As the final moments of the festival ticked down, Orobas Coco emerged from the shadows, his face twisted with the trauma of his own illusions. He raised his hand, ready to unleash a tide of nightmare mana to snatch the victory away.
Behind him, Asmodeus and Clara stood like twin pillars of fire and chaos. Asmodeus incinerated a prowling beast with a flick of his wrist, his gaze never leaving Iruma’s back. "Do what you must, Iruma-sama! We are your shield!"
But Iruma didn't flinch. He remembered the kindness of the Barbatos clan, the grueling training in the mountains, and the simple desire to have a meal with his friends. With a surge of overwhelming mana—pure, blue, and strangely gentle—he planted the seed.