Chapter 356: Can We Reconcile?
Flame Light Banquet?
What does that have to do with me!
As long as you set foot on this island, all the Vessels you carry are mine—and through legitimate means!
As for whether you've committed any crimes?
Sorry, my territory, my rules.
If it really comes down to it, those troublesome matters can be handed over to Natsuki Minamiya to resolve.
However, his sharp remarks still shocked everyone, even Shizuka Koyomi was stunned.
Frowning, she softly explained:
"Mr. Yotsuba, these three are Electors of this Flame Light Banquet. Even as a Demon Hunter of Itogami Island, you have no right to deal with them."
Not to mention one of them is the Chaos Bride who signed the Holy Ground Treaty.
"All their actions are completely legal, and guaranteed by our Lion King Organization..."
"What does that have to do with me? Who the hell does your Lion King Organization think they are?"
Mahiro mercilessly interrupted Koyomi's nonsense.
He was here to pick a fight, why should he care about all that crap.
"Hahahahaha, it's been so long since I've met someone this interesting! I like your attitude, I really love it, my dear Yotsuba Mahiro! So, let me, Dimitrie Vattler, test the depths of your abilities!"
Vattler laughed wildly, terrifying magical power surging from his body.
"『Sagara』!!"
Vattler unleashed his Beast Vassal without holding back.
Frightening magical power exploded like a bomb, churning into a vortex that stirred heaven and earth.
The seawater receded like an ebbing tide, revealing the artificial reefs beneath the surface. The calm sea instantly surged with massive waves!
Immediately after, a giant serpent, dozens of meters tall, slowly raised its head from the sea.
Just the massive body that emerged seemed enough to crush the entire pier!
Its impact stirred up a tornado-like storm, causing several shipping containers to collapse.
But that wasn't the end.
"『Nanda』, 『Upananda』!!"
On both sides of the Serpent User Vattler, two more giant serpent Beast Vassals were summoned, making a total of three enormous Beast Vassals. They twisted together into a spiral, merging into a single Beast Vassal.
A three-headed dragon—a wicked dragon with black scales and wings.
That evil dragon endlessly inhaled the surrounding atmosphere, increasing its own mass, resembling a monster from myth or legend.
If a natural disaster like turbulence or a typhoon had a physical form, it would probably look like this.
And the immense magical power, rivaling that of a Progenitor's Beast Vassal, caused the entire pier area of the artificial island to shake, teetering on the brink.
Feeling the violent magical power mixed within the sea breeze blowing against his face, an indescribable pressure crushed his body.
Yet even so, Mahiro remained expressionless as he gazed at the wildly laughing Vattler and the enormous three-headed dragon behind him.
"A fused Beast Vassal? And fused from serpents into an evil dragon? What a novelty! Too bad it's not a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon..."
The corners of his mouth slowly curved upward, forming a meaningful smile.
Then, he suddenly took a step forward!
Tap!
The sound of his footstep wasn't loud, but within Mahiro's body, magical power equally difficult to ignore began to surge.
Immediately followed by a second step.
Yotsuba Mahiro's magical power visibly climbed another notch.
And the distance between him and Vattler grew shorter and shorter.
His pace also grew faster and faster.
From an initial walk, to a jog, and finally breaking into a full sprint.
Scattered magical energy surged, churning the heavens. The once clear, boundless sky was instantly shrouded in dark clouds, swirling like a vortex or a millstone slowly turning in the firmament.
At the moment the magical energy peaked, Mahiro leaped into the air, descending alongside a thunderclap.
That immense magical energy filled the Third Progenitor with shock and disbelief—how could a human possess such power?
Even the ancient humans, the "Deva," could not compare to this!
Meanwhile, sensing the magical energy that far surpassed his own, Vattler slowly widened his eyes, his body beginning to tremble.
It felt as though his very brain was shaking!
This was not fear but the trembling of excitement!
"Ah..."
A low murmur escaped him.
"Yes, just like this! You truly possess what I crave. Release it all! Hold nothing back, show me everything you have!!"
Vattler, like a fanatical devotee, shed his previous elegance, roaring and shouting with madness.
What was his purpose in participating in the Flame Light Banquet?
Naturally, to pursue the Fourth Primogenitor and obtain her blood!
But now, before him was an existence even more intriguing and elusive than the Fourth Primogenitor. As a vampire who thrived on devouring others, how could he let this pass?
"—Trample him to your heart's content!"
