Mimosa woke up to Alucard moving around as she rubbed her eyes. "Where are you going?" She mumbled as he didn't stop moving, "Yami sent a signal for help. Get dressed quickly if you want to help." She was up in an instant as Alucard opened a portal to the beachfront.
"We'll have to go physically. The water currents and mana are interfering with my portals. Hold on." Mimosa latched on as Alucard flipped through his grimoire before settling on a spell. "Water Creation Magic: Sea Serpent." The colossal Eastern Dragon rose out of the water and gazed down at them.
With a mental command, it lowered its head and opened its jaw, letting them get inside before turning and diving under the waves. Water rushes past them in a blur as they race towards Yami and the others.
At first, everything went well, but as they descended into the depths, the currents and violent mana began impeding them. Alucard poured more mana into the dragon and began using water magic to slow the currents around them, which helped slightly, just enough for them to reach a magical barrier.
The dragon swam closer and tried to force its way through, but nothing. It roared and tried clawing its way in, then blasted it with pressurized water; still, nothing. "Are you able to lock onto them yet?" Mimosa asked as Alucard focused on the mana signatures he recognized as the Black Bulls.
"Just barely, the mana is agitated in this area. Both from being in a Grand Magic Zone, and from whatever is happening inside the barrier." He said as he dispelled the dragon, keeping the crushing tons of water at bay as he opened a portal just big enough for them.
They went through it and found themselves in a cave, nearly falling into a pool of water. "Most are here, Yami is elsewhere," Alucard said as Mimosa noticed an injured man and pointed him out.
He was slightly pale and in a strange sea creature costume. Walking over Alucard healed him from his grievous wounds before asking him, "Where are we?" The man coughed up blood and seawater before answering.
"The Sea Temple… under attack… help the High Priest…" He then passed out from blood loss as they placed him somewhere safe before venturing further into the cave. As they do, a faint chirp sounds from his mind as Julius personally connects. 'Be warned, son, a man just defeated fifty Knights in the port town you were in. He might be going after the stone.'
Just as Julius finished talking, the cave system shook as a familiar wild mana flooded the area. "Stay behind me." Alucard threw down a barrier as Luck and Magna slammed into it, thrown out of the next cave by Vetto and his opponent.
"Alucard? What are you doing here?" Magna asked as Alucard stepped past him into the next cave. It was much larger, and already Vetto had defeated his opponent. "Look who came crawling back?!" Vetto sneered as he tossed aside the broken man.
"Is this thing on?" Yami's voice then rang out across the cave system. "Alright, the Eye of the Midnight Sun. So all you little shits better surpass your limits and defeat them. Don't you dare do, or I'll kill you!" An older voice then cut in, "Defeat them all, the time limit has been lifted."
Vetto rolled his eyes as Luck and Magna followed behind Alucard. "So are you worms ready to die in despair?" He taunted as Alucard snorted. "Can't believe he actually said that with a straight face."
Vetto's eyes almost didn't catch up in time as Alucard suddenly appeared before him, flaming claws inches away from digging into his throat, before his body reacted. "Beast Magic: Rhinoceros Armor!" He's saved from the killing blow and is thrown against the wall as Alucard closes in.
Magna and Luck get ready to go help before Mimosa stops them. "Wait for the others, right now you'll only get in his way." They protest, but seeing the two move faster than they can process finally gets them to calm down.
Vetto parries another hit before lashing out with a massive kick, barely moving Alucard as he keeps stacking more spells on himself. 'Such dense mana packed into this body, there's no way this body wasn't made artificially.' Alucard was confused.
He was more than capable of bringing Vetto to his knees with pure magic power, but he could sense that this magic cave system was barely holding it together, with Vetto and himself fighting. Each blow shook the enclosed realm as Vetto kept using more and more power.
What was surprising was how much mana was inside his body; each cell seemed to be flooded with magic. It didn't help much since Alucard was able to land consecutive blows, but he was still able to fight back to a degree.
"Such power!" Vetto snarled as the mana writhed around him, "I can't wait to taste your despair!" He rolled his eyes again, never understanding how people can say such cringy things with a straight face. He doesn't bother responding as he senses the various members of the Black Bulls start moving towards their fight.
He then breaks away from Vetto, giving the beast a chance to recover as he glances at Magna and Luck, as Asta and another boy run up to them. "You wanted to fight? Have at it." He motions at Vetto, blasting him across the room with a blast of water that is partially reflected back.
