The stranger, who had kept his identity hidden until now, finally revealed himself to Zeldius with an air of confidence, declaring, "I am Masaki Shido, an ExistForger Elite."
Masaki acknowledged Astrea's resilience with a warm tone, saying, "Hey, Astrea, you've done remarkably well staying alive until now. I'm genuinely proud of you, my friend."
Turning his attention to Riruru, Masaki offered some advice, "Vice Captain, it wasn't wise to attempt an execution. You could have used your Holy Relic to capture him easily. And Riruru, it was unwise to spare him just because Vice Captain Iris suggested it. Always be prepared to think on your feet."
Riruru, showing respect, replied, "Sorry, sir, but why are you here?"
Masaki, said, "I was on patrol, but now that I'm here, why don't I burry this corpse ?"
Zeldius, skeptical, questioned, "You seriously don't think that'll happen now, do you?"
In a flash of lightning and thunder, Masaki appeared next to Zeldius, demonstrating his speed with a display of power, "Thunder Magic - Thunder Clap and Flash."
Masaki inquired of Anew, "Mam, is one Elite member going to be enough, considering a Vice Captain has already failed?"
Riruru responded confidently, "He isn't just an Elite member; he's an ExistForger Elite. Trust me; he's incredibly powerful."
Anew inquired, "Is he really that strong?"
Riruru emphasized, "More than you can imagine.After all, he is a tier-1 S class knight."
Zeldius, feeling the need to take control, seized Masaki by the wrists and taunted him, "Well, what are you going to do now, great ExistForger Elite?"
Masaki's arm veins bulged as he responded, "Thunder Magic - Bolt Strike!" His body emitted a massive surge of thunderous energy. Zeldius began to wonder how to confront this formidable opponent.
Zeldius attempted to gain an advantage with his Spacial Magic, announcing, "Spacial Magic - Fists of Nothingness!"
However, Masaki countered with confidence, "Thunder Magic - Blazing Thunder Fists." Their fists clashed in a spectacular showdown. Zeldius couldn't understand why his Spacial Magic failed to remove Masaki from existence.
Growing increasingly frustrated, Zeldius asked, "Why are you still alive?"
Masaki explained with a smirk, "Did you really think that trick would work on me? I simply enveloped my fists in dense Thunder Magic. That's why your Spacial Magic hasn't been able to eliminate me."
With a swift motion, Masaki unleashed a devastating "Thunder Magic - Raging Thunder Hammer Fist," shattering Zeldius's steel skin effortlessly. Astrea, watching the battle, marveled at Masaki's strength, realizing that this Zeldius was even more formidable than the one he had faced during the entrance test.
Overwhelmed by his injuries, Astrea fainted. Masaki immediately ordered Anew, "Use your enchantments on Astrea; he's bleeding internally. Quickly, Anew!"
Undeterred, Zeldius launched a barrage of "Steel Magic - Steel Spears" at Masaki. In the blink of an eye, Masaki stopped all the spears with his bare hands, not a single one reaching or scratching him.
Zeldius was perplexed, "What kind of spell was that?"
Masaki replied confidently, " Keeping up with a weakling like you has hardly been a challenge. It's more like punching a big, fat, ugly punching bag."
Zeldius, determined to regain control, unleashed his ultimate move, "Spacial Magic - Spacial Pulse." He declared confidently, "No one can survive this spell. After this spell, you will simply be removed from existence."
But Masaki, undaunted, extended his hands and calmly stated, "You are far more foolish and weak than I thought." All the Spacial Magic vanished.
Zeldius, now desperate, questioned, "What did you do? How did you stop it? What kind of gloves are you wearing?"
Masaki, with a hint of amusement, responded, "I didn't stop it; Tertium did."