-779- [ Gift of Foul Decay ]

"————"

As Rozen's words echoed throughout the venue and reached everyone's ears, the atmosphere in the air suddenly changed.

And not just changed, but changed quite thoroughly.

All students, professors, guards, and others focused their gaze on Astaroth, their faces showing fear.

Even the headmaster's face bore a wry smile.

Because...

"Daring to speak to me like this, this is the first time since my birth in this world."

Astaroth's face carried a beautiful smile, but her gaze was as cold as a hurricane capable of unleashing death, instilling fear.

Undoubtedly, this legendary and arrogant demon was angry.

"Queen, please calm down."

The headmaster, seemingly fearing something, advised Astaroth.

To this...

"Shut up, Edward."

Astaroth, rising from the throne with excessive grace, descending the steps step by step.

As Astaroth descended, the air began to be filled with the scent of death.

Astaroth approached the headmaster, making the splendid staircase disappear completely.

"Punishment must be severe for those who show disrespect."

Astaroth continued to look at Rozen, while her hand extended towards the headmaster.

"Give me your magic, Edward. I'm calling forth the army."

At these words, the headmaster's wry smile deepened. He obediently approached, supporting Astaroth's outstretched hand like a subordinate. His head lowered, and magic flowed into Astaroth's body like a surging stream.

"Boom!"

A burst of energy suddenly erupted from Astaroth.

It was the disturbance caused by the pitch-black mist abruptly rising from Astaroth's body.

The thick, pitch-black mist was not only ominous but also constantly flickering.

However, the moment this pitch-black mist appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted significantly. The air seemed to disappear as if consumed, and within the dense interior, faces full of pain emerged—like vengeful spirits, forming a legion.

This was Astaroth's army.

"What... What is that thing...!?"

"So terrifying...!"

"Could it be alive...!?"

The faces of the surrounding students, professors, and guards turned pale, filled with horror in their eyes and on their faces.

Even Yaya and Irori couldn't help but be shocked. Komurasaki and Io screamed in fear, their voices filled with terror.

Only Rozen, for a moment, revealed a surprised expression.

"Miasma...?"

Exactly.

The legion composed of faces full of pain was nothing but miasma.

That is something formed by miasma, bearing a striking resemblance to Shikigami, Spirit Disaster, and the like.

"Is manipulating miasma her magic circuit?" Rozen instantly grasped this point.

Indeed, that is Astaroth's magic circuit, capable of generating miasma out of thin air and manipulating it to form a legion of vengeful spirits, possessing the ability to attack enemies—.

If this extremely condensed miasma were in the world of Tokyo Ravens, it would undoubtedly be a Phase 3 dynamic spiritual disaster.

In other words, Astaroth's magic is the ability to create Phase 3 dynamic spiritual disaster.

And not just one or two, but a total of forty legions.

"Disappear," Astaroth declared, extending her hand, causing the legion of vengeful spirits to surge forward as if suddenly rioting, silently howling as they rushed forward.

The speed, the scale, it was like a vast army galloping, roaring as it swept over, surging towards Rozen's direction, attacking.

"Danger!"

Rozen hadn't given instructions yet, but Irori, with a tense face, also extended her hand, causing a silent and invisible winter to expand.

"Crackle...!"

Frost rose, quickly turning into a massive ice barrier in front of Rozen's group, blocking the incoming legion of vengeful spirits.

Instantly, the vengeful spirits collided with the ice wall.

"Hiss...!"

In a piercing sound, the vengeful spirits that landed on the ice wall not only were not stopped but, like a potent poison, gradually corroded the thick ice wall, melting it at a visible rate.

"How is this possible...!?"

Irori was instantly shocked.

"Indeed, miasma condensed to this extent is already comparable to the existence of dynamic spiritual disaster, capable of causing physical interference," Rozen's eyes also shimmered.

In this situation, Astaroth's legion of vengeful spirits, like determined warriors, continuously collided with the ice wall, corroding it relentlessly.

"Boom!"

Not long after, the ice wall shattered.

A large number of vengeful spirits immediately surged forward, covering Rozen's group.

"Ahhh...!"

In the poisonous miasma, Rozen's group each let out heart-wrenching screams, gradually being corroded by the foul decay, ultimately completely melting away.

"Dead...!?"

"That's it?!"

"That was killed...!"

The surrounding students, professors, and guards exclaimed successively.

"Truly pathetic."

Astaroth, too, was momentarily stunned, then contemptuously laughed.

Only the headmaster furrowed his brow tightly.

"No, that's not right."

As if sensing something, the headmaster asserted resolutely.

"This is an illusion."

As this judgment just came out of the headmaster's mouth, a figure appeared behind Astaroth like a mirage.

"Haaaa!"

Yaya activated the magic circuit of and delivered a punch that disturbed the atmosphere towards Astaroth's back.

"What...!?"

Astaroth's pupils contracted. She wanted to turn around but was already too late.

In this critical moment, the headmaster reacted promptly.

"I won't let you!"

The headmaster directly stepped forward, standing in front of Astaroth.

"Hum!"

In front of him, an invisible wall of telekinetic force spun like a hexagram.

It was the shield of .

"Bang!"

Yaya's fearsome punch landed on the headmaster's raised .

In theory, this strike should have been enough to shatter any magus's erected shield. However, the headmaster allowed his to tilt slightly, dissipating most of Yaya's punch force. Yaya's fist slid off to the side as if gliding, deviating.

"Huh?"

Yaya couldn't help but be astonished.

"Hmpf!"

Astaroth finally reacted, snorted disdainfully, and released a large amount of miasma. It surged like a black storm, causing many vengeful spirits to crash into Yaya's embrace.

"Bang!"

Yaya was instantly sent flying, propelled backward by the continuous onslaught of numerous vengeful spirits.

But Astaroth was surprised.

"How could my foul decay not corrode her?" Astaroth's surprise was met with a warning from the headmaster.

"Be cautious, Queen. These automatons are far from ordinary. They surpass many mythological demons under , coupled with the advanced puppetry skills. Their strength is extraordinary. Even the queen should not be careless, as it might backfire."

The headmaster's advice was met with a voice that seemed to be smiling.

"That should be what I said."

Rozen's voice echoed from the void.

"Although Komurasaki's has already enveloped everyone in an illusion, it's unexpected that it would still be exposed."

Such a voice echoed seemingly out of nowhere, reaching the ears of everyone.