Ch.28895. Collapse or Dominate (2)

It was the unknown.

A dark and brilliant space resembling the night sky.

That which had always resided above the heavens now invaded the vast world beyond left and right, above and below—a wonder and terror named the unknown.

More than beautiful, it was simply unfathomable.

“……”

Moreover, the phenomenon where the once endlessly flowing divine power and its effects seemed completely closed and locked away…

‘Yes, Kariel. It’s true that your preparation was more thorough than anyone else’s.’

Since defeating the Demon Lord, he had never neglected to train himself.

But the true reason he never lost in any situation was his limitless divine power.

When he slew the Demon Lord of Wisdom, mana and divine power were clearly separate.

But since that wasn’t enough to win, he seemed to have desperately sought something, as if throwing himself away, offering himself up.

And since then, it’s been like this.

Some called it heaven’s blessing.

Others praised it as being chosen by the Lord.

He shifts his gaze to the sword in his hand.

The intensity that once emitted white light has significantly diminished, now barely giving off a faint glow.

Even so.

He remains confident.

That under no circumstances will he be defeated.

“……”

He raises his gaze.

The sword in that child’s hand is the one he had given as a gift long ago.

He had given it to Patina, but she willingly transferred it to Kariel, and he gladly complied with her wishes…

“Here I come.”

After calmly declaring this, he walks slowly forward.

Without the alien movements from before or displaying any strange abilities.

The boy slowly closed the twelve-step distance between them.

As he moves, a strange form follows behind him like a phantom.

A black circle with an eerie light illuminating its edges.

Like something existing far away.

Massive and pitch-black, yet with edges brighter and more brilliant than anything else—resembling yet unlike a star… or sun—a contradictory, pitch-black something.

Behind the boy, a miniature version of it undulated as if writhing.

‘Is that… where everything is being drawn in?’

He can feel the faint divine power flowing as if tilting toward that place.

And that’s not all.

In this particular area, he couldn’t sense any energy or quality whatsoever, including mana.

Probably because even the slightest remaining energies had already been sucked into that hole-like something.

‘Being able to use such an ability means…’

The presence or absence of mana, its usefulness…

Such things would become completely meaningless.

‘This is… in a way, a natural enemy to me and those like the Demon Lord.’

The ability and authority used by the formidable Demon Lord of Wisdom is, in some ways, similar to what Kariel is demonstrating now.

The difference is… the purpose, usage, and effects are completely opposite.

“Good.”

At this point, he can’t help but nod in acknowledgment.

Grandeus.

If he had surpassed his limits, would this have been possible?

If he had been capable of this from the beginning, I would never have been able to surpass him.

‘This too is his revenge, if you can call it that.’

He meets Kariel, who approaches with the customary stance.

Kariel must be quite accustomed to combat and decisive battles in such an environment.

Lueld sensed it.

The moment his divine power was depleted, he would be at a severe disadvantage.

After all, even the swordsmanship he wielded was specialized for such situations.

‘From the beginning, his swordsmanship was created with this scenario in mind.’

In this setup, the effectiveness of armor would be doubled.

Normally, depending on how mana is used, armor could be neutralized as easily as tearing paper or leather.

But here, it would be extremely difficult to reduce their durability.

“……”

It’s been a while since I’ve fought like this.

When my mana handling was clumsy, this was the typical way to fight.

Back then, Lueld always lost to Michel, the current emperor.

“……”

Six steps.

As they narrowed the distance between them, one step suddenly became four steps, and two steps became two steps at a rapid pace.

And that was enough to…

A position to exchange offense and defense.

From precisely that moment, neither advanced nor retreated.

The one with the advantage in distance was Kariel, wielding a cruciform sword suitable for two-handed use.

In contrast, Lueld had always primarily used the divine sword, the holy sword, with one hand, both then and now.

This was partly because he couldn’t modify or alter the divine sword.

Although Lueld was called the Knight of Radiance, he himself never really suited the techniques and methods of knighthood.

From the moment he used horses for transportation rather than combat, he was neither here nor there.

“……”

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard between them.

Reactions and preparations would differ with each exhale and inhale.

Neither revealed such elements, not even showing the rise and fall of their chests.

It began with a small footwork.

Perceiving that Kariel was about to strike first, Lueld rushed in ahead to cut him off.

Kariel had already switched from Para to Fortes.

He responded to the swift diagonal strike of Vetita by lowering his posture sharply.

His arms shot up high, but this didn’t mean his arm structure was fully extended.

The arms and joints maintained a delicate balance between 90 and 45 degrees.

Yet the movement appeared so extreme because

he wasn’t overexerting his arms and shoulders, but utilizing his entire body.

