A blazing greatsword reminiscent of the sun was swung down with incredible speed from above.
I circulated my magic power throughout my body and prepared to intercept the greatsword with my bastard sword.
The collision was explosive.
The impact pierced through my armor, running through my entire body, and instead of sparks, it unleashed a fiery explosion akin to a serpent.
―Heavy!
While the strength of Swallowing Dragon and the giant was formidable, this was on another level entirely.
My knees sank, and the shock that 'Sanctuary' couldn't fully block shattered the asphalt.
"Impressive, enduring this strike. However, how long can you maintain that composure?"
"..."
True to his words, Luiid's four arms swelled, and then came a rapid series of strikes that could split the stars.
You b*stard!
I channeled my magic power to its maximum and swung my sword beyond human limits.
Countless strikes were continuously directed at me. I struck the sword's hilt to deflect its trajectory and let them flow past me. Sometimes I clashed our swords to repel his attacks.
Don't stop moving. Luiid's power was extraordinary, but his swordsmanship was lacking. The cruelty of a monster was solely based on raw power.
However, that was precisely the reason. If I failed to parry even a single strike, not only I but 'Sanctuary' would be in jeopardy. Behind me were Tsukiko and the wounded. I couldn't afford to miss even one blow.
"Amazing, simply amazing! To hold your own against Silguera to this extent!"
I wanted to retort, "I don't give a damn about your goat-headed compliments," but unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of time for such insolence.
The resounding booms were overwritten by further explosions. I quickly exchanged countless strikes with him during the brief moment he spoke, gritting my teeth.
His offense briefly wavered.
"But what about this?"
What?
Before I could grasp the meaning of Luiid's words, it happened.
Seamlessly threading through our swordplay, the goat-headed jaw opened wide. What was unleashed far exceeded Karyuuruune's breath—it was a torrent of flames.
Not just me, but there was no choice but to face the battlefield engulfed in a heat beyond imagination.
"'Mikatia (Storm Sword)!!'"
I swung my sword with a speed that twisted time, using the immense magic power I instantly channeled into my armor.
A storm of flames clashed with a storm of slashes, each biting into the other. Flames spewed like fresh blood, and the slashes were swallowed by red.
It was fine. Even with 'Storm Sword' unleashed with almost no buildup, I could still manage to contain it.
That judgement wasn't wrong.
However, that thought brought a brief moment of relief. Relief turned into complacency, and complacency created an opening.
Heroes of battles never overlooked such a slight opening.
"Ugh!"
A sweeping strike was slammed into me.
It was almost a miracle that I managed to defend with my sword in time.
I had no time to think anymore. My experiences as a Hero kicked in reflexively.
Yet even so, my consciousness teetered on the brink.
Organs felt like they were turning inside out, and my feet left the ground, enveloped in a sensation of floating. The taste of iron filled my mouth, and screams echoed from my entire body.
"It's over!!"
Luiid's voice echoed.
The roaring sound of the atmosphere, the knowledge that a follow-up attack was clear.
Despite that, my body wouldn't respond.
Time felt slower than usual. What I could discern from that was my sluggish bodily movements and the stagnation of my magic power. The long period of peace had rusted me through and through.
Had I been too naive, thinking there was no Demon Lord? Unconsciously, I assumed that the God-Demon War, with all its bloodshed and the loss of comrades and tears shed, would be easy.
If that were the case, it was only natural to lose.
Amidst the blazing flames, as I resigned myself to cold acceptance, a voice reached me.
A resolute sound, as if dispelling the overcast sky.
"Yuusuke-san!!"
Lisha's voice felt like a wake-up call. The hazy surroundings sharpened, and my perception of the passage of time became more accurate.
That's right, what am I thinking, giving up like this?
I've faced death's door countless times before.
Remember, the essence of my magic is the 'Ultimate Self.' It's an endless corridor that mocks the principles of magicians, allowing them to create new magic power using their own magic power. While it can't directly interfere with the external world through magic, it's a magic that enables unlimited self-modification through an abundance of magic power. This is what 'My True Name' truly represents.
Without a doubt, this incredibly powerful magic is like a runaway horse. If I were to seriously activate it, I wouldn't be able to stop myself.
My body has suffered significant damage from the battle with the Demon Lord, akin to a cracked vessel. If I were to use magic recklessly, I might end up killing myself.
But why hesitate now? If there's a risk of going berserk, I just need to perfect my control over the flow of magic power. That's all there is to it.
"'Don't underestimate me, Jillzack Luiid!'"
I firmly planted both feet on the ground, staring unflinchingly at the approaching greatsword.
Then, I removed the shackles binding my magic power. The liberated emerald magic power began to spin with joy as if celebrating its newfound freedom after years of confinement.
