Chapter: 82. You Have No Idea What You’re Facing (5k6)
Mirrored flowers formed by the collapse and folding of space surrounded Nanjo and Nagino.
All attacks initiated by Nanjo were absorbed by the mirrored flowers in front of her.
Though the attacks were composed of magical power, it was as if they encountered a bug, with the magic stuck outside this world, temporarily residing within the mirrored flowers.
In this one-sided exchange of offense and defense, Nanjo’s magical power was gradually being consumed.
The attacks she launched ultimately transformed into flowers shimmering with brilliant light.
—Is this the sense of oppression when facing the power of the Elemental Ruler?
Watching her attacks easily disintegrate, Nanjo couldn’t help but think.
And throughout the entire encounter, Nagino had shown no other powers besides this.
She simply stood quietly, returning Nanjo’s attacks in kind.
That nonchalant demeanor deepened Nanjo’s anxiety and fear.
—Impossible, it can’t be like this!
—How could a little girl like her have such strength…..
—No, a little girl? What a joke!? This is a question about humanity itself!
From the perfectly refined yet somewhat surreal appearance of the opponent, Nanjo had already deduced her identity—
Hoshimiya Nagino.
An ordinary person caught up in the incident.
The childhood friend Kisaragi Kanade was willing to risk everything to protect.
The hostage that she had demanded be kidnapped and killed—
How careless, she had been completely careless.
A soft and innocent hostage girl? What a joke! A monster like this might not even be defeated by all the ability users in Ark Academy combined, other than herself!
Her presence here meant that Kisaragi had already sacrificed herself.
—However, since she is a copy, there must be glaring weaknesses!
—If her strength is truly as formidable as she seems, she wouldn’t need to hide silently.
—She must be bluffing….
“—Bluffing? Is that how you see it?” Nagino seemingly pierced through Nanjo’s thoughts, responding lightly.
“Well then, I’ll let you have a move next. Why don’t you show me your strongest attack?”
As she spoke, Nagino spread her arms wide, adopting a completely defenseless posture.
The mirrored flowers that had constantly flickered around her began to vanish one by one.
“W-What?!” Nanjo’s eyes widened, unable to believe her gaze at Nagino.
The latter seemed to have no intention of defending herself, her cute and youthful face displaying a mocking expression entirely inappropriate for her age, those pitch-black eyes resembling a bottomless calm lake—
As Nanjo peered into the thoughts concealed behind those eyes, she felt her own inner thoughts being scrutinized.
An intense unease compelled her to abruptly avert her gaze.
“How dare you underestimate me?!” Nanjo attempted to quell her fear with the surge of anger rising within her.
“Before that, let me tell you a little secret.”
With a smile, Nagino brought her right hand back before herself, raising her index finger against her perfectly delicate and soft lips.
At this moment, she looked like nothing more than a six or seven-year-old girl, yet every action emanated a deadly allure akin to that of an adult.
“From just now, the power I’ve been using is only 15% of my full potential in this form.”
“Wh-What?!”
“And I still have two transformations left.” Nagino lifted two fingers, chuckling softly, “—By the way, you won’t be able to escape this domain, so please, struggle well~”
—Come on, if you possess the power of the stars….
—When confronting an enemy whose strength is far beyond one’s own, if escape is not possible.
—Then the only thing left to do is one…
“Y-You’re talking nonsense!? Do you think this would scare me—?!” Nanjo’s long hair flared as the magic she unleashed erupted.
Star pupils flickered.
The ultimate masterpiece, “Fantasy Sovereignty,” operated at full power.
The sovereign tried to replicate the powers of the black-haired girl in front of her, but—
Failure.
There was no response of special powers from the girl before her.
“N-No way, a purely…. beastmaster?” Realizing this through her reactions, a chilling sensation surged from deep within Nanjo, spreading to her limbs.
If the opponent hadn’t awakened any powers and all abilities came from her contracted fantasy beasts, then the fantasy beasts represented by this domain—
“N-No! It can’t be like this! You must be playing some trick—!!!”
With Nanjo’s roar.
Various completely different special powers gathered in her hands.
