In a distant region of China, more precisely in a lush green forest surrounded by a beautiful green meadow, shallow streams ran through the landscape. Exotic Chinese birds sang, while other animals went about their business.
In this vast forest, an immense tension hung in the air, generated by the massive amount of magical energy radiating from the area.
Flying with two enormous draconic wings was a being that was both God and Dragon.
It was Nuwa, the Serpent Goddess who, according to the Chinese, created humanity—one of the most powerful Goddesses in China.
While Nuwa floated in the air, below her, standing on the ground, was a mere mortal, a human who stared at her without a trace of fear in his eyes.
Alexandre Ikuse, a human descended from two legendary heroes of Arthurian legend—the Knight Lancelot and the Mage Merlin—and the host of the Vanishing Dragon.
Alex had many plans for his trip to China: finding rare artifacts, some Grimoires or other legendary objects, perhaps a weapon or something like that.
But fighting a God was definitely not part of his plans.
Why did everything always go wrong for him? Alex knew his luck was terrible, simply awful. Everything that could go wrong always did.
Sometimes, Alex even wondered if he was a descendant of Cú Chulainn because of his dreadful luck.
Alex's plan was simple: locate the Grimoire, take it, and leave—not fight a Goddess.
Why was the world always against him?!
"Note to self: find a skill that lets me control luck in my favor," Alex thought, sighing.
While the Hakuryuukou was lost in his thoughts, the Goddess Nuwa was already focusing on him.
Moments ago, Nuwa was with the other Chinese Gods in their home, the Celestial Plane or the Heaven of their religion.
However, they detected energy anomalies in their territory, confusing them. Their Pantheon was largely forgotten, and few, almost no one, ventured into their land.
But when they discovered what it was, they understood: someone had violated the tomb where important treasures, like the Grimoire of Azi Dahaka, were kept.
In other words, a thief had invaded their territory to steal their treasures, and that was unforgivable for the Gods. So, Nuwa, the Goddess most accustomed to visiting the mortal world and one of the strongest, decided to investigate.
Imagine her surprise when she arrived and saw that a human, a mere mortal, had dared to invade the sacred territory of her Pantheon.
Nuwa's eyes glowed with fury as they focused on the human standing there, looking at her.
"Mortal!" the Goddess's shout echoed through the forest, plunging the entire region into an eerie silence.
The wind didn't blow, the leaves of the trees didn't move, the birds stopped singing, and the animals didn't stir as they sought places to hide.
Alex's golden eyes turned to the Goddess glaring at him furiously.
"You dare invade sacred territory and steal our treasures?!" roared the enraged Goddess.
Alexandre wasn't surprised by her anger. Although Nuwa was portrayed as one of the calmer Goddesses, she was extremely vengeful and furious toward those who challenged her.
Alex blamed this on her draconic traits. Dragons were always temperamental creatures that attacked anything they disliked and were very cruel to those who took their treasures.
Honestly, they were a problematic race.
[I heard that,] Albion grumbled in Alex's mind.
"I agree with the partner," said Regulus.
Alexandre turned his gaze to Nuwa with a smile.
"You know, I don't consider it stealing, since this Grimoire belongs to the Persians, and you stole it from them," said Alexandre, smiling, making Nuwa's eyes narrow in fury. "Haven't you heard the saying: a thief who steals from a thief is pardoned for a hundred years?"
The Goddess's eyes narrowed even further in anger, especially due to the sarcastic smile on Alexandre's face.
Nuwa was preparing to shout furiously at the human before her but stopped when she sensed his aura, a very familiar one.
"This aura around you…" the Goddess began, as Alex looked surprised by her words.
Then it happened.
Nuwa's entire aura exploded around her, forcing Alex to slightly increase his power to avoid being blown away by the immense amount of divine energy she generated.
Massive winds shook the entire forest, sending animals flying and trees being uprooted. The humidity in the air increased as water formed around Nuwa in large quantities.
Alex wasn't too surprised. Nuwa was a Goddess who represented water, so she had dominion over it, but being part dragon, Alexandre thought she might also have control over fire.
Although Alex was glad Nuwa was his opponent, despite her power, the Goddess wasn't a combatant.
Her domains showed this. She was associated with rain, puddles, ponds, lakes, and other places where water pooled. Even with immense power, she wasn't a fighter.
If it were a God of War, it would be more problematic. Even though they weren't always the strongest in their Pantheons, their battle skills were greatly feared.
Nuwa's eyes burned with even more fury as a sinister smile crossed her face.
"I recognize you, you're one of the two! One of the Emperors. I'll finally have my revenge, White Dragon," Nuwa growled menacingly.
Alex's eyes narrowed when he heard this.
"Anything to say, Albion?" Alex asked sarcastically.
[I have nothing to say. I don't know what she's talking about,] said Albion, trying to sound innocent.
"Really? Because the murderous look in her eyes and her fury directed at you seem suspicious," said Regulus sarcastically.
