NOVEL NEXT Chapter 236
The golden spear and white sword clash. The speed was one I could barely follow with my eyes.
One was wind.
The other was light.
They seemed somewhat similar, but the difference was clear.
Lucius was being pushed back.
While Arpe swung her sword three times, Lucius barely managed to swing his spear once.
Is it a difference in speed?
Or is it because she’s wielding two spears?
Given that two spears are obviously faster than a rapier, is that it?
Then.
At the very least, shouldn’t Lucius be able to exert more power?
No.
Ka—clang!
Even in strength, Lucius was being overpowered.
There was no pinpointing the center of gravity of the holy spear or exploiting any weakness, nothing like that.
Strength and speed.
Both were overwhelmingly in Arpe’s favor.
It’s dangerous.
So dangerously dangerous.
If this battle continues, Lucius might just lose.
However.
“…Huh.”
Fortunately, Arpe faced Lucius without saying a word.
“Is this all you’ve got?”
“Ugh!”
She did taunt Lucius every now and then, but she didn’t say anything in particular about me.
“Why did you kidnap my master?!”
“If you want to know, win. But if I win, your master is mine.”
“You…!!”
While Lucius and Arpe fought with all their might.
‘Thank goodness.’
I realized that Arpe had no intention of revealing my identity.
‘She’s planning to win by pure skill against Lucius.’
Rather than agitating Lucius by revealing my identity to obtain victory, she aimed to dominate through sheer ability.
That overwhelming swordsmanship forced Lucius into a constant defensive stance.
Objectively.
Arpe is stronger.
I could be certain of that.
If I had to distinguish between victory and defeat or the ratio of power, it would be roughly 65:35.
Not in Lucius’s favor, but rather very unfavorable at about 35.
It’s only logical.
Even if Lucius succeeded in awakening his Spirit Device.
Arpe had become akin to the “Goddess of Light,” the master of the Holy Sword, who completed her “fourth awakening” 500 years ago.
She had essentially become a deity overseeing all light in the Intermediate Realm.
There’s no way Lucius, having reached the third awakening of the Holy Sword, could easily win against such a being.
But.
“Wind!”
Lucius was still holding on.
Ironically, thanks to the awakening of his Spirit Device.
Thanks to my clones constantly training against Lucius.
And due to his direct battle experience against the Demon King Satan, Lucius was currently withstanding Arpe’s blade.
Laughing at my expectations, she said.
“How long can you hold out?”
“Eugh…!”
Arpe was pressing Lucius even harder.
“Don’t think that just swinging those twin spears blindly will allow you to win.”
Arpe’s sword pierced directly into the center of Lucius’s spear.
Lucius hurriedly crossed his spear in an X shape to block it, but that slender rapier pierced through his spear in an instant.
“You’re weak.”
“!!”
The rapier grazed Lucius’s face after getting past the holy spear.
“Lucius!”
Red blood splattered.
No matter how much of a Hero of the Holy Sword he is, or how much the Holy Sword’s mana protects him,
the opponent is also a Hero of the Holy Sword, so their attacks could inflict fatal wounds on Lucius.
‘Mobilizing the Spirit Device?’
If he mobilizes the Spirit Device, maybe there’s a chance.
However, facing Arpe’s Spirit Device without the fourth awakening is impossible.
Right now, he’s only able to maintain a 35% chance by facing her as a human against a human, but if Lucius were to fight with his Spirit Device, the odds would drop even further.
Lucius must win as it is.
Otherwise, there’s no answer.
“…I can win.”
He can win.
The battle of holy swords ultimately comes down to skill.
If one hit lands properly, Lucius still has a chance-
“It’s over.”
“Lucius! Fall back!”
Arpe, holding the rapier with one hand, positioned it vertically and ran her finger down the blade.
“No matter how much you wield the Holy Wind Sword, you’re weak against me, who has honed her swordsmanship for over 500 years.”
Arpe then declared.
“Radiance of Light.”
From dozens of steps away, she lowered her stance and lunged towards Lucius with her rapier.
Zing!
A white light shot from the tip of the rapier, slicing through the air.
Lucius hurriedly raised his holy spear and turned his head, but the light flew toward him at the speed of ‘light’ and enveloped him.
“W-what…!”
“It’s light.”
Arpe calmly tossed her hair back.
“The only person who survived that attack endured it all day. How about you?”
Swooosh.
Arpe thrust her sword forward.
Not just once, but twice, thrice, she rapidly pierced with her blade.
Puhwaak!
The flash pierced through the holy spear, striking Lucius’s body.
Crimson blood splattered on Lucius’s clothes, and he hurled the holy spear away as he stumbled back.
“Wind!”
With a hasty incantation, Lucius transformed his holy sword into a great sword.
“Hah!”
Lucius swung the great sword quickly.
The flash that had been aimed at Lucius’s forehead glided off at an angle as it struck the surface of Lucius’s holy sword.
“Oh? You deflected it already?”
Arpe clapped her hands with an utterly impressed tone while gripping her sword.
Though it might have been genuine admiration for her, it was infuriating for the one on the receiving end.
“Impressive. You’re indeed the Hero taught by the… Witch.”
