Since Tobio and the others arrived at the Grigori Nephilim training institution, half a month had passed.
Regarding what they were learning while attending there, starting with general education, they were simultaneously taught everything about the supernatural and fantastical beings that existed in this world.
Naturally, Nephilim wasn't an official school. Provisionally, there were several classes and dozens of boys and girls enrolled here, but because Tobio and the others had just entered this world, they had to acquire this knowledge first. Considering how they would live moving forward, they needed to be at least aware of the supernatural and fantastical. Thus, after greeting the students studying at this institution, Tobio and the others were gathered into a distinct class.
Concerning supernatural powers, the focus was primarily on explanations of the sacred treasures—the Sacred Gears residing within them—though they also experienced magic, like the kind Lavinia used.
Regarding the fantastical, the lesson content had them review demons captured by Grigori.
In other words, the quartet of Tobio, Sae, Natsume, and Samejima, in the half-month they had been attending 'Nephilim,' were being trained in education and knowledge of a life they had never experienced until now, as well as a world with which they had no connection until now.
Recently, regarding Tobio, who, manifesting his own supernatural power, had begun a battle with another supernatural power user, it was a story repeated many times that was surprising… no, one that seemed like a joke.
However, it was a fact that this had happened to him and that he was now being taught about it. Supernatural power was a reality, and residing within him specifically were magic and a demon. This was something he deeply experienced in the previous battle, while his life was exposed to mortal danger.
Yet, beyond the knowledge and education he obtained in the tranquility that followed the battle, what was being taught was nothing short of bewildering.
While frowning at this state of affairs, he expressed himself as follows.
"…It feels like they're seriously explaining what fantasy stuff consists of…"
It might have been inevitable that he ended up thinking this way. The lessons he was receiving about the supernatural and fantastical were to such a degree that they were beyond the scope of common sense. Still, since he was living here, this was elementary knowledge and the basis of information. It seemed impossible to live as a student here without knowing these things.
Despite being taught superficial knowledge, there were also physical movement classes, what one might call physical education, very similar to actual schoolwork.
At that very moment, the duo of Tobio and Samejima, dressed in athletic clothing, continued running on the institution's indoor track.
Having circled the track many times, they finally completed the grueling distance of fifteen kilometers.
Finishing first, Samejima immediately sat down upon reaching the goal, breathing heavily with a 'zuuhaa' sound. Samejima, with sweat pouring from his entire body, cursed.
"…Man, making us run kilometer after kilometer…! It's like we're aiming for the Olympics…! I haven't run like this since high school…!"
Having reached the goal after Samejima, Tobio spoke while panting.
"…According to what Barakiel-sensei says, it's because everything starts with stamina… I feel like I somehow understand why stamina for running from one place to another is necessary to start. After all, we're beginners in this world. Since there will probably be those who relentlessly target the lives of even us beginners, if we don't at least have the stamina to run… it certainly wouldn't be strange if we died next time."
They were being taught all sorts of things by one of Grigori's leaders—Barakiel.
Regarding the main system at 'Nephilim,' it was a case where a set number of students received guidance under a single teacher. Gathering several students in a classroom differed from the nature of a typical school, where teachers rotated for each subject. Thus, in the case of Tobio and the others, they were receiving lessons with Barakiel. In this case, they became known as the students of the 'Barakiel Class.'
There were a limited number of Grigori leaders, so receiving instruction under one was extremely valuable, or so the Governor-General Azazel had said.
This was either due to expectations for Tobio and the others or because they were considered dangerous.
Barakiel, after teaching them fundamental knowledge, assigned Tobio and the others to build their stamina. No matter what happened, without stamina, they wouldn't advance to a higher level. For this reason, they were assigned to complete a full run.
In Samejima's case, he had suffered severe injuries in the previous battle, but having almost recovered to his normal condition, he was also running the long distance, leaving his complaints behind for having been rehabilitated. He was told this was also a function of the Sacred Gear residing within him. The white cat that was his Sacred Gear—Byakusa—approaching its master who had returned from the long-distance run, was acting spoiled while rubbing its head against him.
Speaking of Sacred Gears, in the case of Tobio's partner, Jin, having run alongside his master for fifteen kilometers, he sat politely just after the goal. Unlike his master, Jin didn't lose his breath even once.
Whether it was his stamina that was remarkable or Sacred Gears didn't feel fatigue… Either way, his master, who was in poor shape, was beside Jin making 'zu-ha-' sounds while out of breath.
Tobio, who was rehydrating after stretching his body to the limit, picked up a jump rope for the next exercise in the regimen.
Casting a sidelong glance at Tobio, who began jumping rope, Samejima spoke.