The Vanishing Dragon fell silent before sighing. [Ddraig and I once fought in Chinese territory. The Gods tried to stop us, but we attacked them, killed several, injured others, and destroyed much of their territory.]
Alex's eyes narrowed at this. Albion seemed capable of screwing him over more and more.
"I'll end you, White Dragon, and kill your host," Nuwa shouted as her power increased.
Alex sighed. "Looks like I only have one option."
[Yes, only one.]
"Unfortunately, there's only one way."
Alex turned to Nuwa, who increased her power, and raised his hands.
"I surrender," said Alex calmly.
A silence fell over the forest as neither Nuwa nor the spirits of the Longinus knew how to respond.
[What the hell is this?!] Albion shouted in Alex's mind.
"I'm surrendering. Remember, there was only one option?" said Alex.
[Yes! It was to fight! For Ophis's sake, what the hell are you trying to do?!]
"Shut up, Albion. It's because of your big mouth that we're in this mess," said Regulus, making the Heavenly Dragon grumble. "Trust Alex; he has a plan."
While Albion grumbled, Regulus turned his voice to Alex.
"You do have a plan, right?" Regulus asked, uncertain.
Alex simply laughed, making the Lion King reconsider his words.
Even Nuwa couldn't understand what was happening. The hosts of the Heavenly Dragons were always very proud and would choose death over surrender.
So finding one who did this was strange, very strange.
"You made a wise choice, mortal," said the Goddess as her power increased.
Alex simply smiled, one that Albion and Regulus knew very well.
"Of course I did. After all, I could never defeat a being as incredible as you," said Alex, smiling.
Nuwa blinked, surprised by his words.
"What?"
"Even as the host of a Heavenly Dragon, I could never harm a being as marvelous and divine as you, Goddess Nuwa, the great Goddess who created humanity," said Alex, smiling.
Nuwa stared in surprise, her eyes widening as a blush appeared on her face from being so praised by the mortal before her.
It had been centuries since she was admired like this by humans. Her Pantheon had lost many followers to Christianity.
Her Pantheon wasn't happy about this, as losing followers meant losing much of their power, and it had been a long time since she was praised like this.
Seeing the mortal before her know who she was and seem so genuine in his words made the Goddess feel inexplicably good.
Nuwa was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the smile on Alexandre's face.
Albion and Regulus, however, knew that smile very well. One of the things that stood out most about Alex was his silver tongue and persuasive ability.
The Hakuryuukou had such persuasive skills that even the Greek God of Thieves, Hermes, would seem like an innocent child in comparison.
The human always managed to convince others to do what he wanted this way.
Nuwa blushed as Alex spoke more about her greatness, and a smile appeared on the Goddess's face.
"Very well, for your great knowledge and for recognizing me, I'll grant you a painless death," said Nuwa, waiting for the human's next words.
Nuwa stood silent for a few moments, waiting for Alexandre's next words, which seemed to never come.
Opening her eyes, the Goddess stared in shock at what she saw.
Alexandre had disappeared from where he stood, and in his place was a clay doll in the shape of Nuwa with the word "Idiot" written on it.
The Goddess's joy vanished as unmatched fury blazed in her eyes.
"That damned… he dares deceive me?!" Nuwa shouted as her divine power exploded, annihilating everything around her.
Meanwhile, a few kilometers away, a blue flash could be seen leaping from tree to tree with agility that would put ninjas to shame.
Alexandre traveled at high speed, his feet clad in boots made of lightning. The boots had a rough design rather than smooth. Their toes were pointed, and their bodies extended to his knees. The collar, where the feet entered, was much wider in circumference than the rest of the body, and the front seams were lower than the back ones. The front seams also had a V-shaped design in the center.
It was the [Holy Lightning Boots] magic from *Black Clover*, which manipulates [Lightning Magic] to create boots that enhance the user's strength and, above all, speed.
[What was that, partner?] asked Albion, visibly perplexed.
"It was strategy, Albion. Nuwa and the Chinese Pantheon are largely forgotten, and that messes with their pride. All Gods are like that, so all I had to do was appeal to her pride," Alexandre explained calmly.
He knew all Gods were proud and arrogant, so when Alex appealed to Nuwa's pride, she stopped paying attention to anything else.
[That's not what I'm talking about. You fled, partner. Why didn't you fight?]
"I prefer the term strategic retreat," said the human.
Alex sighed before continuing. "A fight wouldn't be advantageous. Not only would it cause a lot of destruction, but there was also the risk of her summoning more Gods to the fight, which would put me in a bad situation."
"You just didn't want to fight, partner. You're too lazy," said Regulus, laughing.
"I prefer to avoid fatigue," said Alex, laughing.
[But you could've won, partner! Your power is greater than hers,] exclaimed Albion.
The Heavenly Dragon knew Alex's power was far greater than Nuwa's, both in raw power and skills.
Though Alex wasn't at the level of Top 10 members or High-Level Gods in power, his intelligence and varied techniques allowed him to hold his own and even win depending on the opponent.
