NOVPUB...
Several kilometers away.
Over the South Bank of Floral City Pariel, Beelzebub streaked through the sky at a startling speed, like a meteor leaving a trail in the gloomy, overcast night.
He glanced back in panic from time to time, and wherever his gaze fell, ruins and rubble were all that remained. The streets of Pariel, once washed by torrential rains, appeared especially desolate.
But these scenes weren’t his focus, his concern rested solely on a terrifying figure that lingered in his mind.
That chilling presence, even for him, a great demon from the other end of Calamity Servitude, filled him with dread!
The Bishop of Destruction... Ivanos...
These two names echoed endlessly in his brain, tearing at his nerves like sharp claws.
Beelzebub couldn’t make sense of it. How could a seemingly slightly strong maid turn out to be the Bishop of Destruction Ivanos, like winning a lottery?
And it seemed like he was the one who had awakened Ivanos.
Had he known, he would never have provoked her!
"Rocky! McCarthy! Damn you both!!"
Beelzebub muttered in terror, desperately trying to flee Floral City Pariel, occasionally looking back over his shoulder.
Now all he knew was that he needed to escape quickly.
He could just lie low for a century and then return. By then all these humans would be dead, and he would still have plenty of opportunities and time!
Just as Beelzebub was thinking this, he suddenly felt his forehead seized by a pair of ice-cold, bone-piercing hands.
Before he could react, a force seemingly capable of tearing his soul from his body pulled him from the high skies.
In an instant, the world spun around him, and Beelzebub felt his internal organs churn violently, uncontrollably plummeting from the sky.
With a thunderous crash that nearly deafened him,
Beelzebub smashed heavily into the hard ground of Pariel’s South Bank!
Dust billowed, and gravel scattered as the ground spread in a web of cracks, mercilessly burying his body.
"Ugh... cough... cough...!"
Beelzebub struggled to gather his consciousness, fresh, sweet blood spewed from his mouth, and his face twisted in severe pain.
Flames redder than blood burst from the ground, roasting Beelzebub and eliciting from him a pitiful scream.
But Beelzebub had no time to think about that, for his eyes were fixed on a single figure—the red-haired demon grasping his head.
Instinct urged Beelzebub to counter-attack; deep blue flames of curse burst from his fingertips, engulfing Enon in a sweeping howl, causing even the air to decay as it passed.
Against the curse flames strong enough to severely injure an Eighth-order fighter, Enon remained unmoved. An even more tumultuous red blaze danced wildly around her, seemingly unable to leave the slightest mark on her body.
She stood silently, her expression gradually becoming twisted, a cruel smile forming on her lips.
Pain was but a laughable concept to her.
"Utterly foolish..."
Enon’s voice echoed like a eulogy from the lord of Hell amidst the inferno.
In the next instant, with a flick of her wrist, red flames roared out, engulfing Beelzebub’s curse flames instantly. She kept smashing his head into the ground, making the buildings on the entire South Bank tremble as if they were about to collapse, even as the earth caved in, creating a deep pit, nothing could stop her from treating Beelzebub like a weakly jackal to be tortured.
Beelzebub’s face turned as white as paper.
He desperately gathered all his magic power, erecting one defensive barrier after another in front of him, but against those destructive sparks, all defenses seemed fragile and feeble.
And this crazy woman did not fear pain; she would trade blow for blow until dead. Once she set her sights on someone, there was no escaping or blocking; to fight her was to purely endure abuse, inflicting only a pile of ineffective damage in exchange for half her life!
Beelzebub couldn’t understand why he had provoked such a being!
His defenses were easily torn apart; rubble immediately swallowed his body, dragging him into a blazing red inferno.
The demon’s heartrending cries echoed in the rainy night, filled with extreme agony and despair.
"We should have no grievances or hatred, Bishop of Destruction!!"
Beelzebub fought back with all his might, burning Ivanos with the flames of curse.
However, as if impervious to pain, Ivanos never let go, continually piercing Beelzebub’s body with crimson fire columns.
"Hehehehe."
Blood oozed from her mouth, revealing a twisted smile,
"I only know that torturing you brings me immense pleasure."
Alarm sounds rang through the skies over Floral City Pariel.
"Warning, emergency announcement."
"In district 1 of Pariel’s South Bank, an Eighth-order battle has occurred."
"An Eighth-order battle has occurred."
"Nearby citizens, please evacuate at the fastest speed."
"The fighters are suspected to be the curse-spreading culprit of the Demon Race and the second fighter suspected to be the Bishop of Destruction Ivanos."
...
Less than half an hour later.
In district 4 of the North Shore, in the garden of Count Bathist’s mansion.
Raindrops pelted the water’s surface, creating a spray of ripples.
The fountain at the center of the garden had ceased to operate, and several marble sculptures lay toppled in the pond, shattered to pieces.
The pond water, which was once crystal clear, was now murky, filled with twigs, leaves, and broken bricks.
The flower beds on either side had not escaped damage, and the grand beech and oak trees in the depths of the garden had also met with misfortune. Their once proud trunks were scarred with black, their branches shattered, and countless broken leaves danced in the wild wind.
