—–

“T-They’re here— Aaaagh!”

General Rex, a half-dinosaur Metahuman, groaned in agony as Louis’s white-scaled claws pierced his chest. Louis grasped his heart and crushed it, then dropped the lifeless body to the ground.

“He got General Rex!”

“D-Damn bastards!”

“They’ve broken through the last Wall of Defenses!”

“If they breach the Capital, it’s over for humanity!”

The four remaining heroes of the Justice Brotherhood stood before Louis and the rest of House Frostbane. Their fifth member, General Rex, had just perished after attempting to stop them from advancing further.

A Level 5.2 Entity, General Rex had been an immensely strong foe, capable of shapeshifting into gigantic chimeric humanoid dinosaurs. He posed a great threat to anyone who was not House Frostbane. Although it had still taken them a few minutes to kill him, they had finally reached the end.

General Rex was a well-respected general of Central City’s military. He had accidentally bonded with an Ancient Prehistoric Relic and transformed into a shapeshifting, Jurassic Metahuman. He was the one who had created the Superhero System in this world. Now, in the eyes of the last members of the Justice Brotherhood, he was dead.

“Hmm, it seems we have finally reached the last line of defense,” Louis said.

It had been a day and a half since they entered the dungeon. The group had passed through three and a half cities, killing over a dozen powerful Superheroes who had grown progressively stronger.

Deep Sea King, Phoenix Man, Immortal Sorcerer, and Columbia now stood before Louis and House Frostbane.

Louis had paid close attention to every superhero he fought. Their information always revealed backstories that allowed him to exploit their weaknesses more effectively.

[Deep Sea King (Level 5.4 Entity)]

Jack Seafarer, the lost son of Poseidon, had been raised by fishermen until he awakened to his divine lineage after being swallowed by the sea during a violent storm. After awakening in Atlantis and claiming his throne, he gained the power to manipulate the seas, command any sea life, and become the oceans themselves. Recently, he had even summoned the Legendary Poseidon Trident, becoming far more powerful.

[Phoenix Man (Level 5.3 Entity)]

Jake Hiroku, a lost descendant of an Ancient Phoenix Sect from Japan, had been kidnapped by ninjas at sixteen and used as a vessel for the Vermillion Bird to restore his clan’s glory. The possession went wrong, however, and Jake regained control midway, now existing alongside the Vermillion Bird inside his body. Since then, he had returned to America after destroying the Ancient Phoenix Sect and had fought crime as a young superhero for a decade. He was renowned for his ability to turn into a giant burning phoenix, become flames themselves, manipulate all fire, and revive up to nine times before growing weak enough to die—something that had never happened.

[Immortal Sorcerer (Level 5.5 Entity)]

Rallus Saban, an elderly scholar from the fourteenth century, had discovered forbidden arcane texts in an abandoned library said to have belonged to the Ancient Magician Merlin. He achieved pseudo-immortality by inscribing thousands of runes across his body, which also served as the source of his immense magical power. He possessed the entirety of Merlin’s library and knew thousands of different spells, capable of solving most problems with a mere snap of his fingers.

[Columbia (Level 5.6 Entity)]

Helena Heartfelt, the leader of the Justice Brotherhood and the strongest hero currently standing, had once been a simple museum curator. During a terrorist attack, she touched an ancient artifact known as the Star-Spangled Relic. The relic bonded with her, granting superhuman strength, flight, energy shields, and the ability to manifest the “Spirit of Columbia”—the living, breathing Divine Spirit of North America itself, born from the collective consciousness of all Americans. As the Avatar of a new goddess, she was incredibly powerful and considered nearly invincible. However, she drew her power from Americans themselves and their belief that their country would have a better future.

The four heroes floated above the shattered remains of the final defensive wall. Their costumes were torn and bloodied, and their eyes burned with a mixture of grief and unyielding resolve.

“You… you monsters!” Columbia’s voice trembled with rage as she stared at General Rex’s dissolving corpse. “He dedicated his life to protecting this world! And you slaughtered him like an animal!”

