“… An acceleration spell? No, it feels a little different,” Zest muttered as he felt a slight discomfort.
His sword wasn’t so simple that simple speed could catch up to it. Even Randolph, with his acceleration ability, couldn’t do so. The ability to cut space was powerful enough that even an ability like Pathfinder could only barely match it. In the past, Theo had only been able to avoid it by turning to lightning.
Yet Gladio was somehow catching up with Zest’s sword.
Well, there is no reason to reveal it.
Theo knew the secret, but he wasn’t about to give Zest any clues. He rotated his Circles, drawing magic power out. The total amount of magic power he had drawn out surpassed that of a typical 7th Circle magician.
Theo’s red robes flapped from the pressure, as dozens of fire spears appeared in the air.
Memorize. Four Slots Open. Quadruple Flare Lance.
One spell could create seven spears, so the four Memorize slots and his spell created a total of thirty five Flare Lances. The chilly night air started to shimmer as the darkness was chased away. The Shadow Knights hiding in the darkness were thrown into sharp relief as light lit up the middle of the battlefield.
“Go!”
The thirty five spears shot forward without hesitation.
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
He didn’t think they would hit Zest. A swordmaster could move a few dozen meters in a single step, so lightning magic was more appropriate than fire magic if he wanted to land a hit. But Theo still chose fire spells for a reason.
“Kuk, this doll is quite decent!” Zest shouted angrily as he took three steps back.
The explosion of the fire spears had swallowed him the moment Gladio struck down with its sword. Of course, it was only minimal damage. As one of the most powerful swordmasters on the continent, Zest could easily withstand 5th Circle spells.
The problem was that the Flare Lances were only the beginning of Theo’s offensive.
Triple Casting.
Theo unleashed three spells at the same time.
Chain Lightning. Gravity Bound. Acid Mist.
A net of lightning, gravity, and poisonous fog formed around Zest and Gladio. The automaton wasn’t affected, but it was a deadly series of spells for Zest. 𝐞𝐨𝘃𝐞𝐥.
This would be easily avoided if I didn’t have to deal with this tin can…
Zest was being tied down by the automaton that could somehow catch up to his sword. The moment he tried to step away from the fog, Gladio’s sword swung at Zest’s head.
Jeeeong!
Zest’s ankles sank into the ground under the force. “Damn, this shitty can!”
Unlike Zest, Gladio wasn’t being damaged by the lightning, gravity, and acid. So Theo took advantage of that to keep casting area of effect spells. A swordmaster’s defense was proportional to their aura. If Zest used his aura to defend, then he would eventually be exhausted. But if he tried to retreat, Gladio would snap at his ankles.
Nevertheless, the 2nd Sword, Zest Speitem, hadn’t reached his limit yet.
Zest’s Style Space Cut: Footwork Hidden Technique. Kill Interval.
At first glance, Zest’s blade seemed to cut nothing but air. Gladio didn’t have an ego to care, but Theo was immediately suspicious. In retrospect, it was a natural application of Zest’s ability to reduce the distance a sword needed to travel. If that was possible, could it be used for something else?
Like… reducing the distance between him and an enemy.
“Gotcha, kid.”
Zest suddenly appeared in front of Theo with his sword raised high.
Zest’s Style Space Cut: Decapitation.
The blade shone in the light as a spatial tear appeared behind Theo’s neck. In the next moment, a red glow scattered like blood. But it wasn’t actually blood, since Theo leaped right into ultra close range with both palms outstretched.
He’s caught!
Theo had purposely kept moving below his maximum speed because he had anticipated a surprise attack, so he accelerated to maximum speed and borrowed Umbra’s power to escape to another dimension. No matter how sharp Zest’s Aura Blade was, it couldn’t cut someone who was temporarily in another dimension. It might be different with the hidden technique he used in the past, but normal aura attacks would be ineffective on him at the moment.
Theo summoned every ounce of his courage to land his palm blow.
Fairy Dance’s Direct Transmission. Double Palm Hit. Sun and Fertile Earth.
Zest was completely unprotected, and suffered a sharp blow to his stomach. It was a blow that reproduced aura with ether, strengthening the impact of the blows.
Kaaang!
