Chapter 23: The Conclusion

[Third Person's Point of View]

The Gosanke had developed a secret weapon in his previous life, known as Falling Blossom Emotion, specifically designed to counter the effects of the powerful Domain. Thanks to this miraculous invention, Augustus was able to resist the debilitating debuffs that would have made it difficult for him to even stand upright.

But it was not very effective beyond it. According to Analysis, The Domain: Lion's Last Bastion had quite a few worrying effects.

[Analysis: Lion's Last Bastion

Type: Domain Expansion

Effects:

-Inside the domain, the caster's physical strength is tremendously increased, allowing him to deliver blows that can distort space itself.

-The domain's dense magical energy acts as a barrier, significantly enhancing the caster's already formidable magic resistance.

-Any magical attack cast inside the domain is weakened or nullified, making it an almost impregnable defence against spellcasters.

-The gravity within the domain is altered, becoming heavier with each step an intruder takes, aiming to immobilize them and make them easy targets for the caster's attacks.]

The third and fourth effects were prevented from affecting him by the Falling Blossom Emotion, still, Augustus warily eyed the now recovered floating figure of his opponent.

[Aegis of Infinity: Kinetic Absorber]

A tyrannical puch hit him in the head, just as the transparent barrier covered him, concussing him badly as light fractures formed on his skull.

Although Domain Expanded by magical energy-wielding beings was different from what was shown in the manga, Lennox's physical attributes were boosted to such an extent, that he nearly finished the fight with one punch.

Nearly, because just then, Augustus' fail safe activated.

[Conditional Activation Magic: Complete Regeneration]

Augustus had cast this spell on himself just a day after getting his innate technique, with the condition of the spell activating automatically set to when he incurred lethal damage.

His head injury recovered instantly As the fog lifted from his mind. He regained his balance just in time, but before he could fully stabilize himself, his opponent delivered another blow to his stomach.

Lennox's fist shattered through his opponent's defences, launching him across the field. But he didn't stop there. In his Domain, he moved with such speed that it seemed like he was disappearing and reappearing at will. Augustus' figure soared through the air and Lennox materialized behind him, landing yet another powerful punch on his back.

The relentless onslaught continued, with Augustus being tossed around like a lifeless puppet. He had no time to catch his breath, only able to endure the excruciating pain as he focused all his demonic energy on his regenerative powers and protective spells.

After enduring thirty gruelling seconds packed with well-placed punches, Lennox paused to catch his breath while Augustus took advantage of this break to create some distance between them.

Lennox waited, watching his opponent's battered form slowly regenerate. He hoped to see a flicker of despair in the other's eyes but was let down when he pulled out another sword from his spatial storage - the previous one having been destroyed by Lennox's powerful attacks.

"Heh. Still wish to resist? Fine. I won't kill you before I make you relive Every SIngle Pain you caused me today." 

Lennox was about to make good on his words but stopped when he saw his opponent's deranged smile on his freshly regenerated face.

"Ahahahaha", Augustus weirdly laughed out loud, clutching his sword tightly, "Too weak. Still too...."

His laughter slowly died down, as his blue eyes met Lennox's with a chilling glint to them.

"It's time to end this" 

Several metallic objects that had been stored in his spatial storage ring reemerged, encircling them.

[Aegis of Infinity: Elemental Ward]

The translucent shield surrounding him hummed with energy as it switched from shielding him against physical harm to providing protection against the elements.

Lennox's instincts were screaming at him as he zoomed towards his white-haired opponent, determined to end this battle once and for all.

But he was too late.

Augustus released his grip on the metal sword, watching as it slowly descended to the ground serving as a sign for the battle which was nearing its end.

[Heavy Metal Burst]

And then both of them were consumed by bright light.

*

Smoke billowed from the charred ground, filling the air with a thick grey fog. Everywhere, debris and destruction stretched for miles in every direction. At the centre of the destruction, a massive crater lay, a deep and gaping wound in the earth. Hovering just above the ground, a few meters wide, was a golden-hued sphere, its swirling surface mesmerizing to behold.

Suddenly numerous white cracks appeared around the spherical surface, as the sphere burst apart in a huge explosion of white shockwave.

"Arghh" Two figures emerged from the destroyed sphere, their bodies mangled and disfigured. Lennox looked even worse than before, his skin charred and cracked like burnt toast. One of his eyes was missing and both of his hands were gone, leaving behind raw stumps. He knelt on the ground, his head tilted back and eyes closed in pain.

