Hisashi turned around to face his remaining foes—Rizevim Livan Lucifer and Katerea Leviathan. Both wore sour expressions, their auras pulsing with darkness.
The loss of a powerful ally had clearly rattled them, though they quickly regained their composure.
As expected from Satans descended from Lucifer and Leviathan... they never disappoint.
With today's victory under their belt, Hisashi would've preferred to leave things there. But Serafall was still engaged in combat with the two Satans, with Natsumi backing her up.
What he needed now was a way to boost his strength instantly—without tapping into his Hollow powers just yet. With Bankai running in the background, he had enough power to challenge even a Satan-class.
Victory or defeat now depends on wits.
Suddenly, he remembered something crucial.
Shit! I forgot we could actually power up or use Aura Burst. I've been too focused on the powers I gained recently.
"Natsumi! Try powering up!" he called out.
"Took you long enough to figure that out, genius," Serafall shot back without missing a beat.
Honestly... he had no comeback. His memory could be terrible sometimes.
Natsumi took a stance and began charging up her energy. He could feel it—her power rising by the second.
'Peak Ultimate Class...'
'Wait, did she just surpass the barrier between Ultimate Class and Satan Class, or am I seeing shit?'
'You could be seeing shit, chief...'
You quit running your mouth, or I'll make you regret it.
'Uhuh...'
For once, Yuzui didn't continue the squabble.
Is he... being mature?
'Fuck you!'
'Yeah, I take that back. Also, am I the only one who screams while powering up?'
'Unfortunately, yes. It's embarrassing to admit I'm part of your soul when you do that every single time. Not to mention, aren't you worried you'll shit yourself one day?'
Yūzūi was always brutally honest. Hisashi's face turned red, and he decided to take the feedback seriously.
Note to self: don't shit myself when powering up...
...
Hisashi snapped out of his embarrassment and focused on Natsumi's strength.
How much has she been hiding all these years?
He didn't dwell on it. All that mattered was that she was stronger—and therefore safer.
The two Satans looked shocked, but Natsumi was already upon them—specifically Katerea.
"You must be the one Serafall mentioned that day! I've been so excited to meet you!" she said cheerfully.
The force behind her kick, however, was anything but cheerful.
Katerea managed to block with her arms, but the sheer power behind it sent her crashing through mountains. Hisashi wasn't sure if she'd be okay and silently hoped for her survival.
If only Ingvild wasn't the daughter of that swine... I'd be giving her a thumbs up right now.
"Well Serafall, think we can handle dear Lucifer?" Hisashi asked, moving into position.
Serafall activated a magic circle in response.
"I think we have a shot at him, Tsuki-chan!"
Water dragons formed around her, roaring as they shook the entire battlefield.
Hisashi seized the moment and lunged at Rizevim, aiming a swift slash at his midsection. Rizevim stepped back, countering with a strike toward Hisashi's neck.
He ducked, slipping just beneath the blade, and followed up with a roundhouse kick to the ribs. Rizevim, anticipating the move, parried it cleanly.
Using the recoil, Hisashi flipped into the air and unleashed slashes of sword intent. Rizevim responded in kind, a grin creeping onto his face. When he glanced upward, the boy had already vanished.
It didn't take long for Rizevim to realize something was off. He sensed a surge of magical power—something approaching.
Five water dragons.
With no other choice, Rizevim sprang into the air, weaving through the dragons with surprising agility. More followed in hot pursuit, but something about it made him uneasy.
That's when he felt it.
He glanced back—Hisashi stood suspended in the sky behind him.
"Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu!"
Five colossal dragons of pure spiritual flame rushed towards him.
The dragons move with independent will, spiraling and weaving through the air with perfect synchronicity, never colliding, relentlessly targeting the opponent from all angles.
Facing a combined assault, Rizevim didn't dare take them head-on. He immediately attempted to escape.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
He darted through the attacks—left, right, up, down. He was honestly impressed by how the dragons never collided with one another.
They never get in each other's way... I can use the gaps they instinctively avoid, Rizevim thought.
He spotted the one blind spot where the dragons wouldn't strike and took it. Though the dragons were in perfect sync, they attacked in a rotating rhythm. He figured out their pattern almost instantly.
Rizevim narrowly escaped the hellish barrage.
But little did he know...
Hisashi and Serafall exchanged a glance—and launched their all-out assault. This time, there was no strategy. No spacing.
Dragons clashed. Magic collided. Steam spread across the battlefield in thick waves.
This was unexpected, Rizevim thought. But I should still be able to deal with them...