Under Vattler's command, the three-headed evil dragon hissed like a serpent, suddenly opening its gaping maw to bite at Yotsuba Mahiro, who hovered mid-air.
"Hah, a worm remains a worm. How could it ever transform into a dragon?"
Mahiro sneered, pulling his fist back behind his head. The magical energy throughout his body surged wildly toward his arm, condensing as if into a tangible substance. The veins and meridians hidden beneath his skin became clearly visible.
Witnessing this scene, the Ninth Prince of the Dynasty of Destruction, Iblisveil, stared in utter disbelief.
"...Impossible?"
This magical energy, rivaling that of a Progenitor...
And this familiar fluctuation of magical energy...
"Crush it!!"
With a furious roar, Mahiro's fist struck the air, smashing toward the enormous serpentine head lunging at him.
Boom!!!
In an instant, the entire Itogami Island shook as if struck by a magnitude-seven earthquake!
It was like the detonation of a nuclear bomb.
The pier shattered violently, and the surrounding seawater surged into towering waves!
Beneath the curtain of waves, the three-headed evil dragon, now decapitated, went limp and gradually sank into the sea. Its massive body dissolved into particles of magical energy, slowly dissipating.
This scene completely surpassed the expectations of Shizuka Koyomi and the three vampires present.
Was Vattler's Beast Vassal weak?
To be honest, no—those three dragons were no less formidable than the Beast Vassals of a Progenitor.
Yet, they were slain?!
Most crucially, what they had just witnessed unfold before their eyes...
If the identity of the little girl Yotsuba Mahiro carried, who could transform into a weapon, was previously unknown, then the method used to slay the three-headed dragon just now was unmistakably the combat style of a vampire!
That man, relying on immense magical energy, had torn through space to summon a Beast Vassal!
And that Beast Vassal's appearance was exceptionally peculiar.
It was not a beast.
Nor was it a weapon.
Nor was it some formless entity!
It was a massive dump truck, a dump truck crackling with lightning and thunder!
Could there really be such a bizarre Beast Vassal in this world?
At the very least, Giada, the Third Progenitor and Chaos Bride, who had lived for so long, had never seen one.
And neither had Vattler.
At this moment, Vattler stood frozen in place, lost in deep confusion, until a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Thud!
Vattler was struck on the temple by Yotsuba Mahiro's staff and sent sprawling to the ground.
"Ag..."
A tear of blood trickled from the corner of his torn eye, but Vattler burst into laughter.
"As expected of the one I love..."
Thud!
Before he could finish speaking, another blow landed—a merciless strike that shattered Vattler's teeth.
Yotsuba Mahiro, gripping the Demon-Slaying Holy Spear, spoke coldly.
"Did I give you permission to speak?"
"..."
"Shut the hell up!"
Thud!
Another blow followed.
Yotsuba Mahiro paid no attention to what Vattler wanted to say. If he opened his mouth, he was met with another strike.
In the end, it didn't even matter whether the guy spoke or not—Mahiro just kept hitting him!
Three strikes per second, shattering Vattler's Progenitor dreams on the spot.
Without mercy.
And without caring where this guy came from or who his backers were.
Just hit him!
Finally, when Vattler fell completely silent, Yotsuba Mahiro stood up, shook the blood off his staff, and released his weapon.
Est immediately transformed into a streak of light and merged into the back of Yotsuba Mahiro's hand.
She understood perfectly.
Her presence was no longer needed here.
"Next."
Mahiro turned his head indifferently, his gaze falling on the two remaining Vampires.
Among them, Iblisveil, the Ninth Prince of the Dynasty of Destruction, broke into a cold sweat the moment their eyes met, instinctively preparing to summon his Beast Vassal.
But the next second, a delicate pink fist suddenly appeared, smashing hard into the Ninth Prince's side and sending him flying.
"Boss, leave this small fry to Delta!"
Delta took the initiative to deal with Iblisveil.
Since she had messed up the earlier mission to seize the Vessel, Delta wanted to redeem herself.
As for the woman named Giada, she naturally wanted to exact revenge personally, but she also knew she was no match for her.
Though she was battle-hungry and bloodthirsty, she wasn't an idiot—otherwise, she wouldn't have feared Alpha for so many years.
But just as Delta and the short Vampire were locked in battle... or rather, as Delta was beating him one-sidedly, the emerald-haired girl suddenly vanished.
