Austin's lifeless corpse lay sprawled atop a heap of bones. Standing behind him, Negary was charred all over, almost reduced to charcoal.
"Is he dead?" Jason asked, bow drawn and aimed at the blackened figure.
"Probably not yet." Chris suppressed the grief in his heart and spoke solemnly. From Bujiter's final Rhythm, it could be inferred that Negary's body was layered upon layer. Though Austin's Sacrifice Gift was immensely powerful, it could at most kill Negary once.
Cracks appeared across the charcoal surface. A lump of pitch-black flesh burst out from within and fell onto the pile of bones. The black flesh shot straight toward Austin's corpse, drilling into his body through the wound in his chest and replacing the heart that had been torn out.
Pitch-black tendrils spread out from the lump of flesh inside Austin's body. Dark lines were visibly spreading beneath his skin. Austin struggled to his feet, black raised patterns covering his entire body beneath what had once been smooth skin.
"You truly can't be underestimated." Austin—or rather, Negary—spoke once more. He did not seem particularly angry that his body had been destroyed. Instead, he felt even more delighted.
"Negary, without a body to support you, you are no longer powerful. Your defeat is already set in stone!" Chris took a deep breath, his gaze stern. "You are far too arrogant!"
Chris spoke with sorrow in his voice as he charged before Negary, his Silent Fist driving toward Negary's chest.
"Chris, you cannot defeat me. Did you think that after fighting all of you for so long, I had done nothing?" Negary said with a smile. "Whether it was Smick or you, I deliberately held back whenever I fought you."
"Even Austin's Sacrifice Gift, I took it head-on while only half willingly doing so." Negary's breathing