A faint white aura began to flow from Kondo's body, drifting around him like streams of mist. His eyes never left Yirina.
Shin and Kim watched the strange aura in amazement. The moment they blinked, Kondo vanished.
BOOM!
The ground where he had been standing cracked apart and collapsed under the force of his sudden movement.
At the same time, Yirina was locked in combat with Lawine. The instant she sensed another powerful presence rushing toward her, she knocked Lawine's sword aside, spun around, and caught Kondo's blade with her own.
The impact surprised her, Grinding her teeth, she glared at him.
"...You've gotten stronger ..What did you do? How did your power increase this much?"
Kondo smirked.
"Why should I tell you? I simply borrowed my sword's power."
Yirina frowned.
(Impossible... Did he really awaken his sword in such a short time?)
With a burst of strength, she forced Kondo backward before swinging her sword straight at him.
Kondo blocked the strike, but the overwhelming impact shattered the ground beneath his feet.
His footing slipped.
"Shit... I lost control."
Seeing the opening, Yirina immediately thrust her sword toward his chest.
Before the blade could reach him—
Slash!
A cut opened across Yirina's back.
Her eyes widened with anger as she spun around.
Lawine stood behind her, smiling calmly.
"His mother is still alive."
Annoyed, Yirina swung at Lawine without hesitation.
Lawine effortlessly dodged the attack, grabbed Kondo by the arm, and retreated several meters away before setting him back on his feet,lawine shouted on kondo
"Kondo!"
"Yes, Mom!"
Without taking her eyes off Yirina, Lawine spoke firmly.
"Listen carefully, Kondo. Never let your guard down in front of an enemy."
She pointed at his sword.
"Watch the flow of your opponent's blade. Read its movement. The moment you know when their sword will collide with yours... your own sword should already be there waiting."
Kondo lowered his gaze toward his weapon.
Lawine studied it as well.
Something about the sword felt... unusual.
"...By the way," she asked, "why does your sword look like that? Who gave it to you?"
Kondo scratched his head in confusion.
"I don't know. I just focused... and it appeared in my hand on its own."
Lawine's eyes narrowed.
(He summoned a sword...? At this age?)
(Did Kondo undergo Blood Awakening? But unlike my own awakening... none of the usual signs are there.)
(If it isn't Blood Awakening... then what exactly is it?)
Kondo tightened his grip.
Both of them turned back toward Yirina.
She stood there glaring at them, fury burning in her crimson eyes.
"Whenever I try to kill one of you," she growled, "either the son appears... or the mother."
The wound on her back healed before their eyes.
A cold smile spread across her face.
"Then I'll just kill both of you together."
She loosened her grip on her sword and slowly exhaled.
The next instant—
Both Kondo and Lawine's eyes widened.
An overwhelming pressure exploded from Yirina's body.
Crimson lightning danced wildly around her.
Kondo instinctively took a step back.
What... is this power...?
**
Even Shin and Kim felt it.
Shin immediately dropped to her knees, clutching her ears as terror filled her eyes.
Kim hurried to support her.
"We have to get out of here!"
She raised her hand and tried to cast a spell.
A magic circle briefly appeared—
—and shattered before it could fully form.
"No..."
No matter how hard she tried, her magic refused to activate.
**
Everyone on the battlefield felt the same terrifying pressure.
Yokzo, still facing Sam, smiled slightly.
"So... you're finally getting serious."
Sam remained silent.
(What kind of pressure is this...?)
(Please... Lawine... Kondo... be safe.)
**
Yonk looked toward the source of the pressure and grinned.
"Looks like the real battle is finally beginning."
High above the battlefield, Yen held his injured shoulder while floating in midair.
Even he felt the crushing aura.
(This pressure is beyond anything I can handle...)
(If this is only one demon's true power... then just how strong are the two standing in front of me? They haven't even fought seriously until now.)
**
Yina and Ishita also stopped fighting.
Turning toward the source of the pressure, Yina laughed.
"So... the real fight is finally about to begin."
She cracked her knuckles before looking back at Ishita.
"But I still haven't gotten serious."
Ishita pointed her sword straight at her.
"Neither have I."
Yina grinned.
"Then let's begin."
**
Far away from the collapsing hotel, King Veld and Kiora could also feel the immense pressure.
"Your Majesty," Kiora said anxiously, "it's fortunate we got out when we did. We need to leave immediately. The government forces can handle the rest."
King Veld stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"You're right."
He looked back toward the battlefield.
"This pressure... it's incredible."
"This is only the second time I've ever felt something like it."
"The first was when that Saint left the scar on my back."
"And now... I'm feeling that same pressure again."
Kiora adjusted the unconscious Butler and King Rose resting across his shoulders.
"Your Majesty... bringing these two with us was the right decision."
King Veld smiled.
"What do you mean? I couldn't leave them there to die."
"And besides... when you're with me, you've never been able to refuse one of my orders."
Kiora sighed helplessly.
"...That's not what I meant, Your Majesty."
**
Back on the battlefield, Kondo and Lawine stared at the enormous energy pouring from Yirina.
Then—
Yirina lowered her sword until its tip touched the ground.
The overwhelming pressure vanished instantly.
Complete silence.
As though nothing had ever happened.
Suddenly, Lawine's eyes widened.
"Kondo!"
Without hesitation, she shoved him away with all her strength.
Kondo stumbled backward in confusion.
"What—?"
Before he could finish—
BOOM!!
A sword had already slammed into the exact spot where he had been standing.
The impact split the earth apart.
The ground collapsed, carving a massive trench straight through the battlefield.
Kondo froze.
Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn't even seen Yirina move.
Had Lawine not pushed him away...
...he would have died without ever realizing what happened.
If that sword had struck Kondo, he would have died on the spot.
Only Lawine's quick shove had saved him.
Even so, the sheer force of the impact blasted Kondo several meters away.
Yirina now stood between the two of them, her sword still buried in the shattered ground.
Kondo hadn't even seen her move.
He had no idea when she had crossed the distance or launched her attack.
Only Lawine had managed to react in time.
Without wasting another second, Lawine lunged at Yirina, swinging her sword.
But Yirina was simply too fast.
She effortlessly blocked the attack with one hand, as though it required no strength at all.
The impact alone launched Lawine high into the air.
Before Lawine could regain her balance, Yirina appeared above her.
With a cold expression, she brought her sword crashing down.
Lawine barely managed to raise her blade in time.
BOOM!!
The collision sent her plummeting into the ground, creating a massive crater beneath her feet.
For a brief moment, silence filled the battlefield.
Lawine slowly rose, using her sword as support while it remained planted in the earth.
She spat out a mouthful of blood before wiping her lips with the back of her hand.
"Damn it..."
She clenched her jaw.
"I've become far weaker than I thought."
"I believed using this transformation one last time would let me recover all of my strength..."
"...but I was wrong."
Standing a short distance away, Yirina looked at her with disappointment.
"You've grown weak, Lawine."
She slowly rested her sword on her shoulder.
"It doesn't even look like you can withstand attacks at this level anymore."
Lawine let out a faint smile as she pushed herself upright.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"Come."
Yirina's smile widened.
She raised her sword toward the sky before swinging it down with overwhelming force.
"Elza."
The instant the name left her lips, a gigantic crimson slash burst from her blade.
It looked like a wave of flowing blood as it ripped through the earth, carving everything in its path while racing toward Lawine.
Lawine tightened her grip around her sword.
She prepared herself to meet the attack head-on—
But before she could move...
Kondo suddenly stepped in front of her.