Luck doesn't wait any longer as he dives in, Magna and the others hot on his tail, as Mimosa goes over to him. "Again?" He shrugs as Vetto immediately dominates the Bulls. "I got tired of hearing all his 'despair' talk, but I can't destroy him outright by leveling the place with him; that body is reinforced with mana to an absurd degree."
She trusted his judgment as Asta proved to be useful against Vetto, his anti-magic blades slowing his healing by a lot, giving Luck and Magna room to use their magic, with the other sword-wielding boy helping when he could.
'Why the heck is he just standing there?!' Asta screamed inside as his arms shook from the force of Vetto's blows. Ever since he'd fought with Yami against Licht, he'd thrown himself into training. He constantly pushed his body further and further, hoping to close the gap between him and the threat he knew was coming.
Yami had been the biggest help; he never held back when they sparred. The only thing he didn't do was flat-out kill him; everything else was on the table as Yami put him through hell. Noelle and Vanessa were also used to keep him from getting comfortable, forcing him to constantly adapt.
'All I have to do is hold out until Noelle gets here, then she can blast this freak's arm off so that Yami steps in.' Though he hated having to rely on the Captain, Asta wasn't strong enough yet to rely on his own power. Yes, he was a few steps ahead of his original counterpart, but he was still unable to connect with the devil within his Grimoire, nor was he able to channel his Anti-Magic into the Demon-Dweller sword, something that would be very useful right now.
Luck and Magna were a great help, however, as they combined their magic to devastating effect, keeping Vetto's attention somewhat divided. Still, they were on the ropes. Kiato is nearly torn in half several times, and Luck and Magna's mana is starting to run dry. The worst part?
Vetto's full attention isn't on them; he is still focused on Alucard.
Again and again, he bellows a challenge, only for it to be ignored, which enrages him more. Even without any mana, Asta is able to feel the waves of oppressive force emanating from him as Alucard's dismissal of his threat digs deep.
More of their squadmates arrive, relieving some of the pressure as Kiato and Kahono display unmatched symmetry, as Noelle and Vanessa step in, giving Luck and Magna a chance to charge an attack as Finral tries his best to keep everyone out of harm's way.
'Yet still that bastard won't help us!' By now, even Mimosa looked ready to jump in, even just to heal them, as Alucard just stood there watching them struggle. He does nothing as Asta slides back a few meters, and Kiato and Kahono step in. As one, they cast a magic spell as their magic power swells.
"You constantly demand our despair? Well, taste our determination instead!" Kiato yells as his voice joins Kahono's. "Union Magic: Sea God Slash!" Kiato's dual blades strike Vetto with an unrelenting force as he's pushed back. Alucard is surprised to see this power from the two he'd previously overlooked, but it doesn't last.
"Is that all you can manage?" Vetto chuckles as he suddenly shoots forward, "I came to taste despair, not this pathetic defiance." With brutal strength, he grabs one of Kiato's legs and crushes it, before Kahono can cry out, for her brother Vetto is upon her. "Your insignificant voice will never be heard again." He clamps a massive paw around her throat and starts to squeeze.
Seeing his sister in danger, Kiato ignores the pain of his shattered leg and lunges forward, only for Vetto to backhand him. "How pathetic, such small blades, for a small child." Asta tries to get closer to pick Kiato up, but Vetto is faster. Releasing Kahono, he uses one of Kiato's fallen blades and severs one of his arms.
He revels in the boy's screams as he turns to Alucard once more, spotting Mimosa next to him. "You're next!" He roars as he casts a speed spell, claws ready to tear Mimosa in two as Noelle screams for her to move. Vanessa feels something within her snap as she tries to reach out and save her, but she's too slow…
BOOM!
Vetto's body flies past them, a bloody stump where his right arm once was, as a magic pressure forces everyone to their knees. Even Asta nearly collapsed as his body suddenly gained what seemed like hundreds of pounds. Having the most mana, Noelle and Vanessa are frozen in fear, as even Kiato and Kahono's pained screams die down to hushed whimpers.
Slowly, footsteps echo in the cavern as Vetto pulls himself from the wall. "Finally, even you have a weakness!" He grins despite the blood loss as he starts to channel his final spell.
Mimosa immediately moves to heal Kiato and Kahono, the Black Bulls can do nothing but shake as the only other person not frozen stops a few meters away from Vetto. Alucard glares down as Vetto, doing nothing to stop him from completing his spell.
A slight sense of relief washes over the other, still kneeling, but the sheer weight of Alucard's mana still keeps them on the ground. They watch as he continues glaring at the now rapidly healing Vetto.