The cheers from the arena audience erupted wave after wave.
Looking closely, the stands had become more and more lively, vaguely reaching the crowd levels seen on the fiftieth night.
This was because the audience had been notifying and informing each other, spreading the word to those who originally thought tonight would be the same as previous ones with no battles and had thus not come to watch. These people had all rushed over in response.
And upon seeing the intense battles igniting on the three battlefields—Charl vs. Sonechka, Loki vs. Asura, Frey vs. the Zekaros Brothers—the crowd's excitement was instantly stirred up, making the cheers and applause grow louder and louder.
Especially when Rozen and August Veyron seemed ready to clash, the audience became even more exhilarated.
Because they could finally see Rozen in action and witness the strength of the rumored The most ancient Magus.
Amidst such circumstances, Rozen stood bathed in cheers, looking at the cold-faced Veyron across from him.
"Did I offend you or something?"
Rozen tilted his head and asked casually.
"No."
Veyron answered succinctly.
"Then why do you look like I killed your family or stole your lover?" Rozen said playfully. "Don't tell me I actually stole your lover or something?"
Of course, Rozen wasn't serious with that remark.
However—
"In a sense, yes."
Veyron gave such an answer.
"Huh?"
Rozen was stunned.
Irori, Yaya, and Komurasaki, who had all been on high alert, widened their eyes in shock and sharply turned to look at Rozen.
"...Please explain what exactly you've been doing behind Yaya's back? Flirting around? Rozen?"
Yaya's voice came from behind Rozen, devoid of emotion, like a devil's whisper from the depths of hell, sending a chill down Rozen's spine.
Not only Yaya, but even Irori and Komurasaki were now looking at Rozen like he was a two-timing scumbag, causing Rozen's mouth to twitch.
"Do you seriously think that's possible!?"
Rozen really wanted to shout that in righteous indignation.
Unfortunately, in a certain sense, Rozen had been secretly "flirting" outside Yaya's knowledge—just not in this world, but in others.
Just as Rozen was about to say something, his expression shifted slightly.
"Swoosh!"
Sleipnir suddenly appeared in front of Rozen and threw a powerful punch straight at his head.
This was unmistakably an attack aimed directly at the puppeteer.
Veyron had launched an attack on Rozen, completely ignoring the Setsugetsuka girls.
The Night Party's Executive Division members changed expressions once more.
However, Sleipnir's punch seemed to pass right through Rozen's body, like it hit nothing but air.
"Where do you think you're punching?"
That voice came from beside Sleipnir.
Looking again, the Rozen who had been hit by the punch had vanished without a trace, as if he had teleported, and reappeared beside Sleipnir.
That was...
"An illusion?"
Veyron saw through it.
What Sleipnir hit wasn't Rozen—it was just an illusion.
This was the effect of Komurasaki's magic circuit.
The Snow maiden could deprive targets of heat at the atomic level and freeze an entire city. As the most combat-capable member of Setsugetsuka, her magic circuit was — Himokagami.
The Moon maiden could freely manipulate monads within her own domain and block all attacks, making her the best suited for protecting key individuals. Her magic circuit was — Kongouriki.
The Flower maiden could block the five senses, control all sensory information, and even create mirage-like illusions to deceive enemies. She was the best for espionage and support. Her magic circuit was — Yaegasumi.
These three magic circuits were among the most powerful in the world—even compared to universal truth magics like the Gram, they were not inferior. Rozen valued them greatly, and to most people, they were shrouded in mystery. Fewer than three people in this world knew their true effects.
That's because their true potential could only be unleashed by someone with the Mind's Eye. Without a user possessing the Mind's Eye, they would be limited to just cold magic, body enhancements, or sensory illusions—trivial compared to their real worth.
Thanks to this, the three girls had never revealed their true power before becoming Rozen's Automaton Dolls. Only after entering his service did they begin to show their true value. Thus, it was natural others didn't know their real effects.
Even so, Rozen had revealed Yaya's magic multiple times before. While most still didn't understand its essence, it was no longer a secret. Irori and Komurasaki had also displayed their powers during the Black Prince incident, fighting the Security Forces and the Academy Headmaster in front of the whole school. So even if the core was unknown, many had a general idea of what the Setsugetsuka magic circuits entailed.
The illusion now facing Veyron was undoubtedly an effect caused by Komurasaki's Yaegasumi.
"You think that's enough to get away?"
Veyron instantly stretched out his hand, channeling an enormous amount of mana into Sleipnir.
Sleipnir immediately turned around and launched a second punch at Rozen.
That punch was astoundingly fast, like it pierced space itself, and carried overwhelming force as it struck at Rozen's head.
"Boom!"
With a muffled impact, the punch landed squarely on Rozen's head, releasing a shockwave and kicking up sand and gravel.
However, Rozen didn't move a single inch. Instead, his body peeled away like skin, revealing a girl who had directly taken Sleipnir's punch.
Who else could it be but Yaya?
"Haa!"
Yaya gripped Sleipnir's fist tightly and unleashed a fierce kick carrying a sonic boom straight at the Automaton Doll in front of her.
But this kick, too, passed right through Sleipnir without resistance, as if kicking air.
"This..."
Yaya was stunned.
"Return, Sleipnir!"
Veyron immediately recalled his Automaton Doll.
Sleipnir vanished like an illusion from in front of Yaya and reappeared at Veyron's side.
But then, Veyron's eyes suddenly sharpened, and without hesitation, he placed his hand on Sleipnir's shoulder—and disappeared with him.
"Crack, crack, crack…!"
A series of frostbitten, teeth-gritting freezing sounds rang out.
Where Veyron and Sleipnir had stood just a second ago, the entire space suddenly froze over. Cold wind howled and white mist rolled as a pillar of ice shot upward, forming a frozen tower that now stood towering in the center of the battlefield.
Had Veyron and Sleipnir remained there, they would undoubtedly have been frozen solid.
Now standing not far off with Sleipnir, Veyron looked at the scene, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Then—
"Where are you looking this time?"
A teasing voice suddenly rang out beside Veyron, making his face twist in shock.
"BOOM!"
A deafening roar shook the arena.