Lying down on the ground just opposite Lennox, Augustus' body was a gruesome sight to behold. His skin was charred and blackened, with patches completely missing, revealing the horrendous sight of his skull and exposed organs. The ribcage was cracked and broken, organs visible and damaged.

He was missing both an arm and leg and air came out of his mouth in rough grasps. Death seemed to be knocking on his door, his body barely clinging to life.

Heavy Metal Burst worked on the principle of transforming heavy metals into high-energy plasma; the magic disseminates amplified solar ions over a wide area by creating gas, an electromagnetic repulsive force, and increased high pressure.

The plasma will then disintegrate everything it touches indiscriminately. In terms of sheer destructive potential, it was far below the likes of Synchronized Linear Fusion or a Hydrogen bomb in general, but it excelled at concentrated single-area target attacks.

Without his Domain amplifying his physical abilities to an extreme level, Lennox would not have been able to survive. The caster of the spell, now one of only a few in the world who have successfully forced a Domain to burst from within, had already lost consciousness multiple times during the process.

He survived purely due to the fixed damage reduction property of his shield and his frankly broken regeneration powers.

Augustus' body which was nearly on death's door just moments ago, now looked a lot better with his limbs regenerated. It took almost a minute for him to completely heal up but at the courtesy of his nearly depleted magic reserves. 

Even a High-Class devil should not be able to cast the magics he spammed out today without severe consequences. Although he was constantly regenerating his energy reserves, the last attack and the subsequent following magics took a huge chunk out of him.

Augustus's amethyst eyes fluttered open, as he was abruptly jolted back into consciousness. The black night sky twinkled above him, and he sat up slowly to take in his surroundings.

He reverted back to his original appearance and retrieved a set of clothes from his miraculously intact spatial storage ring. While he dressed, his eyes were locked on the kneeling figure of his target.

Now outfitted in a comfortable white T-shirt and black joggers, he moved towards Lennox with slow, deliberate steps. This gave him time to replenish his demonic energy before reaching his enemy.

The blackened figure in front of him gazed at him with his one remaining eye, which failed to show any signs of movement or emotion. The outcome of their battle was evident to both of them.

A white magic circle suddenly formed under his body as flickers of hope finally reignited in Lennox's lifeless eyes.

[Analyse]

'A summoning circle? Hmm.....' Without hesitation, he swiftly walked up to his defeated enemy and stepped onto the white markings, causing his surroundings to blur and the familiar sensation of falling greeted him.

The Analysis Spell revealed the destination and the race of the individual behind the magic circle with ease. It was a pleasant surprise to him, and he wasted no time in seizing the opportunity, attributing it to the underworld rewarding him for his recent victory in a major battle.

The surrounding landscape finally stabilised and he found himself standing in a moderately large room, with ingredients for devil summoning ritual spread all around.

"Here. I got what you asked. Now giv...LENNOX?!!"

A middle-aged man dressed in a sharply tailored suit, with a very receeded hairline, spoke in a very Southern accent.

[Francis J. Underwood - Human - 'House Majority Whip '- Tier 10]

'Kev Spacey? Why?' Augustus was certainly perplexed, but he chose to deal with the issue at hand before Francis caused a bigger disturbance and drew unwanted attention.

[Hynosis]

The middle-aged man's eyes glazed over for a second before he nodded curtly and stood in the corner silently.

Gazing upon the scorched form of Lennox, Augustus made the decision to end his suffering before he could potentially do something unexpected.

[Moleculer Divider]

In one swift move, his glowing palm pierced his opponent's chest, aiming for the Death-Line. Withdrawing it, he held Lennox's still-beating red heart in his hand and crushed it with a satisfying crunch.

The remaining light left his singular eye, and the Lion of Balam fell dead, for real this time.

"Now, let's make sense of this situation. Come here Francis", he beckoned the man opposite to him.

"Let's see"

He pressed his index finger on the man's ageing forehead and cast another spell.

[Search Memory]

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Author-san here!!!

I know I said 80, but 70 is close enough.

So Early Chapter!!!

Arc 1 is complete. Arc 2 from the next chapter.

We are currently on the power ranking!!!

Let's hit 170 power stones with this one.

The next chapter on Thursday as scheduled (Complete the Powerstones goal and I'll try to update early.)

[No more than 4 chapters a week tho.]

See Ya ;)