"DIE!"
Kokichi Muta roared from within the mechanical puppet body known as Ultimate Mechamaru.
His voice carried the fury of humiliation.
The massive cannon on his arm ignited.
A blinding flash erupted.
For a brief instant, the dark forest looked like midday.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—!
A dense barrage of cursed-energy rounds erupted like a storm.
Each projectile was reinforced with concentrated cursed energy.
Even armored steel would be pierced instantly.
The bullets tore through the air.
Red tracer lines stitched together into a deadly web of fire.
Within seconds—
The area where Yagami Sora stood was swallowed by explosions.
It became a true metal storm.
The heat from the barrage filled the forest with the sharp smell of ozone.
Ancient trees were shredded apart like grass under a lawnmower.
From Mechamaru's perspective—
Sora's position had vanished inside a massive fireball.
Temperatures at the center of the blast were high enough to melt steel.
The pressure alone could crush most sorcerers instantly.
Yet—
Mechamaru continued firing.
"It's not over!"
"It's not over yet!"
His voice turned frantic.
The radar display inside the cockpit still showed Sora's life signal.
Perfectly stable.
Like an unmoving monument.
"Impossible…"
The missiles deployed next.
Multiple launch ports opened across Mechamaru's back.
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH—!
More than a dozen homing missiles launched simultaneously.
Each trailed a long tail of flame.
They curved through the air—
Completely sealing every possible escape route.
The forest erupted with explosions.
Flames shot into the sky.
Trees shattered.
The ground was torn open again and again.
Deep craters formed across the battlefield.
With this level of firepower—
Even armored vehicles would be annihilated.
Smoke and gunpowder filled the air.
"Did… did it work?"
Momo Nishimiya hovered above the battlefield on her broom.
Her voice carried clear concern.
"This firepower is insane."
"If that were a normal sorcerer…"
"…there wouldn't even be ashes left."
"Hmph."
Mechamaru's mechanical voice sounded confident.
Steam rose from the overheated cannon barrels.
"That was full-scale cursed-energy saturation."
"No human body could survive that."
But before the smoke cleared—
Footsteps echoed through the burning forest.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Steady.
Unhurried.
Like someone walking through their own backyard.
The Kyoto students froze.
An invisible hand seemed to grip their hearts.
"…No way…"
Noritoshi Kamo's face turned pale.
From the flames—
A silhouette emerged.
Yagami Sora.
He was walking calmly through the inferno.
The flames parted around him.
Within half a meter of his body—
Every explosion was diverted.
Every shockwave bent away.
It formed a perfect vacuum corridor.
Even the dust refused to touch him.
His clothes remained spotless.
Not a single hair out of place.
It looked less like defense—
And more like reality itself refusing to affect him.
"…What kind of monster…"
Kasumi Miwa whispered.
Her hands trembled on the hilt of her sword.
"Is he even human?"
Sora brushed imaginary dust from his shoulder.
He glanced at Mechamaru.
"Not bad."
His tone sounded like someone reviewing fireworks.
"Pretty impressive as a light show."
He tilted his head slightly.
"But the accuracy is terrible."
"It didn't even dirty my shoes."
Mechamaru froze.
His mind nearly shut down.
This was his maximum firepower.
A barrage powerful enough to devastate city blocks.
And Sora had treated it like a fireworks display.
"Impossible!"
Mechamaru screamed.
Rage overwhelmed his reason.
The chest armor of the puppet opened.
Inside—
A massive cannon emerged.
"Ultimate Cannon!"
"Maximum Output!"
A huge sphere of condensed cursed energy gathered at the muzzle.
The surrounding air warped under the heat.
This blast could easily destroy half the forest.
But Mechamaru no longer cared.
"Too slow."
Sora's voice appeared beside him.
Mechamaru's pupils shrank.
Sora had vanished.
The next moment—
He stood directly in front of the mechanical body.
His hand rested lightly on the cannon barrel.
That hand looked calm.
Almost fragile.
But to Mechamaru—
It felt like the scythe of death.
"You like playing with fire."
Sora smiled faintly.
"Then try it yourself."
Vector manipulation activated.
Reflection.
Direction: Inward.
"NO—!!!"
The scream came too late.
BOOM!!!
The fully charged Ultimate Cannon was forcibly redirected.
Instead of firing outward—
The energy detonated inside the barrel.
The explosion tore through the entire puppet body.
Metal fragments scattered in every direction.
Sparks filled the air.
The massive machine collapsed into twisted scrap.
The shockwave flattened every tree nearby.
A circular clearing appeared in the forest.
When the dust settled—
Sora stood quietly among the wreckage.
One broken armor plate remained in his hand.
The last surviving fragment of Ultimate Mechamaru.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then casually tossed it aside.
His gaze shifted to the remaining Kyoto students.
Cold.
Unhurried.
"Next."
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