That was the element fusion used by Manai.
However, due to her control over abilities, she could only fuse two powers at most at this moment.
Even so, she still fused the most powerful abilities of lightning and storm.
Nanjo’s body bent as if absorbing the frenzied energy around her, her hands slowly raising with palms facing up.
Every inch of air seemed to vibrate violently around her, electricity surged within her body, and as her palms rose, the energy of lightning and storm began to converge, creating an indescribable sense of oppression as if the very earth trembled beneath her.
A small ball radiating brilliant light formed in her hand, magical power decomposing into pure ability and merging.
“Elemental fusion? But isn’t it a bit too meager with just two types?” Nagino merely quipped leisurely, seeming completely unfazed by the sweeping magical fluctuations coming her way.
“Your bluff stops here—!”
The fusion of two elements—
Nanjo’s hands swung fiercely, and in an instant, the storm and lightning between heaven and earth erupted into terrifying waves.
The sharpness of the wind intertwined with the shock of thunder, merging into a colossal vortex of energy, like countless sharp blades weaving together, tearing through the air and pouring towards Nagino.
Seeing this, Nagino only slightly turned her head, glancing at the collapsed Manai and Ako on the ground before snapping her fingers.
Two mirrored flowers enveloped them.
The glow of lightning illuminated Nagino’s profile, yet she still turned resiliently, maintaining her defenseless posture, directly facing the swirling energy of lightning and storm.
The power of electric currents and storms exploded in midair, roaring like a wild beast, wreaking havoc and ripping the ground apart.
A powerful shock wave swept through, instantly shredding nearby trees and rocks into pieces, the air cracking like splintered glass, producing a deafening sound.
Nanjo’s full-power strike hit Nagino’s petite and fragile body head-on.
The electric current pierced through her body, and the gusts of the storm tore at her form; it was as if the entire world collapsed in that instant.
The earth trembled, the surrounding air quaked, and the whole world seemed to tilt with that strike. The immense energy surge prompted violent changes in the atmosphere, with moisture, dust, and currents intertwining, forming a dazzling haze of thunder and lightning.
“Did… did it succeed?!” Nanjo gazed at the raised dust cloud before her, feeling the sensation of a hit in her hands, leading her to break into a wide grin.
“Hey, hey, that phrase isn’t appropriate at a time like this, is it?”
But the next second, a voice responded from the midst of the thick fog.
Following that was a burst of golden flames, breaking through the dense dust and piercing the sky.
The golden flames swirled and ascended, their light gradually becoming bright and dazzling, as if a burning star was reviving in the darkness, enveloping the surroundings with warmth and heat.
The center of the flames emitted an indescribable holy aura, the intense brilliance scorching the night sky and dispelling the dust that had originally surrounded them.
And at the core of this flame, Nagino’s figure was wrapped within.
Her body, ravaged by lightning and storm, seemed to be reborn by the heat waves of the flames.
The golden fire covered her skin, repairing it inch by inch, and the originally shattered muscles and bones began to recover under the flames, blood flowed anew within her, as if each drop contained the power of rebirth.
Nagino’s wounds healed rapidly, as if time were turning back, merging anew and restored under the shelter of the golden flames.
Finally, as the light of the golden flames began to fade, the surrounding air returned to tranquility.
Nagino stood in the remnants of what was once a ruin, her appearance unchanged, her body intact, as if she had never experienced that cataclysmic attack.
“Impossible……”
Witnessing this scene, Nanjo muttered to herself in disbelief for the first time when facing Nagino.
Her full-power strike had, astonishingly, not harmed the other party in the slightest.
No, if one were to be picky, there was still some change—
For example, the pure white dress that had adorned her just moments ago had completely vanished in that blow.
Now she stood before Nanjo with a posture reminiscent of a newborn, her petite and delicate porcelain doll-like figure completely visible, her flawless skin glistening with an enticing sheen like milk, but for some reason beneath her flat chest and the subtly rounded curves of her abdomen, two beams of blinding white light reflected back, obscuring the parts behind.
The overwhelming attack she unleashed, which could destroy the world, actually only tore apart a set of clothing?
