The ground trembled, and I swallowed nervously.
Both the demon soldiers and the human soldiers stopped fighting.
All eyes were fixed on Crete and the Sword Saint.
Kyle, sensing that something unusual was happening, stopped walking and turned to look at me.
“…Is it starting?”
“Yes, it might have already started.”
I nodded and looked at Crete and the Sword Saint.
They weren’t exchanging blows yet.
The Sword Saint and Crete.
They were both using their mental swords, imagining their duel.
It wouldn’t be visible to ordinary soldiers, but I could see it clearly.
If I stepped into that area, I would be swept away by their aura and die immediately.
The Sword Saint and Crete were both beyond limits, having reached the Realm of the Demi-God.
Even ordinary people would find it hard to meet their gaze.
Kuu-guu-guu-guu-.
It was definitely the moment when a huge battle was about to take place.
But on the other hand, the heat around us quickly cooled down.
The battle had reached a stalemate.
Everyone held their breath, watching the duel between the Sword Saint and Crete.
Just before they collided.
Thwack-.
I started to walk.
I had to find Rene before their battle started.
A fierce battle was going to happen.
A duel where even being caught in the crossfire could lead to death.
Now, before they clashed, was the only chance to save Rene.
“Miss!”
Thankfully, Rene wasn’t that far away.
But she didn’t look good.
Blood was dripping from Rene’s forearm as if she had fought several human soldiers.
There were many human soldiers’ corpses around Rene.
Thankfully, Rene was skilled enough to handle a few human soldiers.
She must have been hurt a little because there were so many of them, but it didn’t seem like a dangerous wound.
Clack-.
I quickly took out bandages and ointment from my pocket.
I smeared the ointment on the wound and bandaged Rene’s forearm.
Rene frowned at that.
“…It hurts.”
“Endure it. It’s better than getting an infection.”
“Okay.”
Rene nodded without a word, listening to me.
I sighed in relief, looking at her.
Thank goodness.
Rene wasn’t dead.
It would have been dangerous if one of the Seven Swords had attacked Rene while I was fighting Kanpel.
I bowed to Rene and apologized.
“I’m sorry. If I was stronger, this wouldn’t have happened…”
I was sincere.
If I had the skills to subdue Kanpel in an instant, Rene wouldn’t have been hurt like this, and I wouldn’t have to worry about her being caught in the clash between the Sword Saint and Crete.
A terrible sense of powerlessness.
It gripped me.
I felt like I was about to cry.
“….”
Rene stared at me silently, as I apologized.
Thwack-.
She slapped me on the head.
It didn’t hurt, but Rene’s expression looked annoyed.
That was even scarier.
Rene scolded me in a stern tone.
“No, apologies.”
“…But.”
“Okay, but more importantly.”
Swish-.
Rene turned her head.
Her gaze was fixed on Crete and the Sword Saint.
The current flowing between them had calmed down.
Were they trying to stop fighting?
No, everyone here would know that it wasn’t the reason.
There was only one reason why the current between the Sword Saint and Crete had calmed down.
I focused my vision as much as possible, so I wouldn’t miss their movements.
I couldn’t use the Eye of Arrogance, but I tried my best.
I thought there might be something I could learn from their fight.
But I realized it was a mistake right away.
Soon after,
Thump-.
Thump-.
Thump-.
The Sword Saint and Crete collided.
Surprisingly, Crete was the one who made the first move.
The two of them had been facing each other with mental swords, but they realized that the battle wouldn’t end like that, so Crete took the first step.
The dark black sword in Crete’s hand and the pure white greatsword in the Sword Saint’s hand clashed several times.
Thump-.
Thump-.
Thump-.
Every time they clashed, a shock wave echoed that felt like my ears were going to burst.
I couldn’t help but frown at the noise.
That wasn’t all.
“Aaaagh!”
“S, save…!”
Crash-.
Zzzzt-.
The fight between the Sword Saint and Crete.
The soldiers watching the fight nearby were caught in the crossfire.
It didn’t matter if they were human soldiers or demon soldiers.
All life was simply transformed into a handful of flesh.
Blood and flesh flew around Crete and the Sword Saint.
The corpses of human and demon soldiers were scattered, and the space warped because of their Fighting Spirit.
The storm was so fierce that it reached me, even though I was quite far away.
‘…This is the power of the Sword Saint and Crete.’
My Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.
It was the first time.
That I felt such awe, just by seeing pure strength.
I had admired strong people before, and I had felt a competitive spirit, thinking I would surpass them someday.
But the moment these two people, who were beyond my comprehension, stood before me.
I couldn’t even find those thoughts.
Only pure admiration came out of my mouth.
The feats Crete and the Sword Saint were showing were beautiful, their every movement was elegant, and the aura imbued in their swords was beyond description.
‘Could I ever reach that level?’
I naturally thought that.
Disappointment, jealousy, despair.
I didn’t even have those feelings.
Only pure curiosity lingered in my mind.
It was a foolish thought to have on a battlefield where I might lose my life.
Swish-.
I shook my head and started walking.
Even if I was far away, I could still be caught in the fight if I stayed here.
I needed to get as far away as possible.
Leaving the battlefield…
I glanced back at Rene.
