"It's alright now, Natsuki Subaru. I'm here."
That familiar voice entered her ears, and Natsuki Subaru's consciousness blurred for a moment. She struggled to open her eyes, but all she could see was a hazy light.
Carlisle knelt on one knee, carefully supporting the girl's scarred body. Her weight was frighteningly light, as if she might fade away at any moment.
"Fool… If you don't call for help… I won't be able to find you."
White flames quietly burned around him, their pure glow illuminating the surrounding darkness.
"Carlisle-sama…"
Ram struggled to stand, her gaze fixed on the figure surrounded by white flames. Her throat tightened as countless words became trapped in her chest.
"Ram, I'm entrusting Natsuki Subaru to you."
Carlisle stepped forward and gently placed Natsuki Subaru down before Ram. His gaze lingered on Subaru's pale face for a brief moment before he turned around and faced the restless demonic beasts.
In front of him, the horde of demonic beasts released shrill roars, yet those cries were filled with trembling fear. Their claws scraped nervously against the ground, and their crimson eyes reflected the figure wrapped in white flames as they instinctively began to retreat.
It was the aura of death.
What frightened them even more was the rare panic of their master, which spread to them through the miasma.
Not far away, the corpse of the giant Wolgarm lay motionless. Its head had been cleanly severed, its ferocious face still frozen with its jaws wide open. It was Carlisle's most recent masterpiece.
Carlisle slowly drew the longsword from his waist.
The aura around him surged like a storm. The blade itself gradually became enveloped in dazzling white light. Within that radiance flowed six types of magical power in perfect harmony, accompanied by sword aura, the highest realm of swordsmanship in this world.
This was his strongest strike, a technique formed from all the knowledge he had accumulated throughout his life.
He raised the longsword high.
The white light erupted upward toward the sky, as if attempting to tear apart the world. In the next instant the light withdrew, gathering at the tip of the sword and condensing into an overwhelming pressure.
The air began to tremble.
Even the micro spirits of the surroundings grew chaotic beneath this power. Yet they did not feel fear, because they understood. This was directed only at the demonic beasts within this forest.
The demonic beast horde began to panic.
Low growls echoed in all directions, filled with unconcealed terror. They scattered frantically, attempting to flee from the man standing at the center.
Carlisle did not move.
Nor did he attempt to stop them.
He simply watched quietly.
"Farewell."
The sword descended.
In an instant, a dazzling white light burst forth with Carlisle at its center. That light resembled a catastrophic flood, spreading outward with unstoppable force and devouring everything in its path.
The forest trembled.
The earth wailed.
The fleeing demonic beasts did not even have time to scream when the white light reached them. Their bodies instantly began to disintegrate, completely erased from this world.
Ram instinctively raised her arm to shield her eyes from the blinding radiance. However, when the light passed across her body, it brought no harm. Instead, it felt like a gentle breeze brushing silently past her.
She froze for a moment before slowly lowering her arm.
Her gaze inevitably turned toward the figure holding the sword.
Carlisle stood at the center of the light, the longsword in his hand still radiating white brilliance.
This night had been far too long.
During this night, she and her younger sister had become indebted to this man far more than they could ever repay.
Natsuki Subaru, lying on the ground, suddenly stirred.
A faint blue halo appeared upon her forehead. Healing magic descended upon her like a fine rain, gradually seeping into her body and repairing the damage she had suffered.
Subaru's breathing slowly steadied.
A trace of color finally returned to her pale cheeks.
The white light surged toward the Mansion like a vast tide. Wherever it passed, the air itself seemed to tear apart, releasing a low humming sound.
In a moment the radiance reached the Mansion.
The demonic beasts that were desperately attacking the Mansion did not even have the chance to cry out before they were completely erased beneath the white light, vanishing into the air.
Rem stood at the entrance of the Mansion, her eyes fixed upon the dazzling light.
She bit her lower lip tightly, doing her best to suppress the emotions surging within her heart.
She knew where this power came from.
And she also knew that such power would never exist without a price.
"Carlisle-sama…"
Rem's voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible.
Her hands slowly clasped together, her fingers tightly intertwined. The tears continued to fall, but she made no attempt to wipe them away. She simply closed her eyes and whispered quietly.
"Please… don't pay too great a price…"
The white light gradually faded.
Silence returned to the surroundings, leaving only the soft whisper of the night wind.
Rem remained standing there with her hands clasped together, tears still falling silently.
She prayed within her heart.
She prayed that he would return safely.
She prayed that the price he had paid would not be too heavy.
---
"It's over…"
Carlisle slowly turned his head. His gaze settled on Ram and Natsuki Subaru.
The white flames that had surrounded him were now gone, leaving only a faint warmth fading into the air. His face still carried that familiar gentle smile.
"You're all safe. That's… wonderful."
His voice was soft and calm, filled with quiet reassurance.
But the moment those words left his lips, his body suddenly swayed as if every ounce of strength had left him.
He tilted forward and collapsed heavily onto the ground, losing consciousness.
"Carlisle-sama!"
Annihilation of Sins was not an innate blessing.
It was Carlisle's ultimate mastery over power, forged through years of relentless training.
In order to avoid harming innocent people during battle, he had trained every fragment of his power until it responded as naturally as his own limbs.
Because of that, his blade could precisely distinguish friend from foe.
Anyone he did not intend to harm could stand even at the center of destruction and remain completely safe.
For that reason, even the most ordinary knight's sword, when wielded by him, could endure strikes comparable to those of the Sword Saint without suffering the slightest damage.
...
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GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.