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A tense and static moment of confrontation.

The giant, though still wearing a relaxed smile on his face, exuded an aura so formidable that it seemed impossible to find any openings.

An inexplicable tension emanated from the spirit entity surrounding the giant. Despite his seemingly loose and natural stance, Maria, with her keen insight, could see the explosive power coursing through every fiber of his being, ready to burst forth at any moment.

Hiding her inner anxiety, Maria began to adjust her muscles and meridians. Despite her relatively short training period, her warrior instincts, honed through rigorous practice, allowed her body to accumulate tension like a drawn bowstring.

‘Dragging this out… isn’t the wisest move.’

Even at a glance, the opponent’s experience with the sword far surpassed Maria’s, who had less than a year of training. The only reason Maria’s sword stance could hold its own against the opponent’s was due to her innate, exceptional senses.

And in prolonged confrontations like this, the side with less experience would inevitably crumble first.

Moreover, Maria was physically outmatched, making her ideal strategy a swift, storm-like decisive battle that caught the enemy off guard.

Maria slowly regulated her breathing and rhythm. Even in this tense standoff, the rhythm of breath and tempo was crucial, as it mirrored the flow of thoughts in the human brain.

With half her senses open and half focused on the opponent, Maria suddenly shifted her gaze and subtly altered her rhythm.

In the next moment, Maria’s figure left an afterimage and vanished. The potential of her finely tuned muscles, honed to the extreme through her warrior training, transformed her energy into a lightning-fast strike.

A high-powered, surprise attack launched by evading the opponent’s rhythm. But as the afterimage faded and Maria reappeared, she was met with a frustrating situation.

“Ugh.”

“Hmph, did you think I’d fall for the same trick again, girl? I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I can easily guess what someone like you is thinking in a situation like this.”

Creak, creak.

Maria’s arm trembled in the giant’s grasp, his hand as large and menacing as a pot lid. Her usual finesse in exploiting openings was nowhere to be seen this time.

“Your talent for playing with the tempo of battle is truly remarkable. It’s undoubtedly an innate gift. After all, even among our elite warriors, few can do what you do. But alas.”

It seemed impossible for Maria to break free from the giant’s grip through sheer strength alone. The giant had too firm a hold on her meridians. Calmly assessing the situation, Maria decided to take a risky move.

“That talent of yours… it seems you haven’t had enough time to fully develop it.”

“And yet, with all your years of experience, you still haven’t managed to subdue a mere girl.”

With a provocative retort, Maria unleashed a burst of energy from her wrist. Though not as focused as usual, it was enough to momentarily loosen the giant’s grip.

“Huh!?”

The giant, startled, tried to tighten his grip, but Maria’s agility and flexibility made even that slight opening enough. In an instant, she twisted her palm, creating a whirlwind of energy that allowed her to break free from the giant’s grasp.

Though she had escaped the giant’s hold, Maria chose not to counterattack immediately, instead quickly stepping back.

The giant, momentarily stunned by the unexpected burst of energy, clicked his tongue in frustration and began to tightly control his sword stance once more.

Meanwhile, Maria, having retreated to regroup, glared at the giant. Her sharp, raised eyebrows and piercing eyes were filled with a mix of confusion and hostility toward the incomprehensible situation before her.

“What… are you?”

This single question encapsulated Maria’s current state of mind.

Her gaze flickered to the wrist that had been gripped by the giant. The skin was red and marked with thick handprints, but that wasn’t what caught her attention.

No, it wasn’t the handprints. Those would fade with a bit of energy circulation. What truly alarmed her was something far more fundamental and threatening.

“What… connection do you have with demons?”

A crimson, crack-like mark ran diagonally across her wrist. It wasn’t just a physical wound; it carried a persistent, menacing curse that had even seeped into her spirit entity. Maria’s face paled as she recognized the mark.

The crimson mark on her wrist was the result of the “unholy influence of demons,” or “demonic energy,” as Sophia had once explained.

