Even with the protective barrier Rei Ao set in advance, the distant spectators found it hard to breathe.
"Is this the War God's full power?"
Schwi parsed the data. "Energy level exceeds all known records. No measurable upper bound."
"He's very strong… right now."
Kanna's draconic pupils narrowed, her instincts flaring.
Michiru and Couronne went pale, barely able to stand.
Only Rei Ao remained unruffled, standing there as if nothing had changed. The War God's fully unleashed aura felt to him like a passing breeze.
"Done showing off?" Rei Ao asked calmly. "Then it's my turn."
He didn't make any grand gesture—just stepped forward lightly. Yet that single step completely transformed the battlefield's atmosphere.
Artosh's overwhelming pressure was suddenly replaced by a power even greater and more unfathomable.
"In that case, take my strongest blow!" Artosh issued his final declaration. "I will claim victory!"
Then he unleashed his ultimate power—Godly Smite.
Godly Smite was Artosh's mightiest force. Jibril's Heavenstrike was, at best, a fledgling version of it. Godly Smite could shake a planet's very pulse—its force could shift continents and tear stars.
Artosh was worthy of the title "strongest in this world." If he used planet-piercing power to force the Suniaster to appear, there was a fifty-two percent chance it would manifest in the War God's hand.
Boom—!
The entire planet began to quake; space twisted to its limits. Blazing white light poured from Artosh's body. All eighteen pairs of wings spread fully, each embodying a different concept of war. The powers converged into a star-killing pillar of light that lanced straight at Rei Ao.
A planet-shaking Godly Smite—Artosh's ultimate power.
Small as it seemed in Rei Ao's eyes, he still chose to give it its due respect.
"Then I'll end this in that form."
Crimson flames surged up, wrapping around him. This flame was not any energy of this world, but power from a higher dimension—the True Crimson.
"Roooar!"
A dragon's cry rang across the world, drawing the attention of every race and every soul. Dwarf artisans in their forges, archmages meditating in the elves' forests, sea-dwellers slumbering in the abyss—every being heard the soul-shaking roar. The sky before them all turned scarlet with flame, and a presence that seemed to brush the sun appeared—a red dragon whose outstretched wings blanketed the heavens.
It was Rei Ao in his True Crimson Dragon God form.
The dragon's body was beyond imagining. Every scale was like molten red gemstone, gleaming with a mysterious light. Its eyes were two small suns, radiating a majesty few could bear to meet. When its wings spread, they covered the sky and veiled sun, moon, and stars.
Seeing this, Artosh was stunned—but he could not pull back. He burned everything he had to draw forth even greater power, to stand against a dragon that truly surpassed the god-species. As the War God, this was the opponent he craved. Even knowing he would lose, he would fight with everything.
The Godly Smite fell—
and the True Crimson Dragon God reached out a claw.
Mountain-sized, it moved as light as a feather. The strike slammed into the claw with a world-shaking crash.
Boom—!
Crack—!
But it was the Godly Smite that shattered, splintering like glass. The dragon's claw closed.
Boom—!
True Crimson fire blazed.
In that instant, the War God Artosh's life was about to end.
And he finally understood—he had been the challenger all along.
Then, with the absolute timbre befitting a true god—the strongest of the god-species—he proclaimed:
"So this is defeat. I see."
"It was indeed a thrilling, joyous battle. You all heard that, didn't you!"
His voice swept across the entire world and into every ear. It was the War God's final proclamation—and his highest praise for the fight.
"O mighty one—you are the 'enemy' I acknowledge as the strongest."
And with that, all was finished.
Artosh became a blaze of white light that filled the crimson sky—and died. The strongest god-species in the world fell beneath the claw of the True Crimson Dragon God. The light lingered a moment, then faded as if it had never been. Only the ripples left in space proved it hadn't been a dream.
The True Crimson Dragon God—Rei Ao—felt little about it. The dragon's body shrank and shifted, and he returned to human form, alighting lightly on the ground.
The onlookers stood frozen. Azril, above all, could not accept what she had just seen.
"...!!!"
She collapsed to her knees, eyes empty and dazed. She had always believed Lord Artosh was invincible, the strongest being in the world. Now that belief was shattered.
Jibril came to her side and said softly, "Azril-senpai—do you understand now? Rei Ao-sama is the powerful one."
Azril lifted her head toward Rei Ao as he walked over, her eyes swirling with awe, fear, confusion—and a faint, inexplicable hope.
Rei Ao stopped before her and offered his hand. "Your creator is gone. Flügel—will you follow me?"
Azril stared at his hand, hesitated a moment… then slowly placed her own in his palm.
"The Flügel… are willing to pledge ourselves to you, Rei Ao-sama." Her voice trembled.
Rei Ao nodded and turned to the others. "The great war is over. Or rather, the real great war of this world is only just beginning."
Schwi nodded. "Global energy fluctuations detected. All races sensed the battle just now—and Artosh's death."
Jibril frowned. "That means other god-species may make their move—especially those who've been coveting the Suniaster."
Rei Ao smiled faintly. "Let them come. We'll settle everything in one go."
He looked up to the stars, a deep light in his eyes. "It's time to change this world's rules of the game."