"…I was thinking earlier, Ikuse, but rather than being an honor student, don't you hate losing?"
He led with this.
"What's that all of a sudden?"
Samejima spoke to Tobio, who responded while jumping.
"Come on. Your behavior is exemplary like an honor student, and yet there's something about the glint in your eyes, like you don't show any weakness, even if it's just to the dog that's your alter ego."
Samejima also began jumping rope beside Tobio.
"For starters, I'm not an honor student. My studies are reasonably decent, and with physical strength, my forte isn't standing out."
As Tobio said, since his time at Ryoukuu High School, he wasn't the type to stand out. He was just a typical high school boy whose studies were reasonably good and whose physical training was neither passing nor failing. As for his childhood friend Sae, she was the one who was popular in class.
Hearing this, Samejima laughed.
"That's how it is, huh. Since even though we were at the same school, during my time there, I didn't know anything about you. If you were the type of student who doesn't stand out, there's no way I'd know about you, huh."
If it was the Samejima from back then, someone like Tobio, who was neither beneficial nor harmful, would be the same as a roadside pebble. If Tobio were strong in fights or perhaps an object of desire for female students, it seems then word of him would have reached Samejima's ears… but unfortunately, he didn't possess such attributes.
In contrast, regarding Samejima, who was famous for his delinquency, Tobio had already heard plenty about him.
Somehow, given that the two were training by jumping rope side by side, Tobio couldn't help but think that fate was quite amusing.
Amid Tobio and Samejima's rope jumping, the voices of the girls were heard.
"…Zeh zeh, running like this… surely, it's good for dieting, right? Also, are you sure you're okay, Toujou-san?"
"…Fuuh, somehow, I can kind of walk."
It was Natsume and Sae, who were out of breath. The duo was dressed in athletic clothing. It seemed Natsume had just finished the grueling long-distance run that Tobio and Samejima were doing.
For Sae, who wasn't endowed with a Sacred Gear like Tobio and the others, classroom lessons were sufficient. However, seeing it as a good opportunity to build her own stamina, and already rehabilitated, she opted to perform some light activities. Although light, considering it was Sae after having gone through that incident, there was no doubt it was intense for her. She was dripping with sweat even from walking the track.
As for Samejima, who was injured in the same incident… he ran the long distance and was now even jumping rope with repeated light hops, as if he hadn't been pierced through the chest.
"Being resilient isn't my strong suit," she said, almost laughing.
With everyone finishing their run, as they moved to the next activity, they observed the figure of Barakiel, who served both as Tobio and the others' classroom lecturer and their training supervisor.
He checked on Tobio and the others with a stern expression and nodded once.
"Hmm, so it seems you finished the long-distance run. That still leaves half the regimen, but at least make sure to rehydrate."
At first glance, the tall man exuded an intimidating atmosphere; however, contrary to his appearance, he was a rather considerate person. Regarding their special training, without tolerating any compromises, he absolutely wouldn't give up until everyone completed what was prescribed. But, having measured Tobio and the others' mental and physical limits, he ensured the training never went beyond their capabilities.
Instead of loudly urging Tobio and the others, mindful that they were complete amateurs, he personally observed them, walking among them and giving advice.
Samejima would raise complaints about this, but even so, he silently completed what was prescribed, apparently not just because of the silent pressure Barakiel exuded, but also because he sensed from the atmosphere around his body that he was someone with a strong presence.
Thus, Tobio and the others completed the foundation of their special training. However, after working on their stamina and strength, they switched locations for training.
From the track, they moved to a large open field, a place designed to make fighting easy.
And who was standing there surprised Tobio and everyone.
"Brother?" the SlashDog murmured in surprise.
Standing a few meters from everyone was Alex, who smiled calmly. Beside him was Cao Cao, standing calmly.
"Hey, Tobio, I see you're doing well?" Alex said with a smile as he approached.
"What are you doing here?" Samejima asked, looking at the Hakuryuukou.
From what everyone knew, while they trained, Alexandre was doing some jobs for Azazel in exchange for money—basically as a mercenary.
The White Dragon still showed up whenever he could to advise everyone.
"Well, that idiot Azazel thought it'd be interesting if I were your opponent in a fight," Alex said with a smile.
Everyone's eyes widened at what they heard.
"He's telling the truth, Tobio."
The group's attention turned to the side as they saw the Ice Princess—Lavinia Reni—approaching with a smile.
"You're here too, Lavinia?" Natsume pondered.
"Alex called me too, and I wanted to know why," the bearer of [Absolute Demise] said with a smile.
"It's quite simple," Alex smiled as he directed his gaze at everyone, including Cao Cao. "Tobio Ikuse, Natsume Minagawa, Samejima Kouki, Lavinia Reni, and even you, Cao Cao. This will be a battle of me against all of you."
