The sky over Master Swordsman City had changed.
Thousands of Demonic Beasts, driven mad, fell like deadly black meteors.
Killing intent filled the air.
Every breath felt like swallowing poison.
"Yahoo!! We're finally fighting together again after so long!"
Konno Yลซki's spirited shout broke the oppressive silence.
The purple-haired girl with violet eyes raised the Obsidian Sword high as if challenging all of hell to come down and meet her.
The transparent wings on her back trembled, wrapped in a magical aura.
The red-eyed Demonic Beasts were drawn like moths to a flame.
They charged with ear-splitting growls, followed by Rank A Hunters whose eyes had lost the light of humanity!
Butโ
๐๐๐ผ๐๐!
A white silhouette streaked past like lightning splitting the night.
In an instant, dozens of the creatures were cleanly cut apart without even having time to make a sound!
"Too slow," muttered Flashy Flash as he swung his katanaโInstakillโhis movements so fast the naked eye could not follow.
The super-speed ninja from the world of One Punch Man stood in perfect posture, his blond hair fluttering in the wind created by his own speed.
Among all the four-star (โฏโฏโฏโฏ) templates that had joined the Yozakura Family, only one could rival this monster's speed.
"๐ฅ๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ!"
The remaining Demonic Beasts rampaged out of control.
They moved like a tsunami of darkness, ready to destroy anything in their path.
But the moment a tall figure with a cold aura took a single step forwardโ
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ.
A terrifying storm formed from nothingness.
Wind spun with the power to tear dimensions themselves apart.
Leaves, stones, even fragments of reality began to be sucked into the vortex.
๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ข๐๐บ๐ฎ.
The black-haired man with eyes sharp as a hawk's raised Ryลซzumeโa Device in the form of a white Nodachi over a meter long, gleaming with a mystic light.
He was a four-star (โฏโฏโฏโฏ) template from the fiction Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry.
A world where there existed special beings called ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, humans able to manifest their souls as weapons.
And Kurogane Ouma was one of the strongest Blazers, with Rank-A.
๐๐๐๐๐๐!
Countless magical energies flowed through his body.
He raised Ryลซzume with both hands.
The whole atmosphere seemed to respond to his call.
"<<๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข>>"
All the magical energy in Kurogane Ouma's body burst outward, creating a giant tornado that sucked in everything within a fifty-meter vertical radius!
Even the clouds in the sky were distorted, drawn into the spiral of that power!
But this was only the beginning!
"<<๐๐ก๐ข๐ง'๐ฎ๐๐ก๐ข>>"
The true form of Kusanagiโa technique even its creator could not fully control.
Kurogane Ouma compressed the giant tornado, transforming it into a thin blade of light radiating an aura capable of twisting space and time.
The Demonic Beasts, which had been rampaging moments before, now backed away with eyes full of primal fear.
Their survival instincts screamed that death was lurking right before their eyes.
But Kurogane Ouma was not finished.
"<<๐๐ค๐ค๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐๐๐ณ๐>>!!"
The supreme Noble Art, created to overcome fear of the strongest opponentโnow unleashed against an uncountable army of monsters!
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
The slash released was no ordinary sword attack.
It was a man-made natural disaster.
All of Master Swordsman City shook violently as if struck by a magnitude 9 earthquake.
The shockwave spread in a straight line, crushing everything within hundreds of kilometers without mercy!
Even the Sword King, experienced over decades, was wide-eyed at the scale of destruction.
His hands trembledโwhether from awe or fear.
"Impossible... Is that human power?"
The tremendous tremor made the earth cry out in pain.
Giant cracks appeared on the ground, as if the planet were about to split in two.
"๐ฅ๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ!!!"
The two surviving Darkness Dragons roared, a mixture of fear and rage.
As beings equal to Rank SS, their egos could not accept being intimidated by a tiny human.
They immediately flew at maximum speed, intending to finish off Kurogane Ouma before he launched a second attack!
Butโ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!
Two silhouettes floated in the air at a speed beyond the calculations of normal physics!
Xiang Yuโthe mechanical centaur with the body of a half war horseโhad hurled Tomioka Giyลซ and Aoi Sui with all his strength while roaring like a lion!
In the air, an astonishing transformation took place.
A blue tattoo resembling flowing water appeared on Tomioka Giyลซ's faceโthe Kisatsu Aza (Demon Slayer Mark), possessed only by the highest-level demon hunters.
His normally calm eyes now blazed with burning determination.
On the other side, Aoi Sui's body was wrapped in a thin cyan aura that moved like mystic mist.
The young swordsman radiated a killing intent that made the air around him tremble.
"<<๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐๐ญ๐ - ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ข>>!"
"<<๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฎ ๐๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฅ๐, ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ฒ>>!"
Two high-level sword techniques were unleashed at once!
Tomioka Giyลซ moved with the fluidity of flowing water, every swing of his katana creating a visual illusion like a dancing water dragon.
Meanwhile Aoi Sui launched a series of beautiful yet deadly slashes, each movement of his body like peony petals falling in the wind!
๐๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐!
Both wings of the Darkness Dragonโwhich should have had durability equal to diamond armorโwere cleanly severed without meaningful resistance!
