First Light of a New Age

Word Count: 18,630

------------------------

BOOOMM!!

The entire plaza shuddered from the echoing thunderclap of the Mana-Interference Bomb.

For five precious seconds, magic collapsed into silence. No skills, no enchantments, no divine abilities. Just steel, flesh, and raw instinct.

Riley felt the ripple of dead mana like a hollow vacuum around him as the magical field dissipated. His mind adjusted in milliseconds, compensating for the loss of mana.

But he didn't hesitate.

With his right hand, he gathered the tiny scattered fragments of mana in the air and created another Mana Disruption Blade.

"Douglas, now!" Riley shouted.

"Already on her!" came the reply as wind and water swirled behind Douglas like a miniature typhoon.

They both launched toward Princess Sytry, who was mid-chant before her voice was cut off and her crimson eyes widened as she realized she couldn't speak the incantation anymore.

"No..." she managed to shout and step back.

But it was too late.

Riley struck from the right and his blade cleaved into Sytry's abdomen with a flash of red. At the same moment, Douglas swung his [Tidal Storm Blade] down, bisecting her through the clavicle.

The way both of Riley and Douglas' blades quickly sliced through the Demon Princess caused the latter to yell out in agonizing screams as her corrupted mana leaked from her dying body in red smoke.

In one bold quick move, they had eliminated yet another Demon Lord.

FWUSH!

The final cut through space and flesh sent the armored Demon Princess into the realm of oblivion, completely eliminating her.

But there was no time to celebrate as the brief taste of victory was crushed the moment they turned to face Princess Paimon.

Unfortunately, not even all of their teammates' combined attacks were able to place as much as a scratch on the Demon Princess.

As Polities watched all of this, he smiled wryly.

Based on what he was seeing, this would be a really tough last act.

He could feel nearly all of his Mana fade away by the Mana-Interference Bomb, causing him to collapse on one knee as he breathed heavily.

Hovering in the sky like an angel of death, her body crackled as the magical silence lifted. Her wings spread wide, embroidered with glowing runes. Her eyes burned with wrath, and even the wind recoiled from her presence.

"Sytry..." she whispered as she witnessed the death of her sister. Then her face twisted into rage. "You... will... all... suffer."

The Archangels charged first and dive toward her in formation. Ivy followed from below and launched a barrage of massive boulders, while Riley's remaining team flew forward from every direction with their jetpacks and propulsion systems roaring before firing a barrage of mana-accelerated incendiary rounds.

None of it worked.

Paimon's barrier returned with a shriek of magical force. Blades bounced, bullets disintegrated, and flames sputtered into smoke.

"That's enough..."

A certain voice echoed in the air, feminine but ominous.

"Enough messing around."