Now let the generals fight it out. As Leo contemplated his armor, it slowly materialized in a dramatic cascade of light and energy. The Demon King remarked, "Hmm… being flashy, huh? No worries—you aren't the only one with flashy armor." In response, the Demon King materialized his own, his body gradually becoming clad in dark, swirling armor that seemed to devour everything in its wake.
Leo observed, "I need to counteract the rate at which he absorbs energy—if he isn't slowed down, there won't be any planet left to protect." The Demon King then declared, "Now, since I don't play fair, I'm going to show you a little trick: system disable."
Leo's eyes widened as his system flickered. "What the fuck—I can't use my system!" His mind flashed back to when Wukong had first warned him during training: what if you meet an opponent who can disable your system? How will you stand your ground then? "You sly dog, Wukong," Leo thought bitterly. "If I were that frightened Leo of the past, I would have cowered in fear. But I'm not that Leo anymore—and the system is merely a protective casing for my true power. Now watch me as I enlighten your ignorance by displaying my true strength." The Demon King was visibly surprised. "This isn't what I expected—I didn't expect you to have another source of power within you," Leo replied coolly. "This is just the tip of the iceberg."
Without hesitation, the Demon King unleashed his own power, rushing at Leo and delivering a crushing gut punch. Leo gasped for air as the Demon King showed no mercy, following up with a resounding punch to the face that sent Leo flying. He landed in a volcanic terrain where his armor absorbed the brutal impact from the molten shards. "You just got lucky," Leo spat at the Demon King before retorting, "Now it's my turn!" Instantly, he teleported to where the Demon King was and struck him with a swift kick to the back. Using his other hand to block a counterattack, Leo twisted his body and delivered a powerful kick to the Demon King's face. The Demon King was sent soaring into the air.
But Leo was relentless. He reappeared right in front of the airborne Demon King and struck again—a precise punch coated in anti-demon energy that slammed into the enemy's gut. Gasping for breath, the Demon King was then met with the sudden materialization of a colossal hammer in Leo's outstretched hands. With a mighty swing, Leo slammed the hammer down, sending the Demon King crashing to the floor.
Quickly following his assault, Leo used his armor's power to materialize a broad, rotating shield. With decisive steps, he dashed toward the prone Demon King, inching closer as the enemy readied his defense. Suddenly, the Demon King raised his own armor as a barrier—a force field that resembled a black hole, absorbing Leo's shield. "It's absorbing my shield," Leo realized. "I can't defeat him like this—I need a new tactic." With a determined curse, he shouted, "You asshole!" and disintegrated his shield. Rotating at speeds beyond mortal comprehension, he transformed into a human drill, breaking the barrier as his aura glowed fiercely.
Then, with breathtaking force, Leo unleashed the Thousand Fists of Judgment. Enlarged in stature like an enlightened Buddha, he pummeled the Demon King with blows that carried the might of meteor strikes. Each punch, enshrouded in flames and spiritual energy, battered the Demon King's multiple layers of black-hole barriers. The ensuing struggle sent shock waves across the dimension, fracturing the very fabric of space; the tremors were felt throughout the universe, even by Denzan and Vultra. "Why does that shockwave feel as though it has all the gods' power squeezed into a single attack?" Vultra demanded of Denzan. "I need to know—nameless lackey, go and check it out," came the reply.
Before the lackey departed, a black-hole being emerged from its guard post, proclaiming, "You wish is my command, my lord." Vultra added, "Don't kill him—bring him to me, okay my lord?" The being then departed with lightning-quick steps, appearing in the dimension to observe the magnificent display. It absorbed both the Demon King's and Leo's attacks with a casual ease that left both adversaries perplexed. "My lord," the being continued, "wants me to bring the one who bears all the power of the gods. If that person does not comply, I will force them to come." A heavy silence fell as both the Demon King and Leo processed what they had witnessed—the chilling realization that this entity could absorb their might while we risked everything.
Again, the being spoke, "I don't have a lot of patience. Comply or I force you to." The Demon King, still reeling, gave Leo a silent thumbs-up. The mysterious being then turned to him and said, "Do I look like a fool? Your power is similar to mine; don't play games. I'm here for the one I seek—so either you come with me or I force you to."
Leo cut in sharply, "How about I give you my own two options? Option one: I kick your ass and send you crying back to your master. Option two: You return empty-handed to your master and tell him some cock-and-bull story." The being laughed, dismissing Leo's challenge. "How ridiculous—you, the chosen one by the gods, suggesting such trivialities. It seems the gods are still weak as usual."
Enraged, the being used its aura to knock out the Demon King, then void-stepped to where Leo was. It bound Leo with an absorbing rope and tapped its mouth. Comrades rushed forward to see what had happened, only to find the being carrying Leo. With a single glance, it dismissed them and departed, leaving both groups of allies shocked and brimming with questions. The Demon King was left knocked cold, while Leo, though weakened, remained resolute. Their attention shifted to an inscription written in the ancient language of the gods: "Your dear enemy, Vultra Ludenworth."
A god was called to interpret it—Demos was summoned but could make out little until Leonidas and finally Zeus were called upon. Zeus arrived, shocked by what he understood: their suspicions had been confirmed. He then began to spin his "white lies" to calm anxious hearts and soon disappeared, calling an emergency meeting with the old-generation gods. In the sacred hall, Zeus stood before them and began, "I have gathered you here because our arch enemy, Vultra, has confirmed our suspicions—in short, he has officially announced his presence. Our chosen has been taken hostage. Reports suggest that the being which appeared can probably handle almost all the gods combined. Vultra is evolving at a rate we can't control. If he tells Leo the truth, we won't stand a chance anymore. Furthermore, the younger generation gods are growing suspicious of us. We need to find a way out."After a long silence and a suggestion from a goddess to hand the matter over to higher overlords, Zeus declared, "It is not a bad idea, but let this be our last resort. We must not overreach." He then dismissed the meeting, urging his peers to keep a wary eye on their enemies.
The scene shifted to the edge of the universe, where Vultra's domain loomed. The mysterious being carried Leo to a sprawling, foreboding castle. Entering the throne room, it dropped Leo onto a flat, unyielding surface and stood before the overlord himself—Vultra Ludenworth.