Everyone's eyes widened, even Cao Cao couldn't hide his surprise.
"What?" Tobio blinked as everyone turned to Alex, shocked.
"Don't be too surprised. I thought this would be much better than individual battles. You've already trained individually against each other, so it'd be good to gain more teamwork skills," the Hakuryuukou explained calmly.
"Are you sure about this?" Lavinia asked cautiously, while the elder Ikuse just gave a smile.
"No need to worry, I'm pretty strong, you know. Cao Cao can vouch for that," Alex said, smiling calmly.
Cao Cao merely nodded; he knew well the strength the White Dragon's possessor had.
"I assume you're not against it, right, Barakiel?" Alex turned slightly to one of Grigori's leaders.
"If Azazel decided, I have no complaints," the Lightning of God said calmly.
Alex smiled as he gave a nod.
"Very well, just fighting here would cause a lot of damage, so let's change things up a bit," Alex said, smiling.
Purple mist emerged, enveloping his body, and he gave a final smile.
"Balance Breaker."
Suddenly, everyone felt a chill down their spines.
It was brief but enough to snap them out of their thoughts. Whatever it was, it appeared and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Everyone looked around and was surprised by what they saw.
The forest was untouched. The pines were there, the grass was there, and the lake was there.
But everything was purple.
The entire world was stained purple.
The grass, the water. Purple.
In the distance, everyone could see faint traces of mist.
They couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of Sacred Gears. How [Dimension Lost] mirrored every flower in the forest was a spectacle to behold.
Everyone had been teleported to this purple dimension, including Barakiel, who was in a more distant part surrounded by the purple mist.
"Here, we can fight without worrying about collateral damage," Alex said with a smile as he stepped away from everyone.
As he moved back, Alex put his hands in his pockets while facing them all.
Tobio, Samejima, Lavinia, Natsume, and Cao Cao exchanged glances as they prepared.
Natsume and Lavinia stayed further back, Cao Cao stood seriously in the middle, while Tobio and Samejima took the front, accompanied by their respective partners, Jin and Byakusa.
Tobio, positioning Jin in front of him, and Samejima, placing Byakusa on his shoulder, were each adapting to their respective fighting styles.
The first to move was Samejima. Byakusa's tail, which had been placed on his shoulder, began to change, growing longer. It coiled like a roll around his arm and formed into a sharp, cone-shaped spear. At that point, electricity coursed through it, producing a crackling sound.
During the conflict with the 'Utsusemi Agency,' Samejima had unconsciously brought Byakusa to the next stage—a step closer to its true Four Fiends form. By doing so, Byakusa had achieved a transformation into a white beast—a large animal at least three meters tall, resembling a saber-toothed tiger. It wasn't in that form now, but regarding the sparkling phenomenon that manifested when it transformed into the great beast, it had become capable of releasing it from its normal cat size, and Samejima was now producing it from the spear.
Tobio followed, keeping his distance to avoid being hit by that electricity. A transformation also occurred with the Tobio+Jin combination. From the shadows at his feet, Jin silently created a single-edged sword, which he held horizontally in his mouth. Instead of the ability he had lost when he was a puppy, where he grew blades from his body, Jin had become capable of voluntarily producing blades from any and all shadows.
In other words, it seemed Jin had become able to produce blades at will. This was proof that Jin had gained a sense of identity compared to when he was a puppy.
Subsequently, Tobio also manifested the growth of his ability.
"—Come forth."
Tobio, with such a murmur while focusing, was manifesting a specialized weapon from the shadow at his feet. A long pole, growing from beneath his feet, was grasped by Tobio, who then pulled it out in one motion.
What he held in his hand was a curved blade with a pole—a scythe. Drawing an elegant arc, it was a specialized weapon for reaping targets. It wasn't a scythe for cutting weeds; it was akin to the large scythes wielded by reapers.
His Sacred Gear ability had improved during the battle with the 'Utsusemi Agency.' Like Jin, Tobio had also gained the ability to produce blades from shadows at will.
During the battle with the 'Utsusemi Agency,' Tobio also personally experienced that not only his partner Jin but he himself would need to be mobile during battle. If he ran from place to place on the battlefield, giving orders to Jin while doing so, he wouldn't survive future battles. Tobio, as Jin's master, the main body, would surely be targeted by opponents.
If his master were in danger, it seemed Jin would act to protect him, but there were apparently limits to that as well. If the opponent was stronger than Jin, it would all be over. Thus, as the master, Tobio himself needed to be strong.
The same was necessary for Samejima, who was connecting with his Sacred Gear. Carrying something like that would be out of the question if the master wasn't strong.
