A blinding light exploded. As the glare dimmed, six weapons had formed in the air surrounding Mujun.
The first was a pistol with a muzzle shaped like a dragon's head, its jaws agape to reveal a glowing barrel within. Dark metallic scales coated its body, and with every draw of mana, the dragon's eyes flared like living embers—as if the weapon itself were breathing.
The second was a massive hexagonal shield, its surface like black glass layered with ancient symbols that constantly shifted positions. A faint light pulsed from its center, creating a heavy pressure in the air, as if the shield did not merely block attacks—but rejected the very existence of the enemy.
The third was a slender bow of pale blue, appearing as if crafted from frozen light. It had no string, yet the space between its limbs vibrated softly, and the phantom of a transparent arrow appeared and vanished with the pulse of mana.
The fourth was a long magic staff plated in gold and silver, its tip forming concentric circles around a core of deep purple crystal. The air around it distorted, as if any spell cast through the staff would be magnified, condensed, and then released as pure destruction.
The fifth was a straight sword without ornament, its blade a dull silver like a blurred mirror. Yet its edges were not truly visible—hazy, like a line left unfinished in this world. The surrounding space seemed to crack whenever the sword vibrated, as if it cut not just objects, but distance itself.
The last was a pitch-black greatmace, its head studded with blunt spikes coated in deep red runes that glowed like veins. The weapon looked crude and primitive, yet its mana pressure was so dense that the ground beneath it began to crumble simply from its presence.
Mujun's bare hand reached for the sword before him. The cold metal met his palm. He lowered his center of gravity, taking a combat stance—
And for the first time since the duel began, the aura surrounding him shifted. He was no longer like a Pure Mage. He was like a weapon just drawn from its sheath.
Rugentta's eyes turned grave. He could feel how dense and deep the mana contained within those six weapons was. A single one was enough to be called a legendary artifact. Now there were six—floating serenely before him.
"Where did you obtain these weapons?" he asked lowly. "No—more than that, why are you holding a sword instead of a staff?"
But Mujun did not answer. With one decisive burst, his body shot forward like lightning. Even before Rugentta could construct a layer of defense, the sword in Mujun's hand had already swung, leaving a sharp blue glint that tore through the air.
However, Will-users are not terrifying creatures simply because they can cast high-tier spells at whim—it is because the world itself submits to aid them. A flash of black light exploded from Rugentta's body, parrying the strike and deflecting the sword's trajectory at the very last second.
Rugentta broke into a cold sweat. He immediately teleported away. His face contorted, rage smoldering in his eyes. He… had just been forced back. A Demon King—forced back by a human mage.
He was not the only one. Everyone witnessing the battle through the magic mirrors gasped. The speed, the pressure, and the killing intent from Mujun's attack felt as though it pierced their very skin.
But Mujun did not stop. He gave that shock no room to breathe. The five other weapons floating behind him moved in unison, launching lethal strikes equal to the previous sword slash. Rugentta was forced to dodge frantically. His body kept retreating—and Mujun pursued without leaving a single opening.
Will-users are those who subjugate mana under their volition. If a Will-user commands mana to become something, the world will not refuse. However, that power has one weakness.
Doubt.
The moment they begin to doubt themselves, mana no longer submits. Only those with absolute will can utilize that power to its fullest. That was why, when fear began to sprout within Nestal, his fate was sealed. And now—the same thing was happening to Rugentta.
Those six alien weapons, coming from gods-know-where, made his skin crawl. He knew that if even one of them struck his body—Will-user or not—he would be crumbled into dust. He forced that fear to turn into rage. The mana around him roared.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
The scream shook space itself. The world seemed to transform. Thousands of magic circles formed in the air around them. From within them, various lethal magics erupted.
BOOM.
Fireballs, flashes of lightning, ice spears, rending winds, stone rain, piercing darkness, slashing light—and dozens of other Tier 10 spells slammed into Mujun incessantly. The sight resembled the apocalypse more than the apocalypse itself. Mountains crumbled like feathers swept by the wind. Lakes evaporated like water on hot iron. Trees were uprooted, sent flying, and then turned to splinters of dust. The earth split and folded like crumpled cloth.
All who watched through the magic mirrors shivered. This was the form of the legendary battles written in their history books. But the lead actors were not the Hero and the Demon King—
They were the Demon King and an ordinary mage.
When the magical light began to dim and Rugentta stood panting, out of breath, all that remained inside the blue dome was a sea of dust billowing high into the sky.
"Ha… HAHAHAHAHAHA…!" Rugentta laughed boisterously. "Did you see that?! DID YOU SEE HOW STRONG I AM?! THIS IS THE MAJESTIC POWER OF A GOD!!! A ROTTEN MAGE LIKE YOU DOES NOT DESERVE TO MAKE ME FEAR!!! I AM RUGENTTA!!! I AM THE STRONGEST DEMON KING—"
Whosss!!!
Before he could finish his sentence, something emerged from within the sea of dust. It was so fast that Rugentta didn't even have time to take a breath. A glint of light danced before his eyes.
Slash!
A cold sensation spread from his right shoulder. Before his brain could process the pain, his eyes had already caught his own right hand—flying away from his body.
And before him—a pair of violet eyes so cold. A terrifying, wide grin.
The smile looked friendly. Rows of white teeth were clearly visible. But the eyes… were empty, deep, like a void ready to swallow the whole world.
And for the first time—Rugentta knew the fear that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Are you done playing around?" Mujun asked lightly, almost jokingly. "This is just the beginning, you know."