The Purification Javelin, imbued with overwhelming holy power, was the natural nemesis of nearly every non-human race.
At Shizuku Akabane's level, that very same special skill was powerful enough to instantly annihilate even max-level undead.
And yet—
That same devastating holy attack…
Had just been caught barehanded by a half-demon.
The massive blue spear of light trembled violently in Ren Kuroda's grip.
Then—
Crack.
His five fingers tightened.
The enormous construct of divine energy shattered instantly, exploding into countless fragments of light that scattered across the battlefield before fading like dying stars.
Shizuku's expression didn't just show surprise anymore.
It was pure horror.
She couldn't understand it.
As a half-demon, Ren should have been vulnerable to holy-element attacks. Even if it wasn't as devastating as it would be against someone like Ainz—an undead—it should still count as a clear weakness.
And yet—
One of her strongest abilities…
Had been crushed so casually.
"Holy-element attacks are one of my weaknesses," Ren said calmly, flexing his hand as the last traces of light vanished."But do you know why I don't bother compensating for that weakness like Ainz does before a fight?"
His crimson gaze locked onto her.
"Because I don't need to."
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Even without support skills, my base resistances are high enough. Against anything below my level, I'm completely immune—physical or magical, it doesn't matter."
He paused, then added:
"And even against someone at my level… like you…"
"…your damage gets reduced by more than eighty percent."
This was the effect of Ren's unique passive—an authority akin to the "King of Arrogance."
Against weaker opponents, their attacks simply didn't register.
And while Shizuku stood at the same max level, the system still treated them as equals—
Which meant her attacks were heavily suppressed rather than nullified outright.
Even with elemental advantage—
Even with a top-tier special skill—
The result remained the same.
"That's… impossible…!"
Shizuku's voice trembled, disbelief written all over her face.
She had taken a risk—accepting injury to land a decisive blow with a holy attack, then recover with her life-stealing lance.
But now—
She was the only one injured.
Ren's blade, Shin'yu, wasn't just a divine weapon capable of releasing its spirit to enhance its wielder.
It also inflicted a bleeding effect.
A wound that couldn't be healed by divine magic.
Nor by a vampire's natural regeneration.
Clutching her chest, Shizuku winced as burning pain spread through her body.
"…Then I have no choice…"
Her expression hardened.
The special abilities she had been saving—
Could no longer remain unused.
"Time Reversal."
The world seemed to stutter.
The blood that had spilled from her wound reversed its flow, streaming back into her body as if time itself had been rewound.
Her injury—
Erased.
This was her third special ability.
The power to manipulate time itself—either accelerating her own flow or rewinding it.
Acceleration froze the world around her.
Reversal restored her body to a previous state.
Though limited in duration, it was effectively a cheat—something akin to rewriting reality itself.
Even wounds inflicted by Shin'yu—
Could be undone this way.
Because this wasn't healing.
It was rewriting time.
"You're using your trump card already?" Ren raised an eyebrow slightly."I figured you'd try to outlast me with your lance instead."
After all, the bleeding effect would gradually drain her HP—
But her weapon could offset that by absorbing life.
"High-Tier Teleportation!"
Shizuku didn't hesitate.
Close combat offered her no advantage. Ren was faster, stronger—overwhelming in every aspect.
Distance was her only safety.
But this time—
Ren moved first.
He raised a hand.
"Delayed Teleport."
Shizuku vanished—
But didn't reappear where she intended.
Her trajectory was forcibly altered.
And in the next instant—
Ren was already there.
Forced back into close combat, she had no choice but to respond.
Desperation crept in.
"Then—take this!"
A second presence materialized beside her.
A radiant warrior clad in identical armor—
A perfect copy.
"Einherjar."
A Valkyrie-like construct with the same attributes, equipment, and combat power as Shizuku herself.
A one-versus-one fight—
Became two-versus-one.
At the same time, she summoned her familiars, striking them intermittently with her lance to siphon back HP.
Finally—
She stabilized.
Barely.
And yet—
Even now—
She couldn't see a path to victory.
He's too strong…
There's no weakness… no opening…
Even her elemental advantage meant nothing.
Even her abilities were being dismantled one by one.
"…Then I'll break through with everything I have—!"
"Too late."
"Blade Spirit—Release."
A brilliant white light erupted from Shin'yu, engulfing Ren entirely.
For a split second—
He vanished.
And when he reappeared—
It was already over.
The Einherjar—
Had been pierced clean through the chest.
Lightning exploded outward, consuming the construct in a violent storm before it disintegrated completely.
Gone.
Erased.
Back in Nazarick—
Takegami (Cocytus) slowly rose to his feet, his voice steady.
"…Ren-sama has won."
"The Einherjar possesses identical stats and equipment to Shizuku. Yet it was eliminated instantly."
He paused.
"…There is no longer any uncertainty."
"Even without releasing the blade spirit… the outcome would not have changed."
"It would have only taken… a little longer."