Chapter 113

< 112. Great Warrior Kaharefer (1) >


*


The greatsword soars through the sky. Fernandez blankly watched as it flew roughly from his grip and embedded itself into the sparkling ceiling of the amethyst hall.


– Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss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In his body flows the divinity of Vaitas. The Diemonica, accepting this power, remodeled their flesh, and as a result, they could harbor divinity within their blood vessels.

Because of this, they cannot reach the pinnacle of martial arts. Their bodies cannot use magic. In exchange for obtaining the most powerful biological anti-magic in this world, they became bodies incapable of containing magic.

Therefore, Fernandez also cannot reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Not a single magic circuit can be embedded in his body. After becoming a Diemonica and spending several sleepless nights researching, he revised his plan to instead seize the Bronze Throne.

‘So, skill.’

So, technique. Strength enhancement through magic. That is muscle. Reflexes through magic. That is vision. The measure that determines the pinnacle of martial arts is not just magic but also faith—

If enlightenment and detachment are impossible, then even mechanically honing a technique equivalent to it. A thousand strikes, a thousand refinements. Like the Saintmetal Greatsword forged through a thousand hammer blows!

-Quad-d-d-d-dk!!

Once again. The spear tip strikes his greatsword. The greatsword shakes violently, creating an opening. The path to his heart is wide open. Daryan’s eyes never miss it. His spear shoots forward once more—

-Uh-dk!

His molars shattered. Fernandez, with his balance lost and body disheveled, poured strength into his thighs in that very state, aligning his body’s centerline, and swung the greatsword with all his might!

“Kkuuaaaah!!”

-Kwaaang!

The dark blade, his sword, drew a black trajectory as it surged forward. Daryan’s gleaming white spear tip rushed to meet it.

-Uh-dk! Wu-dk! Kka-dk!

Every muscle, ligament, bone, and joint in his body screamed. A strike impossible from a disheveled stance, one that even surpassed the limits of a Diemonica. Muscles tore, joints dislocated, and excruciating pain spread throughout his body.

-Kwaaaang!!

And then, the blazing spear and the dark greatsword clashed. Sparks flew, and their trajectories intertwined, swirling toward each other. White and black. A vortex of power spiraling toward each other.

‘The Taiji. Reminds me of the High Council of Aseas.’

In his highly elevated state of mind, feeling the slow flow of time, Fernandez laughed aimlessly. He saw Daryan’s expression twist in frustration. The guy was getting anxious.

‘Of course. Even Faijashi, if he were skilled in swordsmanship, would have reason to be anxious.’

If the one hailed as the pinnacle of magic in this era could face him in martial arts without any magical assistance, it was natural to feel anxious. Of course, it was still just a feeble technique, not even close to his level.

-Kwaaaang!

The clash ended. The spear tip finally deflected the greatsword. But Daryan also couldn’t hold the spear tip steady and had to divert the force backward. Both their stances collapsed.

For Fernandez, it was a devastating blow. His body’s functions were no longer intact. Meanwhile, Daryan—

“Huh…?”

The guy had somehow grabbed the spear with one hand. The spear, swung wide to disperse the force, had flown far away. And his right hand reached for his waist, for the sword belt.

“No way?”

-Click.

With one hand releasing the force entangled in the spear, the other hand lightly rested the tip of his index finger on the thin longsword on the sword belt—

“Huu…”

-Slurp.

His stance slightly lowered. Fernandez, in the almost frozen flow of time, recognized that familiar stance and was horrified.

‘He could use that technique too?!’

The guy had just dispersed the force of that clash with one hand while grabbing the longsword with the other! And that stance, that was the Elven Wild Prince’s Iaido swordsmanship…!

Horrified, Fernandez hastily tried to regain his stance, but there was no escaping the sword strike of the strongest in the Material World. The index finger hooked on Daryan’s sword hilt slightly bent, and then—

-Skeng.

“Kkhuk!”

A flash of light tore through his heart.

*

In the wilderness night, a man in a purple robe sat cross-legged before a small campfire. Kaharefer gripped his sword hilt and silently approached.

-Chk, chk.

The man, seated in a meditative posture, moved only one arm, continuously tracing mantras. The eerie sight of that arm moving as if it had a life of its own made Kaharefer feel uneasy.

-Chk.

-Fzzzt!

[Hmm.]

One of the many protective charms on Kaharefer’s body shattered. His body momentarily froze. The wind pushed him back, and he felt a sticky gaze watching him.

A gaze dripping with malice and hostility. Kaharefer twisted his head and took another step.

-Stop.

-Fzzzt!

Again, a protective charm around his neck broke. His steps grew heavier for a moment. But he continued to approach the man without stopping. The man still sat with his back turned, legs crossed.

Only one arm moved. That arm twisted strangely, tracing a beastman in the air.

-Fwoosh.

A black halo ignited behind the man’s head. In that moment, Kaharefer was certain.

[Mumto….]

It was definitely him. There was no information about such a being anywhere in this wilderness. He had appeared in a weakened state, inhabiting a physical body. Kaharefer’s grip tightened, and the sword hilt rattled.

-Stop.

-Kwajijijik!

Kaharefer’s body was pushed back slightly. In an instant, his protective charms were crushed and scattered. Yet, he did not stop and drew his sword.

-Slurp.

An ornate curved sword glimmered under the moonlight. Kaharefer raised his hand and growled in a low, resonant voice.

[We are no longer under your control.]

Kaharefer bared his teeth and swung his raised arm down. The defenseless back. The sword blade piercing through was clearly visible. The feeble magic of the guy couldn’t penetrate the numerous protective spells on his body!

-Flutter!

But. The purple cloak fluttered in the air. Kaharefer clearly saw the sword blade piercing into the cloak. And within it—

-Chang!

A dark greatsword appeared, blocking him.

“As it should be. Wraith.”

-Kad-d-d-dk!

The greatsword and curved sword clashed in mid-air. Kaharefer looked down at the youth, who was at least two spans shorter, and was bewildered. He must have been a mage. He should have been. A manifestation or incarnation of Mumto?

[…You?]

The cloak fluttered and settled. Within it, gloomy blue eyes flashed. Fernandez, with his half-drawn greatsword, flicked it back and retreated, assuming a stance.

-Chiiik.

“Faijashi Wildcast.”

[Wildcast… A mage wielding a sword to oppose me?]

“I’m naturally versatile.”

Fernandez slightly loosened his tingling wrist.

‘How much time has passed?’

-Five hours.

‘You’ve drawn him in.’

-Time is money. So. Can you win? There’s no magic stone vein here. Don’t expect much magic support.

‘It’s fine. I’ve prepared something.’

You’ve worked hard, Faijashi. Fernandez slowly drew his greatsword and took his stance.