Clatter.
The two "flame sculptures" fell from the sky and shattered into a pile of stone fragments on the deck.
"..."
Kyo and Iori were completely dumbfounded.
Every fighter present was completely dumbfounded.
How... how the hell were they supposed to fight this?!
This wasn't a question of strong or weak anymore! This was straight-up "dimensional crushing"!
The guy had directly modified your "skill code" at the fundamental level! No matter how high your damage, how strong your crits—one "petrification" and he turns you and your technique into "decorative sculptures"!
Was this the power of "Those From the Past"?
This was power that ignored the rules!
[System Warning! Unknown power system detected!]
[Converting target Mukai's strength... Converting...]
[WARNING! Conversion results exceed conventional understanding! Target's power system does not fall within the Ultimate Power category—it is a pure rule-type power!]
[Based on his conversion efficiency between matter and energy, forcing conversion to this world's power levels... His comprehensive strength approximately equals... Ultimate Power 200%!!!]
"Ultimate Power 200%?" Cloud looked at the System's analysis and couldn't help raising an eyebrow. "Damn, he straight-up broke through the level cap. Are all these Those From the Past people GMs or something?"
"It's over."
Mukai looked at the four "Sacred Treasure" descendants he had completely suppressed, slowly walking toward Chizuru who was imprisoned by stone pillars.
He was going to forcibly extract the "Yata Mirror" from her body.
However, at that moment, a lazy voice came from behind him.
"Hey, you, the one cosplaying The Rock."
"Done showing off in front of my wife yet?"
Mukai whipped around to find that Cloud had somehow appeared silently behind him, wearing that familiar, infuriating smile.
"Cloud..." Mukai narrowed his eyes.
He sensed a power within this man that even he couldn't quite see through.
"So you've finally decided to show yourself? The man even our Lord considers a variable."
"Couldn't help it—you villains are just so unoriginal." Cloud picked at his ear. "Every time, you go after my wife. Can't you change the script? Like kidnapping Iori or something? I promise I'll sit on the sidelines eating popcorn and cheering you on."
Iori: "Gee, thanks!"
"Glib mortal." Mukai let out a cold snort. "Since you're so eager to play hero, I'll just... turn you to stone along with the rest!"
"Stone Pillar Descent!"
He slammed both hands into the ground!
RUMBLE——!!!
The entire earth shook violently! A massive stone gate constructed of countless black rocks rose beneath Cloud's feet, attempting to completely devour and seal him!
Facing this terrifying technique capable of petrifying and sealing an entire mountain range, Cloud merely curled his lip in disdain.
"Rule-type? Petrification? Sounds pretty scary."
"But have you considered one thing?"
"If my very existence transcends the rules you can comprehend? Then who exactly can your so-called petrification affect?"
From Cloud's body, a power more terrifying and vast than ever before slowly awakened.
It was Ultimate Power at 99.99%—on the verge of breaking through to Cosmic Power!
It was "Chaos Divine Power"—a fusion of Orochi's power, Demon King's aura, Dragon Spirit, God's Battle Armor technology, and all of his harem's bloodline powers, absolutely unique!
"Before absolute mass, all rules are nothing but paper to be easily crushed!"
Cloud threw a punch!
No flames. No lightning. No light!
BOOM——!!!!!!
That stone pillar capable of sealing anything, the instant it touched Cloud's fist, shattered inch by inch from the center as if struck head-on by a neutron star!
Countless cracks spread like a spider web, rapidly extending across Mukai's entire body!
"URGH—!"
Mukai's body, supposedly indestructible as rock, was suddenly covered in cracks like ceramic!
He spewed out a mouthful of old blood and was sent flying like a cannonball, slamming hard into the "dimensional portal" he himself had created!
One punch!
Just one punch!
This "rule-type" big shot with a converted strength of "Ultimate Power 200%," full of swagger—had been cleanly one-shotted?!
"Im... impossible..." Mukai's face was written with disbelief. "My petrification rule... why... is it ineffective against you?!"
"I told you—because you're too weak." Cloud slowly retracted his fist, speaking with casual ease. "Your rules can only affect matter in this three-dimensional world at most. And I've long since transcended the three realms and exist beyond the five elements."
"Simply put, you're just a pay-to-win player, little bro. And me?"
Cloud pointed at himself and revealed a devilish smile.
"I'm... the game administrator. I can modify the game's parameters."
...
Mukai had lost.
Lost without any suspense.
He struggled to rise from the ground, looking at Cloud with eyes full of wariness and fear.
He knew that he, and indeed all of "Those From the Past," had severely underestimated this man's strength.
He wasn't a "variable."
He was a "chasm"!
An insurmountable mountain of despair standing in their way!
"Very good... very good..." Mukai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and suddenly smiled eerily. "Cloud... I'll remember you."
"Today is only the beginning."
"KOF will continue. Our game will continue as well."
"Just wait—until the day our Lord descends, until the day the Gate of Time fully opens... you and this fragile world you protect will all..."
"...face true... annihilation!"
With that, he turned and, dragging his severely wounded body, staggered into that still-distorting portal, vanishing from everyone's sight.
A crisis that could have destroyed the world thus came to an anticlimactic end.
...
Get 20+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"