Chapter 416: 416

Each of Dominic’s movements carried monstrous power.

His body was wrapped in demonic flames that twisted the air around him, making the world itself seem to burn. When his fist met Fred’s blade, the resulting impact sent a shockwave that tore apart the nearby hills and split the clouds. The land cracked beneath them, creating deep fissures that swallowed debris and corpses alike.

Fred gritted his teeth and pushed forward. "Hobbins, left side!" he shouted.

Hobbins moved instantly, his spear thrusting forward like lightning. The tip struck Dominic’s shoulder, but the demon only growled. His dark aura erupted outward, pushing the spear away as if it hit a mountain. "You think you can pierce me with that toy?" Dominic’s voice echoed like thunder.

Crebs raised his staff high. "Enough talking." A golden circle spread beneath his feet, and countless beams of light shot toward Dominic. They struck the demon’s armor, burning through the dark mist surrounding him. For a moment, Dominic staggered.

Fred took that chance. His sword slashed diagonally, followed by Hobbins’ spear from the opposite side. The combined strike exploded like a storm of light and flame, shaking the battlefield.

"Now!" Crebs roared. The ground burst open, and chains of light shot up, wrapping around Dominic’s limbs. The demon struggled as the bindings tightened. The sky turned white from the brightness of Crebs’ spell.

For a second, it looked like the battle was over.

But then, Dominic laughed. "You think this is enough to hold me?" His voice was low and filled with wrath.

His aura erupted once again, this time darker and denser than before. The golden chains cracked and shattered. A red shockwave spread in all directions, burning through Crebs’ spell like fire through paper.

Fred shielded his eyes from the glare. "Shit! Everyone...he is the back!"

Before they could move, Dominic appeared before Hobbins in a blur. He slammed his fist into Hobbins’ chest. The impact sent him flying through several layers of magical barriers and into the distance.

"Hobbins!" Fred shouted, his eyes wide with rage. He dashed forward, his sword blazing with white light. "You bastard!"

Dominic met him head-on. Their weapons collided again, creating ripples that spread across the sky. Mountains in the far distance crumbled under the pressure. The air howled like a beast as energy tore through it.

Crebs didn’t waste a moment. He began chanting rapidly, forming runes of light that floated around him like stars. "By the grace of Radiant Flame, descend!" His spell unleashed a massive column of light that crashed down on Dominic.

The explosion was blinding. The land melted, turning into glowing lava. Dominic screamed as the light engulfed him.

For a moment, everything went silent. Smoke and light mingled in the air, creating an eerie glow across the battlefield. Fred panted, gripping his sword tightly. "Is it over?"

But before Crebs could answer, a demonic roar erupted from within the smoke. A figure emerged from the debris of the crater.

His wings spread wide and burning red. Dominic’s body had transformed. His horns grew longer, and his eyes burned like molten cores. His skin cracked with glowing lines of rage.

"Now I am truly awake," Dominic growled, his voice shaking the ground.

He swung his arm, and the air split open. A red slash of energy shot out, hitting Fred’s barrier and breaking it instantly. Fred flew back, landing on his knees.

"Damn it..." Fred coughed out blood but stood again, eyes burning with determination. Sir Crebs, we’re not done yet."

Crebs nodded, his body trembling from exhaustion but his spirit unbroken. "Then let’s end this together."

Fred dashed forward, sword glowing with divine light. Crebs followed behind, chanting once more. The runes from his staff surrounded Fred, coating his blade in golden radiance.

"Light’s Judgement!" Crebs shouted.

Fred swung his sword down with all his strength. The attack tore through the air and clashed against Dominic’s fiery fist. For a heartbeat, the world stood still. Then came a deafening explosion that turned the battlefield into chaos once again.

The sky cracked apart like shattered glass. The earth trembled violently, sending waves of dust and fire everywhere.

When the smoke cleared, both Dominic and Fred were kneeling. Fred’s armor was cracked and his sword was broken, while Dominic’s right arm was burned and twisted.

"You humans..." Dominic muttered with a grim smile. "Always so damn stubborn."

Fred looked up, his voice low but firm. "And you demons... always underestimate us."

Crebs stumbled closer, barely standing. "We... still have a fight left."

The wind blew through the destroyed land, carrying the scent of ash and blood. The clash between light and wrath had left nothing untouched.

The air trembled. Dominic leapt forward again, his sword carving through space. Fred’s sword met it head-on, and the resulting explosion lit up the sky.

Zigzag lines of raw energy split the horizon, bursting with immense shockwaves. The battlefield below shook violently, but most of the destruction was caught in the sky above.

Vic, watching from afar, covered his eyes from the blinding flashes. "Damn... that’s some next-level shit."

Herion nodded slowly, awe filling his face. "Yeah. That’s power on a whole different scale."

Handle stared at the scene, completely lost for words. "I wonder when I can reach that level."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"What? Why are you all staring at me like that?" he asked, frowning.

Sol’s lips twitched. "We don’t even know if we can reach there, and you’re wondering when."

Handle scratched his head awkwardly. Gare, standing beside them, looked forward with sharp eyes. "As long as we keep working hard, we’ll get there one day."

His words carried weight, and a small spark of hope lit in their hearts.

Just then, Freya shouted, pointing at the distance. "Look! They’re moving to fight too!"

Further across the battlefield, the S-rank fighters began to clash as well. Energy waves burst across the fields like collapsing stars.

Gare’s expression turned grim. He gripped his weapon tightly and said in a low voice, "This event... might decide the outcome of the entire battle."