Chapter 458 457: Earth-Shaking!

The true battle was about to begin.

Countless Samsaras who had fled earlier suddenly stopped, their instincts pulling them back. None of them wanted to miss what was about to unfold.

This clash was of immeasurable significance. Whoever emerged victorious could reshape the entire power structure of the world.

Everyone wanted to witness the rise of the ultimate winner.

"I never thought it would reach this point."

"Yeah… what happened just now was already incredible."

"So, who do you think will win? Adam and Uvall, or Shura and Aurora?"

"Shura's a rare genius, and Aurora is a heroine in her own right. But my bet is still on Adam and Uvall."

"I agree. After all, they're ranked first and second on the global master list."

"Idiot. That list is just a reference for overall strength. It doesn't reflect actual combat outcomes."

"Even so, it's still a point of reference!"

"I'll side with Adam. Shura has performed miracle after miracle, but his rise has been too fast. When Adam had already reached S-rank, Shura was still just a newcomer!"

Whispers and debates rippled among the Samsaras. Most sided with Adam, believing his reputation and experience gave him the upper hand.

But their speculations had no bearing on the battlefield.

"Shura, how are you holding up? Are you alright?" Vivienne asked softly, standing beside Fenric.

"I'm fine," Fenric replied curtly, his gaze never leaving Adam.

Vivienne pressed on. "What's the plan?"

Fenric's voice was steady. "Aurora, if you face Uvall, how confident are you?"

She hesitated, then admitted, "I can't be sure. His immortality is troublesome for me to deal with."

"Then switch. You take Adam, I'll deal with Uvall first. Once he's down, we join forces and finish Adam together. This battle must end quickly."

Seeing the unshakable determination in Fenric's eyes, Vivienne nodded firmly.

"Alright."

"Then move!"

With a sharp cry, Fenric vanished.

A sonic boom cracked the air. His speed was so great that ordinary eyes couldn't follow. Even the Samsaras present—each at least A-rank—struggled to track his movement.

Gasps erupted. Shura had taken the initiative.

Uvall's eyes widened as Fenric closed in. For a heartbeat, he was stunned. Then fury overtook him.

That killing intent… and Vivienne's unhurried stance…

Fenric's plan was obvious. First take down Uvall, then team up against Adam.

In Fenric's eyes, Adam was the greater threat. Uvall was just the stepping stone.

The realization burned Uvall's pride like fire.

How dare this boy look down on him! He would pay dearly for that insult!

Dark thoughts flashed through Uvall's mind as he raised his claws.

With a roar, five massive red-and-black claw marks tore through the sky, carving deep, bottomless ravines into the earth below.

The Samsaras watching broke out in cold sweat. That single strike could erase them completely.

But Fenric's face remained calm.

Armament Haki surged across his body like black steel.

"Clang!"

Uvall's claws raked across him, shredding fabric but leaving his body unscathed. The attack couldn't pierce Fenric's hardened defense.

Adam had managed to cut Fenric in half only because of his demon blade—an artifact forged from a fallen demon knight, carrying the law of annihilation. Without such a weapon, even S-rank attacks would struggle against Fenric's defense.

Uvall realized this too late.

Fenric was already in front of him, the Empyrean Divine Sword thrusting forward with lethal precision.

"Ding!"

The blade clashed against Uvall's massive wings, sending a spray of sparks into the air.

The wings were tougher than diamond. Even Fenric's overwhelming strength and the divine sword's edge couldn't pierce them.

Fenric's expression didn't change. For the world's top-ranked demon god, such defense was to be expected.

He shifted tactics instantly.

His fist slammed into Uvall's wings.

The vibration force erupted.

"Boom—!"

Shockwaves rippled outward, collapsing the space around them.

"Crack—!"

Reality itself splintered, black fractures spreading like spiderwebs.

Uvall's wings split with jagged cracks, threatening to shatter at any moment.

But the demon's immortal body saved him. Black energy surged, knitting the fractures back together even as Fenric's blow sent him crashing across the battlefield.

Uvall rose slowly, his crimson eyes blazing with hatred.

The vibrations had bypassed his armor-like defense, tearing at him from within. His immortality had kept him alive, but the pain was searing.

