Nova stood amidst the ruins with a relaxed posture, that arrogant smile still etched across his face.
"If that's all you've got, you won't even make me break a sweat, Vendico."
Vendico didn't respond.
The dark aura around his body condensed—heavier, denser, more oppressive.
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Getting serious now?"
In an instant, Vendico vanished.
"SWOOSH!"
Even Nova barely saw him. He twisted time for a split second, shifting the attack just enough to avoid it.
A faint smirk remained.
"Not bad. Your speed's decent."
But the next moment—something felt wrong.
The space around Nova trembled, as if an unseen pressure was disrupting the stability of his magic.
KRK… KRK-KRK…
Nova flinched.
"…What is this?"
Vendico stared at him, his black aura swirling like a living fog.
"You're too confident."
Nova tried to raise his time magic—but the flow was unstable.
Not gone… just no longer fully under his control.
And that alone was enough to strip away his dominance.
Vendico attacked again—faster than before.
Nova stepped back, blocking.
"I can handle this… slowly…"
But the pressure kept rising.
Just as Vendico was about to land a finishing blow—
"FWHIP!"
A shot of energy sliced through the air, cutting off his attack.
Vendico twisted his body to avoid it.
Nova turned sharply.
"…Who fired that?"
Another shot followed.
"FWHIP! FWHIP!"
Airi dashed in from the side, her blade slicing through the air.
Arou landed from a large rock, his sword blazing.
Rei stood behind, forming an ether shield.
Arou shouted,
"Nova! That's Shion—my team's sniper! We're helping!"
Shion remained in the distance, silent, fully focused on his ether rifle.
Nova let out a slow breath.
His arrogant smile remained—but now, there was a hint of seriousness.
"Hmph. Fine. Just don't get in my way."
For the first time, Nova no longer stood as an untouchable existence.
Arou and his team had entered a battle far greater than they had imagined.
The fight turned into a true small-scale war.
---
Explosions shook the ground.
"BOOOOM!"
Arou leapt back, struggling against Vendico's crushing aura, his sword trembling violently.
Rei reinforced his barrier—but cracks instantly spread.
CRACK… CRACK…
"He's not human…" Rei muttered, breath unsteady.
Airi blocked a punch from Vendico—the impact made her bones creak.
"Ghh… so heavy…"
Shion fired again.
"FWHIP! FWHIP!"
The ether bullets pierced the air—but Vendico's aura deflected them before impact.
Arou grimaced.
"This is the wrong target for today."
Nova stepped forward without looking at them.
"Move. I don't need your help."
Arou blocked him.
"We don't care. We're fighting the same enemy—that's enough."
Nova's gaze turned cold.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not fighting for you."
Airi clicked her tongue.
"Neither are we."
Vendico stared at them all, his aura raging like a storm.
"It doesn't matter. You will all fall."
In an instant—he vanished.
"Where—?!" Arou reacted too late.
Vendico appeared right in front of Rei.
"I'll take the weakest first."
Rei froze.
The attack fell—
"NO!"
Nova twisted time—just one second—forcing Rei's position to shift.
Nova took the hit himself.
"GHHK—!"
Blood burst out as he was sent flying, crashing into the ground.
"DUUUM!"
Arou stared in shock.
"You just… saved us?"
Nova stood, body trembling.
"Your fault for being weak. You're just getting in the way of my duel."
"FWHIP!"
Shion's shot halted Vendico's next move.
"Focus," Shion said calmly. "If we don't cooperate, we all die."
Arou nodded.
"Alright. We work together—for now."
Airi raised her blade.
Rei steadied his breathing, reinforcing his barrier.
Shion switched to full-penetration mode.
Nova wiped the blood from his lips.
"…A disgusting alliance. But I don't intend to die here."
For the first time, they stood together.
Not friends. Not allies.
Just people fighting the same enemy.
---
Vendico's aura erupted into the sky.
"Then let the bloodshed begin."
---
The night sky hung heavy above the ruined city.
Arou, Airi, Rei, and Shion stood in formation, eyes fixed on the faint pulse of Vendico's aura.
Airi broke the silence.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not here to save you. Focus—or die."
Arou swallowed.
"…Got it."
Rei reinforced his barrier.
"This pressure… it's beyond us."
Nova stood apart, silently observing.
Still arrogant—but tense.
Then—
A thin crack of light appeared in the sky.
Barely visible.
A voice—not a voice—echoed like a vibration through their bones.
＞ "It is not time yet…"
Arou felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Airi glanced briefly.
"Focus. That's not our concern."
Vendico re-emerged.
"You will all be destroyed."
The battle resumed.
---
But behind it all—
that crack in the sky remained.
Waiting.
Watching.
Something far greater than Vendico was coming.
And the world… was not ready.
---
Eventually, Vendico's aura faded.
The battlefield fell silent.
Vendico dropped to his knees—exhausted, broken.
"It's over…" Arou muttered.
Vendico looked at him.
"…You're stronger than I thought."
With a final coordinated strike, Arou and Airi forced him down.
The last of his aura shattered into darkness.
Silence.
Vendico was defeated.
---
Arou turned to Nova.
"We need someone like you. Join our team—as a mage."
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"…Hmph. Fine. But don't misunderstand—I have my own goals."
Airi said nothing.
Shion nodded slightly.
Rei exhaled in relief.
---
They returned to Arou's home.
The streets were still covered in dust and debris.
The door opened.
Emi rushed forward.
"Arou! Are you all okay?!"
Nora stood behind her, relieved.
Arou smiled faintly.
"Yeah… we're fine. But—"
He glanced at Nova.
"We have a new member."
Emi blinked.
"Who is he?"
Nova remained silent, his presence alone enough to make them uneasy.
"A mage," Arou answered.
"You'll understand soon enough… why I joined," Nova added coldly.
Airi watched in silence.
Shion and Rei stood quietly, still recovering.