The two who watched him complete that entire sequence of actions were both left dumbfounded.
Not only Arisuin Nagi, but even Edelweiss was shaken by what he had done.
Simply swinging a blade cannot solve the problem of disordered electronic signals.
She had already gone through that stage herself and understood it thoroughly.
So she naturally knew that the best way to bring chaotic electronic signals back on track was to pass through a life-and-death crisis.
When a person is on the brink of death, the brain becomes active like never before.
In that state, the brain desperately drives the electronic signals, pushing the body to unleash tremendous latent potential, the so-called "limit break."
Therefore, as long as one experiences a death crisis, the electronic signals, once again shocked, will return under the brain's control for the sake of survival.
And not only that…
In Ryoji's case, because he had already undergone one evolution beforehand, when his electronic signals returned to normal, they would also adapt to this evolution. As a result, entirely new signals would be born, ones capable of transmitting the brain's information to all muscles simultaneously.
In plain terms, he completed an evolution!
He actually managed to evolve within a single minute and mastered the Twin Wings Sword!
Although he used a shortcut, there was no doubt this was a miracle no one in the world had ever achieved!
This wasn't something that could be done with talent alone, it required long-term training and a complete physical evolution!
To accomplish this was already proof of stepping into the inhuman realm.
No matter how great one's innate talent, it's impossible to learn it instantly, unless one's level is already comparable to Edelweiss and their body has already evolved.
And yet, he found a way.
No, he probably wasn't even certain that nearing death would solve the problem. In other words, he merely thought of a possibility and then carried it out without hesitation.
"To think you'd go so far as self-mutilation… What unwavering self you possess!"
A deep look of admiration surfaced in Edelweiss's eyes, and as she gazed at Ryoji, it gradually turned into respect.
"Do you want to defeat me that badly?"
"No. I no longer think that way."
"What?"
"What I must do now is only one thing, surpass myself!"
Facing Edelweiss's surprise, Ryoji answered firmly.
At the beginning of their encounter, his boiling fighting spirit had actually been misguided.
He had been blinded by the title of "the world's strongest." Under the influence of obsession, he had fixated on surpassing her. But in truth, to become the strongest in the world, what he needed to do was not defeat Edelweiss, but continuously surpass his own limits!
Through fighting her, Ryoji gradually came to understand this.
His "heart like a clear mirror and still water" was elevated even further.
If one had to describe it, it had reached the pinnacle of that state.
"I see now… you are a swordsman worthy of respect."
At last, Edelweiss showed genuine respect toward Ryoji.
There were countless people in this world obsessed with the title of "the world's strongest." She had seen it too many times; even renowned great swordsmen, experts who once ranked near the top of the KOK League, were unable to cut away the temptation of fame and profit. Time and again, they came to her domain to challenge her.
Yet Ryoji was able to break free from that influence in an extremely short time, clarifying his own heart; this alone earned Edelweiss's sincere admiration.
No matter how powerful a swordsman's technique is, in the end, he is only a swordsman.
Only those who possess an incomparably strong heart can become true masters.
The current Ryoji could finally be said to possess the bearing of a grandmaster.
In terms of the spiritual realm, he had already reached the world's top tier, surpassing 99% of world-class experts, and was enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with someone like the "God of War."
"To show my respect for you, I will let you witness the true Twin Wings Sword!"
Edelweiss raised the sharp blade in her hand once more.
And in that instant, an overwhelmingly powerful sword aura erupted from her body, far beyond anything before!
That vast aura surged like a storm of light. Under its crushing pressure, sand and dust billowed wildly, trees creaked and groaned, and within a hundred-meter radius, every window shattered in an instant!
Just a single human being… A slender body not even two meters tall, yet at this moment, she released an unimaginable oppressive force, one so intense it materialized into a storm that affected the very world itself!
"?!"
Ryoji trembled violently.
The sword aura emanating from Edelweiss's body was not just ten times stronger than before…
Which meant she hadn't been using her full strength at all… she hadn't even been remotely serious! What Ryoji thought he had "learned" was, in truth, only the bare surface of her swordsmanship!
And yet, even that had been so powerful!
His entire body shook. But that trembling was not fear; it was joy. Because Edelweiss's strength proved that the path ahead of him was still incredibly long!
"...Prepare yourself!"
She raised her dual swords.
And then… For the first time in the truest sense, she moved her feet.
One step forward!
In an instant, her twin blades became wings soaring through the sky.
Chaos erupted all around.
Standing at the center of that chaos, at the focal point of those cross-shaped twin swords, Ryoji could feel it.
The God of Death was rapidly approaching him! The scent of death had never been so intense!
Not only the swords, but even the "Twin Wings" herself had turned into pure radiance.
Her figure was impossible to see. Her presence, impossible to grasp. Under that unparalleled pressure, the only thing Ryoji could do was instinctively raise his blade and hold it before him in defense.
Clang!
With a crisp, ringing sound, Ryoji suddenly felt the world spin before his eyes. Darkness uncontrollably swallowed his vision.
His consciousness sank as if into a swamp, a buzzing filled his ears, and in the blink of an eye, his ability to think was cut off.
On the battlefield…
As their figures crossed past each other… Fragments of silver fell to the ground, producing a string of clear, ringing sounds.
Ryoji's body hadn't been blasted away, yet his footing faltered, his stance turning unstable.
Arisuin Nagi suddenly choked in shock.
He had seen it clearly.
"Twin Wings" had condensed all her power into a single strike.
She did not strike Ryoji himself; instead, she brought her blade down upon his sword.
The force was perfectly contained. Not a trace of it transferred to Ryoji's body; he wasn't pushed back even a single step. Her control over power had reached absolute perfection.
But Ryoji's blade shattered.
It wasn't cut in two; it was completely pulverized.
That incomparably sturdy Spiritual Item (Device) was shattered by a single strike of the Twin Wings.
A Device is the manifestation of the soul. Once it is destroyed, its master's psyche suffers a tremendous shock, causing them to lose consciousness instantly.
Ryoji's body slowly fell forward.
The battle was over.
There was no suspense in the outcome.
There was no room left to turn things around.
To have fought the Twin Wings to this extent, even against her heavily restrained strength, was already more than enough to be proud of.
…But was this truly the end?
(End of Chapter)
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