-2356- A one sided battle

"Boom...!"

At that moment, the sky above Itogami Island turned as if heaven itself had shifted. Dark clouds began to gather.

These were clouds stirred up by the raging torrent of magic—an unnatural anomaly overtaking the skies.

The terrifying storm of magical energy and shockwaves erupted overhead at the island's harbor like a massive explosion. It blasted across Itogami Island, shaking it to its foundations, and churned the surrounding seas into raging waves.

The island's inhabitants were startled into panic by the sudden upheaval.

The Management Cooperative monitoring systems detected the massive surge of magic and sounded alarms, urging citizens to seek shelter immediately.

Poor Itogami Island had barely recovered from its last crisis, still reeling from devastation, and now faced another cataclysm—sending everyone into upheaval.

Only a few had noticed the disturbance and were hurrying to the scene.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the shockwave in the harbor, a figure was hurled flying.

"Thud!"

With a loud crash, the figure smashed into a warehouse, collapsing it into splintered rubble.

"Guh!"

The handsome young man lay amidst debris, coughing up bright blood. His pristine white suit was shredded and stained crimson, his body marred with countless wounds—as if mawed by a beast.

Who else could it be but Vatler?

His battered state spoke volumes about who truly prevailed in that collision.

"You actually overwhelmed the fusion of two Beast Vassals without suspense...!?" Vatler sputtered blood and twisted into a look of ecstatic madness.

Vatler, the vampire closest to the Primogenitors in strength, commanded Beast Vassals nearly equal to theirs. Even Primogenitors themselves wouldn't dare suppress him without bringing their full might. Once he combined two Vassals, the fusion's power equaled theirs—yet Rozen had obliterated them with just one.

"As expected... you truly are the strongest...!"

Amid Vatler's crazed exclamation, Rozen walked forward at ease, still exuding magical power.

"Alnasl Minium."

With calm precision, Rozen summoned a deep-red-maned, dual-horned warhorse. Its storm whipped the air, generating a shockwave that tore toward Vatler like tearing the veil of reality itself.

"Manasvin! Utpalaka!"

In response, Vatler unleashed his own colossal magic: two serpentine Beast Vassals over ten meters long erupted behind him—a black serpent like a raging sea and a turquoise serpent like a frozen lake.

They intertwined mid-air, transforming into an azure dragon that breathed intense heat and charged at Rozen's shockwave.

The clash between shockwave and scorching breath birthed a hurricane that toppled buildings, cracked roads, and shattered the surrounding terrain—as if a natural disaster had struck.

"Regulus Aurum."

Amidst the chaos, Rozen remained serene, summoning a thunderous golden lion Beast Vassal glowing in stormlight. It leapt through the blood mist, roaring with thousands of thunderbolts as it charged Vatler.

"Taksaka! Sagara!"

Vatler retaliated, summoning a savage green serpent and a high-pressure water snake. They tangled and merged into a two-headed dragon, roaring back to face the thunder lion head-on.

The two Vassal duels intensified, each clash escalating in ferocity and unleashing surges of raw magic and raw shockwaves that threatened to tear Itogami Island apart.

The island trembled—on the brink of collapse, ready to be smashed by the magical maelstrom.

"Senpai!"

Yukina, witnessing the horrific duel from a distance, fought through the shockwaves and cried out.

Both Rozen and Vatler were capable of destroying Itogami Island in a single strike—yet here they were, dueling on this very land, summoning Vassals freely against each other. It was no wonder the island was shaking like a leaf.

But Yukina desperately didn't want to watch this escalate further.

She tried to move closer, brandishing Tenyuryo and unleashing its form.

Yet she couldn't reach Rozen.

Because...

"So you're alone, Sword Shaman—it's truly a tempting target."

A low voice spoke, and Yukina's face went pale. She whirled around, raising Tenyuryo in defense.

"Clang!"

Almost simultaneously, a figure flashed before her and struck a powerful thrust aimed at her heart. The long steel spear pierced the turbulent air and clashed crisply against Yukina's raised weapon.

"Itogami Meiga!"

Yukina shouted, deflecting the clear threat to her life.

The attacker was none other than Itogami Meiga.

"I never thought you'd come looking for us!" Meiga hissed at Yukina, his face filled with hatred.

"Well then—this is the perfect opportunity to kill you, Himeragi Yukina!"

Meiga's hatred was pure and focused. His Yiangshi eyes radiated black malice—words were no longer enough.

"Do you really want to start a war, Itogami Meiga?"

Yukina demanded loudly.

"Shut up, Lion King Agency scum!"

Meiga revealed his unrestrained rage, no longer the composed individual from their first encounter—only boundless hatred remained.

"I'll kill you, destroy the Lion King Agency—and avenge myself on everyone in this world! Prepare to die!"

He unleashed everything, lunging forward with Fangzahn's spear tips spawning countless afterimages that rained upon Yukina in a barrage like a storm.

"Clang clang clang clang clang...!"

Yukina swung Tenyuryo, deflecting each fierce strike with unending clangs of steel.

Even as they fought fiercely amid the storm of magic, Rozen on the other side utterly crushed Vatler.