Outside the barrier, the world was tearing itself apart.

  Blinding flashes of skills slashed across the sky.

  The ground trembled violently as explosions erupted one after another.

  Metal clashed against metal, mixing with screams and battle cries to form a chaotic symphony of war.

  The air was thick with the smell of blood.

  Breathing itself felt heavy.

  Yet inside the barrier…

  There was an unnatural silence.

  Albedon stood calmly in the empty space, his gaze slowly sweeping across the four people in front of him.

  Then—

  He disappeared.

  No shockwave.

  No sound.

  He simply… wasn’t there anymore.

  At that exact moment, a thin layer of mist began creeping across the ground. It spread rapidly, swallowing the entire barrier like a rising white tide.

  Visibility dropped instantly.

  Misaki turned her head.

  “Takamiya—?”

  No response.

  Aoyama had also vanished into the mist.

  The three immediately raised their guard.

  Only Ren did not move by instinct.

  He walked slowly through the fog.

  After a few seconds, something appeared before him.

  A mirror.

  A transparent mirror floated silently in the air. Its surface rippled gently like the surface of water.

  Ren’s lips curved slightly.

  “I see.”

  Without hesitation, he stepped forward.

  And entered.

  For a brief moment, the mist thinned.

  Albedon reappeared.

  And so did Ren.

  The two stood facing each other.

  Albedon tilted his head slightly.

  “Well, well. You're impressive, kid. Looks like you've already figured out my ability.”

  Ren brushed the dust off his shoulder.

  “Yeah.”

  His gaze remained calm.

  “That’s why I’ll make sure you rest in peace as soon as possible.”

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  Albedon chuckled softly.

  “Hm.”

  His eyes darkened.

  “You’re still too inexperienced.”

  In less than a single breath—

  He appeared in front of Ren.

  A punch slammed directly into Ren’s stomach.

  BOOM!

  Ren was launched backward, crashing into the barrier wall. Cracks spread across the surface as chunks of stone fell to the ground.

  Albedon slowly lowered his fist.

  “I told you.”

  “You don’t stand a chance.”

  Elsewhere inside the mist—

  Misaki and Takamiya suddenly felt their bodies grow heavy.

  Pain surged through them even though nothing had struck them.

  Misaki gasped for air.

  “What… is happening?”

  Takamiya gritted his teeth.

  “What did that bastard do…?”

  Aoyama’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at Albedon’s feet.

  A glowing purple sigil flickered on the ground.

  Aoyama smirked.

  “Looks like someone stepped into my trap.”

  Albedon glanced down.

  “Hm?”

  BOOM!

  A violent purple explosion erupted beneath him. Smoke and dust blasted into the air.

  Aoyama grinned.

  “Thought you were tougher than that.”

  The smoke slowly cleared.

  Albedon was still standing there.

  Only his clothes were slightly scorched.

  His gaze turned cold.

  “You’ve got guts.”

  “You’ll be the first to die.”

  At that moment—

  A black chain shot out from the smoke and wrapped tightly around his arm.

  Ren stepped out from the rubble.

  “Your turn isn’t here yet.”

  Dozens of dark chains shot forward like spears, stabbing toward Albedon from every direction.

  Ren pulled hard.

  Albedon’s body was violently dragged across the ground and slammed into the ruins behind him.

  The earth shook.

  Ren turned toward the others.

  “Listen carefully.”

  He spoke quickly.

  “Albedon creates an illusionary world layered on top of reality.”

  The others stared at him.

  “He enters that world and attacks your copies.”

  Ren continued.

  “When he destroys your skills there… the damage transfers to your real body.”

  Misaki’s eyes widened.

  “Then why didn’t you say that earlier?!”

  “I was going to.”

  Ren answered calmly.

  “But he already activated it.”

  Takamiya spoke urgently.

  “So how do we counter it?”

  “Enter the illusion world. Find the mirror.”

  Ren’s voice became sharper.

  “Protect your copies and fight him there.”

  The moment he finished speaking—

  Albedon lunged forward again.

  Ren grabbed the two injured teammates and jumped aside. Aoyama rolled across the ground as Albedon’s punch crushed the earth where they had been standing.

  “You're all going to die here.”

  The mist thickened again.

  The four of them scattered, searching for the mirrors.

  Ren entered first.

  Aoyama and Takamiya followed shortly after.

  Misaki, who was the most injured, struggled through the fog.

  Finally, her hand touched the cold surface of glass.

  And she stepped through.

  The illusion world appeared.

  The mist here was thinner.

  Albedon moved through the ground as if it didn’t exist.

  He burst upward behind Aoyama—

  But the moment his head emerged—

  BANG!

  A flash bomb exploded directly in his face.

  He staggered back.

  Takamiya rushed in, his sword striking Albedon’s arm.

  CLANG!

  The impact rang like steel hitting steel.

  Albedon’s body barely moved.

  With a single swing, he knocked Takamiya away before diving back into the ground.

  Ren shouted.

  “Protect your copies!”

  The four of them immediately began coordinating their movements.

  They refused to let Albedon reach the copies.

  Albedon frowned slightly.

  His attack rhythm had clearly been disrupted.

  He raised one hand.

  A dark purple star-shaped mass of energy formed above his palm.

  Without hesitation, he threw it toward Misaki.

  Ren shouted—

  “MOVE!”

  Misaki rolled to the side.

  The sphere struck the ground.

  It didn’t explode normally.

  Instead—

  A powerful gravitational force erupted.

  The ground cracked open as everything began to slide toward the center.

  Misaki was dragged violently toward the core.

  She slammed her sword into the ground, desperately resisting the pull.

  Takamiya rushed to pull her copy away.

  Aoyama threw bombs to disrupt the field.

  Ren wrapped a chain around Misaki’s waist and pulled with all his strength.

  The battlefield descended into chaos.

  Albedon watched silently.

  Then—

  He smiled.

  “That’s enough.”

  At that moment—

  The illusion world trembled violently.

  The copies began to fade.

  The surrounding mist rapidly dissolved.

  Ren’s eyes widened instantly.

  “He canceled the skill!”

  Everything shattered like glass.

  Reality returned.

  The mist vanished completely.

  The illusion world was gone.

  The mirrors disappeared.

  Only the ruined barrier remained.

  And then—

  All the damage returned at once.

  Misaki coughed up blood as her body was thrown backward like she had been struck by an explosion.

  Takamiya collapsed to one knee, a deep wound suddenly tearing open across his shoulder.

  Aoyama was blasted across the ground, blood streaming down from his forehead.

  Even Ren stepped back slightly, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

  Albedon stood calmly in the center.

  Almost completely unharmed.

  He brushed the dust from his hand.

  Then he looked at the four of them struggling to stand.

  His eyes were cold.

  And his voice fell like a final judgment.

  “Now…”

  “I’ll show you what real power looks like.”