Ren Isana had lost count of how many times he had been beaten down. Pain followed recovery, over and over. Gradually, his strength burgeoned under the insane pressure exerted by the God of War. Though he hadn't broken through to Tier 10 yet, he was leagues stronger now than when he had first ascended to his current rank.
Ren had adapted to the God of War's offensive rhythm. The thousands of years of battle experience he had observed were being absorbed as nourishment, transforming him into something truly terrifying.
The energy inside Ren's body was becoming stained with various concepts. His soul was merging with his physical form, a process accelerated by the constant hammering from the God of War. His regenerative capabilities had evolved into something utterly monstrous.
Ren was particularly delighted by the fusion of flesh and spirit. Thanks to the [Third Magic], his soul had already become immortal and indestructible. Once the fusion was complete, his physical body would likely attain that same state of immortality.
Eventually, a moment came when Ren managed to block one of the God of War's strikes. A flicker of surprise crossed the deity's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by acceptance. *He's caught up? Not bad at all!*
"Now then... defeat me!!" the God of War roared. His presence exploded as his muscles bulged. He threw a fist toward Ren with world-shaking force.
Facing the onslaught, Ren threw a punch out of pure instinct. He concentrated every ounce of his power into a single point. Every buffing spell he knew activated simultaneously — an [Instant Cast] with no delay whatsoever.
*Boom!* Their fists collided, sending waves of terrifying force rippling through the cosmos. This time, Ren held his ground. Seeing this, the God of War grew even more excited.
The God of War suddenly pulled back and unleashed a [Heaven's Strike]. In response, Ren raised his hand and fired an even more formidable [Holy Spear].
This time, there was no one-sided consumption of energy. Instead, they were perfectly matched. The God of War laughed maniacally. *This is wonderful!*
Finally, an enemy who could stand on equal footing. The God of War was fully fired up. Golden and black pillars of light clashed violently in the vacuum of space.
Space began to warp. A black hole formed at the epicenter of their collision, greedily devouring the energy they released. Yet, even a clash of this magnitude wasn't enough for Ren.
He had grown stronger, yes, but he couldn't see a way to actually defeat the God of War. This guy was a total bug. Even though Ren had copied his traits using [Jianjigu], he still lacked a winning move.
Ren knew he was at his limit. Unless he could take another step forward — which was incredibly difficult — he couldn't win. Carving out one's own path was never simple.
Thoughts raced through Ren's mind. Finally, his eyes landed on the magic developed by the Ex-Machina. Without hesitation, he retreated, and the [Holy Spear] appeared in his hand.
Next, [Kūkuu Dai-Zero Kago・Void 0th Protection], [Marrow Blast], the power of the Dragonia... he gathered the converged power of all the world's races. Sensing the shift in Ren's aura, the God of War's pupils contracted.
At last, he felt it — a sense of crisis. How many eons had it been since he last felt threatened? He couldn't remember. But instead of fear, he felt exhilaration. This human truly never ceased to surprise him!
"Come! Show me your limit!!" the God of War laughed, releasing his own power. He didn't try to stop Ren; instead, like Ren, he began charging his own ultimate attack.
"Ren Isana is using his trump card for the final showdown against the God of War!" Below on the planet, Riku was listening to Schwi's explanation of the battlefield.
Riku's eyes gleamed. He spoke with cold calm. "Have the other Ex-Machina standby. Lock onto the God of War. If Ren Isana shows any sign of losing, we strike immediately!"
Knowing Ren's decision, Riku didn't care about honor anymore. It might be unethical, but against such a despair-inducing opponent, it was their only choice. They had to win, no matter what!
Schwi didn't object. She silently began relaying the orders. But just as she was about to finalize the command, Riku interjected, "Wait... change the target!"
Riku watched the screen. He recalled what Ren had told him. There was a better way than a sneak attack. The Ex-Machina's combined fire could definitely pierce the planet and force the Star Cup to manifest.
Schwi blinked. *Target change?* She turned to Riku, waiting for the logic. Riku explained his plan.
"We won't attack the God of War. We'll strike the planet's core to force the Star Cup to appear. Even if Ren Isana loses, he'll be in the best position to seize it. And... the God of War might not even stop us." Riku's expression was complex.
He had watched the entire fight. He knew the God of War held Ren Isana in high regard. It hadn't been a slaughter; it had been a training session. Ren had started out hopelessly outmatched and ended up fighting the deity to a standstill.
This wasn't luck; it was happening right before his eyes. He had intended to backstab the god, but he decided to gamble on a different outcome.
He stared at the virtual screen, replaying the combat data. The God of War had the power to kill Ren Isana instantly, yet he chose not to.
If a being with that kind of power wanted the Star Cup, he could have taken it ages ago. He didn't even seem interested in wiping out the other races.
This display of power proved how much the God of War had been holding back. Seeing how he polished Ren Isana's skills, Riku realized the god was searching for something.
"Understood," Schwi said, executing the order. In space, Ren Isana launched his attack — the strongest strike he had ever produced.
"[Holy Spear・Star Breaker]!!" Ren roared, unleashing the fully charged technique. A blinding light erupted from him.
Space itself shattered and warped in the wake of the attack. The God of War's grin widened. This was the opponent he had waited for. "[God's Strike]!!!"
The God of War's aura surged. Faced with a genuine threat, his power, which had been stagnant for ages, finally broke through to new heights.
As the two ultimates collided in space, Riku held his breath. He was ready to force the Star Cup out. However, what happened next surpassed his expectations. The sheer force of the collision shattered the local space completely.
The planet's Spirit Corridor crumbled under the impact, and the Star Cup began to manifest on its own. Riku's eyes went wide. *We don't even need to intervene?*
He stared at the appearing Star Cup — the artifact every race dreamed of. It was manifesting purely because of the raw power released by Ren and the God of War.
Ren was surprised but didn't dare lower his guard. He poured Magic Power into his attack as if it cost him nothing. Since his supply was infinite, he went all out to destroy his opponent.
The God of War didn't care about the Star Cup. Riku's guess was right; if he wanted it, he would have taken it long ago.
"Haaa!" Ren squeezed every drop of strength from his body, funneling it into the beam. The magic, which had been in a deadlock, slowly began to push back against the [God's Strike]!
Ren finally gained the upper hand. The golden pillar of light swallowed the [God's Strike] and slammed into the God of War. The light grazed the planet's surface, tearing through the black clouds and leaving a scar across the sky.
If the aim had been off by just a fraction, the planet would have been obliterated. Ren Isana now possessed true planet-destroying power.
When the attack hit him, the God of War didn't resist. He withdrew his power and allowed Ren's attack to vaporize him. His massive body began to dissolve in the light.
The captured Flügel began to scream. As creations of the God of War, they could feel their deity dying.
Artosh wore a satisfied smile. Ren's attack ceased, but the god's dissipation continued. He looked at Ren. "Remember my words. When you take that final step, consider it carefully. Do not let yourself be bound."
He turned to the Flügel crying out on the planet. No one knew what he said to them, but after a moment, they fell silent, staring blankly at the sky.
As the God of War vanished, only a mass of crimson blood remained. This was the God of War's Divine Core, the conceptual essence of all war. Ren's eyes lit up.
Before he could act, a wisp of golden light separated from the core and shot into Ren's body. The blood mass shrank and then vanished into the vacuum of space.