Dragon Blast, and the world erupts in blinding light.

I’m slightly surprised he can unleash that many Dragon Blasts in succession—but a frontal assault like this? Easy to dodge.

I use “Divine Speed” to circle around behind him, then swing my sword, wrapped in dark magic, and slice into his back.

“Huh!? What—?!” He gasps, turning toward me.

“You… you, a mere human… how dare you… me!?”

His face veins bulge, his expression flushed red with fury.

“You’ve got no chance.”

“Don’t get cocky, human… I can raise my power too.”

Saying it with a voice thick with rage, inky black air began to gather around. Thick with demonic essence—so dense it choked—wrapping around the Demon God King, and his body shifted.

A mass of magic, a murky, semi-transparent ether form, enveloped the Demon God King. Shaping itself, like flesh being stitched on, forming a humanoid figure.

It towered—tens… no, over a hundred times larger than before.

‘This is the power of “Divine Ascension.” Watch closely, mortal. Only I, the Wang, can wield such strength—far beyond your feeble magic!’

He looks down at me, standing at his feet.

Raising his fist high, the air splits with a deafening crack—his straight punch hurls straight at me.

I teleport to dodge—but when I glance back, a hundred meters away, the ground explodes, dust soaring high into the sky.

That punch alone rivals the Titan’s “Axe of Annihilation.”

‘What’s wrong? Just running away?’

I leap into the air, closing in on him—then, again, a thunderous crack as he swings. I thought even with his size, he couldn’t reach me—but—

A jolt rips through me, so violent my whole body trembles. I barely dodge—clouds along the punch’s path split apart, splitting left and right like a road opening.

The air itself trembles. Even the shockwave alone is beyond comprehension.

He looks like the Demon God King has grown into a giant—but it’s not real flesh. It feels like a complete body cloaked in magic.

But with magic this dense… it’s no different from solid matter.

I teleport straight to his face. He swings down—but I don’t feel any real threat.

"Your power’s up, but your speed’s unchanged… or maybe even slower."

I teleport right to his fist just before it swings down—no real threat, not even a flicker of danger.

"Dimension Slash!!"

The fist shatters into tiny squares, losing its shape entirely. Instead of blood, thick, stagnant magic oozes from the severed spot, dissolving into the air like mist.

I leap onto the fallen right arm, slashing upward with "Dimension Slash," climbing toward his shoulder. The arm’s surface is shredded into fragments—square pieces fluttering up into the sky.

The giant Demon God King swings his left hand to catch me, but it’s too slow.

Just as it nears my neck, I channel magic into my sword. The "qi" aura and dark magic merge—flaring into golden flames.

"Divine Bird Annihilation Flame Slash (Levatein)!!"

The blade slices from face to neck. The slash tears deep into his ether body, and flames explode outward instantly.

I cut off the lagging left hand with a single slash.

I raise my sword again, aiming to drive it deeper into his face—still writhing in flames—but—

Suddenly, the Demon God King’s body starts glowing unnaturally. The light intensifies in an instant, blinding me, blocking even a step forward.

"Shit!"

Instinctively, I open a rift to the sub-space and dive through.

I don’t risk opening a portal nearby—too dangerous. I teleport hundreds of kilometers away instead. When I check where I was, a blinding light shoots from the ground straight into the sky—so bright I can’t even open my eyes.

Only when the light fades do I teleport back to the original spot.

The scene before me… I freeze. Stunned.

"This...?"

The earth has been scraped away over dozens of kilometers, leaving a massive crater.

Floating at its center—the Demon God King. Did he unleash his magic? I’ve never seen power like this—this is like a hydrogen bomb or something...

Closer inspection reveals the hand that was cut off has regrown. Must be because he’s made of ether—just needs to replenish his magic to heal.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

【Leo Garcia——】

"Huh? The footage just cut out."

Arthur frantically shakes his phone, but the video of Gojo we were all watching suddenly cuts off. We saw the enemy grow huge, but then—something flashed.

No idea what happened. But I hope Gojo’s okay.

"Leo-san, the video won’t play anymore, right?" Noah asks, worried.

"Probably the drone nearby got destroyed. If we get another one, we should be able to see the footage again."

I want to see how this fight ends, too. Whatever the ending is...

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

The Demon God King spots me—his lips twitch up slightly.

Lightning crackles violently around both hands, coiling like serpents. He raises his right hand, shaping the lightning into a spear aimed straight at me.

『Gay Borg—!!』

A massive lightning spear hurtles toward me. What’s most shocking? Its size. Did his magic get stronger because he grew bigger?

I dodge each bolt of lightning with instant teleportation—zipping through them like a ghost.

One bolt... one bolt—was that even on par with the "God's Thunder (Keraunōs)" I just used? Just as I think that, the Demon God King appears right in front of me.

"What!?"

Did he just teleport here with that massive frame?

『If you can't keep up, just outpace me with ability alone.』

The Demon God King palms both hands toward me, and flames erupt violently, spreading out in an instant across the surroundings.

『City of Ashes (Sodom)!!!』

I can't open the sub-space in time—direct hit from a spell that scorches the very air. I have "Barrier Defense," but it's overwhelmed.

The scorching magic dyes Mongolia’s sky blood-red. I'm swallowed by flames.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

I’ve just fired the City of Ashes (Sodom) at this smug human. Using magic like this now? The power difference is incomparable. It should’ve hit dead on—no way they’re walking away from this.

The sky’s choked with fire and smoke. Human form? Gone.

But after a while, something starts to echo from above. Can’t tell what it is—just that it’s coming from beyond the flames, heading straight for me.

I don’t relax. I brace myself for the human’s next attack.

『Come at me from anywhere!』

Then—something bursts through the fire and smoke like a hole in the wind. My eyes widen. It’s a massive golden orb.

The orb appears out of nowhere, hurtling toward me at terrifying speed. I hesitate—dodge or intercept? That split-second delay costs me.

Closer look—behind the orb, a human is flying parallel. Wait—this can’t be—

"Take this! ——Meteor Impact Shockwave (Meteo Impact)——!!"

『Shit!』 I freeze time—but before I know it, the human’s already right in front of me. This guy… moves even when time’s stopped.

The human's sword slices across my face—time snaps back into motion from the shock.

I throw my right fist out, but the "ball" shatters my fist, driving straight into my body without slowing down. A metal sphere made of orichalcum...?

The falling "ball" crushes me into the ground—crunch—right into the dirt.

Darkness floods my vision. I feel the impact ripple through the air. That kind of kinetic energy... it's enough to reshape the landscape.

—That day. That moment. Massive earthquakes were recorded across Asia. Dust clouds rose like mushroom clouds, visible from far, far away.