Ch.632Burning Murderous Intent

The underground cavity, once so dark that it was hard to see even an inch ahead, brightened like daylight—no, even brighter than daylight.

– Whoooosh!

The oil ignited upon contact with the mana flames, creating a storm of fire. The Ka’har corpses crushed between rocks burned, releasing the smell of cooking meat. Flames flowed like rivers.

Oil was continuously supplied through metal pipes connected to the walls of the underground cavity, while air constantly flowed in through metal pipes connected to higher places.

All the mages of Landenburg were blowing outside air through the metal pipes. Like bellows increasing the heat of a blacksmith’s furnace, the oxygen blown in by wind magic made the flames burn more fiercely.

Gehenna, the hell of extreme heat where those who committed grave sins fall and burn eternally. The scene before them looked as if a part of it had been transported here intact.

“Ahahahaha! Let’s see how long that precious Unyielding Flesh of yours will last!”

Laughing as if entranced by the heat, I intensified the flames even more. Until the entire underground cavity was ablaze.

The swirling flames engulfed both me and Orhan’s bodies. The blood covering us boiled, and our bodies heated up, releasing steam.

I laughed as I became a ball of fire.

The flames covering my body converted back to mana, spewing even more intense flames. The tremendous heat distorted the air. Rocks glowed red from the extreme heat, gradually melting into lava.

“You crazy bastard…! Are you trying to burn us both to death?!”

Even the great Aishan-Gioro Orhan couldn’t maintain his composure while trapped in this inferno; his voice was filled with bewilderment.

“Well, that won’t happen!”

Despite being engulfed in flames hot enough to melt rock, neither I nor Orhan turned to ash or suffered any burns.

His Unyielding Flesh was withstanding even the extreme heat of the flames, and thanks to my fire seal, I wasn’t injured by the fire either. It was just a bit hot.

“You don’t burn…?”

“Why are you surprised? You’re still ‘fine’ too, aren’t you?”

At a glance, we probably looked similar—balls of fire in human form walking on lava.

However, there was a fundamental difference between Orhan and me. A gap that would determine the outcome of this battle. The gap that made Ludwig confident of victory.

Enduring versus not being injured.

Though they might look similar on the surface… the gulf between them was as deep as that between god and human, as vast as the difference between finite and infinite.

The protection of the seal doesn’t disappear. Like the blessing of the fire spirit, it’s not a defensive ability that consumes my power.

On the other hand, Orhan’s Unyielding Flesh…

“I wonder how long you can hold out!”

The power of a Tale of Heros is finite. Even the invincible Unyielding Flesh doesn’t have infinite defensive duration.

“Unyielding Flesh. In our previous fight, you could activate and deactivate it only when attacked, but that won’t work this time, will it? The moment you deactivate it, your entire body will burn up.”

I didn’t know how deep his Karma might be… but even if it was more than twice mine, it wouldn’t matter.

In this pit of fire, fighting with Unyielding Flesh activated, he wouldn’t last even an hour!

A massive prison from which escape was difficult.

A pit of extreme heat where Unyielding Flesh couldn’t be deactivated for even a moment.

And unlike him, an equally powerful opponent who wasn’t injured by flames.

This was the method to counter Unyielding Flesh that Ludwig and I had devised together.

—-

“…I never expected it to be countered in such an absurd way.”

Orhan looked up at the ceiling and sighed softly. The flickering flames concealed his expression. It was probably contorted or twisted.

“In that case… I have no choice but to break through the ground and escape somehow.”

Escaping by breaking through the remnants of the wall before his Unyielding Flesh reached its limit. It was the only solution. If it was possible, that is.

“You don’t think I’m going to just watch you do that, do you?”

“…No, of course not.”

Orhan sighed and clenched his fists as he glared at me.

His scale armor melted in the blazing flames, and even the clothes underneath turned to ash.

In the blazing flames, only his naked body stood firm like an iron tower—

…Naked?

Ah.