Tobio had chosen a scythe as the weapon he would use in battle. Before that, he had tried wielding and swinging all sorts of specialized bladed weapons… but the one that felt most familiar in his hand was, unexpectedly, a scythe. At first glance, it seemed much harder to handle compared to a sword; however, as soon as Tobio picked it up, he found himself skillfully spinning the scythe, raising it above his head, pulling it forcefully, and then swinging it down. Though his comrades found the choice of a scythe ominous, Tobio instinctively said, 'This is it,' and chose it as his specialized weapon.
Thus, Tobio, facing Alex, prepared himself after spinning the scythe several times.
The first to act was Samejima. Swiftly running, he directed the spear, alive with sparks, toward Alex. Alex, showing no sign of evasion, toward the rapidly approaching spear strike, with a *pashin* altered the attack's trajectory with a graze of his hand. Without missing a moment, Alex, aiming at Samejima, fired a blazing glow—a mass of aura from his hand. Samejima somehow defended against that shot using the spear as a shield, and the tremendous impact of the aura mass pushed the young delinquent's body back. However, Samejima wasn't thrown backward.
Tobio incidentally also began to act, with Jin right behind him. Having transformed into a black bullet, Jin approached Alex at a speed the eye couldn't follow and slashed at him with the blade in his mouth. Alex, facing forward, toward the wielded blade—stopped it by catching it with two fingers in his right hand. Alex instantly released it and threw Jin back with a shockwave. Despite being thrown back, Jin magnificently righted himself in the air and landed splendidly.
Tobio+Jin and Samejima+Byakusa, reorganizing their positions, prepared to advance on Alex once more.
Tobio and Samejima were launching attacks again… but it required no serious effort on Alex's part to dodge.
Tobio swung the scythe downward with the attack stance of the style he had somehow developed. Aiming for the collar, he slashed diagonally to cut it—but Alex, leaving only an afterimage behind, simply avoided the scythe's strike.
Simultaneously with his master Tobio's attack cutting through empty air, Jin also leaped forward again, launching an additional attack by circling to Alex's blind spot, but he dodged easily. However, from the shadows at his feet, deformed blades rapidly sprouted. Jin's eyes glowed red. The black dog had done this of its own volition.
Alex even managed to escape those shadow blades by jumping from that spot. However, something white had coiled around the aforementioned Alex's foot.
The tail wrapped around his foot was circulating electricity, which was transmitted to Alex, who had just landed. The Lion King's body was violently assaulted by electricity with a crackling sound… but Alex didn't seem very affected. However, that the tail was wrapped around his foot was certain.
"A crack in the armor!"
Samejima, having closed the distance, tried to pierce Alex with the electricity-wrapped spear. It seemed he had imagined there was no way to avoid it in this situation—but Alex merely smiled as his aura manifested.
With the effect of the manifestation, Byakusa's tail wrapped around Alex's foot was forcibly torn off.
"A crack? That hasn't become something to get excited about yet."
He rained aura masses randomly from the ceiling! Tobio and Samejima couldn't do anything to defend themselves.
Alex blinked in surprise when he saw his raining aura stopped by an immense magic circle that protected Samejima and Tobio.
Alex set aside his thoughts as he dodged a slicing wind gust that came from Griffon, Natsume's Sacred Gear.
But Alex's attention wasn't even on that as he suddenly moved to dodge a poleaxe that nearly took his head off.
Looking at the attacker, Alex couldn't help but smile.
"So you finally made your move, Cao Cao," the Hakuryuukou said, smiling.
Wielding the poleaxe Houtengeki was the descendant of the Chinese Warlord, with a serious expression.
"You always taught me to wait for the best moment to strike," Cao Cao said as he pulled his poleaxe back.
To Alex, it was clear: Tobio and Samejima attacked from the front, serving more as a distraction; Natsume and Lavinia provided long-range attacks and defense, while Cao Cao, clearly the strongest among them, waited for the best chance to strike.
Alex couldn't help but be surprised that they formed such a plan on the spot.
Cao Cao skillfully spun his poleaxe, launching several consecutive strikes against Alex.
Even facing a barrage of strikes, where the slightest mistake could mean having the legendary weapon of Lü Bu sever a limb, Alex merely smiled calmly.
"You're not going to use the [True Longinus]?" Alex asked with visible interest.
Alex dodged the strikes with great ease, at times creating layers of defensive magic circles that absorbed the blows, nullifying them.
"I won't," Cao Cao replied without changing his demeanor.
Even with none of his strikes landing, he showed no frustration or any emotion; in fact, this was already expected by Cao Cao.
"The day I use my Longinus against you will be the day I surpass you, Alex!" Cao Cao said, smiling.
