That protagonist is trash; I could do better!

In the burning world, dozens of demonic spears pierced through the thick smoke, reversing cause and effect, and once again locking onto Shinji Matou's heart.

"The same trick won't work on an alchemist." Shinji Matou chuckled lightly, raised his hand to block, and used magic to create a time rift, disrupting the causality attached to the magic spear.

The curse of the demonic spear suddenly lost its target, fell from the sky, and vanished in a red glow.

Scáthach launched a surprise attack from the ground, her body rapidly approaching Shinji Matou in a Z-shaped trajectory, her speed fluctuating wildly and unpredictably, thus evading the elemental crystal's autonomous defense.

Without the protection of runes, even a small nuclear-level attack couldn't harm the Queen of the Shadow Kingdom.

"Demon Realm Power!"

As they rapidly approached, Scáthach let out a low shout, increasing her speed further, her body enveloped in a strange red light.

"what?"

Shinji Matou's eyes narrowed, finally unable to ignore the queen before him. The thoughts that had been separated to control the temple were unified, and the spirit particle calculator analyzed Scáthach's spirit origin.

Scáthach is the queen of the Land of Shadows. This is not a symbol of power elected by others; she truly rules this world, and in this world, she can unleash her full power.

Seeing the God-Slaying Spear thrown, Shinji Matou's expression turned solemn, and he shouted in a deep voice, "Silver Ripple Swiftness!"

Countless rays of light rippled and spread, forming a peculiar defensive barrier.

Ordinary defensive barriers could no longer stop Scáthach's attacks. These rippling light patterns were materialized true ether, like waves of tides weakening the power of the magic spear and the curse.

However, just as the first demonic spear was about to lose its power, the second demonic spear followed closely behind. The powerful force originating from the Queen herself instantly broke through the ripple barrier's seal, and both demonic spears pierced into Shinji Matou's body at the same time.

"wrong!"

Scáthach's expression shifted slightly; the feedback from the curse was very abnormal. Then she saw Matou Shinji's body, pierced by the demonic spear, turn into a white light and vanish.

The puppet substitute, Shinji Matou's true body, was replaced the moment he released the miniature sun.

Higher in the sky, beneath the massive transmutation circle, Shinji Matou raised his right hand and chanted the incantation: "Pillar of Mercy, Pillar of Gentleness, Pillar of Severity, evolve the twenty-two paths, this is the meaning of the Primal Essence, manifest, Wheel of Life."

The incantation was naturally something Shinji Matou said off the cuff, whatever came to mind.

However, this action is not meaningless. Alchemy is a completely different system from magic, with its own foundation. Just as alchemy requires a circle to activate, chanting incantations is a form of self-suggestion and also a ritual of magic.

The spells are derived from the Kabbalah Tree of Life doctrine and are closely linked to the alchemical foundation of this world.

The massive transmutation array continued to evolve, locking onto Scáthach's body while simultaneously unleashing hundreds of beams of light containing different magical properties. The light was overwhelming, like the aurora borealis on a winter night, and behind the dazzling spectacle lay energy powerful enough to melt a city.

"Amazing magic! You are indeed very strong. This is the first time I have seen someone use magic to such an extent."

Looking up at the overwhelming barrage of light cannons, Scáthach's smile deepened: "Then I'll pierce through you along with that magic circle!"

The magic spear drew a beautiful circle in Scáthach's hand, its tip igniting with crimson flames of curse. Scáthach gripped the spear tightly, channeling magic into it, and the flames spun and contracted, the piercing and tearing curse coalescing into a single point.

Her bright red, beautiful eyes were colder than ever before, overflowing with cruelty and murderous intent towards her enemies.

“If you survive, Angolan, you will be qualified to see my true strength.”

"Gáe Bolg Alternative! (The Lance Piercing Through Death)"

boom!

With a sound like cannon fire, the demonic spear aimed at Shinji Matou from below, whipping up a crimson whirlwind that instantly submerged all the elemental torrents in its path.

With the power of the demon realm amplified, Gáe Bolg's curse was amplified, and wherever the crimson whirlwind swept through, all the particles in the air were torn apart.