Immediately after, Yotsuba Mahiro felt a gust of fierce wind descending from above.
"Let me test your skills, human."
She said this, a proud smile curling at the corner of her lips, but her delicate foot carried the force of a thousand pounds, descending mercilessly like a battle axe.
Boom!
The ground shattered.
Yotsuba Mahiro instinctively raised his arm to block the girl's attack, but a crisp cracking sound echoed from his forearm.
His arm bone had fractured.
With just a single kick.
Yet it felt as heavy as a mountain, inflicting the first serious injury he had ever sustained.
Was this Vampire weak?
Not weak—endless lifespan, vast magical power, and the ability to command Beast Vassals.
But to be honest, she wasn't exactly strong either.
Because these vampires rely too heavily on their Beast Vassals, it's no exaggeration to say they are essentially just Beast Vassal launchers.
However, the Third Progenitor, Giada Kukulcan, before him now was completely different. Perhaps due to the influence of South American culture and her own beastman attributes, Giada was exceptionally skilled in combat, especially close-quarters fighting.
Otherwise, how could she have earned the alias "Progenitor of Martial Arts"?
Yet, Mahiro smiled.
Despite being severely injured, he inexplicably grinned, the corners of his mouth curling into a bloodthirsty smirk as he spoke kindly:
"Miss Giada, has no one ever told you not to kick while wearing a skirt?"
Giada's face flushed red at his words.
At that moment, she was wearing a pure white dress, and from Yotsuba Mahiro's perspective, everything was clearly visible.
Though she had lived for countless years, unlike her direct-line vampire subordinates, she was still a pure Vampire Princess.
In the heat of the moment, she hadn't thought much before using such a move.
"And black lace is too mature a style—it doesn't really suit you."
With that, Mahiro immediately grabbed Giada's ankle with a backhand grip and, taking advantage of her distraction, spun around and flung her away.
Giada flew backward like a cannonball, crashing through stacked containers, shattering the warehouse, and burying herself deep in the rubble.
A moment later, movement came from the debris.
Giada's slender frame effortlessly tossed aside the wreckage covering her as she slowly emerged from the ruins, her face still tinged with an inexplicable blush and anger.
But then, she witnessed something she couldn't comprehend.
Yotsuba Mahiro, standing in place, had an unnaturally bent arm hanging at his side, blood dripping from the wound.
Yet, it was healing at a visible rate, even the bend in his arm returning to normal.
This regenerative ability was already comparable to that of their vampire kind.
No, perhaps even more exaggerated!
Mahiro stood still, openly flexing his restored arm.
Not bad. Under the influence of the Tyrant's evolutionary genes, his physical strength had increased significantly, fully adapting to Giada's attacks.
If it happened again, he definitely wouldn't end up as badly as before.
Then, Yotsuba Mahiro raised his head, pressed his hand to his forehead, swept the stray hair falling over his brow back, and revealed his blood-red eyes, glowing with the power of the "Copy Eyes," as he sneered:
"Not good, I'm getting a bit addicted."
He took a step forward, striding toward Giada.
For some reason, when Giada met those eyes, an inexplicable fear sprouted in her heart, and she instinctively took a step back.
Seeing this, Mahiro spoke:
"Oh, trying to run? I remember my Delta was quite taken care of by you, lying in bed for days. As the head of the family, how can I not settle the score?"
With that, Mahiro suddenly accelerated.
A pure white light enveloped his body.
"Acceleration Spell!"
In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Giada as if teleporting.
Giada instinctively threw a fierce punch forward, clearly hitting Yotsuba Mahiro, yet she felt no impact at all.
An afterimage?
This is bad!
By the time Giada realized what was happening, it was too late.
Yotsuba Mahiro had already appeared behind her, his clenched fist drawn back to his waist, feet firmly planted on the ground as he channeled power from his core. Vast magical energy gathered at the tip of his fist.
"Tendo Style Martial Arts—Form Eight—"
"Harden!"
A layer of hard crystalline material suddenly formed over his fist, like diamond, almost identical to the crystals summoned earlier by the "Mesarthim-Adamas"!
"Flame Fan!"
Boom—
A heavy, lightning-fast punch slammed into Giada's side. In an instant, blood sprayed, and a gush of blood erupted from Giada's throat, accompanied by a distorted groan.
She had never imagined she would lose in close combat.
And this power!
It felt like being struck by a high-speed train!
For a moment, Giada's mind went blank.
