CUT

While it was true that most of his Crafts would be used in battle, and as such have to read and react to numerous variables that he maybe wouldn't otherwise think of, the beauty of a Craft was that he didn't have to account for all possibilities.

He didn't need to break down whether two blades met at 20 degree angles or 30. He didn't need to make a guess as to whether the enemy was using Water or Fire Force, or whether they were at the Lower Impetus State or the Higher, or whether they were using 10% of their abilities over a wide range or 80% over a concentrated range.

No, he could simplify it greatly.

"The first sword I created was the perfect example. It didn't care what angle it hit the ground. All it knew was that anything it came in contact with, it would repel. That was it, that was all... In that case..."

Leonel didn't need to worry about every case, he could just impose his will onto the battle.

His mind drifted to the Evolution Ore mine he had stumbled into, and how the moment one stepped into it, you could feel its greed, its desire for improvement, its will to evolve.

"That's it..."

The thoughts hit Leonel like an endless stream and he made one connection after another.

It was a fusion of two paths. On the one hand, there was Simulation, accounting for very specific outcomes and creating predictable results. This would limit the number of variables his Craft had to deal with. And on the other, there was the truest essence of the Life Grade, a level whereupon you could begin to change the environment.

"What was the Life Grade if not creating items that already existed in nature? The only reason you didn't call Evolution Ores Life Grade materials was because it was redundant."

The glass shards suddenly came together beneath Leonel's glowing eyes. A small strand of Little Tolly danced between them, quickly forming a new Craft in the form of a small flying knife.

Without even looking, Leonel flicked a finger off to the side.

The dagger didn't even fly particularly fast, but its will was almost palpable as it rushed through the air.

Cut. Cut. Cut. Cut. Cut.

The words echoed again and again, perfectly translated beneath Leonel's Dream Force as though it was a real person speaking a real language.

It tore through the wall of the Lab Setting as though it was slicing through partially melted butter, but when it didn't seem satisfied, it actually cut into space itself, tearing a path out of the Lab Setting and into the Abode Setting, and then out from the Abode Setting and into the real world.

Leonel grinned. This was the pinnacle of the Life Grade, he was certain of it.

"Leonel! I swear if you ruin my world one more time!"

Leonel raised his head to the skies and laughed as Anastasia's fury fell down like a torrent.

-----

Aina swung her ax, a mighty arc cutting down another several dozen.

Hurricane force winds filled the atmosphere, but they weren't coming from any technique or anything of the like. Instead, it was coming from Aina's own heaving chest.

Blood drenched her black military outfit, both that of her own and her enemies. By this point, her golden irises had gone completely red, an insatiable aura of death and destruction swirling around her, not in their tangible forms, but rather from her mind.

It was as though the crowd of raging lunatics was being constantly assaulted by Mo''Lexi's painting as Aina's coercion swirled more and more out of control.

"Should we step in?" A member of the Beast Race growled.

This beast had the body of a white tiger, but his black stripes were outlined with dancing runes of gold and his tail was a mixture of black scale and white fur. Every time this tail whipped about, space itself was split in two for a moment before returning to normal.

This was a race of elite Beasts, a descendant of the Demi-God Beast, White Spectral Tiger.

"You're free to go," Orion sneered.

"She should be on her last legs," Lumina said coldly.

"You've been saying that for the last month," the White Spectral Tiger, Silvan, said coldly. "You humans are all cowards."

"What did you just call me?" Lumina growled.

"A coward." Silvan said coldly.

Orion chuckled. "I don't think that's what she was referring to. Plus, she's right. That woman is eating herself up from the inside out, her entire body is practically undergoing autophagy."

"Call me a human again and I'll cut your tail off."

Silvan reacted as though someone had stepped onto that very tail. The tail of the White Spectral Tiger race, even though he was just the dregs of their bloodline, was their greatest pride. He would rather sever his teeth than give up his tail.

"Watch your mouth, human." Material © .

Lumina's illusory wings flared up and the hurricane force winds seemed to triple in speed.

Silvan snorted. "Since you cowardly humans won't do anything, I will go."

Silvan roared and space shook and cracked. With a step, he had already vanished, appearing in the midst of the battlefield without a care for Aina's rage-filled eyes.

Aina suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, her internal injuries worsening beneath the sudden pressure. Silvan had bent and twisted space so much that even gravity was affected, making her feel like her body weight had just increased by tens of thousands of times.

Aina suddenly roared, pulling in more of her reserves. Her cheeks sunk in further and her body seemed to be sapped of strength.

She was ready to face the tail that was coming right for her when a dagger suddenly manifested from her finger.

The instant it appeared, everything seemed to cut through. Their Forces, the wind, even space itself.

Silvan couldn't even react before his tail was cut in two.

ROAR!

A ticker appeared before them both and they soon vanished... only to appear on the same arena.

Silvan's enraged roars continued to echo like claps of thunder, he couldn't quite understand how this had just happened.

But Aina's ax was already descending.

As for the outside world... the appearance of the dagger brought nothing but carnage.