Everyone withdrew behind a massive meteorite in the distance, watching the earth-shaking battle about to begin.
Artosh unfurled all eighteen pairs of wings. Each pair shone with a different radiance, representing a power he commanded. As the War God, he wasn't only the God of Battle, but the embodiment of every concept tied to war—strategy, courage, victory, destruction, hatred…
"Let me see it, traveler from beyond this world—what gives you the right to challenge the strongest?"
His voice brimmed with confidence and anticipation.
Rei Ao didn't transform or release any overwhelming aura. He simply stood there, calm. He was facing the strongest god-species in the world, yet his bearing was the same as if his opponent were any ordinary foe.
The War of the Sixteen Races was fought to claim the One True God's throne. But as the strongest, Artosh cared little for that. To him, the war was a tedious game—a long wait to find a worthy opponent. To participate symbolically, he created the Flügel to fight the other gods.
Azril was the first Flügel he created, tasked with conveying the War God's decrees to all Flügel and leading them in battle. As for Artosh himself, he sat day after day upon the throne in Avant Heim, issuing commands to Azril while gazing down from on high at the world below, hoping that one day a worthy opponent would appear.
The "strongest" is, by definition, one whom none can surpass. If he wished, he could have taken the war's victory with ease. He did not; beyond creating the Flügel, he never truly took part. Invincibility breeds loneliness. Being the strongest breeds a desire for defeat.
And now, at last, Artosh had found someone who might match him.
Rei Ao stood quietly on the barren ground, robes fluttering soundlessly in the vacuum. He met the War God's eyes without fear or excitement—only an unfathomable calm.
"You go first," Rei Ao said, making a courteous gesture.
"Hmm?" Artosh blinked. No one had ever spoken to him like that. As the strongest being in the world, he was always the one who told others to make the first move—often letting them strike him without counterattacking, just to wring a little fun from the fight.
But facing this mysterious outsider, Artosh didn't get cocky. In an instant he flashed toward Rei Ao and threw a punch that could shatter mountains.
Boom—!
What stunned Artosh was that the blow did no damage at all. Rei Ao neither dodged nor defended. He simply raised his hand, meeting the destructive fist with his palm. When fist met palm, there was no world-rending explosion, no shockwave of leaking energy. The concept-laden punch struck what felt like nothingness, its power silently absorbed.
"What…?"
For the first time, surprise flickered in Artosh's eyes. No one had ever neutralized his attack so easily.
Rei Ao smiled. "Ordinary conceptual attacks don't work on me. I exist outside this world's concepts."
"…"
Artosh was silent for a beat—then moved like light itself, launching attack after attack. His figure flickered through the void, each reappearance carrying annihilating force. For a while the heavens tore, space trembled—the spectacle was overwhelming.
Michiru and the others watching were dazzled, unable to keep up. Even Jibril and Azril, Flügel as they were, could only barely track the movements of these two beings.
The battle raged on, and everyone realized in shock that Rei Ao had not moved a single step from start to finish.
"How is this possible?!" Azril couldn't believe it. These were Artosh-sama's attacks! How could anyone be completely unaffected?
As Artosh's onslaught grew stronger, Rei Ao remained untouched—and increasingly bored. "If that's all your attacks amount to, this is dull." He casually stopped yet another blow with a single finger. "Bring out your strongest strike, or you'll die with regrets."
Artosh's eyes sharpened, and a spear blazing with incandescent white light formed in his hand. It was the Spear of Radiance—able to burn even time to ash. The weapon embodied the concepts of "Absolute Penetration" and "Unblockable," one of Artosh's mightiest arms.
He hurled the spear.
Ssht—!
A golden streak tore the void, aimed straight at Rei Ao's heart. Its speed surpassed time, its power enough to pierce a planet's core.
But that assault, too, was easily nullified by the power Rei Ao invoked—Freeze.
He merely lifted his hand.
"Freeze—"
The space ahead solidified at once. The invincible divine spear stopped dead a few meters before him, then shattered inch by inch, scattering into motes of gold that faded into the void. In truth, the very concepts embedded in it had been frozen and erased in an instant.
"…"
Seeing his attacks fail one after another, Artosh ceased his assault and stared silently at Rei Ao.
After a brief pause, he bared his teeth in a grin. "Being from another world, it seems I truly underestimated you. You're far stronger than I imagined."
His gaze burned as it fixed on Rei Ao. Now he could feel it—the other's strength might even surpass his own. A surge of exhilaration welled up inside him. At last he had found an opponent worthy of his full power.
The onlookers were struck dumb. Jibril and Azril were especially shaken. They knew better than anyone what the War God's spear meant—a supreme artifact that could affect an entire planet.
"Just how strong is Master…?" Jibril murmured.
Azril couldn't speak at all. She had always believed Artosh-sama was invincible, the strongest being in the world. But now… that faith began to waver.
Artosh's shock swiftly turned to elation. "Excellent! At last… a true opponent!"
He shed every last restraint and let his power erupt.
Rumble—!
The ground shook. Space warped. Time went haywire. The War God's unleashed aura was enough to make space itself collapse.
~~~
Same Vibe as Saitama vs Boros or Garou? Anyway…
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