Her body was sent flying like a meteor, soaring out of the dock and skimming across the sea surface, leaving a trail of white foam as if skipping stones across the water.
"Spatial Movement"
Instantly!
Yotsuba Mahiro abruptly appeared above Giada.
"Tendo Style Martial Arts, Second Form, Fourth Technique—"
He raised his rigidly straightened right leg high above his head, the leather of his shoe reflecting a bloody gleam in the sunset. Like a baseball pitcher's special throwing motion, he lifted his foot 180 degrees, sole facing the sky, then suddenly halted.
Just as Giada had attacked him earlier, Mahiro now returned the favor exactly as received—with double the force!
"—Hidden Zen, Upper and Lower Flower Maze!!"
Boom!!
The sea erupted as if struck by thunder!
Splashing white waves and a massive tsunami surged, threatening to engulf all of Itogami Island.
Yet, as the tidal wave reached the artificial island, spatial teleportation magic suddenly manifested along its outer edge, diverting all the seawater elsewhere.
When the waves subsided, Giada's figure had already sunk into the depths, vanishing beneath the surface.
But even this wasn't enough for Mahiro to let her go.
"I've only repaid the principal—the interest hasn't been settled yet!"
Just as he was about to dive into the sea, the vast ocean surface inexplicably stirred.
The seawater began to boil, countless massive bubbles rising, bursting, and releasing scorching steam.
Rapidly evaporating seawater formed a dense fog over the ocean, while beneath the surface, a whirlpool formed, continuously replenishing the evaporated water.
In the dark depths, a vaguely visible object emitting a reddish-orange glow could be seen, rapidly attempting to break through the surface.
The "Copy Eyes" in Mahiro's pupils slowly rotated, instantly analyzing what had emerged beneath the sea.
A Beast Vassal of the Third Progenitor, the Chaos Bride!
An entity named Xiuhtectli, its form unknown.
It could generate massive pillars of flame from below, like volcanic eruptions, or create rolling, explosive streams of fire resembling giant serpents!
At this moment, Giada stood atop the head of this formless Beast Vassal, riding the fiery currents as she surged forward.
"Heh."
Mahiro laughed once more, like a child who had discovered something new.
Tell me, what happens when extreme cold and extreme heat collide?
He wanted to thoroughly explore this subject.
And now was the perfect opportunity!
He raised his right hand once more, gathering Psionic Light and magical power into his fist. In an instant, his entire arm radiated a dazzling, blinding brilliance!
During these past few months on Itogami Island, Yotsuba Mahiro had not been idle.
Although his initial attempt to integrate Spirit Blood into potions had failed, he had delved into other areas, such as magic.
When he encountered Spirit Blood, he realized that his offensive methods might be lacking.
Apart from his most commonly used techniques—Mist Dispersion, the strategic-class magic Material Burst, and Heavy Metal Burst—his other methods seemed inadequate for serious combat.
Even Inferno and Niflheim had significant limitations.
Especially when facing these monstrous Beast Vassals.
Thus, over the past few months, he had refined his magic using the knowledge he had gained from traversing so many worlds.
For instance, he had integrated Esdeath's Demon's Extract power and techniques into Niflheim, transforming it into a magic with temperatures lower than the strategic-class magic Ice Age and a wider range of effect.
"「Niflheim」"
At the moment the fiery torrent tore through the sea's surface, Mahiro's fist descended, colliding with it!
Sizzle!
It was like scalding oil dripping into ice water.
Instantly, a suffocating thick fog spread across the sea's surface.
But what was truly unbelievable was that at the edge of the white mist, the churning sea gradually calmed, becoming covered by a thick layer of solid ice that emitted an extreme, bone-chilling cold.
A flurry of snow drifted down from the sky, falling upon Itogami Island.
The citizens of Itogami Island, panicked by the earthquake and immense magical power, suddenly halted in their tracks, looking up at the heavy snowflakes drifting down from the sky.
It was snowing.
This was a sight that should not have appeared on Itogami Island, where it was perpetually summer.
At the center of the swirling vortex that had stirred everything, all had been frozen. The surging fiery torrent had solidified into obsidian, standing atop the solid ice like a marvel.
This clash between extreme cold and extreme heat ended with the extreme heat, representing the Earth's core temperature, losing.
"Yotsuba Mahiro, your existence is indeed special, surpassing my understanding of humans. This playtime was quite enjoyable. I'll remember you, and I'll come find you again next time!"