Louis wiped the golden Fantasium dust from his white claws, his expression calm and detached. “He was never alive to begin with. None of you were. You are well-written puppets, I will give you that. But puppets nonetheless. Do not worry. I will absorb this entire dungeon later. If I can find a way to revive you all, I will do it. You would prove to be great assets.”

Phoenix Man clenched his flaming fists, his body overflowing with divine flames as a giant pair of burning wings sprouted from his back. “I don’t understand their language, and that is something when I have Spirit Talk! Even alien races can be understood with such an ability, and yet…! I don’t understand them! What sort of aliens are these?! Where do they come from?!”

“Hmm…” The Immortal Sorcerer’s eyes scanned countless books as he floated in midair, completely covered in golden robes. “I cannot completely understand them, but… I believe they are Higher Dimensional beings!”

“What does that mean, Sorcerer?!” Columbia asked as she manifested a pair of giant energy shields decorated with stars. Her long cape, patterned after the American flag, fluttered behind her muscular, beautiful body.

“It means they are beings from a higher dimension than us, making them immensely more powerful! It is almost as if their very molecular density is different from ours!” the sorcerer said. “This is ridiculous! They have immense magical signatures as well… T-They even dwarf Merlin, my mentor!”

“What?!” the rest of the heroes gasped as they saw Louis and House Frostbane approaching.

“No matter, they are coming! We must stop them!” Deep Sea King roared. “Columbia! Lead the way! We must protect Central City at all costs!”

“I know,” Columbia nodded. Her aura surged as she unleashed all of her divinity at once. The giant figure of the Goddess of North America manifested behind her alongside the American flag. She had fully powered up, her level rising all the way to 6. “We will destroy you and avenge General Rex! Justice Brotherhood, CHARGE!”

“OOOHHHH!”

All four of them roared mightily. Their divine and magical auras exploded as they rushed toward Louis and House Frostbane. Louis smiled proudly and nodded, moving his hand forward.

“Go. Have no mercy. I will take care of Columbia. She seems decently strong.”

Louis sent the members of House Frostbane toward the heroes, dividing them accordingly.

Selene and Melisa went against Phoenix Man.

Timothy and Zorba went against Deep Sea King.

Anastasia and Agustina went after the Immortal Sorcerer.

Meanwhile, Mirai stayed behind Louis, ready to help him fight Columbia.

RUMBLE!

Explosions erupted immediately as the factions clashed. Phoenix Man unleashed all of his flames at once, creating a massive pillar of fire that engulfed half the city, which had already been evacuated by the heroes.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

“You cannot touch me, children! Go home!”

He roared mightily. The cry of a phoenix echoed behind him as it spread its massive, blazing wings.

At the same time, Selene and Melisa exuded their Fantasium Auras, combining them with their Qi Cultivation and more, piercing straight through the flames.

“Huh?!”

“Divine Beast Claws!”

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

Phoenix Man was caught off guard. He had underestimated the two girls for their young appearance.

SLAAASH!

“Gaaaack?!”

Selene seized the opportunity, cutting through his entire body and beheading him with a fifth strike!

“D-Damn it!”

However, with nine lives at his disposal, he swiftly reformed his blazing body. He quickly summoned blazing feathers, fireballs, and beams, firing them at the girls.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

Entire skyscrapers and buildings exploded, shattering across the metropolitan city as some bystanders who had dared to stay behind screamed and ran.

“There are still people?! Run away! What are you doing here— Aaack?!”

In that moment, a giant glowing spear of light pierced his heart. Melisa, her eyes no longer innocent but gleaming with newfound sharpness, appeared behind him.

“Y-You…!”

The spear she wielded was her Soul Treasure, forged by the Heaven Spear Sect and Louis himself. He had cut a small piece of Gungnir and fused it with various materials, creating a “Child Soul Treasure”—a descendant or clone of Gungnir with its own unique characteristics, more angelic and perfectly attuned to Melisa.

