The confrontation between Ryuga and the divine beast boar lasted only a brief instant.
Erica saw nothing clearly except dazzling lightning and firelight.
After the lightning and fire disappeared, this seemingly invincible divine beast had somehow completely vanished.
"Ah?"
The blonde girl's mouth opened slightly, her eyes wide and round, forming a standard "0o0" expression.
[Tohsaka Rin: "What just happened?"]
Tohsaka Rin, who had been staring at the livestream throughout, was equally confused.
Who could tell her what had just occurred?
[Kanae: "I don't know - besides lightning, I didn't see anything."]
Seeing the trio's completely bewildered statements, Madoka thought for a moment and guessed:
[Madoka: "Is there a possibility - I'm just guessing - that Ryuga-brother killed the divine beast instantly?"]
[Tohsaka Rin: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"]
[Tohsaka Rin: "I was going to say that, but if it's Lord Ryuga, accomplishing this wouldn't actually be surprising. But, but..."]
[Kanae: "From a rational perspective, I also believe Lord Ryuga could defeat the divine beast, but..."]
[Erica: "I understand what you mean."]
[Erica: "But no one expected victory to come this quickly, and no one expected the gap to be this large."]
Even Madoka had thought of the possibility, so the bewildered trio naturally weren't completely oblivious.
The divine beast didn't look like it would flee, and with it disappearing completely before their eyes, there was almost no possibility other than Ryuga successfully killing it.
Regarding Ryuga defeating the divine beast, they had no objections whatsoever.
What they found hard to understand was this effortless, vegetable-cutting speed of victory.
[Erica: "No matter how you put it, it's still a divine beast, and judging by its posture, probably a high-level divine beast at that."]
[Erica: "This level of existence should be among the elite even within the Second Order. Although Lord Ryuga is strong, he's also Second Order level."]
[Erica: "Both being Second Order versus Second Order... why is the gap this huge!"]
[Erica: "Even if a Heretic God took action, it would be difficult to be faster than Lord Ryuga, right?"]
This level of crushing victory - wasn't this really Third Order fighting Second Order?
Regarding this question, Ryuga replied with a calm expression:
"Although it's a divine beast, it only possesses the most basic intelligence, being driven more by instinct."
"This type of brainless target is the easiest to deal with. You just need to slightly raise your output above its endurance limit, and it's guaranteed to die."
Charging recklessly without understanding the enemy's capabilities was always the most reckless behavior.
Currently, the conceptual equipment Ryuga had created couldn't yet compare to the mythological originals in effectiveness, generally only reaching Paladin level. Taking any one individually, they could at most match a divine beast.
However, under the guidance of optimized techniques, Ryuga simultaneously combined lightning and fire powers, utilizing these two elements' characteristics to detonate both forces at once.
The simultaneous eruption of two of the most violent elements directly leaped their power into the realm of Heretic Gods for a short time.
Even if the divine beast boar possessed considerable physical toughness, it ultimately lacked the immortality to rival Dragon-Serpents. So when hit with full force, it was immediately successfully subjugated.
For Ryuga, this was merely a matter of maxing out damage output in one go - nothing worth mentioning.
But for Erica, this understated tone was far too stimulating.
"Slightly raising output to a level even divine beasts cannot endure... is this something a human says?"
Why does it sound like accomplishing such a thing is actually very simple!
Erica really wanted to complain like this, but had to admit:
"Well, for Lord Ryuga, it might indeed be very simple."
After all, during this battle, she still hadn't sensed any divine power - that is, the True Ether that Ryuga had previously introduced.
In other words, even after achieving the feat of killing a divine beast with one sword strike, Lord Ryuga was still far from using his full strength.
From Ryuga's tone, she could tell he hadn't raised his instantaneous output to his maximum value, but rather to a level slightly exceeding the divine beast's limit.
The implications of this became more frightening the more she thought about it.
Seeing Ryuga casually slay the divine beast while his aura remained calm without any sign of effort, she even began to suspect that Ryuga, as a Second Order being, might even have the ability to fight Heretic Gods.
Of course, such thoughts were just speculation.
She definitely didn't want to encounter a Heretic God again in this situation - those were existences capable of destroying nations, absolutely not crises they could currently handle.
With one sword strike, the divine beast boar vanished into smoke.
After the imminent crisis disappeared, recalling the power Ryuga had displayed earlier, Kanae hesitated before finally choosing to speak up.
[Kanae: "Lord Ryuga, the power you used to defeat the divine beast was?"]
Although she couldn't see any familiarity in it, Ryuga had used a sword after all. Thinking of how he had just purchased the Breathing technique she had put up for sale, Kanae wanted to know if Ryuga had used power from her world.
[Ryuga: "The submission technique was modified through conceptual equipment construction methods, and the Five Elements Breathing Technique was modified through Flame Breathing."]
Regarding such information, Ryuga never had any intention of keeping it secret.
Hearing this, the two sellers he had patronized immediately became excited.
[Erica: "Conceptual equipment? Is this what Lord Ryuga comprehended through the previous magic?"]
[Erica: "No wonder dimensional leaping wasn't your limit at all!"]
[Erica: "I see why you could so casually use submission techniques that most monks can't even perform."]
From the name alone, it was clear that Ryuga's latest insight tended more toward breadth than specialization.
Just by analyzing one technique, he seemed to have already mastered the entire conceptual equipment construction system and reverse-engineered numerous magics.
The submission techniques of the Twelve Heavenly Protectors should be one of the results of conceptual equipment construction.
Thinking of this, Erica suddenly froze, realizing something troubling.
"Wait!"
"If Lord Ryuga's comprehension is this strong, understanding all similar techniques through just one technique."
"Then wouldn't I be unable to sell any of my other similar skills?!"
She suddenly felt that having a master with too strong comprehension wasn't entirely a good thing.
Clinging to his coattails became easier, but fleecing the wool became much harder.
However, compared to life-saving grace, these were all minor matters.
On the other side, after hearing Ryuga's introduction, Kanae became even more excited than Erica - several times more so!
[Kanae: "Five Elements Breathing Technique?!"]
[Kanae: "Could Lord Ryuga explain in detail? Please!"]
To be continued...