A realization flashed through my mind. I reflexively looked down and… realized the only problem with this plan. A problem Ludwig would have had no reason to consider.

My body was engulfed in roaring flames. The Stigmata of Astraea engraved above my chest was clearly visible. And something pink a little below that too.

“……”

No wonder my body had felt a bit lighter.

I thought it was because my muscles were heated up, but I was greatly mistaken.

Of course, in this super-heated furnace that melted rock and steel, even regenerating leather couldn’t survive unscathed.

My top, bottom, gloves, shoes, even underwear—all my clothes had either burned away or were in the process of doing so. Even Rurik’s automatically regenerating leather couldn’t keep up with the rate at which it was burning.

Only the black iron scales covering my shoulders and waist were somehow withstanding the fire pit, but once the fur holding them in place burned away, they would fall off at the slightest touch.

Unlike Frosting, which emitted a cold chill in resistance to the heat.

…I chose the wrong armor.

I should have worn full black iron armor instead of winter armor. It was too late for regrets now.

At least the flames were covering my entire body; otherwise, I would have had to fight completely naked.

‘Hey, did you know about this?’

[…I forgot. I was so focused on the opportunity for revenge…]

Hersella explained in a shrinking voice. Her tone was also filled with embarrassment, as if she too hadn’t thought about the armor.

‘Haah….’

I sighed, feeling heat rush to my face.

I didn’t feel like blaming Hersella. She said she forgot too, so what was the point in arguing now?

Besides, since I wouldn’t be the one fighting, the shame would be Hersella’s burden, not mine.

‘Can’t be helped. We’ll have to fight like this.’

I drew Durandal from its burning scabbard and lowered my stance.

The leather covering the hilt had long since turned to ash, but the true silver forming the sword was merely heated, without any damage.

I half-turned my body sideways, rested Durandal’s blade on my shoulder, and spread my legs slightly. The high stance. It was the basic stance of Imperial swordsmanship for charging at an enemy and striking down with the sword.

“…You’re going to fight like that?”

Orhan, who had been bending his knees as if about to charge at any moment, averted his gaze slightly as if embarrassed.

Well, because I had moved, even the shoulder and waist armor had fallen off, leaving me completely naked. Additionally, my left breast was softly protruding, pressed by my elbow.

In that state, with my legs spread, I was in an embarrassingly indecent posture.

“What can I do? Your appearance isn’t much different from mine.”

No, actually it’s worse than mine. Though we’re just silhouettes engulfed in flames, the protruding parts are even more noticeable because they’re silhouettes.

…Now I understand why he has five children.

“……”

Orhan remained silent, perhaps embarrassed himself.

I maintained the high stance, regulated my breathing, awakened the power of the Karma of Murder to fill my body, and forcibly suppressed my consciousness.

Though I was ready to fight both mentally and physically, I wasn’t the one who would behead Orhan.

‘I kept my promise to you. I’ve prepared such an excellent stage for your revenge. Now it’s your turn.’

[I never imagined my revenge would begin with naked swordplay…]

‘Should I fight instead if you’re dissatisfied? I don’t mind.’

[…Right, what does appearance matter? Such a perfect opportunity has been presented. An opportunity too tempting to refuse.]

After finishing her words, Hersella pushed aside my consciousness and rose to the surface. I felt the constraint of not being able to move even a fingertip as I handed over my body to her.

======[ Hersella ]======

She closed her eyes. Inhaled a heated breath.

Exhaled a long breath and opened her eyes again.

The enemy was in her sight.

Her first nemesis. The man who had abandoned her mother to others’ contempt, left her to die from someone’s machinations, and hadn’t even attended the funeral.

The moment she regained her body, faced her enemy, and rekindled her anger.

She forgot everything except her killing intent.

The shame of exposing her naked body. The embarrassment of facing a robust man’s nakedness. Even the lingering understanding that he too had no choice.

“Orhan.”

Hersella bared her fangs as she gripped her mother’s sword.

The killing intent of Heaven’s Execution erupted like a tsunami.