And that was not all. White scales grew around her body, golden horns sprouted from her forehead, and a tail and dragon wings merged with her feathered wings. The power of the White Dragon Bloodline that Louis had fed her activated, further empowering her!

“Heavenly Dragon Spear Arts!”

“Holy Dragon Ascent!”

“ROOOAAARRR!”

“What?! Dragon— AAAGGH!”

BOOOMMM!!!

Melisa’s eyes gleamed with draconic and angelic light, her aura surging and compacting around her small body.

She was barely twelve years old now, but she had grown tremendously since her days as a timid little child. Because she refused to remain someone Louis and the others had to protect, a burden, she and Selene had trained and cultivated relentlessly all this time.

“T-This is ridiculous. How strong are they?!”

Phoenix Man reformed his body, only for Selene to appear in her giant werewolf form. Her golden fur gleamed brightly. Her head, once skull-like but now covered in flesh and fur, showed a pair of golden horns and two additional golden eyes above her red ones.

“RAAAAHHHH!”

With a mighty beastly and draconic roar, she swung her scale-covered golden claws, tearing Phoenix Man to shreds once more!

“Divine Beast Claw – Myriad Slashes!”

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

“Uuuogh?! I-I need to create some space! They are too close! I have to…!”

Phoenix Man rapidly reformed again as he saw the two girls closing in from front and back. In desperation, not wanting to lose so many lives so quickly, he transformed into a giant phoenix and exploded all of his power at once.

“B-BURN! I DON’T CARE IF YOU ARE KIDS ANYMORE!!!”

BOOOMMM!!!

Flames surged everywhere, burning and completely melting everything within a five-hundred-meter radius. Entire buildings and the few people who had remained burned to ashes and disappeared.

And yet…

“Thankfully Agustina’s Spirit Soul Armor came in clutch!” Melisa smiled.

“Yeah, she already made anti-fire armor, so this anti-element armor is even better!” Selene nodded.

The reason for the girls’ confidence lay in the powerful Anti-Element Armor that Agustina had crafted for everyone.

“Huh?!”

Phoenix Man realized there was an ethereal, semi-transparent armor covering their bodies, which greatly reduced the damage his flames caused.

What was more, the winged girl possessed healing powers capable of not only healing herself from any burn but also healing her friend. She could even conjure barriers and buffs that enhanced both of them dramatically.

“Shall we resume?” Selene grinned, showing her canine fangs.

“Yeah, let’s finish this!” Melisa nodded.

“You don’t know who you’re messing with! I am the vessel of the Vermillion Bird!” Phoenix Man screamed. “I AM A GOD!!!”

RUMBLE!

His aura exploded, dividing into dozens—no, hundreds—of giant blazing birds that flew toward the girls and endlessly bombarded them with explosions.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

“He divided himself?!” Selene wondered.

“That way we cannot find his true body. That is smart, I guess…” Melisa said.

“Yeah, but I can sniff him!” Selene’s big wolf nose sniffed the air, even through the sulfurous smell.

“There!” She rushed toward the true body like a lightning bolt, clashing against it and sending him flying down into the crater below.

CRAAASH!

“Gaaaahaaa?!”

As he vomited blood, Melisa descended with her Angelic Spear, Samael, piercing his chest and exploding his body into molten fire.

BOOOMMM!!!

“Guaaaaack?!”

Phoenix Man exploded, but his body rapidly regenerated. Selene rushed down to kill him again, but he turned into a giant burning hand and grabbed Melisa tightly.

“GIRL OR NOT… I’LL BURN YOU!”

He aimed to crush Melisa and burn her to cinders!

“Nnngghh…!”

Her armor resisted well, but could Melisa herself withstand the immense pressure accumulating in his giant fiery hand?

Well…

“Divine Beast Claws – Heaven Slash!”

SLAAAASH!

“Huh?!”

Selene was stronger than he had ever imagined. Charging energy in her right hand, she unleashed an immensely powerful white cutting attack, slicing him into two, then four, six, eight, ten, twenty, forty, fifty, and finally a hundred pieces!

