Such overwhelming battle intent...
Was it trying to fight him?
Kanzaki Rei looked up at the sky.
His expression gradually sharpened, becoming serious and focused.
Violent winds rose around him.
Every stray thought in his mind was cast aside.
In a single instant, he entered a perfect combat state—mind and body devoted entirely to battle.
Whoosh!
The sword in the sky began to twist and change shape.
It transformed into a humanoid figure.
Its physique was robust and powerful, its upper body bare, its skin bright and pale, yet every line of its form radiated explosive muscular beauty.
"In this world, supremacy is decided by strength and weakness alone. Battle never ceases. The strong ascend to the heavens; the weak fall into the dust."
"Do you agree?"
Whoosh—
Brilliant white hair.
Blood-red eyes.
The colors reminded Kanzaki Rei of Ansei in his youth.
They also resembled Seiichi, whom he had once encountered.
And there was that same wild, arrogant gaze.
Within those eyes, Kanzaki Rei recognized the same feeling he had seen in Iz and the others.
An invincibility that looked down upon all others.
Not blind arrogance.
Not the boastfulness of someone who had never seen the world.
But rather...
Perfect confidence.
The same kind of absolute certainty with which Iz believed she was the strongest mage in the world.
Within that fierce arrogance there was even humility.
And compassion.
A willingness to yield to and pity the weak.
This... was appearing in his Level 5 Warrior advancement ritual.
"I agree with that... quite a bit."
He had never heard of an Origin manifesting a physical form and personally participating in an advancement.
Although the figure had not yet stated his intentions, Kanzaki Rei could already predict them.
The battle intent radiating from him was overwhelming and boundless.
A figure like this appeared during a Warrior advancement.
Heh.
Did that really need explanation?
"So. Are we fighting?"
The white-haired man did not attack immediately.
Instead, he smiled.
"To attract my attention, you must be strong."
"I do not battle nameless individuals."
"Tell me your name."
Kanzaki Rei smiled faintly.
"What a coincidence. I don't fight nameless people either."
He extended his perception toward the man.
But a swirling aura enveloped his body.
This was a Warrior's Qi.
And astonishingly, it blocked perception.
More than that, despite standing within the Mana Sea, he had pushed away the mana surrounding him.
It was as though he had formed a sealed chamber within the ocean itself.
Because of this, Kanzaki Rei could not extend his senses through the mana as if it were an extension of his own body, and thus could not obtain information about him.
Of course, once battle began...
The man would no longer remain so untouchable.
But before the fight, gathering information would not be easy.
"Oh, you're right. I should introduce myself."
He folded his arms across his chest and said,
"My name is Yomei. Level 9 Warrior."
He stretched, interlocking his fingers until his bones cracked sharply.
"I intend to prove that I am the strongest warrior in the history of the world."
"And so... I appear before you."
"Every genius who receives perfect recognition on the Warrior path will meet me."
"Then, I defeat them while remaining at the same level."
"Again and again."
"I will defeat every Warrior advancement candidate in this world and prove, beyond all doubt, that I am the strongest of all."
A Level 9 Warrior...
Kanzaki Rei had never heard of such a figure.
"Did you become a Level 9 Warrior within the last ten years?"
Yomei rolled his neck.
"Hm? How did you know?"
"Oh, right."
"My advancement trial only appeared in the last few years."
"That's correct. I became a Level 9 Warrior five years ago, after the Inverted Boundless Mountain incident gave me the opportunity to advance."
The Inverted Boundless Mountain...
"Your turn. Who are you?"
"Don't worry. Even if I defeat you, you'll still complete your advancement successfully."
He grinned.
"Though after suffering a defeat like this, reaching the same Level 9 realm as me may become a little more difficult."
Kanzaki Rei nodded slightly.
"I see..."
"So that means that, aside from the War God, you're the strongest warrior of this era?"
Then what level was Akase now?
The thought flashed through Kanzaki Rei's mind.
He quietly met Yomei's gaze.
Thump—
In that instant, Yomei's instincts sent him a bizarre and ominous warning.
Almost reflexively, he felt the urge to strike first and suppress this unsettling opponent.
But at nearly the same moment—
Whoosh!
Kanzaki Rei appeared directly before him.
"Then come!"
[Combat Ultimate Principle — Infinite Evolution]
Yomei's pupils widened.
In that instant, the Kanzaki Rei before him was completely analyzed.
The flow of mana.
Blood and vitality.
Qi.
Blood circulation.
Muscles.
Even brain activity.
The surging tides of his sea of consciousness.
Everything was laid bare in a single glance.
Almost instantly, Yomei's instincts predicted Kanzaki Rei's next possible actions!
At the same time—
He threw a punch!
[Combat Ultimate Principle — Continuity]
[Imperial Style — Third Form: Vast Heaven-and-Earth Might]
With each punch, overwhelming pressure descended like mountains, seas, and the heavens themselves.
Towering waves rose with his fist.
The earth surged in tandem.
Through his perception, Kanzaki Rei saw the ground splitting apart and tearing upward.
The foundations of Moonwatch Territory's walls were nearly destroyed in an instant.
Even the clouds in the sky were dragged down.
Everything in heaven and earth converged to crush Kanzaki Rei alone.
BOOM!
But the punch never truly landed.
Kanzaki Rei struck first, launching his own fist at an even greater speed and colliding directly with Yomei's.
[Skyflow Style — Tenth Form: Halt]
CLANG!
The two fists met.
The raging heavens and seas, which had already begun to overturn, came to an immediate stop.
Everything fell silent in an instant.
Only outside Moonwatch Territory—
Every monster attacking the city suddenly exploded.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
They burst into clouds of blood mist that filled the sky.
"Excellent!"
So fast!
He actually intercepted my attack!
What an interesting genius!
Yomei was overjoyed.
Then, in the next instant, he saw chaotic mana fluctuations before him.
Almost simultaneously, Kanzaki Rei vanished from sight.
All that remained was a portal.
Without hesitation, Yomei stepped through it.
BOOM!
In the blink of an eye, they arrived above a distant sea.
"I don't want the shockwaves to affect ordinary people."
Yomei knocked his fists together.
"Understandable."
"But it seems you're a mage as well."
Kanzaki Rei replied, "Am I not allowed to use magic?"
Yomei laughed arrogantly.
"Not at all. Come at me with everything you have!"
BOOM!
The moment the words left his mouth, Yomei's fists appeared in all directions simultaneously!
[Imperial Style — Third Form: Vast Infinity]
"Second Forbidden Magic."
Tap.
Within this area, the flow of time changed abruptly.
Yomei's speed was instantly reduced by a factor of ten thousand.
[Skyflow Style — Third Form: Phantom Strike · Chaotic Shadow Dragon Shatter]
BANG—
In a single instant, Kanzaki Rei countered with countless afterimages of his fists.
And when the myriad fist shadows vanished, Yomei's body was struck by ten thousand crushing blows at once!
...
Want to unlock up to 60+ early-access chapters with NFSW Content and exclusive novels ?! Join my Patreon today and dive deeper into the adventure!
patreon.com/denji21