Zest was thrown back heavily, tumbling across the ground. As he got up, the blood flowing from his mouth was proof that his organs had been shaken. He hadn’t been careless, but it was the price he paid for not doing his best.
Gladio mechanically chased him with a sword held aloft as Zest wiped away the blood.
“… Indeed.” Zest wasn’t angry about being hurt, he was just indifferent. “I should go all out.”
The aura overflowing from Zest’s sword faded. No, it was converging with a much stronger density. That power that forced space to oscillate layered itself on the edge, transforming it into a sword that would kill anything it touched. Theo quickly realized what he was doing.
He is bringing out his trump card.
The first style of Zest’s technique, cutting through space to reduce the attack time, was just the most fundamental application. Zest’s true combat ability didn’t lie in preemptive attacks. He could also strengthen the force of the blow. It didn’t come from physical strength, but rather a destruction that could pierce magical defenses. This was the true value of his space cut.
There were only two methods to respond to this attack. Theo needed to dodge it completely or use a spell that could somehow block the concept of space. Theo wiped the sweat from his blow and pulled out the trump card he had prepared.
Memorize. Three Slots Open. Triple Infernal Blade.
Infernal Blade compressed the 7th Circle spell, Inferno, into a single blade. It was an original spell that Veronica had once shown him, and he had been personally taught by her. As the sword of purgatory that could kill a swordmaster formed, Zest’s memories of the last war stirred.
He raised his sword and mused, “That’s the Witch’s heat sword. You didn’t use this last time?”
Theo replied, “I guess that is true.”
Zest’s eyes narrowed. “You grew this much in four months? It sounds like nonsense, but I believe it. I’ve been watching you.”
His frosty eyes said that he recognized Theo as an opponent on the same level as himself. He had decided to throw away his pride as the 2nd Sword and use everything he had to kill Theo. His determination sent a cold chill down Theo’s spine.
At that moment, a sneer rang out.
“Huhuhu. That’s as far as your stubbornness will take you, Sword Brother.”
Zest didn’t turn around. “… You, didn’t I tell you to get lost?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. According to the Revelation, I have to drive out all evil in this world. It is the reason for this Antonio’s life.” Cardinal Antonio, who had been watching the two masters fight, finally stepped forward. The cardinal ignored Theo like he was dirt on the roadside and whispered to Zest, who didn’t lower his guard, “Why don’t you admit it? If you want to kill him with all your strength, it is okay to borrow my hands.”
Zest growled. “… You.”
“You aren’t refusing, huhuhu!”
This was quickly turning the tables on Theo. He didn’t know the cardinal’s battle ability, but if a cardinal was on the same level as a paladin, he would be a master. Theo had grown from his experience in the East, but he couldn’t afford to go against Zest and another master. Would he have to call out Fafnir? Or he might have to take out his last resort.
Damn, they were a nuisance in Soldun and they’re a nuisance here.
It happened while Theo was calculating how to handle the disgusting cardinal’s interference. A dull mist started to rise around Dofrun Castle that reached out to those who fell and died in battle. Another force started to intervene in the battle between Andras and Meltor.
Indeed, it was a disaster.
***
In the night sky which was lit up by flames, arrows bared their fangs at their master’s enemies.
Sometimes, it was like a swallow. Sometimes, it was like a strand of wind. Sometimes, it was like a flash of lightning.
The two archers fired arrows at the same time and had similar thoughts.
Hrmm, a formidable opponent.
This human, he is amazing!
The two archers, Edwin and the unknown bow master, stayed a hundred meters apart and pulled back their bows. Either way, the goal was the same—Theodore Miller.
The empire’s archer tried to shoot him, while Edwin stopped the attempt. Zest was a strong opponent, so if the bow master landed a blow, it would be fatal for Theo. Therefore, Edwin was desperately trying to stop him.
He couldn’t miss a single one. Rather, Edwin was the one overwhelming the other side with the number of arrows. Unlike the bow master who needed to reload, Edwin used the power of elementals as arrows. There wasn’t even a moment when an arrow wasn’t nocked on his bow.
Jjang!Chaaeng!Jjang!Jeeeong!
Four arrows hit in the air and exploded. Edwin understood as he watched the spent arrows fall.
Seeing the future… is a really annoying ability.