“AAAAAGGGHH!”

Phoenix Man screamed as Melisa and Selene continued torturing him, preventing him from unleashing his full power and killing him faster than he thought possible.

At the same time…

RUMBLE!

SPLAAASH!

A tsunami drowned half the city as a titan made of flowing azure water roared, thrusting his trident against two other giants facing him.

One was a gigantic undead titan made of bones, rotten flesh, demonic flames, and ancient technology, a monstrosity refined through effort and time: Zorba’s Hecatoncheires in its ultimate form.

By its side stood a giant made of wood, vines, and plants, exuding immense life force and holding two massive axes—the complete opposite of Zorba’s creation. This was Timothy’s largest form.

“You think you two can compare to the King of the Sea?! I will drown you to death!”

The Deep Sea King roared, raising his trident as two enormous bubbles of azure water surged into the skies, trapping both titans and beginning to crush them under immense pressure.

“Heh… Hahahaha! How weak!”

The superhero known as Deep Sea King was among the strongest in the world. Only the fact that he was far from the sea kept him from being at full power.

However…

RUMBLE!

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

Both bubbles exploded as the giants freed themselves easily. Timothy appeared behind the titan, his two golden axes cutting through it.

At the same time, Zorba’s death powers sought the soul of the superhero, aiming straight for the core of his ethereal water body.

“What are you trying to— Ah!”

Deep Sea King panicked as a giant ghostly scythe targeted his glowing divine core. At the same time, Timothy’s ever-growing wooden and plant body absorbed the seawater and bloomed even further, spreading all across him.

“W-Wha…?!”

As the scythe was about to cut through his divine core—something no one should have been able to detect—his eyes gleamed.

“KRAKEN’S FURY!”

RUMBLE!

His entire body suddenly shifted, turning into a titanic kraken and smashing both foes away with massive tentacles, throwing them across the city.

“Hahaaa… T-That was close!”

The Deep Sea King rapidly shifted forms again, becoming a giant shark and rushing toward the two of them. He opened his jaws and bit into Hecatoncheires’ shoulder.

CRUNCH!

However, Zorba smiled. His titan swung its fists, punching the life out of the Deep Sea King. Each blow cursed his body and drained his life force and soul essence!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

“Nnnngghh?!”

Timothy followed, his two axes splitting through the giant shark body. Blood and guts splattered everywhere as the Deep Sea King screamed in agony.

“Kuuaaaaaagghhhh!”

However, he turned back to water, becoming a living ocean and expanding into dozens of sea creatures at once, swarming both foes.

“I AM THE KING OF ATLANTIS! BOW YOUR HEADS, LAND DWELLERS!!!”

With fury and might, the Deep Sea King unleashed his endless barrage, which he called “Sea’s Wrath,” attacking his two foes without pause.

“Nnnggh!”

“Hahah!”

Timothy groaned while Zorba found it amusing and laughed. Their giants rapidly began to be torn to shreds, pieces flying everywhere as millions of sharks and other sea beasts devoured them.

Until…

BOOOMMM!!!

Both exploded into pieces and collapsed!

“Haaa… I-I did it…”

The Deep Sea King rapidly reformed his true body. He was completely exhausted. Dividing himself into so many creatures was not only tiring but nearly impossible to maintain for long.

“Phoenix Man is struggling?! I should go help him. That damn kid doesn’t—”

“Abyssal Undead Rebirth.”

“Nature’s Wrath.”

“…?!”

RUMBLE!

Before the Deep Sea King could react, the pieces of Zorba’s undead creation and Timothy’s giant came back to life with fury. They merged into a single giant made of abyssal wood and undead parts, plants and corpses, life and death as one.

It was mostly by accident that they ended up working together. Zorba and Timothy had never gotten along, after all. If anything, they hated each other.

But that did not stop them from carrying out their lord’s orders.

“A-Ah…! W-Wait…! WAIT!”