With his [Dragon Slayer] magics, Alex could deal extreme damage to Nuwa, plus the Arondight sword, a Dragon Slayer weapon, and his [God Slayer] magics that could affect and kill Gods.
Not to mention his Sacred Gears: [Divine Dividing], [Regulus Nemea], and [Dimension Lost].
With his Balance Breakers, Alex could use Juggernaut Drive or Breakdown of the Beast to access all of Albion and Regulus's power, respectively, to win.
[Where's your pride as a dragon, partner?] exclaimed Albion.
Alex narrowed his eyes. "There's a difference between pride and arrogance, Albion."
[Please, partner, you sound like an Angel talking like that. Whether it's a sin or not, we all have pride, partner,] said Albion seriously.
"Yes, I agree, we all have pride, and we're not wrong to have it," said Alexandre, surprising Albion.
"We can all give in a little. Is a painter condemning their soul to purgatory when they feel pride in their masterpiece? A father watching his son succeed? Pride and envy, together, drive progress. The beggar envies the rich, and the rich envy the richer. What many call a sin is nothing more than a fundamental quality of man. Pride itself isn't bad, but when it becomes arrogance…" Alexandre paused, letting Albion absorb his words.
"Arrogance led to the ruin of empires, the fall of civilizations, and even the death of gods," Alexandre finished calmly.
Albion sighed, knowing he couldn't convince his partner.
Though Albion loved battle, he knew Alexandre wasn't like that. His host never fought unnecessarily, always preferring peaceful ways to resolve things.
[Well, at least we're far away, and she won't be able to locate us,] said Albion, sighing.
"ALBIONNNNNNN!"
A massive roar followed by an immense wave of divine power snapped Alexandre, as well as his Longinus, out of their thoughts.
Looking back, Alexandre saw Nuwa rapidly approaching him with fury in her eyes and a massive golden aura around her.
"Damn you, Albion, and your big mouth," shouted Regulus.
Alexandre's eyes widened in shock. "How is she locating me? I perfectly hid my magical power."
One of the things Alex had practiced most was hiding his magical power and aura. Even face-to-face with a supernatural being, all they'd see was a normal human.
So it should've been impossible for Nuwa to locate him, unless she was a Senjutsu user, which she clearly wasn't.
[Maybe, just maybe, it's my fault,] said Albion timidly.
"What do you mean?"
[Well, you can completely hide your magical power, but not the natural aura created by being a Sacred Gear host, and since Nuwa knows my magical aura…]
"You're saying she located me because of you?" asked Alex dryly.
[Well, yes.]
"Albion, if I die, it's your fault," said Alex.
[Hey, it's not my fault!] shouted Albion.
"Albion, if our partner dies, it's your fault," said Regulus.
[Even you, Regulus?!] shouted Albion, stunned.
Alexandre's eyes narrowed as he saw Nuwa using her aura to fire dozens of fire spheres at him.
Alex sighed, lightly extending his hand toward the ground as a faint purple mist appeared in his hand, so subtle it was hard to see.
The giant fire spheres rained from the sky toward Alex, who used his immense speed to dodge all the attacks.
[Why are you dodging so much, partner? You're immune to fire,] said Albion in Alex's mind.
Albion knew Alex was immune to fire due to his [Dragon Slayer Magic]. Even Albion couldn't believe such magic existed.
Among the many magics his partner possessed, one was the [Purgatory Dragon Slayer Magic], the first of its kind that Alexandre acquired, a magic that used fire at extreme levels.
Albion was confident in saying that the power of those flames was even greater than a Dragon King's and could grow stronger with [Dragon Force], something Albion had never seen his partner use.
"Even if I'm immune to fire, it doesn't mean I like being burned," said Alex, grumbling.
The Hakuryuukou narrowed his eyes as he saw Nuwa approaching even closer. He currently had no chance of escaping.
If he used a teleportation circle, he'd be vulnerable for a few moments, enough time for Nuwa to attack him.
Now he really only had one option.
Alex quickly deactivated his [Holy Lightning Boots] magic and leaped toward a small clearing ahead.
"Rejoice, Albion. Thanks to your big mouth, I'll have to fight," said Alexandre, smiling, making Albion laugh sheepishly in his mind.
Seeing her prey stop, Nuwa floated a few meters in front of Alex with her massive serpentine tail.
"Finally decided to stop running, mortal," said Nuwa, her voice dripping with anger.
Alex only smiled, irritating her. "Yes, though it's not hard to escape a Goddess so easily fooled by a mere mortal," said Alex sarcastically.
Nuwa's eyes blazed with fury as her aura manifested, preparing to attack.
But Alex was faster.
A massive green magical power erupted from his entire body, startling Nuwa as the ground around them was destroyed.
"Cave Dragon's Earth Collapse."
Alex quickly placed his hands on the ground, summoning the power of the [Gankotsu Dragon Slayer Magic], or [Cave Dragon Slayer Magic], a magic that allowed manipulation of earth to kill Dragons.
The ground trembled violently, as if a massive earthquake had struck the entire region, shaking everything.