This ridiculous result made Nanjo involuntarily take a step back.
“W-How, how is this possible? Is this your full power?!”
Nagino’s petite and adorable face was now tinged with an enticing rosy glow; although she healed through the power of the Phoenix from the recent attack, the pain of having her body torn apart still resonated within her.
However, after taking a deep, heavy breath, the blush on Nagino’s face slowly faded, and she continued to mock.
Seeing Nanjo retreat, she immediately stepped forward, raising even more psychological pressure against her.
The holy light enveloping her gracefully shifted as she moved, always shielding those indescribable parts.
But the next second, it seemed Nagino realized something; she paused slightly, murmuring in a voice only she could hear:
“N-No, that’s not right….. I really do need to wear some clothes….. If I get addicted to this feeling of exposure, it would be bad.”
After saying this, Nagino snapped her fingers: “Phoenix! Unleash the Fantasy Spirit Armor—”
A golden bird soared up from the ground beneath her, its wings spread like two beams of dazzling light.
The golden flames transformed into glistening threads, enveloping Nagino’s petite body—
Flames gradually crafted into layers of exquisite and lavish clothing on her skin, her hair as deep as the night sky was parted in the fire, transforming into an adorable twin ponytail hairstyle beneath wing-shaped hairpins.
This dazzling radiance combined with the youthful appearance of Nagino, reminiscent of a magical girl’s transformation.
When the golden light dissipated.
Her upper body was clad in a golden and deep red interwoven waist-revealing battle armor, the breastplate resembling a pair of crossed wings, with a sleeveless design exposing Nagino’s delicate and smooth shoulders—just slightly lifting her arms would reveal the enticingly smooth curves of her underarms, while from beneath her fluffy, lace-trimmed dual-layered short skirt, two small legs wrapped in white thigh-high stockings appeared, her tiny feet stepping into white boots adorned with wings, the soles reflecting a vivid red.
The wings spreading from her back intertwined with the light, resembling a phoenix reborn.
“……Phoenix!? Wh-What kind of outfit is this that only appears in inappropriate children’s comics?!” Upon noticing her current attire, Nagino’s youthful, adorable face immediately flushed with an enticing shade of red; she bashfully covered her exquisitely crafted navel with one hand and tugged down the short skirt with the other.
“I took inspiration from the manga provided by Garuda-oneechan.” The voice of Phoenix echoed in Nagino’s mind.
“Damn it! What on earth have you been reading, Garuda?!” Nagino’s playful twin ponytails bounced as she spoke, showcasing the cuteness of a young girl of her age.
But from Nagino’s perspective, she felt like she had become a magical girl out of some work for adults, clad in a revealing and provocative outfit, boldly challenging monsters; and inevitably, she would be ruthlessly punished for underestimating her opponent, ultimately left lying on the ground with lifeless eyes.
For a moment, Nagino didn’t know which was more socially corrupting, her current outfit or being completely naked.
And because of this minor incident.
It gave Nanjo a moment to think.
Realizing that she was not a match for her opponent at all.
Her first reaction was to use “the power of the stars,” that as long as she could take over, she could exert her true strength, even using the abilities of her contracted beast.
This was the strength of the power of the stars.
In theory, Nanjo should have thought of this a long time ago.
But for some reason, since seeing Nagino, her brain seemed to have been resisting the formation of that thought.
Even now.
When Nanjo attempted to use the power of the stars against this “provocative little girl who seems to have leapt out of some adult-themed work,” she felt an immense chill rising in her mind.
It was as if her soul was screaming, “Don’t resonate, don’t resonate, don’t resonate.”
Thus, Nanjo realized that her only choice at this moment was the black box she had just acquired.
Her opponent wouldn’t let her off, and she couldn’t escape from this realm.
So she could only rely on this power that the Moon Academy feared—
If it’s that power—
With this thought, Nanjo pulled the black box from her pocket.
The black sphere radiated a dazzling white light.
And when Nagino saw this sphere, her expression slightly changed.
This was the first time Nanjo sensed “panic” from Nagino.
It confirmed for her that the power concealed within the black box was enough to oppose her.
