“Miko won!”

Momo stood up and shouted.

It was then an announcement rang out.

(Team Primus have shattered an enemy’s emblem along with their King’s Emblem. As such, they’ve earned 210 points placing them at first place with a total of 325 points!)

“We have twice as much points as the second place Quintus Branch.”

Aeon said.

“There’s a few hours left too.”

He then looked at the crater that Krulty laid in.

“The Quartus Team has been annihilated with this defeat.”

‘……..’

Alec stared at Miko in silence.

‘This is strange. Limit Break is something that anyone is supposed to be able to use. That statement is true, however there’s always an exception. And that exception are those who are truly limitless.’

He thought.

‘Even though Miko is under restrictions by Augustus, he should be limitless. So how was he able to break a limit he doesn’t have? Then is it a False Limit Break?’

He shook his head.

‘No. The injuries he got are real. Which means that Augustus can’t only control Miko’s growth but also his limits. That’s pretty amazing.’

“Cough!”

Miko laid on the ground unable to move.

“Yo.”

That’s when Chika walked up to him with a smile on her face.

“From the looks of it you’re out of the tournament.”

She said.

Miko shook his head.

“I-I can still keep going.”

“How?”

“Like this.”

Miko’s body lit up with azure light.

“Primordial Recreation.”

After the light faded, Miko was completely without injury.

He sprung up and dusted himself off.

“Wha?!”

Miko’s instant recovery shocked everyone speechless.

Even the normal coolheaded Chika couldn’t keep her calm.

“Are you Immortal or something?”

She couldn’t help but to ask.

Miko laughed.

“Nah, I’ve died a few times already. So I’m certain I’m not immortal.”

‘No, the fact that you can say that you've died a few times and is still standing in front of me, is proof that you’re immortal.’

Chika thought to herself.

“Well, although I’m healed I’m out of mana.”

Miko said while trying to generate some form of magic in his palms.

“Hmmmm?”

He seemed to be racking his brain about something before speaking.

“Well, whatever.”

He then started to walk back towards the cave.

“Is there any need to continue this competition?”

KC asked when they entered the cave.

“Half of the contestants are incapacitated. A branch has been annihilated, and two teams only have one person left who are fit for battle. If this continues on, we all might end up in the hospital.”

“I was considering the same thing.”

Rin agreed.

“So you want to end the competition here?”

Miko asked.

“No. I’m saying that we’re pulling out. As the heir to the Secundus branch I can’t afford to have the youngest generation be placed in any more danger.”

“Oh? That’s an interesting decision to make. Of course, if you withdraw you’ll be the only branch to not receive any points and be mocked as the weakest.”

“I don’t mind. My goal isn’t the empty title of strongest but to become the best I can be. If I’m also considered the strongest along the way, then so be it. It’s vice versa for the title of weakest. They both mean nothing to me.”

Miko couldn’t help but smile with respect at Rin’s words.

“I see. Then our rematch will have to wait.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Don’t sweat it.”

After saying so, Miko and his team left the cave.

The scenery changed again and Rin and his team were teleported away.

Even Krul who was busted up was transferred somewhere else.

Miko and the others were now standing on a beach with a sea in front of them.

“The beach huh? Now that I’ve thought about it, I haven’t been to the sea in a long time.”

Miko said as he looked around.

It was then that an announcement rang out.

(The Quintus team has obtained 3 enemy emblems and a King’s Emblem to gain 130 points! They’ve also received an extra 50 points for destroying one of the emblems and another 10 for killing 10 soldiers! In total they now have 340 points and have overtaken the Primus Team to take the lead!)

“Oh?”

Miko was slightly surprised to hear this.

A few minutes ago when Krulty had just emerged.

The Tertitus team was left with Ashur, who had singlehandedly put his team in the lead.

Anyone would expect a battle to break out between the two, but that wasn’t the case.

“Sigh.”

Ashur looked at Tertitus Branch and sighed in disappointment.

“Sigh.”

Ren looked at Ashur and did the same.

Instead of a battle, it was like the two were having a sighing contest.

“Could you two stop, and decide how are we going to do this?”

Said Cait.

“Decide? Decide what?”

Ren asked.

“I’m not fighting Ashur. He’s crazy.”

