Chapter 223

Devouring Technique.

As the name suggests, a technique that devours.

The Dwarven Axe and the Steel Energy imbued within it were completely devoured and shattered, and the absorbed attributes became her own Power Techniques, roaring toward the sky. Somehow, it felt stronger and more solid than before. The woman, now with only one arm left, quietly watched the scene unfold.

Now, her body had become that of a monster. Having torn off her arm before being consumed by the Sunset Slash, the bleeding had already stopped, and new flesh was beginning to grow. However, no matter how incredible her regenerative abilities were, regenerating her arm before this battle ended was likely impossible.

But,

She would not run.

She had always lived this way, and so she would continue. Even if her head were to be severed, she would not lower her tail and flee.

“I will do my best.”

With that declaration, Epirna wrapped herself in Steel Energy. Now, she had no retreat. She did not think of the next move. She pushed her Water Technique to its limit and maximized her Steel Energy.

“She’s insane.”

Leon, who had been watching, shook his head with a look of exhaustion.

“To stake everything on winning this one fight? I… I couldn’t do that. Is that level of madness necessary to be a Beast King? That woman is truly out of her mind.”

Why? Why would she do this? Even if she won, what would be left?

Using her power so recklessly, even with her strange regenerative abilities, she would need to recuperate for a while, rendered useless. Did she think others would leave her alone during that time?

“She doesn’t seem to be thinking about the aftermath at all. This is… this is…”

Even the Princess clicked her tongue in disbelief. The audacity to stake everything on a single battle was beyond comprehension.

Was this a battle that determined her fate? A battle to protect something precious? It wasn’t a battle where something more important than life was at stake, so why was she risking her life?

“Don’t you get it yet? It’s meaningless. You’ve already lost!”

“……”

The Tiger did not respond. Instead, with a stoic expression, she refined her Steel Energy. Sharper. More intense. However, the strange energy emanating from Roka’s sword chipped away at the edge of her Qi.

Epirna’s eyebrow twitched. That technique was undoubtedly the one that had surprised her before. The wolf had somehow mastered it.

“Just say you surrender! What’s so hard about that?”

Void Sword. A single answer Leyman had devised to counter the Demon King.

Ardein’s Void Sword was not something she had been taught but something she had imitated after seeing it. Roka’s Void Sword was an imitation of that. If anything, it should be called a pseudo-Void Sword. It didn’t come close to the original’s power.

*Crack!*

But even such a Void Sword had the effect of breaking Steel Energy. While it wouldn’t secure victory against Epirna, it was a tool that could turn the tide in her favor.

So, this was it. Epirna undoubtedly possessed great talent. Among the Tiger Race, born with innate abilities, she was destined to be remembered in history.

But the world is vast, and such geniuses are not rare. Even in this era alone, there were several who could rival Epirna’s talent.

Looking further back, there was Heron, the swordsman without a master. And before him, the Grand Master of the previous era, Moonlight Teresa, the previous owner of the Moonlight Blade that Roka now wielded.

Of course, there was Master Geher and the calm Leyman. She had learned from all of them, big and small, and that was the decisive difference in today’s battle.

‘It’s not that my talent is lacking.’

She had shining talent and had created all her techniques from scratch with her own hands. She thought no one but the Demon King could match her, so she paid no attention to others’ techniques. She believed whatever they created would be inferior to her own.

‘That guy’s talent isn’t overwhelmingly superior to mine either.’

Because she was so outstanding, because she had always won, there was something she had never realized.

Only now did she understand what she lacked. Interaction with those who had insights comparable to her own. The absence of that was why this brat, still wet behind the ears, was pushing her to the brink. It was a fact she couldn’t bring herself to admit.

‘It’s just that the talents of those who created those techniques were never inferior to mine.’

Even as Steel Energy surged from all directions, she calmly swung her sword, responding one by one. She quickly identified priorities, parrying what needed to be parried and cutting what needed to be cut.

It was a swordsmanship she had learned from Geher. She hadn’t trained for long. Just half a day, during which he had briefly passed on his know-how. But the difference between having it and not having it was like heaven and earth.

Even if it seemed insignificant, she had received the essence of a lifetime’s experience. That, knowingly or unknowingly, became her bones and flesh, bringing her victory in battle.

‘I cannot accept this kind of defeat.’

“Give up! The victory is already mine!”

No matter how much Epirna strained to unleash her energy, all her final struggles were in vain.

Wielding the Resonance Sword, Roka parried the Steel Energy one by one, devouring and shattering it with the Devouring Technique as she advanced. Though she slowed, she did not stop. Step by step, steadily, she approached Epirna.

“Shouldn’t you stop now? I won’t hold back on the second strike.”

Despite her words, the Steel Energy continued to surge. Each time she parried the unyielding metallic energy, the sword began to creak.