"๐ฅ๐ข๐ข๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ!!!"
A heartrending roar of pain echoed across the whole sky!
Thick purple blood sprayed like a waterfall, showering the ground with corrosive fluid that made the stone surface hiss and melt!
Losing balance in the air, Tomioka Giyลซ and Aoi Sui began to fall.
But they had completed their taskโcreating an opening for the final attack.
And the one who would end this fight wasโ
๐๐๐๐๐๐!!
Konno Yลซki flew past the speed of sound, creating a sonic boom that shattered windows across the city!
The Obsidian Sword in her hand turned a purple that glittered like the stars of the night!
As a Fairy, she was not bound by gravity or the physical limits of ordinary humans.
Her every movement was filled with enchanting supernatural motion.
"<<๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ'๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ>>!"
The Original Sword Skill of her own creationโnow shining with a light able to illuminate the deepest darkness!
Konno Yลซki moved like purple lightning dancing across the heavens.
Five consecutive thrusts from upper right to lower left, followed by five more from upper left to lower right, forming a perfect X pattern.
Each thrust left a trail of purple light that lingered in the air for several seconds, creating a sight both beautiful and terrifying!
Even from miles away, people could see a star-shaped pattern of light piercing the Darkness Dragon's body like a cosmic laser!
Konno Yลซki tilted her body, gathering her remaining strength for the final thrustโright at the intersection of the ten previous thrusts.
"๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!"
That final thrust not only pierced the Darkness Dragon, but also created a hole that went through the atmosphere, as if the girl had just fired a laser into outer space!
The Darkness Dragon's body glowed from every puncture, and thenโ
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
The explosion created a giant mushroom of purple light, visible from other continents.
Its shockwave shook mountains in the distance and a purple aurora danced across the dark sky!
But there was still one more Darkness Dragonโฆ
"Fufu~ Leaving an enemy like this to a girl like me... They're really quite rude, aren't they~"
That soft yet teasing voice came from the lips of a beautiful and enchanting girl.
Kirihime Yoruka.
A template from the fiction Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut.
It was a fictional world where humans fought using 'Drag-Ride', mechanical suits of armor that imitated legendary dragons. A Drag-Ride was summoned by drawing its accompanying sword while reciting an incantation.
But Kirihime Yoruka's Drag-Ride was no ordinary Drag-Ride, but the strongest type, called a Divine Drag-Ride.
A Divine Drag-Ride had two unique attributesโDivine Attire (a Unique Ability) and Special Armament (its two unique weapons).
The name of Kirihime Yoruka's Divine Drag-Ride was Yato no Kamiโa three-meter mecha designed as a fusion of samurai armor and a blue-black mechanical dragon.
"<<๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐: ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ>>"
A giant magic circle with complex runes appeared behind Yato no Kami.
The mecha, already astonishing, suddenly underwent a radical transformation!
Additional blades jutted from every corner of the armor, its four legs changed configuration to resemble a legendary war horse.
A blood-red aura enveloped the whole mecha, leaving anyone who saw it both horrified and entranced.
To fight a Darkness Dragon equal to Rank SS, Kirihime Yoruka would not hold back!
"It's been a long time since I used my full power... I hope my body can still bear the burden."
With two katanas in her hands, Kirihime Yoruka began to move.
"<<๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง>>"
What happened next surpassed the understanding of normal humans.
No one could see Kirihime Yoruka's movements.
All that could be seen were flashes of red light moving in seemingly random patternsโwhen in truth they followed high-level mathematical calculations.
The Darkness Dragon, flying at full speed, suddenly stopped in midair.
Its body was still intact, but...
๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐!
Hundreds of slash lines appeared simultaneously across the monster's entire body!
End Actionโa secret art that created a series of consecutive attacks in an almost uncountable duration.
Combined with the power of Yato no Kami, each attack had the power to split a mountain!
KABOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!
The resulting explosion was even greater than Konno Yลซki's earlier attack!
Several mountains in the distance were instantly split in two, creating storms and aftershocks felt for hours afterward!
The magic circle in the sky that kept sending down Demonic Beasts was also destroyed in the blast, severing the connection between their dimension and this world!
But as a result...
"Truly... direct combat really isn't my specialty..."
Kirihime Yoruka laughed in a voice like silver bells even as her body began to fall from the sky after Yato no Kami reached its operating time limit.
Pushing a Divine Drag-Ride beyond normal capacity did grant extraordinary power, but the body of an ordinary human was not designed to bear that much energy.
Fortunatelyโ
Giant roots grew at supernatural speed, extending from the ground to form a soft yet strong safety net.
"You've fought hard, Yoruka... Sleep peacefully."
Yozakura Tsubomi smiled gently as she used her power to save the girl.
Several Demonic Beasts still roaming tried to take advantage of the situation to attack, butโ
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐!
Ji Xuanyuanโthe woman nicknamed the Yellow Empressโraised her hand in a gesture full of authority.
Thousands of elemental swords appeared in the air like a rain of stars, each burning with a different color of element!
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
Within seconds, all the remaining Demonic Beasts turned to ash, drifting away on the wind.
On the other side of the battlefield, Kurome began to raise her katana with very slow movements.
