-1486- Does not belong to you

Alchemist Division, Thirteenth Sublevel.

In this massive-scale mana refinery, students from the Alchemist Division were still hard at work. They operated various instruments, checked the status of each device, and recorded their findings. They meticulously documented the reactions within each mana reactor, preparing reports for Rozen to review.

After all, while the students from the Alchemist Division could assist with the research, their role was mostly limited to supervision and operating the instruments—essentially, just providing support. The real authority over the facility's operations rested with Rozen.

The reason for this was simple: nearly all the equipment here was crafted by Rozen himself. The materials used were not from this world, and the runes engraved on the mana reactors, along with the various techniques employed, were beyond the comprehension of the people in this world.

Thus, only Rozen could fully understand and provide the necessary technology here. Furthermore, Rozen had implemented numerous security measures, ensuring that even the most skilled alchemists and research experts would find themselves baffled by the workings of this facility. Rozen had no concerns about his technology being stolen—his only worry was about potential sabotage, which was the only possible threat.

Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, the constant traffic in and out of the facility had left its defenses somewhat lacking.

And today, the facility finally faced an attack.

"Boom—!"

The elevator doors leading to the mana refinery were violently blasted open, fragments scattering as an explosion sent a wave of heat and shock through the air. Inside the refinery, the students from the Alchemist Division were terrified.

"W-What's happening...!?"

"What's going on...!?"

The students were thrown into panic.

At this moment, the instigator of the chaos appeared.

"Cough, cough...!"

Blue blood continued to spew from the intruder's mouth, while the hard skin on his body, thanks to his exceptional regenerative abilities, was already healing.

"So, this is the place?"

Real Nua surveyed the refinery with a deranged smile.

Seeing Real Nua, whose massive body was covered in hard skin, the students of the Alchemist Division let out cries of despair.

"Armored Beetle?"

"It's an Armored Beetle!"

"Run!"

"Run for your lives!"

The students quickly descended into panic and fled in all directions.

Real Nua paid no attention to these insignificant pests and strode deeper into the mana refinery.

Before long, Real Nua arrived before the mana reactor.

"Ahh..."

Seeing the mana flames burning within the reactor, Real Nua's eyes widened, and he trembled with a sense of awe.

As an alien being, Real Nua's instincts told him that the flames before him were the most supreme power in this world.

They were so mysterious.

So holy.

Even though the power had yet to fully form, Real Nua could sense its immense strength.

"So, that woman wasn't lying... The most powerful force truly is here...!"

Real Nua was overjoyed.

"If I had this..."

If he had this power, he could become the strongest, and tear that human apart.

In that case...

"It's mine!"

It could only belong to him—there was no other possibility.

Real Nua's heart was filled with greed.

Unfortunately...

"It does not belong to you."

A cold, indifferent voice suddenly rang out from behind Real Nua.

"...!"

In that instant, Real Nua felt a chill down his spine and plunged into a frenzy.

DangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDangerDanger...!

An overwhelming sense of danger flooded Real Nua's mind.

Without hesitation, Real Nua spun around, channeling Collapse Force into an arm blade that he slashed at the space behind him.

"Whoosh!"

A gust of wind swirled up, forming an invisible sickle that tore through the air, cutting towards the space behind Real Nua with a sharp, piercing sound.

However...

"Shing!"

Almost simultaneously, a three-colored sword light accompanied by an electric crackle sliced through the air.

"Squelch!"

The invisible sickle was cleaved cleanly in two by the three-colored sword light, dispersing it instantly.

The figure behind Real Nua barely moved, save for the flutter of white, shoulder-length hair and the veil on their head in the dissipating wind.

Only now did Real Nua clearly see the person who had appeared behind him.

It was a white girl, her body adorned with mysterious markings. She wore exotic clothing, held a three-colored light sword, and had a pair of eyes that gleamed like rubies.

The white girl stared at Real Nua, her eyes devoid of any emotion, making Real Nua's skin crawl and his body tremble uncontrollably.

His instincts told him that this girl was the most dangerous being he had ever encountered.

"W-Who are you...!?"

Real Nua shouted, his voice tinged with false bravado.

To this, the girl offered only one response.

"My name is Altera."

Altera raised the light sword in her hand and pointed it at Real Nua.

"Are you the enemy of my Master?"

With these words, a terrifying surge of mana erupted from Altera's body.

This was no longer just pure mana; like Rozen's, it was genuine High-Grade Mana compressed to its absolute limit.

As Rozen's familiar and Servant, Altera had gained High-Grade Mana from her contract with him.

As a result, Altera's power had undergone a significant transformation, becoming even more formidable.

Faced with such an Altera, Real Nua was overcome with terror.

Yes.

He was terrified.

Staring into Attila's eyes, Real Nua felt like he was being watched by a prehistoric giant, his heart gripped by fear.

"Ooo... Ooohhhh...!"

In the end, Real Nua's heart was crushed by fear, and he raised both arms high, channeling Collapse Force.

This was the final desperate act Real Nua could muster.

And then...

"Squlch!"

The three-colored sword light descended like a thunderbolt, slicing through Real Nua's hardened skin with ease, splitting him in half.

Blue blood sprayed everywhere, staining the ground.

The bisected corpse of Real Nua slowly fell, his mana, jutsuryoku, and Collapse Force all dissipating.

Altera, holding her three-colored light sword, was suddenly standing in front of the fallen Real Nua.

"This is the power that will lead him to his final path; no one else has the right to touch it."

Leaving behind these words, Altera turned around and vanished into a mist.

No one knew that a terrifying Servant had been guarding this place all along. Only the bisected corpse on the ground, lying there as if it had died an agonizing death, bore silent testimony to what had transpired—now lifeless.