Chapter 151

Ｒëa‍ｄ ​ｏn ̀Kａt̃R‌eadinｇ​Ｃαf‍e

Objectively speaking, Frey is strong.

Her strength is unbelievable for a first-year academy student.

Moreover, her growth rate is astonishing.

It’s not just growth—it’s evolution.

Even calling her the most talented of her generation feels like an understatement.

Without any effort, she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with geniuses.

Now that she’s seriously training, she’s achieving groundbreaking progress.

However, relatively speaking, Frey is weak.

She’s surpassed the level of a student. She could fight as an active-duty Hero without issue.

But that’s about it. She’s nowhere near the level of a vice-captain, let alone a captain.

There’s an insurmountable gap between her and the true ‘pinnacle’.

Of course, she’s still a first-year.

Just a 17-year-old girl.

Her potential is limitless.

She possesses overwhelming talent with no visible ceiling.

In just a few months, her current evaluation will undoubtedly be overturned.

But that’s not now.

For the current Frey, the woman in front of her is an insurmountable wall.

There’s no way to overcome it, no way to break through, nothing in sight.

‘If there’s no way, I’ll make one.’

Even so, Frey doesn’t give up.

No, the option to ‘give up’ never existed in the first place.

For the sake of protecting Alice.

For the sake of Lucia, who’s somewhere in the exhibition hall.

Giving up was never an option.

What does it take to fight and win against someone stronger than yourself?

You’re outmatched in every aspect.

The opponent is clearly stronger than you.

They’re several steps, perhaps even more, ahead.

With conventional methods, you can’t even come close to victory.

‘What do I need to do to beat that damn masked woman…?’

There’s an answer.

A method already learned through experience.

Frey recalled the past.

The scene where beautiful cherry blossoms were tragically burning.

The Black Knight she faced there.

‘Carelessness.’

The most decisive reason they could defeat the Black Knight.

The reason Lucia’s sacrifice worked.

The reason Eugene could cut off his arm.

The reason Frey could melt his head.

All of it stemmed from the opponent’s carelessness.

This time is no different.

The woman in the red mask is being careless.

She’s prolonging a fight she could’ve ended long ago.

She’s staying in one spot, not moving a single step, showing her leisure.

Her unwavering confidence that the result won’t change.

Carelessness creates openings and unexpected variables.

‘If she’s being careless, that’s good for me.’

Frey planned to exploit that opening.

‘She counters all attacks. She doesn’t even attempt to dodge.’

No matter what method is used, the woman doesn’t move a single step.

It’s as if she’s declaring with her whole body that this much is nothing.

‘She doesn’t attack first. She only counters.’

She doesn’t initiate attacks.

When Eugene or Frey attack, she counters and retaliates.

That alone has left Eugene covered in blood, slammed into the walls multiple times.

A self-imposed restriction by the opponent.

It’s a shallow restriction that can be broken if things get dire, but if it can be used, it must be used.

There’s a massive wall in front of her.

Outwardly, it looks frail.

It seems like it would crumble with just a gust of wind.

But that’s an unbreakable barrier.

‘If I can’t break it, I’ll create an opening.’

It’s not her role to break the wall through that opening.

Frey lowered her stance.

Her eyes, emitting a faint light, opened wide.

Her tense body trembled as if it would burst at any moment.

Thud.

Her small frame stomped the ground.

Her deep, blue hair fluttered like the depths of the ocean.

The red of rubies and the blue of the sky intertwined.

Collision.

A deafening sound swept through the ruined exhibition hall.

◈

A delicate hand that couldn’t even pluck a flower clashed with a sharp blade.

Each time, the metallic clang of steel against steel rang out.

Considering the demonic sword’s aura, the girl’s fragile hand should’ve been severed instantly.

But Frey collided head-on with Ere’s demonic sword barehanded.

Her body, down to every strand of hair, was a sturdy weapon.

【Hardening】

A supernatural ability that combines offense and defense.

Her body, infinitely hardened, is a weapon in itself.

Moreover, hardening isn’t just about increasing physical durability.

It also enhances physical abilities.

Screech!

She tried to grab the blade, but it slipped away like flowing water.

A slash aimed diagonally at Frey’s chest.

She took three steps back. Her clothes tore, revealing pale skin.

But it wasn’t fatal. The exposed skin only turned slightly red.

‘She’s tough.’

