Volume 4 Chapter 15 Knight's Pride
After Yuusuke and the others left, Glaive and Larkan faced each other in a strange silence. Larkan, holding a halberd, muttered while looking in the direction where Yuusuke and the others disappeared.
"I was planning to cut him down just now."
"Hero is the hope of our human race. Even if you are a Lord, it won't be easy to reach him."
Glaive answered while holding his greatsword without any negligence.
Of course, he knew about the Lord. He had seen Larkan Mines on the battlefield. But after only one clash, he realized that his estimation was too naive.
The lingering numbness in his hand and the cold sweat running down his neck conveyed that to him.
"Distort Lord, Larkan."
He was the most dangerous Lord to the human race, using magic that twists everything and honed martial arts to trample the battlefield.
Larkan, without preparing himself, bent his neck.
"Are you planning to fight me with a body that hasn't even reached 'Sign'?"
"Oh, it seems even a Lord is threatened by 'Sign'."
"Whether it becomes a threat or not depends on the person, but all the human race that made me boil on the battlefield were at least at 'Sign'. That's all."
Glaive was being underestimated.
Well, that's fine. Either way, things won't change.
"Then let's change our perception here. My name is Glaive Olu Warvis. I am a proud member of the Centraris Kingdom Royal Guard. And I am the one who will defeat you."
"I admire your determination to introduce yourself in front of me. This Larkan Mines will at least put you to sleep with all my heart and soul."
"Hahaha, show me what you've got."
There was no signal for the start of the battle.
Without any preparatory movement, Larkan's halberd cut through the air and launched a surprise attack. The blade, twisted by "Anrosto (Distortion to Truth)," approached with a complex trajectory.
In response, Glaive stepped forward and swung his sword. The greatsword and the halberd clashed head-on, creating intense sparks.
Larkan's attacks didn't stop even if they were blocked. The long halberd, with its smooth movements like a whip, attacked from all directions. Despite its agile handling, its power was immense. Each strike was enough to blow away Glaive's massive body.
"Ugh!"
Glaive had great confidence in his enhanced body, but his knees gave in under the weight of the repeated heavy blows.
Although he was on the defensive, if Yuusuke and the others were still here, they would have been speechless at his extraordinary technique.
He swung the sword, which was too huge to be called a sword, at a speed where the afterimages couldn't be seen, and continued to deflect the ever-changing halberd.
"Ugh, uguuuu!"
While enduring the rain of attacks that aimed to crush him from above, Glaive took a step forward. It was just one step, a small advance in this pressure and distance.
But Larkan narrowed his eyes when he saw that step.
He didn't loosen his attack at all. On the contrary, as the rotation increased, the speed increased.
Nevertheless, Glaive didn't crumble.
He deflected everything head-on and continued to advance.
And finally, the moment arrived.
With a more intense clash sound, the halberd was deflected, and Larkan's posture wavered.
In an instant, Glaive caught Larkan within his range. The magic power enveloping his whole body was like a blazing flame, clearly possessing a power from a completely different dimension than before.
"Seaaah!"
Stepping forward while lowering his waist, he gathered the power obtained from the earth onto his sword. A horizontal slash that would cut the torso in half.
Larkan defended against it by holding up his halberd.
But something astonishing happened.
"Huh?!"
Larkan, who could even catch a giant's fist with one hand, was sent flying sideways.
Immediately, Larkan opened his eyes in surprise, while planting his feet on the ground to kill his momentum. He didn't think he was careless. He had intended to block the great sword by breaking it in reverse, but he was overpowered head-on.
"Hahaha, didn't expect that, did you?"
Glaive, who had raised his great sword again, laughed. Although Larkan was indeed surprised, he had already seen through the true nature of the power that had twisted him.
"'Knight's Pride', huh? It's the first time I've seen such skill."
"I'm honored. If recognized by the Lord, my magic will shine even brighter."
Glaive's magic, Knight's Pride, is not only rare in the Centraris Kingdom but also globally. It is said that those who have mastered this magic are true knights. Its effect is quite simple.
Glaive's foot stomped on the ground. From there, a path of light ran straight towards Larkan, as if showing his will, cutting through the night.
"Can you bend to this Knight's Pride?"
"There's no need to bend. I'll crush your pride along with everything else."
"Very well!"
Glaive shouted and charged towards Larkan.
Knight's Pride is a simple magic that increases in power the more the user advance. If the activation of the magic is stopped or if you retreat, the effect is lost. Due to its straightforwardness, the strength when the effects overlap is extraordinary. It is strong enough to overpower Larkan.
Larkan took a stance as Glaive approached.
Without hesitation, a piercing attack that disregards sound was unleashed. Larkan, who knows the magic of Knight's Pride, aimed for Glaive's legs without hesitation. He blocked, dodged, and Glaive continued to advance.
His body's agility increased as he closed the distance.
The great sword shone in response, emitting a growl.
The strength of Knight's Pride lies in the continuous enhancement. Of course, there is a limit depending on the level of mastery, and if you take even a step back, all the effects are lost. But Glaive's level is different from ordinary knights.
