Vance's face twisted into a snarl, his teeth bared as he spat, "You lying bastard! There's no such thing as that ability in our bloodline! No such thing!" His voice cracked with disbelief, but he refused to stop.

Spittle flew from his lips as he ranted, "I've studied every record, every ancestor, every scrap of history the House of Sutterfouse left behind! There is no Endless Doom! There are Dooms, there are Curse Blessings, there are branches of power that the angels left us, but that—" he jabbed a trembling finger at Vonjo, "—that abomination of an ability doesn't exist!" His words tumbled over each other, choked by desperation.

The bullet chats blazed to life, text streaking across Vonjo's vision in a frenzy.

FallenLoreMaster: "Wait, he's right? In the original novel, the Sutterfouse bloodline didn't have that ability!"

BlindWatcher: "What the hell is Endless Doom?? Was this cut content??"

SpoilerShield: "HEY! Don't spoil us! Some of us haven't read that far! We're just here to enjoy this LIVE fight!"

LoreSeeker: "Nah man, Sutterfouse got wiped out in the book, that's why no one knows them anymore. But this?? This is new."

The chat exploded into arguments, speculation, and shocked emojis, but none of that mattered to Vance. His face was pale with fury, yet his pride wouldn't let him back down.

He hurled more accusations, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and fear. "You're bluffing! You think I'm stupid enough to fall for this trick? You're lying because you know your luck is up! There's no Endless Doom! There's no devouring power in our bloodline! Our ancestors would have ruled the world if that existed!"

Vonjo's eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. "If you don't believe me…" His voice dropped to a low, taunting purr. "…then attack me. Use everything you've got."

Vance blinked, thrown off. "…You're not… going to hit back?"

"I already told you I wouldn't," Vonjo said simply, slipping his hands into his pockets like he was out for an afternoon stroll. "Are you still going to doubt the claim of the strongest one?"

Rage and humiliation flared in Vance's chest, and before he realized it, he had lashed out. A jagged spear of curse energy shot from his palm, crackling with a purple-black light, and it streaked across the hall like a thunderbolt.

BANG!

Dust exploded where Vonjo stood. But then… it vanished. Not slowly dispersed—vanished, sucked into nothing, leaving the air preternaturally clear. And standing there, untouched, was Vonjo, his smirk deepening.

Vance froze, his breath catching. "…No… way…"

Vonjo tilted his head. "That all?"

Snarling, Vance raised both arms and hurled two curse energy slashes, different from the last—one condensed into a sharp, spinning drill of violet light, the other a wide, roaring crescent that ripped tiles from the floor. They collided with Vonjo in a storm of crackling destruction.

When the storm passed, Vonjo stood exactly where he had been, brushing some imaginary dust from his shoulder.

"Mm. Still nothing," he said lightly.

Veins bulged on Vance's neck as fury replaced fear. He began hurling everything he had—long-range bursts of curse energy, spiraling spheres of compressed fallen energy, a rain of jagged, blackened shards that howled through the air.

He even summoned his most forbidden attack: a twisting vortex of purple and crimson that had shattered a hell beast's armor in one blow.

The air burned, walls crumbled, the ground shook, and each detonation rattled the world like a drumbeat of fury.

Vonjo took every attack head-on, his silhouette sometimes hidden in the inferno of destruction… only for the energy to collapse inward, devoured, leaving him unscathed. He smiled with every blast, the corner of his mouth twitching upward, his eyes glittering with infuriating amusement.

Finally, trembling, drenched in sweat, Vance screamed and unleashed his ultimate fury: a massive surge of energy that cracked the marble floor and blew apart the remaining pillars.

The explosion was so huge that the guards shielded their eyes, and Eugene threw himself behind the three-headed frog.

The dining hall became a churning inferno of violet and red light.

And then… like before, the dust didn't linger. It was sucked away, spiraling down into nothing, until Vonjo's form emerged once more. His black coat was immaculate, not a single thread out of place. His hands remained casually in his pockets.

He tilted his head, smiling lazily. "…Is that all?"

Vance choked on his own breath, but Vonjo wasn't done. He stepped forward, his voice dripping with mockery. "Come on, little brother. You've defeated everyone, never needing anyone's help. So why are you hiding behind this pathetic display? I remember when you charged into battle, full of fire and confidence. You took down every opponent in your path without breaking a sweat.

"But now? You're throwing weak attacks at me like you're scared. I thought the great Vance Sutterfouse, wielder of the Crimson Doom, had more to offer than this. Is this really all you've got? You should be stronger than ever, yet here you are, hiding behind your reputation. So tell me, brother, why are you so afraid to show your true strength? This won't even leave a single mark on me."

Every memory, every mocking tone made Vance's face twitch with anger. His breathing turned ragged, his fury boiling.

"EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!" he suddenly roared at the guards, voice echoing like thunder.

The guards flinched violently, caught between the two demons of the Sutterfouse bloodline.

"Attack me!" Vance bellowed, chest heaving.

Vonjo's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew exactly what his brother planned.

The guards hesitated, fear dripping from every pore. They glanced at each other, their minds screaming we can't, but fear of disobedience rooted them to the spot. Back and forth, they trembled, shifting their weight, torn between terror and duty.

Finally, Vonjo's voice cut through the standoff like a knife. "Do as he says. After all…" He tilted his head, his smirk widening. "…when I'm done with him, I'll deal with all of you next."

The guards' stomachs dropped. One by one, they obeyed. Fists wreathed in curse energy struck Vance. Blades of black light slashed across his body. Minor spells exploded against his frame.

"TOO WEAK!" Vance roared.

They attacked again, harder this time, their desperation rising.

"PITIFUL!" he screamed, blood spraying from his lips, his body trembling from the assault but his eyes burning with madness.

The guards hesitated, horrified at injuring him, but he spat at them, "MORE! GIVE ME MORE!"

Back and forth, like a twisted dance, the guards attacked, their breaths growing ragged, bodies aching. Their fear of Vonjo warred with their obedience to Vance. Sparks and blood filled the air. Vance staggered, his body torn and battered, yet his manic grin only grew wider.

Finally, with a last barrage that left the hall cracked and burning, the guards collapsed in exhaustion. Vance swayed, blood dripping from a dozen wounds, his breathing ragged… but his eyes blazed with something terrible.

"Heh…" He lifted his head to glare at Vonjo, lips curling in a bloodied smile.

Vonjo spread his arms mockingly. "Bring it on. Send that shitty Crimson Doom of yours at me."

Vance's face twisted with rage and triumph as he raised two trembling fingers toward Vonjo.

The wounds across his body glowed faintly, his pain and blood condensing into a single point.

Slowly, a brilliant red light coalesced at the tips of his fingers, pulsing like a living heart. It grew larger and larger, a condensed core of annihilation.

The hall rumbled. Dust shook from the fractured ceiling.

Finally, the light swelled to its limit.

Vance's voice was a snarl of hatred and ecstasy as he roared—

"RECEIVE THIS!!"