Chapter 243

The fatally wounded monsters fall, splattering rotten blood like paint.

Following that, a storm of demonic energy surged from within the two corpses.

One had its upper body mangled, the other split vertically.

The one with its head completely blown apart was silent as expected, but it seemed that being merely split in half wasn’t enough to prevent an explosion.

Anyway, as long as I keep my distance…

– Clunk!

The spear tip I was pulling out seemed to catch on something and stopped.

The monster impaled on the spear was tightly gripping the shaft with both hands.

Its torso must have turned into a stew of flesh, yet it still had this much strength?

“Grrrr…!”

The monster smiled as if mocking me.

Impressive, though it doesn’t mean much.

If you want my spear that badly, I’ll let you have it.

I release the Black Iron Spear and leap into the air.

Unable to withstand the force of the jump, the ground beneath my feet screams and shatters like glass.

“Huh?”

The monster left holding the spear groans in confusion before swelling up and scattering like droplets.

Two explosions graze my legs.

Four enemies remain.

The brilliant glow that had stained the entire blade gradually fades, leaving Durandal with only its blue-silver blade and golden inscriptions.

I could sense it. I can no longer unleash the same devastating sword strikes as before.

Whether it’s a time-limited ability or some other reason, I don’t know.

A bit disappointing, but… this is as far as I can go smoothly.

From now on, I’ll have to fight with my sword.

Not that I think I’ll lose.

Two flashes of light arrow toward me as I descend.

The monsters, having thrown their halberds like javelins, drew their longswords.

Indeed, I had pointed out to Damien before. Try not to jump into the air unless necessary.

In mid-air with no footing, you can’t dodge enemy attacks, and even if you block, your stance will be greatly disrupted, risking being taken down by the next attack.

Moreover, the moment you land, a big opening is bound to appear.

…At least, for someone of Damien’s skill.

I draw two daggers from my waist and infuse them with Life Force before throwing them.

With a clear clash, two flowers bloom in the air.

The trajectory of the halberds, wrapped in crimson petals, twists.

The Paladins surround me, aiming for the opening as I land.

Four longswords flash like the teeth of a centipede.

In the past, I would have had to prepare to be stabbed somewhere.

But not anymore.

I pour Life Force into the mark on my right wrist.

Forced awake by the power, flames fueled by the Life Force ignite.

Up-hwa.

Wrapping my legs in swirling crimson flames, I plummet toward the ground like a blazing comet.

With the intent to crush everything beneath my feet.

“Crush them all!”

The monsters hastily throw themselves backward.

The Up-hwa’s right foot pierces the earth.

—-

A deafening explosion.

Heat and shockwaves sweep through the area.

Fragments shattered by the Up-hwa melt and scatter like lava.

The heated air twists as if screaming.

Ash and smoke rise, obscuring the sky like an inverted waterfall.

It was like being at the epicenter of a blast.

Beyond the black haze, I glare at the monsters staring blankly at me.

From four to three… no, two and a half enemies remain.

This strike consumed a fair amount of Life Force, but it was worth it.

One nearby monster melted without a sound, and another was left with only its charred lower half.

“Kiiieek!”

The surviving Paladins let out shrill screams.

Yeah, fire must be scary.

Bugs tend to burn well.

“Too weak! Is this all you’ve got? The name ‘Witch’ is wasted on you, Isabella!”

She’s probably listening.

If my taunt gets even a slight rise out of her, I’ll be satisfied.

I shout boldly and charge at the last two remaining.

The longsword stretched behind me glows blue like the sky, and my clenched left hand burns crimson.

Two types of Life Force compete, baring their fangs.

“Kyaaaak!”

Black energy surges from the monsters’ bodies.

They have nothing left to hide. It’s as if they’re openly admitting to being monsters.

This isn’t their own power. Sticky, slimy demonic energy flows through space toward them.

A foul, rotten stench wafts through the air.

A whorish aura drenched in bodily fluids. Disgusting. This must be Isabella’s own demonic energy.

Since they’re her creations, she can probably transfer power to them from a distance.

Regardless, I fight. Believing I will win.

—-

The longsword dances.

Sky-blue trajectories and pitch-black arcs intertwine, spewing sunset-like flames.

With each clash of swords, the monsters’ blades chip away, scattering fragments.

Indeed, with the golden glow that had stained the blade gone, Durandal’s sharpness has returned to its normal state.