The Deep Sea King panicked and screamed as his divine core was grasped—something nobody should have been able to see or even touch, the true heart of a demigod such as him.

His true weakness!

Grasped tightly by a hand made of bones, corpses, and black wood, the sharp claws pressed down. The core gained countless cracks.

Crack, crack…!

“WAAAAAAIT!”

The Deep Sea King was completely powerless as he begged for mercy.

But Zorba had none, and Timothy simply let him do as he wished.

Thus.

CRASH!

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!”

His Divine Core shattered into thousands of pieces. His Fantasium Heart died alongside it as the Deep Sea King’s entire existence burst into an explosion of water and divine power.

BOOOMMM!!!

A quarter of the city was completely leveled. Thousands of people who had been running away died because of it.

Timothy watched with eyes full of sorrow but shook his head, knowing this was a fake world.

Zorba, on the other hand, reveled in the destruction and laughed.

“Hahahaha! A Divine Core! It’s mine! Hecatoncheires, evolve!”

He laughed as he implanted the shattered core into his giant undead, infusing it with even more power. Divinity coursed through the undead’s body. The Deep Sea King’s Divinity of the Deep Seas manifested within the massive titanic undead, turning into black and abyssal water mixed with shadows.

“Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA!”

As he laughed evilly, he charged toward Phoenix Man, attacking him with the power of the Deep Sea King.

SPLAAASH!

Selene and Melisa, who had been handling Phoenix Man well but were beginning to grow tired, seized the opportunity. They killed him several times in a row as his flames were extinguished by the divine seawater.

“GAAAAHHHH!”

As this occurred, Columbia fought Louis and Mirai while the Immortal Sorcerer battled Anastasia and Agustina.

Both were gruesome and explosive battles.

“You are hopelessly insolent. I am a great mage. Surrender or die.”

“Surrendering is not part of our vocabulary, old man.”

“Let us finish him off quickly. He is tricky!”

Anastasia swung her sword against him while Agustina conjured endless weapons from her armory.

And what did he do?

He conjured endless spells, weaving hundreds of them together into enormous supernatural phenomena.

He was not known as the third strongest, right below Columbia, for nothing.

RUMBLE!

In a second, Anastasia and Agustina found themselves burning in an endless hell of fire.

Then they crashed into a frozen landscape, nearly freezing to death.

Afterward, they drowned in the deep sea.

Flames once again.

Then ice again.

Sea.

Void.

“Ugh?!”

“Ack!”

Both found themselves floating in the black void of space, unable to breathe while their bodies dried and froze.

Then countless golden chains emerged from the stars on the horizon, wrapping around their bodies and slowing them down.

Later, a giant burning sword reached Agustina and a freezing spear aimed at Anastasia.

At the same time, another portal opened above them and thousands of dragon maws opened, unleashing hundreds of elemental breath attacks.

And as if that were not enough, everything was distorted into a giant black hole as they were being torn apart.

And if that still was not enough, time itself stopped for them as they became unable to move.

Yes.

This was what it meant to be Merlin’s Apprentice.

“It was futile from the beginning…”

The Immortal Sorcerer smoked from a pipe as he watched Anastasia and Agustina being murdered, torn to shreds, agonizing in despair and unable to fight back.

“That is the power of a true sorcerer. Know it well as your souls descend to Hades.”

And yet…

“Weak.”

“Way too weak.”

“…?”

His eyes widened. An enormous shockwave of raw Fantasium shattered through all the spells at once, breaking them apart and making them disappear.

“W-Wha…?! They used their raw energy and power to just break through all spells?!”

The Immortal Sorcerer could not believe it.

Like an illusion, like a mirror reflecting something fake, it shattered.

“Gaaahaa?!”

And he suffered the backlash. His entire body rattled, his runes began to flicker and weaken as he vomited blood.

“I-Impossible!”

He fell to his knees as he saw both women rushing at him.

Anastasia did not waste any time.

“Heaven-Splitting Frozen Blade Heart.”

“Fourth Form.”

