"Amazing! Zastin, Sora and Rhea are both so amazing!"
Inside the ship, Lala was watching the fight on the holographic screen, jumping up and down and shaking Zastin in her excitement.
"Lady Lala, I'm getting dizzy… I'm getting dizzy…" Zastin's eyes were spinning as he struggled, thinking to himself:
"One is the strongest female monster in the universe, and the other is the strongest male monster in the universe. Of course it's amazing when they're trying to kill each other!"
The black-suited guards were also watching in stunned silence, their faces a mix of shock and excitement. Just to witness a universe-class super battle like this was an honor in itself.
The scene shifted back to the two fighters.
Sora rose into the air, and the silver-haired Valkyrie descended from the heavens. They faced each other once again.
They were both panting slightly, their clothes a little tattered, but their faces were alight with bloodthirsty excitement. They had each taken a major hit from the other. So far, it was a draw.
"Human, your name is Kusanagi Sora, isn't it? Very well. To be able to push me this far, I will remember your name!" the girl said, her voice carrying a new weight of seriousness for the first time.
"Heh… Should I say I'm honored?"
"But that's a shame. I want more than just for you to remember my name," Sora replied with a light laugh, his expression turning wicked.
"Hmph, what a greedy and arrogant man! In that case, I will show you my true power!"
A sharp glint in her eyes, Rhea's proud and cold demeanor returned. She reached out her hand, and something came flying from the ship, spinning rapidly until she caught it.
It was a sword—a massive silver greatsword, nearly as long as she was tall!
"I was thinking the same thing. It seems the only way we can communicate is through swords and fists."
"And as it happens, I am also a sword user."
His eyes narrowed, a smirk on his lips. Sora made a fist with his right hand and placed his left palm against it. He then slowly drew out a sword of golden, flaming light.
"The power of the Kirarian people…" Rhea muttered with a frown, but she quickly composed herself, not dwelling on it.
She had no interest in what secrets this human possessed or what abilities he had. The only thing she was interested in now was crushing him with her power.
The silver greatsword, made of some unknown material, must have weighed several tons, but in her hands, it was as light as a feather. She swung it casually a few times, sending an arc of energy flying towards Sora.
It wasn't an attack, just a test swing. Sora easily sidestepped it.
However, the energy arc didn't disappear. It continued on its path and sliced a battered helicopter in half.
"Ah! We're falling! We're falling!"
"Tajima-san, watch out!"
"Help!"
Cries of alarm echoed as several figures tumbled out of the helicopter, falling towards the ground along with the two halves of the aircraft.
"So that was your target…" Sora murmured. He pointed his sword, and several beams of light shot out, forming spheres of light that enveloped the falling figures, suspending them in mid-air.
"Black Hero, you can do it! Even if we fall, you must not lose!"
"You are our hero! You are our hope! Go! Fight! Drive the evil aliens from our planet!"
"We will never forget you! The whole world will never forget you…"
Okay, the corner of Sora's mouth twitched violently. The reporter with the microphone was shouting at him from inside one of the spheres. It was so cheesy it gave him goosebumps.
Dude, dude! I'm a demon king! A demon king! I'm not your hero!
If he listened to any more of this, he was afraid he might actually be shamed into turning good. He waved his hand, and the spheres of light flew down towards the city, finally bringing some peace and quiet.
Rhea watched his actions without a change in expression, not taking the opportunity to attack. Only when Sora turned back to her did she speak.
"Now that the annoying insects are gone, let's continue!"
Sora raised his light sword before him, a bloodthirsty and expectant smile on his face.
"Yes, let's continue our slaughter!"
At almost the same moment, they both swung their swords and shot towards each other. The silver greatsword and the golden light sword clashed, and a deafening explosion rocked the sky…
…
"Damn it! What are those idiots at the TV station doing? Why did the broadcast cut out?!"
"To lose the feed at the most exciting part of a fight like this! Even if the world is ending, at least let me watch it first!"
"What's happening?! This is killing me!"
All over the world, people were cursing at the "Please Stand By" message on their TV screens. The people of Sainan Town, however, had a front-row seat. They were all crowded at their windows, craning their necks to watch the live action.
Of course, while the view was great, it was also nerve-wracking. They were terrified that one of the two gods fighting above might accidentally drop a bomb on them, in which case it would be game over.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the sky, Sora and Rhea were still locked in a fierce battle. Sparks flew, and sonic booms echoed as their faces were contorted with the madness of battle.
Rhea was showing no mercy, her silver greatsword striking at Sora's vital points, occasionally throwing in an energy blast for good measure. Sora, on the other hand, was fighting with some restraint, having to intercept any stray blasts or sword arcs that flew towards the city below.
Realizing that continuing the fight here was a major disadvantage, Sora parried her sword, activated his light speed, and shot off into the distance as a golden streak of light.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Rhea unleashed her power, leaving a trail of shockwaves as she gave chase…
"Ah! They flew away! Sora and Rhea flew away!"
"Zastin, lock on to them, quickly!"
Just as it was getting good, Lala saw them fly away. She grabbed Zastin by the hair and urged him on.
"Lady Lala, easy, easy! I know, I know!" Zastin cried out in pain and quickly typed on the holographic keyboard. Soon, the images of Sora and Rhea reappeared on the screen.
They were no longer flying. They had stopped over a vast ocean.
"Woman, now I'm getting serious," Sora said with a smirk, his eyes narrowed.
"Hmph, and what of it?" Rhea snorted. Though she had acknowledged his strength, her pride would not allow her to back down in front of an enemy. A look of ridicule flashed in her eyes.
"You really are an unlovable woman. In that case, I will—"
"Crush you!!!"
In a flash, he appeared above her. With a savage, bloodthirsty look, he brought his light sword down on her.
CLANG!!!!! BOOM!!!!!
Though she managed to block it with her own sword, her body was sent hurtling down like a meteor, skipping across the surface of the ocean and kicking up massive waves.
"It's not over yet!"
He shot after her, and they resumed their battle on the surface of the sea. Their power radiated outwards, and their swords flashed as the ocean itself seemed to cry out and roar in protest.
The entire area was thrown into chaos, with towering waves and churning waters, as if the world had reverted to a primal, ancient era.
"HUMAN!!!!!"
After being knocked away by Sora's sword again, sending a thousand-meter-long wave across the ocean, a ferocious light gleamed in her eyes. She unleashed thousands of energy blasts at him.
"Hahaha… This is exhilarating!"
It had been a long time since he had such a satisfying battle. Sora laughed heartily, spinning his light sword into a shimmering wheel that deflected and sliced through all the incoming blasts.
"Here's another one!"
Activating his light speed, he appeared above her head again and brought his sword down with all his might.
CLANG!!!!!
Boom! BOOM! BOOM!!!
Taking the full force of his attack again, even the so-called Strongest Valkyrie couldn't help but grunt in pain, a pained expression on her beautiful face.
Not only that, but the force of his blow was so immense that the water couldn't part in time. It cracked like solid ground, caving in deeper and deeper.
"Ah…"
Finally letting out a cry of pain, a massive, bowl-shaped crater appeared on the surface of the ocean, and her body was slammed into the seabed below.
"Die…"
With a demonic, bloodthirsty smile, Sora compressed an energy blast in his hand and hurled it down at the girl on the ocean floor…