Magic, rules, elements, true ether—everything that constitutes this world has been devoured by the curse.

Shinji Matou remained expressionless as he chanted the incantation again: "Sage's Trial, Eleventh Element: Da'at (Knowledge)"

"liberation."

"A gateway connecting the world."

boom!

The red whirlwind seemed to have collided with some invisible hard object. After struggling briefly, it lost its target and could only helplessly dissipate.

Shinji Matou briefly created a subspace zone in front of himself that resembled "imaginary space," using its inherent void nature to make it the strongest shield in the world.

Scáthach's magic spear, no matter how powerful, is only a city-specific Noble Phantasm. Without the concept of a boundary, it cannot attack beings in another world.

Chapter 88 Second Stage Spirit Foundation

"Is that all? Queen of the Land of Shadows."

Above the void, Shinji Matou looked down at Scáthach and questioned her with disappointment. The strength of Scáthach's true form did not even pose a threat to Shinji Matou.

Scáthach stared at Shinji Matou, her crimson eyes growing colder, her smile deepening, revealing her battle maniac nature: "Didn't I tell you, your ability to block this shot is just the beginning. I no longer consider you a disciple; you have earned the right to be my enemy."

The cursed flames ignited by the demonic spear grew ever stronger, spreading from the spear to Scáthach's body. Red lightning flashed, tearing through space, and the earth that the curse passed through turned into lava once more.

The demonic spear flew from Scáthach's hand, twisting and turning in mid-air before piercing her chest. Strange red lines spread from the wound to her body.

When did even the Queen of the Land of Shadows learn the traditions of the Spartan (Devil May Cry) family?

Shinji Matou squinted at Scáthach, sensing that she was unleashing something terrifying.

Scáthach removed her bodysuit, revealing a light red and black armor that resembled a monster's mouth covered in fangs. Her waist-length red hair cascaded down to her ankles, exuding both majesty and a chilling aura.

This is what Scáthach truly looks like.

A look of desolation crossed Scáthach's beautiful face as she lamented, "The battles that cannot kill me will only make me stronger. So I have been suppressing my strength all this time, sealing my true nature deep within my body. Angora, you are an opponent worthy of my full strength. I hope you can kill me, otherwise, your soul will become a ghost of this world, forever under my control!"

The demonic spear was generated from Scáthach's right hand. The moment it pointed at Shinji Matou, without any warning, a terrifying torrent of curses was released, instantly engulfing Shinji Matou's body. Even the huge transmutation circle in the sky was partially shaved off by the curses.

She's too strong.

Scáthach was born a battle maniac. In order to find opponents who could satisfy her, she constantly challenged human warriors. After defeating all the human warriors, she went to find the legendary powerful monsters, and continued to slaughter monsters to forge a magic spear. In the end, even the gods and spirits of the heavens became the dead under her spear.

Fight! Fight! Fight! Kill! Kill! Kill!

With each battle she fought, she grew stronger. When she came to her senses, her body was soaked in the blood of the gods and monsters she had slaughtered. She was cursed by the world, and the Shadow Kingdom she ruled was banished to the outside of the world. She herself became an immortal being, a being similar to a god.

In the void, Shinji Matou's body was reconstructed. Facing Scáthach, who had released her second-stage spirit origin, Shinji Matou finally became serious. He stared at Scáthach and said softly, "I hope you're not just talking big this time."

The dense runes surrounding Shinji Matou's body lit up, and a black shadow swallowed Shinji's body from behind, sprouting wings and transforming him into a demonic being.

The massive transmutation array in the sky, controlled by the Spirit Particle Computing Machine, quickly completed its self-repair, rose into the higher void, and disappeared above the dark clouds.

The transmutation array is now responsible for analyzing the Land of Shadows and is no longer used as an autonomous Noble Phantasm.

boom!

The two figures vanished from their original positions simultaneously. In the void, crimson lightning burst forth, the demon's claws gripped the tip of the demonic spear, the surrounding void shattered, the earth trembled, and lava mixed with fragments was sucked into the world's rift.

