That day, a district in the central city had turned into a battlefield.

The strongest of the Academy City and the embodiment of Ruin.

In other words, the third battle upon which the fate of the world hinged.

That decisive fight still showed no signs of ending.

――”I see, I’ve more or less understood the abilities wielded by Explorers.”

The upper floors of a building exploded, engulfed in flames.

Each fragment swirling through the air was imbued with shadows, and they surged toward the angel like living creatures.

“So you’re outputting the power of the Mirror Realm through personal interpretation. This method… yes, there was a similar one among the pruned branches of humanity.”

The angel manipulated the body of the man who served as its vessel.

The visor processed incoming data, isolating only the flames and shadows that posed a threat.

It fired radial energy blasts at each.

The attacks collided, causing a violent explosion.

The angel took the blast on its back, then landed with a gust of wind as it touched down close to the ground.

“As I thought, directly using the Mirror Realm’s power is inefficient. In that case, let us proceed according to this world’s logic, just as originally planned.”

“Whatever works, just don’t get me killed! I’ve already had way too many close calls, you know!?”

“That is exactly why I’m supporting you like this. Quit whining.”

The man, after the angel returned control of the body to him, now looked at Mizuhi and Tatari, who had just landed.

“Hey, we’ve already fought this far and it’s still a draw. Can’t we just call it off for today? Neither of us wants to die, right?”

“Then surrender.”

“Hot pot.”

“Nobody here makes sense!!”

The battleground had long since shifted from the man’s hideout to an entire district of the city.

Everyone—Explorers and tourists alike—had been evacuated, leaving just three people and one entity in the vast urban sprawl.

“No choice. Fight or die, huh!”

Yelling, the man unleashed a barrage of ice.

Ice bullets generated by the unique ability of Hyououdou Rei shot out like a machine gun.

As they closed in on Mizuhi and the others, they accelerated unnaturally and began to split further.

Some were even crackling with electricity.

“I’m already handling hundreds of different abilities! You think you stand a chance!? Don’t think these are just plain ice bullets!”

Each one was humanity’s trump card, a supernatural outlier.

They attacked as a swarm—this was not a skirmish but a war of the individual against an army.

And still, the battle held—a testament to S-Rank.

“Only a few hundred, huh~? Besides, it’s so hot today, I was just craving some ice cream~”

It was Tatari alone who responded to the incoming hail of ice bullets.

Though Mizuhi took a stance, she didn’t show any signs of acting.

“Time to dig in~”

A shadow extended from behind Tatari, transforming into the shape of a giant serpent.

The serpent surged forward, opening its massive jaws—and swallowed all the ice.

“Mmm~ the crackly kind’s the tastiest~”

Chewing on something as if crunching it with the snake, Tatari smiled.

A satisfied expression on her face.

“You monster…!”

“Can I have seconds~?”

Tatari licked her lips.

She looked so relaxed and cheerful, as if she’d just dropped by for lunch.

Seeing that, the man recoiled—and at the same time, his mouth began to move on its own.

“Indeed, I should be the one fighting. You are far too inefficient. Such power, wasted in your hands.”

“You bastard! If you’re gonna say that much, then be my guest!”

The instant the angel took back control, an overwhelming pressure filled the air.

But that wasn’t all.

The flow of magic power had clearly shifted.

“Tatari, be careful. This is where it really begins.”

“The main course~”

The shadow birthed a serpent, and flames surged forth.

With both Tatari and Mizuhi ready to strike at any moment, the angel exhaled—

And merely thrust a hand forward.

“All abilities, if traced back far enough, stem from angelic power.”

In that moment, enormous pressure crashed down upon Tatari and Mizuhi.

They tried to move, but their bodies sank into the ground, and the asphalt around them cracked.

“W-What is this…!?”

“Gravity manipulation, I think~!”

Tatari instantly deduced the nature of the ability.

She munched on something along with the snake within her shadow.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she stood up.

Mizuhi’s eyes widened.

“No way…”

“Now that we know it’s gravity, we can burn it, right~?”

“!? Ah, yeah!”

Understanding Tatari’s words, Mizuhi immediately blasted out flames, erasing the gravitational force.

