Not long after, something stirred within Joseph—a flicker of recognition, like a forgotten memory rising to the surface. He turned to Yoshi and Lyra with sudden urgency.
“I should grab the Relic of Enhancement now before... you know, some random, totally unpredictable plot twist from the author derails everything and makes all our efforts feel, like, futile or something,” Joseph said, his tone casual but oddly ominous.
Yoshi and Lyra exchanged bewildered glances, unsure if they were supposed to laugh or be concerned.
Joseph, noticing their confusion, waved dismissively. “Oh, never mind. I’ll just fetch it from Masanori—the guy who was possessed by Demon Lord Lirien. He’s still unconscious, right?”
Without waiting for a response, he strode off, leaving them more confused than reassured.
As Joseph approached the unconscious Masanori, his steps were cautious yet confident. The relic of enhancement gleamed faintly in Masanori’s hand, a prize that seemed within reach. "Alright," Joseph muttered to himself, "just grab it and get out before something dramatic happens. No big deal, right?"
He knelt beside Masanori and reached for the relic. But as his fingers brushed against it, he froze. Masanori's grip, once slack, suddenly tightened with an iron-like firmness. Joseph’s heart skipped a beat as he looked up to find Masanori’s head slowly lifting, his eyes now burning with an unholy fury.
"My turn," growled Masanori, his voice raspy and guttural, laced with malice.
Joseph recoiled in shock, his expression shifting from disbelief to alarm. "Ah! An unexpected plot twist from the author I never saw coming!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. His exclamation snapped Yoshi and Lyra out of their brief reprieve, drawing their attention to the unfolding nightmare.
Before anyone could react, Masanori’s body began to pulse with a dark energy that radiated from the relic of enhancement. The artifact, now glowing violently, seemed to respond to the demon’s will, feeding its power into him. A split second later, an explosive shockwave erupted from Masanori, sending Joseph, Yoshi, and Lyra flying in different directions.
Joseph barely managed to activate his XPT, bracing himself as he was hurled through the air like a ragdoll. Yoshi and Lyra, despite their best efforts, were overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the blast. The force shattered what remained of their defenses, leaving them bruised and disoriented.
Amidst the swirling dust and chaos, Masanori floated to his feet with an unnatural grace, as though gravity no longer held sway over him. His once-human features were now grotesquely twisted, a terrifying blend of Masanori’s visage and Lirien’s demonic essence.
The three warriors staggered back to their feet, their eyes wide with disbelief as they watched Masanori's transformation unfold. His aura was suffocating, an oppressive force that pressed down on them like a tidal wave.
"This body," Masanori hissed, his voice a chilling amalgamation of his own and Lirien’s, "is pathetic. Weak. But perhaps it will suffice… for now."
His gaze, now sharper than blades, swept over the battlefield before locking onto Joseph. A cruel smile twisted his lips. "And you three," he said, his tone dripping with contempt, "your luck has run out. You’ve angered me. Defied my patience and diplomacy. Now, you will all die knowing the true might of Demon Lord Lirien."
Joseph clenched his fists, his mind racing as the reality of their predicament sank in. "Great," he muttered under his breath, "not only is he possessed, but now he's supercharged and monologuing. Classic villain move."
Despite the rising tension, Yoshi and Lyra flanked Joseph, their resolve hardening in the face of the overwhelming threat. The odds were stacked against them, but they had no intention of backing down.
Masanori—or rather, the demon within him—chuckled darkly. "Prepare yourselves," he sneered, his aura flaring as the ground beneath him cracked and splintered. "This time, there will be no salvation, no last-minute reprieves. Only your annihilation."
"Now then, shall we begin round two?" said the possessed Masanori, his voice a mix of mockery and menace. His hand tightened into a fist as the relic of enhancement fused into his essence, its glow fading into his dark aura. Without warning, he charged at them with a speed that defied comprehension, appearing as a blur before their eyes.
In a single fluid motion, Masanori incapacitated Yoshi, Lyra, and Joseph with devastating precision, each blow striking faster than they could react. The trio was flung across the battlefield like ragdolls, struggling to regain their footing as Masanori stood, his gaze sharp and predatory. His movements were eerily calm yet calculated, a stark contrast to his earlier reckless assaults.
As they rose, it became evident that this was not the same opponent they had fought before. Masanori’s attacks were faster, his strikes more deliberate, and his energy far more oppressive. Lyra attempted to cast a defensive spell, but Masanori countered with a sinister laugh, twisting her magic into a vicious assault that turned against her and Yoshi. Forced to shield themselves, they braced against the relentless barrage, their defenses barely holding.
While Masanori focused on Yoshi and Lyra, Joseph seized the moment to power up his XPT. "Alright," he muttered, activating his transformation. His suit shimmered as it reconstructed itself into a sleek yet colorful power-ranger-inspired armor. A holographic binary hammer materialized in his hands, crackling with lightning before solidifying into a massive, energy-charged weapon.
