At Ren Senior Academy, Kuto stepped onto the vast battlefield.
"…This place is huge," Kuto muttered, his eyes scanning the endless stretch of cracked stone.
Yan Zhuo smiled proudly, spreading his arms.
"This battlefield is reserved for power clashes. Legends were born here. Gods have fallen on this ground."
Before Kuto could respond—
The sky split open.
A massive portal tore through the heavens, and figures stepped out one after another—Divine Realm gods and Holy Realm elites, their gazes cold as they looked down upon the battlefield.
The Holy Realm Master narrowed his eyes.
"So this is the boy who stood beside him… the one responsible for killing Divine Realm gods."
More portals opened.
The sky darkened under their presence.
Kuto exhaled slowly.
"…Looks like we're in trouble."
A surge of ancient power erupted.
Astra Omnion emerged from Yan Zhuo's ring, his soul-form blazing with cosmic light. His presence alone forced the gods to stagger, their knees trembling.
"You really came here… just to die by my hands?" Astra said calmly.
The Divine Realm Master released his own cosmic pressure, pushing back.
"A mere soul dares stand before me?"
Before Astra could reply—
Another portal opened.
Reality itself screamed.
A woman stepped out, her cosmic energy tearing space and time apart. The battlefield warped under her presence. Even the gods froze.
Her beauty was overwhelming.
Her power—absolute terror.
"Long time no see, Astra," she said softly.
Astra looked up, rolling his eyes.
"…I was having a good day before you showed up."
Erlin Nova smiled and stepped forward, placing herself protectively in front of Astra, Yan Zhuo, and Kuto.
"You're still funny," she said—then her gaze turned deadly as she looked at the gods.
The Holy Realm Leader laughed and released his power.
"You think you can defeat all of us?"
Snap.
A Divine Realm god vanished—his existence erased in an instant.
Silence fell.
Erlin smiled gently.
"I'm absolutely sure."
Astra turned away, closing his eyes.
"…Both of you, turn around. Close your eyes and ears. What happens next isn't something you can process."
Yan Zhuo and Kuto obeyed immediately.
"I hope this ends well," Kuto whispered. "Or we'll have to call Rien."
Astra's eyes snapped open.
"…Rien? Rien Kinohutsu?"
Kuto nodded.
"He's incredibly strong."
Astra smiled faintly.
"So… Rien really found friends."
Behind them—
Hell unfolded.
Erlin appeared before a goddess and struck once.
The battlefield shook as the goddess collapsed, erased beyond recovery.
"This… this is terrifying…" a god whispered.
Erlin appeared before him instantly.
He never finished his sentence.
Panic spread.
The gods tried to flee—but a void barrier sealed the battlefield.
"I didn't allow anyone to leave," Erlin said coldly.
A god slammed into the barrier—and disintegrated.
Erlin burned the traces of battle from her hands.
"Who's next?" she asked calmly.
"And don't touch the barrier—your body won't survive it."
The Divine Realm Master roared.
"I am omnipotent! I exist everywhere!"
Erlin vanished.
Time slowed.
She appeared before him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's test that."
Existence shattered.
The Divine Realm Master ceased to be.
With his death, the remaining gods were erased from reality itself.
Only the Holy Realm members remained—frozen in terror.
"You're last," Erlin said to the Holy Realm Leader.
He attacked.
She caught his fist effortlessly.
Moments later, he collapsed, powerless and broken.
"Don't worry," Erlin said quietly.
"No one outside this void can see or sense what happens here."
She formed a blade of cosmic energy.
"You won't be needing these anymore."
When it was over, only silence remained.
Erlin snapped her fingers.
The battlefield was cleansed—every trace of battle erased.
She removed the barrier and turned back to Astra, Yan Zhuo, and Kuto.
"Everything's set," she said, smiling cutely.
Astra sighed.
"…I know."
Kuto stepped forward, grinning.
"Well, I'm Kuto Haraki. Best friend of Rien Kinohutsu. And I'm single."
Erlin paused, amused.
"My work's done," she said.
"But you're quite handsome, kid."
She vanished.
Astra returned to the ring.
Later, Shuan Master arrived.
"The meeting is over, Kuto. We're heading to Xiya Clan."
Yan Zhuo waved goodbye—until a girl appeared.
"Hello, Yue Xiya," he said nervously.
She grabbed his ear instantly.
"We have many things to talk about."
On the other side of the empire, Rien sat calmly beside Lan Xia, his presence steady and unshaken.
"We must unite every major power clan of the Han-Huo Empire," Rien said evenly. "After the war with the Soul Organisation, we cannot afford even the smallest internal conflict."
The surrounding clan masters exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.
"We understand," one of them spoke with resolve. "We will begin gathering the power clans immediately. The Soul Organisation must be crushed completely."
Tian Master stepped forward, clasping his hands in respect before leading the others away.
As the hall slowly emptied, Lan Xia turned toward Rien, her expression soft but worried.
"I hope Kuto and Shuan Master remain safe," she said quietly.
Rien smiled—calm, confident, absolute.
"Don't worry," he replied. "No one in this existence can lay a hand on them."
Elsewhere, beyond mortal boundaries, Erlin stepped into the Immortal Realm. Before her stood her duplicate—identical in form, yet different in aura.
"So," the duplicate asked, eyes sharp, "how was your battle?"
Erlin nodded slowly. "Impressive. But Rien has crossed a dangerous line. Destroying the entire Holy Realm and Divine Realm goes against the Writer's rules. Against fate itself."
She paused, her voice lowering. "I fear the Writer may try to erase Rien."
The duplicate chuckled softly, a confident smile forming.
"Impossible," she said. "No Writer can kill a character who stands beyond the story."
"No one… can defeat Rien."
Erlin nodded slowly before absorbing her duplicate back into herself. She then settled onto the throne, her posture calm yet absolute.
"I hope so," Erlin said quietly, her gaze lifting toward the Cosmic Sphere floating before her.
At that moment, the cosmic energy in the chamber began to surge violently. Waves of shimmering power flooded the air, growing denser and heavier with each passing second, as if reality itself was being pressured by her presence.
"No one can defeat Rien," she declared coldly.
As her words echoed, her cosmic energy erupted without restraint, pouring out in massive torrents. The entire room trembled under its force, walls glowing with distorted light as space warped around her throne, completely engulfed by her overwhelming power.