Chapter 23

“Pfft!”

But no matter what he thought, it was pointless. In a clash between two Middle-class devils, Shoyo’s physique was overwhelmingly superior! With a single palm strike, he sent Kiba flying into the air.

“Overwhelming martial arts... is this also one of Shoyo-kun’s awakened abilities?” Sona’s glasses glinted with intrigue.

[Heaven-Bestowed Martial Arts]

This was the authority of Rama with the Axe! Also known as Parashurama, he was the sixth avatar of Vishnu, born during the Treta Yuga. “Parashu” meant axe, and thus, his name literally meant “Rama with the Axe.” He had performed an incredible penance for Lord Shiva, and in return, received martial prowess that surpassed heroes. He was granted an axe and the divine authority of war.

The power Shoyo now wielded granted him martial arts that exceeded human limitations, surpassed heroes, and even rivaled gods! Of course, it was still restricted by Shoyo’s current physical capabilities.

“Haaaaaa!”

As Kiba soared through the air, he twisted his body and tried to strike back with an attack of his own.

“Kiba Yuuto-san, you can take a break now,” Shoyo said calmly. With a light smile, he extended his hand upward. In the next instant, his hand collided with Kiba’s demonic sword!

Clang!

The sound of metal rang out.

“He caught the sword... with just his fingers?!”

Ting~

A soft sound followed. The Blade of Salvation, which had been in Shoyo’s other hand, had mysteriously vanished. With slender fingers, Shoyo flicked Kiba’s demonic sword.

Crack~ Crack crack crack!

Starting from the point where his finger touched, the demonic sword began to shatter inch by inch!

“Kiba Yuuto-san, shall I consider you out? I don’t want to go too hard on a girl,” Shoyo said playfully, raising a finger as though to flick her forehead.

“I... I understand,” Kiba replied, her cheeks flushed. She swallowed hard and withdrew the sword, now reduced to just a hilt.

“Everyone, stay alert! Don’t let Shoyo-kun get close!” Akeno Himejima warned while condensing a massive ball of lightning above her head. Together with Shinra Tsubaki, she had set up defensive magic circles on everyone. These barriers could withstand attacks from even Ultimate-class devils without incapacitating the defenders.

But... Kiba had been instantly taken out.

“Kiba-kun, your demonic sword is impressive—but it still has weaknesses,” Shoyo said as Kiba collapsed. “Every weapon has a weak point. Once it’s exposed, even a powerful sword can become fragile.”

“I’ve learned a lot,” Kiba replied with a cough, a flicker of realization in her eyes.

“Hm, and I should be thanking you, too,” Shoyo smiled.

Because…

[Ding!]

[Ding! Bronze-level location sign-in successful!]

[Sign-in location: Kiba Yuuto’s Demonic Sword]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Cat Teaser!]

[Cat Teaser: A legendary tool. Any cat—or creature with feline traits—will be irresistibly drawn to it. It dramatically boosts their affection and docility. Want your little kitten to stop biting? Use the Cat Teaser!]

“Uh...”

Shoyo wrinkled his nose. He’d expected items that would boost his strength, not... this?

Still, maybe it wasn’t useless. It could work on Kuroka or Koneko. And if he ever visited a world like Dog Days, filled with catgirls, this item might just become his greatest asset.

“Shoyo-kun, I didn’t expect you to be this strong. Next, your opponent is me!” Sona’s Rook, Yura Tsubasa, stepped forward and took a fighting stance.

“Shoyo-senpai, me too,” Koneko said as she stepped forward, already wearing her boxing gloves. A Rook combo attack! Koneko hadn’t fully embraced her nekomata heritage yet, so she wasn’t using her powers.

“You should know—Rook defenses are meaningless against me,” Shoyo said with a grin.

Because right now, he was using the authority of [Narasimha the Man-Lion]!

Long ago, Vishnu had taken the form of a wild boar—his third avatar, Varaha—to slay Hiranyaksha, the brother of Hiranyakashipu, and lift the earth back from the ocean. Later, Hiranyakashipu received a boon from Brahma: he could not be killed by man or beast, inside or outside, during the day or night, nor by any weapon.

With what seemed like an invincible body, he went on a rampage across heaven and earth. But his son, Prahlada, remained a devout follower of Vishnu. One day, Hiranyakashipu kicked a pillar and asked, “If your god is everywhere, is he inside this pillar?”

He shouldn’t have said that.

Vishnu emerged from the pillar as Narasimha—half-man, half-lion—and tore Hiranyakashipu apart. It was twilight (neither day nor night), at the doorway (neither inside nor outside), with claws (not a weapon), and he was neither man nor beast.

Narasimha bypassed every loophole. The power Shoyo now used could pierce through all defenses—and teleport to anyone who called him with devotion!

That’s why even the powerful defense magic on Kiba had been useless—Shoyo bypassed it entirely.

“Haaaaaa!”

As Shoyo walked toward the Rooks, powerful magic rained from behind. Shinra Tsubaki unleashed her ice-based magic circle! The Sitri family specialized in such magic, and Tsubaki was a master.

But...

Shoyo didn’t even blink.

He raised his hand casually and waved.

Crack crack... crack crack crack!

The magic circle shattered into starlight and vanished into thin air!

Unlike Kuroka’s spell earlier, which was destroyed by targeting its weak point, Tsubaki’s magic simply ceased to exist.

“It vanished?! Was this the ability Koneko mentioned—one that erased her sister’s magic?” Rias’s eyes gleamed with hope.

Maybe Shoyo really could turn that roasted chicken—uh, Raiser Phenex—into an actual roast chicken!

“I think I see it now,” Sona muttered. “The collapse began precisely at the weak point in our Sitri family’s spell formation... but Shoyo-kun has never studied our techniques.”

“In other words...” Rias swallowed hard. “Shoyo-kun instantly saw or calculated the weak point of your family’s unique magic?”

She was stunned. Had she stumbled on a goldmine?

“I think I finally understand what Ajuka-sama meant,” Sona said softly. A rare tenderness surfaced in her eyes—something she'd never shown a man before.

Shoyo... had lived up to all her expectations.

But...

If only Rias weren’t in the picture, it would be perfect.

The more extraordinary Shoyo became, the more fiercely Sona desired him.


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