Published: July 4, 2025
What is that...?
On the surface, it looks like a person.
A priest clad in shining white robes.
However, everyone present recognizes it.
"That is not a human," they think.
It stands at the center of the arena, but even from the spectator seats, one can feel its 'pressure.'
The Arachne, which should have been frozen, has likely vanished, and perhaps only Ryo noticed it.
Most likely, it was a manifestation using it as a vessel or medium...
Ryo was certain.
"Fallen angel..."
In that instant.
Ryo realized he had made eye contact with the fallen angel.
But in the next moment.
Bang.
The [Ice Wall Multi-Layer Ice 30 Layers] vanished in an instant.
"[Ice Wall Multi-Layer Ice 100 Layers]"
In a panic, he re-cast it with 100 layers.
100 layers was the maximum number he could instantly create...
"It wasn't magic..."
What the fallen angel unleashed earlier, causing the thirty layers of the ice wall to vanish instantly, didn't feel like magic.
"It felt like pure energy... Is that even possible?"
Honestly, he didn't know.
Frankly, he couldn't comprehend it.
But it was right in front of him.
That was the enemy.
If he didn’t deal with it... everyone would die.
That realization was not something only Ryo held.
The stronger the individual, the stronger that realization was.
At the center of the arena, the fallen angel stood.
From the north, Graham and Stefania charged in.
From the east, Nils and Amon attacked.
And from the south... Master McGrath struck.
As if to provide support, a fire attribute magic spell flew in from the south.
It was Robert Pirlo.
However, Robert Pirlo's magic cannon fire vanished just before hitting the fallen angel.
At the moment it ceased to exist, Ryo saw a small light emit briefly, and for an instant, magical power flowed into the fallen angel's arm.
"Could it be... it absorbed it?"
Let’s assume the fallen angel could freely traverse between pure energy and matter.
Magic is... a certain kind of energy.
Honestly, Ryo couldn't say he fully understood all magic, but he did believe it was a form of energy.
Normally, it’s impossible for 'energies to collide.'
If 'matter endowed with energy collides,' that is common.
But what about 'annihilation' in magic?
Unless one accurately understands magic, these issues might be insurmountable...
The swordsmen attacked from three directions.
Their downward strikes were fast, their thrusts sharp, and their slashes left no trace of sword flashes...
Yet...
Clang.
All swords were deflected before they could reach the fallen angel.
They probably understood as well.
No matter how sacred the sword, it wouldn’t reach.
Even so, they had to strike.
The reason was fear.
One warrior against a thousand, seasoned in many battles... even they, or perhaps especially because they were such, could understand the essence of humanity directly appealing through fear.
Driven by fear, they had no choice but to attack.
But, as expected... none of the swords reached.
Ryo remained still.
Even he felt fear towards the fallen angel.
But more than that, he understood.
In this world, swords could not reach it.
That was 'not something that could be defeated.'
If it can't be defeated, then what to do?
Give up?
No!
"There’s no need to defeat it."
Yes.
"Just trap it."
Exactly.
"Seal it."
However, there was a problem.
It was not a material entity.
If it were material, he could simply surround it with matter to trap it.
But that was not the case.
If it traversed between matter and energy... how could it be contained?
He wanted to confine the energy... what methods could accomplish that?
Was there anything?
"There is!"
Ryo raised his head and told Eto.
"I'm going down for a bit!"
"Huh? Ryo?"
"[Water Jet 6]"
The water jet arced and drilled a hole around five meters in diameter.
It was the technique he used when he went to rescue Abel and the others on the fortieth floor of the dungeon.
And without hesitation, Ryo jumped in.
The hole led to...
The first layer.
There were several corpses of templar knights and... coffin-sized alchemy tools.
"[Ice Path]"
He slid the coffin to the center of the hole...
"[Ice Bamboo Shoot]"