『Potential Release!』
The moment I shouted.
Something inside of me exploded. It was a lid, the lid of the seal. And it just opened.
There was the power that welled up from my Potential Release, as well as something else. A dark power slithering up from deep within me.
I felt as if time was coming to a crawl, bringing me into a world with just me and him.
This was a feeling I knew from before, back when I absorbed Fanatics at the royal capital. The seal on the Evil God Fragment weakened, almost letting him loose.
『CONSUME!』
Ugh, I can hear the voice of the Evil God Fragment just like back then. I didn’t know it was his voice last time, but it makes sense now.
I felt the voice coming from the deepest level within myself, the place where I think the fragment is sealed.
『CONSUME ALL!』
I couldn’t tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman.
All I knew was that the deep, heavy voice sounded like someone whispering sweet nothings into my ear, clingy and passionate. Yet at the same time, filled with hatred for everything in existence.
If anyone other than me heard this voice, they would fall under his control. It’s because I was born on Earth that he had no power over me.
And as long as the fragment is sealed inside me, no one else will ever hear him again.
『CONSU――』
『Yeah, yeah, shut up already.』
『CONSU――』
『I know, shut up.』
『CONSU――』
『I said shut your god damn mouth!』
『……』
『Finally, jeez.』
We’re on a tight schedule, so don’t make this harder than it has to be. You should remember how you failed to control me the last time the seal loosened.
Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I could feel the Evil God Fragment returning to the depths of my being, very displeased.
However, the evil energy surrounding me also weakened greatly, maybe because the Evil God Fragment took it back with him.
It’s normally a good thing to have less evil energy, since it eats away at your body…… But we would be in trouble now, since we needed as much power as we can get.
『Actually, hold on. Give me your power before you go.』
『?』
『Oh?』
『!』
It actually worked. After I used Evil Domination, I was able to draw out the evil energy from the Evil God Fragment.
I felt surprisingly little resistance. Maybe Evil Domination was a more powerful skill than I had imagined? Or, maybe being sealed meant the Evil God Fragment was under my control from the beginning?
Anyways, now’s not the time to be worrying about how these things work. I have to focus on putting it to good use.
『Go!』
「Taaah!」
Fran hasn’t activated her Sword God Transformation. Rather, she couldn’t use it anymore.
But that didn’t mean we were weak.
《Beginning control of divine energy. Individual named Master, take control of the evil energy.》
『Sure, thanks!』
《Analysis has discovered a weakpoint in the Golden Devourer Sword, Overgrowth. Individual named Fran, please strike that exact spot.》
(Nn!)
As I had hoped, Announcer-san was also strengthened under my Potential Release state! She was throwing out all those instructions much more smoothly than normal.
Announcer-san already put in some huge work by handling the divine energy in my place, so I could focus all my efforts on the evil energy. Thanks to my Potential Release, I handled that perfectly.
Even without the Sword God’s power, I should be able to exceed him even if it’s just for a single blow. We can do this.
『Announcer-san, are you pushing yourself too hard? You’re not gonna break down after Potential Release is over like last time, right?』
《No problems detected. I am currently using approximately 76% of available resources.》
『Then can you help me with the transformation? As long as it’s not too much trouble.』
《Affirmative. It is possible.》
I’m still connected to Announcer-san, so she could read my thoughts, understand everything, and immediately respond.
My cord smoothly transformed into a small dagger, the twin swords mode the Sword God had used.
Though this one was a bit half-baked in comparison. The resulting dagger didn’t have much in terms of offensive power or durability.
Still, it was a necessary step towards destroying Overgrowth.
「Raaaaah!」
While Orfalve, Tort, and Nadia were engaged in a fierce exchange, Fran intervened in an instant.
The dagger I controlled blocked Overgrowth for a moment, before being instantly destroyed.
That single instant was enough for Fran and Urushi.
「Grrrrr!」
「Gah?」
Taking advantage of the moment that Nadia’s movement stopped, Urushi bit into her leg from the shadows. Using the “Plane-Severing Fang” (named by Amanda), he bit off the antidemonized Nadia’s leg.
While Nadia was completely immobilized, Fran’s all-out slash honed in on Nadia, or rather, her sword Overgrowth.
『Do it! Fran!』
「Raaaaaah! Heavenly Judgment!」
A single flash of light ran across Overgrowth, from one side to the other. We were probably the only ones who recognized that flash. I doubt if even Orfalve or Tort managed to see anything.
It was just that fast and powerful. Fran must have still held onto the lingering feeling of that higher plane of skill from the Sword God Transformation.
The blow Fran and I put all our efforts into severed off Overgrowth’s blade, a clean cut straight through the middle.
Just like Announcer-san had advised, we delivered a precise hit to the part that had been weakened after several clashes with Orfalve’s halberd.
Orfalve with her Brave March activated was actually cloaked in a tiny amount of divine attribute. That must have been why she was capable of reducing Overgrowth’s durability.
『Gaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!』
(Master!)
『I’m… fine!』
《I will adjust and control the flow of power. Individual named Master, please maintain a strong consciousness.》
『Okay……!』
This is the second time I’ve cannibalized a failed divine sword! I lost consciousness the last time, but I can handle it now!
But first I have to cancel Potential Release! Announcer-san will be overloaded!
『Guh…… Thanks again for the help…… Announcer-san.』
(Thank you.)
《I am happy to be of assistance. May you go with the blessing of the Wisdom God.》