He leaped upward, both Blood Holy Swords appearing in his hands as he reached the apex of the jump. When he came down, he drove both blades simultaneously into the earth.Blood Burst erupted outward in every direction, crimson power fountaining from the impact points and spreading through the ground like cracks in ice. The earth split. The power traveled through the fractures and emerged beneath the formation's feet.The Knights activated Holy Light Barrier, overlapping their defensive fields into a wall that had stopped assault techniques from twice Marco's current power level.The Blood Burst reached the barriers and tore through them like cloth meeting a blade.Marco moved into the formation before anyone could reorganize.A crimson shape moved through the squad, each pass leaving the formation smaller. Skills hit him from every angle and he absorbed them, his physique enhancement making Early Second Transition attacks irrelevant. His vital energy output at this tier was simply bet

Blood ran down Samuel's face from a dozen impacts. His vision was working on delayed signal, the world arriving slightly after it happened. "You'll kill me anyway.""I'll kill you certainly if you don't answer. Less certainly otherwise."Samuel looked at the sword at his throat. He looked at the forest around him where eight thousand soldiers had become something the birds would eat. He looked at Marco's face and found nothing there to negotiate with."Roland Morrison," Samuel said, and felt his family's name taste bitter on his tongue. "Louise's younger brother. He's been the designated successor since birth, but Louise's return threatens everything he's built over three years. He was frightened she'd been planning something and sent me to eliminate you before you could complicate his position further."Marco held the sword steady for another moment. Then he sheathed it.Samuel's body loosened with relief, the tension draining out of him all at once. He started to breathe properly.M

"Is there anything a bit more laid-back available?" Marco asked. "Something that doesn't involve me standing in front of every demon powerhouse in the city while you watch from somewhere comfortable?"Vincent shook his head. "I've spent years on this. Every preparation made, every weakness catalogued, every pressure point identified. The only thing I've been missing is someone strong enough to close the gap between preparation and execution.""And when you saw the forest," Marco said."I knew the opportunity had arrived." Vincent's pale face carried the focused calm of someone who'd been waiting long enough that patience had become indistinguishable from certainty. "I'm not asking you to fight blind. I have information on every powerhouse. Weaknesses, family pressure points, tactics that go well beyond straight combat.""Are you certain I can win those battles?" Marco asked.Vincent looked at him directly. "Not certain. But there is a chance. Without you, I have no chance at all.""Th