“Mizuhi-chan still needs more field experience~ If you lose your cool over something like this, you won’t last as an S-Rank~? We’re constantly being countered by other factions, after all~”

So saying, Tatari chewed and swallowed the gravity.

“Gravity types don’t have much sweetness~”

“…As expected, your ability is different. It’s not a typical power.”

The angel muttered while staring at Tatari.

“Your power has deviated from its original form—warped. And yet… perhaps that’s what makes you, you.”

“I don’t like riddles~ Can’t we talk about our favorite foods instead~?”

“Ridiculous. I do not consume matter.”

“Oh, then—please die~”

From under Tatari’s feet, a torrent of shadow erupted.

It took the form of countless hands, reaching for the angel.

But the angel calmly raised a hand.

“Then, let’s try this.”

A white-stained shadow extended from behind the angel, forming countless hands that launched forward.

The black and white shadows collided at the center, intertwining and devouring each other.

Watching it, Tatari grinned.

“Copycat~? How sloppy~”

“So, you noticed I only imitated the form. S-Rank powers like yours are difficult to replicate. But enough to kill you—and the Starreader’s Staff.”

“……Sorciera, huh~ I’ve always wanted to taste her someday~”

“Unfortunately, that wish will not be granted.”

The angel grew three pairs of bizarre wings from its back and took flight.

The wings, formed from interwoven living things, had a divine quality.

Mizuhi and Tatari instinctively understood what they were.

“Each feather is an ability…?”

“So many to choose from~!”

One scowled, the other smiled.

Different reactions—but their answer was the same.

“Bring it down.”

“Fried chicken~”

From the gun Mizuhi raised, flames erupted.

They burst in the air, turning into a fiery rain that poured down on the angel.

The angel, in turn, flapped its wings once—launching abilities as bullets.

Flames and abilities collided, creating numerous explosions and clouds of smoke.

From within that smoke—Tatari charged in.

“Ahahaha! It’s a feast~ I’m not leaving a single crumb~!”

“I cannot afford to lose to the likes of you.”

Again, a barrage of abilities fired from the wings.

Simultaneously, the angel activated the freezing power of Hyououdou Rei.

“No more playing around.”

This wasn’t a random flurry of wing-based abilities—the angel had deliberately executed Rei’s power through calculated processing.

Time froze.

In that frozen world, only the angel’s countless attacks moved toward Tatari—and were devoured.

“Mmm~ delicious! That time-flavor combo is exquisite!”

For the first time, the angel’s expression cracked—unable to hide the surprise that even a moment of frozen time had been consumed.

Meanwhile, Tatari’s mouth worked as if full.

“Time stop is just a greeting for S-Ranks~”

“Just for reference, may I ask what you did? Ah, I have a rough idea, but I’d like to hear it from you.”

Swallowing, Tatari replied—

“I ate time~ If it’s gone, you can’t stop it, right~?”

“…I must revise my evaluation. You too are a threat equal to the Starreader’s Staff.”

“Don’t you mean we are~?”

The moment she said that, flames erupted from thin air.

A gun barrel appeared right in front of the angel.

“Teleportation via spatial incineration…!?”

Besides Sorciera, no one else matched this strength—the angel’s opponent.

Beside her stood Tatari, who had mastered her overwhelming power.

In that short time, Mizuhi had ascended to a new level.

“How do you like it cooked?”

“Well-done~”

“Impossible!?”

Flames struck the angel directly, engulfing its entire body.

Even an angel couldn’t withstand flames that burned concepts themselves.

The angel crashed into the ground, still wreathed in fire.

“All roasted♪ All roasted♪”

“…You can only eat a little, got it? Make sure to give the body to the Board.”

Tatari hummed happily, and Mizuhi gave a stern reminder.

Before them, the angel wrapped in flames slowly stood up.

“Still going, huh.”

“Seconds…!”

“――This time, it seems humanity has sent some truly outrageous specimens. Unprecedented strength.”

The angel spread its burning wings and flapped once.

The flames vanished instantly.

Burned and battered, the angel examined its hands and nodded.

“So the fused concepts weren’t entirely incinerated. I see.”

Its body regenerated rapidly.

“This is the final battle. Enjoy it, humans.”

“…Tatari.”

