Chapter 23

"This time, it won't be solved by luck. If I can't even sense a bit of mana from you, I'd tear you apart right now. I don't know how you're still intact, but run."

"It doesn't seem like he plans to let you go easily."

"I'll try to stop him!"

The girl I saw was one who rarely showed her emotions.

Her position as a princess must have made her that way.

But now, she was showing an almost obsessive level of fixation.

As if she viewed the vampire as an irreconcilable enemy.

I laughed bitterly inside and, squeezing my mana, grabbed her shoulder.

It was a petty revenge for her arbitrary interference.

"Ah?!"

At the same time, I brought together my index and middle fingers of my right hand and lightly poked her at the back of her neck.

"Kyaa?!"

Just as she was about to turn to look at me, startled by the sudden shock, I jabbed her collarbone with the same fingers, quickly and accurately.

"Keh?!"

At that moment, her body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Wh-What is this?!"

She seemed confused, unable to understand what was happening to her body.

Her gaze, demanding an explanation, made me feel a bit guilty, but I didn't turn away without a word.

"I don't know why you have such a grudge against vampires, but this is my business, so don't interfere."

The sudden burst of killing intent made her eyes widen in shock.

"Y-You, what exactly...?"

Leaving her muttering in a daze, I clenched my fist lightly and extended my left hand as if measuring the distance.

Then, I extended my left foot and took a short breath.

"Crack! Crack!"

At the same time, Valtian, who had been inhaling the blood-colored mist, rushed in at a speed like a cannonball.

The blood-colored mist was his optimal environment, and with the large amount he had inhaled, his speed and strength were significantly enhanced.

His resistance to sword qi and magic was considerable.

Undead monsters, except for one thing, had significant resistance.

"Crack!"

Unlike when he attacked others, he emitted a particularly intense killing intent towards me.

It was almost as if his instinct was to hate me intensely, even if he had lost his mind.

I fixed my forward leg firmly and, using my left hand to measure the distance, deflected his wrist to the side as he tried to crush me with his giant fist.

It was an incredible force.

Perhaps due to the influence of my first swordsmanship teacher, I had always been confident in my physical strength.

Because of this, I was very aware of the advantages and disadvantages of strong power.

Just by lightly shifting my center of gravity, I could easily deflect the attack.

Die in the same element.

As the destructive magical sword's aura began to surge, I thrust my palm, fingers folded, directly towards Valtian's heart without hesitation.

Boom!!!

At the same moment, a black-light demon-like afterimage, centered on my hand that touched his heart, enveloped him, causing a massive vibration and leaving a huge mark on the wall behind him before disappearing.

* * *

The blonde girl watched the scene unfolding before her eyes in shock.

It felt like a giant demon was crushing a small being.

The chilling sensation that ran through her body made her shiver involuntarily.

"Wh-What is that?"

She was barely maintaining her balance due to the massive vibration and fell silent as she watched Valtian, who had boasted a massive body, collapse helplessly.

She knew that Valtian's strength had increased compared to before.

Yet, he had deflected Valtian's attack so easily.

And with a single thrust of his palm, a bizarre hole had appeared in Valtian's body.

The creature that had only suffered minor injuries from the highest-level sword qi and a destructive heavy sword, and had become even stronger, was now exploding without any resistance.

It was a sight that was hard to believe.

Not a single bit of mana could be sensed from his body.

Could a human do such a thing?

Was it really possible for a human, who couldn't sense a bit of mana, to emit black and white auras and send a monster flying with a single strike?

She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Hmm."

He shook his hand as if satisfied and slowly approached her, ignoring Valtian, who was bleeding black blood.

Perhaps because of the killing intent he had shown earlier.

Or because of the incomprehensible and unknown power he had displayed.

She felt inexplicably afraid of him.

As he walked towards her, she realized she was unconsciously stepping back.

Thud!

"Kyaa!"

She let out a cute scream and fell to the ground, her feet entangled due to a sudden movement.

She didn't know why she was scared, but she had lost her usual cold demeanor and looked up at him with trembling eyes.

The black-haired boy, who had been watching her, seemed to be thinking about something and then smiled.

The cold and murderous aura he had shown earlier was gone.

"Ah, now I feel much better."

"Huh?"

"Can I borrow your sword?"

