In the vast grassland.
Seeing Naoki standing not far ahead, Aoko clenched her fists tightly.
"Post-breakfast exercise… you really dare say it. After two thousand four hundred years, your tone has gotten huge. Are you that confident because one attack threw me?"
"How much power do you think I used just now?"
Naoki countered with a smile: "I'm not underestimating you. In terms of existence specs, the gap between the four of you and me isn't huge. Meaning our base conditions aren't too different. But the absolute time we've lived through is different."
For long-lived species, time lived to a certain extent equals power—because there's no need to consider physical weaknesses or bodily defects. Power continuously increases and accumulates over time.
"I spent two thousand four hundred years here—do you know what I did during that time?"
As Naoki spoke, space itself seemed to crack. Countless lines appeared behind him.
Starting with two golden-white lines—one left, one right—then splitting to four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two… In just a few breaths, endless dense lines filled the space behind Naoki.
"T-this…"
"Magic circuits?!"
Rei stared in shock at the cluster of golden-white light lines behind Naoki—like a pair of sky-covering giant wings.
Undoubtedly, those were magic circuits.
"Yes, these are my magic circuits." Naoki said. "You all know—I left the Holy Sword, left my old self, and stayed here forever. In exchange, I gained Beast-equivalent Mana—precisely, perhaps second-class planetary level."
"But even an Elemental Spirit body would have issues constantly holding that much Mana. So I modified my own body, resulting in near-limitless proliferating magic circuits."
The circuits behind Naoki extended nearly a thousand meters, continuing to multiply outward—like a giant tree growing behind him, stretching endlessly into the sky. Its branches even covered the entire heavens!
Then—
*SNAP!*
With Naoki's finger snap, the sky-covering giant tree vanished—as if retracted into his body, shrinking into a single beam and merging with him.
Naoki laughed: "Now you should understand, right?"
"Over these two thousand four hundred years, to master this Mana, I evolved into a different dimension from you. And after mastering it, I reached a level in Magecraft you can't catch up to now."
*SNAP!*
Naoki snapped again. Giant Displacement Magecraft gates appeared above everyone.
"Where do you think the other ends of these gates connect?"
"Don't tell me—outer space?"
"Correct."
Like a conductor swinging a baton, Naoki waved his finger downward.
The next second—
*CRASH!* *CRASH!* *CRASH!*
A massive meteorite fell through the space gate amid violent spatial tremors!
The four's eyes changed instantly!
"I've got it!"
"W-wait, Rei!"
Without hesitation—amid Arcueid's shout—Rei mounted her nearby Wyvern and shot skyward at full speed.
*⚡⚡⚡⚡!*
Brutal lightning flared wildly around her. As if gathering power, countless bolts converged on the Oodachi sheathed in her armored sleeves!
Like Iaijutsu?
Using electromagnetism to unsheathe the blade instantly, producing a lightning sword slash.
*BOOM!*
Lightning plasma exploded!
Amid deafening thunder, Rei—facing the falling meteorite—drew her lightning-charged sword with all her might!
Sky-soaring purple lightning seemed to tear and split the heavens!
One strike cleaved the meteorite in two—including the sky! And with the lightning's rampage, the split meteorite shattered further mid-fall! Until it completely vanished in the air without residue!
Rei destroyed the meteorite.
*BOOM!*
Riding the giant red dragon below, she landed amid fierce winds.
Rei—showing little change—looked at her lord: "Is this the limit of Magecraft you reached in two thousand four hundred years? Lord, it seems Rei alone can bring you back."
*👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻!*
Naoki clapped with a smile.
"Beautiful slash. Reminds me of many things. Since all Pan-Human History memories are empty shells to me—I selectively hide anything unnecessary. But your attack reminded me of something long ago."
"Lord, can you explain to us? The reason you won't return to Pan-Human History." Rei asked. "Thinking about it, we don't have to fight. If you can't return because of something to do in this Lostbelt, we can help finish it together."
"Hm, good proposal." Naoki laughed. "But I refuse. Just a few of you isn't enough for me to accept cooperation. Indeed… At least have all seven billion in Pan-Human History sign a guarantee first, then talk."
"After all, this is a matter between our Lostbelt and your Pan-Human History—between two Worlds. Deciding something this important with just our talk is too arbitrary, right?"
Needing all humanity's approval for peaceful cooperation?
(No, this isn't a cooperation prerequisite—it's… whatever he plans to do will definitely face rejection from all humanity.)
Realizing this, Aoko sighed heavily: "Seems what you'll do isn't good for Pan-Human History… Then forgive us—we must stop you here, Naoki."
"Stop you, defeat you, then bring you back to Pan-Human History."
"Hm, fine—if you can." Naoki released his hands. "By the way, how many more times do you think I can use that attack?"
"Eh?"
"The answer is five hundred sixty-nine times."
Naoki answered himself: "A legacy I made about eighteen hundred years ago. The surface got boring, so I went to space, then displaced massive meteorites into satellite orbit—ready to launch anytime."
"More accurately, Celestial Magecraft: Meteorite?"
"Come—let me test how many times you can withstand this before truly falling."
*BOOM!*
As Naoki finished, another meteorite fell!