CHAPTER 124: JEVIL’S CLONES, AFFINITIES SHOCKWAVE

Fwish! Slash!

Sam and the [Forsaken Clone] charged their primordial swords with the full force of their affinities, then launched forward, swinging at a terrifying speed.

The blades cut through the air so quickly that they almost vanished from sight, like streaks of light flashing in and out of existence.

Yet even with such speed—

Slash! Slash!

Some of the Jevils’ strikes still slipped through, landing precise hits on Sam’s [Eternal Barrier] and shaving away at its durability piece by piece.

"Most would call it foolish~" Jevil chuckled, a twisted smile behind his mask, "Using one card just to summon a scythe, instead of going all out with a ten-card attack~"

He raised the scythe again.

"But I found out that it’s much easier to end it quickly when they get overwhelmed~"

Fwish!

Another wave of attacks came flying toward them, and both Sam and the clone tightened their stance, trying to defend with everything they had.

They deflected, dodged, and tried to redirect as many strikes as possible.

But no matter how hard they pushed—

Slash! Slash!

Some attacks still found their way through, striking the barrier again and again.

Only a few minutes had passed, yet already, Sam’s expression was growing tighter, his jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed with frustration.

The [Forsaken Clone] didn’t seem to care, though.

It looked almost thrilled, fueled by the danger, as if the threat of death only made it stronger.

’This isn’t going to work,’ Sam thought to himself, watching Jevil get ready for another round.

Slash! Fwish! Bam!

The pressure increased, and with each wave of attacks, their chances dropped lower.

[Eternal Barrier: 12/50]

[Forsaken Clone Eternal Barrier: 11/50]

If it kept going like this, Sam knew it was just a matter of time.

Soon the barrier would break.

And once it did, it would be over.

"Don’t feel too bad, Primordial~" Jevil began circling Sam slowly, his clones doing the same, every mask lit with an eerie, mocking glow, "None of the others managed either~"

"Fuck you," Sam growled, a strange pressure stirring deep in his chest.

"I mean it," Jevil giggled, "Most of them didn’t even last this long. But even if someone had gotten rid of my clones, I could’ve just transformed and wiped them out in one go~"

"Shut up..." Sam muttered, eyes darkening as a violent crimson aura leaked from them.

It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t frustration. It was something deeper.

"AND THEN... THAT SOUL OF YOURS WILL SHATTER~"

Laughter erupted from every direction as all ten clones spoke the words in unison, the sound ringing through the top of the tower.

[Proceed.]

That word echoed through Sam’s mind like a distant command, just like it had before.

Jevil was the second being who had said something about shattering his soul.

The first had been [Asmodeus], right before his final moment.

And now Jevil said the same. This wasn’t coincidence.

These beings knew something. They knew something Sam didn’t.

He had a soul, of that, he was certain, and not just any soul.

He could feel it. Something powerful.

Something more important than anything else in this realm.

But why did they need to break it? Why couldn’t they just kill him? Or... did they need it for something else?

Whatever the truth was, Sam had already made up his mind.

They weren’t going to shatter anything.

"But I can tell you’re confused," Jevil suddenly spoke, and all the clones stopped walking, standing perfectly still in a loose circle, "I bet you don’t even know what your soul is, or what it can really do..."

Sam didn’t speak. He didn’t flinch.

He just stared straight ahead, gripping his sword tighter.

"But none of that matters now," Jevil said, his tone no longer playful. "Because... YOU’LL BE GONE BEFORE YOU EVER LEARN!"

Fwish! BOOM!

All ten Jevil clones dashed forward at once, faster than before, powered by something more violent and desperate.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

"Did you really—"

Slash! BOOM!

"Think the Primordials—"

Slash!

"—were the only ones with Determination?"

Fwish! SLASH!

Ding!

[Your "Eternal Barrier" has shattered.]

The shell of energy around Sam burst apart in an instant, crumbling like glass into the air.

"No," Jevil said, almost calmly, "Everyone has determination. It’s just that yours... yours is a little stronger than most. That’s all."

The clone’s barrier had broken too.

Now both Sam and the [Forsaken Clone] stood exposed, no defense left.

But that wasn’t the end. It never was.

Because all it did... was push them further.

Sam closed his eyes for a moment.

He didn’t need words.

He just had to focus, on his sword, his affinities, and the fire burning in his chest.

"Good," Jevil said, stepping forward, scythe spinning, "Seems like the next strike will be the last~"

"..."

"You’ll see them all soon. The other Primordials, the ones who failed. You can enjoy eternity together..."

Fwish!

"...when you’re in Hell."

BOOM!

All ten Jevils rushed in, ready to end it.

Each clone raised its scythe to strike, aiming to tear through both Sam and the clone beside him.

And they would have. If not for what happened next.

Fwish! BOOM!

Sam opened his eyes.

And in that instant—

A new pressure surged out of him, violent and overwhelming, so thick and heavy that for a second, even Jevil stumbled mid-air.

"You’re not getting me like this," Sam muttered through gritted teeth, his eyes glowing with blood-red aura.

Hatred burned behind his gaze. He raised his primordial sword, and swung.

BOOM!

The swing released an explosion of energy, a shockwave so powerful that it sent all the Jevil clones flying back like puppets cut from their strings.

And with that swing—

[Shadow, Chaotic, Void, and Hatred energy swirl around you, boosting your power.]

[Your "Primordial Sword Technique" has improved.]

Ding!

[You have learned "Affinities Shockwave"]

The new skill allowed Sam to channel all his affinities into his sword, not to release the [Crescent Slash], but a massive shockwave that tore through everything in its path.

And that shockwave... It worked.

"Argh..." Jevil groaned, staggering back to his feet.

He looked around. The clones were gone.

Each of the nine cards that had formed them were floating back toward him, spinning slowly.

"You little..." Jevil’s voice shook with rage as he took a step forward, "You just won’t give up, will you?"

"You’re the one that said my determination was stronger," Sam replied, walking forward without hesitation, "So why are you surprised?"

"...True," Jevil sighed, "But..." He raised his hand, "I guess it’s finally time I use this~"

The ten cards swirled into a tight circle around him, forming a vortex of light and power that spiraled into the sky like a beacon.

"The Primordial finally understood his place in this world," Jevil said, his voice deepening as if reading the end of a story, "And so, his journey ended at the hands of the Jester~"

Fwish! BOOM!

The air exploded around Jevil, and Sam had to raise his arm to shield his eyes from the sheer force of the transformation.

It was like lightning had struck the tower.

And when the blinding light began to fade—

He saw it. A new Jevil. Not just stronger, but different.

His aura alone was enough to shake the tower to its foundations.

[Jevil, The Card Jester (Ultimate Form)]

Sam’s grip on his sword tightened.

And even with everything Sam had seen, he felt it in his gut.

This monster was going to give everything to destroy him.

But he wasn’t alone. And he wasn’t weak.

[We cannot back down, let the hatred fuel you, and fight back with everything you have.]