Joseph leaped into the air with a thunderous battle cry, the hammer glowing brighter with each passing second. As he descended, he roared, "EMBIGGEN!" The hammer instantly expanded, becoming a towering skyscraper of raw power, its weight shaking the battlefield as it hurtled toward Masanori. The impact was monumental, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground, leveling everything within a mile radius.
When the dust settled, Joseph’s confidence wavered. Masanori hovered slightly above the now-ruined ground, completely unfazed. What caught Joseph’s eye—and froze him in disbelief—was Masanori's sharp claw, extended and glowing faintly, holding the hammer’s immense weight at bay with a single finger. The lightning that once danced around the hammer fizzled out, its power seemingly nullified.
"Impossible," Joseph whispered, his voice trembling.
Masanori smirked, his piercing gaze locked onto Joseph. "You see," he said, his voice calm and dripping with arrogance, "you're not the only impossible here. I, too, am the very definition of the impossible."
As Joseph watched, the hammer began to crack where Masanori’s claw had struck it. At first, it was a faint line, but it quickly spread like a spiderweb, glowing with an eerie white flame that consumed the weapon from within. Within moments, the hammer shattered into countless pieces, each fragment exploding with violent force. The shockwave sent Joseph hurtling backward, his armor partially disintegrating as the blast tore through his transformation.
Joseph crashed to the ground, his breath ragged as he struggled to rise. Masanori descended slowly, his sharp claw retracting, a smug grin plastered on his face. Meanwhile, Yoshi and Lyra, still shielding themselves from his earlier assault, turned toward the commotion, their faces filled with equal parts horror and disbelief.
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The demon-possessed Masanori straightened, his aura flaring with renewed power. "Now then," he said, his tone mocking yet deadly, "is there anyone else who wishes to challenge the impossible?"
Joseph staggered backward, struggling to maintain his balance as his boots screeched across the ruined battlefield, leaving deep drag marks in the dirt. His breaths were labored, but his resolve remained unshaken. Before he could fully regain his stance, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Masanori, ever relentless, had weaponized the fragments of Joseph's shattered hammer, launching them at him with deadly precision.
The fragments struck fast, slicing shallow cuts across Joseph's exposed skin before he managed to react. Gritting his teeth, he spun into an acrobatic somersault, narrowly evading the rest of the razor-sharp shards. His damaged suit shimmered as nanotech components pooled together like liquid metal, forming a sleek staff in his hand. With a swift spin, Joseph deflected the remaining fragments, the ringing clang of metal-on-metal echoing around him.
Meanwhile, Yoshi and Lyra, having finally neutralized Masanori’s earlier onslaught, charged toward him in a synchronized attack. Yoshi aimed for his blind spots while Lyra wove intricate spells to exploit any openings. However, Masanori, now fully attuned to his enhanced powers, dispatched them effortlessly with a single telekinetic push, flinging them into the air like leaves in a storm. They crashed to the ground with a thud, groaning as they scrambled to recover.
Joseph seized the opportunity and lunged forward, his staff elongating as he shouted, "Power Pole, extend!" The staff shot forward like a spear, its length growing exponentially. Masanori dodged the initial strike but miscalculated a follow-up swing, taking two solid hits to his side. Just as Joseph prepared another strike, Masanori caught the staff's other end with an iron grip.
Joseph smirked, his lips curling into a sly grin. "Gotcha," he murmured under his breath before commanding, "Nyoibo, grow!"
The staff obeyed, extending once again and sending Masanori hurtling backward as he struggled to keep hold of the other end. Masanori skidded across the battlefield, his heels carving deep grooves into the ground as he fought to maintain his footing. The force finally tossed him aside, but Masanori’s recovery was swift. Despite the struggle, he landed gracefully, his hand still gripping the far end of the staff.
Joseph, closing the gap with a burst of speed, cocked his fist for a devastating punch. But Masanori anticipated the move and unleashed a telekinetic blast that sent Joseph soaring into the air. The moment Joseph hit the ground, the impact shattered his remaining armor, his transformation completely undone. Sparks flew from his suit as his XPT failed entirely, leaving him vulnerable. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself to his feet, regrouping with Yoshi and Lyra, who had also recovered.
The three stood side by side, battered and bruised, their collective energy dwindling. Across from them, Masanori's body began to twist and convulse. His aura darkened, growing more sinister as a malevolent energy seeped into the air. His form warped, limbs elongating and features becoming monstrous.
In that moment, they all bore witness as Demon Lord Lirien revealed her true form. The transformation began with Masanori's hand, which clutched Joseph's staff. The staff disintegrated in a violent burst of energy as fiery cracks snaked across his flesh.
Masanori’s hands ignited, peeling away in molten layers to expose a searing, demonic essence beneath. Flames consumed his body entirely, annihilating his physical form, soul, and essence in an instant, leaving no trace of his existence. From the inferno emerged Demon Lord Lirien in all her terrifying glory.
Her skin burned with a crimson hue darker and more menacing than blood itself. Two massive, razor-sharp horns crowned her head, while her hair twisted and writhed like fiery serpents, each strand capable of turning a soul to stone or engulfing them in eternal hellfire. Her eyes blazed with an otherworldly chaos, like eternal flames of destruction, capable of paralyzing victims or delivering instant death with a single glare.