The black-haired girl with indifferent eyes was a template from the world of Akame ga Killโa fiction that knew only one rule: kill or be killed.
Her Teigu, Shisha Kลgun - Yatsufusa, had an ability that made anyone shudder.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ.
The katana in her hand gleamed with a terrifying dark lightning.
Every Demonic Beast that had died within a one-kilometer radius began to twitch as if something were trying to wake them from death.
Dark lightning bolts struck from the tip of Kurome's katana to every corpse.
Slowly...
Red eyes began to glow in the darkness.
What rose was not eight corpses, the normal limit of Yatsufusa, but over a hundred dead Demonic Beasts!
When a three-star (โฏโฏโฏ) template was upgraded to four stars (โฏโฏโฏโฏ), its ability limits increased exponentially.
"๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ."
A single word spoken in a monotone, yet holding absolute power over death itself.
And so began the strangest battle everโDemonic Beasts versus dead Demonic Beasts, in a symphony of darkness that made anyone who witnessed it feel they were seeing the apocalypse.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
In the midst of that chaos, Chen Ye stood observing with mixed feelingsโamazement, pride, and a little dread at the power of the Yozakura Family.
But he knew this was not the time to marvelโฆ
There was a mission to be completed.
He took a deep breath, feeling the Flame of Abyss in his body blaze hotter than ever before, then looked at Restia Ashdoll, who looked back at him with a teasing smile.
"For a swordsman, you don't have a decent sword..." the strongest Darkness Spirit said playfully.
"Well... just for today, I'll be your 'sword' ~"
Restia Ashdoll, a template from the fiction Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance.
As the title said, Seirei (Spirit)โhumans in that world fought alongside Spirits.
And Restia Ashdoll was no ordinary Spirit.
In that fictional world, she was the only strongest Darkness Spirit able to take a perfect human formโwhereas the average Spirit could only take animal forms.
But regardless of that, every Spirit in that world had a second form called an '๐๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ช๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ', which was their weapon form.
And as the strongest Darkness Spiritโฆ there was no doubt Restia Ashdoll also had her 'Elemental Waffe' form.
Restia Ashdoll's body filled with dark yet beautiful magical energy, like a black aurora dancing in the night.
Then, in a stunning transformation, her body turned into a sword radiating an aura capable of conquering the world.
๐ฉ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑโa black sword with red ornamentation along the edges and purple lines running down the blade.
Seeing the supernatural beauty of the Vorpal Sword floating before him, Chen Ye's heart beat abnormally.
Who would have thought there was a Spirit capable of turning herself into a perfect weapon?
But despite his awe, Chen Ye no longer hesitated.
He gripped the hilt of the Vorpal Sword and in an instantโ
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
The explosion of power that came from his body was even more intense than before.
A thick aura of darkness spread like ink spilled in clear water, while the Flame of Abyssโcrimson-black hellfireโdanced around his body.
The combination of the two powers made Chen Ye almost resemble a Demon King descending directly from the deepest dimension of hell.
His eyes gleamed with a light that was no longer entirely human.
Without hesitation, Chen Ye charged forward at a speed that cracked and scorched the ground beneath his feet!
Thanks to Kurogane Ouma's annihilating attack earlier, very few Demonic Beasts stood in his way to the main target. This was a golden opportunity that must not be missed.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
Each swing of the Vorpal Sword created an explosion of black fire combined with pure darkness element.
Demonic Beasts that should have had high resistance to the darkness element were cut like butter under a hot knife!
"๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ!!!"
Dozens of revolting snake-shaped Demonic Beasts merged, their body cells melting and fusing in a horrifying process.
They formed a giant chimera with hundreds of snake heads hissing ear-splittingly.
The ground shook violently from the formation of that monster.
Chen Ye, running swiftly, nearly lost his balance, but suddenlyโ
Someone pulled him up!
"?!"
Chen Ye was stunned, then heard a girl's voice, calm yet full of determination.
"Hold on tight. We'll break straight through."
Tsukuyomi Tsukasa now stood perfectly atop Xiang Yu, who was running at maximum speed.
The mechanical centaur moved like an ancient war chariot racing across the battlefield!
What surprised Chen Ye was Tsukuyomi Tsukasa's posture.
The girl did not sit to keep her balance, but stood upright holding her katana with both hands as if gravity and shaking had no effect on her at all.
When the giant snake chimera attacked with hundreds of heads moving like deadly whipsโeach as large as a full-grown oakโTsukuyomi Tsukasa remained calm.
Her eyes, sharp as knives, analyzed the enemy's attack patterns in a fraction of a second.
Then she raised her katana, andโ
Time seemed to stop.
No wind.
No sound.
Even Chen Ye's heartbeat seemed to cease.
๐๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!
A single slash from the body of a frail girl, yet carrying power beyond all logic and the reason of normal humans.
The flash of that sword simultaneously shredded all the giant snake heads, creating a shockwave that shook the air and cracked the ground in a perfect geometric pattern.
Chen Ye's eyes widened, nearly popping from their sockets.
Before, Tsukuyomi Tsukasa had indeed been strong, but not this strong!
That attack was equal to Rank S+โnearly touching the level of Rank SS!
What had happened to that girl?
