"What is this, Lord Pope?"

"This is a Blood Soul Pill. It's made from the blood of high-level Abyss Demons. It can greatly increase your strength for a short period of time."

"A huge increase?!"

"Yes. But don't use it unless absolutely necessary."

"W-Why?"

"Because after using it, you will certainly die."

?!!

—

Recalling that conversation with Lord Pope, Elbino couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile.

The Shadow of Silence Power was incomparably violent.

Once one accepted that power, they would inevitably turn into a brutal, bloodthirsty monster. The price for obtaining that power was losing one's sanity.

This Blood Soul Pill, however, could also grant tremendous power while allowing the user to retain their reason. But the price was the consumption of a massive amount of life force and soul power.

After the brief eruption of strength, death would inevitably come for the user.

But death?

Heh.

For Elbino, death was already close at hand.

The Grim Reaper's scythe had long been hanging over his neck.

If the battle continued, being killed by the Child of Destiny was all but guaranteed.

In that case—

He might as well drag her down with him!

If he could kill the Child of Destiny and remove that great threat to Lord Demon God—

Then his death would be worthwhile!

'I'm taking you down with me!!'

Staring at the silver light charging toward him, Elbino let out a hysterical roar in his heart.

His face twisted hideously from madness.

The next moment—

Elbino swallowed the crimson pill.

As the Blood Soul Pill entered his body, an indescribably powerful force exploded within his abdomen and rapidly spread throughout his entire body.

The pain from his wounds vanished completely.

An overwhelming sense of exhilaration surged into his brain like raging waves.

The muscles all over his body swelled.

A blood-red glow gradually appeared within his eyes.

Feeling the abundant power inside him, the corners of Elbino's lips slowly rose.

'T-This power... it's incredible...'

—

Meanwhile—

Holding her silver sword and charging toward Elbino, Mengxi bit through her lip.

Fresh blood slowly dripped from beneath her mask.

No.

This couldn't continue.

'I have to... stay calm...'

Feeling the violent power and murderous impulse within her spreading uncontrollably, Mengxi attempted to use pain to suppress her instincts and prevent her consciousness from being swallowed by endless bloodlust.

Thanks to her powerful will, the strange purple-black glow within her eyes was gradually suppressed.

The silver Holy Aura once again gained the upper hand.

However—

Although she had temporarily restrained that power, Mengxi felt no relief whatsoever.

Instead, she fixed her gaze firmly on Elbino.

She had to kill the member of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church right now.

Otherwise...

She might...

Hm?!

'T-This guy?! What's happening?!'

However—

Just as her sword was about to pierce Elbino's chest—

The black-robed man, who had practically been on the verge of death moments earlier, suddenly erupted with terrifying battle aura.

And mixed within that aura—

There was faintly a trace of the Shadow of Silence Power?!

Moreover, as the aura exploded, Elbino's presence rose directly from the middle stage of the sixth tier to the peak of the sixth tier!

Not only had his strength recovered—

It had gone even further?!

The scene left Mengxi stunned.

'W-Was it that pill just now?!'

She had already sensed something strange about that pill and intended to kill him before its effects activated.

But she never imagined it would take effect so quickly!

Just what was that thing?!

There seemed to be the aura of an Abyss Demon within it.

She had long heard that the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church conducted experiments using Abyss Demons.

Was that pill the result of those experiments?

However—

There was no time for further thought.

As his terrifying battle aura erupted, black aura formed solid armor around Elbino's body.

Then—

At an inconceivable speed, he swung his scythe and directly knocked away Mengxi's silver sword.

"Die!!!"

Suddenly—

With a frenzied roar, blood spraying from his facial orifices, Elbino swung his other scythe without the slightest trace of mercy and slashed toward Mengxi's neck.

At this point, he had already abandoned his original plan of sacrificing her.

Now—

He had only one goal.

Kill the Child of Destiny.

"Soul Releasing Slash!!"

Facing the incoming scythe—

An unprecedented seriousness appeared in Mengxi's light-purple eyes.

At this point—

She had no choice but to devote all her concentration to her enemy.

And with her willpower no longer fully suppressing it—

The murderous intent she had painstakingly restrained surged forth again.

The strange purple-black glow that had finally faded reappeared in her eyes.

And it became even brighter than before.

An excited smile appeared on the girl's lips.

"You want to kill me?! Do you even have the ability?!"

The next instant—

Mengxi raised her hand.

Two silver swords floating around her instantly blocked the scythe!

They forcibly halted Elbino's attack.

Seeing this, Elbino roared through gritted teeth,

"Whether I have the ability or not, let's find out!!!"

Roaring wildly, Elbino launched another storm-like assault against the silver-haired girl.

His black scythes repeatedly hacked toward her body.

In response—

Mengxi refused to yield.

Strands of strange purple-black energy gradually overflowed from her body.

Facing Elbino's relentless offensive, she fearlessly rushed forward.

Five silver swords attacked him from all directions!

Instantly—

Black battle aura and silver Holy Aura once again collided violently, shaking heaven and earth.

Blade lights flashed.

Sword shadows danced.

Explosions erupted from the clashes of energy.

The fortress's logistics district, already reduced to ruins, was completely destroyed by the waves of power.

Even several Abyss Demons that had obediently remained nearby to watch the battle according to Yumo's instructions were unfortunately caught in the aftermath and blasted dozens of meters away.

As the scythes and silver swords continued to collide—

The strength of both the black battle aura and silver Holy Aura steadily declined.

There was no doubt.

Both sides were exhausting their strength through battle.

And—

This was exactly what Elbino wanted to see!

As time passed, Elbino, who possessed greater reserves of power, gradually gained the upper hand.

No matter what, Mengxi's true cultivation was only at the middle stage of the fifth tier.

There remained a considerable gap between her and peak sixth-tier Elbino.

After knocking away one of her silver swords, the hideous-looking Elbino violently swung down his soul-devouring scythe.

The blade slashed directly across Mengxi's chest!

Instantly—

Her silver breastplate shattered.

Scarlet blood burst forth.

The tremendous force sent Mengxi flying backward.

Her body crashed heavily into the ruins in the distance.

??

"S-Success?! I... I won?!"

Seeing the silver-haired girl lying motionless among the rubble, Elbino's face twisted into a mad smile.

Then—

Wrapped in black battle aura, he gripped his scythe tightly and charged toward her once more.

According to Lord Pope—

To make sure the enemy was truly dead, finishing blows were absolutely necessary.

And—

At the very least—

You had to strike another hundred times or so!!