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Jack's sudden surge in power startled the fallen angels.
He actually broke through mid-battle?
What kind of madness was that?
Still, surprise didn't mean fear.
So what if he was now a mid-class devil?
They had two super-class and one high-class angel attacking together. Against a mere mid-class devil, the result wouldn't change.
He'd still be crushed.
Brilliant holy power erupted, pressing down on him with overwhelming force.
The irony was almost laughable—fallen angels wielding such sacred power.
No wonder true angels despised them.
Seeing the attack closing in, Jack reacted instantly, raising the Divine Tear Shield in front of himself and Asia.
His golden eyes gleamed.
A strange power stirred within him—and activated.
In the next instant, his magic was drained at a terrifying rate.
The silver shield changed.
What stood before them no longer felt like a shield—
But a vast, ancient, immovable city.
Its presence was overwhelming. Eternal. Unshakable.
Like something that would stand unchanged even as time itself eroded everything else.
The attacks of the three fallen angels slammed into it.
And then—
Something unbelievable happened.
The moment their power touched the shield, it melted away like snow.
As if swallowed by an abyss.
Their holy energy froze… then dissolved… vanishing completely in an instant.
"…What?!"
All three stared in disbelief.
A mid-class devil had just casually blocked their combined attack?
Jack suddenly understood.
He had unlocked a new ability of the Divine Tear Shield.
Until now, he had only been using its basic defensive barrier.
This—
This immovable, mountain-like force—
That was its true power.
Even the combined attack of three fallen angels couldn't break it.
Of course, the cost was enormous.
His magic was nearly completely drained.
The shield's power faded, its connection to the black city severed.
Then, information flooded his mind.
When his magic was strong enough, he could fully summon that black city.
Its name—
Endless Twilight City.
Within its domain, all of Jack's state would be frozen.
As long as he maintained it, everything about him would remain exactly as it was in that moment.
Unfortunately, he couldn't fully wield it yet. He had only borrowed a fragment of its power.
Even so, it was enough to block that attack.
He hadn't even expected this outcome himself.
In fact… he still had enough strength left to strike.
Taking advantage of the shield, he swung his sword toward Freed.
The priest had already been crippled earlier—his holy power sealed, barely surviving Rias and Akeno's attacks.
This strike—
Ended him.
His head fell cleanly.
Without hesitation, Jack grabbed Asia and retreated, putting distance between them and the fallen angels.
The three tried to pursue—
But were immediately forced back by another barrage from Rias and Akeno.
Cursing in frustration, they could only defend, watching helplessly as Jack returned safely.
"Well done." Rias smiled, clearly pleased.
"My, my… now we can fight without holding back~"
Akeno licked her lips, eyeing the fallen angels like prey.
That overwhelming sadistic aura…
Jack silently mourned them for half a second.
"Akeno. Don't let a single one escape."
Rias spoke calmly, but the killing intent in her voice was chilling.
She was furious.
And today, she wasn't stopping until they were all dead.
What followed was overwhelming.
With no need to hold back, Rias and Akeno unleashed their full power.
The sheer force of their magic—especially their wide-area attacks—was terrifying.
Rias, a pure-blood devil, already stood among the upper ranks of high-class devils despite her age.
And Akeno, as her Queen, possessed all the traits of the devil pieces—her strength rivaled Rias herself.
It didn't take long.
The weaker fallen angel collapsed first.
Without him sharing the burden, the remaining two quickly followed.
Two screams rang out.
Black feathers scattered across the sky—
And both were reduced to ash by fire and lightning.
Only then did Jack finally relax.
His body gave out, nearly collapsing onto Asia.
"J-Jack, are you okay?" she asked anxiously.
"Just… out of strength."
His injuries had mostly healed, but blood loss and magic exhaustion left him weak.
More importantly, he had overdrawn his magic, straining his body.
"Let's head back," Rias said, walking over. "Asia, come with me. Heal him. I'll restore his magic—he'll recover quickly."
She gently stroked his face.
"You did well today."
Jack shook his head and smiled faintly.
"Rias… I did it. I broke through."
She paused, then understood.
He had been trying to meet her expectations.
Her gaze softened.
"Idiot… don't push yourself like that again."
"..."
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