Shinji Matou at Your Service

EtherLight Weave: A Mystic Code that forcibly intervenes using pseudo-neural spirit fibers woven from the fifth imaginary element (ether). It can interfere with reality by pulling like a thread or cutting like a blade, and it can also serve as a medium to invade others' bodies and souls.

When the spirit fibers come into contact with the human body, they infiltrate the nerves and mimic a new nerve. Through this nerve, one's thoughts can be transmitted to the other person's body, thoughts can be read, and even a secondary command center can be established to forcibly control the person's body and soul.

The brain is the sole command system governing the body, but through the pseudo-nerve, a second command system can be created to replace the original, making the fake circuit the main line, much like a hacker in a computer network. The difference is that a hacker invades a computer, while Zepia invades the human brain. Finally, the spirit fibers that reach deep within the body will begin to forge a pseudo-thought protocol from the brain's marrow, including information and the soul's blueprint.

Of course, reaching the final step requires a long process as it needs to break through countless barriers, including rationality and instinct, which is difficult even for Zepia. In contrast, simply immobilizing a person and reading their memories is not particularly difficult for this top alchemist from the Eltnam family.

He acknowledged Shinji's strength, but in the realm of spirit fibers, he was the master!

—It should have been so, and the boy hit by the EtherLight Weave indeed froze in place.

However, just as Zepia further manipulated the Light Weave, he suddenly found he couldn't read any information at all, as if he was connected not to a person but a stone.

"How can this be? What did you do?"

The triumphant expression froze on his face.

Shinji stretched lazily with a smile and casually waved, cutting off all the EtherLight Weave attached to his body.

"Nothing much just created a barrier with spirit fibers to block your invasion. Coincidentally, manipulating spirit fibers is also my main focus."

"Then why were you dodging earlier?" —If he could create a barrier, there was no need to dodge.

"Because I wanted to test my reflexes. I've heard of Atlas's multiple future predictions but never experienced it."

"You played me!"

Zepia finally realized that Shinji's earlier words were deliberate.

Shinji shook his head and said sincerely:

"No, no, you misunderstand. I wasn't entirely playing you. I also needed time to understand the principle of EtherLight Weave. At the moment of impact, I indeed couldn't move. Thanks to you, I had plenty of time; otherwise, I might have paid a price."

"Impossible, you cracked EtherLight Weave in such a short time?"

Although he had left the Eltnam family, Zepia still valued the secret Mystic Code of his family highly. A secret that countless people couldn't obtain was cracked in such a short time?

"Of course not, but I didn't need to crack it. I just wanted to understand the principle related to spirit fibers; I'm not interested in Ether. As for why I could understand it, it's simple: in this aspect, I've gone further than you. As Arcueidd said, in the same field, there can only be one master; the other must be the loser."

To prove his point, Shinji voluntarily walked into the web of light weave, letting the weave touch his body.

Zepia didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't deny it. Initially, he indeed received some of Shinji's body information, but now he couldn't sense anything. At this moment, he had only one thought—he would rather have been played.

But he quickly suppressed this thought. Zepia, as one of the twenty-Seven Ancestors with modern magus status, had immense strength and willpower.

"Don't get too cocky. You've only cracked one technique of EtherLight Weave, far from its essence—let me show you the true usage of Ether LightWeave. Misfortune Intelligence: Lies! Duplicate Homologous!"

Countless EtherLight Weave gathered in Zepia's hands, forming human shapes with his chant.

Among them were people Shinji recognized, such as the Tohno family, and those he didn't, like clergy in church robes.

These human shapes were similar to the previous illusions but different. Similar because they had entities, different because they were more real. Without soul vision, Shinji would have mistaken them for the actual people.

This is the true utility of EtherLight Weave, a perfect duplication of targets, a unique skill that the Night of Wallachia couldn't achieve, only usable by Zepia Eltnam Atlasia.

Although such duplication requires substantial computational power and can't be done indefinitely, Zepia's thought acceleration could always pull out a strong team. Fighting him meant fighting a whole team of strong individuals, which is why Sion said he was a calamity even among the Twenty-Seven Ancestors.

"Self-Proclaimed White Princess' Knight, Are You Ready? The Finale of the Rehearsal."

"Heh, your mind does contain all sorts of beings. As expected of someone who could drag a god out for a fight if they wanted to. In another place, encountering so many strong opponents would indeed be troublesome."

Surrounded by a group of imposing strong individuals, Shinji not only showed no fear but instead displayed an eager expression.

"But unfortunately, the battlefield is here. The domain you've painstakingly created to turn falsehood into reality is exactly the home ground I've been dreaming of."

The Third Magic activates, Origin: Transformation!

"I've watched your illusions for so long; now it's time for you to see mine. Then you'll understand the fundamental difference between us."

Mist gathered from all directions, its turbulent and converging form identical to Zepia's when his ideals shattered, except for one difference—the color of the mist. The mist Zepia manifested was a twisted black, while Shinji's was a pure blue, the radiance of his soul and the most widespread color on this planet.

"Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut!"

Zepia instinctively sensed danger and quickly issued commands.

As the creator of Tatari, he knew better than anyone how to deal with this mist formed by spirit fibers.

In an instant, flames surged, winds howled, lightning flashed, and black keys shot out. Almost every figure with long-range attack capabilities launched their attacks immediately.

The already dilapidated top floor of the temple sustained further damage, becoming riddled with holes.