[59]Rising from the flames

A/N: I will be going on a fishing trip with the fam so I'll be posting this chapter today instead of tomorrow.

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Welt POV-

It seems like Otto is having fun. I could hear the explosion from his and Riser's fight all the way over here.

I redirected my gaze to the group of girls who were nervously running through the building while trying to avoid being squashed by my iron golem.

They also had the last-minute, but genius idea to fly away with their devil wings, which I quickly shot down by hurling thousands of metal pipes their way.

Huh, I guess this is why Otto likes playing with his enemies; it's quite amusing.

*Foooosh*

A sudden feeling of dread washes over me, sending chills down every inch of my body.

"Is that bastard crazy?" I couldn't help but say it out loud as I realized what he was about to do.

Of course, I'm no stranger to it as I've seen him use it once before, once! A whole forest was turned into perfect cubes in a matter of seconds! I would probably have been killed in a fraction of a second if I were in the range of—what was the name again? Ah, yes. Domain expansion.

I quickly flew as far away as possible through the air. I could only hope that the range of it doesn't reach me.

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3rd POV-

"Is it over?" asked Ravel, full of hope. "It seems so," replied Yubelluna. She carefully looked out the window.

Pieces of metal and debris fell from the sky, the iron golem that was previously chasing them was now unresponsive.

"Hm?" From the corner of her eye, she noticed a flying figure. He wore a formal suit along with a pair of glasses; he seemed to be speeding off in the air.

"It's him!" said Ravel in realization.

The puppet master that has been playing with them this whole time was now revealed.

"Should we chase him?" asked a blue-haired Loli with a chainsaw.

"Yes, but let's be careful. Let's keep our distance and ambush him," Yubelluna said, unbeknownst to her; she had just saved herself and her fellow peerage members from being cut down to their last atom.

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3rd POV Riser-

Dread.

That was the only way Riser could describe what he was feeling right now.

The burst of cursed energy alone sent shivers down his spine, but now this was something on a whole other level. Pure evil.

The world seemed to stop for a fraction of a second; reality itself bent around Otto as he muttered those deadly words.

A sudden gush of what seemed like blood sprouted from the floor, pure white skulls of bulls materialized across the room.

But that was not the most horrifying part. It was the shrine that stood tall behind him; it was grotesque as the mouth it had opened wide.

The world turned black and white.

*Shing*

Riser's mind blanked as he was killed for less than a fraction of a second, only to revive himself through his regeneration.

The endless barrage of death and rebirth continued for what seemed like hours; the pain clouded Riser's already pain-filled thoughts.

'Fuck,'

thought Riser, despite his recent power-up, he wan't able to take a single step without getting cut down in less than a second.

The only reason he was still alive was thanks to his regeneration.

A certain self-proclaimed villain's words suddenly rang out in his mind.

'Hahahahah, prepare yourself, Riser! You're not worthy of fighting me if you can't even survive this.'

Otto wasn't going all out; that much was evident. If he couldn't even get past this first hurdle, then he has no chance of dreaming of beating him, much less touching him.

Gritting his teeth, he began to think of a way to end this endless cycle of being cut and being fixed over and over again.

'Is it a sacred gear? They all run on a person's emotions, so that could be what it is. No, that's not it! My gut's telling me that it's something different.' Riser's mind was filled with endless theories and plausible answers for the nightmare that had manifested in front of him.

'Wait!'

'Dread, sadness, evil, negativity. That's all that's related to it. Perhaps he could be using it to fuel something?' thought Riser in realization. What seemed like hours was only fractions of a second.

'No, no, no. That wouldn't be able to explain that "thing" he manifested... manifestation!' Another realization went through his mind.

'Perhaps it's the manifestation of those emotions, but how?... perhaps?' A sense of euphoria filled Riser as he knew that he was a step closer to unlocking Otto's secret.

'But how can I bend reality itself like him? I don't have the time nor the magic energy for it!...perhaps I could create a separate space so that I don't have to affect reality itself?' Riser could feel his large reserves dwindling like a candle as he was being cut alive.

'I must do it! I have to surpass myself here and now!!!'

In that single moment, the one opportunity he had when his body was whole once again.

'He is fueled by anger, sadness, and pain. So must turn my own feeling into power.'

Focusing on his demonic energy, Riser coated it in what made him, well, him.

Something that represents him.

Pride.

If the chaotic torrent of emotion represented Otto, then he himself coated his magic energy with an emotion that was him.

Crossing his fingers, he expanded his demonic energy, making a barrier that created a separate space.

[Domain Expansion:#@#&$@&##@?@)$]

At that moment, two separate domains clashed, canceling each other out completely.

Riser, who was panting heavily, looked at the shocked Otto with a grin, a prideful one at that.

From this moment on, the clash between pure and unadulterated Wrath and an immovable Pride would shake the world itself.

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Otto POV-

This crazy fucker...he actually did it