Unfortunately, though frightening enough, Tsukuyomi Tsukasa's slash was not enough to kill the snake chimera.
But it was enough to distract the monster and make it focus on attacking the girl it considered the greatest threat!
"I leave the rest to you," whispered Tsukuyomi Tsukasa.
Then, with graceful motion like a ballet dancer leaping from a stage, she dove straight off Xiang Yu's backโfacing the giant chimera directly in aerial combat!
Chen Ye was greatly shocked to see the girl dive alone against a monster dozens of times larger.
Unconsciously, he almost shouted to stop her.
But then he bit his lip and clenched his fist with burning determination.
Trust.
This was about trust in his family.
If Tsukuyomi Tsukasa had given him this golden opportunity, then Chen Ye must not waste it!
With resolve thundering in his chest, his hands gripped tightly onto Xiang Yu's body as it streaked like a meteor toward the battlefield.
Xiang Yuโone of Lux's four-star (โฏโฏโฏโฏ) templates.
A Servant in the Type-Moon universe, specifically from the game called Fate/Grand Order.
Like Servants in general, Xiang Yu should have depended on the flow of [mana] to maintain his existence in this world.
But his bond with Lux became a catalyst that freed him from that dependency.
True, Xiang Yu did not have massively destructive area attacks like Kurogane Ouma.
But what lifted him to โฏโฏโฏโฏ rank was not destructionโit was combat skill polished by thousands of bloody battles.
Xiang Yu, the warlord whose name was engraved in the golden ink of Chinese history.
He was no fictional figureโhe truly existed in history, both in Lux's original world and in the winding timeline of Fate.
According to conventional history, the general should have long since turned to dust.
But in the cosmic event known as the Lostbelt in the Fate/Grand Order narrativeโXiang Yu's fate was rewritten.
Instead of breathing his last, he lived on with a stunning bionic bodyโฆ a perfect blend of human flesh and future technology, creating a mechanical centaur figure combining strength with digital sophistication.
His undying fighting spirit made him qualify as a Berserker-class Servantโmad warriors who trade sanity for absolute power.
And now... Lux had obtained this extraordinary template.
Perhaps Xiang Yu could not match the monsters beyond reason in the Fate/Grand Order story, but in this world, his power was enough to command respect.
Especially in mass battle against hordes of enemiesโno one could match a general who had led countless soldiers across seas of blood.
The six frighteningly gleaming swords in each of his hands danced in deadly harmony, each swing accompanied by a blaze of green fire that burned the very air.
Every movement was a symphony of destruction, every slash a song of death.
Enemies might come like tsunami waves, but before the God of War general, they were only dust ready to be swept away by the wind.
All the attacks raining down on him could be read and predicted easily thanks to a skill called Future Predictionโthe ability to see the flow of battle a few seconds ahead, as if time slowed especially for him.
The sight of Xiang Yu charging in, paying no heed to the gaping wounds on his bionic body, was both astonishing and terrifying.
Even Chen Ye, who had witnessed all manner of wonders, felt the hairs on his neck stand up at this brutal power.
But eventually, Xiang Yu's advance was forced to halt as a revolting mass of giant snakes blocked his path!
The slimy flesh mass writhed in a way that made stomachs turn, as if life itself were a mistake of nature.
Chen Ye watched this sight with glittering eyes.
Unconsciously, words slipped from his lips: "I'llโ"
"No."
For the first time since the battle began, Xiang Yu's voice rang out clearly.
The voice held the wisdom of an old man who had passed through thousands of battlefields, warm yet firm like steel tempered by fire.
"I will open the way for you, boy. After that, you must finish it with your own hands."
Chen Ye was about to protest, but Xiang Yu had no intention of listening to debate.
The mechanical centaur's body began to radiate an extremely hot aura, the green flames across his body blazing ever hotter until the air around him rippled from the extreme temperature.
"<<๐๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ฆ... ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ>>!!"
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!!
Noble Phantasmโin the Fate/Grand Order universe, this was the highest manifestation of a Servant's power.
Not merely an attack, but the crystallization of the hero's legend, history, and soul, immortalized in myth.
And Xiang Yu's Noble Phantasm was a perfect representation of his dual renown: a brilliant military strategist and at the same time a merciless killing machine on the battlefield.
Now the Berserker-class Servant roared in a voice that shook the earth, charging forward like an apocalyptic storm, intensifying the green flames across his body.
Each step left a trail of embers on the ground, each movement created heat waves that cracked stone!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
That storm of green fire instantly melted everything in its way, creating a long straight path like a laser beam.
Even the revolting mass of snakes that had seemed invincible now burned while letting out heartrending hissing screamsโsounds that made anyone shudder to the bone!
Seeing the path now open, Chen Ye did not waste a second.
His feet kicked the ground with full force.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
At last, the terrifying figure of the Demon Dragon Lord, who was draining the 'Root', became clearly visible.
The creature was bigger than Chen Ye had imagined, its blackish-purple scales shimmering like molten metal, its golden eyes glowing like hellish embers.
Chen Ye prepared to unleash his strongest attack without hesitation, butโ
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐.....!!
A terrifying breath of fire shot toward him at astonishing speed.
Its heat was so extreme that the surrounding air distorted and space itself seemed to quiver chaotically.
