Chapter 37: The Fall of Zagred — Strings of Fate
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The Shadow Palace — The Battlefield of Legends
The final clash was reaching its peak. Asta and Yuno, standing bloodied but unbowed, stared directly at the grinning form of Zagred. Black tendrils writhed around the devil like serpents, feeding off the despair and malice still lingering in the air.
Zagred (gleeful):
"You've done well to entertain me, but this is the end."
His grotesque form pulsated as he prepared to unleash one final overwhelming attack. Even as powerful as they were now, Asta and Yuno both knew—this would be the deciding moment.
Asta (determined, gripping his Demon-Dweller sword):
"We won't let you win!"
Yuno (activating Spirit of Zephyr):
"For everyone you've hurt… you'll fall here!"
The room was thick with tension.
But far above, in his hidden observation dimension, Avi Caesar watched with sharp, calculating eyes.
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Akatsuki Control Room — The Puppeteer's Final Move
Dozens of floating system panels hovered around Avi. Every event on the battlefield was being calculated, measured, and predicted down to the millisecond.
> [System Alert: Zagred's Maximum Power Spike Detected.]
[Intervention Window Approaching Optimal.]
Avi's manipulative smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Avi (softly):
"Perfect. Now… let's make sure the world remembers its heroes."
He lifted his hand, issuing the next sequence of commands.
> [Deploy Origin Backup Puppets — Sector Alpha.]
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Intervention Without Exposure
Just as Zagred summoned countless demonic beasts to overwhelm Asta and Yuno, five of Avi's hidden Origin Puppets phased into existence within the shadowy corners of the palace—completely invisible to the naked eye.
Each puppet subtly intercepted one incoming fatal attack that would have killed key fighters—Noelle, Mimosa, Luck, Charmy, and even Fuegoleon—without ever revealing themselves.
To everyone on the battlefield, it appeared as if luck, instinct, or miraculous last-minute dodges had saved them.
> [System: Fatalities Prevented – 5]
[Visibility: Zero Exposure Maintained.]
Avi's eyes remained sharp.
Avi (whisper):
"They will rise stronger, thinking it was their own strength that carried them through."
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Zagred's Surprise — The Anti-Magic Strike
While Zagred focused his attention on the Black Bulls' desperation, Asta's demonic arm surged with Anti-Magic power. The bond with his devil inside his grimoire grew more synchronized than ever.
> SLASH!
Asta cleaved through one of Zagred's main magic constructs with overwhelming force.
Zagred (genuinely shocked):
"You insolent worm! How…?!"
Asta (roaring):
"We're not afraid of you anymore!"
Yuno followed in perfect sync, his wind magic slicing directly toward the exposed core of Zagred's form.
Yuno:
"This ends now!"
For the first time, Zagred faltered. His regeneration slowed. His smug arrogance turned into genuine panic.
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The Devil's Desperate Gambit
Realizing he was cornered, Zagred shifted his strategy.
> "Let all creation collapse!"
The entire palace began to distort as the Devil unleashed chaotic spatial magic designed to collapse the Shadow Palace itself—hoping to drag everyone into the void with him.
The knights below struggled to maintain their footing as chunks of the palace shattered and spiraled into the darkness.
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Avi's Secret Masterstroke
Inside his command chamber, Avi leaned forward.
Avi (calmly):
"Now. Let's stabilize the structure just enough for the heroes to finish their tale."
> [Activate Subspace Stabilizers — Zone Correction Engaged.]
Subtle threads of Origin Magic quietly intervened at the structural level of the collapsing palace, creating stable platforms beneath Asta, Yuno, and Noelle without alerting anyone.
From the outside, it appeared as though pure willpower was keeping them standing.
> [System Visibility: Zero Detection.]
Avi whispered:
"Not yet, Zagred. You'll lose where everyone can see you fall."
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Black Bulls' Final Rally
Fuegoleon, Mereoleona, Noelle, Luck, and the rest of the Black Bulls pushed back the demonic beasts, slowly clearing a path for Asta and Yuno's final strike.
Fuegoleon (yelling):
"Protect Asta and Yuno at all costs!"
Mereoleona (laughing ferociously):
"I'll burn everything that stands in their way!"
Even Julius, observing from outside through spatial magic, clenched his fists in anticipation.
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The Fatal Blow — Hero's Victory
As the final coordinated assault approached, Zagred attempted one last escape move, manipulating the dimensions.
But just before his distortion completed, one of Avi's puppets silently disrupted his spell matrix by interfering with the origin threads of his magic.
> [System Intervention: Spell Destabilized — 100% Success.]
Without that final distortion, Zagred was exposed.
Asta (roaring):
"This… is the end!"
With Yuno matching his strike, the twin assault of Anti-Magic and Spirit-infused Wind sliced directly through Zagred's monstrous heart.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Zagred's face contorted into one of pure disbelief and horror as his form disintegrated into black mist.
Zagred (dying scream):
"Nooooooo—!"
The Devil of Word Magic was finally defeated.
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The Aftermath — World Applauds Its Heroes
As Zagred's remains scattered, the floating palace stabilized momentarily before collapsing entirely. Julius used his remaining time magic to help extract the survivors safely back to Clover Kingdom.
The capital erupted into cheers. The heroes—Asta, Yuno, Noelle, and the others—stood proudly as the saviors of the Kingdom.
The narrative would spread across the entire Clover Kingdom:
> "The new generation rose to defeat a Devil!"
But none knew the hidden strings behind the victory.
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Akatsuki Base — The True Mastermind
Within his hidden base, Avi sat quietly, sipping tea while reviewing the complete system logs.
> [Mission Completed: Zagred Arc — 100% Success.]
[Casualties Prevented: Maximum.]
[Public Exposure: Zero.]
Avi (soft grin):
"Perfect."
His mind now turned to the next phase.
The Elf Reincarnation arc was complete. But greater threats loomed — Lucius, other devils, the Spade Kingdom, and ultimately… the unknown depths of this world's cosmic balance.
Avi leaned back into his throne.
Avi (quietly):
"Now, it's time to expand my network."
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Lucius Watches from the Shadows
Elsewhere, Lucius Zogratis continued watching through his divination spells.
Lucius (smiling):
"Brilliantly played, Avi Caesar. I wonder… when will you step out of the shadows?"
His interest in Avi had grown exponentially. Two master manipulators now circled each other quietly.
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System Update — The Game Expands
> [System Prompt: New Global Threat Detected.]
[Next Arc Initialization: Spade Kingdom Phase I.]
[Priority Objective: Maintain Control Without Direct Involvement.]
Avi's emerald eyes gleamed.
Avi (smiling coldly):
"Let's continue the game."
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[To be continued...]