The Executioner flinched involuntarily the moment he met the gaze of those heterochromatic eyes. And immediately after, realizing his reaction, he gritted his teeth.
'…Did I just… tense up?'
It was impossible, unacceptable. He was Cheonbuhoe's undefeated warrior. He wouldn't be unnerved by meeting the gaze of an opponent on his level, let alone the Cheonbuhoe leader, whom he had long since acknowledged!
'…It was just a momentary surprise. I was just startled by the unexpected.'
He rationalized, took another step forward, glared at the beast-masked figure, and quickly analyzed the cause of his surprise.
'Only his eyes changed. The rest of him is still frozen in time. …But how could he keep up with my timeline without any contact?'
Then, he noticed something different. The strange energy his opponent had emitted earlier. It had spread to where he was, encroaching on the space.
'Is it because of this energy?'
He wasn't certain, but delaying any longer was dangerous. It was just the eyes now, but this variable could grow. And if that happened…
'…This could be troublesome. I need to finish this quickly.'
Before the variable grew any larger. He changed his approach. He had intended to subdue him for interrogation, but he couldn't afford to be leisurely now. It was better to finish him off quickly, even if it meant pushing himself.
Lava-like energy gathered in his right hand.
'I should avoid overexerting myself in this timeline, but… it can't be helped. I need to eliminate him and leave.'
As he manipulated the immense energy in stopped time, the strain on his body, maintaining his unique skill, increased. Until now, he had been using his ability without much burden thanks to his high rank and Greater Demon body, but having crossed a certain threshold, the absolute law of 'time' began to affect him as well.
'I'll take at least one arm with this!'
If he kept severing his limbs one by one, even a monster with exceptional reflexes wouldn't be able to react. And the greater the accumulated damage, the longer the regeneration time, leading to a one-sided slaughter.
Ptoo!
His grotesque hand, glowing with lava-like energy, pierced the giant's chest, and blood splattered. But the Executioner's expression wasn't pleased. His opponent's usual pattern was to react instantly and minimize the damage when his vital points were attacked…
'He deliberately exposed his vital point? …No!'
But his realization came too late.
Crack
As if waiting for it, the surrounding biological tissues enveloped his right hand that had pierced the chest. Rapidly growing bones shackled his wrist, tough muscles coiled around his arm like chains, and endlessly multiplying flesh adhered like glue. Although most of the cells necrotized due to the destructive energy in his hand, it still momentarily stopped his attack.
Grab!
And that brief moment was enough.
"Keuh! Gotcha—!"
Harley's large hands grabbed the right arm that was about to be severed.
Time began to move again.
[You crazy bastard! Even with your regeneration, you won't recover from this easily! And you took that head-on?!]
When the slowed time finally returned to its normal flow,
A beast-masked giant with a large hole in his chest and a demon, his arm caught, unable to escape as before, remained.
[Ha! You can't hold me forever. Do you think I rely only on my unique skill?!]
Rumble!
A thick energy emanated from the Executioner. Although he was using his skill now, he usually preferred his demonic powers. Even with Harley's incredible vitality, he couldn't match him after having his vital points, including his heart, destroyed and his power reduced.
"Kuahahaha! Vital points? I don't know what you're talking about!"
Of course, Harley hadn't acted thoughtlessly.
"Wow~ what a coincidence! I just happened to rearrange my internal organs!"
[…What?]
"I just felt like doing it, and this happened! Kuahahaha!"
He had never been hit in his vital points before. His heart, liver, stomach, lungs, and other vital organs, which should have been in his chest, were scattered throughout his body, in his lower abdomen and thighs. As if he had anticipated where he would be attacked.
'Tsk, I thought something felt strange. Did I overlook it because of his monstrous body?'
The Executioner finally realized. That this monster only looked human; it had none of the common traits of a humanoid creature. He had been caught up in his preconceived notions while acknowledging his opponent's physical prowess.
Rumble!
The two beings clashed at close range. Their energies collided violently. No, it wasn't just energy.
[Let go! You leech!]
"Kuahaha! Don't be shy, friend! I love a good fight, let's have some fun!"
[You…!]
"What's wrong? Didn't you want a life-or-death battle? A true duel where bodies and souls collide, blood and death splattering everywhere! Kuh! A man's fight!"
A close-quarters brawl, using arms, legs, wings, and tails. A fierce exchange between the one trying to escape and the one trying to hold on. The Executioner, as he boasted, was no pushover, even without his unique skill. He had vast combat experience, and the burning energy overflowing from his body was enough to melt Harley's tough skin. His demon body, optimized for combat, was a weapon in itself.
"Now then—"
But he had the misfortune of facing an expert in this field. He struggled like a boxer caught in a wrestler's hold, but Harley, with all his power concentrated in his single body, endured all attacks and steadily broke down his opponent.
"—shall we have a bite while you're still fresh?"
