Azu's All-Out Strike

The area around Azu appeared to warp.

The mana she was building up was being amplified by the Water Elemental's power, growing large enough to be visible.

Nephilim couldn't ignore such mana from a Creator King Apostle and turned his gaze toward Azu.

"Indeed, being the Apostle's inheritor is not just for show. But her power has yet to reach that of our Apostles. If I'm to kill her, now is the time."

He pressed the scripture in his right hand against the blazing fire on his left arm.

The fire spread from the scripture to his entire body in no time at all.

The roaring sound of flames filled the area.

The fire made his already huge body look even larger.

"Saw a monster like that in the volcanic region."

"Do not compare me to a monster."

Nephilim reacted with displeasure to Aogiri's words.

Then he stepped forward.

"How long do I need to buy you, girlie?"

"A little more until full power… two minutes should do."

"Got it."

As if to shield Azu, Aogiri stepped forward too.

She stood in Nephilim's way.

… Ever since Nephilim's whole body caught fire, the surrounding temperature seemed to have risen even more.

Just standing there, sweat poured out and it felt like his whole body was being roasted.

Taking a deep breath nearly made him choke on the hot air.

Elza and Alexia, standing nearby, seemed to be feeling the heat too, their hair and clothes sticking to their skin with sweat.

"Move. I have no business with humans. I'll make you a sacrifice later."

"Does getting as important as a priest make you lose all common sense? No fool steps aside when told 'I'll kill you later, so move.'"

Nephilim ignored Aogiri's response and advanced.

The ground where he stepped had melted red from the heat.

How was he even alive like that?

A normal human, let alone a powerful monster with tremendous life force, shouldn't be able to endure it.

Was this the miracle, or grace, that the Sun God bestowed?

A burning life. A fire that never goes out.

But that was nothing more than rejecting everything except the sun.

How could you even shake hands with hands that were on fire?

There was no way he could accept such a paradise.

Nephilim inhaled deeply and exhaled at Aogiri.

Red-hot breath poured down.

Alexia's magic wrapped around Aogiri's body. Probably a fire-protection spell.

Aogiri held her katana straight up at her right shoulder with both hands, then slashed downward with a sharp exhale.

The katana touched the burning breath.

The blade glowed red-hot, and the sound of Aogiri's hands burning could be heard.

The burning breath scattered and dispersed.

But Aogiri didn't let go of her katana, stopping it just before it touched the ground.

She reversed the blade's direction, took another step forward, and closed the distance to Nephilim.

Her cheeks and arms were being burned by the blazing breath, but she didn't flinch.

One more step, and she was within her striking range.

She pulled up her katana, heading straight for Nephilim's groin.

He blocked the katana with the khakkhara in his left hand and reached out with his right arm to grab Aogiri.

Aogiri let go of her katana and grabbed Nephilim's right arm with both hands.

Both her hands caught fire along with his right arm, but she gritted her teeth and endured while pulling him toward her in one swift motion.

Nephilim's massive body lost its balance easily.

Aogiri had thrown Nephilim.

She released him, but the parts she'd touched were burned raw.

"Gwaaaah!?"

He was slammed into the ground with great force.

His huge limbs spread out, and the right arm she'd grabbed was broken.

"That oughta be enough, girlie."

Aogiri, burned, slumped down.

At the same time, Azu moved.

The Sealed Sword Grungaus was glowing white from Azu's mana.

"S-stop. Don't come near me!"

Nephilim looked at Azu with frightened eyes and intensified his flames.

The fire was too strong to approach, but it no longer mattered.

"It's over."

Azu swung her sword horizontally.

The swing cut through air, but the real attack was the follow-up.

Converting Azu's mana, an invisible blade was released.

This strike, which could penetrate defenses, grew more powerful the more mana Azu had.

Its speed exceeded the speed of sound as it struck Nephilim dead-on.

It was said that once, when Kiyo, the skeleton with tremendous power, had swung the Sealed Sword Grungaus, a massive crack had appeared across an entire wall.

Azu's strike probably still didn't match that.

But if Kiyo had seen this, he would surely have grunted in admiration.

She'd cut Nephilim's body clean in two and cracked the barrier surrounding them.

The barrier began collapsing from that point.

And the fire faded from Nephilim's body.

Life force was clearly draining from him.

All that remained was a blackening, charred object.

Even so, part of his face moved. He was somehow still alive.

"What is that sword…? You cut through my grace itself."

"It's a sword I picked up."

Azu replied, then delivered the finishing blow by thrusting into where his head was.

Nephilim's entire body crumbled to sand and vanished without a trace.

The girl who'd once been frightened by even a small snake could now fight so confidently.

It was deeply moving.

She showed no mercy to the Sun God faith, delivering the killing blow without hesitation.

And with the barrier gone, the sun in the sky returned to normal.

He was finally able to breathe properly and took a deep breath.

Elza hurried to perform healing miracles on Aogiri, and her burns began to heal.

Looking at her, she'd be fine.

She'd come as hired help, but it was a huge relief to have her.

Finn returned just then.

In her right hand, a bound Owen was being dragged along.

Her once-neat face was beaten to a pulp.

Finn was also fatigued from the heat and not unscathed, but she was standing with all limbs intact.

"Your side's done too? I'm tired, so let's go hand her over already."

She wiped the dripping sweat and fanned herself with the front of her shirt as she spoke.

No objections.

As long as they'd captured Owen, this matter was resolved.

Anything beyond that was Jacob's job.

But what was the Church of the Sun God trying to do?

The unsettling feeling took a while to fade.