Campione: Strongest# 471: Second Ancestor, the Dark Six

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The thunderous roar exploded through the air.

Before the sound even registered, Haru's form had already vanished from the entrance, crossing dozens of meters instantly to materialize behind the self-proclaimed Dark Six.

Without a word, his palm descended from above, gripping the back of The Dark Six's skull with crushing force, driving him straight into the ground.

The brown floor tiles shattered instantly. As the stones crumbled, yellowish-brown dust filled the lobby.

Shiki's pupils contracted. She quickly covered her nose, stepping back out of the dust-filled hall.

BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!

Continuous explosions erupted like a behemoth rampaging through the lobby. The massive apartment complex, built from thousands of tons of concrete, trembled violently.

After a while, the thundering gradually ceased.

As the breeze cleared the dust, the apartment lobby came into Shiki's view.

The brown-tiled floor had vanished completely, replaced by a massive crater dozens of meters deep.

Shiki gripped her katana tightly, her wooden sandals stepping over debris and rebar as she approached the crater's edge.

The uppermost layer revealed six meters of thick foundation—strong enough to support the building's massive weight—now violently punched through, extending dozens of meters underground to expose the bedrock below.

Burst sewage pipes continuously drained wastewater into the depths. With her sharp eyesight, Shiki spotted Haru standing at the crater's center.

Haru gazed coldly at the red and white paste on the ground—brain matter mixed with flesh.

Noticing Shiki's gaze, Haru flicked the red and white substance from his hand, tilting his head slightly. "Shiki, fall back. This isn't a fight you can interfere with."

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Rhythmic applause echoed softly.

On the crater's opposite side from Shiki, the perfectly intact Dark Six stood at the edge, white-gloved hands applauding.

"His Excellency is correct. Stand down, little girl. This battle has already exceeded what humans can handle." Van-Fem advised Shiki with a gentle laugh.

His smiling face resembled a cultured British gentleman, showing no trace of his earlier hatred and resentment—as if everything before had been an illusion.

In fact, Haru understood it truly had been an illusion—if this really was the Dark Six.

The being sung about for millennia, prophesied to command all Dead Apostles upon awakening—the Second Ancestor, The Dark Six—couldn't possibly be that stupid. Otherwise, he'd have died long ago.

Hearing both their warnings, Shiki frowned slightly. After a deep look at Haru, she turned and left decisively.

She wasn't foolish. This crater alone, dozens of meters deep, told her everything. At minimum, this level of combat wasn't something an assassin-type fighter like her could interfere with.

The Dark Six ignored Shiki's departure, even though she was supposedly Araya's precious connection to the Root.

After all, in his eyes, Shiki was too weak—so weak he couldn't muster even a shred of interest.

Of course, this was all predicated on him not seeing her [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception]. With those eyes, Shiki possessed the potential for a one-hit kill against anyone.

Deep purple magical energy surged around The Dark Six as he looked at Haru with surprise.

"I never expected you'd resort to hand-to-hand combat. If not for that sublime divinity confirming your identity, I might have mistaken you for an imposter."

The surging magical energy acted like a signal. The concept of space began to blur—the originally three-meter-high lobby stretched upward invisibly, space continuously expanding.

Clearly, sensing both combatants' destructive power, Araya had decisively enlarged the battlefield.

Haru sneered at The Dark Six. "Imposter? You're the one who showed up with a fake earlier, aren't you? And even now, you're just wearing a Dead Apostle's skin."

The Dark Six pondered for a moment. The fake he'd thrown out earlier for testing had his memories implanted, but it was ultimately false—no point denying it. And his current body was indeed borrowed.

With that thought, The Dark Six spread his hands helplessly.

"True enough. With the Einzbern ritual incomplete, I'm merely one fragment of the Dark Six. Even this body is temporarily borrowed from Mr. Van-Fem."

At the end, The Dark Six laughed heartily. "Of course, Mr. Van-Fem absolutely despises me now."

Hearing this, Haru's gaze sharpened. "Van-Fem? The Fourteenth Dead Apostle Ancestor, Demon Castle Van-Fem?"

Haru knew something of Van-Fem's information—one of the three eldest Dead Apostles, roaming the world for 4000 years, controlling seven castle-sized golems. The puppet master among Dead Apostles—Demon Castle Van-Fem.

Combined with the Dark Six now possessing his body, this counted as a formidable opponent for his divine avatar.

"Since you know Lord Van-Fem's title, this makes things easier."

The Dark Six spread his arms as if embracing the sky. With his movement, the surging deep purple magical energy erupted like a tsunami.

Something in the surrounding atmosphere resonated with him. The air behind him rippled with golden waves.

"Please don't mind me borrowing these."

With a light laugh, The Dark Six's voice suddenly rose.

"Come! Display your charm before the great Lord of the Christian pantheon!"

A booming sound like a carrier's horn suddenly erupted.

—————

Wooden sandals stepping lightly on the tiles, Shiki walked leisurely along the apartment's main path to the outside.

The red brick path and wooden sandals created a rhythmic clicking.

Suddenly, Shiki stopped, her cold gaze fixed on the figure that had materialized before her.

An oppressive, towering form radiating the weight of a mountain. The former monk in black robes stood before Shiki.

"Finally, I can see it—the end of this contradictory Root!"