-1484- The overwhelming gap

"Boom!"

Real, who had transformed into a monster, charged towards Rozen like a cannonball, creating a thunderous roar in the atmosphere due to his astonishing speed.

Real stared intently at Rozen, his eyes already bloodshot from madness, and his hands raised high. Through the writhing of his muscles, they turned into sharp blades.

On these blades, powerful Collapse Force gathered.

At this moment, in terms of strength, speed, or regenerative abilities, Real had surpassed his previous self.

The momentum and aura he displayed were already comparable to the previous Shinjuku [2] variant. In fact, due to the presence of Collapse Force, he even exceeded it.

As Real charged towards Rozen with such a terrifying momentum, Yuri was completely caught off guard.

"Ah!"

In the next second, Yuri let out a surprised cry.

Because Rozen had reached out and pulled Yuri into his embrace.

"Hold on tight, Yuri."

Rozen spoke in a calm tone while activating his Flight Magic, darting swiftly into the sky.

"Don't even think about escaping!"

Real, in a frenzy, immediately gave chase, his speed frighteningly fast.

Thus, a brilliant stream of light and a dark stream of light both shot towards the sky, like two bolts of lightning chasing each other, heading straight for the clouds.

Only then did Yuri, amidst the howling wind, come to her senses.

However, by this time, Yuri had already calmed down.

Watching Rozen, who was silently soaring into the sky with her, not engaging in battle with Real, Yuri understood Rozen's intention.

"You're planning to lure that monster out of Mistgun?"

Exactly.

Although Rozen wasn't the least bit afraid of Real, even with his Collapse Force, the fact that Real was using a power based on the principle of collapsing everything meant that if they fought within Mistgun, the destruction would be unimaginable.

To avoid causing unnecessary damage to Mistgun, Rozen had to lure Real out first.

Given Real's obsession with both Rozen and Yuri, as long as Rozen took Yuri and fled, Real would inevitably give chase.

As expected.

"How pathetic! A so-called hero of humanity! Aren't you still running away in the face of this power? Hahaha!"

Real turned into a dark stream of light, chasing after Rozen while mocking him.

"Do you think you've escaped, Rorelai Arneet?!"

As he spoke, there was a writhing on Real's back, causing his muscles to rupture, and a pair of wings grew out.

"I won't let you escape! Leave Yuri behind! And then die!"

Real flapped his newly grown wings, his speed increasing sharply, like a fighter jet, as he closed in on Rozen with a whistling sound.

"Swoosh!"

In the next instant, Real unhesitatingly raised his arm blades and slashed towards Rozen's head.

The air was sliced open.

The gusts were disturbed.

The Collapse Force gathered on the arm blades resembled the corrosive aura of a vengeful spirit, ready to devour its enemy.

In response...

"Clang!"

As a brilliant light flowed, Rozen instantly activated his magic.

Under the effect of the magic, Rozen's physical strength increased by over a thousand times, allowing him to freely control the monads within his field, isolating all attacks.

This was the most advanced enhancement spell Rozen could use— Kongouriki.

"Clang—!"

With a sound like metal clashing, the arm blade carrying Collapse Force struck Rozen's suddenly raised arm, creating intense sparks.

"What!?"

Real couldn't believe what he was seeing.

An attack using Collapse Force was actually blocked by a mere mortal's flesh?

"Impossible!"

Real roared wildly, his arm blades turning into a flurry of slashes aimed at Rozen, enveloping him in a storm of strikes.

Unfortunately, those slashes were merely swings made with brute force, without a shred of technique. Even without the power of Mind's Eye, Rozen could see through them easily.

"It seems you're only suited to being a researcher. Even with immense power, you can't make any use of it."

Rozen mocked lightly as he raised a hand to protect Yuri, intercepting the oncoming barrage of slashes.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang...!"

Amidst the crisp sounds of metal clashing, the sharp arm blades were continuously blocked by Rozen's invincible arm, producing sparks with every impact.

Rozen continued flying higher into the sky, deflecting Real's attacks as he ascended.

The Collapse Force, which could disintegrate the principles of everything, was indeed formidable. It allowed someone like Real, an outsider to the Sky Wizard Division, to display incredible power, causing the air to tremble and even dispersing the clouds.

Faced with such power, merely manipulating the monads within his field to isolate all attacks might indeed be nullified.

If it could disintegrate the principles of everything, it could also overcome the physical laws that made the Kongouriki's defense possible.

But Rozen wasn't just using the Kongouriki spell; he was also using High-Grade Mana.

Thanks to this, the effect of Rozen's Kongouriki was amplified many times over, far surpassing the level of Yaya, making Real's attacks unable to even scratch Rozen's skin.

"Impossible! This is impossible!"

Real was in shock.

This was Collapse Force.

A power that could disintegrate the principles of everything.

Using this power, in today's Mistgun, even Kanata and Chloe might not be able to withstand Real's attacks in a one-on-one confrontation. Yet Rozen was blocking it with just one hand, without any weapon, using an unknown spell, and remaining unharmed?

How was this possible?

"Even if it's High-Grade Mana, it's supposed to be on the same level as Collapse Force. How can it be so strong...!?"

Real was on the verge of madness.

How could Real understand?

"Indeed, Collapse Force and High-Grade Mana are on the same level, and the two are probably evenly matched."

Rozen's mocking voice reached Real's ears.

"Unfortunately, I'm not using ordinary High-Grade Mana, but High-Grade Mana compressed to its absolute limit."

How vast was the difference between these two?

To put it in perspective, it's like comparing ordinary mana with 100% Compressed Mana; the gap is as wide as the sky and the earth.

Chloe had merely refined 10% compressed Compressed Mana, which was several times stronger than normal. If it were 100% Compressed Mana compressed to its limit, as Rozen had said earlier, its power would be ten times, even dozens of times greater.

Therefore, Rozen's High-Grade Mana was vastly superior to Real's hastily developed Collapse Force.

"Well then, it's about time to finish you."

Rozen suddenly halted his ascent.

"——"

In the next second, Rozen uttered the seed syllable.

It was the seed syllable mantra of the Peacock King, who devours poisons and demons, a true nemesis for Real, who had transformed into an Armored Beetle using a cursed power.

"Boom—!"

Real was struck squarely by an overwhelming force, his skin cracking and blue blood seeping out.

"Ahhh...!"

Real felt as if his entire body was being burned alive, the pain unbearable.

He completely failed to notice Rozen using his fingertip to inscribe a rune on his chest.

"Burn."

With these words, the rune ignited.

A surge of flames immediately engulfed Real, enveloping him entirely.

"Ahhhh...!"

Real screamed in agony.

On his body, the Collapse Force rapidly weakened at a visible rate.