Volume 17 Chapter 27-2 The road to the Second layer
Bernard calmly explains.
"It's about fitting the right person to the right task. Please... Lord high demon."
"...You've probably given up on remembering names by now."
Ziredurzo looked momentarily annoyed, but
"Well, I don't dislike someone who knows their place."
He grinned and stepped forward.
"...It didn't work."
He looked very discouraged.
Ziredurzo had tried every magic he knew that might open the gate──lockpicking, infiltration spells──but none of them worked.
"It looked cool, though."
"Even I thought it was a showstopper!"
Mirabell's teasing made Ziredurzo snap back.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but he looked a little teary.
"If magic won't open it──then let's force our way through."
This time, Flora stepped forward.
"You mean destroy the gate?"
Bernard frowned.
"Isn't it reckless to just break it? We don't know what's waiting inside──traps, poison, curses──things like that──"
"If that happens, we'll deal with it then~ desuwa."
Flora smiled gently.
"I've cut my way through many obstacles with just this sword. And I will continue to──"
"...You're the type to solve problems with pure force rather than strategy."
"Oh? Is that a compliment?"
"Not at all, I'm just stating the facts."
Bernard thought, I wish she'd be a little more careful.
"Hehe, I don't think so."
"No, I'm not praising you."
While Bernard gave her a stern look, Flora headed toward the gate.
──and,
"Rath-san."
Suddenly, Flora stopped her steps.
"Please watch my sword closely."
She turned to the young swordsman with a smile.
"Huh?"
Rath's eyes widened in surprise.
"You have talent. Practice observing other people's sword techniques and learning from them. It will probably help you grow faster──"
With that, Flora stepped forward.
"[Restriction Unlock]"
She raised her ringed hand in front of her and pressed a switch.
The ability release she showed during Razerseid ── the same as before──.
It seems that, thanks to that, Flora can unleash her own power without any restrictions, which she usually keeps bottled up.
Moreover,
"[Barrier] Activate──Coating centered on the joints"
Flora's body was enveloped in a black aura.
According to what was just said, when she moves beyond human limits, she uses the [Barrier] ability to protect her body from being destroyed by the recoil of that movement──
(In other words, what she's about to unleash is her full-strength strike──)
Bernard held his breath.
It feels like there's even more aura than when she defeated Razerseid, or is that just my imagination?
Is she protecting her body even more firmly──?
If that's the case, is the attack she's about to unleash stronger than the [Celestial Claw Black Lightning Slash] that defeated Razerseid?
As if to answer that question,
"The Ultimate Secret Sword──"
Flora readied her sword.
A conventional orthodox sword stance.
Indeed, her stance is different from when she defeated Razerseid.
And the strike that was unleashed──,
"[Dark Heavens]"
"Huh...!"
Once again──.
Bernard's eyes saw nothing.
All he could barely catch a glimpse of was──a black flash.
In the next moment, the door had vanished.
"Wha...!?"
It wasn't cut apart.
It was completely 'erased.'
"I just 'cut' the door~ desuwa"
"But even if you say 'cut'──"
Stunned, Bernard stared at the place where the door had been.
He saw something like red fragments.
"Hm...?"
Focusing his eyes further, he saw countless tiny red pieces scattered all around.
"Could it be...!? She chopped it into pieces so thoroughly that it turned into fragments...!?"
How many hundreds, or thousands, or even tens of thousands of strikes would it take to do that?
Could Flora have achieved that in that single moment...?
"Is she really human...? Truly──"
"Rath-san"
Flora turned back to Rath.
"How was it? Could you see my sword just now?"
"I, uh, it was too fast to──"
Rath's eyes widened.
"The technique when we beat Razerseid was amazing, but this is on another level... Your body moved so fast... I think you're slashing repeatedly at incredible speeds... And, yeah, you were using some weird footwork... Ah, but I dunno."
"...!"
Flora's eyes widened this time.
"You... saw through that on your first try!?"
"Huh? No, I didn't see anything, though──"
"No, you correctly deduced part of the technique's principle."
Flora smiled happily.
"You truly are... just as I expected, no, even more talented~desuwa, aren't you?"
"Me...?"
Rath pointed at himself, surprised.
"A genius~desuwa."
"Whoa, that makes me happy... Hehe."
Being praised for his talent by a swordsman like Flora must be a happy thing.
Bernard watched their exchange with a warm smile.
──BANG!
Suddenly, a ROARING sound echoed.
"Gah...!?"
At the same time, Flora's body was blown away with ridiculous speed.
"Gah... hah..."
She slammed into the wall, bounced on the ground... and didn't move.
A pool of blood spread beneath Flora's body.
Just one hit.
That Flora... rendered unable to fight by that!?
Bernard stood frozen in place, filled with dread.
"Seriously? Couldn't even dodge that? Tch."
"Hehe♪ Aren't you being too merciless with humans?"
"They opened the door to the Second Layer. No need to hold back."
Three silhouettes appeared from beyond the door.
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