Because spiritual power and magical power share the same origin, most systems that can detect one can pick up the other.
But collapse energy (Honkai energy) is a different beast altogether—it doesn't behave like either.
Still, its overwhelming intensity caused the battleship's energy detection systems to spike to full capacity.
"Report! Executor, sir! We've detected an extreme energy spike! Executor?! Hello?!"
Artemisia called out urgently, staring at the screen now flooded with visual static.
"Reporting in—communications are completely down. Secondary control systems are experiencing interference as well."
The immense electromagnetic field stirred up by Nagami had completely disrupted any surrounding devices that relied on electromagnetism.
Artemisia looked out at the sky thick with storm clouds.
Purple-blue lightning cracked through the heavens.
And there, floating like a living conduit, was the black-haired "Spirt" who linked sky and earth with blinding arcs of electricity.
The current coursing through the void coiled around a steel structure that resembled a throne, wrapping it in the form of a lightning lance.
As a world-class mage, Artemisia could feel the sheer, incomprehensible force of the energy emanating from him.
But what truly disturbed her…
Those steel structures—he had summoned them out of nowhere!
What even was this "Spirit's" ability?
Wasn't his "Angel" supposed to be a giant sword?
Why hadn't she seen it?
"143.961%…"
Her gaze fell on the main cannon's charging bar—just as she hesitated, a voice came through her magical interface, Westcott's voice.
His device was based on magic, not electronics, so it remained unaffected by the interference.
"Artemisia, fire now!"
"But… sir, the distance—"
"I said fire. Now!"
At the very top floor of the Japan branch HQ, Westcott stood by the window, watching the distant horizon.
The last image he saw before the comms cut out kept replaying in his mind. A deep, gnawing unease settled in his chest.
His cold voice cut through her thoughts like a blade.
Even though he wasn't physically present, Artemisia could feel his dark, unhinged eyes bearing down on her.
"…Yes, sir!"
Her trembling stopped.
Steeling herself, Artemisia activated the magic cannon, powered by two battleships and all the synthetic magicians they had deployed.
A massive alloy shell, over ten meters long, floated between dozens of lightning lances, arranged in parallel like a divine weapon.
It was a special alloy Nagami had previously analyzed in the Honkai world—a perfect match in both durability and compatibility with electromagnetic acceleration.
The unrelenting lightning that bridged the sky and earth carried ions across a colossal current.
Under Nagami's control, those ions formed an electromagnetic rail directly opposing the enemy's magic cannon.
He floated above the alloy shell, his eyes locked onto the radiant golden light blooming on the horizon.
"Wow, you guys are really in a rush. But hey—just in time."
He raised his hand and struck a familiar pose—the coin flip, just like a certain someone.
Nagami's lips curled into a confident smile.
"LV5.5 Misaka Nagami—ready for launch!"
The electromagnetic energy surged to a momentary peak.
Then—boom—the massive shell shot forward, launched through the vacuum tunnel by unimaginable force.
At that exact moment, both the magic cannon and the Railgun fired.
Thunder erupted in endless waves, and with a sound like the heavens being torn open, the projectiles shattered through the constraints of space, ripping the world apart in their wake.
A massive light beam roared through the sky. Blinding. Deafening. Cataclysmic.
'BOOOOOOM!!!'
Blue-violet light consumed everything.
"Hey… Hey, Kurumi… That was really from Nagami?!"
The massive golden-cross-adorned book hit the ground with a thud.
Nia Honjou stared blankly at the sky, split in half by the colossal beam of light.
The thunderclouds Nagami summoned had vanished without a trace, revealing a pure blue sky so clear it looked like glass—reflected in her wide, turquoise eyes.
Clouds churned outward from the light's origin, rolling to either side all the way to the edge of the world.
From orbit, Earth probably looked like it had just gotten a cosmic haircut—its atmosphere split neatly down the middle.
Nia bent down to pick up her dropped angel weapon and started scanning the aftermath of Nagami's attack.
"…This is insane. We're the final boss?!"
They'd thought they were the heroes in this story—on a journey to defeat evil.
Step one: fight DEM Corporation's machines and synthetic mages.
Step two: beat the world's strongest magician.
Final step: storm DEM HQ and defeat the mastermind behind it all, saving the world and living happily ever after.
But now…?
Turns out DEM wasn't lying when they said killing the spirit was the only way to save the world.
That blast… if angled just right, it could easily obliterate a continent.
And worse—Nia's scan showed this wasn't even Nagami's full power.
"…Probably."
Even Kurumi, usually cheeky and sharp-tongued, had gone quiet.
The wind ruffled the tips of her hair as she stood there, dumbstruck.
What could she even say?
Sure, Nagami had told her he was strong.
But their daily interactions were 90% teasing and 10% chaos—how was she supposed to know he wasn't joking?
And now…?
It felt like living with a roommate who skipped every class, played around all semester, and then casually scored first place in finals.
"…He really is my king~"
The pink-haired girl raised a delicate, pale finger to her cherry lips, licking them softly with a flushed look in her eyes.
Lust and admiration shimmered like mist in her gaze.
"No… no way…"
Takamiya Mana stared at the charred remnants—no, the absence—of the two warships.
Her small, blood-slicked hand slackened, and her glowing laser greatsword fell from her grasp, plunging into the earth.
Her pupils shrank.
Her heart pounded.
Her breath came heavy and ragged.
Even with the vast sky between them, she felt it—pure, primal terror.
The fear of death.
The remaining synthetic magicians were all frozen in place.
One by one, their weapons clattered to the ground.
Their earlier thoughts of destroying the spirit were blown away like the storm clouds overhead.
No—he wasn't a spirit.
He was a monster. A Herrscher.
Ellen, who had just watched two entire fleets vanish before her eyes, was frozen in disbelief.
She hadn't even realized the restraints around her had vanished.
She stared at Nagami, who looked like he'd done nothing more than casually toss away a toy.
Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the glowing magic circle beneath her.
"…Latia…"
Her voice was dry and hoarse.
"Sorry. That thing probably got atomized," Nagami said with a small laugh.
He gently guided her floating magic platform down to the ground along with himself.
But to Ellen, he no longer resembled the cheeky demon who had threatened her earlier.
No—he was far worse.
This smile was the smile of a true devil.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen mages," Nagami called out, almost playfully, "You can all head home now."
Though his voice was soft, every synthetic magician heard it clear as day in their minds.
"If anyone still wants to go through with your mission, please—raise your hand….I will be your opponent."
———————————————————————
Daily Uploads!
Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!
Go to p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters.