Chapter 190: The Gap
The emerald green javelin of energy, Luz de la Luna, collided violently with the torrent of dark purple magic. It wasn't a simple explosion; it was a grinding contest of dominance. The two opposing energies gnashed against each other, erupting with astonishing energy that vaporized the air itself.
Boom! Boom! Rumble!
The shockwaves were indiscriminate. The ancient stone buildings of Nirvana, which had stood for centuries, crumbled like dry sand. Large sections of the mobile city were obliterated, debris raining down into the forest far below.
"Hahaha! Amazing! Truly amazing!"
Zero's laughter echoed through the dust clouds, maniacal and filled with a twisted sense of joy. The Master of the Oración Seis, now fully awakened as the destructive personality within Brain, floated amidst the chaos, his eyes burning with red madness.
"As expected of someone who can defeat the Ten Wizard Saints and my Six Generals! It's been a long time since I've seen someone as powerful as you! Only someone like you is worth destroying!"
Zero waved his hand, his movements wild and exaggerated. "Dance for me! Die for me!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
A barrage of dark magic bullets shot forth, weaving a net of destruction.
Ren didn't panic. The massive black bat wings on his back flapped once, generating a gust of wind that propelled him through the air. He moved with the grace of a phantom, weaving through the collapsing buildings and dodging the bombardment with minimal movement.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
The magic bullets missed their target, slamming into the structures behind him. Stone pillars shattered, and walls disintegrated into dust.
Whoosh—!
Zero burst through a cloud of debris, his body wrapped in a dark aura. He charged directly at Ren, intent on close-quarters combat.
"Dark Rhapsody!"
"Luz de la Luna."
Ren summoned a second lance of moonlight energy, swinging it to intercept.
Clang! Boom!
The energies clashed again, creating a sphere of distorted light.
"Ha!"
Zero didn't let up. While their weapons were locked, he raised his free left hand, pointing a finger directly at Ren's chest. A high-density spiral of dark green magic gathered at the tip in a split second.
"Dark Capriccio!!"
Ren reacted instantly, raising his free palm to block the trajectory.
Zero sneered, his face contorted with malice. "Idiot! Dark Capriccio is a penetrating magic! It drills through defenses! Even if your body is as hard as steel, you can't block it!"
Zzzzt!
The beam of darkness drilled into Ren's palm. There was a sickening sound of tearing flesh.
Pfft!
The beam pierced clean through Ren's hand, exiting the back and shooting into the sky.
Ren didn't flinch. His expression didn't even ripple. He simply used the momentary connection to pivot his hips and deliver a heavy kick to Zero's midsection.
Wham!
"Guh!" Zero gasped as the air left his lungs.
Boom—!
Zero's body plummeted like a meteor, crashing into the street below. The impact smashed a crater into the pavement, collapsing the surrounding buildings on top of him.
Dust billowed up, momentarily obscuring the view. Then, a low, rasping chuckle emerged from the rubble.
"Hahahahaha!! Kid! I have to admit, you're really powerful."
Zero floated up from the debris, dusting off his clothes. He looked unbothered by the kick, his excitement only growing.
"Strong magic power. Incredibly strong defense and offense. If I gave you a few more years... no, maybe even a few months, I might not be your opponent."
He licked his lips, staring at Ren with the eyes of a starving beast.
"But fate is so strange, making you meet me at this point in time! Before you have fully matured!"
"Only destroying someone like you—a genius, a monster—is fun! Breaking a toy that fights back is the ultimate pleasure! Next, I will pierce your entire body and completely destroy you! Hahahahaha!!!"
Zero threw his head back and laughed wildly, his voice grating against Ren's ears.
Hovering in the sky, Ren looked down at the madman. Even with the indifferent personality of Ulquiorra Cifer influencing his mind, he couldn't help but inwardly complain.
'Why are all the villains in this anime cut from the same mold? Arrogant, loud, and obsessed with destruction. It's almost cliché.'
However, Ren had to admit, Zero had the stats to back up his madness. As expected of the man who led the Oración Seis, his magic power was formidable. His Dark Capriccio had successfully penetrated the Hierro (Steel Skin)—something very few opponents had managed to do.
Ren looked at Zero, his emerald eyes dull and empty. "Does hurting me make you so happy?"
"Kid? Look at yourself." Zero pointed a mocking finger at Ren. "One of your hands is already crippled. Do you still think you'll win?"
Zero sneered. In a battle between high-level mages, any physical impairment was fatal. A crippled hand meant broken concentration, inability to cast somatic spells, and a significant drop in combat efficiency. Losing one hand reduced a mage's combat power by at least thirty percent.
"Oh?" Ren lifted his injured left arm, examining it as if it belonged to someone else. Through the hole in his palm, he could see the sky behind it. "My hand is crippled? How come I didn't know?"
Bzzt.
A strange sound occurred.
A white, bone-like substance bubbled rapidly within the wound. Muscles knitted, bones fused, and skin wove itself back together.
In the blink of an eye—less than a second—the hole vanished.
Ren flexed his fingers. The skin was pristine, without even a scar.
"No… How is this possible?!"
Zero's laughter died in his throat. His eyes widened, his pupils trembling. "Even the most powerful Lost Magic or healing lacrima couldn't heal a wound this quickly… It's instantaneous!"
Brain, Zero's alter ego, had served in the Bureau of Magical Development. He possessed vast knowledge of magic archives. He knew of regeneration magic, but that usually took time and immense energy. This was different. This wasn't healing; it was reversion.
