The battlefield erupted with chaos as the duel between the Demon Lord and Ciel reached unimaginable heights. The empty expanse, littered with ruins and ash, became a canvas for destruction and desperation. Flames cast jagged shadows across the broken landscape, their flickering light mingling with the black smoke twisting upward toward the heavens. The Demon Lord, battered but unrelenting, hurled himself at Ciel with ferocious determination. Ciel, glowing with emerald brilliance, deflected the blows with smug ease, his twisted grin a constant mockery as he blocked and dodged every strike.

  Behind the emerald demon, Baphomet moved like a shadow in the wind. His presence was silent and ominous, his demonic form an imposing figure of black and green. As Ciel swayed back to avoid another strike from the Demon Lord, Baphomet closed the gap with lethal precision. Without warning, he struck, his clawed hand landing a devastating blow to the back of Ciel’s head. The force of the attack sent Ciel staggering forward, his grin faltering as he struggled to keep his footing.

  "Pathetic," Baphomet growled, his deep, resonant voice cutting through the chaos as his green eyes burned brighter. He raised his hands, unleashing a torrent of dark magic that crackled and twisted like living tendrils of shadow. The magic surged forward, slamming into Ciel with relentless force. Each spell was unique, intricate, and impossibly fast—a testament to Baphomet’s mastery of magic that far surpassed even Ciel’s understanding.

  The Demon Lord capitalized on the opening, his claws tearing through the air as he closed in. He struck Ciel with a barrage of heavy blows, his fists igniting with black flames that burned with unholy fury. Every punch landed with the weight of centuries of wrath, driving Ciel back further with each strike. As the Betrayer staggered under the assault, Baphomet continued his relentless casting, waves of arcane spells crashing into Ciel with devastating precision.

  Meanwhile, Greed and Insight took advantage of the momentary reprieve. Amidst the chaos, their battered forms moved through the battlefield, scavenging the souls of the fallen. The dead soldiers and angels that littered the ruins glowed faintly, their spiritual remnants swirling upward like wisps of light. Greed’s golden axes absorbed the souls with fiery intensity, each infusion reigniting her strength. Insight’s shadowy scythe coiled around the glowing spirits like serpents, her crimson eyes sharpening with renewed power. The two regained their strength quickly, but their focus never wavered from the fight ahead.

  Ciel, though battered and under siege, refused to falter for long. His emerald aura flared violently, radiating with renewed intensity as his frustration boiled over. "You dare to test me?" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "You will kneel before me soon enough!"

  He moved with greater speed now, his body a streak of green light as he broke free from the relentless attacks. His movements became erratic yet calculated, his blows landing with brutal precision as he countered both the Demon Lord and Baphomet simultaneously. Baphomet missed his marks more often, his spells striking empty air as Ciel danced around him. The Demon Lord, drained from his prolonged battles, struggled to keep up, his attacks becoming slower and less effective. Ciel began to dominate the fight, each strike landing with crushing force as he overwhelmed his former king and ally.

  The tension between the two demons began to rise, their frustration spilling over as their failures mounted. "Focus your attacks, Baphomet!" the Demon Lord roared, his voice raw with fury as he launched another strike that missed its mark.

  "Perhaps if you weren’t so slow, this would be over already!" Baphomet retorted sharply, his tone icy and filled with disdain.

  Ciel, ever the opportunist, capitalized on their discord. With an abrupt burst of speed, he closed in on the Demon Lord, landing a devastating blow to his chest. The impact sent the Demon Lord flying backward, his body crashing into the scorched earth with enough force to create a crater. Ciel’s grin returned, wider and more malicious than ever, as he turned his attention to Baphomet.

  "You must have known this wouldn’t end well for either of you," Ciel taunted as he launched himself forward, engaging Baphomet in hand-to-hand combat. Baphomet’s vast magical prowess was undeniable, but when it came to martial skill, he was at a disadvantage. Ciel’s strikes were rapid and merciless, each blow connecting with bone-shattering precision. Baphomet countered with calculated swings of his clawed hands, but each movement was slower than his opponent’s. For every attack Baphomet attempted, Ciel retaliated with twice the force.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Baphomet gritted his teeth as Ciel’s emerald fist collided with his shoulder, the impact reverberating through his body. He stumbled back, his robe fluttering behind him as his glowing green eyes burned with frustration. "You may have grown strong," Baphomet said through gritted teeth, "but you’re arrogant—and that will be your downfall."

  Ciel chuckled darkly, his expression dripping with confidence. "Arrogance? Call it ambition, old fool. I’m redefining power."