It might be a little exaggerated, but the opponent was basically shooting into the future. One second, two seconds, maybe ten seconds into the future. It was the ultimate goal of an archer to see arrow flights in advance. It was a realm that could only be reached through experience and talent. However, the bow master was able to observe and shoot in the future.
Edwin’s arrows would be deflected even before they reached their apex. A powerful arrow would scream through the air the moment before Edwin’s arrow left his bow. This difference in half a tempo left Edwin at a slight disadvantage. Edwin didn’t feel like he was losing, but he also couldn’t win. If this situation continued, he would be able to tie down the enemy until he emptied their quiver.
“Hmm, still, it doesn’t feel bad.”
According to what he could see, the battlefield was flowing slightly in Meltor’s favor. Despite the superiority of the Shadow Knights’ encirclement, Theo’s unit was fighting back fiercely. The combination of war magicians and elves, who possessed magic, spirits, bows, and swords, was overwhelming the knights who could only use the sword.
It is our first time working with humans… This is a very interesting scene.
The elves pushed the knights out of close range with the help of the magicians’ utility and recovery spells. In the end, once the knights were far enough away, the war magicians would cast offensive magic to punish their enemies’ exhaustion.
It was a surprisingly adept combination. If the opponent wanted to kill Edwin, he would have to push through with sheer firepower or defeat Edwin with one well-aimed shot. It was impossible for the Shadow Knights to get close to him.
“… So the problem is over there.”
There was a reason why Edwin didn’t think the winner was certain yet. It was because of the people wearing white clothes embroidered with gold. They wore sun symbols that represented their god, and the priests sang soft songs that seemed foreign on the battlefield. The hymns drew out the divine power in their bodies, interfering with the magicians’ concentration and supporting the knights.
The chants from the Lairon Kingdom were truly annoying. The golden light that wrapped around the knights whose bones were burned by fireballs, knights who were hit by shock waves, and mutilated knights stood up in just a few minutes.
Of course, they weren’t completely cured. However, the impact of being able to still fight was quite large. For Meltor, it meant no enemy was truly gone unless it was a blow that caused instant death. They could overwhelm the enemies with efficient combinations, but more enemy reinforcements would arrive over time or their magic power would run out.
“Shit! Attack those damn fanatics!”
“No! The shields are too hard. It looks like a titanium alloy…”
“It’s supposed to be a rare metal, so why is there so much of it?!”
“Son of a bitch! They aren’t zombies, so die already!”
Someone mentioned zombies, a type of undead that didn’t react even when their limbs were broken or torn off. The knights restored by the priests were indeed like zombies. It was just lucky that they didn’t smell bad. As someone else laughed, another knight rose from a pool of blood.
“Ku… Kuaa… Aaaah!”
Strangely, the pool of blood beneath them indicated that it was definitely a lethal blow. The priests couldn’t restore all that lost blood, no matter how good their divine power was. The wounds were closing up, so maybe this knight was overcoming the limitations of his body with sheer grit?
The moment the Shadow Knight tried to get up, a fellow colleague tried to help him.
Kwaduduk!
Out of nowhere, the Shadow Knight’s mouth, revealed by the broken helmet, latched onto the neck of the colleague who had come to help him. Combatants across the battlefield gawked at the bizarre sight. Blood spilled from his torn carotid artery as the bitten Shadow Knight slumped over.
“… W-What?”
“Who used Berserk on that knight?”
“Are you crazy? Why would we make them stronger?”
“And even if someone did cast it, it wouldn’t turn them into a cannibal…”
The confused Shadow Knights and magicians forgot to fight for a moment because they couldn’t understand the situation. But the truth was revealed within a few moments.
… Ku… Ooo… Aahhh…!
The knight, who had just died at his comrade’s hands, groaned as he climbed to his feet.
“U-Undead?” Someone whispered in horror. It was like a door had opened during the fight.
Kiiik, kiiiik.
Suddenly, there were sounds of dozens, maybe more, footsteps in the darkness. As silence fell over the battlefield, it started to become even clearer. The battlefield had been contaminated by the magic of death, and it hung over both Meltor and Andras.
The public enemy of everyone on the continent, the warlocks had arrived. The darkness, which caused hundreds of thousands of casualties every time they emerged, appeared in Dofrun Castle.