If the sunset's afterglow was said to set the sky ablaze like fire, then this very moment was when true black flames consumed the heavens—a scene of raging inferno everywhere the eye could see, spreading like a living thing, threatening to burn the entire world to ash.

"Die!"

At the heart of that black flame, a maiden whose body was made of fire controlled the flow of all energy. As she roared in anger, the black flames instantly surged outward like savage dragons in all directions.

Boom!

A massive sound erupted—not from the ferocity of the fire dragon’s impact, but from the vibration caused by Kazami Yuuka stomping on the void. She stood there, and the space beneath her feet fractured as if it were glass. Her gaze fixed on the approaching fire dragon without the slightest hint of fear.

Then she raised her hand, and a colossal pillar of light shot directly from her palm.

The magic cannon that pierced heaven and earth!

With imposing authority clearing the path, the light roared through the sky. The instant the light pillar met the fire dragon, it took but a moment before it tore through the flames with unstoppable force, scattering the fire dragon and flashing toward the enemy at the center like lightning.

Feeling the overwhelming pressure of that light pillar, the "Black-Clad Maid" was forced to evade. Although she had abandoned her physical form and her various resistances were far superior to before, the current situation was no illusion. Since the opponent’s magic cannon could disperse the black flame, she lacked the absolute confidence to block it entirely.

Furthermore, she could distinctly sense that the opponent was no longer wielding a single type of power as before; there was the brilliance of starlight, and the activity akin to temperament—it was fundamentally a composite of several energies... But even as a composite of energies, how could it be immune to the Vanish Fire that incinerates everything?

Though she already knew that despair did not exist in these individuals' hearts, their conviction shone as brightly as the sun, she simply could not believe that mere belief could elevate their strength to this degree... Therefore, there must be something else.

Something that even annihilation could not destroy!

They truly possessed it!

What was it?

The "Black-Clad Maid" believed that once she grasped this point, the current situation would be meaningless. She could easily reverse it in an instant. However, the problem was... she could not exchange for the opponent’s abilities. That kind of multi-faceted power exceeded the capacity of her equivalent exchange!

This was natural. Although equivalent exchange was indeed heaven-defying, allowing the exchange for almost any ability, she herself was only one person. No matter how much she exchanged, she could only gain single abilities. Yet, her opponents at this moment, every single one of them, manifested the power of three, four, or even more individuals consolidated. This collection of numerous traits was completely beyond common sense.

Thus, as long as she herself did not transcend common sense, her equivalent exchange could not be realized.

However, though Heavenly Rank powerhouses were rare, their existence in reality was still governed by common sense.

Of course, to claim that truly unconventional power could never be attained through equivalent exchange would be too absolute a conclusion. After all, when categorized by realm, this unconventionality had not reached the Heavenly Rank. If the true Black-Clad Maid were here, perhaps she could overturn everything with a mere gesture, but this entity was ultimately just a counterfeit. Even having reached the Heavenly Rank, even with equivalent exchange utilized to this extent, there was still a gulf between her and the real Black-Clad Maid, Satsuki!

"Darkness..."

"...Sword of Victory!"

Above the destructive black flame, Evangeline and Lily stood side-by-side.

Amidst their mighty shouts, Evangeline raised her hand, and boundless dark energy poured from her palm, coalescing into a hundred-meter-tall giant, which she then violently swung forward like a missile.

Lily gripped the Sword in the Stone with both hands. Brilliant golden light radiated outward. As she slashed, a wave of golden light erupted from the sword tip, forming a Golden Lion that charged forward at top speed.

Sensing the threat descending from above, the "Black-Clad Maid" violently looked up to see a black giant and a golden lion suddenly merge together. One represented the ultimate evil of darkness, the other the light of victory—like two poles, they should never have combined.

But at this moment, under the banner of the unconventional, they became one.

The eerie darkness and dazzling golden light overwhelmed the entire world. The so-called indestructible Vanish Black Flame was suppressed, then forced back, scattered, and finally enveloped her completely...

"Ah!!!" A piercing scream echoed. The "Black-Clad Maid" was severely wounded, and a significant portion of the world-burning Vanish Black Flame immediately vanished. However, the Golden Lion and the dark giant were ultimately shattered.

They were not mere simple power; they were the Guardian Seals of Evangeline and Lily, respectively. Combining the Guardian Seals with their inherent power—these four forces, plus the power the residents of Gensokyo had imbued them with—resulted in this ultimate, all-out attack.

They had risked everything.