His sudden request made her tilt her head.

She only had one broken greatsword. Although she was known as the owner of the divine sword Caltharas, ...

She hadn't yet reached the level of materializing a sword.

"This is already broken..."

"Not that one."

The boy, still smiling, pointed to her chest.

Specifically, the small brooch that fastened her outer garment.

"This one."

Crack!

His action of tearing off the brooch without waiting for an answer made her eyes widen in disbelief.

The thought that this was impossible dominated her mind.

"The boss needs to borrow some power. Let's borrow some strength, Mr. Divine Sword."

12. 9 Hierarchical Holy Magic, Transformation.

Surt, the Thousand Night Captain, who dedicated his life to creating numerous weapons, including the sword that would save the world, was promoted to a hero.

He named one of his life's masterpieces:

Caltharas.

In ancient elvish, it meant "White Guardian."

No matter the material, when it was in his hands, a famous sword would be born.

Even a broken sword, when refined by him, would gain incomparable power.

A magic blacksmith blessed by the spirits.

His skill in refining swords with mana was well-known throughout the continent.

Two of his life's masterpieces and the other ten famous swords still remain in the continent, treated as national treasures.

Each was a powerful magical sword, but Caltharas was particularly outstanding.

This sword, made by burning his own lifespan for his close friend, the sword god Hares, was so well-made that it gained an ego.

What is an ego?

Literally, it means self.

A sword that has a self and can emit power on its own.

Frankly, just hearing about it makes one feel it's impressive, but knowing the truth, I also know what kind of being this is.

What kind of being?

- Hey! What do you think you're doing, grabbing me? Are you not letting go?!

Can't you tell just from the whiny, annoying voice?

'You're noisy.'

Of course, I had heard about the temper of this divine sword from its famous owner countless times.

- Wh-What?!

'Cooperate a bit. If you don't, your owner will die.'

The sword seemed to shudder slightly at his calm words.

"A sword with a vibration function. As I heard, it really is a perverted taste."

If the Thousand Night Captain Surt, who made this sword, heard this, he would probably scream about killing his disciple.

Of course, he is already in the corridor and can't hear me.

They say even the king curses in a place where no one can hear him, so what does it matter?

- Hey!! How dare you think of me for such a purpose?!

The voice of the sword, which was screeching, couldn't be heard by others.

"Hey... Hey..."

Thanks to the brooch I removed, she was barely maintaining her consciousness with the power of the divine sword, but it seemed she was reaching her limit without the sword's power.

Maintaining her sanity must be difficult.

Her talent is outstanding, but her opponent is bad.

Rumble...

As I slowly drew power and lowered my hand holding the brooch, a strong white light burst forth.

This is a creature made by compressing orichalcum, carefully refined over a thousand years.

It's not just any divine sword.

As I calmly poured in my energy, a massive storm seemed to envelop my body, and a light sword began to take the form of a giant greatsword.

It's about 120 centimeters long, with a blade width of over 10 centimeters.

Considering that the current owner, Princess Ilina, is only about 150 centimeters tall, it's a sword as big as her.

A pure white greatsword.

The blade is incredibly smooth, and the edge looks like it could cut through anything just by looking at it.

The warm holy power is so intense it makes my head buzz.

As a divine sword and a weapon refined by the only magic blacksmith in the continent, this is to be expected.

I silently raised the sword and swept my fingertips across the blade.

"Definitely good."

There's a saying, "Seeing something good makes one want it."

It's human nature to want something good.

But I shook off any lingering attachment to this sword without hesitation.

It's not mine, and it doesn't suit me.

- You haven't even awakened the contract holder, and how... how are you using my power?!

Ignoring Caltharas' scream, I swung the sword as if slicing through the air.

Boom!!

At the same moment, a massive wave of power enveloped me and then slowly dissipated.

Valtian, who had been moving normally in the red mist, exploded from the Blood Demon Sealing Palm I used without holding back.

There were other enemies, but in reality, they weren't the main threat.

Valtian, who had lost his mind, couldn't have been the mastermind behind this situation.

Naturally, the one who orchestrated this was the high-level vampire that infected him.

Without a word, I aimed the tip of the sword at the air and pulled back my hand gripping the hilt.

Then, I lowered the tip and slashed upwards.