Though it still supplies endless vitality.

The monsters seem to have noticed this, as their attacks have become bolder.

Even if it means getting cut a bit…

Even if it were, it felt like it would tear my flesh apart.

Because Isabella was directly infusing her power, these two were stronger than the monsters that had already fallen dead. Their movements were much quicker too.

The intense clash of sounds mixed together like the ringing of bells.

The ground crumbled under the force of my steps, and the shattered dark energy scattered like snow, melting away.

“Haaaaah!”

The surging flames burned through the black curtain, intensifying their momentum.

The prolonged battle, the slowly growing crack—

“Kaaang!”

—finally shattered into pieces.

The half-broken blade soared like a pinwheel. The monster, now disarmed, hesitated for a moment.

It was the moment when the scales of victory tipped to one side.

“Now, it’s time to die!”

The blue longsword swung like lightning.

Perhaps driven by survival instinct, the disarmed monster struggled desperately.

I dodged the whip of Up-hwa by bending my waist and deflected Durandal with the broken longsword.

Then, flipping my wrist, I countered sharply.

“What can you do with a broken sword?!”

I deflected the slash aimed at my temple with an Ice Blade.

Just as I was about to crush its skull with a flaming fist like a meteor—

“Crash!”

Another longsword struck my wrist, deflecting it.

A sharp pain shot through my wrist.

This much…!

“Kyaaah!”

Using the momentum of the deflection, I spun around and kicked the flank of the knight who had attacked my wrist.

With a loud crash, the monster, its armor dented, flew away.

“Kuh…!”

It’s hot.

Like the sensation of rubbing a candle against my waist.

As I kicked it away, the tip of its sword grazed my side.

Even though the impact felt like my spine was about to snap, I didn’t let go of the longsword.

A vivid red line of blood flowed from the clearly opened wound.

The first effective hit I’ve taken since the start of this battle.

It wasn’t a deep wound, but—

“Doesn’t it sting?!”

My left arm shot out like a cannon. The Up-hwa wrapped around it burned with rage.

“Whoosh!”

The crimson flames melted the armor like snow, pierced through the abdomen, and burned through the spine, emerging from the other side.

Charred entrails clung to my fingertips.

“Kiii…iiik.”

The monster, pierced by the Ice Blade, groaned as if it felt wronged, locking eyes with me.

As if asking why I was taking my anger out on it when the monster that left the scar on my side was the one lying over there.

…Do I really need to distinguish that? They’re all the same anyway.

As I kicked it away and pulled out my left hand, flames spread from the donut-like hole in its abdomen.

“Kieeeek! Kiik! Gkiik!”

The monster, its belly pierced, twisted its entire body as the flames of Up-hwa covered it, melting away.

The one with its side torn couldn’t even get up, flailing helplessly.

A blue arc severed its neck.

—-

“Haaaaah…”

I let out a heated sigh, looking up at the sky. My breath was so hot it felt like it could ignite.

The surroundings were in ruins, as if bombed, with a few un-exploded corpses scattered like trash among the piles of dirt.

I won.

Ten masters. No, ten Paladins, completely annihilated.

Even I was amazed by the achievement.

Even with the power of the sword, defeating ten masters in a head-on battle was a feat.

Moreover, the only injuries I sustained were a slash on my side and a throbbing left hand.

No one gathered on the plains could speak.

No, they couldn’t even breathe. Yes, it must have been a shocking scene.

Though it feels more common lately, the realm of masters is the pinnacle of martial prowess. There are only about fifty such strong individuals in the Empire.

In the chaos of an unpredictable battle, it’s one thing, but in a duel like this, they are overwhelmingly powerful.

And yet, one-fifth of them were completely defeated by a single person here.

Looking at Ernst’s expression, I could understand their bewilderment.

It wasn’t a look directed at a person. Nor was it the look one gives to monsters.

It was the face of someone witnessing something incomprehensible.

A mix of fear, confusion, admiration, and awe—it was closer to the gaze one would give to a natural disaster like a tsunami or a storm.

With this, the first gamble was a success, I suppose.

Whether there will be a second, I don’t know.

Wiping the sweat dripping from my forehead with the back of my hand, I relaxed the tension in my muscles for a moment.

Now, it was time to wait for the enemy’s reaction.

Will they come out, or will they cower?

Which will it be?

Werner von Valenstein.

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