Magic power called out to magic power, and it continued to grow and expand to the point where it felt like it would devour my armor.
Sparks flew in my mind, and my entire body ached as if it were being torn apart.
Still, don't stop thinking. Just as I've done in previous battles, continue to control my magic power even if blood vessels burst in my head.
I swung my sword to meet the approaching greatsword.
A thunderous sound resounded, and Luiid's greatsword was sent flying into the air.
"Ngh!"
Luiid, the goat-headed one, let out a surprised cry. Sorry, but I won't last much longer.
Let me finish this in an instant.
Simultaneously with the interception, I released the power I had stored in my knees.
With a powerful stomp on the ground, I closed the gap between Luiid and me in the blink of an eye.
Red and silver sword flashes crossed rapidly.
I slashed through the greatsword and, in that opening, created a Javelin in my left hand and threw it. I avoided the breath attack with a counter and delivered a spinning kick.
In the blink of an eye, offense and defense shifted back and forth, and each time, 'Sanctuary' creaked.
"Hahaha! Is this the power of the one who defeated the Demon Lord?"
It's no use. I can't make a decision.
I can keep up with Luiid's movements. I've gained enough strength to counter his greatsword.
However, Silguera-empowered Luiid was stronger than I had imagined. His four arms allowed him to defend and counter from any position, and any opening I managed to create was crushed by his breath attack.
Conversely, if I showed even the slightest opening, Luiid would strike with a deadly blow.
Just a moment. If only there was a single moment—
That moment came.
"'Guuh...!'"
Emerald magic power erupted from the chest of my armor, like a splash of blood.
This was the old wound inflicted by the Demon Lord, which meant that I had reached my limit.
Above, Luiid raised his greatsword high, and it blazed as if to incinerate everything on the ground, like a recreation of a mythological world.
"Hero, die consumed by our rage!"
I have no choice anymore. Even if I can't fully control it, I'll unleash all the magic power contained within my body.
With that resolve in mind, it happened.
Bang! Dry sounds rang out consecutively, and ripples spread across Luiid's body.
This is...
Luiid's gaze shifted away from me and focused beyond.
"Ugh! You stubborn pests!"
Responding to Luiid's words was the woman who had once shielded Lisha. She now wielded a gun and was firing at Luiid. But she wasn't the only one standing. Despite their battered condition, several magicians stood up, using guns and magic to attack Luiid.
Among them was Tsukiko, her black hair surrounded by lightning. Despite her nearly depleted magic power and the wounds she must have sustained, she held her spear with a determined and powerful stance.
That step was awe-inspiring like a thunderbolt, gentle like a maiden, and majestic as if housing a god.
"Tensen Shinsou (Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear)"
The spear turned into lightning, tearing through the night sky and flying towards Luiid. The blazing greatsword and the golden lightning collided, distorting the world.
"What a waste! An attack of this caliber won't even give me a scratch!"
He said it was a waste, indeed. With her magic, it would be challenging to harm Luiid after he had become Silguera. But thanks to her, Luiid's focus had momentarily shifted.
In that instant, there was something I could do.
With magic power on the verge of going berserk, I manipulated it with the utmost concentration. I calculated the characteristics of the Silguera, his physical abilities, and the density of his magic power to construct a spell.
If the opponent brought up a mythical monster, then there should be a magic that could kill it. And now, I already had the necessary information and magic power.
"Luiid...!"
Finally, Luiid noticed their magic. The time he had insulted them turned out to be the time they needed to activate this technique.
His gazes, Luiid's goat-like one and me, crossed paths, and both of us roared.
"Uwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The descending blows were four massive swords, enveloped in flames, capable of slicing even dragons, and they distorted the night as they closed in.
In response, I wielded a sword adorned with emerald geometric patterns at my waist.
Everything rode on this single strike.
Facing imminent death, I dropped my hips, grounding my core with the earth, and expelled all excess strength. Just one step away from crumbling. In this moment, the world narrowed down to just Luiid and me.
Then, the colossal swords made contact with my forehead, a hair's breadth away.
—It had arrived.
My muscles instantaneously executed the perfect motion, and the meticulously honed magic power reached its limits, exploding as I activated the spell.
My True Name – 'Ankarnam.'
The emerald flash severed the world. The myths being spun and the supernatural magic power – everything was consumed by a single blade of light. Luiid's Silguera-covered body, followed by his four arms, and finally, his goat head, were all torn apart within the slashing strike.
The two bisected greatswords became a vortex of fire, and the sparks painted the night sky like stars.
As I lowered the sword, the world forgot everything, and the quiet of the night returned. Unbeknownst to me, the rain had stopped, and the moon, hanging beyond the dissipating 'Sanctuary,' looked down upon us as if it had known the outcome from the very beginning.
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