Though Maria’s pure internal energy had washed away most of the influence when she unleashed her burst of energy, it had only barely prevented her spirit entity from being fully corrupted. The lingering traces of demonic energy on her wrist were a stark reminder of the terrifying nature of demons.

Adding to her woes, the strain of forcefully releasing her energy had caused internal injuries, disrupting the flow of her energy in her wrist. In her already precarious state, this curse and the minor internal injuries were a significant setback.

The giant, seemingly aware of Maria’s condition, scratched his chin with his index finger and replied in a relaxed tone.

“That’s actually what I’m more curious about.”

“What?”

“To be honest, I didn’t want things to turn out this way either. It feels like I’ve been tricked.”

He spoke as if genuinely troubled, muttering briefly about what had happened to him.

“I thought using the Enkai sacrificial arts to indirectly control it would be fine, but it seems I was mistaken.”

His cryptic statement was enough. At that moment, Maria could vaguely see what was happening to the giant’s body and spirit entity.

The black greatsword in his hand emitted a sinister, thread-like energy that wrapped around him like a spider’s web, its tendrils digging into both his body and spirit entity, gradually increasing its corruption.

The Enkai sacrificial arts, a technique developed to seal dangerous divine tools and draw only their power, seemed to have backfired. The giant had sealed the demonic energy he received from a demon into the greatsword, intending to draw only its power. But since it hadn’t worked as planned, it seemed the giant was now…

“You’re… becoming a demon, aren’t you?”

Though he still appeared human, it was only a matter of time. The greatsword was gradually corrupting him, and eventually, he would either fully merge with the sword or have his entire body taken over by the demonic energy.

Maria could clearly see the giant’s future.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And yet, you still wield that sword.”

“Yes, even knowing that.”

The giant’s short, clipped response made Maria sigh inwardly. She was familiar with this kind of mindset. The type of person who genuinely believed, “If you’re born a man and decide to live as a warrior, you must naturally crave greater power!”

Even if it meant consuming a deadly poison that would kill them in six months, they would do it without hesitation, figuring they’d deal with the consequences after becoming stronger.

“And yet, you’re still diligently carrying out requests from demons. Why?”

“Heh, you caught on, huh?”

“At this point, the only ones who would be so persistent in killing the clergy gathered here in Strabenher are the demons.”

“Hmm, I suppose so. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other human interests at play. Right now, the lifeline of those merchant fools is controlled by this lowland, and the stability and spiritual pillar of this lowland is the Strabenher Church.”

Maria didn’t care about such mundane details. Moreover, the giant didn’t seem like the type to be swayed by such things. He had clearly made a deal with a demon, and the reward he sought was something only a demon could provide. In short…

“Yes, that’s right. In exchange for using the Enkai sacrificial arts, I was promised a better method to control this energy. With a higher-grade sealing technique, I could slow down the corrosion from this damned sword.”

It seemed he had a rather desperate reason, though Maria thought it was simply his own doing.

But then, what should he be called now? He was becoming a demon, but it was still in the early stages, and he still maintained a human form. Yet, it seemed he had already crossed a point of no return.

“So, you’re a demonic human.”

A satisfied smile spread across the giant’s face at Maria’s assessment. Not yet a full demon, but no longer entirely human, this existence was best described as a “demonic human.”

A being that wielded demonic power without being fully corrupted or possessed by a demon.

A being that, while possessing the immense power of a demon, could still retain its full strength against the light power that typically suppressed demons, due to still being human.

Maria’s eyes widened as she realized the implications.

This was a being born to fight the Church.

“Well then, let’s stop wasting time, girl.”

“Ah, tea!”

In an instant, the giant’s figure seemed to swell. No, it wasn’t swelling—he had simply closed the distance in a flash.

“——!!!”

Maria’s Impy Vision activated in that split second. Even if she reacted, it would be too late. But Maria wasn’t the type to simply accept defeat.

In that critical moment, Maria chose a counterattack akin to mutual destruction.

The priests in the rear, responding to her signal, began chanting for the divine protection of the gods of the Pantheon, bolstering Maria’s strength, while others released light power to suppress the demonic energy emanating from the demon sword.