“…….”
“But that won’t be enough. How long will you keep fighting just based on the Witch’s teachings?”
Arpe was provoking Lucius.
“If you’re a Hero, you should at least know how to fight for yourself, right? How long will you keep relying on the Witch’s help?”
“You…!”
“You seem to have made some significant achievements during the Witch’s absence, but anyone taught by the Witch could have done that.”
Arpe was thoroughly ignoring Lucius.
“As a disciple of the Witch, is that all the strength you can muster?”
“Lucius! Don’t fall for the provocation!”
“……Ha ha.”
Lucius chuckled dryly.
“Is that all?”
Goooh.
“What do you think of me? I am the one who has defeated Satan!”
“Lucius!”
“Now fighting is getting interesting.”
Arpe lightly swung her rapier to the side.
“Until now, I thought you were just a child swinging a wooden bat.”
I know.
I know how Arpe uses that method to lure countless enemies in close combat and then stab them in a critical spot.
Arpe’s main attacks are not ranged attacks.
That was merely a ‘probe’; the real attack comes from everything she built up even before wielding the Holy Sword—
“Being a Hero, being an Hero ultimately comes down to how much stronger you become. The Holy Sword is just a tool.”
Swordsmanship.
“If your skill doesn’t match the tool, then you remain nothing but a weakling.”
Arpe had been a Hero long before becoming the master of the Holy Sword.
She was simply wielding the ‘Holy Sword’ as a weapon, but her identity had always been that of a swordsman and a Hero.
“Arthur Lucius. Can you withstand my sword?”
“……Of course.”
Lucius lowered his stance.
“I, Arthur Lucius, will surely surpass you.”
I felt like he was going to leap forward—
‘Could it be?’
If my instinct was correct.
“…Lucius!!”
I shouted.
“It’s dangerous! It’s a provocation! Don’t fall for the enemy’s scheme!”
“Master! Please watch over me! I will definitely bring her down!”
Lucius screamed with determination.
“This is my fight!”
“You!!”
Goooh!
A violent wind exploded from underneath Lucius, so strong that even words wouldn’t reach him.
The Holy Sword in Lucius’s hand began to shine like a golden spear, and the swirling winds around him made it impossible for anyone to get close.
“Whirlwind, like a Celestial Horse!”
And.
“The spear of Gungnir——!”
Lucius aimed the holy spear forward and—
“Go——!!”
With a leap, he shot forward.
He hurled the spear ahead of him.
Taking the force of the wind with his body.
He soared into the open hatch of the Spirit Device, riding the wind.
“Master!”
“Lucius!”
I caught Lucius with my body.
Bracing his shoulder with my chest, I reached around his sides, gripping tightly, while anchoring Lucius’s lower half with my legs, securing us to the Spirit Device.
Thud.
“…This body can be helpful at times like this, indeed.”
Ka—clang!
The javelin Lucius threw was deflected.
Though Arpe easily blocked Lucius’s javelin, she gaped in shock at his position.
“You….”
“I’m sorry, but I’m a disciple of my Master.”
Lucius, clinging to me like a plank, mocked Arpe.
“I’ve never fought alone. I’ve fought alongside my Master.”
The distance had widened, and our Spirit Device stretched its arms forward to repel the attack.
“If I can’t win by myself, I have to rely on my Master’s help, right?”
Always.
We’ve fought like this.
I borrowing Lucius’s body, and Lucius lending his to me.
“Arthur Lucius!! Are you still claiming to be a Hero?!”
“I’m a disciple of my Master.”
“Well said.”
I pulled back the arm I had extended and ruffled Lucius’s hair.
“Just like Lucius.”
“Did you notice and act the part? Did you really think I’d leap forward?”
“Did I act that well?”
“…Huh, you caught on.”
Lucius had intended this from the start.
For our ‘contact’.
As always, our battle.
“Master. As always, I ask for your help.”
Maybe due to the success of our operation.
“Oh right. And….”
Whispering.
“Hey, did you…?”
“As you know, I passed it on.”
Lucius’s face, turned sideways, was flushed red.
“…Alright. Let’s go. Our fight.”
I reached out my hand, and Lucius placed his hand on my palm, releasing the Holy Sword.
“”Wind.””
With a brilliant golden light.
My body entered the Spirit Device.
And I, who had nestled within Lucius.
“……The Holy Sword is merely a tool.”
I resided within Lucius’s body, aiming the Holy Sword at Arpe.
“Then, I can use this tool as much as I want, right? To win?”
“…….”
Arpe tightly closed her mouth.
Whether she was surprised by me taking over Lucius’s body or just that I was hiding my identity, I’m still not sure.
But.
“…Alright. Then I’ll use every means necessary to win.”
Arpe also.
Knowing that I had “taught” her that much, was well aware of it.
“Alright. Bring it on. ‘Witch’.”
Gugugugugu.
“I’ll definitely win.”
As Arpe plunged her sword down, she declared.
“In this land, eternal light.”
“…!”
“Lux Machina.”
The world.
“Light, be!”
Turned white.
“Celestial Rush.”
Rise up.
“Sleipnir.”