Judging solely by the destructive power of this forbidden technique, Noah felt it had already reached the realm of the gods.
After all, even the highest-level adventurers in Orario couldn't possibly unleash such an outrageous move.
Take, for example, the strongest mage in Orario, the Nine Hell.
Under ideal conditions, her attack magic could sweep away an entire floor of monsters, its power comparable to tactical-level modern warfare.
But Bakuya Kuheki was strategic-level.
Even the Nine Hell, who could hold her own against six opponents, couldn't match the Yaksha Princess in terms of the raw destructive force and range of her moves.
Of course, Level 6 was far from the limit of falna.
Every time an adventurer underwent a rank transcendence, their power increased by a dimensional leap.
The physical capabilities of a Level 7 adventurer were on a completely different scale from those of a Level 6, and their magic grew exponentially stronger with each transcendence.
Ultimately, they could even reach "legendary" status.
Crozzo's original Demon Sword could allegedly burn the sea to ashes.
If its power were truly on that level, it would be hundreds or even thousands of times stronger than Bakuya Kuheki.
Of course, this was purely in terms of raw power. In actual combat, conclusions couldn't be drawn from such simplistic calculations alone.
A Blazer's physical durability was far inferior to that of an adventurer.
Even an Orario mage who had reached Level 6 would likely perish if hit head-on by a few modern missiles.
For someone like Mia Grand, a high-level dwarf with extraordinary stamina, pulling off a feat like taking a direct hit without a scratch wasn't impressive.
With his current Level 2 physical abilities, Noah couldn't even begin to replicate the skills of a "walking nuclear weapon" like Nene.
...
"Come in."
The moment the door opened, Nene hurried inside... but the smile on her face froze instantly.
Seeing the man sitting across from the Chairwoman, Noah frowned.
'Akaza...'
That was the name, right?
The minor thug who had threatened him earlier at the mall.
Not only was he the head of a branch family of the Kurogane Clan, but he also seemed to be involved with the League's Ethics Committee.
"Oh, you came together?" Kurono said, bouncing onto the sofa after ducking around its back.
"We ran into each other in the elevator."
"I see. Well, Noah-kun, you should sit down too."
At Kurono's invitation, Noah took a seat on the sofa.
As he settled in, he glanced at the rotund man, who maintained his crafty smile throughout.
He wondered if this man's political presence had anything to do with why he'd been summoned here.
"Noah, let's start with your matter. The League has noticed your combat activities, and considering the previously unannounced shopping mall incident, they have sent you an upgrade notification."
"Promotion?"
"Yes, an increase in a Blazer's official rank. You understand, right?"
'Promotion.'
'Come to think of it, only about one-fourth to one-fifth of a Blazer's rank assessment is based on actual combat ability.'
'The majority is predetermined by their innate magic capacity.'
Take Stella, for example—a freak of nature who only advances once every decade.
Most start with a low rank and gradually improve their status through their physical achievements.
Take the Chairwoman herself, for instance.
While at Hagun Academy, she was a B-Rank.
Through her performance on special League missions, she gradually accumulated merit and reached A-Rank before graduation.
Now he had an opportunity to advance? That means he could rise from C-Rank to B-Rank.
Reaching the same official level as Tohka Todo, Kanata Totokubara, and others.
"Considering the upcoming Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, the League has postponed the final assessment until after the festival."
"After... no, I should say, your performance at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival will also be one of the primary evaluation criteria," Kurono said, glaring at Akaza, who was sitting there while grinning.
'It's all because of that annoying guy, always meddling where he shouldn't.'
"I understand. So, my performance at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival must be exceptional to ensure my rank advancement."
'Heh.'
'So that is how it is. It's practically forcing me to give my all in the tournament.'
"Hehehe."
Noah covered his face with one hand, unable to suppress his laughter.
After chuckling a few times, he looked up at Akaza.
"Uncle."
'Hmm? Uncle? Is he calling me?'
Mamoru Akaza froze, momentarily stunned.
Before he could react in anger, Noah's expression darkened as he activated his magic.
In a flash, Akaza felt his tie tighten like a noose around his neck, choking him violently.
"Ugh—!"
"You really underestimate me too much, you bastard! You think I will just be your political tool to eliminate Ikki Kurogane?! That is why this place reeks so foully!"
Akaza, gasping for air, frantically clawed at his tie.
But his hands met empty air.
'So this is the invisible power of the Calamity!'
"Cough! Cough cough!"
"Hey, Shinguuji! How long do you plan to just stand there?!" Akaza felt a wave of helplessness wash over him, fear gripping his heart.