“Horizon Splitting Blade.”

An inevitable, cold slash came rushing at him.

The sorcerer gripped his staff tightly. His grimoires activated in that split second.

He immediately shifted the entirety of the space around the girls, aiming to do the same as before.

But.

CRAAASH!

A giant blazing hammer shattered everything, big enough to cover the skies.

His eyes widened as Agustina unleashed her full power.

Spiritual fire spread everywhere. Metal forged into thousands of weapons.

And they rained down in a single natural disaster forged from steel and fire.

The sorcerer resisted the rain using his magic. Agustina was unable to break through his defenses!

However…

SLAAAASH!

“G-Gaaahhh?!”

He was cut into two halves by Anastasia’s sword.

He smirked even then, using his runes to quickly put himself back together.

Yeah.

He still had a long way to go! So much more to fight! He was not going to die so easily!

He was going to make them suffer and die alongside him if he had to—

BOOOMMM!!!

Or not.

“E-Eh?”

His last fragments of consciousness saw his entire body explode into thousands of frozen fragments.

In the time he had activated his runes to regenerate and fuse back his two halves, the ice had spread so fast that it completely froze him.

Then Agustina’s weapon rain crushed him to dust.

The Immortal Sorcerer…

Was dead!

Columbia suffered as she felt the presences of her fellow superheroes fading away one after another. Tears streamed from her eyes as her rage and sorrow made her stronger.

“HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US?! WHO ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!”

Louis did not even bother talking with her. She could not understand anything he said.

“YOU WILL PAY! FOR MY COMRADES!”

The once museum curator was now a guardian of justice, someone who represented her entire country, the second strongest superhero in the world, only below the strongest.

Yes, the strongest… who resided in Central City.

The largest city of this world with the most people, protected by a single superhero.

The pinnacle of this world!

And yet, she was its guardian, along with the rest of the Justice Brotherhood.

Columbia could not falter. She had made a promise.

“I won’t go down no matter what…!”

Even when she was battered by Louis’s almighty spear attacks, each thrust shattering her divine shields and forcing her to push back.

And even when the chaos and demonic flames of Mirai burned her entire body, a divine, pure white radiance manifested from her heart.

From her American Heart!

“As long as Americans still have hope, as long as we Americans still dream…! I will never fall… NEVER!”

She roared. Her aura exploded into white, blue, and red colors, converging into a golden eagle that let out a loud, menacing cry.

“RISING EAGLE…”

RUMBLE!

She rose into the skies. Her entire body bulged with muscles, her long blonde hair waving in the wind as her blue eyes gleamed with fiery red, white, and azure flames.

“SMASH!!!”

BOOOMMM!!!

Louis was caught in the attack. His eyes widened as he was sent flying into the stratosphere with that single continent-level strike.

“Haaa…!”

Columbia released steam from her entire body. Tattoos showing the American flag appeared across her skin as her aura exploded with the hope and dreams of all Americans.

She glared at Mirai, who was surprised, her mouth wide open.

“You cannot defeat me! You may humiliate my comrades, but…! The True American Spirit, Columbia herself, the goddess born from people’s dreams, hopes, and tears…! Will never fall!!!”

RUMBLE!

She kicked the ground and shattered it, reaching Mirai. Her fists moved at lightning speed. Each time she missed a hit, a giant eagle emerged and struck Mirai, bombarding her with explosions.

If she avoided the explosions, an attack strong enough to send her to the moon awaited.

Which one was Mirai going to take?

The answer was…

None.

“You seem like an incredibly admirable heroine! And I am happy to fight you, Miss Columbia! I wish I could have met you when you were a living being, and not… merely a record, a shadow. And yet, even this glorious shadow shines so beautifully! I must do everything I can to honor that legacy you left behind!”

“…?” Columbia did not understand what Mirai was saying, but she could feel it within her opponent’s heart: sincerity, hope, and joy. “We may not be able to understand one another, but you seem to have the heart of a true warrior! Fine! En garde!!!”