Although the Guardian Seals would not disappear as long as the Host remained alive, at this moment, the Guardian Seals of both maidens fell silent. Regeneration would require a considerable period. In other words, they would struggle to unleash an attack of the same magnitude again in this battle. Realizing that staying would only hinder progress, they were exceptionally decisive and immediately retreated from the fray.

"Trying to escape? Dream on!"

A cold, ruthless voice rang out. As the two retreated, the "Black-Clad Maid," wielding the remaining Vanish Black Flame, lunged toward them... She was using her full strength. The Destruction Form was not invincible; every portion destroyed diminished her power, and it could not regenerate. Therefore, she harbored absolute hatred for Evangeline and Lily, swearing to execute them.

"Eternal time, fabricated present, annihilate destruction within illusion!"

However, before the Vanish Black Flame could catch up, Sakuya and Kaguya intercepted the "Black-Clad Maid’s" path. Their chanting sounded like distant bells. As their voices faded, time laws, unpredictable and ever-changing, began to spread outward centered on the two of them, sealing everything nearby and immediately forcing the enemy back.

"Damn it!" Seeing another large portion of her power vanish, the "Black-Clad Maid" was driven to extreme anger. Yet, despite her fury, she had to retreat, as the time laws seemed to possess an innate ability to counter her. If she didn't pull back, she would be sealed.

The time laws spread like a plague until they sealed off nearly half the void before finally ceasing. The sealed space seemed to form a world distinct from the external one—one illusory, one real. Reality and illusion could not intersect.

"I see. You truly went all out, didn't you!"

Seeing this, the "Black-Clad Maid" had an epiphany. Just as light can be swallowed by darkness, reality can be gnawed away by falsehood. Sakuya and Kaguya were using their powers to create illusory time, thereby consuming the destruction existing in reality. This was why she couldn't resist.

But by doing this, they themselves would also be devoured by falsehood, unable to return to reality.

This was entirely a strategy of inflicting 800 damage at the cost of 1,000 self-damage.

Although this strike further weakened her power, at least for the time being, she didn't need to worry about these two.

Thinking this, the "Black-Clad Maid" felt a measure of catharsis and instantly shifted her target to others.

But what she was caught in was no chaotic free-for-all, but a carefully prepared sequence of interlocking traps. Since someone was willing to damage themselves to weaken her, naturally, they wouldn't allow her the chance to recover.

"If we don't go all out, how can we defeat you? Accept this—our resolve!"

The voice from behind startled the "Black-Clad Maid" again, and she quickly turned to look. She saw Yuyuko swinging the Blade of Death, striking heavily upon the Vanish Black Flame.

The will of death and the attribute of destruction collided, both vanishing into nothingness simultaneously.

"It's you!"

The "Black-Clad Maid" went frantic. The enemy was so close; how had she not sensed it just now? In her rage, she immediately raised the fire dragon in her right hand and blasted it toward Yuyuko.

Splat!

However, before her attack could land, a blade of chilling frost pierced her body of flame, instantly causing her movement to falter.

Yuyuko took the opportunity to withdraw.

The "Black-Clad Maid" turned her gaze and found that the one who had wounded her was a cat-eared girl.

Nyanko-Oh!

Yuyuko's Guardian Seal!

The "Black-Clad Maid" had never anticipated being ambushed, and the opponent’s power was identical to Yuyuko’s—pure will of death, a mutually assured destruction tactic aimed at eroding her power.

"Die!"

With a roar, she violently reversed the fire dragon that was lunging at Yuyuko and smashed it heavily down behind her. Instantly, Nyanko-Oh shattered, but at the same time, the fire dragon in her right hand also vanished completely.

After eliminating the enemy that had ambushed her, she immediately turned her gaze, but the scene before her utterly stunned her.

"How can this be?!"

She shockingly discovered that in the instant she was assaulted continuously by everyone, the world-burning black flame had completely extinguished. Only her own body of flame remained of the Vanish Black Flame.

When did that happen?

She simply could not comprehend it. Although continuous attacks had indeed consumed a significant portion of her power, the remaining black flame should have been at least seventy percent. But why was it completely gone in such a short span of time?

Such a thing was impossible!

Ah!

Suddenly, she saw them: the First Shrine Maiden standing far off to the left, Kochiya Sanae positioned far off to the right, Shenny equally distant behind her, and finally, Yukari Yakumo at the front end.

Their positions perfectly encircled all the Vanish Black Flame!