Alex couldn't help but smile at his adoptive younger brother's words.
"I look forward to that, but at the same time, you're underestimating me too much!"
Alex suddenly grabbed Cao Cao's poleaxe, surprising the boy, and with a fluid motion, sent him flying backward.
Tobio and Samejima quickly advanced to attack. Tobio, wielding his scythe, spun it against Alex, but holding Houtengeki, Alex swung it against his brother's scythe.
The clash was momentary before Tobio was sent flying, and with a quick motion, Alex thrust at Samejima, who defended with Byakusa but was thrown back by the impact.
Raising the poleaxe, Alex deflected Griffon's strike, but before he could do more, Cao Cao's voice echoed.
"Houtengeki, come!"
Alex blinked as the poleaxe vanished from his hand and reappeared with Cao Cao.
He knew Houtengeki wasn't a weapon that could vanish and reappear for its user like a Sacred Gear, but it seemed Cao Cao had taken measures to ensure his poleaxe couldn't be stolen.
Internally, Alex praised his disciple.
Alex's thoughts were set aside as he saw his surroundings enveloped by multiple magic circles that began firing a barrage of magical attacks.
A massive explosion surrounded Alex as the barrage of magical attacks finally hit him.
"Did we get him?" Samejima wondered, catching his breath as he stood beside the others.
"Alex isn't hurt, is he?" Tobio asked, worried about his brother, looking at the one who launched the attack.
Lavinia lowered her staff slightly, cautious. She hadn't held back in that attack, thinking the Hakuryuukou would use [Dimension Lost]'s mist to defend, but he hadn't.
In fact, he hadn't even summoned his Sacred Gears to use them, the only exception being the Extinction Mist, but he hadn't used it to attack or defend—just to create the battlefield.
"My goodness, women these days have no mercy."
The voice from the smoke alerted everyone, and Cao Cao was the first to react.
His poleaxe spun skillfully, a white glow surrounded the weapon's tip as a sense of life enveloped Cao Cao.
The bearer of the Supreme Longinus took a deep breath, to the point where everyone could hear it and even be surprised as all the oxygen seemed to flow toward him.
When the young man finally exhaled, he vanished.
"Heavenly Spear Art…"
The weapon was brandished, its entire length covered in a metallic glow as it advanced, slicing through the cloud of smoke.
"Sky Piercer."
The dust cloud was blown away by the shockwave, revealing where the weapon had struck.
"That was a strong strike…"
As the cloud dissipated, Alex was revealed with his arms crossed, both covered in a metallic glow even stronger than the one surrounding Cao Cao's weapon.
The tip of Houtengeki clashed against Alex's arms as black sparks surrounded them, but the poleaxe's blade couldn't cut Alex.
"But I don't think it's strong enough to pierce the sky."
The two metallic glows clashed continuously.
"Your mastery of Armament Haki has improved," Alex commented.
Since Alex began training Cao Cao, he wondered if he could teach him skills from other worlds. Through instructions on those skills and his own ability to deconstruct and reconstruct them, Alex managed to adapt some skills so anyone could use them.
Thus, Alex, who already mastered [Armament Haki], was able to teach it to Cao Cao.
"But it still doesn't compare to you," Cao Cao commented with a tense smile.
"It'll take a while for you to get there, but well, if you're using your weapon, I'll call mine too."
Cao Cao's eyes widened as he suddenly leaped back when he saw Alex's magical aura increasing.
Extending his hand, a demonic red glow appeared and shaped into a large double-edged sword with vibrant colors.
The pommel was a golden conical shape with a triangle attached, missing its base and center due to the pommel. The handle was colored with a mix of red and purple. The crossguard was a rectangular black bar with golden symbols etched and a brown X mark in the center, featuring a red semicircular protrusion on both sides of the crossguard. The blade was black with a red edge, but a red aura sometimes enveloped it, giving it a dark red glow.
The blade itself was quite long, and near the tip, it curved upward and then inward. The blade also had three hollow triangular holes located in the middle of the curved section. At the blade's base, there was a metal piece acting as a fuller, with red lines increasing in height, staying in the golden part. The lower fuller was rectangular, but the upper left side had a large portion removed, making the left side shorter than the right.
Further up the blade was a golden design resembling a blade, with two black rectangles connected by a line, and the tip slightly protruded and returned to the blade's tip. The tip design consisted of two modified black squares and a diamond-like black circular shape.
The great sword was raised by Alex's right hand as a terrifying crimson aura enveloped him, sending chills down everyone's spines.
"What is that sword…" Tobio murmured, shocked, even he could feel a malevolent and sinister aura enveloping the red sword.
