"...Ho... It seems the title of Emperor of the [Empire] is no empty name after all."
As the crypt, once engulfed in radiance, was slowly swallowed again by blood-red darkness, Luminous stared at the man before her and murmured under her breath.
'I thought that since he was the human chosen by [Velgrynd], he would at least be [Disaster]-class, but to think he was this strong...'
It was not that she had underestimated Adelio, but she had never imagined he would bring down a group of powerful foes, a mix of [Demon Lord Seed] and [Awakened Demon Lord]-class beings, in a single blow. Suppressing her inner shock, she gathered in her aura.
'...I hate to admit it, but that strike just now could probably have pierced even my [Holy Demon Barrier] with ease...'
A body that had surpassed the limits of a saint, the fully awakened soul of a [Seraphim], and skill honed to the very extreme.
Luminous had believed that if she fought at full power, even absolute monsters like Guy or Milim would not be able to dismiss her lightly. But she had just been forced to revise that judgment.
Unlike her, who clearly had not stepped beyond the bounds of [Disaster]-class, the man before her had proven with a single attack what true [Catastrophe]-class might really meant.
'...As expected, accepting the alliance was the right choice. No matter how many cards Granbell may have, with our side this strong, the result is already practically deci—'
Craaack...!
As if to say this was no time to sink into thought.
The very moment Luminous became certain of victory in this battle after witnessing Adelio's power, an ominous sound began to come from the sacred ark, which should not have suffered any impact at all.
"...?! No way..."
A semi-permanent seal maintained through Luminous's holy magic and the power of the [Holy Spirit]s Chronoa possessed.
Cracks slowly began to spread across the sacred ark that had sustained that seal, and then, as if the long-awaited moment had finally come, the power of the [Holy Spirit]s that had been devoted to maintaining the seal was instantly absorbed into Chronoa's body.
"Why is Chronoa's [Holy Spirit] power rising now of all times...!"
This was completely different from what she had heard in advance. Unable to hide her alarm, Luminous raised her magic power in an attempt to seal Chronoa's body once more before it could break free on its own, but...
Creeeak...
"...Ah..."
...By then, it was already too late.
"......!"
The [Hero], whose potential more than justified calling her the very incarnation of wrath, burst upward at last, piercing through the ceiling of [Night Garden] amid magic power formed from pure white radiance.
She moved so fast that even Adelio, another [Catastrophe]-class being, could not react.
"......"
'Time Stop and [Holy Spirit Armament]... no, [Divine Spirit Armament] at the same time...?'
Calmly staring at the spot beneath his feet where Chronoa had vanished, Adelio confirmed that she had used the power of the [Ultimate Skill], [Yog-Sothoth], [Time King], and at once spread wings of magic power to follow her up to the surface.
"Luminous, the moment you reach the surface, take Granbell. I'll deal with Chronoa."
With those words from Adelio, little different from a declaration, the battle between the two [Hero]es bearing the strongest of epithets finally began.
**
"Hmm, so that guy really is Rudra's reincarnation, is he?"
Meanwhile, at the same time Adelio reached the surface...
Far from [Ruberios], in a ruin where he had taken up position, the red demon Guy Crimson wore a fierce, arrogant smile, with his attendants and his old companion beside him.
"His name was Adelio, was it? Well now, looks like there's one more interesting bastard worth fighting."
As Rudra's rival, the one and only equal opponent of his life.
Watching Rudra—now reincarnated in a form utterly unlike before, as Adelio—Guy turned his head toward his old friend, who had once been his greatest rival.
"So showing me that brat is your compensation for keeping me out of this fight, [Noir]?"
"Kuhuhuhu, something like that. Things have already become messy enough with the Rosso family and Demon Lord Leon Cromwell getting involved. If even you were to join in, Lord Rimuru might start finding this whole affair troublesome."
The black demon known as the strangest of all eccentrics, Diablo, nodded at Guy's words and continued speaking, lightly ignoring the murderous glare Rain was directing at him from behind.
"Besides, you do not truly wish to reveal your power for no reason in a place like this either, do you? Especially with her watching this battlefield from the sky above."
Where Diablo lightly pointed with his fingertip high above [Ruberios] was the place where Velgrynd was looking down over the battlefield.
"...Well, I can't deny that."
Guy was, by any measure, the strongest being in this world in both name and reality, but that did not mean he was the one and only monster with no equal at all.
There was [Velzard], his partner, for one. There was also the [Destroyer Dragon] sealed away in the otherworld, and the foremost leader of the [Aggressors] who watched over it. More powerhouses capable of fighting Guy on equal footing existed than one might think.
And naturally, Velgrynd, one of the [True Dragon]s, was one of those powerhouses as well.
"Then, since I can't join the fight anyway, I suppose I'll sit back and enjoy the show."
Coolly judging his current situation, Guy kept that arrogant smile on his face and decided to watch the clash between the two [Hero]es worthy of being called the strongest.
"Do try to show me something entertaining, new reincarnation of Rudra."
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