After deflecting the sword with Vetita, he merely shifted his arm joints sideways, yet the raised sword naturally connected to a horizontal slash.

‘He handles it well.’

Lueld was impressed.

No part of his body was wasted.

To an observer, it might seem like he simply moved his arm joints flexibly to connect a horizontal slash with unified offense and defense, but this was a posture that could switch positions at any time.

Throughout the swing, both hands and wrists were also fulfilling their roles.

The upper hand moved in the direction of the swing.

The lower hand moved in the opposite direction.

When the harmony of the entire upper body beyond the arm joints and shoulders, along with the mobility of the lower body, joined in…

The space itself had come to maximize his advantage.

‘An iron fortress.’

That was one of the common metaphors when discussing Grandeus.

He might not handle many-against-one duels, but in one-on-one combat, he would first induce an attack from his opponent, then make them collapse from counterattacks or their own momentum.

That’s why one of his nicknames was “Iron Fortress.”

Kang! Tang!

A light yet intense friction sound, clearly different from before, erupted.

Srrk!

Kirik!

The eerie friction sound of blades rubbing against each other.

Teong!

The blade that collided with the guard bounced off slightly, and using that momentum, Kariel attempted a deep diagonal vertical slash in reverse.

In a situation where sword met sword, even Lueld couldn’t overwhelm Kariel.

But if he pulled away, that moment would be the perfect opportunity for Kariel.

In the end, a chilling stalemate-like situation unfolded repeatedly.

‘Come to think of it, you…’

Because you struggled with normal mana handling, you were always desperate with these rough, basic responses.

That was, in a way, an admirable response.

I don’t know about later, but at that time, you didn’t fixate on the uncertain element of not being able to handle mana.

So, you did your best with what you could do at the moment, trying to fill and compensate for your weaknesses.

Mana or mastery isn’t achieved overnight.

Talent and innate ability, along with continuously accumulated effort, and the arduous tug-of-war to not be betrayed by such efforts.

What’s the point of building a sandcastle if it crumbles?

No matter how desperately we train with the sword, how harshly we temper ourselves…

Some day, someone will be abandoned by the sword.

It’s a blessing just to avoid that fate.

But even if the sword abandons us.

…The courage to refuse and grasp it tightly.

That’s the will we needed most.

Kang!

The swords clash, sending small sparks flying.

Even without infusing divine power, the divine sword in Lueld’s hand is clearly a peerless treasure.

Yet despite colliding, touching, and being cut by it…

…that sword in Kariel’s hand doesn’t seem to be damaged or broken at all.

…Well.

After all, that’s the sword that cut off the head of the Demon Lord of Wisdom.

Teong!

“!!”

Was it because his eyes were drawn to the blade?

Suddenly, between the clashing swords, Kariel began to push back Lueld’s blade with his gloved hand.

The center of gravity immediately loosened and was compensated for, and the advancing sword suddenly stopped as if hitting a wall.

Targeting this, Kariel shook the center several times, then twisted both hands to guide Lueld’s blade toward the ground.

Like flowing water.

Like a snake climbing a branch, Kariel’s sword slithered up along Lueld’s blade.

‘What in the—!’

The surprises were far from over.

This time, he let go of the handle completely and grabbed the blade with both hands.

As the sword climbing up the blade suddenly floated, Lueld quickly tried to retrieve his sword to salvage the situation.

Due to the guard striking the blade as if lifting it up, he ended up raising his sword higher than expected.

‘This much won’t—!’

But suddenly.

Half-flipping the blade so that its flat side faced Lueld’s blade like an offering.

The black glove slid along the blade.

And suddenly the tip of the sword was thrust toward Lueld’s face.

Reflexively, he activated the sacred relic.

Srk!

Lueld’s body instantly transferred to the opposite side.

Kang!

With both hands gripping the blade, Kariel blocked Lueld’s follow-up attack with the handle and guard.

From there, he quickly rotated the sword once and gripped it in his left hand, then moved the sword as if slashing horizontally, nimbly blocking Lueld’s continued attacks.

At the same time, Kariel inwardly sighed with relief.

‘He used it.’

While it might not matter if divine power were infinite, here, the consumable function of the sacred relic couldn’t be restored.

In other words, this escape from a life-threatening situation was the last one.

‘Two remain.’

Stepping through space or interfering with it.

Or the function he freely uses like a shield.

Besides that, if there’s one more…

Teong!

Lowering his posture sharply, he continuously switched between Vetita, Grate, Fortes, Para, and others to neutralize all offensives.