Nuwa quickly spread her wings, flying away and dodging several stone fragments imbued with Alex's magical power.
When the technique stopped, Nuwa stared in shock at what she saw. The entire landscape within a radius of over a kilometer had been completely destroyed—the forest, the nearby stream, the animals, everything in the region, with the sole exception being Alex, standing in the middle of it all.
"Why did you do that, Alex?" asked Regulus, surprised.
To the Lion King, there was no reason for his master to destroy the entire region with an attack that didn't even work.
"Battlefield advantage, Regulus. We're in China, her territory. Nuwa can probably draw power from the surroundings, and fighting in a forest would be disadvantageous for me. She'd have more chances for surprise attacks, and her tail isn't just for show. In the air, I have better odds," Alex explained calmly.
The Hakuryuukou had infused his magical power into the entire region where his attack struck. He already had his battle plan and was putting it into action.
Nuwa quickly prepared to attack but could only widen her eyes when she saw Alex with his right fist raised, crimson flames surrounding it.
"Purgatory Dragon's Blazing Inferno."
Alexandre swung his hand, sending a massive stream of crimson flames that advanced toward Nuwa, incinerating everything in their path.
Nuwa quickly fired an intense stream of flames to counter Alex's and neutralize them.
Both flames advanced, burning everything in their path until they clashed in the middle of the battlefield, momentarily struggling. But Nuwa widened her eyes when she saw Alex's flames devouring hers.
Nuwa stopped her flame stream, knowing she couldn't win, and quickly dodged the attack, but a portion of the flames hit one of her arms.
The Goddess screamed in pain as she felt her skin burn. Not only that, she noticed a massive amount of Dragon Slayer power concentrated in the flames, increasing their danger.
"You?!" roared Nuwa in fury. "What kind of Dragon are you, using magic to kill Dragons?! You're a disgrace to all Dragons!" shouted the Goddess in absolute rage.
But despite the insults, Alex didn't lose his smile.
[I kinda agree,] said Albion calmly.
Albion still didn't know how to feel about his partner being a Dragon and having magics to kill Dragons.
"Shut up, Albion. You're distracting the partner," shouted Regulus, making the Heavenly Dragon grumble.
Completely ignoring the argument of the two beings in his mind, Alexandre turned to Nuwa with a smile.
"And who's talking, you who's both a Dragon and a God?" asked Alex sarcastically. "Actually, you're not even a Dragon. You're a Serpent Goddess, not a Dragon, but a worm crawling on the ground while dreaming of flying in the skies," said Alex, laughing.
Fury blazed even brighter in Nuwa's eyes as her divine aura began to increase.
"You dare—"
"Enough of this stupid talk," said Alex, making the Goddess stop. "Let's end this quickly. I'll show you this sky is too small for two Dragons."
Alexandre snapped his fingers on his right hand, and several green magical circles appeared beneath various rocks in the area. Numerous magical formulas glowed emerald green under the circles as the rocks took on the same color.
Instantly, all the rocks shot toward the sky as if launched, thanks to the magical circles.
Nuwa's eyes narrowed at this. Did the mortal really think he could defeat her with rocks?
But seeing the smile on Alexandre's face, the Goddess quickly changed her mind.
The Hakuryuukou smiled and extended his hands toward the rocks.
"Enlarge," he said, snapping his fingers.
Nuwa's eyes widened when she saw all the harmless rocks suddenly increase in size until they were comparable to trees.
Alex smiled, having used his [Command T] magic, which allowed him to alter mass and proportions to increase the size and mass of the small rocks.
Alex could easily make them the size of mountains, but that wasn't part of his plan.
Nuwa quickly began flying acrobatically, dodging the giant rocks and attacking them with her divine power to destroy them.
When she managed to dodge the last one, Nuwa prepared to attack but widened her eyes when she saw what Alex was doing.
On Alex's raised left arm, an intense vortex of water swirled around his fist.
Nuwa could only stare in shock as the human attacked.
"Sea King Dragon's Water Vortex."
Swinging his hand, Alex launched a massive vortex of compressed water at Nuwa, who didn't even try to dodge.
She was a Goddess who could manipulate water, so she had nothing to fear from this attack—or so she thought.
The moment the attack hit, Nuwa grunted in pain, feeling as if a mountain had been thrown at her body.
Nuwa felt crushed as immense pressure struck her, as if she were at the bottom of an ocean.
This was the power of the [Sea King Dragon Slayer Magic], a Dragon Slayer magic that could manipulate water to kill Dragons.
Water was harmless. That's what most people said. Among fire, lightning, earth, wind, and water, the latter was the least harmful. But with the power of a Dragon? That harmless element became a death sentence.
This element, thought to be harmless, crushed everything. The blue ocean liquid was everywhere, sliding through the ground and air, toppling everything in its path.
It wouldn't be a problem if it were just normal water. Beings could still fly through it. Mere water wouldn't kill or harm them, right? Yes, but not kill them. But no, this wasn't normal water—it was water with the power of a Dragon.
