Chapter 56

The “Forbidden Catalog Akashic Records” is enveloped in pitch-black magic, and in an instant, the Void Lord’s body, which should have mostly been destroyed, regenerates.

And this time, it’s about twice the size it was before.

“…Damn, he really absorbed it…”

“Ah… At last, I’m free from the laws of this world… How wonderful…”

The Void Lord gazes up at the sky with a bright smile.

Despite the fact that he’s wide open, I stand frozen, just watching.

“Tch… He’s clearly leveled up.”

The pressure coming from the Void Lord now rivals my own full power.

On top of that, his attribute is ‘Corrosion,’ one of the most troublesome and abnormal of all attributes.

If I don’t surpass my limits, I’m dead.

“Divine Lightning Strike—Thor’s Hammer of the Thunder God!”

I immediately unleash lightning even stronger than divine thunder, and in that moment, I conjure a giant thunder hammer and bring it down.

However—

“Kukuku… Is this all you’ve got—Annihilation.”

Dark, ominous magic pours from his hand—blowing away not just my magic, but also the cumulonimbus clouds and even the storm clouds surrounding us.

I transform my entire body into lightning and retreat from the spot to avoid being hit by his magic.

And at that moment—

“—What!? This is…”

Unfortunately, I realize that I’ve exited my own unique spirit realm right near the demon academy.

Even worse, all the students have returned to the academy, which means Hera is there as well.

And because I had summoned those flashy storm clouds, people have gathered, focusing their attention on me and the Void Lord.

“What… What’s that? Is someone fighting…?”

“Don’t we recognize that guy?”

“That’s the guy! The one who challenged the top student!”

“If I remember, his name was Shin, right?”

At this point, I don’t care if my identity is revealed.

The real problem is that I have to protect everyone from his threat.

“Damn… This is really bad…”

“Kukuku… What a fine feast I see before me.”

“Wait! Don’t!”

Just as the Void Lord is about to fire magic at the students and teachers, I dash into his range and throw a full-power punch.

The force is enough to blow away a mountain in an instant, sending the Void Lord flying.

But I don’t let up.

“Haaaahhh!!”

“Guh…”

I transform my Lightning Keraunos into a spear and throw it with all my might.

The world’s fastest strike, faster than the speed of lightning, pierces through the Void Lord’s body—but it only leaves a 30-centimeter hole.

“Kukuku… That hurts… but this won’t be enough to defeat me.”

“Shut up—Wrath of the Thunder God of Chaos.”

I envelop the entire academy in cumulonimbus clouds, reinforcing them with multiple layers of magical barriers so he can’t interfere. I then carefully control the sky, unleashing thousands of bolts of lightning, a hailstorm of ice, and winds powerful enough to tear apart monsters at level 150, all directly at the Void Lord.

Each strike is empowered by my magic, and every single one is nearly lethal in its strength.

Every attack hits the Void Lord dead-on.

Yet—even then, the grin never leaves his face.

“Kukuku… Terrifying… If not for my attribute, I’d be dead.”

“Damn it… He’s such a pain in the ass…”

But the truth is, I still haven’t been able to defeat him.

Honestly, I’m stuck.

The original plan was to annihilate him with a single strike from my Lightning Keraunos… but that scumbag pulled out the Forbidden Catalog Akashic Records, giving him a power-up far beyond what I anticipated.

I hadn’t expected him to become as strong as a full spirit fusion.

“…This is really bad.”

While preparing a new spell, I frantically piece together a solution from everything I know.

Meanwhile, chaos reigns within the academy.

“What the hell is this!?”

“We… We can’t get out!”

“Even magic attacks just get absorbed by the clouds!”

“What’s going on!? Are we trapped?”

The students are panicking, fearing the clouds around them, unsure who cast the spell or when it might turn against them. The teachers rush around, trying to calm them down.

Watching the scene unfold, Arthur stands in Hera’s resting room, staring grimly at the cumulonimbus clouds outside.

“…Aura, this is unmistakably…”

‘Yes. This is the magic of Zeus and his contractor. It seems the two have fused with their spirits.’

“Spirit fusion…?”

Arthur tilts his head, unfamiliar with the term.

‘It’s when a spirit and its contractor fully merge into a single being. They can choose which personality takes control, and the body is also determined by that choice. The body completely transforms into a magical form, allowing them to temporarily exhibit the maximum power of a divine spirit.’

“So… Shin is fighting with everything he’s got right now?”

‘Exactly. But if even Zeus is struggling at full power, the opponent must be no ordinary foe. Still, I don’t know how this dark god gained such immense strength…’

(…Shin is struggling at full power? It’s hard to believe… He’s already stronger than the protagonist in my memories… And yet—)

Arthur had a suspicion about the figure Shin was fighting.

“—The Void Lord, the Dark God.”

‘Who is that? This dark god… seems beyond the realm of what we consider dark gods.’

“I’m not sure, but… that was the dark god who was supposed to form a contract with her. He’s the most powerful dark god, born from the negative emotions of spirits and demons, and from absorbing other dark gods.”

Arthur had heard everything from Shin, but it was still overwhelming to see.

The Void Lord was at least ten times stronger than in the game.

Arthur slowly opens the window in the resting room and steps onto the sill.

‘W-what are you doing!?’

Hearing Aura’s panicked voice, Arthur’s eyes reflect his firm resolve as he replies:

“What else—I’m going to help my friend.”

Arthur jumps out of the window and runs toward Shin.