Phoenix had effortlessly annihilated the two gargantuan werewolves with a single punch and kick each.
But no sooner had she finished than an even larger Great Silver Wolf materialized behind her, its jaws snapping shut on her neck.
This massive silver wolf possessed a physical form far surpassing that of humans and even Divine Beasts. Its ghastly green eyes glowed like copper bells in the darkness, and its pale, razor-sharp teeth could effortlessly shatter the strongest metals.
This was Voban's giant wolf form, manifested through his Authority, Ragnarok Wolf. In this state, Voban possessed the Divinity of a Sun god, granting him Light's Blessing and immense resistance to solar attributes. He could also transform his summoned Demon Wolves into colossal werewolves, each inheriting a portion of his solar resistance.
The Great Silver Wolf appeared with such stealth that it emerged behind Phoenix just as she finished off the two giant werewolves. Without warning, it lunged and bit down on her.
Phoenix was swallowed whole by the massive Silver Wolf in a single bite.
But... before the Great Silver Wolf could savor its triumph, it suddenly felt its "meal" vanish from its mouth.
It spat out Phoenix, only to find a single feather of unknown origin.
"Reversed Feather Strike!"
Phoenix, whom Voban had just swallowed whole, suddenly reappeared at his side. Her fist, wreathed in Li Fire, slammed directly into the giant wolf's flank.
The wolf, transformed from Voban, managed only a pained howl before being sent flying by the force of the blow.
-
The giant wolf crashed to the ground, its massive body crushing a skyscraper.
Yet, within seconds, Voban, still in his wolf form, staggered back to his feet. His enhanced physique had barely withstood Phoenix's punch.
"You've thoroughly enraged me, brat!"
"Sigh... Do all old geezers love spouting so much nonsense?"
Phoenix landed gracefully. Feathers, each capable of influencing and controlling even True Gods, materialized around her.
Armed with Fenghuang Down, Phoenix possessed unwavering confidence against any Campione or Heretic God in this world.
"But you're already halfway to the grave, old man. If you'd stayed home tending your potatoes and enjoying a peaceful country life, I might have left you alone. But now that you've come looking for trouble, there's no turning back!"
"Little girl, your arrogance knows no bounds! Let this old man, with one foot in the grave, teach you... how to respect your elders."
"My prey is within reach! Unleash the hounds and tear them to pieces!"
Transformed into a Great Silver Wolf, Voban spoke in a human voice. Empowered by his Cursed Power, his words became a potent Word of Power. As his Authority unleashed its power, nearly a hundred dark gray Demon Wolves, each the size of an adult horse, erupted from the void with thunderous roars.
This was the Authority Marquis Voban had usurped from Apollo Lykeios, the wolf-formed Sun god of Greek Mythology. It granted him the power to summon without limit and freely manipulate the "Beast of Darkness and Earth"—the dark, rat-furred Demon Wolves that served as sacred beasts to the Apollo god.
While individual wolves lacked the abilities of Divine Beasts, they possessed razor-sharp noses, massive frames comparable to horses, and agility capable of outrunning cars. Even Great Knights would struggle against such a pack. The wolf pack operated with the strategic coordination of a disciplined cavalry unit, capable of executing complex military maneuvers.
The moment dozens of Demon Wolves materialized, their pale emerald eyes, a shade lighter than Voban's, fixed on Phoenix and the figures behind her. A cruel glint shone in their eyes, and saliva dripped from their fangs as they lunged forward viciously.
But Voban didn't stop at summoning Demon Wolves. Using his Earth Spirit Speech Incantation, he directly bestowed the Mark of the Wolf upon the ordinary people near the high-rise who hadn't managed to escape, transforming them into permanent werewolves under his command.
These were once ordinary citizens of Tokyo, now twisted into savage werewolves by Voban's cursed power.
Phoenix paid them no mind. After all, ants remained ants, no matter how numerous, and with Higokumaru at her back, there was no need for concern.
"The moment the horn sounds, the final war of annihilation begins! My angels, in the name of your Angel Legion Commander, fight for me!"
If Voban could summon his underlings, Phoenix couldn't be left behind. Besides, she was eager to test how much the Light's Blessing would enhance the power of her Battle Angels.
As Phoenix's Spirit Speech resonated, a Gate of Heaven materialized in the sky. From it emerged a legion of Battle Angels, clad in celestial armor and wielding blazing cross-shaped light swords.
One by one, the Battle Angels flew forth from the Gate of Heaven, bowed to Phoenix, and immediately engaged Voban's Demon Wolves.
These angels, formed from Cursed Power, were not true angels and lacked the full might of their divine counterparts. They were roughly on par with Voban's summoned wolves—outmatched by Great Knights, but far superior to ordinary knights and magicians.
Most importantly, they were inexhaustible.
"Chiyou's Banner, like a comet with a curved tail. Its appearance signifies... a King's conquest of all lands."
With over a hundred angels now deployed from the Gate of Heaven, Phoenix invoked her second Authority.
A crimson mist-like gas, resembling a billowing cloud, materialized in the sky. As this ethereal banner unfurled, the angels Phoenix had summoned surged with frenzied energy, their morale and strength skyrocketing as if supercharged.
If the Battle Angels had previously been no match for the Great Knights, now, empowered by Chiyou's Banner, they were their equals. Each angel could now easily defeat several Demon Wolves. With Chiyou's Banner bolstering their strength, Voban's Demon Wolves teetered on the brink of annihilation.
"A troublesome ability... but nothing more," Voban muttered, far from idle himself. Transformed into a colossal wolf, he threw back his head and howled at the sky. His immense Cursed Power instantly coalesced, shaking the atmosphere. Dark clouds surged across the heavens, and a ferocious storm erupted.
Boom!
Pale lightning flashed, deafening thunder roared, and hurricane-force winds that could flatten houses unleashed their cataclysmic power simultaneously.
This was the Authority Voban had usurped from the Korean Trinity of Wind gods, granting him control over storms, wind, rain, and lightning. Under its influence, when Voban's mood soared, torrential rain and violent gales would rage around him, and he could even manipulate the atmosphere to soar freely through the skies.
During the Austrian Empire era of the previous century, Voban had used this very Authority to obliterate the port city of Zadar.