The two, transformed into streaks of light, separated, leaving a long tail in the air, before colliding again, like two planets colliding.

Rumble~

The mountain range was reduced to a pool of lava and exploded upon impact.

The two moved faster than the naked eye could perceive, like a world-destroying hurricane, and the world was in anguish.

The demon's claws and the god-slaying spear clashed countless times. The claws tore Scáthach's body apart, only to be restored by her immortality. The spear pierced Shinji Matou's outer shell, only to be neutralized by the omnipotent alchemical formula.

"Hahaha, this is what makes a battle interesting!" Shinji Matou grinned, the shadow of death looming over his heart. An unprecedented storm raged in his mind, his thoughts splitting into hundreds of parts, some used to maintain alchemy, some to analyze the battle, and some to cast magic.

Based on the evil of this world, and imitating the form of the oldest evil god Angra Mainyu, he uses alchemy to draw out the endless magic power within his body and refine it into the Philosopher's Stone, making his methods of killing enemies ever-changing.

Sometimes it manipulates the movement of molecules to control temperature, sometimes it alters the flow of time to create traps, and sometimes it severs space to use as a sword.

However, in just a few minutes and tens of thousands of exchanges, Shinji Matou failed to gain the upper hand.

Shinji Matou finally understood the existence of Scáthach, who combined magic and gun skills, and whose ability reached the origin of everything, easily neutralizing any kind of attack.

"Even if I stole Angra Mainyu's spirit origin and went through more than ten world cycles, there is still a huge gap between me and her in terms of combat prowess." Shinji Matou thought to himself with a chill. She was even growing rapidly while fighting him.

"No wonder they've lived for so many years, their experience is far beyond what a young person like me can compare to."

From the sky to the earth, they shattered mountains, obliterated rules, and turned countless spirits into nothingness. The Shadow Kingdom could not withstand the battle between the two main gods.

The demonic spear's attacks grew increasingly fierce, its trajectory unpredictable and impossible to evade, to the point that Shinji Matou's magical energy expenditure in dispelling the curse gradually exceeded its regeneration.

boom! boom! boom!

The moment the demonic spear thrust out, a simple strike shattered most of Shinji Matou's body.

Shinji Matou carefully controlled the magical power within his body, ensuring that every bit of it was used to its full potential so as not to waste a single bit and continue fighting Scáthach.

"Originally, in a war of attrition, our side should have had an overwhelming advantage! Just what kind of monster is this second-stage Spirit Origin BBA?! Even if it's not a Grand rank, it definitely deserves to be a candidate!"

"but!"

That's enough!

In the midst of the fierce battle, Shinji Matou disregarded the demonic spear piercing his body, grabbed Scáthach's ankle, spun her around in the air creating a storm, and suddenly threw her body towards the direction of the shattered space, buying himself the opportunity to activate the transmutation circle located outside the Shadow Realm.

The transmutation circle completed its analysis of the Land of Shadows, and unsurprisingly, the core of the Land of Shadows is Scáthach herself.

To kill Scáthach, the Land of Shadows must be destroyed; to destroy the Land of Shadows, Scáthach herself must be killed. In this paradoxical spiral, the transmutation circle calculated the slightest possibility of killing Scáthach.

The Land of Shadows is under Scáthach's control and is part of her power. If she were to unleash enough power to destroy the Land of Shadows, replace the foundation of this world, and purify the dead, then the Land of Shadows would become her fatal weakness.

Chapter 89 The Rod of God

"The tree of life (Kabbalah's Tree of Life) is rooted in this world!"

"First Point of Matter: Kether (Supreme Crown)"

"The Second Particle: Wisdom"

"The Third Substance: Understanding (Intelligence)"

"The Fourth Particle: Mercy (Love)"

"The Fifth Element: Severity (Great Power)"

"Sixth point: Beauty (US)"

"The Seventh Element: Victory (Eternity)"

"The Eighth Particle: Spendor (Glory)"

"Ninth Particle: Foundation"

"The Tenth Element: Kingdom"

"Trials of the Sages, Eleventh Element: Da'at (Knowledge)"