The rising sun drove away the last traces of night.
Suspended in the sky, Yuuki inhaled the cool breath of the early morning wind, a faint smile slowly curving across his lips.
In that instant—
The natural mana permeating the air seemed to grow more active, as if stirred by his mood.
Mana Zone?
Yuuki didn't know what state Mereoleona entered when she used Mana Zone.
But at this moment, he could effortlessly control every strand of natural mana drifting through the atmosphere.
No—
"Control" wasn't quite the right word.
The natural mana in the air felt like extended limbs—like an inseparable part of his own body.
When Mereoleona and the others activated Mana Zone, they consumed massive amounts of their own magic power. It was a trump card, something that couldn't be maintained for long.
But Yuuki was different.
He existed in a permanently awakened state.
He didn't need to expend his own magic power to command the natural mana around him.
And this—
Was merely a passive effect.
The true transformation lay in his body and soul.
If devils were considered higher lifeforms than humans in this world—
Then Yuuki now stood on that same level.
Not a devil.
Not an angel.
If he had to describe it—
It was something uniquely his own.
Awakening — Divine Form.
If he were to face the Word Soul Devil again—
He alone would be enough to hold it back.
As for killing it?
He wasn't certain.
But one thing was sure.
The Word Soul Devil would never kill him.
Yuuki lowered his gaze toward the ruined Royal Capital below.
A single thought flickered in his mind.
Silently—
He appeared before Sally and Fana.
No sound.
Not even the whisper of wind.
It was as if he had always been standing there.
"K–Yuuki… sama."
Fana lowered her head quickly, voice trembling. She instinctively avoided meeting his eyes.
An indescribable aura radiated from him—
Gentle.
Natural.
Sacred.
It stirred a sense of humility deep within her heart.
Even Sally—normally loud, eccentric, fearless—stood uncharacteristically restrained. A trace of awe flickered within her crimson eyes.
"Thank you. Both of you."
Yuuki smiled lightly and waved a hand toward the Black Bulls.
The ritual had succeeded.
They were no longer a threat.
The chain magic binding them vanished instantly.
The Black Bulls regained their freedom—
Yet none of them attacked.
They didn't even shout threats.
Instead, they instinctively gathered together, staring at Yuuki with stunned vigilance.
Charmy swallowed nervously.
"Uh… what happened to him? He feels like a completely different person."
"So, this is what he meant by becoming 'a god'?" Magna muttered, trying to sound defiant. "Other than the clothes, hair, and eyes… he doesn't look that different."
But his voice was quieter than usual.
"Heh… there's no point fighting."
Luck suddenly sat down on the ground.
Before, even knowing he couldn't win, he'd still wanted to challenge Yuuki.
Now?
It felt like facing an entirely different species.
Precisely because his senses were so sharp—
He understood just how vast the gap truly was.
"We're the Black Bulls! We don't just give up, Luck!" Magna protested.
Immediately, Finral and Gauche clamped a hand over Magna's mouth.
"Idiot! Don't provoke him!" Zora hissed.
Suddenly—
"Yuuki… you've already achieved your goal, haven't you? Could you please—"
Noelle stepped forward, biting her pale lips, forcing herself to speak.
Yuuki's gaze shifted to her.
Buzz—
BOOM.
Invisible pressure descended.
Every member of the Black Bulls except Noelle was slammed flat onto the ground.
The earth beneath them shattered instantly, collapsing into a deep crater.
Noelle's face went white.
She stumbled backward, tripped on a stone, and fell to the ground.
Just as suddenly—
The pressure vanished.
"Sorry. I'm still not fully accustomed to this new power."
Yuuki spoke calmly.
He gave Noelle a brief glance, shook his head slightly, and returned his gaze forward—
As if waiting for something.
Fana and Sally stood respectfully behind him.
Sally glanced at Noelle's pale, shaken expression, a faint trace of mockery crossing her face.
Silence fell once more.
Two minutes later—
Two spatial gates opened simultaneously before Yuuki.
One red.
One black.
Mariella and Neige emerged from one, carrying an unconscious Asta.
Valtos and Rebecca emerged from the other, carrying an unconscious Yuno.
The moment they appeared, all four froze.
They immediately sensed Yuuki's transformed aura.
Shock.
Then excitement.
Yuuki-sama had succeeded!
But—
The instant their attention shifted to him—
Asta and Yuno's eyes snapped open.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Overwhelming anti-magic and wind magic erupted from their bodies.
They broke free of Mariella, Neige, Valtos, and Rebecca in a violent surge.
After realizing they had been teleported to the kingdom's farthest border, Asta and Yuno had understood—
There was no way they could return to the capital in time on their own.
They needed space magic.
So, they pretended to be defeated and unconscious.
They had assumed their captors would immediately return to the capital—
Instead, those idiots had waited until dawn.
But ironically—
That delay gave Asta and Yuno time to recover.
Now—
They charged forward.
"Yuuki!!"
"Yuuki!!"
Their roars rang out in unison.
Mariella, Neige, Rebecca, and Valtos were blasted backward, unable to stop the sudden surge of power.
Watching the two rush toward him—
Yuuki's smile widened.
Bright.
Radiant.
Almost delighted.
The true test—
Was about to begin.
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