Facing Edward’s seething resentment, Ouyang Tao felt both heartache and helplessness.

His heart ached because he never wanted things to turn out this way. Though they’d only known each other briefly, he’d always regarded Edward as a dependable friend.

Helplessness gnawed at him—he understood Edward’s pain and fury, yet could do nothing but mourn the talent buried beneath this madness.

Now, as a friend, Ouyang Tao’s only choice was to stop Edward’s rampage.

Having prepared as thoroughly as possible, he couldn’t retreat. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself upright. A control orb materialized in his left hand, ready for an all-out battle.

Edward sensed the shift in Ouyang Tao’s aura and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Hmph. Finally facing reality? So you’re going all out now."

"Yes. I *am* going all out," Ouyang Tao declared, resolve hardening. But this fight wasn’t for destruction—it was for protection. "Edward, I believe this isn’t the real you."

"Enough talk!" Edward roared. Crimson beams erupted from him, sweeping the area and shattering every "Rapid Electricity Noisemaker" Ouyang Tao had deployed. His body then dissolved into red light, aiming to repeat his earlier assault.

This time, Ouyang Tao was ready. The "Rapid Electricity Longbows" positioned behind him fired precise shots, slamming the red light back to the ground.

Seizing the offensive, Ouyang Tao split his fifteen "Rapid Electricity Longbows" into three groups. They darted through the air, shifting positions while unleashing relentless barrages of high-powered energy beams, pinning Edward down with continuous fire.

Yet this wasn’t blind suppression. His target was clear: the "Lucifer’s Crown" atop Edward’s head.

Zhao Yuehan had explained it—Sin Power was impartial. Though the crown granted immense strength, it dulled or erased part of the user’s perception.

Find that weakness, Ouyang Tao thought, and he could strike the artifact directly. Shatter that circlet, and Edward would return to himself.

"Tch… Damn it!" The sudden counterattack caught Edward off guard. Surrounded by attacks from all sides, he could only focus on defense and evasion.

But instead of retreating, his madness fully exposed. Mana surged across his body as twin Magic Arrays formed in his palms and shot skyward. "Divine Punishment: Cataclysmic Hellfire!"

The array unfurled overhead. Countless fireballs rained down like the apocalyptic Judgment Day of legend. Ouyang Tao instantly redirected his defense units overhead—but—

"Divine Punishment: Earth Shatterer!" Before the first assault ended, another Magic Array erupted beneath Ouyang Tao’s feet. The ground exploded with a deafening roar. Molten rock surged upward, swallowing his footing whole.

"Close call…" Ouyang Tao barely escaped, balancing on floating defense units. But his gaze snapped downward. "Damn it—Deya!"

"I’m not dead yet!" Deya hadn’t perished in the inferno. Clad in sleek violet-black combat gear, she rode a gust of wind into the air. Sword gripped in both hands, she plunged toward Edward’s crown like a falling star.

This time, Edward’s reaction was sluggish. He barely dodged as the blade sliced downward, leaving a deep gash across his body.

The strike landed, but not decisively. Deya pressed on, her golden sword flashing toward Edward’s throat.

Edward blocked with a raised palm just in time. Simultaneously, Ouyang Tao’s "Rapid Electricity Longbows" fired. Edward repelled Deya with a burst of force while deflecting the energy beams.

"Ghh… Not bad…" Edward’s snarl twisted his wounded face into something feral. His glare locked onto Deya. "I see it—you’re not like that boy. You *truly* want me dead. Hmph…"

"What?!" Ouyang Tao shouted. "What are you doing?! Do you really intend to kill him?!"

Deya had her reasons: "Would you rather *he* kills *you*?"

"Want to kill me? Good! *That’s* how it should be!" Edward laughed, mana from the Devil King Artifact knitting his wounds shut. "Boy, learn from her! Without this ruthlessness, you achieve *nothing*!"

The situation spiraled toward extremes. Ouyang Tao stood powerless as Edward launched another frenzied assault…

Outside the battle zone, only Silent Sword had breached the flame wall—and even he struggled against the heat. Those trapped inside stood no chance against the Devil King Artifact.

And if the killer escaped this time? There’d be no second opportunity.

Monster Girl knew she had to act.

"Professor Lu, take care of her." She knocked the sobbing, struggling Ouyang Xue unconscious and handed her to Lu Yun. Then, drawing a cerulean Dragon Scale from between her breasts, she raised it high. "Everyone, clear the area!"

The crowd scattered. Monster Girl absorbed the scale. Her body transformed. Massive ice pillars erupted around her—then shattered. A twenty-meter-long azure ice dragon towered into view.

"Frost Breath!" As the embodiment of water, she unleashed a freezing beam, blasting the flame wall and weakening the inferno’s fury.

But it wasn’t enough…

Seeing the opening, Lu Yun barked orders: "All forces—focus water magic on the flame wall! Now!"

Over a hundred voices answered. Weak or strong, every water spell surged forth to aid Monster Girl.

Inside the flames, Silent Sword felt the heat recede. Silver light, hard as steel, erupted from his body—mana dominated by metal, defying fire’s dominance.

Like Ouyang Tao, his power was metallic. But where Ouyang Tao forged tools, Silent Sword *became* the blade.

And now, that blade would pierce the flames.

Within the battle zone, molten rock had erased all solid ground. Deya hovered on wind currents, but Ouyang Tao—unable to cast flight spells—teetered on his last floating defense units.

Edward noticed. Though the Divine Artifact granted near-limitless mana, fighting two opponents risked mistakes. He harried Deya while systematically destroying Ouyang Tao’s footholds, disrupting his aim.

Unit by unit shattered. Ouyang Tao’s reserves dwindled. "Damn it… If only I had materials…"

With materials, Deya could build him anti-gravity gear. But where would he find any now?

Ahead, Deya’s swordplay was skilled but not her specialty. She was losing ground. If only he could supply materials…

Wait. *Materials?* He *had* them.

"Deya!"

"What?!" She parried a crimson blast, sparks flying as steel met energy. "Can’t you see I’m busy?!"

Maintaining her wind platform while dueling drained her mana fast. The tide was turning against her.

"If I provide materials—can you build something?"

"Obviously!" She dodged a crushing palm strike and countered with a thrust. "With materials, I’d have ended this already!"

"Then leave the materials to me!" Ouyang Tao shifted tactics. He channeled every ounce of mana into the churning lava below.