Chen Ye was forced into an acrobatic evasive maneuver.
The young man looked to the sky with disbelieving eyes.
Up there, over a dozen Darkness Dragons hovered with giant wings flapping, blocking out the light and creating dark shadows that crept over the entire battle area!
Though they were only equal to Rank Sโweaker than the previous two Darkness Dragonsโtheir number of over a dozen was enough to overwhelm him.
"[๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐๐ผ๐'๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ, ๐ต๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป]" the Demon Dragon Lord said in a tone that made bones tremble.
"[๐๐'๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑโ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐]"
Those belittling words made Chen Ye's blood boil, but the young man did not let emotion take over.
All fifteen Darkness Dragons roared in unison with ear-splitting voices, then attacked Chen Ye from all directions like a perfectly organized military formation.
Feeling the pressure closing in from all sides, Chen Ye unconsciously almost used most of his power at once, butโ
"<<๐๐๐ค๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง-๐๐ฒ๐ฎ>>!!"
"<<๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ค๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐๐ญ๐ - ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ข>>!!"
At the most critical moment, a barrage of sword slashes so fast the naked eye could not follow encircled the battle area.
The movements were so elegant yet deadly, as if the night wind had turned into sharp blades.
Seven of the Darkness Dragons were cut to pieces in an instant, their bodies falling to the ground with a rumbling sound that shook the earth!
Chen Ye opened his eyes wide, shocked to see Inaba Tsukuyo and Kokushibo suddenly appear at his side like guardian angels.
The two swordsmen stood in perfect posture, their swords still gleaming with dragon blood.
"We two will protect you, so..." said Inaba Tsukuyo.
"...focus on your goal," continued Kokushibo in an indifferent tone.
"Thenโ"
Chen Ye gripped the Vorpal Sword with both hands and all the [mana] flowing in his body immediately gathered on the blade of pure darkness.
That dark energy swirled around the sword like a small tornado that kept growing.
"[๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐'๐น๐น ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐น๐?]" the Demon Dragon Lord said coldly.
"Hah! As if we'd let that happen!"
Inaba Tsukuyo snorted with a look of genuine disgust.
As for Kokushibo, he had already entered full power mode without much talk.
The dark aura radiating from his body made the air around him feel heavy and oppressive.
All the Demonic Beasts scattered across the battle area suddenly turned around and ran toward Chen Ye.
Even those who had been going after Yozakura Tsubomi immediately ignored their target and joined this mass attack.
Clearly they felt an emergency call from the Demon Dragon Lordโan order to destroy the greatest threat by any means!
Seeing Demonic Beasts so numerous they could fill the sky, like dark clouds moving ferociously, anyone with claustrophobia or monster phobia would have fainted on the spot.
The sight was truly like a nightmare come true.
But Chen Ye felt no fear.
His heart was instead filled with warmth, because he realized this time he was not fighting alone.
This timeโฆ he had sincere, strong friends willing to risk their lives to protect him!
Yes... that was right... This time was different from the previous fights, when he had relied only on the Sword King.
Now he had kind people who not only trained and helped him, but also fought alongside him!
"๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐น๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น..."
Chen Ye began to chant in a voice trembling with emotion, and at the same time, [mana] continued to gather on the Vorpal Sword with ever-increasing intensity.
The blade vibrated, making a strange hissing sound.
That was right... Without all of themโwithout Yozakura Tsubomi's moral supportโhe would probably never have reached this point.
For that reasonโฆ he must not let them down.
"๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐บ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ตโ"
Demonic Beasts who recklessly approached Chen Ye were slaughtered wholesale by the swordsman duo serving as his shield.
Inaba Tsukuyo moved with the grace of a deadly dancer, while Kokushibo slashed with astonishing precision.
But seeing the seemingly innumerable enemies, both were forced to bring out their strongest techniques.
"<<๐๐๐ค๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง-๐๐ฒ๐ฎ, ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ง๐ค๐จ๐ฎ>>!!"
"<<๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ค๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐๐ญ๐: ๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ก๐๐ง - ๐๐๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฎ>>!!"
Three simultaneous slashes from Inaba Tsukuyoโtwo horizontal splitting the air at the speed of sound, one vertical cutting gravity itselfโdestroyed everything in their path with terrifying precision.
Nothing could survive that attack.
Meanwhile, Kokushibo even activated his Kekkijutsu (Blood Demon Art), making each slash reach a maximum lethality beyond the limits of ordinary humans. The demon blood flowing in his body turned into pure energy that strengthened his every movement.
Dozens of curved slashes spreading in all directions, with a vortex of crescent blades whirling around him, created an impenetrable death zone!
Each energy blade moved with its own will, as if it had a soul and a purpose to destroy!
The combined devastating attacks of the two master swordsmen even managed to shred the remaining Darkness Dragons until nothing was left but scattered scraps of flesh and blood everywhere!
But as a consequence of using their forbidden techniques, Inaba Tsukuyo's body reached its limitโher muscles spasmed, fresh blood flowing from the corner of her lips.
As for Kokushibo, though still appearing steadfast, he could no longer withstand the wave of truly uncountable Demonic Beasts.
But it was all right.