Anything with the power of a Dragon was never normal, never harmless. The water coming from Alex would make hundreds of fire hydrants pale. The moment it hit, it would shatter all their bones, their metal protection crumpled and broken, their muscles burst like a water hammer explosion on a paper bag.
That's how Nuwa felt. Even she wasn't immune to the crushing power generated by a Dragon's power, not to mention all the water was infused with Dragon Slayer attributes.
Seeing she was being harmed, Nuwa expanded her divine power, pushing the attack away, only to see Alex preparing another attack.
Alex's two arms were extended as compressed air typhoons swirled around him.
"Storm Dragon's Great Tempest."
With a swing of his arms, Alex launched the two tornadoes from his arms at the Goddess, summoning the [Gankotsu Dragon Slayer Magic], which allowed control of wind to kill Dragons.
The tornadoes launched at the Goddess, who was still weakened from the first attack and couldn't react as she was caught in the massive chain of winds.
But they weren't simple tornadoes. Within them were dozens of compressed air blades capable of cutting anything, evident by the dozens of cuts that appeared on Nuwa's body.
Not giving her time to rest, Alex extended his hand to the sky, glowing with golden-yellow electricity.
Massive storm clouds appeared, covering the entire sky with lightning and thunder rumbling loudly.
With a wave from Alex, they fell.
"Lightning Dragon's Thunder Rain."
Thousands of accumulated lightning bolts rained down on Nuwa, who couldn't react due to the massive tornadoes surrounding her.
The Goddess could only scream in agony as she felt her skin burn from the power of the lightning striking her, along with the immense cuts on her body from the winds.
As the storm fell on Nuwa, the Hakuryuukou smiled as he increased his power.
Black lightning appeared in the sky, mingling with the golden lightning to strike Nuwa.
These black lightning bolts were from the [Thunder God Slayer Magic], slightly different from the [Lightning God Slayer Magic], which allowed the user to wield lightning to kill Gods.
The [Thunder God Slayer Magic] could manipulate the weather, create lightning storms, and other weather-related elements.
When Alex's attack stopped and his magical power returned to normal, the result of the attack's collision was visible.
The entire region was completely devastated by Alexandre's attacks. The vast forest had been utterly razed by the Hakuryuukou's tornadoes, lightning, and flames.
Floating in the middle of the battlefield was Nuwa.
Her clothes were heavily damaged, but not too revealing. She had dozens of wounds on her body—deep cuts from the tornadoes, burns from the lightning and flames.
It wouldn't be wrong to say the Goddess was one step away from unconsciousness.
"We have to admit, she's tough," said Regulus in Alex's mind.
Most enemies would already be dead after that sequence of attacks, even some Gods would be defeated.
"Well, you'd expect that from a mid-tier Goddess. She's quite resilient," Alex thought.
Nuwa opened her wings again, struggling to stay conscious. She hadn't imagined a mortal as powerful as the one before her, and worse, he hadn't even used his Sacred Gear.
Seeing this, Nuwa knew she had only one option to defeat the human before her.
Alex watched as Nuwa increased her divine power.
Nuwa quickly created a magical circle beneath her feet, which Alex recognized as a teleportation circle.
But the moment she was about to activate the spell, the circle shattered, to her shock.
"What?!" shouted Nuwa, surprised by what happened.
Alex only laughed, catching the Goddess's attention.
"Looks like you only noticed now," said the Hakuryuukou, laughing.
"What did you do?" shouted Nuwa. She couldn't teleport because something was stopping her.
"Look around you," said Alex calmly.
Nuwa's eyes quickly scanned the area, and she stared in shock at what she saw.
The entire horizon was covered in a deep purple mist. Not only that, but she had been transported to an alternate dimensional space.
"This is another dimension? How did you do this?" asked Nuwa.
"One of my Longinus, [Dimension Lost]. You were so caught up in our battle that you didn't notice," said Alex calmly.
During the fight, Alex had been using his [Dimension Lost] to move both himself and Nuwa to another dimensional space.
He could've done this instantly with his Balance Breaker, but the surge of power would've alerted Nuwa. So, Alex didn't use his Balance Breaker, only the basic form of his Sacred Gear.
Although the dimensional barrier was much weaker than what he could create with his Balance Breaker, it was still enough to trap a mid-tier God.
Nuwa couldn't believe the human before her had more than one Sacred Gear and had caught her in this trap.
"But this wouldn't stop me from escaping with my power," said Nuwa.
The barrier was strong enough to trap Nuwa based on her power, but if she used her teleportation circle, she could escape with some difficulty. The barrier had been made hastily and wasn't near its full potential.
Alex simply smiled. "I prepared for that too."
He then spun his hand, reaching over his shoulder and tapping the air behind him twice.
Reality rippled.
Starting from where he tapped with his knuckles, two ripples spread vertically through the air like waves on a curtain. It was like watching a stone thrown into a still lake as reality distorted. And that was just what Nuwa saw with her eyes; what she could feel through magic was even more unbelievable.