{Foolish!}

In the fleeting eternity of the mental realm, Maria heard the giant’s scornful voice. Indeed, charging into the enemy’s fierce assault seemed unwise. She risked being slaughtered by the indiscriminate slashes.

But Maria believed that opportunities arose in crises and that one could only chart their desired course by riding against the wind. Without hesitation, she plunged into the giant’s dense sword aura, her hands tracing a mysterious trajectory. The deadly sword aura, which should have shredded her, instead parted, creating a path.

In that brief moment, the giant, who had clearly witnessed this, twisted his lips in amusement.

{Hoh, you broke through?}

But despite the raised corner of his mouth, his eyes showed no mirth. His pupils, filled with murderous intent and a sinister light, scanned left and right.

The next moment, Maria felt a heavy sword pressure sweeping toward her from the side. She couldn’t face it head-on; she lacked the strength to deflect it as she had before.

Nor could she lower her stance or use the Iron Plate Step to evade; the trajectory was too precise. It seemed the giant had somewhat grasped Maria’s techniques from their previous exchanges, as his assault systematically eliminated her options.

‘No choice.’

In that split second, Maria had no choice but to leap into the air, riding the momentum of the giant’s attack. As she floated like a feather, preparing to execute a fire technique by placing her hands and feet on the black sword, something unexpected happened.

{Gotcha!}

{Oh no…!}

The backlash of the demonic energy, which Maria had momentarily forgotten due to the sword being a demon sword, struck mercilessly.

Crackling black lightning erupted, tearing through Maria’s defenses and seeping into her body and spirit entity.

Zap, zap.

“——!”

Maria let out a soundless scream, her eyes rolling back. The sinister, otherworldly energy of the black lightning instantly neutralized most of her defensive mechanisms.

“Ugh…”

When the black lightning subsided, Maria was in a pitiful state.

Her skin was red and blistering in a lightning-like pattern, black sparks intermittently jumping from her body, and the acrid, pungent smell of burning filled the air.

Every breath she took seemed to exhale smoke, and if she coughed, charred pieces of her internal organs would come out. It was a miracle she was still alive and breathing.

Yet, Maria remained standing, her legs firmly planted on the ground.

Her proud vision and insight, along with her five senses, had long since failed. All that remained were the traces of her less-than-a-year of training and the resolve etched in her heart. Relying solely on these, Maria prepared to continue the fight.

‘I must… protect Brother Conra!’

Since being saved by Conra in the back alleys of Valencia, Maria had vowed deep in her heart to repay the kindness she had received from the boy. Over the less-than-a-year they had spent together, her gratitude had gradually turned into affection, and then into something even more profound and inexplicable.

Her five senses, which formed her combat awareness, had been completely disabled by the black lightning unleashed by the demonic human. The ethereal muscles and ethereal brain that composed her spirit entity were also rendered useless.

Her natural nerves and muscles were also unresponsive, likely due to the electrical disruption caused by the lightning.

The meridians that should have been flowing with her energy were severely damaged or temporarily blocked due to the intense internal injuries.

Yet, relying on the faint thread of her remaining energy sense and the small, unyielding hope in her heart, Maria prepared to execute the martial techniques she had learned.

The giant, now a demonic human, expressed admiration at her determination.

“To still think of fighting in such a state. Truly remarkable fighting spirit. I acknowledge you. You are truly a worthy opponent to be respected and cut down.”

With a low hum, the giant’s sword aura began to gather again, dense and violent.

The black greatsword, emitting demonic energy through the Enkai sacrificial arts, pulsed with veins and blood vessels, spreading its sinister aura even thicker.

In this precarious situation, Maria felt an odd sense of calm.

Beyond pain, beyond attachment to life, her mind was focused solely on one thought, one heart.

With her vision, insight, and five senses all useless, she entrusted all her perception to the faint energy sense, accepting and letting go, observing.

All she had to rely on were the basic martial techniques she had learned in her short time.

Without any clever strategies or overflowing power, Maria felt no anxiety or worry about the future.