Giada's voice echoed from afar. Mahiro lifted his head, calmly gazing at the distant horizon.
"Thinking of running away? It won't be that easy."
He raised his hand, shaping it into a gun gesture, and aimed into the distance.
「Eye of the Spirit」 activated.
「Multi-Observation」 activated.
「Material Transformation·Sakuradite」
「Material Burst」 activated!
Using Sakuradite to trigger Material Burst was something he had long wanted to try. Now was the perfect chance to test its power on a Progenitor!
Giada, who had fled to a distance using her Beast Vassal's spatial movement ability, suddenly found a pinkish ore appearing before her. Before it could even fall, it was enveloped by a pitch-black singularity.
Seeing this, Giada's pupils contracted sharply, her expression changed drastically, and she cried out in a sharp voice:
"Xolotl!"
A giant skeleton-like form swiftly enveloped her entire body, but it was ultimately a step too late.
The singularity of energy, capable of annihilating heaven and earth, was rapidly expanding, engulfing both her and the skeletal giant.
Boom!!
Another deafening explosion echoed from a location thousands of kilometers away from Itogami Island.
Immediately after, a faintly visible black and yellow hemispherical object could be seen covering the sea surface, only to vanish moments later.
All that remained on the sea was an abyss-like, bottomless trench.
Billions of tons of seawater were pouring into the trench, while the air formed a storm that was continuously sucked into it.
Mahiro's black, tousled hair fluttered in the turbulent airflow. He stood motionless, clicking his tongue with a hint of regret.
"Tsk, did I still let this guy get away?"
Progenitors were hard to kill, annoyingly tenacious like cockroaches.
But it didn't matter. If he didn't succeed this time, there would always be another chance to play.
With this thought, Mahiro's mind cleared. He turned around and stepped back into the thick fog, preparing to return to Itogami Island.
On Itogami Island.
Shizuka Koyomi, the overseer of the Flame Light Banquet, had not yet left. She stood dazedly on the shattered dock, gazing into the distance.
Everything had spiraled beyond her control.
No, perhaps from the very beginning, this Flame Light Banquet had already veered off course.
And now, on the glacier that had frozen the dock, the sound of heart-pounding footsteps echoed, like the reverberations of death itself stepping upon her heart.
A figure slowly approached from afar.
It was the figure she least wanted to see.
And that figure's target was already locked onto her!
"Has the battle ended?"
Just then, a voice full of authority came from above and to the right of Shizuka Koyomi.
The girl instinctively looked up and saw Natsuki Minamiya holding a parasol and dressed in a black Lolita outfit. However, at this moment, Natsuki Minamiya's small face wore an expression of someone watching a spectacle.
She seemed to have no intention of intervening at all.
Shizuka Koyomi couldn't help but frown and say:
"Natsuki Minamiya, the Flame Light Banquet has already selected an Elector. Aren't you going to try to stop it?"
Hearing this, Natsuki Minamiya smiled. Her laughter was light, yet filled with mockery. She said softly:
"I'm sorry, but as one of the Three Saints of the Lion King Organization, I am only responsible for monitoring Yotsuba Mahiro. If he truly intends to do something, there's nothing I can do to stop him."
"..."
Such blatant shirking of responsibility!
But there was no helping it. Not to mention whether Natsuki Minamiya had any means to deal with this man, she herself harbored deep hostility toward the Lion King Organization.
So, in the end, the solution still fell on her shoulders.
But how could she resolve this?
As the overseer of this Flame Light Banquet, she had already shown enough bias toward the other Electors, never taking Yotsuba Mahiro seriously. She had been certain she could use their hands to eliminate Yotsuba Mahiro.
Yet, unexpectedly, everyone had lost.
Leading Shadow Garden, using Beast Vassals as a human, and accomplishing feats beyond human comprehension.
Even the Third Progenitor had been defeated by this man.
Just as Shizuka Koyomi was pondering a solution, the heart-pounding footsteps drew closer. Turning around, she found Yotsuba Mahiro already right before her, startling her into a shiver. Her voice trembled as she said:
"I am the overseer of the Flame Light Banquet. Since you've already fought the other Electors, you can't fight me too."
Mahiro showed no intention of stopping.
Shizuka Koyomi continued:
...I apologize. As one of the Three Saints of the Lion King Organization, I have acted unjustly toward you during this Flame Light Banquet. I can offer compensation, so...
"Can we settle this amicably?"