BOOOM!

Their fists met. A gigantic shockwave exploded everywhere, making entire buildings collapse in mere seconds.

RUMBLE!

The ground beneath them shattered and exploded. Magma surged from deep cracks in the planet’s surface.

Columbia and Mirai exchanged dozens of blows, unleashing all their power at once!

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

Mirai turned into her giant demon form and Columbia began to turn gigantic, over a hundred meters tall!

Columbia’s spirit gleamed across her as she gained golden armor and a crown resembling the Statue of Liberty.

A torch of golden radiance manifested in her right hand. Endless flames poured from it, turning into a bow and firing arrows.

Mirai rapidly avoided them and conjured her two portals, intermixing them at the same time and creating giant chaos demonic weapons using her summons.

She swung her eight arms against Columbia. Eight different weapons clashed against her constantly.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

Columbia only had two hands unlike Mirai, so she was more limited in what she could do. But she did not falter. While one hand used the Torch of Liberty to unleash arrows endlessly, bombarding Mirai’s body, the other hand reinforced itself to its limits, becoming dark blue metal.

“EAGLE RISING SMASH!”

BOOOMMM!!!

And she smashed Mirai’s chest with her fist, sending her flying into the stratosphere as Mirai vomited a mouthful of blood. Her entire body rattled with agony as her heart almost exploded.

Columbia took off. Radiant eagle wings sprouted from her back as she flew into the stratosphere at lightning speed, reaching Mirai and… Louis, who had been watching in silence.

Her voice echoed even in outer space.

“Evildoers! If you have truly come from another world, then return to it! You are not welcome on our planet! This is my last act of mercy!”

“Hah, to be expected of the Secret Boss,” Louis laughed. “She is incredibly strong, isn’t she? The Gardener was Level 5 after all. She is beyond Level 6.”

“I see, so that is why she is so tough,” Mirai nodded, smiling. Her aura surged. “Well, shall we do it together then?”

“We could do it alone… but we do not have enough time,” Louis nodded.

“You are still planning on fighting, judging by your auras and your emotions…” Columbia sighed, shaking her head. “Then you leave me no option. I will kill you if I must.”

Although Columbia would never kill a fellow human, she barely hesitated when it came to non-human beings from outer space or other dimensions threatening the planet.

After giving them many chances for redemption, she was not going to give up.

“FOR AMERICA, AND THE WORLD! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!”

RUMBLE!

She kicked the sky and reached them in an instant. Louis and Mirai were pushed toward the moon. Columbia’s giant hands grasped them tightly as she smashed them through the moon’s surface. Giant pieces of moonstone flew everywhere.

CRAAASH!

RUMBLE!

The entire mountain trembled as giant cracks spread across its countless craters! She followed by channeling her power and unleashing dozens of punches at once.

“LIBERTY… RUSH!!!”

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

Her aura exploded, resembling endless eagles and liberty flames descending and bombarding Louis and Mirai at the same time.

“JUSTICE… KICK!”

She spun in midair. Her legs rushed down and crushed both of them at the same time, digging them deep into the moon and then pushing them all the way to the other side.

Falling back to planet Earth, they crashed near the city, generating a gigantic explosion.

BOOOMMM!!!

She did not stop. She raised her aura and manipulated the Leylines of all of North America with her divinity.

Showcasing such immense power, was she not quite literally the goddess of America herself?

And yet, she was still “second” to someone else!

RUMBLE!

BOOOM! BOOOM!

Two giant pillars of light pushed both Louis and Mirai into the skies once more, crashing into the moon, bouncing off it, and then sent flying even farther away.

She followed, reaching them in the depths of space as they traveled millions of kilometers, crashing into Mars.

CRAAAASH!

She followed, summoning a gigantic flagpole with the American flag and sending it flying down, piercing both Louis and Mirai and impaling them with it.

“Might as well declare that America is the first to step onto Mars, right?!”

She smiled confidently, descending toward them as her aura exploded with all her strength.

—–

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep