Chapter 32: The Black-Winged Demon Reappears
"I'll handle these guys."
Ren's voice was calm, but it cut through the din of the approaching horde. Everyone on the wall, including the King, turned to look at him.
"Mr. Ren… you…"
The King looked at Ren with surprise. There was truly too little information about this young man. The King's impression was that Ren was, at most, an S-Class Mage, comparable to a 9-Star Swordsman like Arthur or Erza.
During this quest, Miss Erza was clearly the primary leader.
Now, Ren actually said he would deal with five 9-Star Demonic Beasts—the Mammoth Elephant King, the Dark Panther King, the Hellfire Tiger, the Earth Tyrant Bear, and the Three-Headed Cold Bird—all at once. This was truly hard to believe.
"I can deal with those five," Ren stated, his gaze fixed on the approaching behemoths. "But it will come at a cost. I will expend all of my magic power. After this, I might not be able to participate in the subsequent battle. Not only will I be unable to protect you, but I might even need you to protect me. At that time, my combat power might be even less than a small soldier's."
Ren looked at the King and said. This was a calculated risk. He needed to use Ulquiorra's Resurrección, and he knew his 2-Star magic container couldn't sustain it for long. He would have one shot, and then he would be completely vulnerable.
Seeing that Ren was serious, the King immediately understood the bargain. This was a trump card, and Ren was negotiating the terms of its use. The King didn't hesitate. He clapped a hand on Ren's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ren!" the King guaranteed, his voice firm. "After you defeat the 9-Star Demonic Beasts, I will protect your safety even if it costs me my life!"
The other four Demonic Beasts would be dealt with by the other four 9-Star-level fighters. The most troublesome ones were this new, overwhelming wave. He didn't know what powerful move Ren had to eliminate five 9-Star Demonic Beasts, but it was clear it would come at a great cost.
Even if he couldn't eliminate all five, as long as two or three were eliminated, the Kingdom of Sobelia's strength would surely secure victory.
Ren nodded, then stepped to the edge of the city wall, looking down at the sea of monsters.
"Full Take Over!!! Ulquiorra Cifer!!!"
As Ren spoke, his body began to change. A cold, hollow, and immense spiritual pressure erupted from him, pushing back the soldiers who stood too close.
His original black clothes transformed into a high-collared, long-sleeved jacket with a white front and black back. His lower body was a white, flowing hakama, secured with a wide black sash. A Zanpakutō was tucked into the sash.
His skin became slightly pale, his eyes turned a cold, piercing green, and green tear marks appeared beneath his eyes. The left side of his head was covered by a white, horned helmet fragment.
After Ren's transformation, the King immediately felt the powerful pressure emanating from him.
"So strong!"
Seeing Ren in this form, the King understood why Ren could undertake S-Class Quests with Erza. He knew Ren's magic was Take Over Magic, but he hadn't expected such a significant difference between his pre- and post-transformation states.
In his normal state, Ren appeared unremarkable. But after transforming, this oppressive, cold, and empty feeling was in no way weaker than that of the 9-Star Demonic Beasts.
But could this truly defeat five 9-Star Demonic Beasts?
Ren's transformation did not stop. He knew he could handle one or two 9-Star Demonic Beasts in this base form, but five... that was impossible. His magic reserves would be gone in minutes, and he'd be torn apart.
If these five Demonic Beasts broke through, the destruction caused would be immeasurable. He had to end this now.
Ren slowly drew his sword, his voice a cold whisper, chanting softly, "Enclose... Murciélago."
[Akarin's Note: Tozase, Murciélago (鎖せ, 黒翼大魔 (ムルシエラゴ)), or "Enclose, Murciélago," is Ulquiorra's Resurrección release command from Bleach. It translates to "Enclose, Black-Winged Great Demon."]
A deep, vibrating hum filled the air. A black spiritual pressure from Ren shot straight into the sky.
The clear, cloudless sky instantly became overcast, and the entire world darkened, as if a sudden eclipse had occurred.
Immediately after, a large amount of black, heavy raindrops began to fall from the sky.
This commotion instantly attracted the attention of all people and Demonic Beasts.