Alex summoned a void with the first ripple. It was thin, barely thick enough for Nuwa to sense, but it was wide, made from a void equal to that of [Dimension Lost]. Then, with the second ripple, he linked the void to somewhere or something else, and wherever it was, it must've contained an immense amount of magic, because so much Mana flooded through that link that it filled the void Alex summoned almost immediately.
After the second ripple passed, lines of magic seemed to take its place in the air. They started as mere dots, points of differently colored lights hovering in the air, before growing, stretching into lines and curving back on themselves.
In less than three seconds, the light dots transformed into magical circles, hundreds of them, each with such intricate designs and complexity that they were beyond anything Nuwa could comprehend. Each had a different design, spanning a dozen or more different schools of magic. They filled the air with their numbers, painting the sky with a kaleidoscope of colors as they surrounded the entire barrier.
The smallest, hovering about six kilometers above her, was still several meters in diameter, while the rings rising above it grew progressively larger. The largest they could see spanned the entire horizon, and within it were complex rings of formulas, runes, and diagrams Nuwa had never seen before.
Nuwa couldn't describe what she was seeing.
Around her were thousands of magical circles standing in the air. Even she, who had lived for centuries, had never seen anything like this.
She even recognized some: Fairy Magic, Black Magic, White Magic, Fallen Angel Magic, Angel Magic, Demonic Magic, Norse Magic, Hindu Magic, Celtic Magic, Runes, Egyptian Magic, even Chinese Magic.
But most she had never seen. She, a Goddess with centuries, even millennia, of life, had never seen the magic used by a human barely in his twenties.
"What is this?" asked Nuwa in a whisper.
"During our fight, I fully analyzed your magical power and created magical circles designed to nullify any of your techniques," Alex explained calmly.
Nuwa's eyes widened so much that anyone would think it impossible.
What Alex had done was something Nuwa considered impossible.
Creating magical circles wasn't simple, especially for humans. The magical power of supernatural beings worked through imagination, while human magic was purely knowledge to control equations, meaning using their minds and making calculations.
So, creating magical circles wasn't easy. Few did it, even highly talented mages used pre-made circles because creating a new one was extremely difficult.
You had to analyze each formula, each equation, and if even the smallest one was wrong, the circle could fail or self-destruct.
Creating a new one could take days or months, even for the most talented mages, but not the human before her.
Alexandre had analyzed all of Nuwa's magical power and created thousands of magical circles during a battle, each designed to counter and defeat the Goddess before him.
Nuwa didn't even know if she could call this "magic."
Magic was many things; for those properly trained, Magic was less a tool to be used and more a desire deep in their minds. They grew so in tune with the force that even their subconscious desires could manifest if they weren't careful.
Setting aside those monsters, ordinary mages often pointed to science.
What stood before Nuwa was definitely not an ordinary mage. Feeling the magic growing within him and all those magical circles was less like pointing to science and more like telling Reality to bow, and it obeyed.
"This isn't possible," shouted Nuwa, expanding her divine power.
All Alex did was extend his hand and point a finger at her.
"Worthless," said Alex, a faint silver aura around him.
In an instant, to Nuwa's shock, all her power vanished.
"As I said, now that I've analyzed your magical power, your techniques are useless," said Alex, to her astonishment.
Alex had the ability to fully analyze someone's magic, something he learned from his Grimoire, the [Astil Manuscript].
This Grimoire could disassemble and analyze any magic and then rewrite it for Alex's use, but Alex himself had mastered this ability.
It was divided into three parts: Concept, Understanding, and Reasoning.
The Concept was learning the basic concept of the magic, which required Alex to see and hear it being performed personally.
Understanding was comprehending the magic's genealogy, its creator, and its foundations.
The final step, Reasoning, was analyzing the magic's foundations and disassembling its chemical structure, essentially breaking down the "nature" of the magic through logic.
With this, Alex fully analyzed Nuwa's magical and divine power and nullified it with [Worthless] of the Belial Clan, which allows the user to render any power or ability useless if they understand the enemy's power.
Alex's smile widened as he spoke.
"Let's end this."
The runes lining the inner edge of the magical circle began to spin, increasing in speed as they activated. The circles glowed with light as they gathered Mana, not from the air as they should, but from beyond. Reaching into whatever realm Alex had linked them to, the circles drew a vast amount of Mana to fuel their attack. What should've been a lengthy process ended in seconds, and now each of the countless circles held enough energy to bring down a building and more.
Alex's magical circles weren't powered by his own magical power but by the Dimensional Gap.
The Dimensional Gap is a place that exists because it exists, a rift between realms. There's nothing there but nothing, an empty place filled with untamable essences and remnants of energy that destroy everything that enters.
The power in that place was so intense that only two beings could survive there without protection: Ophis and Great Red.
The Longinus [Dimension Lost] could connect directly to the Dimensional Gap.
[Dimension Lost] is one of the most coveted Sacred Gears, perhaps the top of the list, not just for being a Longinus but because its utility is top-tier. It would make any group with access to its abilities unstoppable: spatial transport, powerful barriers, unlimited access to the Dimensional Gap, and the most terrifying: breaking any magical defense of any other faction. This and much more is what this Longinus is capable of.