Ere thought. The longsword, condensed with death energy, had reached the realm of a demonic sword. Even though she was holding back, it was absurd that not even a scratch appeared after being struck by a demonic sword. It felt like slamming into the walls of an impregnable fortress.

‘Come to think of it, this girl didn’t get a single injury back then either.’

Ere recalled her time as the Black Knight.

Back then, the girl had no injuries except for a slightly cut strand of hair.

Incredible durability.

A charge led by that durability.

Despite her small frame, it felt like colliding with a massive weapon of mass.

‘Her defense is annoying, but…’

Ere’s crimson eye, hidden behind the red fox mask, moved rapidly.

The heat gathered in Frey’s eyes as she charged without regard for her own safety.

‘The constant heat emission is also annoying.’

It’s the ultimate combination.

The strongest spear and the sturdiest shield.

The destructive power of the Heat Ray.

The unparalleled sturdiness of Hardening.

Either one alone would be powerful, but the girl possesses both.

If this were back when she was the Black Knight, she would’ve struggled.

It’s surprising how much she’s grown in such a short time since her defeat.

Both the boy, Eugene, and the girl in front of her.

It’s understandable why Astaroth is paying attention to them.

‘However.’

Ere narrowed her eyes.

She slashed through the incoming Heat Ray in one strike.

The surging crimson flash lost its momentum and vanished.

‘The difference in level is too great.’

Her strength is only enough to trouble Ere, who hasn’t even removed her armor.

In other words, it’s only troublesome—not enough to win.

Moreover, if she removed her armor and released her limiter, she could easily take her down without much effort.

Now that she’s in complete control of her energy and has achieved the pinnacle of her existence, it’s not even worth mentioning.

‘She’s tough. Probably tougher than my armor.’

Then, it’s just a matter of putting in a little more effort.

For the first time since the battle began, Ere revealed a hint of seriousness.

A thick mist began to gather around the demonic sword.

“…!”

Frey flinched and shuddered.

It wasn’t just the ominous mist—the overwhelming energy made her body tremble.

The unique aura of a monster, which she hadn’t been able to sense until now.

Sticky, clinging, and making her feel inexplicably uneasy.

That aura began to emanate from Ere.

“So you really are a monster!”

Frey shouted angrily and stepped back.

Even with Hardening, her instincts told her she couldn’t take that hit.

As Ere began to unleash her full power, even the red fox mask couldn’t hide her monstrous presence. 

But Ere didn’t care. There was no need to hide anymore. 

The black mist enveloped the demonic sword. Soon, Ere swung the sword lightly. Her left hand remained behind her back, and she slashed with only her right hand. 

Frey had already stepped back, so the sword didn’t reach her.

“You crazy chest monster…!”

Blood splattered. Frey, who had hastily crossed her arms to defend herself, frowned. 

Her arm was cut. A red line appeared on her pale skin. 

Hardening was pierced, and a wound was carved into her body.

Her pupils trembled with anger. How dare she harm Alice’s body…!

But she bit her lip and endured.

Now wasn’t the time to lose her temper.

Even if her chest was boiling with rage.

Her mind had to stay cool.

‘This attack… this energy… why does it feel familiar?’

Frey thought as she looked at the black mist.

A rotting corpse. Cold blood. Scattering ashes.

She had experienced something similar. Not long ago.

Is this woman also a Death Knight?

She heard Death Knights aren’t common monsters.

The death energy invading through the wound.

Frey strengthened her Hardening.

Blocking the intrusion of death energy, Frey prepared to charge again.

‘Sorry, Alice.’

This might hurt a little.

Sorry. Really sorry.

Please endure it. You can, right?

[I-I don’t mind! I trust Frey……!]

Alice’s comforting voice reached her.

Frey smiled faintly.

But it was only for a moment.

Soon, her expression turned cold and emotionless as she kicked off the ground and leaped forward.

“Hmm.”

Ere raised an eyebrow.

Even after her sturdy defense was pierced, she’s still charging?

Foolish, but she’s got guts.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of fists clashing with the sword was dull.

Each time, blood splattered.

Frey’s small fists were instantly torn apart.

Yet she didn’t retreat.

Instead, she stepped forward.

Enduring the damage, her hands and arms covered in blood, she rushed into Ere’s range.

“Single Point Focus!”

Incinerate.

A technique that concentrates all power into a single point, maximizing its destructive force and precision.

The same technique that once melted the Black Knight’s helmet was unleashed once more.

“You’re quite persistent.”