“It’s fine~ If two S-Ranks lose here, what’s the point of Academy City~?”

To Mizuhi’s concern, Tatari tossed a candy in her mouth and flashed a peace sign.

(Still, this is getting a little troublesome~)

They were undoubtedly pressing the advantage.

But they still lacked a finishing blow.

(Too many abilities combined. That flexibility’s cheating~)

If they were common powers, countering them would be easy.

Tatari had once ended an Academy-wide civil war involving tens of thousands alone.

No amount of rabble could match an S-Rank.

But this angel was different.

(He’s boosted them all~ and Rei-chan’s freezing is so annoying~)

Though the mechanics were unclear, the angel had raised all his abilities—each roughly A-Rank.

Each one powerful enough to be an Ace at any Academy.

Plus, Hyououdou Rei’s freezing.

That’s why, even with two S-Ranks, the battle was still even.

(I wouldn’t mind dragging this out, but…~)

Tatari glanced at Mizuhi.

She was complete as an S-Rank now.

But exhaustion had set in.

Tatari, who could sense bodily states by scent and taste, knew this.

Mizuhi wouldn’t last another ten minutes.

So Tatari opted for a swift finish.

“…Mizuhi-chan. I’ll use my trump card now~”

“Trump card?”

“Yup~ If it hits once, even an S-Rank can’t escape. While I’m preparing, can you stall for time~?”

“How many seconds?”

“Give me five~”

Mizuhi raised her gun.

Flames erupted from every part of her body—her breath ignited.

“Leave it to me. That’s nothing.”

Hearing their exchange, the angel sneered in disbelief.

“How foolish. Angels are beings to be feared and revered.”

His wings opened.

They began to glow with all kinds of radiance—transcending defense, ready to annihilate.

“Fight honorably as S-Ranks…!”

“Don’t get cocky, human.”

Humanity’s win condition was simple:

Five seconds of stalling—and Tatari’s trump card.

Lose, and they die.

Simple—yet in this battle, strength alone would decide the outcome.

“Ah!”

“Perish.”

The five-second decisive battle was about to begin—but it didn’t.

“～～♪”

A song rang out.

It rode the wind, echoed through rubble, and reached all three as a beautiful hum.

Tatari scanned the area, thinking it was the madness of some onlooker.

Mizuhi froze at the familiar voice.

And the angel—

“――Tch!? She’s coming now!?”

Sensing the magic, he halted his attack on Mizuhi.

Three different reactions.

But all eyes turned to the same place.

Collapsed buildings and torn asphalt shimmered in the summer sun’s haze.

From beyond it, someone was approaching.

“～～♪”

The humming didn’t stop.

A beautiful voice, an unstable melody.

But it was clear—the girl was in a good mood.

Her black outfit stood out amidst the ruined battlefield.

Silver hair flowing in the wind was more beautiful than anything here.

The massive scythe trailing behind her sparked as if hungry for prey.

“Starreader’s Staff, Sorciera!”

The angel snarled her name.

“――Hey there.”

As if greeting an old friend.

The Starreader’s Staff—Zero—smiled like a blooming flower.

“I’ve been so excited, I just had to share it with someone. You’ll do perfectly.”

This was a decisive battle for humanity’s survival, between the S-Ranks and the angel.

That is, until just moments ago.

(There’s too much demand for Loli-ciera! I knew I had good taste! Maybe I can even explore a Loli×Zero pairing!? Ah, but no sexual content allowed so I can’t go full degeneracy. If Loli-ciera rejected me, I’d be depressed for a day at least. Gotta be careful. But maybe I can lick her tummy somehow? What if we play doctor? “Let’s do a check-up,” and boom, tentacle exam. That’s totally safe, right? I wanna play store with her too! Let’s brainstorm a name and go apply at city hall together＾＾ How about ‘Cute Loli-ciera-tan Headquarters’? Might get rejected, but we’ll refine it. Found the secret notebook already—wait, isn’t that for when she falls after her identity gets revealed!? Whatever, I can only watch now. Aah! Her tiny feet are too cute! And those thighs—so bright, it’s like they’re starlight—)

And so begins the battle for humanity’s survival.

“Listen to my story＾＾”

“Begone, imitation.”

The war between the angel and the monster begins.