Devil's System: A Necromancer's Rise

"Forsaken, I need you!"

Krakkk!

A rift in space tore open with a thunderous sound, revealing the figure of Forsaken in his Elven form.

He was the former Elven King Aerion, resurrected by Leon and now serving as his subordinate.

"You called for me, my lord?" His voice echoed like wind through a tomb's corridor.

Leon, still in his Eternal Darkness Mode, kept his gaze fixed on Shalara. "Take the former Demon King Zar to a safe place and heal him. Let's hope he can still be saved."

Forsaken nodded, raising his hand as a gust of wind enveloped Zar's body before they both vanished into the spatial rift.

Shalara made no move to stop them, merely watching Leon with cold amusement. "You waste your energy on someone who's already as good as dead."

"Let me tell you something—nothing in this world is meaningless as long as there's willpower and effort. The only time something becomes meaningless is when someone gives up on themselves."

"A race like yours, always relying on the gods' aid, has no right to speak of things being meaningless. For us, as long as there's will and effort, nothing is wasted."

"Tch, this disgusting demon is getting more and more intolerable! Every word out of her mouth makes me want to kill her right this instant!"

Suddenly, Leon felt the dark sigil on his body pulsate faster. "One minute has already passed... I have to win before the five-minute limit of this mode runs out."

As Leon stood still, sensing something amiss with his body, Shalara seized the opportunity and raised her hand.

"Glacial Tomb!" she shouted, instantly freezing the air around them.

In an instant, massive pillars of ice erupted, encasing Leon in a frigid, unbreakable prison.

Shalara smirked triumphantly as she watched Leon trapped within the icy cage.

But Leon was unfazed. With a single stomp of his foot, he shattered the prison into a shower of fine crystalline dust, scattering in all directions and leaving Shalara stunned.

Enraged, Shalara launched another attack, her fury reaching its peak. "Glacial Pentagram!"

Five magic circles appeared in the sky, glowing with a terrifying blue light. Spears of ice materialized from each circle, raining down on Leon with blinding speed and overwhelming force.

Leon swiftly swung his sword, cleaving through every incoming ice spear with precise, rapid strikes.

Satisfied with her previous assault, Shalara unleashed an even stronger attack. "Cryo Nova!"

Suddenly, one of the ice spears near Leon exploded with a devastating burst of frost.

His right arm froze solid up to the elbow, rendering it immobile and trapped within the ice.

Leon let out a pained scream as his arm was encased, his eyes widening in shock as he desperately tried to free himself.

Shalara watched his suffering with a cold smile, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Without hesitation, she lunged forward at blinding speed, her holy sword gleaming with a sinister white light as she thrust it toward Leon's heart.

Yet, Leon managed to react just in time, blocking the strike with his sword—now gripped in his left hand, his stance unsteady due to his frozen right arm.

CLANG!

The clash of their blades resounded like thunder, cracking the ground for a hundred meters and shaking the very air around them.

Shalara raised an eyebrow, impressed by his reflexes. "You're quick to counter," she muttered, her golden wings flaring with growing power.

Leon smirked coldly, his crimson eyes burning brighter. "You're not so slow yourself," he retorted, his sword radiating a menacing red glow.

The two continued their duel, exchanging blows at inhuman speeds, their swords flashing like streaks of light in the air.

Every collision sent shockwaves through the ground, the air trembling from their relentless clashes.

Leon and Shalara moved like phantoms, their blades vanishing and reappearing in the blink of an eye.

Midway through their fierce battle, Shalara suddenly dispelled her shield and conjured an ice sword in her free hand, catching Leon off guard.

The icy blade gleamed with a terrifying blue light, and Shalara unleashed a dual slash aimed at Leon's neck and waist.

Leon, now on the defensive, twisted his body swiftly, deflecting the first strike with a low guard.

But the second slash came too fast—he barely dodged with a backflip, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing.

Seizing an opening, Leon landed a crushing knee strike to Shalara's stomach, sending her crashing to the ground.

As Shalara hit the dirt, her face twisted in rage, but before she could recover, Leon raised his sword high.

A crescent of dark energy erupted from his blade.

"Dark Moon Slash!"

The attack slammed into Shalara with devastating force, sending her flying backward. Yet, she refused to yield, weaving an intricate series of hand seals.

"Avalanche Blizzard!"

A raging snowstorm formed around Shalara, each snowflake sharp as a scalpel, ready to slice through flesh.

Leon's eyes widened at the sheer intensity of the blizzard. He took a step back, wary of the lethal storm closing in on him.

The freezing winds made the air unbearable, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.

"Valker!" Leon shouted.

"Yes, my lord? How may I serve?" Valker responded.

"Valker, I need your help! Attack the blizzard with everything you've got—at the same time as me!" Leon commanded.

Valker nodded and leaped forward, ready to strike.

"Understood! Tornado Slash!" Valker roared, swinging his sword with full force.

Simultaneously, Leon unleashed his own attack. "Darkness Blast!"

Their combined assault tore through the blizzard—Valker's Tornado Slash shredded the razor-sharp snowflakes, while Leon's Darkness Blast obliterated the storm's core.

The blizzard dissipated, leaving Shalara stunned and furious.

As Leon tightened his grip on his sword, the sigil on his body began to dim.

"Two minutes left..." he muttered between labored breaths.

"You...!" Shalara snarled, her face contorted in rage.

Leon offered a bitter smile, feeling his transformation nearing its end.

Meanwhile, inside the prison of light, Sylvaine slowly opened her eyes.

Her blurred vision caught sight of Leon—standing tall despite his battered, bloodied body, a grim smile on his face.

"Leo...n...?" she whispered weakly, her hand pressing against the radiant barrier.

=== END BAB 16 ===