-530- A battle on another level

"Boom!"

Incredible heat filled the surroundings of the small square, turning everything into a raging sea of fire.

The floor tiles were charred by the intense heat.

Trees were directly set ablaze.

Rozen and Kagami Reiji kept chanting the Fire Realm Incantation, converting their jutsuryoku into flames, causing massive collisions.

If Nue were still here, being in this kind of fire would surely turn it to ash.

Even Natsume, Kyouko, and the other students and instructors were forced to retreat by the rushing heat.

In the end, to protect the unconscious students, they had to generate Shikigami to move them all away while throwing out talisman to form barriers, blocking the terrifying high temperature. Only then were they safe.

Although they had already exited the small square, they needed to set up barriers to block the aftermath. It was easy to imagine how terrifying the jutsuryoku used by the two battling was.

"Tru... Truly unbelievable...!"

"Tsuchimikado Akikan can actually hold his own against a Twelve Divine General...!"

"Un... unbelievable... is the rumor true...!?"

"He really is the reincarnation of Yakou...!?"

One after another, the students and instructors exclaimed in disbelief. The impact in their hearts was self-evident.

Seeing this scene, even Natsume felt a sense of distress.

(With this, no matter who it is, they will believe even more that Akikan is the reincarnation of Yakou.)

Just like Rozen had said in the past, rumors were ultimately rumors. Even if people suspected him of being the reincarnation of Yakou, it was still a mix of doubt and belief.

It was precisely because of this that the followers of Yakou would attack Rozen, attempting to awaken him and confirm that he was Yakou's reincarnation.

This was also the case for the previous Dairenji Suzuka; at the beginning, she could only treat Rozen as a suspected reincarnation of Yakou. It wasn't until she was soundly defeated later on that she believed Rozen was the true reincarnation of Yakou and no longer doubted it.

Now, Rozen has demonstrated the strength to rival the Twelve Divine Generals. Naturally, the rumors of him being Yakou's reincarnation will gain more credibility.

In this case, Rozen might encounter even more trouble and danger, right?

(Really, why be so impulsive?)

Natsume bit her lip in worry.

Compared to Natsume, Kyouko had remained silent since the beginning, completely focused on watching the battlefield. She observed Rozen, engulfed in flames, as if her soul had left her body, not moving at all, giving no indication of her thoughts.

Of course, regardless of others, as Rozen's opponent, Kagami Reiji was feeling his blood boil with excitement.

"Isn't this great? Bastard!"

Kagami Reiji grinned, revealing a bloodthirsty expression, much like his moniker, the Ogre Eater among the Twelve Divine Generals, seemingly ready to devour his prey.

"It seems not all rumors are baseless, eh? The reincarnation of Yakou? Let me see how capable this guy, the so-called father of modern jujutsu, truly is!"

Having said that, Kagami Reiji clapped his hands together suddenly.

"————————!"

When this incantation echoed from Kagami Reiji's mouth with a mix of joy and malice, the fire surrounding him surged once again.

Moreover, it surged several times, possibly even dozens of times higher.

The jutsu Kagami Reiji was using, Rozen had never seen it up till now.

However, Rozen, with his knowledge, recognized the incantation uttered by Kagami Reiji.

"Supreme Victory Mantra!"

It was the mantra of the Vairocana Buddha, considered one of the strongest mantras among the many mantras.

If Dairenji Suzuka were here, she would surely recognize it. Kagami Reiji was currently employing not a common style but an imperial style.

This was the Vairocana Buddha's mantra from the highest rank of the Conquest Method in Imperial Onmyoudou.

The surging flames that had grown several times in intensity formed a furious wave, swallowing the surrounding flames while roaring towards Rozen like a flaming beast.

It was like a tsunami of flames, capable of engulfing the entire surroundings, no different from real magma.

Faced with the astonishing tsunami of flames that could potentially engulf the surroundings, even causing the office building to collapse, Rozen's eyes tightened.

Among the spells and techniques he had learned, there was nothing that could withstand this move.

Even if he raised a barrier, it would be instantly shattered in this tsunami of flames, offering no protection.

To this, Rozen could no longer rely solely on jutsu.

"Hmm!"

The magic Rozen released instantly reverted to magical energy, transforming into Telekinesis, forming an invisible shield in front of him.

It was the Mind's Eye's psychic shield known as "Magic Defence."

On the psychic shield Rozen deployed, not only were there magic circles inscribed to enhance its defensive capabilities, but there were also runes enhancing the barriers, allowing the magic and jutsu to merge and amplify each other. The "Magic Defence" shield rapidly expanded, turning into a massive wall resembling a castle.

"Boom!"

The furious wave of flames collided heavily with the psychic shield adorned with magic circles and runes, akin to waves crashing against a cliff, being held at bay.

"What is that?"

Kagami Reiji couldn't help but be astonished.

Even he, as one of the Twelve Divine Generals, had never seen such a technique and incantation. He was truly taken aback.

Just...

"It's my turn," Rozen declared coldly, raising one hand high.

"————————"

The incantation Rozen chanted triggered an immediate response from Natsume in the distance.

Because it was the Thunder Emperor's name, the highest-ranking thunder god in Taoism, in a thunder spell.

Rozen had actually used a thunder spell, causing dark clouds to gather in the sky.

"Boom!"

With the rumble of thunder, a bolt of lightning, seemingly splitting the world in two, descended from the sky, heading straight for Kagami Reiji.

"It's a thunder spell...!?"

Kagami Reiji widened his eyes and let out a roar.

"So what!?"

In his roar, Kagami Reiji's hands, adorned with numerous rings, turned into claw-like shapes, emitting curses from his fingertips, drawing a grid-like curse pattern in the air above.

That was...

"Nine-Character Mantra!"

It was the same technique used by Natsume just now to purify the spiritual disaster.

Kagami Reiji swiftly drew the Nine-Character Mantra, transforming the curse pattern into a curse barrier, facing the descending lightning.

"Boom!"

The lightning struck directly onto the Nine-Character Mantra, creating a blinding flash, making the impact sound explode like an explosion, throwing the atmosphere, expanding all around.

However, the curse barrier of the Nine-Character Mantra seemed unable to withstand the formidable thunder spell, crumbling bit by bit.

But that's alright.

Kagami Reiji had long since disappeared from there and reappeared suddenly.

"〈Invisibility Jutsu〉!"

Outside the scene, seeing this, Natsume, Kyouko, and the others exclaimed.

However...

"No."

Rozen immediately denied this.

Because if it was just using the 〈Invisibility Justu〉, then the ferocious aura, like a fierce beast, wouldn't suddenly appear behind him.

"I'm here! Brat!"

Kagami Reiji was shrouded in a strange aura, surrounded by dazzling particles at his feet, suddenly appearing behind Rozen, who had his back to him, revealing a wicked smile.

Flames exploded from Kagami Reiji, rushing towards Rozen's back, engulfing him.