Miracle Summoner

At that very moment, Vatler could indeed feel his blood boiling.

Even though the war that aimed to drag the entire world into chaos was destined to end in failure, Vatler felt no regret—in fact, he was ecstatic.

Because, in exchange for the failure of his plan, he had forced Rozen to unleash his true power.

Vatler had expected Rozen to be strong, but not this strong—strong enough to singlehandedly hold off the forces of the Sanctuary Treaty allience, and even the Three Primogenitors had no countermeasure against the Beast Vassal he summoned. That alone brought Vatler immeasurable excitement.

Initially, Vatler had planned to fight Rozen without relying on the power of Cleansing, even after acquiring it.

The reason was simple: the power of Cleansing was simply too unfair. Once unleashed, even the Three Primogenitors wouldn't be a match for him. There would be no joy, no thrill.

Vatler had not sought the power of Cleansing to become stronger—he wanted it to start a war.

As long as he could enjoy a fulfilling battle, he didn't care whether or not he used power that wasn't truly his.

Unfortunately, the power Rozen displayed was simply too overwhelming—brutally irrational to the point where Vatler had no choice but to reveal his trump card: Cleansing.

But even after playing that card, he couldn't drive Rozen into a corner. On the contrary, it only signaled to Vatler that the real battle was just beginning.

Vatler had to admit it.

"If I don't use the power of Cleansing, I won't stand a chance against you!"

So, Vatler decided to stop holding back.

The ultimate forbidden spell known as Cleansing—a power capable of reshaping the very world—was now going to fight for him.

"Come forth! The stage is set for you!"

A raging tide of magic surged through Vatler's body, gleaming with a deep crimson brilliance.

It was rumored that Dimitrie Vatler, the man closest to becoming a Primogenitor, had nine Beast Vassals under his command.

All nine were serpentine in nature, which earned him the name—Snake Charmer.

However, in all the stories ever told, no one had actually witnessed the ninth serpent. Only eight were ever seen.

That was because no one who had ever faced the ninth Beast Vassal had survived.

And now, Vatler summoned it.

"Ananda (The Primordial Serpent)!"

With Vatler's commanding shout, a colossal tree erupted from the sea, as though it had grown from the ocean floor, rising behind him atop the luxury cruise ship's upper deck.

It was a giant serpent tree.

Its roots anchored in the ocean were the writhing tails of serpents.

Its towering trunk was a twisting serpent's body.

And its massive branches were countless serpent heads.

"Come! This is everything I've got!"

Vatler howled manically, summoning massive serpentine Beast Vassals one after another from his own magical power. Each was absorbed into the serpent tree as if becoming nourishment, causing it to grow ever thicker.

Before long, the enormous serpent tree reached several hundred meters in length, standing tall in this world.

This was the full extent of Vatler's power—merging all his Beast Vassals into one giant serpent tree.

This unified Beast Vassal, composed of all nine serpents, possessed power easily surpassing the level of a Primogenitor, reaching terrifying new heights.

Simultaneously, the crimson light formed spirals that wrapped around the giant serpent tree, prompting it to grow further into a towering divine pillar that blotted out the sky.

Vatler had poured all the power of Cleansing into strengthening his Beast Vassal, pushing its limits beyond reason.

With this giant tree, at this very moment, Vatler was undoubtedly the strongest being in existence.

"Can you defeat this version of me, Minamiya Nichiyo?!"

Vatler burst into maniacal laughter.

Behind him, the serpent tree's roots and branches expanded rapidly, engulfing both the sea and the land entirely.

A miasma of incredible density spread from the tree like a deadly toxin, corroding everything in its path.

Yet even as this miasma bathed him, Rozen's expression didn't change in the slightest.

On his left hand, a delicate silver ring shimmered with light, dispelling the miasma encroaching on him.

Under the protection of Gyokuto, no form of corrosion, curse, or poison could affect Rozen.

He only needed to focus on one thing.

To completely destroy the power standing before him.

"Boom!"

From deep within Rozen, terrifying magical power surged like a vast ocean.

A force of magic exceeding even planetary scales roared to life—gathering, condensing, compressing, and refining itself until it transformed completely.

In a blink, Rozen's magic ascended to a higher realm.

It became High-Grade Mana, as radiant as divine spiritual energy.

Compressed to its utmost limits, it was just a step away from becoming Foreign Mana.

"Buzz!"

Around Rozen, brilliant spiritual energy spun like a cyclone, making him appear like a divine figure descending to earth—both sacred and awe-inspiring.

"Clap!"

With a crisp sound, Rozen pressed his palms together and solemnly chanted a sacred incantation.

"————————————"

The sacred chant of the Fire Realm Incantation, imbued with the true essence of Acala, flowed reverently from Rozen's lips.

In the next moment, flames were born.

They drew upon the highest grade of magic the world could contain, and blazed like the true hellfire of Acala.

The divine flames capable of burning down three thousand realms and endless demon hordes now reawakened within Rozen.

And thus, the fire illuminated heaven and earth.

A surge of golden flames burst forth from Rozen, expanding in a wave of inexhaustible fire.

"Ssshhh...!"

The surrounding miasma was instantly burned away.

"Boom!"

The incoming serpent roots and branches were consumed in the blaze before they could even cry out, reduced to ash.

The fire was so intense it dyed the sea, the sky, and all of Itogami Island a radiant gold—becoming the only remaining light in the world.

That overwhelming firestorm finally reached the serpent tree, racing up its length in a roaring inferno.

"Screeeeech—!!"

The serpent tree let out a horrendous scream, its enormous body writhing in pain. The spiral of crimson light wavered, desperately attempting to smother the fire.

As an ultimate forbidden spell capable of rewriting the world's laws—equivalent to true magic—Cleansing should have been able to extinguish any flame with a mere thought.

And yet, it could not snuff out this fire.

Because these were divine flames capable of incinerating the three thousand realms themselves. Unless it were the Cleansing wielded by the God of Sin Cain himself, it had no chance.

The serpent tree, enshrouded by crimson radiance, could only continue its agonized howls, until it was completely engulfed by golden flames, illuminating the world in divine light.

And those flames inevitably reached Vatler himself.

"Argh!!!"

Vatler finally let out a scream of pain.