Finally, the demonic human’s sword aura surged. In the worst possible situation, Maria’s choice was neither to evade nor to advance. She couldn’t. With barely enough strength to stand, she had no energy left to dodge or attack.

And yet.

“What… just happened?”

The demonic human muttered in confusion, tilting his head as if unable to comprehend the situation. Before him stood Maria, seemingly unharmed, her arms slowly retracting after executing a technique.

Her arms showed no strength, no finesse, no agility—just trembling like a newborn fawn, barely continuing the technique.

“Whatever you did, it’s futile. You have no strength left to resist me!”

Though the situation was incomprehensible, nothing had changed. Maria was still in critical condition, on the verge of death, while the demonic human was at his peak, empowered by the demon sword.

Shaking off the lingering doubt, the demonic human swung his sword again. The black blade cut through the air, but Maria remained standing, unharmed, her trembling body slowly transitioning to the next technique.

But the demonic human had no reason to stand idly by. Another slash followed. Maria remained unscathed. The slashes came in rapid succession, but Maria stood firm. The dense sword aura began to churn violently, the speed of the slashes increasing.

Like a storm, the relentless slashes continued endlessly. Any ordinary object would have been reduced to dust, and even some phenomena and spells would have been nullified by the demonic energy in the sword.

Yet, Maria remained standing. The demon sword’s aura couldn’t harm the girl on the verge of death.

“This can’t be! I’ve surely gained the power to shake heaven and earth!”

He swung the sword, but Maria stood unchanged.

“Enough…!”

He kicked, but his foot met only air.

“Stop it…!”

He swung the sword, kicked, unleashed demonic energy to tear through space, used Impy Vision for a surprise thrust. Yet, in the wake of all his attacks, Maria stood, trembling but still executing her techniques.

“Die!”

The demonic human, now consumed by hatred, focused entirely on Maria, his eyes bloodshot. Despite possessing power beyond human limits, he couldn’t defeat a girl on the verge of death, and this reality shook him to the core.

Perhaps the demonic energy, which twisted both body and mind into that of a demon, also played a part.

In the end, the demonic human, having lost his reason, was being consumed by the demon of his own mind, a demon of torment.

Then, it happened.

The demonic human, who had been frantically attacking Maria, suddenly froze.

From the central spire of Strabenher Church, where the remaining priests had retreated, a massive pressure erupted.

The rising aura resembled a sword and spear made of light.

The demonic human’s gaze instinctively turned toward the source of the pressure. But it wasn’t just him.

Maria, who had stubbornly refused to fall, also turned her head toward the source. In that moment, her body collapsed as if her strength had finally given out.

In her place, a beam of light shot through from beyond the clouds. The aura, like a crouching beast, was contained within an extremely calm presence. Emerging from the dust was a boy with his eyes bandaged.

‘Brother… finally…!’

Even without her senses, Maria knew who the hands gently laying her down belonged to. It was the boy she revered, her one and only brother.

The boy, after carefully laying down his battered younger sister, finally stood up. Though his eyes were bandaged, the demonic human and the attackers felt as if his gaze pierced through them. The pressure was so intense it felt as if his gaze had materialized.

Step.

The boy silently stepped forward, holy particles of light gathering in his hands, forming a sword in his right hand and a spear in his left. The ancient, ornate weapons radiated a sacred aura that made the attackers gulp in fear.

These were surely weapons worthy of a renowned hero god. Greed and fear mixed in their eyes as they gazed at the boy’s sword and spear. Yet, none dared to make a move.

Despite his calm demeanor, they couldn’t envision themselves defeating him and taking his treasures. No matter their numbers or methods, they would only lose their lives in vain—a premonition as absolute as fate itself.

This applied not only to the attackers but also to the demonic human, who far surpassed them in strength.

The demonic human, no, the giant, felt cold sweat drip down his cheek. The madness that had consumed him moments ago now felt like a lie. With a mind chilled to the core, the giant gripped his greatsword, now trembling with fear, with a hint of doubt.

 

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