Chen Ye was ready.
At this moment, Chen Ye felt something astonishingโas if the entire universe supported his struggle.
The wind blew in rhythm with his heartbeat, the ground beneath his feet vibrated at the same frequency as the flow of his [mana], even the sky seemed to open to grant a blessing.
The young man took the final step with thundering conviction in his chest, then called out the name of the Darkness Spirit's strongest attackโa technique that had been waiting for this moment to be unleashed:
"โ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐บ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ต, <<๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐>>!!!"
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!!
A beam of darkness able to vaporize all matter in this world shot out at a speed beyond human comprehension.
The unfortunate Demonic Beasts became like premium fuel upon touching the attack, causing that terrifying beam to multiply many times over in intensity and destructive power!
That dark energy absorbed everything it passedโnot only destroying, but truly erasing from existence!
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!!
And what a magnificent sight was created.
Though its scale might not have been as far-reaching and terrifying as the legendary Kurogane Ouma's, this was an attack guaranteed to kill even a Rank SSS beingโan astonishing achievement for a young man like Chen Ye.
Towering mountains and vast forests that had grown for thousands of years outside Master Swordsman City were annihilated in an instant by that dark energy!
Nothing remained but perfect emptiness, a statement of the power that had just been unleashed upon the world...
***
"Oh? It seems they've finished their part."
Cecilus Segmunt said casually, his eyes on the tremendous surge of energy that ceaselessly pierced the mountains in the distance.
A thin smirk was carved on his lips. "Then I should finish mine too."
Around him, a horrifying scene stretched wide.
Corpses of Demonic Beasts lay scattered like a carpet of flesh, mixed with the bodies of Black Mamba Hunters who had lost their lives.
Fresh blood soaked his clothes, creating a frightening contrast with his calm, almost... bored expression.
But before him, a figure just as fearsome still stood uprightโDean, the Rank SSS leader of the Black Mamba.
Unlike Cecilus, who looked as if he had merely been taking a leisurely stroll, Dean was panting heavily.
Sweat mixed with blood soaked his face and his eyes radiated a flash of desperation that kept growing stronger.
At first, Dean had intended to attack Yozakura Tsubomi directly, the main target of their mission.
But his intention was dashed in an instant when Cecilus Segmunt appeared like lightning, his speed surpassing the limits of human reason!
Deliberately, Cecilus lured Dean and several of his subordinates to fight far from Master Swordsman City.
After all, as fellow Rank SSS fighters, their battle had the potential to level the entire city.
Unfortunately, Dean's arrogance became his fatal weakness.
In the earlier first fight, he had underestimated Cecilus's ability, thinking the young man was no more than that.
But the reality was...
This bastard had been hiding his true strength!
The evidence of the destruction they caused stretched across a twenty-kilometer radius, with nothing left but ruins and total devastation.
Even more astounding, Cecilus had used only an ordinary katana throughout the fight!
The two katanas tucked at his waist had not even been touched!
"You..." Dean forced his lips to move, his voice hoarse and full of vengeance.
"Who exactly are you?"
It wasn't that Dean didn't know Cecilus Segmunt.
On the contrary, he knew exactly the young man's reputation. What confused him was... why had someone this strong never appeared on the radar of major organizations like the World Organization?
"You're curious?"
Cecilus grinned broadly, his eyes flashing with an almost mad delight.
"The one standing before you right now is the main character of this world. So... accept your defeat gracefully."
"NONSENSE! DIE!!"
Dean roared like a wild beast.
For the first time in this fight, the true power of a Rank SSS Hunter was unleashed without restraint!
"Hahaha! This is what I've been waiting for all along! Come on, show me how far your limits go!"
Cecilus shouted with surging enthusiasm.
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!
A slash of light filled with thick darkness bombarded the spot where Cecilus stood, creating a gaping giant crater!
But that deadly attack didn't touch its targetโCecilus was already in the sky!
"Oh? Interesting, very interesting! So that's your full power?!" His voice echoed from above.
"You should have shown it from the start instead of playing around like before!"
"AARRRRGGG...!!!"
Dean screamed with chilling madness.
Black horns jutted from his forehead, while four wings of darkness grew from his back, making him resemble a Demon rising from hell.
His glowing red eyes had lost the last remnants of human sanity!
At that decisive second, Dean's insane gaze met Cecilus's eyes, which were ablaze with fighting spirit, and thenโ
The two shot forward at a speed beyond the understanding of physics!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!!
A brilliant blue slash and a terrifying purple slash collided, creating a shockwave that shook the very foundations of the world!
Silhouettes glowing blue and a frightening purple traded attacks at a speed impossible for the naked eye to follow!
They teleported from one point to another while launching sword swings that even a Rank SS Hunter could not have endured for a minute!
๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐...!! ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐....!!
"HAHAHA! Strong! So strong! You far exceed my expectations!"
Cecilus's voice, beginning to sound mad, echoed across the entire battlefield.
The young man moved at full speed while swinging his katana, launching attacks that split sky and earth!
Attacks capable of annihilating a large village in an instant were now merely basic movements for the two of themโa sight horrifying enough to make anyone who witnessed it lose their sanity!