She immediately understood. The continuous attacks from the others were merely bait, a distraction designed to draw her attention, the sole purpose being to provide an opportunity for these four... The First Shrine Maiden used the souls of eleven shrine maidens as a barrier, Kochiya Sanae used heaven and earth as a grinding stone, Shenny used chaotic power to refine, and Yukari Yakumo adjusted with the power of boundaries. The four of them had created a new world.

Although such a world could never match the strength of a true world, it was different if RinRin provided the conduit. In the instant she wasn't paying attention, all the Vanish Black Flame scattered throughout the void was drawn into that world by them, completely severing contact with her.

In other words, at this moment, the only Vanish Black Flame she could utilize was the small amount residing within her own body.

"You insects... you tricked me!"

Upon realizing this, she couldn't help but grind her teeth. If she had noticed sooner, such a scheme could never have succeeded. But now, it was too late.

Creating a world within a world—she hadn't even conceived of such a thing! Moreover, in her mind, apart from RinRin, no one present possessed the ability to create worlds.

RinRin remained unmoved. With a wave of his hand, instantly, Yukari, Yuyuko, and the others were sent flying toward the mirror portal connecting to Gensokyo... Although the enemy had been greatly weakened, her strength was still immense. Those who had lost their Guardian Seals, like Yuyuko, could no longer pose a threat to her, and the four who created the world were even less so. Even if they created only a minuscule world, the power they expended had completely depleted them. Staying longer would only mean suicide.

"No one leaves!" But the "Black-Clad Maid" was clearly not going to let them go so easily. Seeing them retreat, she immediately gave chase.

"Sorry, the shift has changed."

A figure flashed, and Reimu and Suigintou simultaneously blocked her path.

The "Black-Clad Maid" was forced to halt. Watching Yukari and the others escape back into Gensokyo one by one, she knew it was impossible to take a few kills while they were vulnerable. In fact, due to the significant weakening of her power, defeat was a possibility.

The two sides faced each other, neither making a move. After a moment, she seemed to lose the will to fight, sighing heavily. Her gaze swept back and forth between the two opposite her, then through them, looking toward RinRin at the far front, who had already severed this world's connection with Gensokyo, and also toward Kazami Yuuka and Cirno, who had barely expended any energy. Finally, she looked at Sakuya and Kaguya still sealed in the false space, and suddenly spoke one sentence.

"Imagine."

Hearing this, Suigintou’s expression shifted slightly.

The "Black-Clad Maid" caught her change in expression and couldn't help but chuckle. "Now I understand the purpose of your spatial division earlier. Those people are the ones who just fled, and you who remain here. You drew power from Gensokyo. You created countless timelines to prevent me from witnessing this. Your maneuver was indeed highly successful, as my attention was completely focused on you, leading me to neglect them, whom I regarded as mere insects."

"Mm... Perhaps I shouldn't call you insects now. To push me to this extent, you are truly remarkable. I apologize for the discourteous remarks I made earlier."

"Eh?" Upon hearing this, Reimu and Suigintou were greatly shocked, and even Kazami Yuuka, not far away, wore an expression of disbelief. The Dragon God, who had dismissed them as ants until just now, was actually apologizing to them?

What was happening?

Was the world changing too fast, or were they unable to keep up? Or did the other party no longer wish to fight? But if they recalled correctly, both sides were destined to fight to the death.

Suigintou couldn't help but frown. The opponent's analysis was completely accurate, but what did these words imply? Even if beaten to death, she wouldn't believe the opponent would lay down her sword. Although they held a slight advantage now, if a real fight broke out, their chances of winning were still slim.

For some reason, a faint, unsettling premonition stirred in her heart.

It felt like the calm before a storm.

Suigintou instinctively checked the distance between the two sides... Five hundred meters. This was still within the opponent's attack range.

She clenched her fists, cautiously maintaining her vigilance.

At this moment, the Black-Clad Maid extended two hands formed entirely of Vanish Black Flame. Just as Suigintou expected her to attack, she suddenly realized the opponent was doing nothing, simply watching. After a moment, she slowly raised her head, looking at them.

"The Rule of Destruction—although this is a power I obtained through equivalent exchange, I must admit, this power is not necessarily bound by equivalent exchange. Forget life; even time, space, and the very nature of existence can be destroyed simply by wishing it. It is truly indestructive, but!"

Speaking here, she paused, then stated grimly, "Only now do I realize there is one thing that even destruction cannot annihilate... Illusion!"

"Even if I can destroy your lives, minds, souls, and existence, illusion will never be destroyed. As long as you have existed, your illusions will always remain. Therefore, relying on this power of illusion, you, who originally could not stand against me, have managed to force me into this predicament... Am I correct?"

