To call this the ultimate battle in the Nasuverse would not be an exaggeration, for both Nero and Anshasu stood among the absolute pinnacles of the Moonlit World.

Who was stronger? No one could know until they fought.

“Ah, what moving notes are dancing, what pleasant melodies are murmuring low; I hear the voice of the world, a magnificent cheer praising, extolling, roaring… Ah, Monarch of Rome, King of the World, that is my name.”

The Red King swung the longsword in her hand, her posture as brilliant as a summer flower, her movements as light as a feather, dancing like a butterfly, rising and falling, her strikes like lightning as she assailed the enemy before her.

“The path ahead cannot be blocked, the weapon swung cannot be caught, for I am the King of the World; even if wounded, even if bleeding and weeping, the great King will not halt her steps. The palace built of corpses, the broad avenue paved with blood—only I know these are the necessary conditions for victory, this is the world where the King stands…”

Even facing such a formidable enemy, the Red Tyrant acted as if she were playing a game, singing loudly, her voice sounding like a lyric, yet also like a poem. The sound pierced the heavens, shaking the four directions.

Everyone who heard it—including Anshasu, who was fighting her, Lin Luo, watching from hundreds of meters away, the preoccupied Xiao Qi, and Lei, who possessed a profound understanding of song and verse—was instantly stunned. Because… she sang so dreadfully.

Although Red ABER sang with great oomph, was this truly a song? Was this really music? Please, Your Majesty the Emperor, even reading it aloud like a book would sound better than this dreadful singing.

But the great Tyrant did not care in the least, or perhaps she was entirely unaware of how awful she sounded, continuing to sing with explosive fervor. “Submit! Despair! Weep! Let all people shout together for your great King! It is I, it is I! Hail His Majesty the Emperor, hahahahaha…”

And then the hahahaha… did she think she was the “Hahaha” Cult Leader?

Lin Luo was utterly speechless, but undoubtedly, Anshasu was more distressed. While enduring Red ABER’s furious sword strikes, he also had to suffer the torment of her noise. This dual-pronged attack was agonizing, making it almost unbearable even for an Ancestor.

“You… what kind of tyrant are you?”

Finally, Anshasu was enraged. With a roar, the demonic sword in his hand—Avenger—swept out. The ferocious sword energy seemed to materialize, forming a solid black object that shot out from the blade, hurtling toward Red ABER.

Despite being one of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, Anshasu differed from most others. Because of his deep attachment to humanity, he retained many human characteristics, including a volatile temper and a tendency to fly into a rage easily, often slipping into a berserk state with only slight provocation.

To have tolerated Red ABER’s sonic torture for this long was already quite an achievement for him.

As the black sword energy was about to cleave off her head, Red ABER displayed a completely unconcerned expression. She elegantly shifted her body, moving as if weightless, her neck narrowly grazing the edge of the black energy. Simultaneously, the Primal Fire stirred, wreathed in a faint crimson aura.

Offense and defense merged; the entire movement was fluid, without the slightest pause, demonstrating the Tyrant’s superb martial skill.

In an instant, the previously faint crimson aura ignited into a blaze, colliding with the black demonic energy emanating from Avenger. The two streams of energy clashed, intertwined, and finally erupted.

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, both Red ABER and Anshasu were forced back by the massive explosion. But the moment the blast subsided, both charged at each other once more…

“It seems difficult to determine a winner quickly.” Xiao Qi remarked, observing the battle hundreds of meters away.

“Indeed.” Lin Luo nodded. Though Red ABER was powerful, Anshasu was no weakling, and Heroic Spirits who descended into the present world were incomplete. Facing the supreme Ancestors of this world, she could not hold an absolute, overwhelming advantage.

Their engagement so far was merely probing; settling the score before they unleashed their ultimate moves wouldn’t be simple, given the utterly monstrous defense capabilities of both Heroic Spirits and Ancestors.

“So, what should we do now? We can’t just stand here watching, can we?” Xiao Qi asked again. To her, the battle below, while intense, wasn't particularly awe-inspiring; if possible, she would have liked to join in. Of course, that was just a thought, as in her current condition, stepping onto that field would mean instant annihilation.

“Naturally, we wait for the rabbit to bump into the stump,” Lin Luo said, a slightly sinister smile playing on his lips.

“Wait for the rabbit… You mean?” Xiao Qi paused, then instantly understood, her eyes lighting up. She grasped what Lin Luo intended.

Although the shared area was vast, seemingly an endless continent, anyone with some understanding of Magecraft knew this was merely a visual distortion. Even if it appeared immense, it wasn't actually that large; it was simply an illusion created by miracles resembling magic.

