CRACK!!!
Two bluish bolts of lightning tore across the massive training hall almost simultaneously.
Samael and Liu reacted at the same instant.
Both barely managed to dodge as the electricity exploded against the ground behind them, leaving black scorch marks across the reinforced metal arena.
But Vanitas didn't give them even a second to breathe.
BOOM!
His body vanished amidst the lightning.
The next instant, he was already above Samael.
The blue spear descended horizontally like a divine sentence, crushing the air in its path.
CLANG!!!
Samael managed to block with the rusted sword.
Even so—
The impact violently hurled him backward.
His entire arm trembled.
'Heavy…!'
Vanitas's physical strength was absurd.
While Samael regained his balance, Liu was already advancing again.
The girl crossed the battlefield in absolute silence, fast as a silver phantom.
However—
CRACK!
Another thunderclap exploded.
Vanitas fired a lightning bolt directly at her, delaying her advance before immediately returning to pressure Samael.
The blue spear began a brutal rain of attacks.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks exploded constantly.
Samael retreated further and further as small cuts began appearing across his body.
Blood slowly trickled down his arms and face.
Vanitas was too fast.
Too heavy.
And far too aggressive.
Samael clenched his teeth.
Then he violently kicked toward his opponent's chest to create some distance.
Vanitas blocked it easily.
And strangely…
Allowed him to retreat.
'…?'
For just an instant, Samael felt something odd about that reaction.
But he had no time to think about it.
BOOM!
The moment he gained space—
Liu descended upon Vanitas like a rocket.
Her silver sword tore through the air in dozens of swift and deadly slashes.
And unlike before…
She was growing stronger.
Much stronger.
The cold mist surrounding her body had increased considerably.
The temperature of the hall was beginning to drop.
That was the terrifying result of the combination of her abilities.
Her Innate Ability strengthened her body the colder she became.
Meanwhile, her Dormant Ability continuously lowered the temperature of everything she touched.
In other words…
The longer the battle lasted—
The more monstrous Liu would become.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The two exchanged blows at absurd speed.
Even so…
Vanitas still appeared physically superior.
Faster.
Stronger.
More durable.
'Monster…'
Samael narrowed his eyes.
Then he summoned the Bow of Despair.
Fragments of essence began gathering before him.
But before he could even aim—
CRACK!!!
A blue lightning bolt surged toward him.
'Damn it!'
Samael threw himself to the side, rolling across the ground.
BOOOOM!
The electrical explosion passed through the spot where he had stood a moment earlier.
But at that same moment—
A beam of light crossed the hall above his head.
Samael quickly looked up.
The other fights were still continuing around them.
Kafka was firing gigantic beams of light while Layla lazily dodged every attack.
Or rather…
She looked lazy.
Because despite that sleepy expression, not a single shot had managed to hit her.
'How is she dodging everything while looking that tired?'
But Samael had no time to think about it.
Another lightning bolt was already heading toward him.
Vanitas refused to let him approach the fight against Liu.
'How much essence does this freak even have?'
Samael felt his heart sink slightly.
This simply made no sense.
The amount of essence Vanitas was using was absurd for an ordinary Awakened.
Constant lightning.
Physical enhancement.
And he still didn't seem tired.
'Unless…'
Samael's golden eyes narrowed.
But once again, he had no time to pursue the thought further.
BOOM!
He charged forward again.
Vanitas unleashed a point-blank lightning strike at Liu before immediately spinning his spear toward Samael.
The weapon descended like a divine guillotine.
Samael barely dodged.
But a kick wrapped in electricity came immediately afterward.
BAM!
The blow struck his stomach.
The electric discharge surged through his entire body as he was launched backward.
Samael slid across the floor.
Then violently planted his foot against the metallic arena.
BOOM!
His body shot forward once more.
The rusted sword exploded into a brutal sequence of attacks.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
A few cuts finally managed to strike Vanitas.
Small scratches appeared across the boy's body.
But then—
Right before Samael's eyes…
The wounds slowly began regenerating.
'…Ah, of course.'
Samael almost wanted to laugh in frustration.
'It's not enough for him to be an absurd monster.'
'He also has regeneration.'
Even so, he continued pressing forward.
He needed to create an opening.
He had to.
And then—
He saw Liu approaching once again.
Samael immediately intensified his attacks, forcing Vanitas to focus entirely on him.
Even while taking cuts in return.
Even while injuring himself.
He needed to distract him.
Then, the instant Liu finally entered range—
Vanitas raised his spear to defend against the girl.
But at that exact moment—
Samael switched from electrical reinforcement to the power of Memory creation.
The spear became slower than Vanitas expected.
And that was enough.
SCHLICK!
Liu's silver sword pierced through the defense.
A deep slash opened across Vanitas's chest.
Scarlet blood splattered across the hall.
Samael charged right behind her, empowered by the lightning he had stolen earlier.
But then—
Vanitas's pressure changed completely.
The boy's blue eyes began glowing intensely.
CRACK!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!!
Four lightning bolts exploded simultaneously.
Two aimed at Liu.
Two aimed at Samael.
Both instantly raised their weapons.
BOOOOOM!!!
The impact illuminated the entire hall in blue.
Even while defending themselves…
Both were still injured by the absurd violence of that discharge.
Samael slid back several meters while smoke rose from his burned arms.
His heart pounded violently.
'Damn it…'
Now he was almost certain.
'This guy…'
Samael's golden eyes narrowed.
'Has a Divine Aspect.'
It was the only logical explanation.
The monstrous amount of essence.
The absurd level of physical power.
The ridiculous abilities.
Everything pointed toward it.
'Then why have I never heard of him in the original story?'
The answer quickly surfaced in his mind.
'…He died.'
A chill ran down Samael's spine.
'He probably died before the main events.'
Not far away, Elizabeth and Griffin were fighting together against Yuji.
Elizabeth used her bow to provide support while her Dormant Ability constantly predicted her opponent's movements.
Meanwhile, Griffin faced Yuji directly in close combat.
Blood floated around Master Yuji as he manipulated his Aspect abilities.
Red blades.
Cutting threads.
Liquid shields.
His Aspect clearly had something to do with blood.
Then—
— Enough.
Master Wein's voice echoed throughout the hall.
Instantly, everyone stopped.
The man calmly observed the young fighters covered in sweat and wounds.
Then he spoke in an indifferent tone:
— I don't want any of you seriously injured before America.
Silence.
For a moment—
The entire hall became still.
Because that was the first time…
They had finally revealed where the mission was headed.