(Heartfelt thanks to 'God of the Divine Realm' for the 1,176 reward, and to 'Yan Yu Jiangnan', 'Pokémon', 'Book Friend 150105200554833', 'Kaede no Chōrei', and 'Yume no Shouyou' for their rewards!)
"Hiss----!"
Seeing the incomparably sharp clawed hand, enough to make even ordinary Peak Eighth Order experts wary, strike toward her, Ikaros showed not the slightest expression. Her delicate body shifted to one side, and the sharp clawed hand covered in scorching battle qi swept past less than five centimeters from her body with a piercing gust of wind.
The old man in black had clearly not expected his full-force, utterly ungraceful strike, used in an attempt to end the battle quickly, to miss. He froze for a moment, then fury and viciousness flashed through his eyes. His sharp clawed hand moved, slashing fiercely at Ikaros's face like five tiny daggers.
Ikaros remained expressionless before the attack, but Kaya was utterly enraged.
After all, if that attack landed, even if Ikaros's head did not burst apart, her face would be ruined. How could Kaya, who regarded Ikaros as a goddess, possibly not be furious?...
Only Ikaros remained calm. Within her icy crimson eyes, sci-fi-like frames flickered and fluctuated. She raised a slender hand, and an 'Aegis (Absolute Defense Circle)' the size of a bowl appeared, crashing heavily against the old man in black's clawed hand.
"Clang----!"
Amid the reverberating impact, the old man in black's claws scraped continuously against the 'Aegis (Absolute Defense Circle)', producing a shrill grinding sound that made everyone's eardrums ache.
Ikaros spread the hand holding up the 'Aegis (Absolute Defense Circle)', dismissing it. Then she spun around, and the wings behind her slammed heavily into the old man in black.
"Bang----!"
With a low, muffled sound, the old man in black let out a miserable cry.