Of course, this illusion was infinitely close to reality.

But as long as it hadn't reached true reality, an illusion remained just that—an illusion. Just like Shiro Ren’s nightmare manifestation ability, which should have been infinitely close to the Sixth Magic, a dream is still a dream.

With a peak battle like Heroic Spirit V. Ancestor occurring in this shared zone, the other group of Executors from the Church who had entered here could not possibly have failed to notice. If they positioned themselves well, while everyone’s attention was fixed on the two below, a surprise attack from their position should yield unexpected results.

“I didn’t think you could be so cunning. I assumed someone as full of righteousness as you wouldn't stoop to such tactics,” Xiao Qi said, feigning surprise.

“No, you should call it wisdom,” Lin Luo shook his head. “Besides, I’m not some righteous hero. I just do what I want based on my personal preferences. Though I was the reason you got into danger, if I found you disagreeable, I probably wouldn't have helped. And the people from the Church? Whether viewed sideways or upright, I don’t find them agreeable in the slightest.”

“I see…” Xiao Qi seemed to understand, then gave him a knowing, half-smile. “So, you’re helping me because you like me?”

“Uh…” Lin Luo nearly choked. He glanced cautiously at Lei beside him before hurriedly saying, “That… that’s the kind of liking an older brother has for a younger sister. Don’t misunderstand.”

“I haven’t misunderstood. Liking is liking, after all.”

“That…” Lin Luo felt he had no words left. It sounded like he was turning into a lolicon—though lolis were indeed wonderful. Fearing he would only complicate matters further, Lin Luo dared not continue, lest he trigger unintended consequences. He quickly bid farewell and left alone to begin setting up the ambush nearby.

Come to think of it, he really hadn't expected the seemingly calm and elegant Xiao Qi to possess such a bold side. Truly… lolis were a most peculiar species.

...

Meanwhile, in the East of the world, a man stood upon a high slope, gazing sentimentally toward the distant land. Half a city away lay his hometown, though he no longer wished to return there; there was the woman he deeply loved, though she was now married to another man.

Ah, how he longed to see her one last time. Even just seeing her from afar, just knowing she was there, would probably be the happiest thing in the world.

As he gazed, the man couldn't help but feel nostalgic. He realized it had been over a year since he last saw her. Was it because they had met in dreams, or was remembrance enough?

Although the person he loved most was now someone else's wife, he regretted not fighting for her back then—why only desire possession after losing her? But now, it didn't matter. Regardless, his love for her would never change. If she could live happily, that would be the best reward for that love.

Although, the man she married was not to his liking.

Because he knew the cruelty of that world, he had returned to the normal world, while she had been taken by that man from the normal world into that other world. By some twist of fate, perhaps he had lost all his chances at that very moment.

Ah, I should go back and see her. To see if she is happy now. That man should be able to make her happy, even in that cruel world… I want to go, I desperately want to go.

The deep yearning was almost uncontrollable; the urge to see her now surpassed everything else.

And her two lovely daughters, two sweet girls who inherited all her virtues… Right, I meant to go back last time, but work prevented me. The gifts I bought have been sitting in the drawer for several months now.

Yes, I’ll take them to them. It seems the elder one prefers things a bit more mature, and the younger one likes cuter things. It’s been over a year; they must be taller and even more adorable now.

Thinking of this, a warm smile spread across the man’s face.

He had made up his mind to return to the city he most wished to avoid. But the moment he turned around, the smile froze on his face, and he cried out, “You…”

He managed to utter the first word before collapsing entirely. Simultaneously, a black mist rose from the ground, holding up his falling form, and from the mist emerged a person.

It was a small, withered old man, his bald head and limbs as desiccated as a mummy. Deep-set eye sockets revealed a sharp, keen light… If Lin Luo were here, he would be astonished, for this person was none other than Matou Zōken, who had once been killed by Mikiya!

Matou Zōken looked at the man in his hands—the father of his son. He showed not a trace of warmth, nor even any human emotion, looking as if he were inspecting disposable cargo. He sneered, “It can’t be helped. Shinji is still too young; implanting Crest Worms in him wouldn’t be of much use. So, I had to find you. Dedicate your body to the Matou family. Even you, after my modifications, can be useful for a while… Kariya!”

P: Regarding the Red King, while she won’t be portrayed as a mass murderer, her character is indeed that of a “Tyrant.” P: Two more chapters left. I’m working hard, so please give me monthly tickets, subscriptions, and recommendations. I’m also begging for rating votes; I really want some attention… A