Watching the battle unfold beyond the world's barrier, Nyaruko's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"What are you two even doing?!"
"Does flirting really require this much power?!"
"That aura has spread across the entire dimensional realm!"
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
The power Izumi was releasing now far surpassed that of its original owner—Azathoth.
After all, Azathoth's authority had originally existed as two separate halves.
Those powers had been absorbed into Izumi long ago.
Now...
He had completely fused them together.
Combined with his own strength, the result was something entirely beyond imagination.
The terrifying pressure washed over the dimensional realm like an endless tide.
Even the fabric of reality seemed to tremble beneath it.
Nyaruko couldn't help muttering,
"...Is this really supposed to be a romantic duel?"
"Isn't this a little overkill?"
...
Meanwhile, Rika stared at the overwhelming aura surrounding Izumi.
She instinctively swallowed.
"H-Hey..."
"You can't be serious..."
"No cheating allowed!"
"Was it really necessary to go this far?!"
The pressure alone was enough to make her heart skip a beat.
She had never expected Izumi to possess such a terrifying trump card.
Hearing her complaint, Izumi smiled.
"So?"
"Are you ready to admit defeat?"
The moment she heard those words, Rika's expression stiffened.
"Surrender?"
"What a joke."
"As if I'd ever give up."
With a sharp swing of her staff, she activated another spell.
A massive magic circle appeared beneath her feet.
Then it expanded.
Faster.
Farther.
Larger.
Within moments, it had spread so far that its boundaries could no longer be seen.
An incomprehensibly vast magic formation enveloped the surrounding dimensional space.
At the same time, Rika's magical power began rising at an astonishing rate.
Limitless mana poured from her body.
She raised her head and glared directly at Izumi.
"Don't think you're the only one who can bend the rules."
"I can cheat too."
"So don't underestimate me."
As she lifted her staff once more—
Thousands...
No—
Countless magic circles appeared behind her.
Every conceivable form of offensive magic manifested simultaneously.
A storm of spells beyond calculation.
Without restraint.
Without hesitation.
Every one of them fired toward Izumi at once.
...
Seeing the overwhelming magical barrage, Izumi merely grinned.
He didn't dodge.
Nor did he panic.
Instead, he slowly raised one hand.
At that instant—
The energy filling the entire dimensional realm answered his call.
It gathered from every corner of existence.
Reality itself seemed to awaken.
The limitless energy of the dimensional world converged into Izumi's control before crashing head-on against Rika's ultimate spell.
The collision shook everything.
BOOOOOOM!!
The entire dimensional realm trembled violently.
Then—
Crack.
A faint sound echoed through the void.
So quiet...
So subtle...
Neither Izumi nor Rika noticed it.
Both remained focused entirely on their clash.
But the crack had already appeared.
...
Despite her desperate resistance, Rika simply couldn't compete.
This time, Izumi wasn't relying solely on his own strength.
He had drawn upon the power of the entire dimensional realm itself.
Against such overwhelming force—
Unless Rika possessed enough power to destroy the dimensional realm outright—
There was no possibility of overcoming him.
The balance collapsed.
BOOM!!
The accumulated forces exploded.
Rika's body was blasted backward.
She flew through the endless void, crossing countless layers of space in an instant.
No one knew how far she had been sent.
Then—
Her consciousness faded.
She lost awareness completely.
...
The instant the battle ended, Izumi dispersed his power.
His figure vanished.
In the next heartbeat, he reappeared beside the unconscious Rika.
Reaching out gently, he caught her before she could continue drifting through the void.
Cradling her in his arms, he looked down at her peaceful sleeping face.
The duel...
Was finally over.
There was no doubt about the result.
Rika had been defeated.
And the victor—
Was Izumi.