Esdeath swiftly employed a method from the Fourth Progenitor's blood memories to strip Avrora of everything.
The key was Avrora's "Accumulated Time." By seizing it, Esdeath could fill in a portion of the missing blood memories.
Soon, Avrora vanished completely, her essence entirely plundered by Esdeath.
As for Nagisa Akatsuki, the prolonged possession by Avrora, combined with severe blood loss, proved fatal. She, too, perished.
Boom!
In the distance, the subdued Twelve Familiar, Alrescha-Glacies, merged into Esdeath's body.
With that, ten of the Fourth Progenitor's twelve familiars were reclaimed—only two remained.
"How does it feel?"
August stepped forward, unfazed by Esdeath draining Nagisa dry.
This was Esdeath, after all. To her, the strong taking everything from the weak—including their lives—was only natural. She was an unwavering believer in the "law of the dark jungle."
"It feels incredible."
Esdeath savored her newfound power with immense satisfaction.
Commanding ten progenitor-level familiars, she alone could rival a million-strong army.
With these ten familiars under her control, she could wage the grandest of wars single-handedly.
On the other side, everything unfolding here was witnessed.
"It's all over—"
Koyomi Shizuka's book slipped from her hands. Even Avrora was dead now.
The last shred of hope was gone. August had emerged as the ultimate victor—and a thorough one at that.
Recalling her earlier actions, fear and panic gripped her.
She'd supported Kojou Akatsuki behind the scenes, even orchestrating his dramatic power boost. In hindsight, it was a death wish.
Looking at August's actions now, he was an utterly unrestrained demon.
Meanwhile, August's rage had mostly subsided as he surveyed the scene.
Kojou Akatsuki, Nagisa Akatsuki, and Mimori Akatsuki—the entire family was dead. Even Kojou's "girlfriend" Avrora and his blood companion Yuma Tokoyogi had perished.
The only survivors here were two from the Lion King Organization.
Yuiri Haba and Shio Hikawa, though both had been knocked unconscious by the battle's aftermath and weakened further by the Cerulean Ice's chill.
August didn't care about them.
They'd once begged to stay with him, and he'd allowed it. But they'd returned to Kojou's side under the Lion King Organization's orders.
Whatever their reasons, August had given them a chance, and they'd chosen to abandon it.
Their fate, whatever it might be, was their own doing.
August wouldn't punish them for Kojou's sake, but neither would he go out of his way to save them.
Whoosh!
A purple teleportation circle flared, and Natsuki Minamiya emerged.
Though she'd anticipated the carnage, she was still stunned.
Kojou's mangled corpse, Mimori with a pierced heart, and Nagisa's body on the road—Natsuki finally understood that August calling himself a "demon king" wasn't mere bravado. He was a demon king in every sense.
"Natsuki-chan, do you know where the Lion King Organization is based?"
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing much. Just to wipe out that organization. Since they keep popping up to cause trouble, I'll crush them once and for all."
"Do you really have to go that far? Is it necessary to be so ruthless?"
"Yes. A demon king's dignity cannot be challenged."
"Fine."
Natsuki closed her eyes. She couldn't stop this.
As August's vassal, she had to stand firm.
She was on August's side. Creating a rift with him over the Lion King Organization would be a foolish loss.
Besides, this was the Lion King Organization's own doing—and the higher-ups in Japan backing them. A bunch of ordinary humans always trying to control everything.
Kojou Akatsuki, the Fourth Progenitor, was manageable—a dimwit easily manipulated.
But August was a monster. To provoke him again and again was beyond reckless—she had no words for it.
"August, leave it to me. It's a perfect chance to test these familiars' power."
"Hm. If you're going to do it, do it thoroughly. Don't just destroy the Lion King Organization—sink the entire nation of Japan into the sea while you're at it."
"Exterminate a country? I like it."
Esdeath grinned excitedly. Wiping out a nation—now that sounded exhilarating.
Natsuki's eyes widened. They'd just casually decided Japan's destruction?
But she could only sigh. August had bared his fangs at this world, and Japan was simply unlucky.
Whoosh!
At that moment, Koyomi Shizuka appeared, drenched in cold sweat.
Through her shikigami, she'd overheard August's intent to annihilate the Lion King Organization and Japan. Unable to sit still, she'd rushed over.
"Lord August, please calm your anger."
"Hm? Koyomi Shizuka. Interesting. You dare show your face before me?"
"Please, calm your anger. This was all my doing—nothing to do with the Lion King Organization or Japan itself."
"Nothing to do with them? You say that, and it's supposed to mean something?"
"I'm willing to pay any price. Please, spare them."
"Hmph. I'm not that fool Kojou Akatsuki. A bunch of ants keep jumping out to annoy me. It's not a big deal, but it's disgusting. And I'm the type to squash insignificant pests with one slap."
"You—"
Bang!
Before she could finish, Esdeath attacked.
She didn't use her familiars, opting instead for her innate ice powers.
"The new Fourth Progenitor."
"Interesting. You're strong. Fight me. If you win, sparing you all isn't out of the question."
Koyomi's gaze flicked to August, the true decision-maker.
"Since Esdeath says so, let's do it that way."
"Understood."
Nodding, Koyomi faced Esdeath, steeling herself fully.
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