Fenric had struck directly at his essence.

Now, Uvall's rage boiled over.

He could no longer treat Fenric as an arrogant upstart. He was a true threat!

Uvall's throat suddenly tore open with a beast-like howl.

"ROAR!"

It was as though some ancient seal had been broken.

His body began to swell—larger and larger with every breath. In moments, he towered tens of meters high, his form blotting out the sky. Twin horns curled from his head, wrapped in coils of black energy. His blazing eyes burned like twin suns of flame. His wings, when spread, stretched nearly a hundred meters across.

He had become a towering devil king, a true monstrosity stepping into the world.

Against that colossal frame, Fenric looked like a mere speck.

"Gods above… that's Uvall's real strength?"

"It's terrifying! He's no different from the legendary demon kings!"

"Is this what it means to be S-rank—the true number one in the world?"

The Samsaras watching from a distance could hardly breathe. Even the leaders of nations watching through broadcasts trembled in fear. Against such a monster, humanity was powerless.

"The true body… of the devil!"

Uvall roared to the heavens, his blazing gaze falling upon Fenric.

"Shura! Crushing you will be no harder than stepping on an insect!"

Fenric only snorted, his eyes cold.

"Really? You think just growing bigger makes you stronger? Or are you hoping size alone will scare me?"

The fire in Uvall's eyes flared violently.

Enough words. His body trembled as black energy erupted outward, spreading in a suffocating wave. The surrounding space was sealed, and the weight pressed down like a mountain.

Fenric felt his limbs grow heavy, his movements restrained. Worse, a haze crept into his mind, threatening to cloud his thoughts.

Poison. Uvall's black miasma carried venom.

But in the next instant, Fenric's clarity returned. His passive ability—Poisons Immunity—burned the corruption away, clearing his mind.

The moment his vision sharpened, a massive shadow fell.

Uvall's enormous foot came crashing down, aiming to crush him into nothing.

Boom—!

The impact was catastrophic. The ground of Saka Guchi cracked apart, mountains buckled, and a massive crater opened where the foot landed.

Fenric was buried deep beneath the titanic stomp.

"Shura!!" Vivienne cried out, her focus slipping as she fought Adam.

"Distracted already?" Adam's cold voice cut in. "Do you take me so lightly?"

Before she could recover, the strange ring on Adam's right hand glowed. A rod of condensed energy smashed through Vivienne's guard and struck her shoulder, hurling her back.

Adam pressed his advantage. His legs bent slightly, arms drawing back as energy surged between his palms.

A deep, guttural shout burst from his throat.

"KA—ME—HA—ME—HAA!"

With the final word, Adam thrust his hands forward.

"WHOOOM!"

A blinding torrent of white energy exploded outward, roaring toward Vivienne like a cannon of annihilation.

But Vivienne knew that attack well. Gritting her teeth through the pain in her shoulder, she crossed her arms.

"Bloom—Rotating Flower!"

From the air itself, petals spiraled outward, and in the next instant, a pair of delicate hands sprouted directly from Adam's forearms.

Her Flower-Flower Fruit had activated.

Those conjured hands twisted violently, wrenching Adam's aim.

"What—?!" Adam's eyes widened as the energy blast veered off course, streaking past Vivienne's feet and slamming into Uvall's towering form instead.

"Boom—!"

The explosion bloomed like a missile strike, shrouding Uvall in smoke and fire. A mushroom cloud rose from the impact.

"Adam!!" Uvall's thunderous roar shook the battlefield. "What are you doing?! Do you want to die?!"

But when the smoke cleared, his massive frame stood unscathed.

Adam withdrew his palms, his face grim. "Don't be foolish. That woman interfered."

Uvall snarled, his fury boiling, before whipping his head back toward the battlefield.

"Shura! Great genius! How long do you plan to cower under my feet?!"

But even as the words left him, a burning sensation seared his sole.

A demon god's body should be impervious to ordinary flame—yet this heat was different.

Shock jolted through him. Beneath his foot, power surged, raw and violent. It wasn't the heat of fire alone. It was destruction itself.

The ground trembled. Uvall staggered as a rising force threatened to hurl him off balance.

"This… impossible!!"