After speaking, she turned her gaze toward RinRin in the distance.

RinRin drifted over and nodded calmly. "You are correct. Even if we die, as long as we once imagined it, that power will persist. Even if our illusions disappear, in another world, there will surely be others who share the same illusion as us. Therefore, destruction cannot destroy illusion."

"You created this world, so you possess absolute authority. Although you cannot completely change a Heavenly Rank existence like me, the fact that you can influence my nature proves that you possess near-Creator God abilities in this world. Thus, you modified the worldview of this place, making it fantasy-centric. As long as you hold strong belief and fantasy in your hearts, believing you will win, believing your existence cannot be destroyed, then during the battle with me, you can suppress my destruction to a certain degree."

"..." RinRin fell silent.

"Hehe, a man who possesses both creation and destruction simultaneously. It has been a long time since I've met such a person. What a pity; such extreme natures cannot be reconciled even by me. Otherwise, if I simultaneously possessed creation and destruction, you would have perished long ago."

RinRin was not surprised that the power of illusion had been seen through. However, upon hearing that phrase, "a long time since I've met such a person," he paused slightly. Did that mean somewhere in this world, besides him, there existed someone who simultaneously possessed creation and destruction?

RinRin had no time to ponder. He only stared at the opponent.

"Choosing to exchange for destruction was based on its immense destructive power, but to be shattered by mere illusion truly exceeded my expectations. However, looking at it now, all powers in this world are mutually restraining, just as water counters fire, and earth counters water. Since destruction can be countered by illusion, there must naturally be an ability that counters illusion. Do you know what that is?"

"..." Silence fell upon everyone again, except for RinRin, a strong sense of unease began to form in everyone's hearts.

The "Black-Clad Maid" smiled, then raised her head, closing her eyes slightly before speaking, "In a cruel reality, all illusions are but a joke. That which counters illusion... is only reality! The singular and absolute reality!"

Boom!!!

As her words faded, her body of flame suddenly exploded. The resulting heatwave instantly blasted everyone hundreds of meters away. At the original spot, as the black flames dissipated, the power of equivalent exchange reactivated, materializing the physical body of the Black-Clad Maid—unadorned, she stood naked in the void with her eyes closed.

Then, she opened her eyes, revealing a gaze as cold as machinery.

Everyone was shocked to find that she possessed no trace of emotion now, seeming truly like reality... cold and cruel!

"Combat Mode Activated..."

At that moment, as the voice of utmost coldness sounded, a suit of silver-white steel armor covered her bare body, revealing only a beautiful, aloof face. Then, with a click, two black steel wings unfolded from her back. In her right hand, a simple, ancient, pitch-black longsword appeared.

"Ultimate Destruction Stance... Absolute Slayer!"

"What is that?" Seeing this scene, Reimu and the others couldn't help but change color. Although the opponent's current form was far less terrifying than the previous Destruction Form, yet... just looking at it, they felt an unprecedented sense of pressure: despair, coldness, cruelty, dead silence!

Reality?

Is this reality?!

"Slayer, this is the reality you must face!" said the maiden, now transformed into the Slayer, coldly. The next moment, she raised her right hand, and the longsword swept down.

Swish!

A sword light of pure blackness sliced through the air. With just one strike, the entire world was cleaved in two.

"All my power, at this very moment, has transmuted into an absolute and singular reality. This posture is the only truth; you will be slain by me—that is reality. Within this reality, all illusion loses its meaning!" The Slayer pointed the tip of his sword at Lin Luo and the others, his voice cold.

"Is this truly how you wish it to be?" Lin Luo remained unmoved, as if he had long anticipated this, and finally spoke.

The Slayer fixed his gaze upon him, silent, making no move to strike.

Lin Luo exhaled slowly. "Reality is singular, and thus, your current existence is also rendered singular. Once this posture of yours is shattered, you will have no chance to reform; your very being will dissipate entirely. What I must ask is... is this truly how you wish it to be?"

"You cannot win. That is reality."

"Indeed, with the strength of just us few, defeating you in your current state would be tantamount to a fantasy. However..." As he spoke, Lin Luo raised his hand, a triumphant smile gracing his lips, "...I have waited a long time for this form of yours. Because... we are not alone!"

As the final word faded, the void flickered, and several familiar figures materialized instantaneously beside the group.

"Honestly, we've been waiting quite a while as well," one figure stepped forward. Dark, slightly curled hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her wide trench coat billowed dramatically. A mature yet imposing aura adorned her beautiful features.

It was... Tohsaka Rin!

Reinforcements from the Bright Realm!