Her fangs, gleaming and jagged, could shred bone and metal with horrifying ease. Her tail, though unassuming in size, ended in a venomous barb that promised instant, agonizing death to any who dared touch it. When she spread her wings, they unfurled in a grotesque display—massive, deformed, and engulfed in unquenchable flames that radiated pure dread.
Finally, the transformation completed, and the battlefield fell silent. Standing before them was no longer Masanori, but Demon Lord Lirien in her true form. Her towering figure was cloaked in an ominous black flame, her glowing crimson eyes piercing through the haze. Massive, spiked wings unfurled from her back, and a wickedly curved blade formed in her clawed hand, pulsing with dark energy. Her voice echoed, chilling and inhuman.
With pride and malevolence, she ascended into the sky, her fiery form illuminating the heavens like a dark omen. She gazed down at her prey with a sneer of utter contempt, as if they were nothing more than filth beneath her notice.
"Mortal and abominations," she hissed, her words dripping with contempt. "You should feel honored. Few have ever seen my true form and lived to tell the tale. But rest assured, you will not join their ranks."
The trio exchanged a tense glance, the weight of the battle's stakes now heavier than ever. The true fight was only just beginning.
"When my sources told me about a prince and royal witch traveling together, aiding other regions with small groups, I knew it had to be you, Aryl," said the female demon lord Lirien, her fist clenched in anger and disgust. "How have the mighty fallen? Reduced to a royal witch, daughter of the Demon Supreme, whose power could rival even the monarchs."
"While you were busy serving the royal family, I was evolving into a demon lord. Soon, I'll become an archdemon, surpassing even you, Aryl," Lirien sneered. "So, what's it going to be? Will you let Yoshi and that pathetic human fight your battles, or will we settle this the way we used to?"
With a wicked grin, she continued, "Just so you know, I won’t hold back like I did in the past. If you want to survive, I suggest you take on your true archdemon form, your witch-demon form, rather than hiding behind that human halfling body of yours."
"With the relic of enhancement in me, killing you is my only priority," Lirien declared with a menacing laugh. "I will evolve into an archdemon just like you, and all the powers you wield, including that so-called All-Seeing Eye of the Almighty and your eternal longevity, will eventually become mine."
"Either way, it doesn’t matter. You’re all going to die here and now. This is the end of the road for you," she yelled, her voice tinged with fury. She shot toward them at blinding speed, her wings flapping, slicing the air with terrifying precision.
Joseph, Lyra, and Yoshi barely avoided her assault by mere inches, scattering in different directions. Joseph struggled to regain his footing, while Yoshi launched himself into the air, sword raised to strike. Lyra unleashed a powerful magical blast at Lirien, but the demon lord skillfully dodged and retaliated with a deafening scream that sent Yoshi crashing to the ground, his sword skittering away.
Lirien landed gracefully, her wings retracting into her back, her body radiating with immense power as she stood over the prone Yoshi, ready to finish him off. But Lyra intervened, firing another devastating magical blast. Lirien reacted swiftly, devouring the attack with a dark spell, then snapped her fingers. A portal appeared behind Lyra, and before she could react, her own blast surged back, knocking her unconscious.
Just as Lirien was about to drain Yoshi's aura and magical abilities, she felt a surge of energy. Joseph’s battle cry caught her attention. He picked up Yoshi’s sword and charged at her. Lirien flung Yoshi aside into an endless, dark dimension, where he plummeted uncontrollably through demonic realms, facing countless obstacles as he fought to escape.
Now, Lirien’s focus was entirely on Joseph. Their battle raged on.
Joseph charged at the demonette with his sword, but she dodged every attack with ease. In a stunning display, she landed perfectly on the blade as he swung it directly at her, missing his mark. Joseph marveled at the impossible feat, questioning how she achieved it and how the sword supported her weight, even as he held it aloft, lifting her with it.
"This defies logic!" Joseph exclaimed. "You're both impossibly light and heavy at the same time! How can I be holding you up like this?"
"Ah, great. Because anime and manga didn't already ruin my expectations of sword fights, now I'm stuck holding a demonette who's defying gravity and logic! You're like a feather... that weighs a ton! I swear, if I start glowing with a dramatic aura, I'm blaming the plot."
As he spoke, the weight of the demonette began to register, and Joseph's eyes widened in surprise. "Ah, there it is! I spoke too soon. Anime physics, my friend, is a lie!"
Just as the sword threatened to slip from his grasp, the demonette unleashed a breathtaking backflip, her agility defying gravity. As she sprang off the blade, her heel grazed Joseph's jaw, dislodging a tooth with pinpoint precision. Joseph's reflexes ignited, his hand shooting up with incredible speed to catch the tooth in mid-air. With a swift motion, he popped it back into place and healed the wound instantly, his gaze remaining fixed on the demonette with unwavering intensity. Meanwhile, she descended onto the ground with ethereal grace, her poised stance rivaling that of a seasoned catwalk model, as if the sword had been merely a stepping stone.