The staff's charging had a limit; once fully charged, the red orb already emitted a dazzling light. Shiraishi Kawa looked forward and decisively activated the skill "Explosion Magic."
He couldn't yet perform a highly chuunibyou-like incantation like Megumin. Extremely pure magic, like a vortex, surged from the tip of the staff towards Fujimi Academy.
During the skill's wind-up, the surrounding air was swept up by the magic vortex, rushing towards the target of the spell: the zombie-infested academy.
"Try this ultimate attack magic."
As the red orb glowed with a rainbow of colors, the immense magic power filling Fujimi Academy was instantly detonated. After an intense, colorful flash, "Explosion!"
A colossal explosion, covering an area roughly the size of an entire football field, erupted into the sky over the vast Fujimi Academy.
The unrestrained impact directly toppled the outer wall of Fujimi Academy.
The trees planted next to the wall were uprooted, and the light generated by the explosion even dimmed the sky.
The shockwave spread from the school's center, making Shiraishi Kawa's clothes flap wildly and causing the school bus behind him to shake violently.
Immediately following was the deafening sound of the explosion!
The fire that shot into the sky lasted for about ten seconds, only disappearing completely when the magic power was exhausted. And the former Fujimi Academy could no longer be described as merely devastated.
The concrete was completely pulverized by the explosion, leaving a giant crater about ten meters deep and over a hundred meters in diameter.
The soil around the crater was carbonized. The intense shockwave from the explosion shattered all the windows of the surrounding school buildings.
Even the teaching buildings closer to the center had exposed steel-reinforced concrete support beams, not to mention that all the dead bodies were completely reduced to dust!
"Indeed… art is explosion?"
Before meeting Megumin, Shiraishi Kawa's impression of her was that of an Archmage intensely focused on her skills. After using Explosion Magic, however, his perspective changed.
He can finally understand her feelings.
Other Archmage skills are simply child's play; carpet bombing is a man's romance!
#
Those who most directly felt the explosion were naturally Busujima Saeko, Takagi Saya, and others sitting in the school bus, experiencing a strong shockwave.
It almost overturned the vehicle.
The towering flames—if he hadn't witnessed Shiraishi Kawa releasing the skill himself, he probably would have had the illusion that the military was carpet bombing with nuclear weapons!
"This..."
Although Busujima Saeko was aware of Shiraishi Kawa's general strength, her heart almost stopped beating when she saw this scene, clutching the school bus seat.
She could feel her arm trembling... As for Takagi Saya and Miyamoto Rei, who were unaware of the situation, their stunned faces already showed their current state of mind; they had completely stopped thinking.
Alright.
Takagi Saya gradually began to understand Marikawa Shizuka's initial appellation of "God" for the figure in her sight.
He was... the embodiment of a god!
The only thought remaining in her mind was regret. If Shiraishi Kawa minded what had just happened and wanted to kill her, what difference would it make from crushing an ant?
"Just how strong is he!!!"
An esper?
No!
Misaka Mikoto, ranked third among Academy City's espers, shook her head, dismissing that idea. Just with the Holy Sword User profession, he would have no problem ranking among the top six espers.
But... she hadn't expected Shiraishi Kawa to still be hiding such a powerful trump card. Did he possess other moves?
"So?"
"How on earth did he do it, to grow so strong so quickly!"
#
In the Dimensional Chat Group, the live broadcast function was fully activated. Compared to the strength of the Holy Sword User profession, using Explosion Magic to carpet bomb... completely refreshed their understanding!
Facing Shiraishi Kawa's terrifying strength, describing him as a god walking among men seemed the most fitting, right?
Master of the Butterfly Mansion: @Ordinary High School Student, I apologize for speaking too loudly before. I hope Lord Shiraishi Kawa doesn't mind!
Asuna: ...I don't know how to express my feelings. I truly don't know how strong a god is, but to describe him with the technological weapons of my world...
Asuna: A walking humanoid nuclear bomb?
Master of the Butterfly Mansion: How strong is a nuclear bomb?
Sakurajima Mai: It can probably completely destroy a city...
Aqua: With this kind of momentum, defeating the Demon King and such would be incredibly easy!
Sakurajima Mai: ...Did I join the group a bit late? How do I learn this move?
Future Holy Sword User: So, even before becoming a Holy Sword User, Shiraishi-kun possessed such great power? Was his performance limited by the environment in the Goblin dungeon?
Bronze-Ranked Adventurer: Lord Shiraishi Kawa is indeed the most amazing!
Gabriel: @Ordinary High School Student, are you really human? Or are you the highest-ranking demon walking among men?!
#
Shiraishi Kawa had no time to check the scrolling content in the Chat Group. His gaze swept over Fujimi Academy, and there was no trace of the dead.
The proficiency panel kept displaying notifications of experience gained.
"You have successfully killed a dead body, gaining 50 experience points."
"You have successfully killed a dead body, gaining 50 experience points."
..."You have successfully killed a dead body, gaining 50 experience points."
"Current level increased: Lv2 → Lv4"
"Archmage Lv4 (379 / 50000)"
"Basic Skill: Explosion Magic Lv4 (179 / 50000)"
"Skill points gained: 2"
"Evolution points gained: 2"
"It seems that acquiring the Archmage profession and mastering Explosion Magic from Megumin for the blank profession panel was a relatively correct decision."
Looking at the masterpiece before him, Shiraishi Kawa's handsome face was beaming with a smile. Feeling the magic power rapidly recovering within him, he wrapped the staff in a grey cloth again.
Returning to the school bus, he looked at the completely silent atmosphere and turned his gaze to Marikawa Shizuka, saying with a smile, "My business is done."
"Let's continue!"
"Okay..."
"Yes, Lord God!"