Undoubtedly, Rozen's words stirred the emotions of everyone present.
It wasn't just Leafa and the others—Eugene and the other Salamanders were also angered, making the atmosphere grow increasingly hostile.
"You're saying you want to see how long we can last against you alone?"
Eugene looked directly at Rozen, laughing with barely contained anger.
"Bold words for such a brat."
Clearly, Eugene felt challenged by Rozen's provocation.
Although Rozen's displayed strength was impressive, he was up against a force of 68 elite Salamanders, all of whom were top-tier players. While they might not surpass Leafa, they weren't far behind. If two joined forces, even Leafa, who ranked among the top five Sylphs, would have to go on the defensive. If three attacked together, Leafa would be defeated for sure, let alone against 68.
Moreover, the group included Eugene, the general and strongest player across the entire server—the number one warrior of the Salamanders. If he fought, even if facing all the Sylphs and Cait Siths present, including Leafa, he would find a way to win.
Who could possibly prevail in a solo battle against such odds? Just surviving for 30 seconds would be a challenge.
Yet, Rozen made that bold declaration, and it was impossible for Eugene not to take offense.
In truth, Rozen did this intentionally.
In this world, Rozen couldn't use any mystical abilities. Even with the boosts from his Mind's Eye and Virtual Aether techniques, Rozen was confident he wouldn't lose to any single player. But in a chaotic melee, he would struggle to protect the two lords and Leafa.
So, Rozen deliberately provoked his opponents and ordered his own side not to interfere, drawing all the enemy's hostility toward himself.
This way, Rozen could fight the Salamanders freely, without needing to hold back.
Of course, Rozen was also curious to test his skills against the so-called strongest player in ALO.
In real life, Rozen wouldn't be interested in showing off. But in the game, players who didn't aim to dominate the server could never be considered top-tier.
Thus, only now did Rozen feel a slight urge to compete and test his strength against ALO's reputedly strongest player.
For these reasons, Rozen made such a bold statement.
However...
"You think they're just empty words?"
Rozen raised his fairy sword, pointing it at Eugene.
"Why don't you come and find out?"
Rozen smiled with a hint of amusement.
"Fine!" Eugene shouted, "Let's see if anyone in this game can beat me, or single-handedly stand against the elite of the Salamanders!"
With that, instead of attacking, Eugene raised his hand, ordering his Salamanders.
"Attack!"
Eugene's voice echoed after Rozen's.
"""Oooohhhhh!!!!"""
Each Salamander shouted eagerly, as though they had been waiting for this moment.
In the next instant, countless chanting voices rose from the Salamander ranks, and a flood of magic was unleashed.
The spells weren't uniform—they were a chaotic mix of various magic.
Some were powerful fireball bombardments.
Others were jet flames with homing abilities.
Some were meteors descending from the sky.
Others were endless flaming spears.
Countless spells from the Salamander ranks were fired toward Rozen's direction.
"Watch out!"
Leafa cried out in alarm.
But before Leafa's warning, Rozen had already moved.
"Boom!"
The air exploded behind Rozen.
With a sudden burst from his wings, Rozen shot forward like an arrow, advancing instead of retreating, meeting the oncoming barrage of spells head-on.
It looked as if he were challenging a natural disaster, leaving everyone in awe.
But this was only the beginning.
The real spectacle was yet to come.
"Buzz!"
Rozen vibrated his wings, using his Mind's Eye to survey everything in this world.
In that instant, the speed of the incoming spells seemed to slow down, each one etched clearly into Rozen's vision, as if the world itself slowed down and became silent, like time had stopped.
Under the power of Mind's Eye, Rozen saw it all.
He saw the vibrations in the air.
He saw the trajectories of the attacks.
He saw the pulse of the world.
He saw the principles of this reality.
Under the power of Rozen's Mind's Eye, every phenomenon of the microscopic world was laid bare.
Even though this was just a virtual world, the same applied.
Rozen could even see the data, electrons, signals, and information flows in this world.
In this state, coupled with Virtual Aether's boost to his mind, Rozen became like a god in this world, unmatched.
And so...
"Boom!"
The air exploded again as Rozen accelerated, turning himself into a streak of light, rushing forward.
Spells hurtled toward him, but every trajectory was clearly perceived by Rozen and, as he darted around, each attack landed on empty space.
Rozen weaved through the spells, flashing left, darting right, ascending, and diving, his figure a living, dancing light source, weaving through the rain of spells and dodging every incoming attack.
Even spells with homing properties were eventually left far behind, unable to catch even his shadow.
Rozen sped toward the Salamander ranks.
"Defend!"
Though Eugene was once again awed by Rozen's incredible aerial maneuvers, he still shouted orders.
"Boom!"
One by one, the Salamanders raised their shields, interlocking them in front, pressing close together to form a defensive formation. Their backs against each other, they formed a fortress of steel, with no apparent openings.
But...
"Too naive!"
Rozen soared into the air, rising high before diving down with increasing speed, his outline glowing as if ablaze, radiating a fiery hue.
Then, Rozen dove toward the top of the steel fortress, chanting a spell.
"————ざ·ゾ·Э·ㄌ·び————"
A whirlwind rose around Rozen, absorbed into his fairy sword.
"Clang!"
Golden patterns flashed along the blade of the fairy sword.