"Let me offer you another deal, human," Adramelech said. "An equal contract, one that either of us can break, provided we give one minute's notice."
"Isn't that enough?" he added with a faint smile. "No surprises when I decide to betray you. I only wish to enjoy the mortal realm while it lasts."
"I'll agree," Nacht replied calmly, "but with one more condition. You will not harm or kill any human, directly or indirectly against my will for the duration of this contract." For a moment, Adramelech considered the condition with stiffened expression.
Then it brightened again, a knowing smile forming on his lips with something vicious brewing in his mind, which El could feel through the demon's Ki.
"Accepted." The white feather on Nacht's necklace darkened, turning black as the contract was sealed.
Nacht's body trembled as overwhelming strength flooded through his veins, an uncontrollable urge rose within him which he barely restrained.
Both he and El understood one thing clearly, the contract had many loopholes but they would deal with those when the time came.
"Hey… howdy, minions," Adramelech's small visage appeared on Nacht's shoulder, grinning. "Call me boss from now on and look forward to serving me."
The doll-like demon rested lazily on his shoulder looking at the vast green world, while Nacht's other devils shifted aside, giving space to the newcomer more wary of him than of Nacht himself.
The magic circle beneath them faded.
Though far from mastering this power, Nacht could already feel the difference.
This was a leap he had never imagined taking, not after what happened with his brother, a decision he still doubted.
"…Thanks, El," Nacht said with much difficulty.
El smirked, letting it pass without comment.
"But now that we know Lucifero's plan, this has become a much bigger mess," El said.
"…You were right. I was naïve to think the demons would remain sealed forever." Nacht sighed.
"Good. Now you owe me… three? Or was it four?" Nacht exhaled slowly, deciding to not reply to that.
"The first matter is settled," El continued. "I would've preferred contracting Adramelech myself… but it doesn't matter. It's my turn to power up now."
Placing a hand on Nacht's back, they vanished from the grassland.
In the next instant, they stood within a volcanic region deep inside the Clover Kingdom.
"This is the Yultim volcanic range, a strong magic region. Why are we here?" Nacht asked, scanning the terrain as he tried to make sense of El's last words.
A vast volcanic strong magic region stretched endlessly in front of them. Magic veins ran deep beneath the earth, forcing lava to erupt constantly, while molten lava veins flowed beneath their feet.
El spread his Ki outward, scanning a two-kilometer radius within no other living being in sight, only a few mana beasts scattered throughout the region.
"I'm about to fight a spirit here," El said. "Didn't want to ruin that peaceful grassland earlier."
"A spirit?" Nacht frowned.
"Yes. I'll summon it and if I defeat it in a one-on-one fight, I can tame it." Understanding flickered across Nacht's face.
"And once the ritual begins, don't interfere," El added. "I may never get another chance."
"Then why bring me here at all?" Nacht asked and a brief silence followed.
"For the demon on your shoulder to witness the fight. I want him to evaluate my strength… and answer a few questions afterwards." Nacht nodded.
On his shoulder, Adramelech watched with sharp eyes his curiosity fully piqued.
Above them, the ash-filled sky spread everywhere but El could sense the sun slowly rising beyond it.
"Here's the plan," El said. "The moment I summon it, you have to disappear into the shadows. Observe us but don't interfere unless I call for help. Understood?"
"Understood." Natch replied.
El raised both hands, drawing out ancient relics taken from the dryad's vault, following the ritual method mentioned at the back of the Black S rank card of Mohoraga.
[Use S Rank Card: Summon Mohoraga]
[Y/N]
Without hesitation, El pressed yes. The ritual words and hand signs appeared in his mind and he spoke them aloud while performing them simultaneously.
"With this treasure, I summon… Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga."
The shadows at his feet rose and twisted violently.
From the volcanic ground, distorted shapes of wolves and frogs rose and howled toward the sky.
"Awoooooo...!"
"Awooooo—!"
El had already spread his Ki, the moment danger surfaced near his feet from his own shadow, he vanished.
Reappearing high in the sky, he looked down at the dark patch below where something had emerged.
A nine-foot-tall, pale humanoid figure stood among the howling wolves and frogs like a living statue. A massive eight-handled wheel stood frozen above its head. It held a shining white blade wrapped around its hand.
Its face had no eyes, just a creepy mouth filled with human-like white teeth. It had two pairs of feather-like protrusions stuck out from its face, with a long tail-like strand from his head.
'So this is Mahoraga…, he is more intimidating in person.'
Their standoff lasted only a second then mohoraga crouched and jumped.
The ground shattered as it launched nearly two hundred meters high, blade already cutting through where El had been but he was gone.
El reappeared far away, landing lightly while Mahoraga crashed back down with a thunderous impact, then glared with his non existing eyes.
'Its physical strength is… astounding,' El thought, eyes narrowing.
The wheel above its head turned once.
"Kirchhh!!!"
Mohoraga moved again faster this time. In an instant, he was in front of him, blade dropping to split his head.
Clap.
But space twisted at the last second. This time, Mahoraga vanished, reappearing above a lava filled river in the distance, sinking as the molten surface swallowed him.
Within seconds, his massive frame disappeared beneath it, leaving only the eight-handled wheel floating above.
Then, it turned.
"Kirchhh!!!"
A silhouette walked out of the lava like it was water, completely unharmed with same twisted smile on its face.
"I will tame you… Mahoraga, no matter the cost."
El was impressed, Mohoraga had countered instant transmission with a faster attack, while Boogie Woogie would've only delayed him, aiming to destroy him before he could adapt, El retrieved the lifeline he had been holding onto for the past 4 years.
He crushed an S-rank black card of Escanor: Lion Sin of Pride, power flooded in every cell of his body as it expanded, matching Mahoraga's size and build.
***
Author Note: Sorry for the short chapter, Next few chapters will be long and look forward to the fight between two titans...