Multiverse Cross Ex

Arrogant.

How arrogant.

That was what everyone thought of Mitsuya after hearing his words.

Yurishia herself frowned at him. His casual arrogance struck a nerve, and it wasn't in a good way.

"Then, don't blame me for what happens next."

She said that with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Yes, she had to teach him a lesson—teach him not to look down on her.

Who does he think he is?

She thought.

One has to know, women were far more compatible with Hybrid Gear than men; it was a simple fact.

That's why there were far more female users than males.

Sure, it was rare to see a male wielding Hybrid Gear—or whatever that could called, but his sheer arrogance was intolerable.

"Better be careful."

Yurishia said with a forced smile as she equipped her cannons.

Without hesitation, she unleashed a barrage of firepower at Mitsuya.

Yet, to everyone's shock, Mitsuya didn't move. He didn't dodge, didn't flinch—he just stood there.

"Wha—!?"

The same expression of disbelief was mirrored on Yurishia's face and the faces of the spectators.

Reiri on the other hand had a déjà vu at this particular moment.

It couldn't be what she was thinking… could it?

And it was just like she thought.

When the smoke that filled the area where Mitsuya stood began to clear up.

It revealed Mitsuya who hadn't even taken a step from where he stood.

He was still in that same posture.

One hand rested on the hilt of his sword, which was stuck into the ground. His other hand tightly gripped an old, worn device.

"How… what just—?"

"Did he dodge?"

"No, I didn't sense any movement till the barrage hit."

The spectators muttered in disbelief, and Yurishia's expression mirrored their confusion.

"My~"

She spoke in a stunned voice, her confidence clearly shaken.

"«Territory»."

Mitsuya's voice cut through the silence, his tone as calm as if he were explaining something mundane.

"I'll be that one guy and give you the rundown of my powers."

"Huh?"

"In exchange for bulky armor—because I don't need the junk."

"I got rid of all unnecessary mass, all because of my innate ability: «Territory»."

"«Territory» allows me to open a small domain around me where I can manipulate the laws of physics—"

Mitsuya said before shaking his head, removing his sword from the ground with a practiced motion, slinging it casually over his shoulder as his feet lifted off the ground.

"Not only can I do this. I can change the trajectory of anything that nears my domain and manipulate them as I wish."

"As for the bullets you sent towards me, I redirected them towards the ground instead the moment they entered my «Territory». However, because of the toll it takes on me, I can't use this ability for long."

Mitsuya was saying some incomprehensible things that most of the spectators and Yurishia herself couldn't understand.

No, it wasn't incomprehensible. They understood it—every word of it.

But seeing him flying without armor, standing unscathed, it made him seem less like a man and more like a superhuman.

For Reiri, who had seen yesterday's battle over the Southern area of the Pacific. There was no doubt left in her mind.

Mitsuya Kimitsuki is the pilot of that mysterious machine.

But why?

Why was he exposing himself to her like this?

Reiri didn't know whether to be satisfied or angry with him.

The honest truth is that: Mitsuya himself doesn't care.

He and Navi only had one goal—to acquire «Cores» for the Hybrid Gear.

Even now, unless someone could break through his «Territory» or manipulate physics better than he could, Mitsuya had no reason to take them seriously.

And even if he encountered an overwhelming enemy, he always had his trump card: «Dimension Cross».

After all, he shared the same powers as the «Dimension Cross» itself, albeit in a sealed state for now.

There's that too. And besides. It's not like they'd—the government and the World Union—make an enemy of him.

Most forces would want to get along with him since they have their hands filled with the AU army.

Why poke someone who can annihilate an entire army without so much of a scratch?

Not to mention that amount of firepower one would need to destroy a massive mothership.

Even Yurishia's particle cannon, which boasts of strong firepower, is not strong capable of doing that.

Now, Mitsuya, who was in the air, had a good look at the below.

It seems like they haven't left their shocked state.

"Well."

He said with a smile, tilting his head slightly.

"It seems like Miss Yurishia is done with her attack. Can I go next?"

"Eh?"

Yurishia and the rest of the spectators blinked, suddenly reminded they were still in the middle of a match and—

"He's gone?"

"No, Yurishia, in front."

One of the spectators with black hair warned.

Yurishia's eyes darted from above to the front of her, where Mitsuya was.

What she saw first was a sword approaching her, but her energy barrier blocked his attack as she shielded her eyes with her hands.

"He's fast. And…"

Yurishia gritted her teeth.

"My barrier's already down to half."

The attack had drained a significant portion of her defenses in a single blow.

The reason why he was so fast was because of one thing.

'The world appears slow to me.'

He was in a state he referred to as .

While the world moved in real time, his perception of it was drastically slowed, allowing him to react and move faster than other people could.

That alone would have been something to note about.

But then what happens when he is constantly reducing and manipulating friction, inertia, and other forces around him to increase his speed.

He becomes insanely faster.

But such overwhelming power came with a cost.

His abilities required immense calculations to sustain.

Even with a device to handle part of the burden, the toll on his body was significant—

'I can't continue this for long. I'll end it in an instant.'

Mitsuya thought, leaping back after breaking the clash against Yurishia's Energy Barrier.

Then—

SHH!

Mitsuya disappeared again.

"No. He didn't… he's moving really fast."

For her who is considered to be one of the fastest in the school.

Her eyes couldn't keep up with the speed in front of her.

Even one of the other students that'd call herself fast, by the stand, couldn't keep up with his movements.

"My eyes can't keep up."

Even Reiri, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile, though a flicker of conflict crossed her face.

'He's strong alright.'

Mitsuya, after making zigzag moves for flexing, had suddenly appeared behind Yurishia piercing through the remains of her energy barrier.

"I told you. I'm strong."

It wasn't that Mistuya was bragging. Far from it.

He was someone who received cheat-like powers from a God, while Yurishia was a girl who got her powers at the cost of her life.

It was more like a warning from him, that she shouldn't underestimate his cheat-like existence.

However it was too late.

Yurisha fell to the ground on one knee. After the opening move, she wasn't able to move at all.

It was a complete defeat.

She lost spectacularly.

"Winner. Transfer Student. Mitsuya Kimitsuki."

Reiri announced as Yurishia remained motionless.

After Reiri had announced him the winner so. Mitsuya walked to her and outstretched his hands towards her.

"Can you stand?"

Yurishia looked at his outstretched hands but didn't hold it. She stood up by herself, walking past him without so much of a glance.

'Ah. Did I wound her pride?'

[Master is merciless]

'What did I do wrong? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?'

[Yes. Master has shown the female student Yurishia how insignificant she is. Master had basically told her he could have finished the fight anytime he wanted, and master decided to play with her instead]

'Well. That's true. But you didn't have to put it so bluntly.'

Mitsuya sighed.

But… he couldn't care less about some female holding a grudge on him for that. Afterall. His—

"Mitsuya Kimitsuki. Come over here."

Interrupting him was Reiri who had called from the other end of the training field.

Mitsuya answered with a nod of his head and skipped over to her.