He said.

“And I’m not fighting Ren, he’s next one of my targets.”

Ashur answered.

The two looked each other again and sighed.

“It’s no good. They don’t have any motivation at all.”

Said Cait.

It wasn’t strange that Ashur and Ren didn’t want to fight each other.

The Tertitus and Quintus branches have always been close because of their leaders.

Andreas hated Nero, and Alexus hated Rouge. Because of this the two couldn’t really become friends with either of the two, and instead befriended each other.

Echo was always neutral by the way.

Anyway, the Tertitus and Quintus branches were close and shared multiple partnerships on several projects.

As such, the members of both branches frequently interacted with each other and considered each other family.

It was this reason why Alec could get away with stealing the Quintus branch’s winery and not be pursued to the ends of the earth.

Ashur and Ren grew up sparring with each other to the point that they no longer wished to fight the other.

If they were to fight it would just be a boring fight without any surprises.

Ren was accustomed to Ashur’s Beastly nature, while Ashur was accustomed to Ren’s Alchemy abilities.

A fight between the two would undoubtedly end in a draw. Even if it didn’t, it would take up a lot of time to decide the winner.

The competition would be long over by then.

Of course the two knew this, and that’s why they’re so unmotivated.

‘This isn’t good. At this rate we won’t be able to win this.’

Cait thought to herself.

She then looked at Sura to her left.

‘I guess I have no other choice. I’ll have to convince Sura to fight along with me.’

(Cait.)

It was then she heard a voice in her head.

‘Madam Kirika?!’

(Don’t try to force a fight with Ashur. Just let it be.)

‘But, what about the competition?’

(Don’t mind it. A fight between Miko and Krul is undergoing to decide the winner. Provoking Ashur isn’t a wise move. Also Sura doesn’t like unnecessary fighting, so even if you force him to help you he’ll only fight at a fraction of his strength.)

‘…..I understand.’

(Don’t be so depressed. I’ll be sure to inform Sirrush that you did your best.)

Sirrush was Cait’s adoptive parent and Sura’s grandmother.

Unlike Ren who is under the main family, Sura and Cait were under her supervision.

Everything they did reflected on her. This was the reason why Cait wanted to win, to repay Sirrush who adopted her when her parents died.

‘Alright. I understand.’

When she had finished speaking with Kirika, she noticed that Ren and Ashur were in the middle of a game of Rock Paper Scissors.

“Ah, it’s my win.”

Said Ashur.

“Tsk. Fine here.”

Cait eyes almost popped out when she saw what Ren gave Ashur.

It was his two emblems.

“W-W-What the hell are you doing?!”

She shouted.

“What you say? His prize of course.”

“Wait! Don’t tell me you two just played Rock Paper Scissors for your emblems!”

The two of them nodded.

“Oh, we bet everything. So you guys have to give up your emblems too and let him kill the soldiers.”

“Wha……Sigh.”

Cait looked like she had given up.

“Fine. I don’t care anymore.”

Present time, Miko stood as he wondered about something.

“Hm?”

That’s when he sensed someone approaching him.

He didn’t need to look to tell who it was.

“You need something, Ashur?”

He said while he slowly turned around.

As expected he saw Ashur standing there with an excited smile on his face.

“I want a rematch for earlier.”

Ashur went straight to the point.

“A rematch huh?”

Miko laughed.

“Well I don’t mind. However, as you see I don’t have any magic left in my body.”

Ashur started laughing.

“Don’t try to trick me. Even if you don’t have any magic left you still have ways to get more right?”

Miko smiled when he heard that.

“Yes, you’re right. But it’s not like I purposely hid it. It’s just that I was too occupied with figuring out Limit Break that I limited myself as much as possible.”

His eyes turned crimson when he said that.

“You see I had two forms I could’ve taken, that don’t necessarily relies on magic.”

His hair started flickering between azure and crimson.

“They rely on my soul more than anything.”

He smirked.

“Here’s the first one.”

*BOOM!*

A wave of crimson magic burst out from within Miko and quickly surpassed the entire arena.

“?!”

Even those in the stands felt it.

“T-This is an amazing amount of demonic energy.”

Said Sophia.

“Is it me or did it increase from that time with Marco?”