"The Demonic Emperor's Sword and the Strongest of the Demonic Swords, Gram," Cao Cao said seriously to everyone.
Among all Demonic Swords, that was the strongest, the Dragon-Slaying weapon used to kill the Dragon King Fafnir.
Combining destructive power even greater than the legendary sword Durandal with the Dragon-Slaying power of Ascalon, it was a sword rivaled only by the Strongest Holy Sword, Caliburn.
"Demonic Sword…" Tobio murmured, trembling slightly at the sinister aura of the blade.
"No need to worry, Tobio, I have complete control over it," Alex said with a smile. "So, shall we continue?"
Before anyone could react, Alex appeared behind Samejima. The young man tried to use his spear to attack, but Alex spun Gram, breaking Samejima's guard and sending him flying.
Samejima shot like a bullet until he crashed into a tree, falling unconscious.
Alex had made sure not to use Gram's destructive power, not wanting to kill the possessor of Byakusa.
Tobio advanced with Jin as the massive black dog created dozens of black swords from the shadows.
Alex raised Gram, a deep crimson aura enveloping the Demonic Sword. With a swing, the Demonic Sword unleashed a wave of destruction.
All the blades created by [Canis Lykaon] were annihilated by the wave of destruction.
"Your blades are good, Tobio, but they're still far from being able to kill a God. When you master them better, they'll pose a good challenge to my Demonic Sword."
With a wave of his hand, Alex pointed at Jin.
"Perfect Cube."
With a purple glow, a cube made of pure energy completely enveloped the black dog. Jin tried to attack with his blades but didn't even scratch the barrier.
That was a spell originating from the *Nanatsu no Taizai* universe that denies entry to anyone except the caster. Originating from the Demon World, this spell covers a specific area and reflects all attacks back at the opponent, no matter how strong or weak they are.
"Well, with Jin out, I suppose I should deal with the long-range."
Tobio and Cao Cao's eyes widened as Alex charged at them, continuing his advance while raising Gram.
Tobio spun his scythe, and Cao Cao prepared Houtengeki, but Gram's attack wasn't aimed at them.
Alex ignored them as he continued advancing toward Lavinia and Natsume.
"That's…?"
"Let me teach you a lesson: when you have comrades who can't defend themselves, it's your job to protect them."
Alex announced as he raised Gram.
However, Alex's movement was halted when the sky filled again with magic circles that fired at him.
"We're not that defenseless," Lavinia declared with a smile as she prepared more magic circles.
"Exactly," Natsume also declared as Griffon fired slicing wind gusts toward where Alex was.
"I still think you are."
Natsume's eyes widened when she heard a voice behind her. She had no time to react as a blow knocked her unconscious.
Behind Natsume was Alex, who had used Gram's hilt to knock the girl out. Where he should have been was revealed to be a clay dummy with Alex's likeness.
"How?" Cao Cao blinked, surprised, as he couldn't even react to that switch.
"Earth Magic. When the attacks came at me, I simply used magic to create a Golem and used the power of magic to dive into the earth and appear here," Alex explained calmly.
It was a simple form of Earth Manipulation through Magic, where he had used his power to move within the ground.
"Now…" Alex prepared himself.
Cao Cao and Tobio prepared to advance, but before they could, Alex already had Gram raised, enveloped in his crimson aura.
Norse runes shimmered along the sword's length as the destructive crimson aura was unleashed against Cao Cao and Tobio.
The two couldn't resist the attack. The destructive wave annihilated Tobio's scythe and sent Cao Cao's poleaxe flying as both were knocked unconscious and sent flying.
Alex had held back part of Gram's power; he would never use the weapon at its fullest in a training session like this, especially after enhancing it by embedding several runes, including [Primordial Runes], into the Demonic Sword.
Gram's destructive energy only knocked them out and left their bodies numb for a while.
Alex extended his hand, and purple mist enveloped Samejima, Natsume, Tobio, Jin, and Cao Cao, and then they vanished.
"It's very kind of you not to have interfered, Lavinia," the Hakuryuukou said as he turned to the Ice Princess.
Lavinia had a serious expression as she shook her head.
"I knew any magic I used would be deflected by you, and my main power would harm my comrades," Lavinia declared calmly.
"I see, so now it's just you and me. Are you going to fight for real?" Alex asked with a smile as the crimson aura enveloped Gram.
Runes shimmered intensely along the weapon. Alex knew that among his opponents in this training, Cao Cao wasn't the strongest.
Lavinia Reni was the strongest.
The Ice Princess gave a smile as her eyes glowed an icy blue.
"Balance Breaker."
Alex's eyes widened. A fierce blizzard swept through Lavinia and surged forward.
The entire area turned to statues after being exposed to the true power of [Absolute Demise].