From the point of view of a distant observer, they would see only blue and purple light clashing in a hypnotic dance of death.
But every time the two forces collided, destructive waves and oppressive pressure spread, capable of causing natural disasters!
"๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!!"
Dean's hate-filled scream was followed by the formation of a dense sphere of dark [mana] as big as a meteor!
Without hesitation, he hurled it down to the surface of the earth, right where Cecilus was!
Facing an attack that drained life and carried a deadly curseโan attack capable of annihilating an entire kingdomโeven other Rank SSS Hunters would think twice before taking it head-on!
With Cecilus's speed, dodging that attack was not impossible.
But...
Why dodge?
He was the strongest!
The world revolved around him!
With the expression of one who had lost his sanity and a terrifying grin, Cecilus raised his katana high.
The sword began to absorb all the [mana] around it like a black hole!
This was one of Cecilus Segmunt's most devastating destructive techniques.
Its nameโ
"<<๐๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก>>!!"
The blade of Cecilus's katana glowed with a dazzling intensity.
When he swung it diagonally, the whole world seemed illuminated by a light brighter than the sun!
From the sky, the terrifying sphere of darkness plunged down to wipe out all life on earth, while a slash of holy light shot upward as if to purify all evil in the heavens!
And the two met exactly in the middle...
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!!
The explosion surpassed the power of a nuclear bomb, flattening the entire region within a radius of tens of kilometers.
The radiating heat wave could scorch anything at a touch, while the surface of the earth instantly melted into a sea of boiling lava!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐....!!
Eruptions of lava echoed deafeningly.
Solid ground was swallowed into a liquid hell, but atop a chunk of floating rockโฆ Cecilus Segmunt still stood on one foot, perfectly balanced, showing no sign of difficulty.
The young man raised an eyebrow at his katana, now shattered into pieces, then looked up at the sky, where Dean's figure slowly descended to land level with him.
"You lost." Dean looked at him with eyes full of hatred.
"You have no weapon left."
Cecilus blinked briefly, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"What? You don't see the two katanas at my waist?"
"You haven't used them this whole time, which means there are certain requirements to use them. In other words..." Dean looked at him coldly. "You don't meet the requirements."
"Pfft, puahahaha!!" Cecilus laughed while covering his face with his hand.
"What a joke! I never expected you'd draw such a stupid conclusion! All right, if you insist..."
A terrible grin spread across his face.
With calm motions, Cecilus drew both katanas from his waist, holding one in each hand.
At that moment, Dean's heart seemed to stop beating.
His pupils shrank drastically as he sensed a tremendous killing intent overflowing!
This did not come from Cecilus... but from the two katanas themselves!
The blood-red-bladed katana in Cecilus's right hand was wrapped in a crimson aura that flowed like blood, while the katana in his left hand looked ordinary but was enveloped in a hot white aura that stung the eyes.
What the two had in common was the cruel aura radiating from themโas if those swords had a will of their own to kill!
"I'll explain something to you."
Cecilus's voice suddenly turned cold, in contrast to his earlier cheerful laughter.
"It's true, these two katanas have strict requirements and not just anyone can be their owner. But for me..."
His eyes looked at Dean with a gaze that could freeze blood.
"These katanas are just collectibles that will help me reach my dream. They're accessories on my journey. And the reason I didn't use both from the start is very simple..."
A pause, creating an oppressive silence.
"You're unworthy."
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!
"EVEN THE ASH OF YOUR BODY WON'T BE LEFT, YOU EMPTY BRAGGART!!"
"Hahaha!! What? You're angry?! Show me your anger!"
Cecilus laughed gleefully in response to Dean's overflowing rage.
Dean's figure shot forward like a bullet, intending to finish Cecilus with everything he had!
His speed was so astonishing that it created a straight line pushing all the lava around him to the sides!
He created a giant sword of darkness, ready to cut Cecilus in two, but at that momentโ
"Useless."
๐๐๐ผ๐๐!! ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
A terrifying red slash cut through everything in its path.
Dean's expression turned to horror as he saw that slash easily annihilate his dark sword as if it were made of paper!
'WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!'
Dean immediately flew high to create distance, but Cecilus did not allow it and immediately pursued at an even more astounding speed!
"Why? Are you afraid?! Hey, tell me, are you afraid?! HAHAHA!!!"
"๐๐จ๐จ๐จ๐จ๐๐๐๐...!!!"
Dean created dozens of dark creatures that charged at Cecilus, but in an instant they all vanished without a trace!
"I told you, all that is pointless." Cecilus looked at him with a truly terrifying expression.
"Murasame and Masayume... Unless you have a weapon destined to save the world and receive the direct blessing of the 'World' like a certain 'Sword Saint,' you are destined only to lose."
Cecilus Segmunt...
Who exactly was he?
Besides the fact that he was a five-star template (โฏโฏโฏโฏโฏ), he was one of the strongest swordsmen who would probably rank in the top fiveโor even top threeโof the Re:Zero world.
He was almost invincible.
Since birth, it was as if the world had been destined to revolve around him.
And how could it not?
He was fundamentally a true genius.
At a young age, he had already surpassed most veteran knights of his homeland.
His power became even more irrefutable when he obtained Murasame and Masayume as his signature weapons.