"Black rain!"
Everyone was very confused to see the black rain. The black downpour struck their faces and bodies, but there was no wet sensation; the black rainwater dispersed upon contact, leaving a feeling of profound, soul-crushing despair.
"No… this isn't real rain… this is liquefied magic power!!!" one of the city's mages cried out in terror.
Soon, the anomaly disappeared, and the sky returned to normal.
Ren's appearance changed once again at this moment.
His clothes became a white, long, one-piece robe, and a white helmet with two long, curved horns formed on his head. His black hair grew longer, and the tear marks on his face became deeper and wider. Most conspicuously, a pair of huge, black, leathery bat wings, resembling a demon's, tore free from his back, unfurling to their full, massive width.
This form was Ulquiorra's state after his first Resurrección.
At this moment, a terrifying aura emanated from Ren. Everyone nearby, including the 9-Star Swordsman King, felt extremely suppressed, their bodies almost involuntarily trembling, as if facing a terrifying, ancient monster.
"Is this… Ren?!"
Erza, who was busy fending off the Silver Moon Wolf below, also looked up at Ren's current appearance with uncertainty. It was her first time seeing Ren use his Take Over Magic to truly transform. The power was... overwhelming.
Ren didn't waste any words. The time he could maintain this state was extremely short. For his bonus and for the quest, he had to eliminate all five 9-Star Demonic Beasts within his time limit.
"Screeeech—!"
The 9-Star Demonic Beast, the Three-Headed Cold Bird, let out a cry, spread its wings, and flew towards the city wall. As it flew, the cold air it spewed from its three mouths froze everything it touched.
"Ugh ah ah ah ah!"
"Wah ah ah ah ah!"
Many Swordsmen, seeing this, scattered in terror, but their escape speed could not match the speed of the cold air. In an instant, they were enveloped by the cold and frozen into ice sculptures.
Ren looked at the flying Three-Headed Cold Bird and said faintly, "Let's start with you."
"Luz de la Luna!"
[Akarin's Note: Luz de la Luna (Spanish for "Light of the Moon"), an energy javelin Ulquiorra can create. The original text calls it "Moonlight Sword."]
Whoosh!
Ren opened his right hand, and a spiritual javelin emitting a glowing, cyan light appeared in his hand. Ren stepped forward with his left foot, adopting a throwing posture.
"Go!"
The next second, Ren threw the Luz de la Luna in his hand directly at the Three-Headed Cold Bird.
The Luz de la Luna shot towards the Demonic Beast at extreme speed, leaving a green trail in the air.
The Three-Headed Cold Bird's three heads and six eyes could observe all directions; no movement could escape its gaze, and Ren's throwing of the Luz de la Luna naturally couldn't hide from it.
The Three-Headed Cold Bird immediately opened its large mouths, spewing a combined breath of absolute-zero cold air, intending to freeze the javelin.
But it underestimated the Luz de la Luna too much.
Bang!
The javelin, a construct of pure spiritual energy, passed directly through the cold air as if it were harmless fog.
Pfft!
The Luz de la Luna pierced through the Three-Headed Cold Bird's body.
"Screeeech—!!!"
The Three-Headed Cold Bird's three heads opened their three large mouths and wailed in pain simultaneously. This wail made everyone feel a tremor in their hearts.
Ren, standing on the wall, softly chanted, "Explode."
Boom—————!!!
The spiritual Luz de la Luna was instantly detonated.
A terrifying explosion of green energy erupted in mid-air, emitting a cyan spherical light that rapidly expanded, swallowing the beast whole.
"Ugh ah ah ah ah ah!!!"
"Wah ah ah ah ah ah!!!"
Everyone and the Demonic Beasts below all lost their footing. Many people and Demonic Beasts were even directly sent flying by this impact. Even those on the city wall had to exert all their strength to steady themselves.
After a while, the impact of the explosion subsided. The Three-Headed Cold Bird was no longer visible in the sky.
On the ground, three massive, charred heads, not yet completely pulverized, rained down.
"The Three-Headed Cold Bird… is dead?!!!"
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