The moment the words "betray the kingdom" were spoken—
"N-No! That's not it!" Asta's eyes widened as he frantically waved his hands in denial.
"Heh… 'Betrayal of the kingdom,' huh? That's quite the heavy accusation."
Yuuki smiled faintly, narrowing his eyes at Nozel.
"This is my spoils of war. The right to decide his fate isn't yours, Captain Nozel."
"This is not a place for an outsider to interfere. And your suspicions have yet to be cleared."
Nozel's mercury surged violently, rapidly condensing into countless razor-sharp chains that hovered in the air, all pointed at Yuuki.
"Leave. Or I will deal with the two of you as well."
The temperature in the hall seemed to drop instantly.
"W-Wait!! This isn't the time for that!"
Asta panicked, rushing between them, waving his arms wildly.
"Just hold on! That guy's body belongs to Captain William!"
Yuno stepped forward calmly.
"William? Explain. His face and magic are completely different," Nozel said, frowning.
"I don't fully understand it either. But I can clearly feel Captain William's presence inside him."
"And Asta's sword might be able to restore him."
Nozel glanced at Asta in silence.
The mercury chains slowly dissolved back into liquid form.
"…Even so, this battle is not something for non–Magic Knights to meddle in."
The words were clearly aimed at Yuuki.
"It seems Captain Nozel still hasn't grasped the situation."
"And since I'm not a Magic Knight, I don't take orders from a Magic Knight Captain."
Yuuki's smile remained, light and almost lazy.
The tension thickened again.
Yuno rubbed his temple.
Now was absolutely not the time for this.
"Captain Nozel…"
Mimosa, who had been quietly standing in the corner, hurried over and tugged lightly on his sleeve, whispering an explanation of everything that had happened.
As Nozel's attention shifted to her report, Yuuki shrugged and signaled Asta with a glance.
No rush.
The devil comes first. Everything else can wait.
Asta stepped forward with the Demon-Destroyer Sword, placing its blunt tip against Patry's forehead. (T/N: It should be the demon destroyer sword, right? Because it's the only one of Asta's sword's that has this effect and I can Vividly remember Asra getting this sword during this fight.)
BOOM—
An overwhelming surge of black Anti-Magic exploded outward, forming a dark spherical barrier that engulfed both of them.
The natural mana in the air was violently erased.
Yuuki's eyes gleamed.
Asta's control over Anti-Magic had clearly advanced again.
If there was one force in this world that defied all logic—
—it was Anti-Magic.
"...Asta."
Yuno watched the swirling black aura with concern. This felt far more dangerous than the previous reincarnation purifications.
"Trust him."
Yuuki stepped beside Yuno quietly.
"…Yeah."
Yuno exhaled slowly, then glanced sideways at Yuuki.
"You've gotten stronger again."
Yuuki blinked, then chuckled.
"Have I? You're not exactly standing still yourself."
Yuno had already grasped Mana Zone at this stage—something even some captains had yet to master.
Yuuki couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Asta. Yuno.
Their growth bordered on absurd.
Without Replication Magic, he would have long since been left behind.
BOOM—
The Anti-Magic sphere suddenly detonated and vanished.
"That was dangerous!!"
Asta staggered back, gripping the Demon-Destroyer Sword, sweat pouring down his face.
Yuuki knew what had happened.
Asta had entered Patry's inner world to pull him back from the abyss.
It was a reckless method—one misstep and he could have been trapped as well.
But Anti-Magic defied common sense.
Even if he failed, Asta could force his way out.
Patry's eyes opened.
One eye had returned to its original color.
The lifeless emptiness was gone.
"Tch… I've never met a more foolish human."
His voice was hoarse—but conscious.
Then he turned to Yuno, expression softening.
"I'm sorry. William will have to wait a little longer. Right now… the only thing I can do is finish this myself."
"…That's enough."
Yuno nodded quietly.
Patry finally looked at Yuuki.
"…You…"
"Didn't die as a sacrifice?" Yuuki finished calmly. "I don't get killed that easily."
Patry lowered his gaze.
"I'm sorry. This is all my fault."
"You don't owe me an apology."
Yuuki flicked his wrist. The chains binding Patry dissolved instantly.
"If you're going to repent, apologize to the ones whose souls were sacrificed. You deceived them."
He paused.
"Whatever lies between us can wait. The devil comes first."
Patry nodded firmly.
"Yes."
Suddenly—
A crushing, suffocating malice descended from above.
Every person present felt it.
Cold.
Deep.
Inhuman.
The air trembled.
Then—
A viscous, black-blue gelatinous mass began pouring down from the upper corridor like a living tide.
The moment it appeared, an overwhelming sense of suffocation gripped everyone's lungs.
Yuuki's eyes sharpened.
He recognized it instantly.
Word Soul Magic—
Word Soul Magic: Electromagnetic Gel.
The true battle was beginning.
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