Alex had linked all his magical circles to the Dimensional Gap, drawing the limitless power there for his circles.
Thus, he only needed to keep them active to access the overwhelming power of the void's magic between worlds.
The hundreds of circles spun in the air around Nuwa, overflowing with so much power they burned in the air like fire as an unprecedented rain of magic fell upon the Goddess.
All Nuwa could do, defenseless against the incoming attack, was curse the human before her.
And when the attacks collided, everything went dark.
**Scene Change**
In a small clearing in the vast Chinese forest, two people could be seen: a woman lying unconscious on the ground and a man sitting on a rock.
They were Nuwa, a Chinese Goddess, and the Hakuryuukou Alexandre Ikuse.
Anyone who saw the battle would be surprised to see the entire battlefield intact now, as the fight had taken place in another dimension created by the Longinus [Dimension Lost].
When the dimension was undone, the destruction caused remained there, not affecting the real world.
Alexandre sighed as he looked at Nuwa's unconscious body before him.
"What the hell is this author thinking, making me fight a God in the third chapter?! Does he think I'm Gilgamesh, Ban, or Ren?!" shouted Alex to himself.
[Yeah, what's he thinking? Those guys are monsters even by my standards,] said Albion, agreeing.
"Don't give me that, Albion. This is your fault and your big mouth," shouted Alex at his partner. "From now on, you're Albion, the Legendary White Dragon Taboo Breaker."
[Where did that nickname come from?] asked Albion.
"From a reader named VitorBento. He comments often, and I think it suits you perfectly," Alex grumbled calmly.
"That wasn't even breaking the fourth wall; it was obliterated after that," said Regulus to himself.
Alex sighed, ignoring what Regulus said.
[So, what do we do with her?] asked Albion, curious.
"I don't know," said Alex calmly.
They couldn't just kill Nuwa, as it wouldn't take long for the Chinese Gods to discover it and locate him.
Then he'd be hunted by an entire Pantheon, and the entire supernatural world would learn about him, hunting him down either to recruit or kill him due to his power.
And Alex couldn't let her go either, as Nuwa would surely seek revenge, along with her Pantheon.
One way or another, he'd be hunted, and his identity revealed.
That's why he wanted to avoid a fight.
"Troublesome," Alex thought, sighing.
"I'll have to erase her memory," said Alex calmly.
If he replaced the memory of his battle with Nuwa with another being, one she could never locate, he'd have no more problems.
"Seriously? But a memory-altering spell to affect a God would have to be very powerful," said Regulus, receiving a nod from Alex.
"Yes, and that's why I have this," said Alex, pulling the Grimoire of Azi Dahaka from his dimensional pocket.
It was actually his [Requip] magic, the same as Erza Scarlet's from *Fairy Tail*.
This magic allows the user to store items in a dimensional pocket, summoning them when needed, even during battles, providing great combat flexibility. However, there's a limit to the number of items the dimensional pocket can hold.
Alex usually used it to store items he collected on his travels or kept in a dimension created by [Dimension Lost].
Alex quickly opened the Grimoire, which emitted a black miasma upon opening, but Alex easily ignored it and began flipping through some pages.
Though he really wanted to read and master all the spells, he was looking for one in particular that could help him.
Alex stopped at a page with a memory-altering spell.
"I think this will work," Alex thought as he prepared to use it.
Alex extended his hand, creating a golden magical circle. Various shapes and equations glowed across the circle.
[Partner, that magic is pretty difficult. It could take weeks to master,] warned Albion.
"Done, all finished," said Alex, smiling after erasing Nuwa's memories.
[What the hell?!]
"His talent with magic is truly terrifying," commented Regulus.
Albion and Regulus knew Alex had a frightening talent with magic, mastering even the most complex spells almost instantly and using them wisely in battle.
A good example was the fight against Nuwa.
Alex didn't like fighting in vain. He always preferred finding other ways to escape difficult situations, but when he fought…
Albion and Regulus had to stop themselves from shuddering. Though Alex didn't like fighting, when he did, it was simply terrifying. His intelligence and battle strategy were unmatched, and what he did to Nuwa was just one example.
Alex sighed as he stood up, preparing to leave.
But at that moment, Alex's attention was drawn to several magical signatures he sensed a few kilometers away.
"Those signatures are definitely demonic. They seem to be attacking a nearby village or something," pondered Regulus, receiving a nod from Alex.
"Yes," said Alex, analyzing the energy.
There were several demonic energies, likely mid-level demons, and a bit further were dozens of humans, probably a village in the interior.
"Well, that's not my problem," said Alex, turning to leave.
[Come on, partner. It doesn't hurt to check, and you felt that aura,] said Albion calmly.
Alex sighed at this. Albion always wanted to get into trouble.
But he was right. Alex was curious about a specific aura. It was extremely weak, but Alex recognized it as belonging to a Sacred Gear user, likely one who hadn't awakened it.
Probably the reason the demons were there.
