Besides a Red Demon's corpse, Hendrickson also had a higher-tier Gray Demon's corpse.
It was a Gray Demon that died in the Holy War three thousand years ago, its body left in the ruins beneath the capital.
Hendrickson happened to discover the ruins, and thus obtained the Gray Demon's corpse.
Though Gray Demons and Red Demons are both small fry within the Demon Clan, the former is still a cut above.
As Hendrickson said in the original course of events, a human body simply can't withstand a Gray Demon's power.
Hendrickson, however, had done something to his body; in short, he had gained the ability to endure Gray Demon blood.
After Dreyfus knocked him down into the ruins just now, he drew out the Gray Demon's blood, injected it into himself, and became what he was now.
At the same time, his magic spiked enormously; the ominous pressure made the Holy Knights around them feel like they were suffocating.
"Black Snow!"
Hendrickson, whom Charles had kicked away, sprang up at once and unleashed an attack on everyone.
Black snowflakes drifted down in flurries, each one radiating a sinister magical aura.
Hendrickson's magic, \[Corrosion], had become even more terrifying after he fused Gray Demon blood—practically evolved into the power of death.
If ordinary people touched those black flakes, their lives would be taken.
"Fire Dragon's Wingbeat!"
Flames wrapped around Charles's arms; as he swept his hands, they became a dragon's wings and scoured the air.
The moment those death-laden flakes met the fire, they were purified.
After clearing out the black snow, Charles said, "You dare trot that out? Demon blood really does rot your brain!"
Hendrickson's expression didn't change, but his fists clenched. He had no reason to hold back, and fired a torrent of violet-black energy straight at Charles.
"Decay of All Things!"
No need for fancy techniques or flourishes—Hendrickson only had to release raw magic to produce horrific lethality.
Charles didn't react—of course not because he was scared, but because someone stepped in front of him.
"Full Counter!"
Meliodas swung his short sword and sent the violet-black magic all back.
Power that was deathly dangerous to others didn't trouble Hendrickson much; blasted by his own magic, his body wasn't harmed at all.
Meliodas's strike had little effect, and he dropped to one knee, bracing on his short sword and panting.
Full Counter can fully reflect an opponent's magic attacks and costs little magic to use. By rights, simply reflecting Hendrickson's attack shouldn't have left him in this state.
But he'd already been through several fights.
As soon as he entered the city, he ran into several Holy Knights led by Hendrickson, including Gilthunder, Howzer, Griamore, Guila, and Jericho.
Even though Guila defected midway and Ban and Gowther lent a hand, the battle was grueling.
The main reason they were struggling was that Ban and Gowther were slacking off when they fought. Ban's an incorrigible jerk; a fight that has nothing to do with him won't make him get serious.
Gowther, on the other hand, had issues of his own.
He possessed the magic of Gowther of Selflessness of the Demon Clan—the one so powerful the Demon King chose to imprison him.
Gowther of Selflessness's power was immense to begin with, and after past events led Gowther to delete part of his memories, he ultimately couldn't fully control his magic.
So his power had been teetering on the edge of rampage, previously kept in check only by the armor Merlin made.
But later Gowther gave that armor to Del and lost his safeguard.
Charles had seen plenty of rampages, but Gowther's was uniquely peculiar—his rampage was a spiral of confusion and fixation about the "heart."
Someone with a weak sense of right and wrong falling into that kind of problem can do anything, really.
So once the fighting started, for reasons unknown, Gowther basically went idle and was no help at all.
As the battle wore on, Meliodas didn't forget the "incantation" he and Gilthunder had agreed upon as kids, and after tanking everyone's attacks, he dispelled the familiar Vivian had planted on Princess Margaret.
That's why Meliodas looked so beat up when Charles saw him.
By then, the king had been rescued, and the mischievous trio—Gilthunder, Griamore, and Howzer—switched sides together.
Then Hendrickson showed off his perfectly fused demon power and sent the entire New Generation into a rampage.
With only a sliver of power left, Meliodas's magic output wasn't high to begin with; being able to keep fighting at all was already impressive.
Charles tossed him a vial of healing potion. "You didn't actually need to take that hit for me."
Meliodas took the potion, didn't even ask what was in it, and downed it in one go. His wounds began knitting rapidly, and even his magic recovered somewhat.
Charles clapped him on the shoulder. "This guy's a bit much for you as you are now. Let me handle it. Won't take much anyway."
With that, he stepped forward. The Evil Dragon and Dragonslayer gauntlets covered his arms, and his twin fists rang together with a clang.
"Sorry, I'm getting a little bored. So I won't be gentle this time!"
Before the words had finished, Hendrickson saw Charles blur to a stop in front of him—and then his face warp under a single punch.
With a boom, Hendrickson slammed into the ground, but he soon stood again.
He pushed his skewed head back into place with his hand; the broken cervical vertebrae mended in a flash.
As Charles charged again, Hendrickson bellowed and unleashed a dozen-plus violet-black tendrils, weaving a great net around him.
The next instant, a gleam showed through the gaps.
An eruption of searing flame blasted the tendrils to bits, revealing Charles inside already cocked to strike.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The punch roared out with a torrent of fire. Hendrickson dodged, but his entire upper body was swallowed by flame.
His charred, mangled torso regenerated at once, but the look he gave Charles had changed.
After fusing Gray Demon blood, Hendrickson had assumed he was invincible. He hadn't expected Charles to show even more terrifying power.
What, drink Red Demon blood and you're not his match; even after fusing Gray Demon blood you still can't win?
Then what was the point of all that research and body modification—just changing the skin?
It was just like a gamer who whales hard and only gets a cosmetic skin. Sure, the battle power ticks up a bit—but what you couldn't beat, you still can't beat.
(End of Chapter)
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