The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 554: Samsara of Heaven’s Decree

“Hum!”

Shien’s vast magic power vibrated and quickly circulated, accelerating and burning like fuel, igniting a formless power within him. The amount of magic power consumed to activate this power was astonishing, even for naturally magic-rich elves. Someone like Lucy or Sophie, with their immense magic reserves, could barely withstand it. Even Shien couldn’t activate this power for long.

Fortunately, this power’s strength depended on the amount of magic power consumed. At maximum output, it could increase Shien’s power tenfold, pushing him beyond the limits of life and allowing him to reach the transcendent level. However, Shien could only maintain this for about ten minutes. If he only increased his power by twofold, although it still consumed a lot of magic power, Shien could maintain it for an hour.

Shien estimated that without the Holy Sword or this power, his normal combat strength was around the human limit—level one hundred. This was enough to make him invincible in the human world, even Aldia posing no threat.

However, Machi, as a level ninety-eight legendary archmage, on par with Aldia, although weaker than Shien, wasn’t so weak that he could easily defeat her. She would lose eventually, even against Shien in his normal state, but if she wanted to escape, with her magic, Shien might not be able to stop her without using his trump card.

As mentioned before, defeating a legendary opponent might not be difficult, but killing them was another matter. They could still escape. And even at the level limit of one hundred, without a Unique Skill or other extraordinary ability, although stronger than level ninety-eight, it wasn’t enough to prevent an opponent from escaping. Against an opponent who specialized in speed, Shien could use teleportation, but Machi’s [Dark Cover] was a movement skill second only to teleportation. Catching her in his normal state wouldn’t be easy.

The incident in the cave proved this. Even without transforming into Melika to shake Shien’s resolve, Machi could have escaped with this skill. Unfortunately, she had to provoke Shien one last time.

This time, Shien decided to return the favor. He would crush her at the moment of her greatest joy.

Level one hundred wasn’t enough to kill her? Then he would use power beyond the level limit! He didn’t need much, just double his normal strength. This was enough to crush this legendary archmage.

“—Emerge, glorious power—”

A brilliant light ignited around Shien. His magic power burned, activating this power.

Its name was—

“—[Samsara of Heaven’s Decree].”

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[Samsara of Heaven’s Decree]

• Special Skill

• Increases the user’s power based on certain conditions.

• The degree of increase depends on the magic power consumed.

• Maximum tenfold increase.

• Activates automatically in dangerous situations.

• Special fusion, unique, cannot be copied, taught, or learned.

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This was the most special of Shien’s seven Heaven’s Decree skills. It was the only one that had transformed into a Special Skill like the [Supreme God’s Blessing]. It couldn’t be leveled up or modified with [Fate and Logic]. Therefore, its power was fixed.

But this skill, created by fusing numerous amplification skills with [Limit Evolution] as the core, was still Shien’s trump card, second only to the Holy Sword. Depending on the magic power consumed, it could increase his power up to tenfold, allowing him to surpass the limits of life and reach the transcendent level.

Now, Shien used it, not at its maximum tenfold amplification, but only doubling his power. But this was enough to push Shien beyond the limits of life, half a foot into the transcendent level.

“Boom!” A brilliant and terrifying light erupted from Shien, shaking the collapsing space.

“What…!?” Everyone who had retreated, including Lucy and Sophie, was shocked and turned to look at the erupting light. The light was incredibly bright and dazzling, yet it made them feel an urge to kneel, not from its power, but from an instinctual reverence for a higher realm. The owner of this light had transcended the limits of life.

“This…” Sophie and the others were shocked. “He can actually reach our level?”

“Wow!” “Wow!” Lilith gasped, and Millu exclaimed. Even Airi raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“Is this your true power now?” Lucy, no longer retreating, looked at the dazzling light erupting from the collapsing space, her eyes shining.

Leia, Nia, Carol, and the other elves were also shaken, their faces filled with disbelief.

Because that was the legendary realm, a different dimension, a level only a handful could reach: the Three Goddesses, perhaps also Artemis and Lilith, and the Six Demon Lords. No human, except for Heroes summoned from another world, had ever reached this realm. Not even the Elven Queens, the descendants of Heroes, or the strongest warriors of the Divine and Demon Races. Even among Heroes, only a few could reach this level.

But now, a human, before everyone’s eyes, showed the possibility of reaching it.

“How… is this… possible…?” Machi, clinging to Shien, was dumbfounded and terrified, feeling his power surge. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t. This was more shocking than being attacked by three Demon Lords. Had she provoked someone she shouldn’t have?

At this moment, Machi finally realized this.

But it was too late.

“You can go to hell alone. I’m not coming with you.” Shien said slowly, his voice cold.

“Have a nice trip, last Dark Elf in the world.”

Shien broke free from Machi’s embrace and drew his Holy Sword.

“Ah—aaaaaah—” Machi screamed, unable to move as she watched Shien draw his sword. Terror filled her heart, telling her that her end had come.

“Aaaaaaaaaah—!” Machi unleashed her last resort, her Unique Skill—[Formless Change], the ability to perfectly transform into anyone, changing not only her appearance but also her magic power and aura. Except for another Unique Skill, nothing could see through it.

In this final moment, Machi used it, transforming. Judging from the flickering image, she seemed to be transforming into Melika, hoping to make Shien hesitate and show mercy.

But she wouldn’t succeed.

“Swish!”

A sword light, like a dazzling flame, flashed, and the transforming Machi was cut in half before the transformation was complete. The black hole behind her was also severed by the sword light.

“Clang—!” A blinding light shone from the bisected black hole. When it vanished, the black hole had swallowed Machi’s remains and the fragments of the collapsed space.