But before she could take action, the flow of time around them seemed to slow down, eventually coming to a halt.
A strong heartbeat resonated from within the black sphere.
Nanjo felt she was holding some heart.
【Human, do you wish to form a contract?】 A deep and overwhelming voice resonated directly in Nanjo’s mind.
【I will grant you the power you desire—】
【As long as you free me from here—】
【You shall become the ruler of this world—】
Nanjo felt a powerful heartbeat pulsing from the black box in her hands.
The corners of her mouth had been raised since earlier.
In this brief exchange, information regarding the existence within the black box continuously flooded into her mind.
“This is it, this is the feeling!!!” Nanjo recognized that tremulous sensation of magical power she had felt when she was once a disposable asset in the plan long ago.
“I swear by my soul! The contract is established—”
【Contract established.】
……
The moment Nanjo reached consensus with the being within the black box, time resumed flowing once more.
Nanjo slowly lifted her head, her expression exuding confidence as she looked at Nagino.
Even if the other party, as a “copy,” could use domains and control the “projections” of elemental rulers and their fantasy beasts through unknown means.
But—
“I admit your completion level is indeed slightly higher than mine, but unfortunately, I have already obtained this power—”
Nanjo raised the black box in her hand.
“You will regret your underestimation! You have no idea what you’re facing—!!!”
“Descend! Ruler of this world—”
“Supreme Dragon that ends all things—”
“Omega!!!”
With Nanjo’s roar, the black box in her hand emitted a crisp sound.
Crack.
It seemed as though some unfathomable force surged within, the air around them instantly solidifying, as if light itself were being drawn away.
The scales on the sphere’s surface cracked open, and a pitch-black light burst forth from the cracks, as if the eye of an endless abyss was slowly opening.
That light was deep and cold, devouring all colors, as if it were inhaling the entire world into the bottomless darkness.
The next moment.
A figure hidden within the pitch-black radiance burst from the black box, directly aiming at the shimmering starlit mirrored sky above.
The black light flowed like water, spreading outward, wherever it traveled, boundless darkness swallowed everything, transforming the world into a void.
A massive domain silently and swiftly unfolded.
“GAAAaaaaa——!!!”
A deafening dragon’s roar echoed across heaven and earth, as if the world trembled in that instant.
The tremendous airflow forced Nagino to cover her flowing hair with her hand.
“Tsk, is it still too late?” Nagino murmured to herself.
At the same time.
A massive figure broke through the layers of clouds in the sky, slowly descending—
A black dragon appeared, its colossal frame emanating a light that symbolized magical power, floating in the air with the posture of a king.
Its scales resembled the profound stars of the night sky, giving off an indescribable chill, its body expanding in accordance with the guiding glow, obscuring all sight.
Its wings spread wide, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
The membranes on its wings glimmered with dark light, and even the stars in the sky were swallowed by this boundless darkness; the horizon instantly became silent and lifeless, as if in this darkness, even time could not help but freeze completely.
It gazed down coldly upon the world below.
In contrast to the “Alpha Dragon” that created everything, it represented the “Omega Dragon,” which “deletes” everything.
Its “deletion” authority might even eliminate the taint of the end from its very essence.
Fantasy Beast – Omega.
Divine Classification: Tier 11.
One of the titles in “Star Draw 2” relating to the “Twin Thrones,” the final boss from Kanade’s perspective in Manai’s route.
“…..Finally, I can see it with my own eyes.” Faced with this black dragon that stood above everything.
Nagino showed no sign of panic whatsoever; instead, she revealed a manic smile filled with excitement.
“If it weren’t for you arriving too late, I would have forcefully contracted you long ago—”
“But this is good too; let me see whether the officially set final boss is stronger or my painstakingly crafted final answer is more powerful—”
“Have you finally gone mad in the face of this absolute power?!” South of Omega, Nanjo was gripped by a frenzy as she looked down at Nagino.
“I want to return a phrase to you, verbatim—” Nagino’s lips curled upward as she revealed a crescent-like malevolent grin.
“You have no idea what you’re facing—”
“Delete this lunatic from this world! Omega!!!”
“Descend—”
