While Ren Kuroda was speaking with Ophis, Vali—who had been lying at the bottom of the crater—finally regained consciousness and climbed his way back out.
Seeing Ophis and Ren locked in a tense standoff, Vali shifted his gaze toward Ren and spoke:
"My goal is to follow the Great Red… and ultimately defeat it, becoming the true White Dragon God Emperor. As for Ophis, her wish is to return to the dimensional gap where she once resided. Since our objectives align, we chose to work together."
"Ophis is the leader of the 'Khaos Brigade.' She grants those who seek power a fragment of her strength in the form of 'snakes,' and in return, they help her fulfill her wish. Of course, most of them joined only for power and selfish ambition—they have no real intention of helping Ophis defeat the true Red Dragon God Emperor."
Ophis possessed infinite power, and she could bestow portions of that power to others in the form of "snakes."
These so-called "snakes" were essentially Ouroboros—also known as the "serpent of infinity." They were manifestations of Ophis's power.
The descendants of the former Devil Kings who had attacked earlier had dared to confront the current Devil Kings and the Governor of the Fallen Angels head-on precisely because they had obtained these "snakes" from Ophis.
Vali, however, assisted Ophis not because he relied on her power, but because their goals aligned—and because he intended to achieve that goal through his own strength. For that reason, he had never accepted Ophis's gift.
"This battle made one thing painfully clear—the gap between us is enormous. It seems that before I can even think about defeating the Great Red, there's yet another wall I need to overcome."
Vali's eyes burned with renewed determination as he looked at Ren.
"But I won't stay stagnant forever. Ren Kuroda—next time we meet, I'll be stronger."
The moment he finished speaking, a spatial wormhole suddenly opened before him.
From within stepped out two figures.
One was a young man with wild black hair, gripping a staff.
The other was a stunning woman with a voluptuous figure, dressed in a loose black kimono that accentuated her mature charm.
The instant they appeared, Ren could clearly sense the aura of yōkai emanating from both of them.
Just as Vali and Ophis were about to step into the wormhole and leave—
Ren, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
"I've heard your wishes and your goals. I'll admit, I respect them."
His voice dropped, sharp and steady.
"But don't you think you're being a little too dismissive of me by trying to walk away like this?"
A grin tugged faintly at his lips, his eyes gleaming with something fierce.
"So what if you're the second strongest in the world? I've only just gotten fired up—and now the so-called number two shows up right in front of me. Do you really think I'd just let her walk away without a fight?"
The instant his words fell—
Ren vanished.
In the next moment, he reappeared directly in front of Ophis, his crossed demonic claws already tearing through the air, carving out streaks of crimson slashes.
Vali hadn't even had time to react to Ren's sudden attack.
But Ophis…
Her expression remained as blank and indifferent as ever.
Enhanced by the power of "All the Evils of This World," Ren's claws were now capable of ripping open space itself with ease.
And yet—
Before the crimson slashes could even reach her, they were stopped cold by an invisible barrier.
Though sparks erupted violently as the attacks scraped against that unseen wall, they couldn't advance even an inch further.
Behind the invisible barrier of magical power, Ophis stood unmoving, her calm, emotionless gaze fixed ahead.
She didn't even bother to raise a hand.
At first, the black-haired staff wielder and the cat-eared woman had instinctively tensed, alarmed by Ren's sudden strike.
But the moment they realized his target was Ophis…
They completely relaxed.
The young man—known as Bikō—was a descendant of the legendary Sun Wukong.
The cat-eared beauty—Kuroka—was a powerful nekomata… and, notably, the older sister of Koneko.
As members of Vali's team, both possessed power equivalent to ultimate-class devils. Working together, they could even rival a Dragon King.
Just moments ago, they hadn't been able to track Ren's movements at all, but their instincts had screamed danger, prompting them to prepare for combat.
Now, however…
There was no need.
Because in their eyes—
Ophis was invincible.
As long as the true Red Dragon God Emperor remained within the dimensional gap, there simply wasn't anyone in this world capable of defeating her.
"I've faced all kinds of enemies up to now," Ren said, his voice laced with irritation as he stared at Ophis, who couldn't even be bothered to lift a hand against him. "But this is the first time I've ever been underestimated to this extent."
His lips curled slightly.
"The Infinite Dragon God… ranked second in the world. Now that's exciting."
A dark glint flickered in his eyes.
"But before we get serious… I suppose I'll have to make you take me seriously first."
Truthfully, Ren understood.
Ophis's dismissiveness wasn't without reason. Even with his Half-Demon transformation and the power of "All the Evils of This World," there was still a clear gap between them.
And so—
A thick, ominous black sludge began to pour from Ren's palm.
The moment "All the Evils of This World" manifested, Ren caught a fleeting flicker of surprise in Ophis's otherwise emotionless eyes.
The tar-like substance surged forward, corrosive and devouring, easily eroding and consuming the invisible magical barrier before her.
At the same time, Ren drew the divine blade at his waist—Shinyū—and activated its "Spirit Release."
Having absorbed the power of seven holy swords, Shinyū's Spirit Release now granted an even greater boost. Alongside its innate abilities—demon-slaying and bloodletting—it now wielded the powers of those seven sacred blades as well.
"Fūrinkazan Style—Swift as Fire: Devouring Wolf!"
Under the influence of "All the Evils of This World," the flames of the Devouring Wolf transformed once more into pitch-black fire.
Already enhanced by Spirit Release, Ren's slash now carried an additional force—
The destructive power of the Sword of Destruction.
With the barrier gone, nothing remained between Ophis and the attack.
The black flames surged and coalesced, taking the form of a majestic, fearsome wolf that charged straight toward her—burning, devouring, and annihilating everything in its path.
Seeing the massive wolf of destruction, corrosion, and flame barreling toward her, Ophis's first action was not to defend herself—
But to push Vali, Kuroka, and the others away, ensuring they wouldn't be caught in the aftermath.
Then, in the next instant—
The giant wolf lunged forward with a thunderous roar, jaws wide open.
Ophis raised her small, slender arms—
And caught the wolf by its upper and lower jaws.
"BOOM—! BOOM—! BOOM—! BOOM—! BOOM—!"
Despite her small frame, Ophis was driven backward for several kilometers by the rampaging black flame wolf.
Each time the wolf's claws struck the ground, the destructive force imbued within it tore the earth apart, leaving devastation in its wake.