Ah, no! It hasn’t been that long since I got this sword! Even as she screamed internally, nothing changed. Epirna’s final struggle was so intense that even the new weapon crafted by Sir Urban couldn’t withstand it.

*Clang!*

“Ugh…!”

Now, there was no retreating. A chip appeared on the blade where the Steel Energy had struck. Roka’s heart sank. This was just the beginning.

The chip was a sign that the sword’s strength had reached its limit, and soon a crack would form. Then, it would split in various places, and she would be left unarmed.

Somehow, Epirna hadn’t shown much attachment to her axe, and in the extreme battles of masters, even a new weapon was nothing more than a sturdy tool that wouldn’t last long.

The Resonance Sword wouldn’t last much longer either.

Then, she would quickly be at a disadvantage in this battle. If she used her Water Technique to engage in a fistfight with Epirna, it might be different, but seeing her current state, she didn’t want to. It was truly a beastly fight.

‘Her strength is on an absurd level. If it comes to a contest of strength, I’ll just die.’

Moreover, though Roka didn’t know it, her opponent was a monster at the peak of life force. Even with only one arm left, her pure physical strength far surpassed Roka’s.

The strength that small body could unleash was beyond imagination, and yet she truly unleashed it. A physical fight was hopeless from the start.

Thus, the only answer was to advance, again and again. Before the sword broke, she had to deliver another Sunset Slash to Epirna. This time, she would cut through her torso, not just an arm.

Let’s see if this time she tears her body apart. If she doesn’t want to die, she’ll stop fighting here.

However, as Roka pushed through the Steel Energy and got close to Epirna, she felt something strange. Epirna was smiling. Not a mocking smile, nor one of joy.

A serene smile, as if she had no attachment to this world. A smile that seemed out of place in this situation.

Seeing that smile, Roka suddenly felt uneasy. Instead of preparing the Sunset Slash, she focused her mind’s eye on Epirna. The moment she saw Epirna with her mind’s eye, Roka jumped back.

“She’s insane!”

The moment she saw the flow of magical power within the Tiger’s body, alarm bells rang in her head. Attacking was no longer important.

She had to get away from her as quickly as possible. That woman was now a bomb filled with Tiger energy!

-What happens if you lose control of the Water Technique? You know it well, so why ask? Boom! And it’s over. The intense magical power causes a chain explosion, tearing the body apart. Not even a piece of the tail would remain.

For the first time, what Leon had taught her came in handy. Even though Epirna was cornered, she didn’t think she had failed to control the Water Technique.

She had deliberately triggered the Water Technique to its maximum from the start. The tiger stripes on her face began to writhe as if alive, like black snakes crawling over her skin.

*Roar!*

Roka let out a roar and activated her Water Technique. Not to counter the Water Technique, but to escape as quickly as possible. After all, wasn’t the wolf originally the best at this?

Truly, blood tells. She ran so fast that even the onlookers were amazed. Of course, they were also puzzled. After all the effort to get that far, why suddenly run away?

Was Epirna’s face that terrifying? Some tried to squint and see Epirna’s face from afar. But the distance was too great, and most couldn’t succeed.

“That woman, her face…”

Only Yanid, with her dragon eyes, could clearly see Epirna’s face from such a distance as if it were right in front of her. The girl blinked, thinking she must be mistaken. That woman, her face is twisting.

No, not just her face, her entire body!

Writhing, writhing, as if dancing sluggishly, twisting and turning,

And then, a metallic screech tore through the air. The sound of metal grinding against metal made everyone’s ears ring. Even from a distance, it felt like their eardrums were being ripped out.

*Screeeech!*

After the dissonance, one they never wanted to hear again, even in their dreams, the people could only stare blankly at the ravaged land. It looked as if a meteor shower had struck the ground, or a giant had repeatedly hammered the earth with a club. Everything was destroyed.

“Haah, haah…”

Roka, who had achieved a truly heart-stopping victory, clutched her chest and panted before she could even rejoice. She had almost been caught in the self-destruction and nearly died.

‘I won, but…’

Unconsciously, she shook her head with a look of disgust. What was so hard about saying “I surrender”? That woman had chosen to burn her life instead of admitting defeat.

To think she had been fighting such a madwoman!

Even though the battle was over, her tail stood on end. For the first time in a long while, the emotion of fear brushed past her. When faced with something incomprehensible, people sometimes feel that way.

“She’s out of her mind…”

But a win is a win. Roka, her tension finally released, sat down.

Even though she had won, a sigh escaped before any cheers. It had been truly exhausting.

“…If I see you again, I’ll hit you. If I can.”

Thinking of Heron, who had given her this mission, her fists trembled. Even in victory, this was the first time a win had left her feeling so dirty.