[Ugh—! You monster!]
I'm starving because of you.
Harley opened his mouth wide, his sharp teeth sinking into the demon's tough scales.
This wasn't his first time encountering a time-related ability. He had experienced it while defeating the Cheonbuhoe leader who invaded Auterica.
'The details are different, but the general framework is similar.'
Heinrich, who had plunged his holy sword into his chest, had briefly shared the stopped time before the leader used what seemed to be a time reversal ability. Thanks to the holy power that entered his body through the holy sword.
'It's no different from back then.'
He used abyssal madness instead of holy power, and spatial encroachment instead of direct infusion. Of course, it wouldn't have been possible without his previous success against a far stronger opponent.
'The hurdle is lower since it's an ability used by someone of the same rank.'
Strictly speaking, his unique skill wasn't stopping 'the world's time'. If it were, his other avatars in different dimensions would have noticed. The mechanism of his ability was stepping outside the world's timeline. Although there wasn't much practical difference, there was plenty of room for mystical intervention.
'The burden on his body from using that ability must be substantial. He must have chosen demonization to mitigate it.'
Heinrich narrowed his eyes, calmly analyzing and observing the fight between the Executioner and Harley.
Rumble!
The artificially created space distorted from the energy storm, as if screaming. Even a space constructed by a mid-level Transcendent using magic tools couldn't withstand the aftershocks of the clash between higher-ranked beings.
'He landed a blow… but he's not going down easily.'
The Executioner, his right arm restrained and forced to endure Harley's devouring. But even at a disadvantage, he didn't collapse easily. He cut off his captured arm and used Time Stop again the moment Harley created an opening for his devouring.
'And he regenerated his arm immediately. He's also become more cautious in using his ability, so the same trick won't work… But the resistance he gained from being devoured by 「Gluttony」 is a good result.'
That resistance included resistance to Time Stop. Thanks to that, Harley could now maintain his consciousness in the stopped time without any effort. Although he couldn't move freely like his opponent yet, the possibility was increasing, so he had achieved his primary goal.
'We'll maximize his time resistance and prepare countermeasures.'
That was the main reason Harley insisted on fighting the Executioner one-on-one. Heinrich could easily handle him. But Harley, fighting him directly, was more efficient in gaining experience and building resistance against 'time'. That was his nature as an 「Ultimate Evolved Lifeform」.
'The Cheonbuhoe leader's power is probably related to spacetime. It's fortunate that I encountered the Executioner, a lesser version, before facing him.'
The Executioner had no choice but to use his ability against Harley's relentless attacks. Harley's body became increasingly battered as his resistance wasn't perfect yet, but the 'adaptation' progress was rapidly increasing, so it wasn't a bad situation.
"Kuahahaha! You were holding back? Let's have some more fun, friend!"
[Endless. Where did a monster like you come from?]
"That's rich, coming from a demon! Monsters and demons are the same thing!"
[I'll cut off your head this time. Let's see you talk then!]
The Executioner was gaining the upper hand against Harley, utilizing Time Stop. It seemed the presence of a unique skill was the deciding factor, even if their ranks were similar. Harley, a product of the unique skill 「Avatar」, didn't have a trump card like that.
"Struggle… struggle…"
Heinrich, observing the fight with a cold gaze, chuckled softly. The irony was clear.
'He doesn't want a struggle, but a safe thrill.'
His ability itself was a contradiction. A life-or-death struggle with a safety net? It was like riding a roller coaster with safety devices, enjoying a brief thrill.
'Perhaps that's why he enjoys more dangerous situations.'
He glanced at the fight and turned away. Neither side would fall easily, so there was no need for him to watch. Heinz II, who could grasp the flow of causality, was enough to monitor the situation.
"Now then…"
Harris was already analyzing the spatial lock, a combination of various skills, even utilizing 「Eight Trigrams Heavenly Flight (Modified)」, which countered formation-type barriers. His magic-based avatars, Hans the Lich King and Horus the dragon, were also working on it, so they should find a solution.
"…I should take care of the rest."
A brilliant light blade emerged from his holy sword. His six wings unfolded, and an aura radiated from him, so dense that it even neutralized the aftershocks from the demon's fight. Some, watching the transcendent battle, turned to look at him, sensing his presence.
"I need to hurry. There are still six left."
He glanced at them and shrugged. This was Angel Heinrich's first real battle on Earth.
"…What is this…?"
Ann muttered blankly at the sudden turn of events. She had used 'Fate Manipulation' out of desperation, never expecting this.
'…Masquerade?'
She had already been impressed by the help provided through Ken. Observing this place from afar was no easy feat. But this was far beyond her expectations!
'Someone capable of facing the Executioner head-on? And there's more than one…?'
She gulped,
And hope, which had withered, began to bloom again.
And as if to symbolize the hope sprouting within her,
Whoosh
Along with a dazzling light,
An angel descended upon the earth.