Alex enveloped himself in his purple mist before Lavinia's Balance Breaker consumed him.
The last thing he witnessed was the purple land of the artificial world being repainted by winter itself.
.
.
.
.
After returning to the artificial world produced by [Dimension Lost], Alex observed his new surroundings.
As he predicted.
It was a Christmas white. The grassland was under a white blanket of snow and ice. The winds howled like a horror movie. On the ceiling of this new world were sharp stalactites ready to fall. He could barely see with the blizzard blocking his vision.
He almost thought he was in the Arctic. Or in a violent snow crystal.
He tried to take a step forward but nearly slipped due to the lingering ice.
A chill down his spine. He tried to move but realized the ice was freezing him from his feet up.
The crimson energy of his sword enveloped his body, enough to melt the ice across his lower body.
Not even Gram's aura, the Sword of the Sun, and his own energy protecting him were enough to counter [Absolute Demise]'s Balance Breaker.
At this point, he figured he couldn't rely on his mist.
"How strong is she?" He took another look at his surroundings, now a frozen orb. He tossed it aside—a flash of recognition filled his eyes: "Now I understand… Because of the climate caused by her Longinus, all ice-based abilities are greatly amplified—to the point she can freeze the mists produced by [Dimension Lost]. By using her Balance Breaker… she matches a high-class Longinus?"
He sensed her chilling presence and spoke: "You're truly full of surprises."
Roaring gray clouds appeared above and unleashed lightning at him. Alex responded by jumping out of the way.
Lavinia emerged from the blizzard with a calm smile on her face.
"If I must fight you and your Demonic Sword, then I might as well summon my guardian angel."
Alex felt a chill down his spine. Through the blizzard, he spotted a tall silhouette calmly approaching him.
Once it emerged from the blizzard, [Absolute Demise] stood before him. Alex saw the horrifying figure towering over him.
A three-meter-tall ice doll, carved like a woman in a royal dress. Its four skeletal arms could easily grab him by the waist and crush him.
He looked up to meet its glow. No nose or mouth, just six eyes on the left side of its face and the right side covered in rose thorns.
His opponent began with a bow, and Alex saw his own reflection in a pair of long blade-like legs beneath the dress.
And suddenly, it vanished in a blur.
"It's fast!" Alex sensed a massive presence behind him and turned in time to block an axe kick with his sword. The impact alone produced a shockwave that cleared all the snow on the ground.
He tried to push it back but found the doll kept increasing the pressure.
"Gram!"
He commanded, and his sword, enveloped in a crimson aura, clashed against the enemy, but it was easily caught by one of its massive hands.
Beyond the crimson aura being frozen, nothing happened to the Longinus enemy.
Wielding Gram again, Alex touched his left hand to the ground, and his Alchemy took effect as clay-like warriors answered his call, thrusting their weapons forward, forcing his enemy to jump back to safety. Alex and his soldiers tried to take advantage of its defenseless state but nearly lost balance after taking a single step.
He realized he was standing in the middle of a frozen lake. He looked over his shoulder to see Lavinia in the air, still freezing the ground completely.
He pointed his sword at her: "Fire!"
Three of his small clay army knelt, aimed, and fired at the blonde. Lavinia had no trouble blocking their arrows. She realized his soldiers were only a distraction when Alex was gone.
Lavinia looked to see the sword firing its sinister aura at her. She narrowly dodged the strike, feeling only chills as the aura passed by her shoulder and head.
The Italian Mage moved out of the way and fired a gust of wind at him that broke his stance—enough for her to gain distance.
When Alex recovered, [Absolute Demise] skated straight for him—his entire clay army frozen as ice statues. He watched the doll leap and perform a graceful spin before slamming its leg down.
The frozen lake cracked, and from the waters, deadly ice spikes surged toward him, all summoned by the blonde. Alex had to leap out of danger.
But that's what [Absolute Demise] wanted. It charged forward, and once again, Alex was forced onto the defensive as the monster kept attacking with swift kicks.
As he kept dodging its sharp legs, Alex tried to analyze the Independent Avatar as much as he could, but at times, he was rudely interrupted by Lavinia launching an aerial attack in the form of ice icicles. Whenever he moved out of the way, Lavinia's Longinus seemed to predict his next destination and waited for him.
That… fighting style of that thing was hard to read. Its attacks were inconsistent.
No… [Absolute Demise] wasn't fighting. It was dancing, putting on a show for a nonexistent audience. The way it moved so delicately and dangerously, like a professional ballerina versed in Taekwondo.
He parried and blocked everything the giant threw at him. He joined in the choreographed dance until he found the window to counterattack.