"Stop bothering the partner, Albion. Did you forget what just happened?" asked Regulus sarcastically.
[What's the big deal? What could go wrong?] asked Albion.
"Damn it, did you forget what just happened?" shouted Regulus, stunned.
[It was just a coincidence, Regulus. It won't happen again,] said Albion, laughing.
"Fine, let's check it out," said Alex, sighing and moving toward the energy signatures.
"Even you, partner?!" asked Regulus, shocked.
"I'm curious too, Regulus. Besides, we're already here, and we can leave after," said Alex, moving at high speed.
"Fine, but if something happens, it's Albion's fault," said Regulus, grumbling.
"Agreed," said Alex, smiling.
[You guys are mean,] said Albion sadly.
Alex sighed as he increased his speed.
**Scene Change**
Alex moved at high speed toward where he sensed the demonic and human energy signatures.
Curiously, the demons weren't heading toward the village. At least, most of them were going to the village, while another was heading toward a human further away.
Alex's eyes quickly spotted several beings with bat-like wings advancing toward the village.
The Hakuryuukou extended his right hand as a faint golden glow appeared.
When the glow faded, a long Western sword was revealed. It had a blue hilt, its blade a mix of silver and gold, and it bore fairy letters, showing it wasn't crafted by human hands.
It was Arondight: The Unfading Light of the Lake.
A holy sword wielded by Lancelot, the counterpart to King Arthur's Excalibur. It has a design similar to Excalibur, carved with Fairy Letters to show it was a Divine Construct not forged by mortal hands.
It is a sword without limits, capable of withstanding any attack without damage, shining like the lake's water. It was given only to someone who could be exalted as the "perfect knight," the strongest, bravest, and truest knight of an era, meaning the unparalleled Lancelot among all who sat at Camelot's Round Table.
The sword Alex acquired from his ancestor Lancelot, and he could wield its power to its full magnitude, a sword considered the second strongest holy sword.
The moment the holy sword was summoned, a wave of holy energy was released, catching the attention of the demons ahead.
The demons' eyes widened in horror when they saw the holy sword in Alex's hand.
"That's a holy sword!" shouted one of the demons in absolute shock.
The demons couldn't react as Alex raised his sword, enveloping it in an intense amount of holy energy.
With a single swing, the holy energy was sent as a beam toward the demons, who didn't react as it hit their bodies, killing them instantly due to its power.
The only demon who managed to escape quickly tried to attack Alex, who simply raised his left hand, enveloped in pure holy light.
"Holy Ray."
At Alex's command, dozens of holy energy beams shot from the sphere, completely annihilating the demon.
That was one of the spells of Alex's Dragon Slayer Magic, the [White Dragon Slayer Magic].
Seeing the demons dead, Alex quickly moved toward the last demonic energy signature he sensed.
When Alex arrived, he saw the demon attacking a small boy.
Before the demon could react, Alex was already in front of him, swinging Arondight and cutting the demon's body in half.
The demon spat blood, writhing in pain before turning to ashes.
The damage from a holy sword was unbearable for demons, regardless of their power, especially a true holy sword like Arondight, the second strongest holy sword.
"What's that?"
Alex heard a childish, fearful voice behind him. Turning, he saw a small boy, about twelve or thirteen, with black hair and blue eyes, wearing simple clothes.
"Are you okay, kid?" asked Alex calmly, receiving a nod from the boy.
"Great, bye," said Alex, turning to leave.
"Wait!" shouted the boy, making Alex turn back.
The boy looked into Alex's eyes without fear, gathering his courage to ask.
"What was that?" he asked, scared.
"Do you know the stories about Gods, Demons, Angels, and other supernatural beings?" asked Alex, receiving a nod from the boy. "Well, they're all real, and those beings were demons. They were after you. Welcome to the supernatural world, kid."
[Showy introduction,] said Albion sarcastically, likely thinking Alex would only scare the boy more.
Alex rolled his eyes as he focused on the boy. He was definitely the source of the energy and probably had a powerful Sacred Gear, but something about him was familiar to Alex, and the Hakuryuukou wasn't sure if it was a good or bad familiarity.
The boy's eyes widened in horror at the teenager's words.
Alex turned to leave but was stopped when the boy grabbed his shirt.
"Take me with you," pleaded the boy.
Alex narrowed his eyes at the request. Did this kid realize they didn't even know each other?
"We just met, and I'm a complete stranger to you," said Alex calmly. "Go back home. Your mom and dad must be worried."
"I don't have parents," said the boy, catching Alex's attention. "They sold me as a slave, and I was running away."
Alex's eyes showed minimal surprise, but something about this boy was really bothering him.
"What's your name?" asked Alex calmly.
The boy looked at Alex and answered something that shocked him.
"My name is Cao Cao," said the boy, making Alex's eyes widen in shock as he realized who was before him.
Cao Cao, the future leader of the Hero Faction and wielder of the strongest Longinus, the [True Longinus].
"Shit," Alex thought internally, grumbling.
Fate was always playing with him.