Surrounding Jeff, those four floating swords vibrated with a low hum.

In a blink, those swords' frequencies became synchronized.

Four strings of light appeared in between those swords, forming a square.

On the ground, a circle formation appeared, inscribing that square.

Having the circular formation as foundation, smaller complex formations formed. Runic characters started to blink here and there.

This formation was completed in a blink. But in the eyes of a sage-tier, this process was still progressing in slow-motion.

If Jeff wanted, Jeff could have easily left this formation before its completion. But it's just not necessary. Jeff didn't feel much threat here.

To an SSS-rank, this may be a dangerous situation. But, Jeff was not SSS-rank anymore.

The floating cyan broadsword sliced at air.

In an instance, chaotic wind currents formed within this formation. Those randomly appearing and disappearing currents did not look that menacing. Yet, sensing closely into the currents, there were sharp wind blades mixed inside.

Pebbles and soil grains were brought up into the wind. In a moment, they sped up to the speed of bullets.

Looking at the mana density... This formation could wipe out any number of A-ranks instantly. S-ranks might last a few seconds before being grinded down to particles.

Yet, there was an invisible barrier covering Jeff. An inch surrounding Jeff was a different world. Here, it's untouched and normal. It's as if that wind storm did not exist.

Simultaneously, the magenta thorn sword waved in air. The ground rumbled a bit. The mana in the air quickly converged into this formation.

Fire element. Earth element. Water element. Wind element.

The elements conflicted with each other. Yet, at the same time, the elements cooperated with each other.

Spurts of fire. Streams of water. The rumbling of the ground. The mixing of the wind. The elements were locked into a cycle of creation and destruction.

Jeff couldn't understand the chemistry behind this. Nevertheless, Jeff instantly felt some pressure pressing down. It's like this world wanted to hold him down and bury him.

There's no way for an SS-rank to hold against this pressure. It'd take an SSS-rank's best efforts.

As soon as this chaotic world formed, the purple curved sword waved around.

The ground under Jeff softened into a swamp. From this chaotic world, various creatures were born. Flaming ants, towering mud giant, a living puddle that looked like a slime. Also non-living objects: flying swords, daggers, needles.

Creatures big and tiny. In collaboration, they shot towards Jeff.

Jeff snapped his fingers. [Mana Burst]

An invisible dome expanded out from Jeff.

Splut!

Like being hit by a truck, those creatures got blown into the air. In the air, these creatures quickly disintegrated.

A flash of red light!

Jeff tilted his head. A digital-red slit appeared by his cheek.

[ Anti-healing effect in action: Your healing has been slowed! ]

[ Curse effect in action: This wound will expand over time! ]

[ Bleed effect in action: As long as this wound exists, you will lose _0.001%_ of your maximum health per minute ]

In a second, these attacks took place one after another.

"Hmm..." Leaning sideways, Jeff dodged that red light again. "Interesting."

Here, only that crimson thin sword posed a threat to him.

Area of Effect damage. Binding effect. Terrain changing effect. Single-target execution.

This swords formation wasn't lacking anything.

Yet, in the end, it's only S-ranks fueling these artifacts.

Take a sidestep, Jeff easily dodged that crimson sword again.

Now that Jeff was a bit more serious, this blade was simply too slow.

On the outside, the audience became silent. The pride of the Anas family wasn't backed up by nothing after all.

If it's them, all of them together, being trapped inside that formation. How long would they last? 5 seconds? 10 seconds?

Inside the formation, Jeff dodged the crimson light a few more times.

'Anything else?' Jeff knitted his brows. 'Or they think they can wear me out?'

'Please. I wouldn't even consider this as after dinner exercise.'

"So there is nothing new." Jeff closed his eyes. Casually taking a sidestep, Jeff dodged that crimson sword again.

"Are you looking down at us!" The wielder of the magenta sword growled.

The wind speed quickened. More monsters started to spawn. Jeff felt a bit more weight. Just a tiny bit though.

Jeff stopped holding in his mana.

Like pressing the pause button, everything inside that formation froze in place.

At this instance, the four sword wielders suddenly felt a tremendous force pressing down at them. It's like there were mountains crashing down on them.

Crack!

One after another, cracks on the red dome expanded out. Inside, all those monsters, all those elemental effects, and all the wind blades came to a halt.

Like piles of ashes, these attacks disintegrated into the air.

Jeff opened his eyes. A blue light overflowed from his eyes. His entire body emitted a dim blue glow as well.

No. Jeff did not turn his stack of abilities on.

This was his full-on sage-tier mode.

When Jeff turned on his stack of abilities, he emitted a warm golden glow.

When Jeff entered this mode, there were visual effects as well.

Quite unfortunate. Jeff didn't like giving his status info to his enemies in battle. But eh. What can you do about it.

Jeff looked around. Under his gaze, the swordsmen could no longer remain standing. One after another, they kneeled onto one knee.

Yet, the four swords were still floating in air.

There was a dome of red light separating the crowd from the battle. Yet, outside the dome, the crowd still felt a tremendous pressure.

"Is this... the full power of SSS-rank?" Gardener watched in awe and anticipation.

"Y-You have be joking right?" An S-rank sat onto the ground.

"As expected of the strongest man in Berrystone..."

"Is he a deity now?"

Some looked rather concerned. Some people's eyes glinted in calculation and plotting.

Knowing that Berrystone was under Jeff's protection, some became more relaxed.

Inside that dome, Tyler Anas looked at Jeff in disbelief and regret. "I knew it! You have accepted the aid from the void didn't you!"

"Why would I do that?" Jeff looked at the slumping dude.

Like being pressed down by an invisible force, Taylor bowed a little.

Clenching his teeth, looking at Jeff's feet with a glare, Taylor Anas growled. "You are saying you reached ancestral tier by yourself?"

The four floating swords brightened up in unison.

It's like the swords had been enraged by this battle outcome. Or they simply were not ready to give up.

At this moment, they blasted out all the energy they had.

In an instance, Jeff's view changed. He was standing on a dirt path in a forest now.