He desperately turned to the Chairwoman beside him for help, only to see her leisurely lighting a new cigarette.
The Yaksha Princess was also leisurely peeling grapes.
'Those damned women!'
"Stop this at once! I am the chairman of the Japan branch of the Ethics Committee... Aahh."
Noah observed Akaza's pained expression with feigned concern. "What are you saying, Chairman Akaza? You look terrible. Are you feeling unwell? Need medical help?"
"You bastard!!"
'Hmm?'
Noah's gaze sharpened, and Akaza immediately felt his internal organs convulse.
A wave of stomach acid surged upward, burning his throat.
Nene remarked bluntly, "This is just like slaughtering a pig. I have seen it in documentaries—it's exactly the same."
Remembering the explanation of the Calamity's abilities, Akaza hastily threw himself to the ground.
Ignoring his disheveled appearance, he crawled desperately toward the exit of Kurono's office.
To escape the five-meter radius, he had to physically leave this office.
Tears, thick with pain, welled in his eyes.
The burning in his eyes forced him to alternately close one eye at a time.
Finally, when he managed to open the office door, fresh air rushed in, and Akaza felt what it truly meant to escape death.
'Even at the end, the brat hadn't released his ability.'
Did he really want to kill him?
Akaza wanted to storm back in and demand if the boy was insane, but the moment his hand touched the brass doorknob, he hesitated.
He was afraid.
But after leaving, he couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction.
"That invisible power... that worthless fool Ikki could never possibly overcome it!"
"And that Noah brat, how dare he treat me like this! Just wait until I'm done using you. Then you will see how I will punish you using the League's authority!"
...
"Pfft, ha ha ha!"
"This is hilarious! Did you see that?! That guy actually crawled out!" Nene laughed uproariously, kicking her legs in excitement.
Noah sighed. "The heavy gravity field I put on him was actually your work, Nene-sensei. But he will probably blame it all on me."
Nene giggled. "What's the harm? You have already pissed him off enough. What's wrong with letting me vent a little?"
Noah frowned. "Do you even have a grudge against him?"
"Huh? No, not at all. I just find him... amusing to bully."
Kurono exhaled a cloud of smoke, her expression far less cheerful than Nene's.
She gritted her teeth. "That despicable Akaza! How dare he do something like this! It seems my purge of the academy wasn't thorough enough."
As the Chairwoman, she at least wanted to provide her students with a fair environment.
The Kurogane Family had repeatedly interfered with, and even manipulated, the competition through their family influence.
It was as if they didn't even acknowledge her authority.
"Tsk, I should just dirty my hand and fire off a Spacetime Shatter," Kurono said with a frown, uttering words of terrifying intent.
She usually appeared rational, but she was an emotional person who could act impulsively when provoked.
If she hadn't already been a wife and mother, she might have actually lost her head and done something horrifying.
"Oh! Now that would be something to see!" Nene chimed in from the side, fanning the flames.
Speaking of the Spacetime Shatter the Chairwoman mentioned, Noah remembered it was her Noble Art.
Not only that, but it was also a Forbidden Technique designated by the League, banned due to its catastrophic consequences.
Regarding the Yaksha Princess and the World Clock, the two had clashed before in the King of Knights tournament.
The exhilarated Yaksha Princess, abandoning even her martial arts, directly pulled a massive meteorite down, disregarding the lives of those around her.
To counter this move and protect the stadium, the World Clock unleashed her ultimate technique.
The World Clock's Noble Art completely annihilated the meteorite!
It was an ultimate technique that destroyed space itself!
But the flaw of this move was even more severe.
The shattered space could never be restored to its original state.
Therefore, powerful Blazers were incomprehensible monsters.
Every strike they made could inflict irreparable wounds on the world.
"Is there no way to correct the match list?" Noah asked.
Kurono shook her head. "Once the match information has been released to the public, there is no way to change it. If I used my authority to adjust it, it would look like we were abusing our power to protect a student."
If she really did that, she would be caught by the heels.
They weren't just targeting Ikki, they wanted to kick out even her, the disobedient Chairwoman.
How despicable!
"Is that so."
Noah looked calm as he stood up to take his leave.
Kurono pressed, "What do you plan to do next?"
"Nothing much," Noah answered earnestly. "Now that the opponent has been officially confirmed as Kurogane, I need to prepare thoroughly."
He had originally thought their second duel would be at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, but now it had been moved up considerably.
That Akaza from the Kurogane Clan always doing unnecessary things.
Once he finished his current tournament tasks, he'd have to make that pig pay the price...