Rene was staring at Crete and the Sword Saint with a slightly anxious expression.
She must be worried too.
She must be worried that Crete might lose to the Sword Saint.
So Rene wouldn’t move, even if I told her to leave.
It couldn’t be helped.
The best option was to escape while the human soldiers were focused on the fight between the two, but Rene wouldn’t accept that.
I had no choice but to move her further away.
“Miss, let’s go.”
“…Where, are we going?”
“We need to get as far away as possible, in case we’re caught in the fight.”
“Okay.”
Rene nodded reluctantly, but she didn’t insist.
She must have realized how serious the situation was.
Thump-.
Thump-.
Thump-.
Crete and the Sword Saint clashed fiercely.
The tremors didn’t stop.
Was my hand shaking because of the vibrations Crete and the Sword Saint were creating?
Or was it because of my intense anxiety?
I didn’t know the answer, but Kyle and I managed to move far away in the meantime.
Occasionally, human soldiers tried to stop us, but I quickly slaughtered them.
It didn’t matter how tired or injured I was, human soldiers were nothing to me.
We escaped to a safe place.
It was likely that we would encounter human soldiers, but at least the shock waves of Crete and the Sword Saint wouldn’t reach us.
I turned around and spoke.
“Let’s stay here for now.”
“Is it okay if we don’t go?”
“…I don’t know.”
Kyle asked, gesturing towards Crete with his chin.
It made sense.
It looked like Crete and the Sword Saint were fighting on equal footing, but as time passed, the aura I felt from Crete was decreasing.
I watched their fight.
Thump-.
Thump-.
Thump-.
They clashed again, swinging their greatswords.
Then Crete adjusted his grip on his sword and started to mutter something.
Soon after,
Kwang, Kwang, Kwang, Kwang, Kwang, Kwang, Kwang-.
A formidable aura began to emanate from Crete’s sword.
That’s,
I flinched.
Crete was about to use a technique that only those who had reached the Realm of the Demi-God could use.
“Kyle, quickly activate your mana shield!”
“What?”
“I don’t have time to explain. Right now…!”
“Ugh, really!”
Kyle gritted his teeth and activated the shield at my urgent cry.
Woosh-.
A shield surrounded us, but I realized it wasn’t enough.
I activated Darkness, preparing for whatever was about to happen.
Damn it…
I gritted my teeth too.
Crete.
He’s trying to…
Black Dragon.
Descent-.
A technique that goes beyond materializing imagination, summoning it.
Whoooosh-.
An arrogant black dragon with glowing red eyes descended from the high heavens.
It held a black orb in its mouth and circled Crete.
Black Dragon, Bares.
It was summoned from Crete’s imagination, overseeing the battlefield.
‘…Just looking at it makes me feel like I’m going to throw up.’
I clutched my burning chest.
The moment the giant black dragon was summoned.
Neither the human soldiers nor the demon soldiers could help but lose their minds and tremble in fear.
Every time the black dragon circled the battlefield, with its orb in its mouth, a huge storm swept in, along with black smoke.
Black lightning struck the battlefield, and a deathly chill swept over the soldiers.
But with incredible control, it only hunted the human soldiers.
Whoosh.
The black dragon exhaled.
Black raindrops made of black swords started to drench the battlefield.
Thousands of black swords, spewed from the black dragon’s mouth, pierced the humans’ bodies.
At least three hundred humans died.
It was only thanks to the Sword Saint and the remaining six Sword Masters who blocked the swords.
The Sword Saint stared at the human soldiers who had been mercilessly killed, and then turned his gaze to Crete, opening his mouth.
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
“I’ve always been strong. You were just lucky.”
“So, are you saying the world wants your family to be wiped out? Or did you just want that lowly woman to die?”
“…You.”
Crete’s eyebrow twitched for a moment.
The Sword Saint mocked Crete, bringing up the death of his lover.
The Sword Saint is righteous.
Isn’t the Nina family the protector of justice?
But there was a good reason why he was making such an insensitive provocation.
Humans didn’t consider demons to be the same kind of life.
From the Sword Saint’s perspective, Crete was no different from a livestock that had rebelled against him.
Crete also knew what the Sword Saint’s attitude meant.
But,
Crete’s momentary hesitation decided the outcome.
Sword of the Heavens.
Descent-.
The Sword Saint’s imagination pierced the heavens and descended.
A beautiful angel with white wings and a white greatsword in his hand stood over the black dragon.
“Ah…”
I let out a sigh, feeling the pressure from the angel.
The Sword Saint’s imagination was beautiful, but it was also terrifying.
Kuu-guu-guu-guu-.
Soon after, the angel, holding his sword in one hand, leaned back.
Consecutive white rings burst out, tearing through space, and the soldiers nearby had their eardrums burst, with blood flowing out.
The Sword Saint smiled faintly, looking at Crete, and said.
“Show me your sword.”
Access 5 advance chapters with the ‘Position Exchange I’ Tier ($10), or 10 advance chapters with ‘Eye of Arrogance’ Tier ($18), or 20 advance chapters with ‘Sword Lacquer’ Tier ($35), or 30 advance chapters with ‘Fighting Spirit’ Tier ($50)
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