Asked Kouta.

“It did. It increased quite a bit.”

Christian answered.

“Wow. Even I haven’t felt demonic energy this pure in a long time.”

Said Arsene.

As for Ashur who was facing it , he started shivering, but it wasn't just fear but excitement too.

“Sweet! What’s this called?”

He asked excitedly.

“Sin King.”

“I see! Then let’s fight!”

Ashur lifted his fists excitedly as he roared that.

However Miko simply lifted his hand and stopped him.

“Calm down for a bit. If I fight you in this form it’ll be a close match, but surprisingly I’ve had enough of fighting for today.”

He stretched his palm out and a pellet made of darkness appeared in the center.

“I’m going to show you something else. If you still wish to fight after this then I’ll obliged you.”

“Hm?”

Ashur watched as Miko swallowed the pellet.

“Crap!”

Momo and Alec stood up at the exact same moment.

“Everyone, strengthen your mind the best you can! And be sure to protect your souls as well!”

Momo shouted.

Everyone beside them were confused.

“What are you doing?! Do as she says!”

It was only after Alec shouted that they listened to them. Except for Arsene.

On the field, Verde and Chika quickly escaped without saying a word.

Miko smiled and a dark fog leaked out his mouth.

“Deus Malum 1st Stage: Dark Apostle.”

It was then that it happened.

*Pulse!*

Miko’s entire body pulsated before it started undergoing changes.

Inside his body, darkness spread and attached itself to every cell in his body and started to contaminate them.

Outside, dark haze started seeping out of his mouth like fog.

His skin started to darken as well as his hair.

His blue eyes turned the darkest black, and pure darkness started to seep from every pore in his body.

And then-

A sudden chill spread across the entire arena like a tidal wave.

“?!”

Everyone who felt it, felt like they had became a blind cripple in the pits of hell.

They all started to tremble like a wet puppy.

Some even found themselves shedding tears for unknown reasons.

Even the great Tyrant Arsene Mors who was born in the horrifying Niflheim, was shivering like a newborn pup.

“W-What the hell is that?!”

He held his shoulders and shouted.

“Idiot! That’s why I said protect your soul and minds!”

Alec shouted.

He snapped his finger and Blood Flame covered Arsene’s body. The flame didn’t hurt him but slowly burnt away the darkness that was eroding his soul.

This was one of the functions of Blood Flame, to burn away all form of contamination.

However, in the face of the abomination that was Deus Malum, it could only ease the effects for a while at most.

However, that was enough to allow Arsene to regain his composure and repel the darkness himself.

“A-Alec! What the hell is that?!”

Kirika shouted.

“Miko’s ultimate technique, Deus Malum. It turns him into a being comparable to true demons like Lucifer.”

Momo replied.

“What? Who the hell created such a terrifying technique?”

“Miko himself.”

“?!”

Everyone was shocked again. They couldn’t believe that such a child had a technique so frightening, much less created it.

“This is just the first stage. The other four stages are far more terrifying.”

Momo added.

“The hell?! There’s four more higher than this?!”

Al-Shura screamed out in shock.

“A monster! No, a demon god! This kid is evil itself!”

Said Sylphy.

‘Fuck! I heard that Deus Malum grows with its user, but this is far more terrifying than it was in Grim City!’

Alec screamed in his head.

‘Just how much stronger did you get in less than a month, Miko?!’

As for the others who were on the battlefield with Miko, they were assaulted with overwhelming terror that tormented their mind and souls.

But no one was in a worse position than Ashur who was only a few meters from Miko.

He fell on his knees with a horrified expression on his face.

His entire body was shaking vigorously, and tears of blood flowed from his eyes.

However, he was still conscious. This shocked Miko, since he believed that Ashur would faint or might even lost his mind in the face of Deus Malum.

He smiled with amusement and deactivated Deus Malum.

When he did, everyone felt like they could finally breathe again.

He slowly walked towards Ashur and stopped in front of him.

“So?”

Ashur looked at him and saw the creepy smile on his face.

“Do you still wish to fight?”

“……..”

Ashur looked at him with a blank look and slowly shook his head while tears still flowed down his face.

“I see.”

Miko then smiled gently.

“Then its my win.”