Suddenly, he rotated his lower body to trip the ankle, twisted his upper body in reverse, and with the tip of his sword pointing at the air, he drew a circle, instantly disrupting the opponent’s offensive.

‘This is…’

It can’t be helped.

‘Necata.’

Thrusting.

To thrust is a double-edged sword.

That is its fundamental essence.

A sword, one could say, was born more for thrusting than for cutting.

It perfectly fits that advantage.

And thrusting in this swordsmanship…

encompasses this meaning.

Necāta.

To kill.

To destroy.

To capture.

To eliminate.

That’s what it is.

This is the most extreme method in the swordsmanship style that Grandeus employs.

Because.

Only when performing this.

The arm joint fully extends.

That means that moment is defenseless.

Therefore, to perform this means.

Definitely.

…to kill or finish off the opponent.

Kwajik!

“—!!”

The phoenix’s tail feather, was it?

An item that saves one’s life from the brink of death exactly three times.

One might wonder if there’s a better sacred relic than this…

‘That’s why Tronel didn’t die by my hand.’

No matter how extraordinary Kariel is, he’s not so remarkable that he could save her alone while turning the surroundings into a wasteland.

He could do it if ordered, but it would require considerable hardship.

‘First, once.’

Retrieving his sword, back to Vetita.

Then left and right transition.

Next…

When taking a stance, be like a rock and a tree, they say.

Twoong!

Block it.

Endure it.

As long as you don’t give up on bearing it.

Without ever collapsing.

Even if you break or bend.

As if there could never be a voluntary collapse.

Persistently and exquisitely endure.

Kang!

‘Next…’

When continuing the movement, be like water and wind.

To flow without self-awareness, as if being pushed, but naturally.

Just follow the open path, proceeding without destination.

Srrk!

The flat of the blade collides with the cutting edge, scraping and sending sparks flying.

‘Next…’

Like fire, burrow in, and like the cold that freezes water…

Cut through.

The flow that begins to flow along the open path.

Therefore, it will not stop.

As long as I don’t give up or collapse due to my own inadequacy and insufficiency.

In the past, it was so.

In the past, I couldn’t reach it, couldn’t even dream of reaching it.

But now…

‘I see.’

Another version of me in another world somehow grasped the true meaning of this despite struggling.

To complete all of this, there was only one thing left.

‘Forward…’

The courage to advance.

The fighting spirit to advance without retreating.

Finally.

The clear belief that the advancing self will not break.

‘Truly.’

A march that stakes one’s life.

Will alone is not enough.

Ability and results must follow.

Only then will it reach.

You and me.

The blank between us.

The gap between us.

‘Lutesia.’

From the moment I first learned the Sword of Wuja until this moment when I’ve taken a step.

As if everything was one from the beginning.

Everything melted together.

‘Paviam.’

Paviam.

To repel.

To strike.

To hit.

For all weapons, including swords, the most basic, fundamental, and all-encompassing…

Cutting.

From top to bottom.

Vertical slash.

That which cuts down vertically.

Kwajik!

‘That makes two…’

At that moment, a voice struck his mind like lightning.

[It’s not over until it’s over, right? Where’s your head at? You’ll die like that?]

…Of course.

I’ve never forgotten for a moment.

Before consciousness could even operate.

The body was already… in motion.

Punita.

Pūnīta.

This was said to have such meaning.

Revenge.

Or retribution.

‘From bottom to top.’

Upward slash.

This too might be a vertical slash.

But since the sword has already fallen.

If I raise it up again from here.

If I cut upward.

…What would be the problem?

Hwoong!

He quickly slashes upward.

But the opponent hastily withdraws his body.

A hair’s breadth difference.

But.

‘Even this.’

Expected range.

It’s not over until it’s over.

That saying, in the end, means this, right?

To finish… it.

Srrk!

Kang!

As soon as the swords collide.

‘Yes.’

I think I can do it now.

Such confidence arose.

‘Septentrion.’

The seven oxen, was it?

Now, I can definitely unfold it.

Even though Corin is said to have the will of the subject, if he had truly relied on that alone…

…there would have been no need to create and master this, no need to train so diligently.

The conception was wrong.

It was in reverse.

He.

…Because he created, mastered, and trained this, he awakened the will of the subject.

‘From the beginning, this…’

It was a training sword.

Not a practical sword… but a means to awaken the will of the subject…

Kwajik!

A strike containing the essence of all sword forms.

Even I don’t know what I’ve done.

But I belatedly realized that the third lifeline protecting him had been cut.

…More than that.

‘It’s different.’

And I too have finally reached the fruition that Corin reached.

But the result is something completely different from Corin’s.

…I just realize.

From this moment.

My sword, no, my martial prowess.

…has reached a period.