"What the hell is that form...? Who are you...?"
"Impressive, isn't it? I modeled it after My Hero. To be the first to experience this power—it's an honor far greater than you deserve."
For a heartbeat, Egos was paralyzed by the sinister figure before him, but his shattered pride soon ignited a roar of fury. He didn't know who this person was, but he couldn't let someone who treated him with such utter contempt go unpunished.
"A penalty...? Don't screw with me!"
Egos scanned the weapons Lost had provided, snatching up the one with the highest stats. He gave it an experimental swing to test its weight. Satisfied that he could handle the weapon, he glared at Lost with eyes burning with rage.
This is the strongest weapon I can get at this stage! There’s no way I can lose with this!
He had been defeated by a Level 2 Magic Armor Beast before, but he was still the Protagonist. His high stats from the Reincarnation Bonus and his deep well of game knowledge would be sharper edges than any blade. He couldn't gauge the combat power of the man in the silver armor, but regardless, the Protagonist didn't lose.
With unwavering confidence, Egos flooded his body with willpower and magic power. He gripped the axe tight and charged.
"I don't care who you are... I'm killing you right here!"
He funneled magic into his arms, reinforcing his strength. He swung the massive double-edged axe with ease, letting the centrifugal force build into a devastating arc.
He might be a Reincarnator, but he has zero game knowledge! Only an idiot would challenge an axe user like me while decked out in armor!
In Luminous History, the double-edged axes used by Egos’s class were specifically designed to counter opponents with the Heavy Armor attribute. Certain skills granted bonus damage against them, while others could shred the target's defense entirely. To challenge an axe specialist while encased in heavy plate made Lost a complete fool.
The man didn't even know the basics. Smirking at the thought, Egos bellowed as he closed the distance toward Lost, who stood motionless without even bothering to take a defensive stance.
"This is the end! Skill: Armor Crusher!"
The blade of the great axe, accelerated by the spin, closed in on its target. The magic-infused edge grew sharper, manifesting the armor-rending property its name promised. Destruction was inevitable.
I've won.
Egos was certain. There was no way Lost could block this blow. He swung through with everything he had, expecting to cleave the strange, silver-armored figure in two—
"Wait... what?"
A bizarre sensation traveled up his arms. It wasn't the dull, heavy resistance of splitting a Magic Armor Beast's hide. It was far lighter—a sickeningly wrong feedback.
A sharp metallic clink echoed, followed immediately by a stinging numbness that raced through his hands. Egos gasped, his breath hitching as he saw the axe, which should have sliced through the man's torso, come to a dead stop.
Lost had caught the full-force strike with a single hand. He let out a soft sigh and began to squeeze.
"Hmm. Now, how do we explain this?"
"Nngh! Gack! H-hey... let go...!"
Egos was the one who wanted an explanation. No matter how hard he pushed or tried to yank the weapon back, the axe didn't budge. Lost had caught his ultimate strike as casually as if he were catching a frisbee, and with that single hand, he had completely neutralized Egos.
"Tell me, what do you think? Am I just too strong... or are you simply too weak?"
"Wha—!? Aguh...!"
As he spoke, Lost reached out with his free hand and unleashed a blast of murky black and green light. The unexpected shock forced Egos to let go of the handle, and he was sent spiraling backward with a strangled cry.
"Hmm. Better than I expected. Well, I put in a lot of work, and the drawbacks are significant, so I suppose that’s fair... but I think I owe the most to using My Hero as a reference."
"Gah... cough... Th-this strength...!"
Having felt the attack firsthand, Egos realized the truth. Lost wasn't even trying. He was pulling his punches, testing the waters to see how they stacked up. Egos wasn't dead, and he could still move, but the realization that a mere "greeting" carried that much power sent a cold bead of sweat rolling down his spine.
If Lost actually got serious, he was finished. Egos choked back his fear, but a more terrifying realization made his skin crawl.
This makes no sense! I used the best weapon and a skill with the perfect elemental match! How is he standing there like nothing happened?!
His opponent was an armored enemy character, and he had used a skill specifically designed to deal bonus damage against heavy armor. He had the best equipment available. He hadn't messed up the execution. Yet, Lost stood there without a single scratch, looking entirely bored.
"It really is difficult to handle. No wonder nobody chose it."
"What are you... talking about...? What the hell are you talking about?!"
Egos couldn't begin to process Lost's mutterings, nor could he understand how the man had just crushed the head of the first axe with his bare hands. Driven by a blind, incomprehensible terror, he snatched up the second-strongest axe and charged again.
"Die! Just die already!"
He didn't bother with skills this time. Panic had wiped the very concept of strategy from his mind. Lost, however, didn't even move to block, taking the edge of the axe directly against his chest plate.
"...Yeah, that stings a little. So that's the baseline for your strength, is it?"
"Guberooh!?"
Lost reached out and grabbed Egos by the throat. He yanked the man toward him, driving a knee deep into his unprotected stomach. Egos collapsed instantly, retching up a foul mixture of blood and bile.
"Agah... wheeze... What are you? What the hell are you...?"
"Me? Let's see... I'm certainly no hero. Names like 'Fixer' or 'Villain' probably fit me best, but at this very moment—"
Egos looked up at the figure towering over him. He was a monster, an incomprehensible wall of power that defied the rules of the world. Lost looked down through his glowing green compound eyes and smiled.
"—I am your despair."