Was that a compliment?

Or mockery?

Ere sneered as she unleashed a black lightning strike.

For a moment, it felt like a black wall had appeared.

The Heat Ray and Frey were both slashed simultaneously.

A wound stretching from her chest to her side.

Unlike the shallow cuts before.

This was deep. Fatal.

“Ugh, cough, damn you, you balloon-chested bitch…!”

She stomped the ground hard. Blood dripped steadily. Trampling the blood-soaked floor, Frey bared her teeth. She looked like a ferocious beast. A wounded beast is the most dangerous. 

Frey didn’t retreat. She clung stubbornly. As the exchange continued, her wounds increased, but she pressed on relentlessly. Her fingers twisted. The wound on her chest tore open from the violent movements. Yet Frey endured. All to create a single opening.

Yes, for this moment.

“Sun Sword.”

The young beast, quietly waiting for his chance, revealed his claws.

Eugene, who had been intermittently firing flames to keep Ere in check, gripped his sword.

He appeared behind Ere.

Frey’s desperate resistance was to keep Ere’s attention solely on herself.

Her efforts weren’t in vain, as Ere’s reaction to Eugene’s ambush was slow.

The heat haze distorted her vision.

Her head turned belatedly.

By then, Eugene’s sword was already cutting through the air.

“Single Slash.”

The Sun Sword, Eugene’s first completed technique.

‘This won’t be enough.’

Even Frey’s full power, unmatched in firepower, hadn’t worked.

Using the Sun Sword now wouldn’t bring down the woman in the red fox mask.

Eugene focused on a different application of the Sun Sword.

Rotation and compression.

By rotating, he compressed the power, stabilizing it through continuous rotation.

He enveloped the blade with flames compressed to their limit, then swung horizontally to slice through the opponent.

Next, he released the compressed energy, causing a wide-range explosion to ensure the kill.

That was the basic use of the Sun Sword’s Single Slash.

‘Not an explosion, but focusing on the slash.’

Like that man.

Like the captain of the 2nd Division had done.

Thunder God Sword

Severance 

He applied its principles.

He abandoned all functions as an area-of-effect attack.

An extremely narrow range.

A fatal sword that annihilates only the area touched by the blade.

‘Frey worked hard to create this opportunity. I must succeed!’

His resolve bore fruit at the tip of his sword.

Sun Sword

Flash 

In the blink of an eye.

A crimson light illuminated the exhibition hall, now reduced to ruins.

Sunlight reached the underground, where the lights had been shattered.

Ere’s mask silently split in two.

The strike came down with enough force to cleave her body in half.

“…Impressive.”

The mask, now split in half, slid off her face.

As Ere’s face was revealed, Eugene’s pupils trembled slightly.

She was smiling. There was no mistaking the smile on her lips.

Something was wrong. The thought crossed Eugene’s mind.

“Then it’s only proper for me to show my sincerity as well.”

The demonic sword drew a crescent.

A black moon rose.

The moon swallowed the sun.

The light was shattered.

Darkness crushed the crimson lotus.

“Let’s end this. The play has gone on too long.”

The Scarlet Blade shattered.

The demonic sword pierced Frey’s chest.

Eugene’s right arm was severed.

All of this happened simultaneously.

“Ugh…?!”

“Keugh!?”

Frey and Eugene were flung in different directions.

A loud thud echoed, followed by a smaller thump.

Ere looked down at Eugene’s severed right arm on the floor.

“I was planning to cut off both arms…”

Did he sacrifice one arm to protect the other?

The more she looked, the more she found him to be a promising talent.

Both the boy and the girl—she wanted to make them her comrades.

To turn them into Death Knights like herself.

But unfortunately, her master’s orders came first.

Ere glanced around.

The strike just now had been fatal.

Neither the boy nor the girl could stand properly, embedded in the walls.

“Now, with the distractions gone, shall I achieve my goal?”

Isn’t that right, Lucia?

Ere’s gaze turned to one spot.

At the end of her gaze was the girl she had been searching for.

“Ah…”

Her pink eyes trembled.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
The black knight lost in the past due to him letting his guard down.

He wouldn’t let his guard down again on the same opponent, right? That said, the gap is so wide that he could still win even if he let his guard down.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Despite how nonexistent their teamwork is, the evil side still gets blessed by convenient timings and luck. Is this JJK all over again? Please no.

(Just kidding of course, I wouldn’t compare my respected author to JJK, heh.)