It must be known that in the Re:Zero world there were ten extremely powerful swords with extraordinary abilities called the Ten Enchanted Swords.
And Cecilus Segmuntโฆ possessed two of them.
๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ (๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ). Cecilus's katana with incredible sharpness, even its sheath specially made because of its terrifying ability. Jaken Murasame had the ability to cut the "point" that exists in everythingโwhether living beings, inanimate objects, natural phenomena, or even abstract concepts. This allowed it to cut things without physical form, including curses and contracts. This was why every one of Dean's attacks vanished instantlyโbecause Cecilus only needed to cut the 'point' of existence of that phenomenon.
Then... ๐ ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ (๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ). A katana with the ability to grant the wielder's dream or give them the power to realize their desires, in exchange for "consuming" that motivation. But 'granting dreams' here did not mean the user became omnipotent. What it meant was that the user would be given the power to 'cut anything'. Nearly similar to Jaken Murasame, only a slightly different version because only an owner with unlimited dreams/motivation could use this katana to its full potentialโlike Cecilus Segmunt, who was motivated to become '๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฆ๐ง'.
But powerful abilities surely came with a price.
Both Jaken Murasame and Muken Masayume had the same weaknessโboth required sacrifice and blood from their users.
If they did not provide enough "food," the soul of the owner would be slowly eaten away by these two cursed katanas.
It was just that... this did not apply to Cecilus Segmunt.
He could completely ignore the side effects of the two katanas, showing that he was truly a 'monster' in the true sense.
Precisely because of this, Cecilus Segmunt could be called almost invincible in the Re:Zero world.
His speed was also number one, to the point of being nicknamed 'The Blue Lightning of Vollachia'.
He could only be surpassed by someone truly loved and blessed by the Worldโlike Reinhard van Astreaโor by a figure who had literally reached the absolute pinnacle of swordsmanship, namely Reid Astrea, the first Sword Saint...
"So now you understand, don't you? If I wanted to, killing you would be very easy for me. Easier than stepping on an ant."
"..."
This... this made no sense!
Cutting everything including concepts?!
Wasn't that the same as a weapon that existed only in myth!
Impossible... such a thing was impossibleโ
"โ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ก'๐ง ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐ข๐ฅ๐๐!!!"
Dean screamed in total madness.
The world seemed to shudder with distorted gravity until the lava around them rose, losing the influence of gravity!
"๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ!!! ๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ง๐ฆ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐!!!"
"HAHAHA!! Then bring out all the hidden power you have!"
"๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!!"
Dean's body was filled with chaotic [mana] and pure madness.
It seemed he had truly let his instincts take over with a resolve to die together!
But Cecilus was only full of surging anticipation.
He gripped Jaken Murasame and Muken Masayume tighter.
As if in response, both legendary katanas gave off an extremely powerful aura, causing Cecilus's and Dean's [mana] to collideโpressure that could be felt even within a radius of fifty kilometers!
The air became extremely heavy and stifling.
Lightning struck uncontrollably due to the abnormal distortion of [mana].
Then, in the oppressive silenceโ
๐๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐....!!
The entire surface of the earth was greeted by a catastrophe many times beyond the destruction of humanity's strongest nuclear weapons!
Lava, rock, land... not a single thing remained when two attacks that could easily kill a Rank SSS Hunter met in an apocalyptic explosion!
The masses of [mana] that formed like dangerous radiationโa mixture of extremely dense darkness elementsโsoared far into the sky and pierced deep into the earth!
The dark vortex created a lethal tremendous wave, blowing away everything in its path.
Even the sea of lava seemed to vanish, swallowed by emptiness!
Yet amid the chaos capable of annihilating thousands of people, the figure of Cecilus Segmunt could be seen.
Only this time, his body was truly wounded, his clothes partly scorched.
Looking at Dean, whose body no longer had any shapeโmore resembling a dying lump of fleshโCecilus said casuallyโฆ
"You're strong, too bad... you met me."
"..."
Dean did not answer.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he no longer could.
Suddenly he muttered in a voice that could no longer be called a human voice...
"Stu... pid... mon... ster. But..."
Dean, whose entire face was gone, forced a smile. "...we... w-won."
"..." Cecilus blinked, then chuckled.
"What do you mean? You've alreadyโ"
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.....!!
"Oh?"
Cecilus was slightly surprised, then looked at the sky, which had completely turned a frightening purple.
An extremely terrifying pressure swept the whole area.
Its power was so great that the barrier hiding Master Swordsman Cityโwhose scope was equivalent to a countryโimmediately cracked and shattered into pieces!
As a result, this pressure of energy caused satellites in outer space to issue emergency warnings and it was immediately detected by the World Organization!!
Even several kingdoms and cities within a radius of hundreds of kilometers could feel this terrifying pressure, causing mass panic everywhere!
"Hahaha..."
Cecilus laughed unconsciously, then his expression turned indifferent.
He used Jaken Murasame to completely end Dean's life and then looked toward Master Swordsman City, which was very, very far from his position.
The terrifying pressure just now came from the same direction...
But that was no problem for Cecilus Segmunt.
He raised his foot, and thenโ
Vanished in a dazzling flash of blue.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐....!!