"High-Speed Regeneration," Ren explained calmly, answering the unasked question. "It is one of the innate abilities of this form. Do not mention a small injury like a hole in the palm; even if an entire arm were severed, or my lower body blown away, it could regenerate in an instant."
Hearing Ren's explanation, Zero's shock slowly subsided, replaced by a calculating coldness.
"Interesting! Truly interesting! The world is indeed vast; there's actually such magic." Zero grinned, his confidence returning. "But every magic has a cost and a limit. I don't believe you can regenerate if your Head is pierced!"
"You are correct," Ren nodded, his tone devoid of fear. "Not just the brain. Internal organs cannot regenerate after being destroyed either."
Ren pointed a clawed finger to his temple, and then to the hollow hole in his chest. "My brain. And my heart. Destroy these, and I die."
"Ha! Kid, are you an idiot?" Zero looked at him with incredulity. "You're telling your opponent your weakness! Is this arrogance, or do you want to die?"
After learning that Ren's brain and internal organs were fatal weak points, Zero relaxed. The unknown was terrifying, but a known enemy was manageable. All he had to do was aim for the head.
"Arrogance?" Ren lowered his hand. "No. I am simply giving you a little hope."
"Hope?" Zero scoffed.
"Because," Ren whispered, his voice resonating with a strange, hollow echo, "despair is meaningless without it."
Ren closed his eyes. The magical pressure around him began to shift. It didn't just increase; it changed quality. It became heavier, denser, darker.
"Resurrección: Segunda Etapa."
DOOOOOM—!!!
A pillar of black spiritual pressure exploded from Ren's body, piercing the clouds.
It wasn't Magic Power. It was Reiatsu—Spiritual Pressure. It was dense, suffocating, and felt like the ocean itself was crushing down on the city of Nirvana. The air vibrated violently. The debris on the ground began to float, suspended by the sheer gravity of Ren's presence.
Ren's appearance began to shift.
The white bone armor on his upper body cracked and fell away. His human torso disappeared, covered instead by sleek, black fur. The hole in his chest grew larger, bleeding a pitch-black liquid that evaporated into smoke.
His legs transformed into beast-like limbs, ending in sharp talons. His wings expanded, becoming wider and more demonic. A long, whip-like tail grew from his lower back, flicking casually behind him.
The horns on his helmet extended, curving sharply upward.
When he opened his eyes, the emerald irises glowed with a terrifying intensity against the black sclera.
He was no longer a mage. He was a Vasto Lorde.
"This guy…"
Zero took a step back involuntarily, sweat beading on his forehead. The markings on his face pulsed. "What is this form? The magic power... it feels completely different."
Ren looked down at Zero from his elevated position. "Don't be afraid. The battle will end very soon."
Zero's face twisted into a ferocious snarl, his pride refusing to accept the fear creeping up his spine. "Playing tricks! Do you think changing your look scares me?! Go to hell!"
Zero rationalized it quickly. No matter how this kid transforms, his base magic power level hasn't jumped infinitely. He is still within the realm of reach! I am the Master of Oración Seis!
"Die!!"
Zero stomped his foot, shattering the concrete beneath him. He launched himself into the air, charging straight at Ren.
"Dark Capriccio!!"
Zero thrust his hand forward. The dark green drill of magic spiraled into existence, larger and faster than before. He aimed directly for Ren's chest.
This time, Ren stood still. He didn't dodge. He didn't summon a weapon.
He merely raised his open palm.
"Ha! You brat! You forget the pain once the wound heals!" Zero roared, his eyes bloodshot. "Have you forgotten how your palm was pierced just now? This time, I'm not just going to pierce your palm, I'm going to drill through your entire chest!"
BOOOOM—!!!
The spell made contact.
Zero's Dark Capriccio struck Ren's palm with the force of a piercing missile.
Grind! Grind! Grind!
The magic screamed as it spun, sparks flying like fireworks. It looked like a high-powered industrial drill trying to bore through an diamond wall.
Ren watched it impassively.
After a few seconds, the momentum of the Requiem magic died out. The energy dissipated into the wind.
Zero halted in mid-air, panting. He looked at Ren's palm.
"..."
There was silence.
Slowly, an expression of absolute horror dawned on Zero's face.
"This… How… How is this possible?!"
Ren's palm was completely unharmed. Not a drop of blood. Not a scratch. Not even a mark.
That was his penetrating magic! It was capable of piercing multi-layered magical barriers and reinforced steel! Just a minute ago, it had gone through this boy's hand like butter!
"Why?!" Zero screamed.
"Now do you understand?" Ren asked, his voice low and melancholic. "The gap between you and me."
"Hah?! Kid! Don't look down on me!" Zero refused to accept reality. His worldview was crumbling. "It was just one attack! You must have concentrated all your magic into your hand! Next time, I'll pierce your head! I wonder if your skull is as hard as your hand!"
Zero convinced himself. Yes, that must be it. Defensive concentration.
Ren shook his head slowly. The black fur on his chest absorbed the light.
"It seems you still don't understand."
Ren's wings twitched.
"Ha! You brat! Go to hell!"
Zero raised his palm, summoning every ounce of his remaining magic power. "I'll kill you! Dark Capriccio!!"
He aimed for the head. The beam fired.
Just as the magic was about to touch the space where Ren's head occupied—
Zzzzt!
The sound of Sonído.
Ren's figure didn't move; it simply ceased to exist in that location. The afterimage lingered for a fraction of a second before fading.
"Where?!"
Zero panicked. His eyes darted left, right, up, down. He couldn't sense him. He couldn't see him.
Just as Zero was about to search for Ren's whereabouts, a cold, clawed hand directly gripped his head from the side.
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