Moreover, this wasn't a case of two Athena's Exclamations colliding and canceling each other out.
This was two of them aimed at the exact same target, unleashing a destructive force far greater than what Marco had tested in the East Suburban Forest.
A single strike of this magnitude wouldn't just erase Nirvana—it could sink a small island in an eye-blink.
Such raw destructive power was rare, a display of true mastery.
"So satisfying!" Marco exhaled.
It was a rare opportunity to unleash his power this freely without worrying about the consequences.
A devastating technique like Athena's Exclamation couldn't be used casually outside of critical moments.
The last time he missed with Fairy Law, it had thrown Magnolia's magical atmosphere into chaos for a while.
Fortunately, he hadn't aimed it at the city back then; otherwise, Marco himself would have been the one to destroy Magnolia.
"You... you actually did it?"
Staring at the scene, Roubaul had no choice but to believe it.
Marco was far more powerful than he had imagined. His destructive capability had reached a level incomprehensible to mortals!
"I told you I'm strong."
Marco smiled, though inwardly he mused, This is nothing compared to the real thing.
If this had been a genuine Athena's Exclamation, unleashed using the Cosmos of five Gold Saints rather than mere Magic Power, it wouldn't just destroy something as small as Nirvana.
In a world lacking the protection of gods, it could have punched a hole straight through the planet!
"It's gone... It's really gone..."
After confirming Nirvana's destruction, tears streamed down Roubaul's face.
He had guarded this place for centuries for this single moment—to witness the end of Nirvana, the creation he brought into the world that could have caused so much tragedy.
With his wish fulfilled, his lingering obsession dissipated.
His spectral body began to destabilize, looking like it would vanish at any second.
"Wait! Old Man Roubaul! You can't just leave like this!"
Seeing Roubaul's form flicker as his emotions peaked, Marco panicked.
"You have to say goodbye to Wendy first! If you vanish now and take the Cait Shelter guild with you, I won't be able to explain it to her!"
Marco tried to persuade him, hoping the old man wouldn't leave so fast.
He had expected this outcome, but wasn't it happening too soon? They had just dealt with Nirvana, and Roubaul was about to disappear a second later.
It was too sudden.
"Wendy..."
The name anchored him.
The old man's body solidified again. Clearly, Wendy held far more importance to Roubaul than Marco did.
"That's right! If you all disappear without warning, Wendy will be heartbroken!"
Marco nodded.
The thought of Wendy looking at him with teary eyes was unbearable. He had to get the old man to see Wendy one last time so they could say their goodbyes and clear the air.
"You're right. I must go see Wendy."
Roubaul agreed.
He turned and headed back to the Cait Shelter guild's camp.
As for Nirvana, the old man had already checked multiple times. He was certain it had been obliterated without a trace.
Against Marco's attack, whether the six Lacrimas shattered simultaneously was irrelevant.
Everything in the Nirvana Kingdom had been annihilated, leaving not even dust behind.
Marco followed Roubaul back to the Cait Shelter guild's camp.
All the guild members had already gathered, sensing what was coming. They knew what they were about to face.
Roubaul was incredible.
Each of the Thought Projections he created possessed its own independent mind—a feat as terrifying as creating life from thin air.
It went to show how formidable and subjective magic was, capable of achieving things beyond ordinary imagination.
"Marco-nii! Grandpa Roubaul! What happened over there?"
Wendy ran over with Carla, her small face etched with worry.
The site was so close that she had seen what transpired, making it impossible not to be concerned.
"It's alright, Wendy. Marco did me a great favor. He helped me solve a problem that has plagued me for centuries."
Looking at Wendy, Roubaul smiled kindly.
But within that smile, Wendy sensed something else.
"Grandpa Roubaul..."
Wendy's expression grew anxious. She had a nagging feeling that something was about to happen.
Just a moment ago, her Cait Shelter guild friends had all become translucent, one by one starting to say their goodbyes.
Though they solidified again, it was clear that none of it was her imagination.
"Wendy..."
Carla gripped Wendy's hand, her eyes filled with worry. She, too, had some idea of what was happening.
"I'm sorry, Wendy. Grandpa might not be able to see you anymore. And everyone else... it's time for us to go. We've lingered here for far too long. It's time to move on to where we belong."
Seeing Wendy's distress pained Roubaul deeply, but he didn't hesitate.
He still chose to leave.
He had remained here for centuries, guarding this place for hundreds of years. Now that it was over, he was tired.
Even though his Magic Power was sufficient to sustain his current form, Roubaul had no intention of clinging to this world any longer.
"This... How could this be...?"
Roubaul's words were too much for Wendy to accept.
Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Wendy, for Old Man Roubaul and the others, leaving is true liberation," Marco explained gently, clarifying the truth of their situation.
"They've been trapped here for centuries."
Marco didn't know if Wendy could understand Roubaul's feelings, but he certainly did.
Roubaul had guarded this place for over four hundred years, enduring immense pain.
After all, the original tragedy was his fault—his creation, Nirvana, had destroyed everything.
Roubaul had been in extreme agony, yet he couldn't abandon Nirvana and die.
In the end, he became a spirit, remaining to guard it. If not for his intense attachment, Roubaul would never have been able to exist in this form for centuries.