He tried to bait it with feint attacks, quickly switching to the other leg to hit its blind spot. He even lured it, making it seem like his guard was down, but whenever Alex tried to slash it, [Absolute Demise] altered the route of its attack with its heel. He managed to block it, but the shockwave made him shudder.
After being pushed back by a roundhouse kick, Alex leaped from the lake and propelled himself backward with magic, launching himself off the ice rink.
But he didn't make it halfway through the air when he was slammed back to the ground by a powerful gust of wind.
After his rough landing, the Ice Princess was already waiting. [Absolute Demise] spun, aiming for his neck. He ducked and swung Gram, but the Longinus Avatar leaped back and launched an ice spear mid-jump.
Alex responded by splitting it. He ducked and charged straight at his enemy alongside a dozen clay soldiers. [Absolute Demise] placed its four hands in the snow and turned Alex's path into a sheet of ice. He fell alongside his soldiers and quickly rolled out of the way as the ice carpet sprouted deadly spikes, leaving him alone.
He quickly stood and was met with a strike from its sharp leg. He moved to the side and amputated its leg like a hot knife through butter. He was ready to split it in half, but [Absolute Demise] performed a backflip with its remaining limbs.
During that backflip, [Absolute Demise] managed to cut him with its heel.
He covered his fresh wound. The ice spread across his marked body, and his weapon wasn't spared either. He countered it by releasing Gram's crimson aura.
He saw the ice sculpture charge at him, using its four arms instead of its leg. He aimed his sword's tip and fired a beam of demonic energy that was easily dodged—he summoned more soldiers, and they attacked the doll, but they froze easily.
He thrust his sword, stabbing its shoulder. The Ice Princess was pushed back by the impact but recovered, grabbing the sword before Alex pulled it back.
"Everything freezes if it gets close to you," Alex complained as the ice traveled up him, using his sword as a conduit. "The temperature drops exponentially the closer I get to you. Like you have a defensive aura."
With Gram, Alex fired another torrent of energy that threw the Ice Princess back. He watched with satisfaction as his enemy rolled in the snow.
"Angel!" Lavinia's cry was followed by furious magical attacks. The Hakuryuukou deflected them using Gram's aura.
Even after his projectile broke [Absolute Demise]'s shoulder, it continued firing to the world's edges like a crimson shooting star. Once it hit a surface, the entire dimension shuddered.
Alex nearly lost his balance because of it. He saw a shadow growing beneath him and looked up to see the stalactites he'd noticed earlier falling toward him.
Even Lavinia had to maneuver in the sky to avoid being killed by the stalactites.
Alex jumped out of the way: "I have to be careful with my ranged attacks. I could accidentally destroy the Balance Breaker… curious."
[Dimension Lost] was famous not only for its ability to transport the user wherever they wished but because it was the strongest Sacred Gear in terms of defensive capabilities—the strongest of God's Artifacts related to barriers.
But a mere attack from an enhanced Gram was able to threaten the artificial dimension.
"This new world," he briefly studied his surroundings before turning to his enemy. "Instead of reinforcing the Balance Breaker, it made it fragile."
After all, ice was an easily breakable element.
Due to his inactivity, his body's heat dissipated, and the exposure of this frozen world finally began to take its toll.
He felt the cold seep through his skin, threatening numbness. His teeth chattered, and he imagined if his tongue somehow touched Gram, it would stick.
"Women are truly terrifying."
To Lavinia's surprise, Alex dismissed Gram as the cold around his body enveloped him further.
"Well, since it's come to this."
Alex placed his hand on his waist as a flaming aura surrounded him.
Lavinia stared in shock as she saw her ice and snow begin to vanish as the flames surrounding Alex intensified further.
"Honestly, I think even the flames of my [Dragon Slayer Magic] would struggle with this, but well, this sword won't."
The flames condensed around Alex, forming a long katana that appeared at his waist.
The sword was drawn from its sheath.
"Reduce all of Creation to Ashes…"
The flames of this sword would incinerate anything and everything Alex pointed it at, turning it into nothing but ashes.
The landscape, once resembling the Arctic, was transformed into a storm of blazing flames, whose heat was intense enough to burn the sky and consume the clouds.
Like an Ancient Red Flame Dragon.
"Ryujin Jakka."
---
**(Author's Note)**:
Hey everyone, I'm finally back. My internship ended this weekend, and I took Saturday and Sunday to rest. Honestly, I regret going.
I ended up getting injured and am on crutches. Life sucks.
Anyway, the frequency won't be as high due to the barracks' schedule being pretty bad. Sometimes they release us at five, sometimes at midnight, and it's rough.
I'm also working on a *Campione* x *Percy Jackson* story. When I have the first arc ready, I'll post it.
That's it, see you next time, folks!