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Boom!
The deafening roar ripped through the air, shaking the world around them. Waves of force spread out like ripples in water, rolling in every direction.
The surrounding generals of the kingdom went pale, tossed off their feet along with their horses, sent flying like leaves in a storm.
Braid managed to block the vines, but the backlash forced her back, step after step, sliding more than ten meters before she stopped.
Edgar's gaze remained calm as he watched.
Before coming here, he had already confirmed—there was no one in the camp with the qualifications to become a follower.
Why the contract didn't react to this woman, he didn't know.
But honestly? He didn't care.
He never had much interest in crazy women anyway.
"What powerful magic..."
Braid held her divine sword, her expression shaken as her eyes locked on the Star Spirit. Then her voice turned sharp with anger.
"I see now—it was you. You bewitched Lady Freya with your vile sorcery!"
"Braid, stop talking nonsense."
Freya frowned. "Following my master was my choice, my will."
"No, Lady Freya! Please don't—don't say such things!"
Braid's face twisted in rage. "I'll kill them all right here and free you from their control!"
"..."
Freya tightened her grip on her staff, ready to blast this lunatic into the ground.
"Enough. Let Setsuna and Anna deal with her."
Edgar gently caught her hand, smiling. "They're still lacking in real combat experience—she'll do as training."
"As you command, Master."
Freya's voice carried no hesitation. She would obey Edgar unconditionally.
"Damn you! Get your filthy hands off Lady Freya!"
Braid roared, divine sword blazing. The blade carved streaks of light into the air as she charged straight for Edgar.
"Your opponent is us." ×2
Anna and Setsuna's eyes turned cold.
To dare raise a weapon against their master—unforgivable.
The next instant—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Their figures clashed in a blur, three shadows colliding, the thunderous impacts chaining together into a storm of sound. Waves of compressed air burst out with every strike.
Anna and Setsuna moved like storm and lightning, their attacks relentless and precise, slipping past the divine sword's edge.
Braid's blade, dazzling as it was, seemed to have lost its bite, her body driven backward again and again.
By raw power, she outclassed them both. But when it came to skill—there was no comparison.
After all, though she carried the title of Sword Hero, her swordsmanship wasn't even third-rate.
"Damn it! Stop running and fight me head-on!"
Furious, Braid let her sword blaze even brighter, preparing to unleash a sweeping strike.
But in that single moment of stiffness, she revealed an opening.
Anna didn't miss it.
Slash!
Blood sprayed.
Braid screamed as a deep wound opened across her back, bone nearly showing through. Her massive strike went wide, tearing apart only the ground around them.
"You...!"
Pain twisted her face, rage boiling in her eyes. And yet—underneath that fury, a flicker of disbelief.
She was the Sword Hero. And she'd been wounded—by two women far weaker than her.
And there were still others she hadn't even touched.
"Good... very good. You dare make me bleed..."
Her expression contorted further as she glared at Setsuna and Anna's calm, steady faces.
"You worthless wenches—I'll make you pay."
Her words had barely fallen before the divine sword erupted in dazzling radiance.
Her body swelled taller, muscles bulging like stone, veins standing out as a monstrous aura surged outward, whipping the air into a violent storm.
"I never wanted to show this form before Lady Freya..."
Shame and fury burned in Braid's eyes.
"After all, I didn't want her to see me like this—so ugly. But if it's to save her..."
The ground trembled beneath her feet.
She didn't even get to finish her words before Freya cut her off.
"I said, how long are you planning to keep rambling to yourself?"
"No matter what you say, it doesn't concern me in the slightest."
Freya sighed and asked, almost impatiently, "Master, can I deal with her now? At this point, I doubt Setsuna and Anna can handle her anymore."
"Fine, she's yours."
Edgar shrugged, his gaze sliding toward Anna and Setsuna. The two immediately understood and, in the blink of an eye, vanished to reappear safely behind him.
Hum!
In an instant, dazzling light erupted from Freya's divine aura, spearing straight into the sky.
Blade froze at the sight, his body stiffening, cold sweat soaking his back.
"Seventh-Tier Magic—Purgatory...! Lady Freya, wait—"
But his words died in his throat. Before he could even react, a miniature sun was swelling before his eyes, blazing larger and larger.
BOOM!
The searing explosion sent waves of scorching heat crashing outward, flames surging like a boundless sea of fire that swallowed Blade whole.
"AAAAH—!"
His wretched screams echoed inside the inferno, sharp and terrible… but only for a few seconds before vanishing entirely.
At the same time…
The god-sword Ragnarok, having lost its master, reverted back into a radiant jewel.
That was how the Hero's weapons were built. When their wielder died, they would return to their original gemstone form, lying dormant until the next chosen hero gave them shape again.
"Hm. This one's interesting."
With a flick of his hand, Edgar drew the gem up from the ground. But when he studied it, it didn't react at all. No transformation, no glow—just a dull, ordinary-looking stone.
"So, without being a Hero, I can't use it?"
A cold smile tugged at Edgar's lips.
The next moment, an overwhelming surge of soul power poured out from him, flooding directly into the jewel. Compared to the Red Dragon Emperor's gauntlet, Ragnarok was pathetically weak.
In an instant, he forced it into submission, reshaping it to his will.
Now fully bound to him, Ragnarok gleamed faintly in his palm. In his other hand, light flickered as another relic appeared—[Dimensional Array: Shangri-La].
He had barely ever used this Imperial Gear since obtaining it. None of the enemies he'd faced so far were even worth wasting a teleport on.
Hum!
At his command, Shangri-La and Ragnarok both radiated waves of light, merging under the stunned gazes of Freya and the others. Slowly, their glow condensed into the form of a delicate ring.
The moment he slipped it on, knowledge of its powers flowed naturally into his mind.
Overall… Shangri-La's capabilities had been greatly strengthened.
No more pre-setting coordinates. No more preparation. Now, as long as he could see or sense a location, he could warp there instantly.
"Not bad. Much more convenient than before."
Edgar slid the ring onto his finger, a satisfied smile curving at his mouth.
"Let's see how it works."
The words had barely left him when Shangri-La flared with light.
In that instant, glowing marks appeared above the heads of every surviving soldier around them.
Originally, Shangri-La could teleport others as well—but now, with its new form, all it took was a thought to mark coordinates. This time, Edgar decided to try teleporting only part of them.
Splurt!Splurt!Splurt!
In a heartbeat, every soldier's head vanished into thin air, leaving only geysers of blood erupting skyward.
"Perfect. This trick is great for clearing out trash."
Admiring his handiwork, Edgar looked completely pleased with himself.
"..."
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