As they approached the site where the fire had landed, Sato kept his arm securely around Ava's shoulder to steady himself.
In front of them lay Jira, sprawled on the ground and bathed in the red-orange glow of the raging flames that surrounded him. The intense heat emanating from the inferno had caused the nearby rocks to shatter into countless fragments, which now littered the area around Jira's prone body.
Sato's eyes fixed on Jira's motionless form, a sense of unease creeping over him as he wondered if their fight had come at too great a cost.
Ava stood beside him, also gazing at the scene before them, her expression tense with anticipation as they both waited for some sign that Jira had been defeated.
From a distance, a familiar voice boomed, "Master!".
Ava and Sato turned their heads in the direction of the voice and saw Yuri running toward them, tears streaming down her face.
As she got closer, she could barely contain her emotions and practically leapt at Sato, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace that sent them both toppling to the ground.
Sato hugged her back, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him at the sight of his loyal companion.
Yuri frantically checked Sato's body for any injuries as she held his head in her lap. Her hands moved with precision and speed, as she checked for any burns or wounds.
"Are you hurt? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with worry. "Say something. Wait...I'll heal you now," she said as she began to channel her healing magic into Sato's body.
Sato smiled weakly at Yuri's touch, feeling the warmth of her magic slowly spread through his body. "I'm okay, Yuri," he reassured her. "I thought I told you not to move any closer".
Divanchi and Delta approached them, relief washing over their faces as they saw that Sato was alive and well. They stood by silently, giving Yuri the space to do her work.
The air was thick with tension and emotion as the group took in the aftermath of the battle. The ground was charred and broken, and the air still smelled of smoke and fire.
The sound of Ava pulling out her sword echoed through the air, drawing everyone's eyes towards her. Her hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of the weapon, her body tense with readiness.
"Witch of envy," Ava began, her voice low and cold, "as much as I despise your hands on the Successor, I'm going to have to ask you to hold him back for me." She turned her gaze to Yuri, "The enemy isn't down yet."
Yuri swiftly turned to face Jira, who was slowly rising from the ground. With a fierce determination, she positioned herself between Sato and the raging flames, ready to confront any danger that lay ahead.
Delta, on the other hand, went on all fours, claws at the ready, as she focused her piercing gaze on Jira. Meanwhile, Divanchi's eyes glowed with flickering flames, her fist clenched tightly as she prepared to unleash her fiery power.
"Im…possible!".
Jira muttered, getting up from the ground and falling to his knees almost instantly, "How did I lose to someone like you?.... How the hell is that even possible!!!".
He yelled, "I should be the strongest! I should be the most powerful! … I am supposed to be the winner!... Me!!!".
Jira roared in anger, his voice echoing through the air as he got up from the ground, his body trembling with fury.
He pounded the earth with his fists, creating a shockwave that shook the ground beneath them. His eyes blazed with rage as he stared at the group in front of him.
"I am the strongest!" He bellowed. "No one can defeat me! How dare you come here and challenge me! You should all be begging for mercy, begging me to spare you!" He took a deep breath, his chest heaving with anger. "I won't accept this defeat! I won't allow it!" He yelled, his voice hoarse with fury.
Jira's body was covered in cuts and bruises, his clothes ripped and torn from the intense battle. But his anger was greater than any physical pain he could feel. He gritted his teeth, his muscles tense with rage as he prepared to attack once again.
Ava's eyes narrowed as she watched the demon lord with disgust, her hand still gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. "Shall I end him Successor?" she asked, her voice cold and devoid of any emotion.
Sato's gaze was focused on Jira as he slowly stood up with the help of Yuri and Divanchi. He took a step closer to the defeated demon lord, who scowled in anger at the sight of him.
With a calm yet firm voice, Sato spoke to Jira, "It's over, Jira. You've lost. There's nothing more you can do."
Jira's eyes widened with fury as he glared up at Sato. "Lost?! How can I lose to the likes of you?!" he spat out, his fists clenching in rage.
Sato remained unfazed by Jira's outburst, his expression unwavering as he continued to speak, "You lost the moment you decided to attack the forest. You might be a demon lord, but I still outmatch you in terms of true strength."
Ava watched the exchange between the two, her sword still at the ready as she prepared to strike if necessary.
"Don't get cocky…you merely knocked me out for a few seconds!!!"Jira yelled, suddenly leaping from the ground and charging toward.
Ava, Yuri, and Divanchi were poised for action, ready to defend Sato against Jira's sudden charge. But Sato remained calm and collected, his eyes filled with a fierce determination. In a low, steady voice, he muttered, "Divine punishment."
Instantly, Jira was writhing on the ground, howling in agony as invisible flames engulfed his body.
The air crackled with the intensity of the divine punishment, and the girls watched in stunned silence as Jira rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames that seemed to burn through him.
Despite the intense heat and Jira's agonized screams, there was no sign of any burn marks on his skin. The girls exchanged bewildered glances, wondering how Sato had unleashed such a powerful attack.
"Master, what was that?" Divanchi asked, her eyes fixed on Jira writhing in agony.
"It's a skill," Sato replied calmly, "One that I acquired after my contract with Divanchi."
He went on to explain that the skill was called Hellfire, an ultimate power that allowed him to summon a divine flame upon his enemies.
Those who were unfortunate enough to be caught in its deadly embrace were doomed to burn for eternity if Sato so willed it.
The girls listened in awe as Sato continued to explain the true power of the Hellfire. It was a skill that only a handful of beings in the world possessed, and Sato was now one of them.
As they watched Jira burn in the inferno, they knew that they were in the presence of a truly powerful and unstoppable force. And they couldn't help but feel grateful that he was on their side.
The flames began to dissipate, leaving Jira writhing in pain on the ground. Ava approached him cautiously, ready to strike if he tried anything.
But Jira was helpless, his body burnt to a crisp by Sato's hellfire. He looked up at Sato, fear and desperation in his eyes.
"Please... spare me," he begged, coughing up blood.
Sato approached him slowly, looking down at him with a mixture of pity and contempt.
"You brought this upon yourself," he said, before delivering the final blow.
"Kill me! I beg of you!" Jira's body was trembling, and his eyes were filled with fear and desperation as he pleaded for death.
Sato's expression remained unchanged as he watched the demon lord suffer from the agony of the flames.
With a snap of his fingers, the flames dissipated, leaving Jira on his knees gasping for breath, still feeling the searing pain on his body.
Sato towered over him, his eyes fixed on Jira's trembling form. "Now... let's make a bargain, shall we?" he said in a calm, even tone.
Jira looked up at him, his face twisted in confusion and fear. He couldn't believe that Sato was offering him a bargain after what he had done. But he also knew that he had no choice but to listen to the successor of the Great Sage.
"What do you want?" Jira asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Sato's lips curled into a sly smile. "One, I want you to sign a peace treaty with me, accept my kingdom as a nation and split Nervek from rules and place it under my jurisdiction" He replied. "In exchange, I will spare your life and allow you to retain your position as a lord of the demon world."
Jira's eyes widened in surprise at the offer. He had expected a harsher punishment, but even the thought of doing what Sato asked was irritating.
"I... I accept," Jira said, his voice trembling.
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