Larkan would not allow him to enhance it any further.
"'Waze (Sky Twist)!'"
The space gained a strange ripple.
"What?!"
Glaive's judgment was swift. He avoided the space that twisted in his direction of movement. Leaves carried by the wind were caught in it and scattered into pieces.
But the attack didn't end there.
"'Sper (Vortex)'!"
Several black vortexes appeared, engulfing the night and filling the field of vision. They were destructive vortexes that continuously twisted the space. If you got too close, you would be dragged into the atmosphere.
"'Embrace!'"
Glaive abruptly stopped his running legs and transferred the momentum from his legs to his arms and sword.
What was released was a slash created by magic power. It flew towards Larkan, threading through the vortexes.
However, just before it hit, the newly appeared 'Sper (Vortex)' canceled it out.
Nevertheless, Glaive continued to swing his sword consecutively.
The sword flashes tried to penetrate the space distorted by the vortexes but were blocked.
From the beginning, Glaive didn't think he could break through the Vortex Spell with this. What he needed to discern was the flow created by the vortexes.
Glaive clenched his teeth and plunged into the black vortex. The weight and hardness meant nothing before the vortex that twisted the space itself. Even a slight touch could take his whole body away. Calmly, Glaive searched for a path and pushed forward.
And when he finally broke through the wall of the Vortex Spell, there was no one there.
Instantly scanning his surroundings, he searched for magic power.
――Above!
"Amazing reaction speed."
Larkan descended from the night sky. A blue blade was swung down at lightning speed. It was immediately clear that it wasn't just a normal slash.
"'Rising War!'"
Glaive swung his great sword upward and directly confronted the halberd. The forest trembled, and the ground shattered radially.
A sword technique that can shoot down even dragons. The eruption-like slash was supposed to bisect Larkan along with the halberd, but their powers were evenly matched.
"You can't move in the air!"
Glaive immediately followed up with a counterattack. He seized this opportunity without fail.
"Is that so?"
But Larkan's movements easily surpassed Glaive's expectations.
Grunn! Larkan rotated in an unnatural trajectory and avoided the sword.
When Glaive realized that he had distorted his surroundings with magic, the executioner's blade was approaching from the side.
"Ugh!"
He managed to defend himself in a precarious situation, but the impact trampled his entire body with extraordinary force. If he were blown away here, the effect of the Knight's Pride he had built up until now would disappear.
"Don't underestimate me."
Glaive's muscles swelled, and the hand gripping the great sword exerted an almost crushing force. Like a giant tree. The halberd, filled with immense power, did not budge an inch.
Glaive did not miss the moment when Larkan's movements stopped due to the unexpected power. He burned his magic power and chants naturally came out.
"——I, a knight. There is no one to protect my back, only a red path to move forward. Who will stop this stride, who will shatter this pride? My heart dedicated to the country is the true sword."
With each recitation of the words, the incantation became power, and the magic power pulsed hotly as if it had a will.
No one will be harmed. The Hero, still waiting to hatch, the princess who has been protected since childhood, and the young people entrusted with the next generation.
The power he has trained so far, the swordsmanship he has honed, are all for this moment.
"Now, let's go - 'Knight Glory'!"
Glaive's dominance became a shining torrent and swallowed Larkan.
With each step forward, a deadly slash ran. It didn't matter if it was blocked or avoided. The extreme concentration and high-density magic power turned Glaive himself into a single magic, cutting through all obstacles and pushing forward.
It was like a meteor racing across the ground.
"——!"
Larkan, who is even called the strongest Lord, had no choice but to retreat.
And if he retreats, Glaive advances.
"Gaaaaaaaah!"
Continuing to swing his sword while roaring, his appearance was truly that of a war demon. The air ruptured, and the shockwaves caused trees to explode. It had the power to cut and chop mountains to pieces.
What's even more frightening is that each flash of his sword is like a different technique. Heavy, fast, trembling, sliding, confusing, cutting. The intricate skill shining amidst the rough violence made it impossible for Larkan to withstand.
Red veins were etched on his boyish face, and with each collision, his magic power was depleted.
The halberd rotated at a terrifying speed, deflecting Glaive's great sword, but it was clear that it wouldn't last long.
Larkan's magic is unparalleled in power, but it is difficult to insert it in the midst of fast-paced battles. The reason he can use it so naturally is due to his pure skill in manipulating magic power.
Glaive's speed now surpassed that. He broke through the strong defense and delivered his slashes.
'Knight Glory' surpassed its limits and shone brightly like the sun.
Breaking through the blue, the sword of the aurora finally caught Larkan's neck.
"――――!"
There was no time to defend or dodge anymore. Glaive and Larkan's gazes met at the speed of light, knowing that their end had come.
But Larkan released the halberd and intertwined his fingers in front of his chest.
It was like a prayer. Like a tribute to the warrior who had cornered him.
The wave of blue magic power quietly, yet terrifyingly, receded at a rapid pace.
And without even flinching at the blade that was piercing his neck, Larkan murmured softly.
"Spiritual Penetration Art (Shinrei) - Release."
The next moment, the world turned dark.
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