Bolstered by Fate's power, the tide of battle shifted instantly, the confrontation accelerating at a breakneck pace.
To begin with, an early conclusion was normally out of the question in a clash between beings of this caliber. The Supreme Gods, the Six Kings, and those of similar standing were essentially immortal.
While Life stood out because her divine Authority specialized in such vitality, every powerful combatant was capable of rapid physical regeneration as a matter of course. Even if their physical forms were pulverized into nothingness, they could bend the laws of causality to force a return or reconstruct themselves from the void.
Thus, battles at this level involved more than just raw physical force; they were exchanges of indirect counters—the application of regeneration-nullifying formulas and the use of strikes designed to bypass absolute defenses.
Beyond the physical exchange, the erosion of an opponent's resources was vital. The true key to these high-dimensional decisive battles lay in the unseen struggle: discerning the opponent’s hand and finding the means to seal it.
Still, the victory condition for the Human-Demon Allied Forces remained unchanged. They pressed the offensive, aiming to eliminate the cornerstone of the Gods, Life, and their commander, Chronoa, as quickly as possible.
Simultaneously, a battle of a completely different magnitude was reaching a fever pitch.
Vast worlds were birthed only to be extinguished in the next breath. A single swing of an arm erased galaxies; a single step warped the very fabric of multiple dimensions; space itself buckled and collapsed under the pressure of the conflict.
This was a divine struggle far beyond human comprehension. The duel between Shallow Vernal, the Creator God, and her other half, Kuromueina, was approaching its climax.
“...Kuh!”
Up to this point, Shallow Vernal held the overwhelming advantage. Visible damage had begun to accumulate on Kuromueina’s body, yet she had failed to land a single significant counterblow.
In terms of raw offensive and defensive power, the two were evenly matched—if anything, Kuromueina held a slight edge. Indeed, in the scuffles they had engaged in over the eons, Kuromueina often came out on top.
However, that only held true if Shallow Vernal chose to fight a straightforward battle. A fundamental disparity existed between them: Shallow Vernal was the one who had created Kuromueina.
While Kuromueina possessed a staggering array of powers comparable to a Creator, she was not omnipotent. There were things she simply could not do. Shallow Vernal, however, was nearly all-powerful, and that gap in capability was the deciding factor.
Because she had created Kuromueina, Shallow Vernal knew every limitation her counterpart possessed. She knew exactly how to exploit those weaknesses. For instance, Kuromueina could not jump between worlds or dimensions instantaneously; she required the deployment of massive magic circles to facilitate such travel.
Shallow Vernal exploited this by endlessly birthing new worlds, trapping Kuromueina inside them, and then obliterating those dimensions from the outside.
Kuromueina had no means of counterattacking while Shallow Vernal struck with impunity. It was the most efficient strategy for victory, and it had granted the Creator God total dominance over the duel... at least, until now.
(…As I thought, Shiro is strong. I expected things to turn out like this if she fought seriously, but… it’s more exhausting than I imagined.)
Kuromueina had known that an all-out clash would lead to this. Even if their raw strength was balanced, the sheer difference in the cards they could play was too great. Furthermore, Shallow Vernal knew every card in Kuromueina’s hand. This outcome had been inevitable.
(…She’s desperate. I can feel it. Shiro might express it differently, but at the root of it all... she's driven by the same emotions I am.)
As she was subjected to repeated explosions that consumed her entire field of vision, Kuromueina quietly closed her eyes, unconcerned with her lack of defense.
(But Shiro’s choice is wrong. Even if she realizes that, she can’t stop herself, can she? In that case, I’ll be the one to stop her. For Kaito-kun’s sake… and for Shiro’s sake…)
Shallow Vernal believed she understood the full extent of Kuromueina’s capabilities, but her knowledge was limited to the powers Kuromueina had been born with. She had no idea why Kuromueina’s strength had surged so violently of late, or how she had managed to completely elude Eden’s perception during their mock battle.
Deep down, Kuromueina had always seen herself as merely a shadow of Shallow Vernal. But that self-perception had shattered when Kaito Miyama entered her life. She was no longer just the Creator's other half; she was Kuromueina.
Shallow Vernal did not realize that at the moment Kuromueina's identity shifted, a unique power that had lain dormant since her inception finally stirred.
“As I am now, I cannot defeat Shiro.”
Her voice rang out with absolute conviction. She then spoke the key words required to manifest the power that embodied her true essence.
“...In that case, let us begin right here, at this very moment! Let the ‘Story of a Turnaround’ begin!”
And so, the narrative was unveiled.
“—Prologue (Beginning of the Story)!”
Serious-senpai: “...Main... Heroine?”
???: “No, well, Kuro-san is more in the hero role, so...”