  The skies above churned with smoke and fire, the battlefield below reduced to ashes and craters. The intensity of the clash continued to escalate, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance. But as Ciel pressed forward, his strength seemingly limitless, the Demon Lord and his allies teetered on the brink of defeat. The tension in the air was suffocating, the suspense unbearable.

  The battlefield smoldered under the relentless clash of powers, its ash-laden air thick with tension as destruction reigned supreme. Baphomet, his blackened form imposing even against the fires surrounding him, struggled to fend off the emerald monstrosity before him. Ciel’s strikes came fast, fluid, and merciless, each one a blur of motion as it connected with bone-shattering force. The ancient demon fought valiantly, his green-eyed form swirling with dark magic, but his prowess in sorcery was being drowned by the Betrayer’s overwhelming martial skill.

  Just as Ciel’s attack threatened to land the decisive blow, Insight and Greed streaked across the battlefield like twin comets, their weapons gleaming as they tore through the smoke. Despite the fatigue etched into their faces, the two Archdemons fought with renewed resolve, their recovered energy lending them the strength to reenter the fray. Greed’s golden axes twirled with deadly precision as she launched herself into the fray, intercepting Ciel’s attack with a defiant strike.

  "Well, look who needs saving now," Greed sneered as she planted herself firmly beside Baphomet. Her golden eyes burned with fierce determination, though the corners of her mouth twitched with restrained amusement. "Not so mighty when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, are you, goat?"

  Baphomet scoffed, his tone low and icy. "Your axes lack subtlety, brute. Leave the magic to me."

  Insight approached with her shadowy scythe in hand, her crimson gaze locking onto Ciel as she came to a halt next to Baphomet. She cast a quick glance toward him, her expression softer than usual. "Thank you for coming," she said, her voice steady yet tinged with gratitude. "We’d have been lost without your aid."

  Baphomet said nothing, his glowing green eyes narrowing as he prepared to face the emerald-skinned Betrayer once more.

  Ciel stood before them, his body radiating with emerald light, his twisted smile widening into something darker. The betrayal was complete, and his rage now burned hotter than ever. He exhaled sharply, the ground beneath him vibrating with the weight of his power. "You’re all pests," he spat, his emerald aura flaring violently. "But I’ll squash you one by one."

  The three demons surged forward, their movements synchronized in a deadly harmony. Insight’s scythe carved shadows across the battlefield, its tendrils coiling toward Ciel like vipers. Greed swung her axes with fiery ferocity, each strike aimed to cleave through Ciel’s defenses. Baphomet wove intricate patterns of dark magic, sending torrents of energy crashing toward the Betrayer in waves of twisted brilliance.

  But Ciel met their combined assault with equal force. His arms moved like lightning, deflecting their strikes and countering with attacks that forced the three demons to constantly reposition. The battlefield and sky above became their stage, a storm of motion and power that stretched across every corner of the desolate ruins.

  Meanwhile, the Demon Lord, bloodied and bruised, struggled to rise from the ground. His body felt heavier than ever, his once-limitless strength drained by the relentless battles he’d endured. Each movement sent waves of pain through him, but he clenched his teeth, refusing to succumb to weakness. As his mismatched eyes scanned the devastation around him, his focus landed on something faintly glowing amid the rubble.

  Lexor’s charred corpse lay just meters away, the faint glimmer of energy rising from his lifeless form—a testament to the world energy he had consumed from the Emerald Tree’s fruit. The Demon Lord’s instincts flared as he recognized the opportunity before him. With a guttural growl, he reached out, his claws trembling as they drew closer to the fallen city lord. The energy called to him, pure and potent, a lifeline in the midst of despair.

  Without hesitation, the Demon Lord devoured Lexor’s soul and the lingering world energy. The surge was immediate and overwhelming, the power coursing through his veins like wildfire. His black flames reignited, brighter and fiercer than before, his battered body repairing itself in real time as the stolen strength breathed life back into him. He exhaled deeply, his crimson skin shimmering with newfound vitality.

  Rising to his feet, the Demon Lord turned toward the battle ahead, his eyes burning brighter than ever. The odds were still stacked against them, but with his renewed strength, he was ready to reenter the fray—and remind Ciel that Hell’s true king was far from finished. The tension in the air grew suffocating as the battle escalated, each strike and spell lighting up the ruins with dazzling intensity. The stage was set for the fight to take a darker, deadlier turn, as both sides prepared to unleash their full power.