Chapter 39 : Final Battle ll

Upon seeing the Red Demon's lifeless body, Ban immediately recognized it.

This very demon had attacked the Fairy King's Forest twenty years ago, causing devastation and taking the life of Ban's beloved Elaine.

Even reduced to ashes, Ban could identify the Red Demon as the embodiment of his most profound hatred.

"Where did you find that, Hendy?" Ban inquired with a smile, materializing behind Hendrickson.

Although Ban wore a smile, those who knew him well could discern the seething anger in his eyes.

"Huh..." Hendrickson was taken aback by Ban's sudden appearance, but more baffled by Ban's interest in the Red Demon.

"Answer me, you bastard!!" Ban roared in fury and, with every ounce of his strength, crushed Hendrickson's skull.

Booooom*

Hendrickson crumpled to the ground, the earth shattering beneath the force of Ban's might.

"Ban, are you alright?" Arata asked, concerned, his gaze locked onto Ban's visage contorted with rage.

"Yeah." Ban nodded, disposing of the Red Demon's remains in one swift motion, taking a deep breath to quell his anger, as yielding to it was ill-advised at the moment.

"It's good that you've managed to compose yourself," remarked Meliodas, observing the gaping hole created by Ban's attack. "But what's our next move?"

"I sense a faint breeze emanating from below," Gowther interjected, adjusting his glasses. "It appears there's another cavern beneath us."

"It's a deep and dark place," King added, hovering above the gap and peering into it.

"You guys are quite carefree," Arata said helplessly, taking in the sight of Meliodas and the others appearing relaxed.

"Yeah," Meliodas smiled faintly as he stretched. "Let's follow it."

"I can't fit through that," Diane commented playfully, eyeing the hole Ban had formed.

"Then stay alert here," Meliodas advised before leaping into the abyss, the others following suit.

"Be careful!" Diane called out, settling down outside, awaiting their return.

_

"It's pitch-black, and I can't see anything," Meliodas murmured, scanning his surroundings, engulfed in darkness.

"Ban, are you trying to clear out your nasal passages?" Gowther quipped dramatically, averting his gaze from Ban.

"Can you see in the dark?" Ban marveled at Gowther's sharp vision despite his glasses.

"Form Seven: Luminosity," King commanded, causing his spear to morph into a radiant orb, illuminating their path in the all-encompassing darkness.

While Ban and the others engaged in banter, Arata concentrated his remaining magical power, channeling it into a diminutive, concentrated Black Flame.

Although Arata was tempted to mimic Hendrickson's transformation into a Gray Demon, he chose not to take chances. He directed all his remaining strength into a palm-sized Black Flame, a perilous attack due to its diminutive size.

Arata diminished the flame's size, infusing it with his final magical reserves. This assault epitomized the pinnacle of his power in this state.

"Thank you, Fox's Sin of Greed, Ban," Hendrickson's haughty voice resounded. "It's your doing that granted me the power of the Red Demon."

"Limit Breaker," Arata muttered, invoking his trump card without hesitation, harnessing the strength to confront Hendrickson.

Though Arata possessed less than 10% of his full power, he magnified it twofold using the limit breaker.

Empowered, Arata lunged toward Hendrickson, seeking to strike him with the Black Flame.

Yet, seeing Hendrickson's swift response, Arata opted to deliver a blow with his fist, forgoing the Black Flame.

Arata aimed to dispatch Hendrickson in a definitive blow, requiring him to create an opening within the next 30 seconds to utilize the Black Flame before the limit breaker expired.

Arata and Hendrickson exchanged rapid, fierce blows, with Hendrickson holding the upper hand.

"You know," Hendrickson interjected, materializing behind Arata and landing a powerful blow to his back. "You were the one I was most wary of, given your immense strength. You posed a significant threat to me."

"But alas, you were merely a well-intentioned fool," Hendrickson sneered, reveling in his repugnant laughter. "You expended much of your power creating that forest, safeguarding civilians and imprisoning the unruly rabble."

Unbeknownst to Hendrickson, Arata could have vanquished him even with his diminished strength, but driven by anger, he had expended much energy in obliterating the Horn of Cernunnos.

Arata harbored few regrets for permitting his anger to reign. Otherwise, he could have effortlessly disposed of the sputtering man.

As Hendrickson spoke, Arata felt his guard wane, a consequence of the ultimate blow he had just dealt.

"Die!!" Arata exclaimed, plunging the concentrated Black Flame into Hendrickson's heart, ensuring his demise.

Though Hendrickson possessed demonic power, his existence hinged on a sole heart. If this core was eradicated, he would perish.

"Arrrrr!!" Hendrickson's agonized cry echoed as he was flung backward by the force of the attack.

Booooom*

Hendrickson slammed into the cavern wall, emitting cries of anguish akin to a mortally wounded animal, wracked with pain from the Black Flame.

"Cough!!" Arata coughed up blood and fragments of organs ruptured by the pressure from utilizing the limit breaker in this dire state.

"Are you alright?" Ban extended a hand to assist Arata to his feet.

"No worries, just fatigued from expending all physical and magical energy," Arata replied, grasping Ban's hand for support.

Thanks to his immortality, his injuries promptly vanished, his internal organs regenerating instantaneously.

"That was quite the attack earlier," Meliodas commented, regarding the spot where Hendrickson had fallen, the clamor of his screams silenced.

"The likelihood of Hendrickson surviving that attack is less than 1%," Gowther analyzed, his gaze fixed on Arata, who leaned on Ban's shoulder.

"That's reassuring," Arata grinned, relishing the satisfaction of engaging in such a strenuous battle after an extended hiatus.

"Hey, what happened?" Ban inquired, swiftly catching Arata as he slumped after speaking. "He's passed out."

"It's typical following such a reckless assault in his condition," Meliodas observed, his gaze cautious and curious on the recuperating Arata.

While Meliodas had witnessed the Black Flame wielded by Arata and identified it as a hellish fire unique to the Demon Clan, he was intrigued by the spectacle, pondering numerous conjectures about Arata.

"Phew," Meliodas sighed, reassured, intending to inquire about Arata's origins once he regained consciousness.

From Meliodas' perspective, Arata hadn't displayed hostile intent toward them and had, in fact, assisted them on multiple occasions. Consequently, he didn't view Arata as an adversary, at least not yet.

"Shall we return?" King suggested, pivoting away from the path they'd traversed

.

"Indeed," Meliodas concurred, leading the way back to the opening with the others in tow. "Let's head back and celebrate."

"Where are you going, Seven Deadly Sins?" an hoarse yet recognizable voice echoed from the depths of the cavern, startling the group.

"Hendrickson!" King exclaimed in disbelief, pointing the luminous sphere toward the source of the sound.

King's gaze fell upon a man with gray skin adorned with black markings, small horns and small black wings protruding from his back.

...

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