episode_0183

“Hmph-”

*Clang!*

The interior of the temple was already in shambles, my feet sliding smoothly across the scattered dust and sand.

I used the reduced friction to move nimbly with minimal effort.

“Hah—!!”

*Whoosh*

Kiron’s heavy greatsword cleaved the air with a loud whooshing sound, flying towards me.

I swung my Muyong Sword over my shoulder, tilting my head back, narrowly avoiding the attack by letting only a couple of strands of my hair be cut.

*Clang!*

I slid across the ground again, changing direction.

Leaning forward, I pressed my hand to the ground, pulling the Muyong Sword behind me.

I held it as close to my legs as possible to minimize air resistance.

The moment my heel touched the pillar, I stopped.

*Thwack—!!*

With enough force to destroy the entire temple, I kicked off the pillar and launched myself toward Kiron.

He braced his shoulders, holding his greatsword aloft like a batter waiting for a pitch.

*Whooshoo—!*

Then, like swinging a bat at a baseball, he swung his greatsword with his whole body at me, swiftly approaching.

I twisted my body at the last moment, lunging toward the ground, bouncing back up like a skipping stone—*thwack!*

I stepped on his sword, which had just grazed my hair, and jumped into the air once more.

Pulling the Muyong Sword close to my body, I maximized my rotational force and powerfully swept my leg across Kiron’s side.

*Thwoong—*

“Hmph-”

My instep throbbed, and he seemed to wince from the blow as well.

He immediately drew his repelled greatsword in front of me.

‘Let’s test our strength…!!’

I rotated my body another half-turn and swung the Muyong Sword widely.

*Clang—!!!*

For the first time in this prolonged clash, our swords met, clashing forcefully.

“Kgh—?!”

Unfortunately, I had the upper hand in strength.

As I pushed the sword forward, along with my shoulder, a slight resistance was swallowed effortlessly.

I extended the leg I had been holding back and kicked Kiron squarely in the solar plexus.

*Thwoong—!!*

“Cough—”

This time, the kick landed perfectly on target.

My attack’s power flowed directly into Kiron’s solar plexus, the impact undeterred by his sturdy armor.

He was sent reeling backward, dropping to his knees and collapsing to the ground.

“Huu, huu…”

*Thump*

He planted his greatsword in the ground, clutching his solar plexus, breathing heavily.

“Shall we stop?” “Huu… you…”

I was unharmed after a short rest, but Kiron, for some reason, was grimacing as he pushed himself up using his greatsword’s hilt.

“You… why aren’t you using your full power?” “I didn’t intend to hold back.” “You’re not even using your sword…”

I was slightly surprised.

He undoubtedly understood the power of my [Muyong Sword].

Given his exceptional strength compared to other knights, it made sense that he could somewhat gauge his opponent’s power.

*Hiss* *Crackle—*

I glanced down; the Muyong Sword was writhing wildly as if about to devour something.

Yet, to complain about not using such a sword…

“You, truly are a warrior.” “Indeed—huu… I have no intention of dying.”

*Thud*

Kiron once again assumed a fighting stance.

He stood with legs spread, his body slightly lowered, a solid posture, his sword held high.

“Holy Knight, Kiron Schtrich.”

A warrior who valued the honor and significance of combat itself.

Although we found ourselves as enemies right now, I needed to respond to his resolve as well.

Once again, I assumed the correct posture and raised my Muyong sword.

“Adventurer, Narias Philbrogue.” “Then… let’s go. Haaa—ap—”

*Whoosh—*

With a thunderous yell, Kiron sprang forward.

His enormous physique and massive greatsword.

Driven by the power of his solid lower body and strong thrusts, his charge gradually accelerated.

It was like a truck was running into me.

“Huuph—”

I also took a deep breath, filling my body with power.

The power of every attack comes from the lower body.

Gathering strength from my toes, I rotated my waist, channeling it into my arms.

In this way, wielding the entire body is what it takes to complete a single strike.

Stripping away all complex techniques, remaining true to the basics: a downward slash.

The memories of the sword I’d wielded since childhood piled on like film.

A single clear picture appears before my eyes.

As if time had stopped, above Kiron’s frozen greatsword…

My Muyong Sword slices through everything, drawing a pure white line.

Muyong Sword Technique 0, Unnecessary.

“—!!”

Nothing could be heard.

The strike was complete before a sound could even be made.

“Huu…”

As I exhaled shortly, dispersing the Muyong Sword’s aether, behind me…

*Thud*

Kieron fell, clutching his severed right hand.

“Ghhk…” “Believing it’s the result of brainwashing, I won’t take your life.”

*Crackle*

On my body, standing tall among the fallen knights…

“Retire, Holy Knight.”

Not a single scratch marks my body.

. . .

“Who do you think you are… How dare you—!!”

Without a moment’s rest, Pope Gregorio’s roar shook my eardrums.

Amidst the temple’s wreckage of broken floor and shattered pillars, he remained steadfast on the central altar.

Surrounded by an abundance of golden light, he was performing some kind of magic.

“Get up at once and stop that woman, Holy Knight Kiron—!!” “Hey, hey. If this guy is injured after working hard, you should at least provide worker’s compensation, you can’t exploit the patient till death!” “Shut your mouth, you damned heretic—!!”

*Gurgling*

Suddenly, I pictured dumplings, and my empty stomach, neglected since morning, growled with hunger.

Kiron lay prostrate on the ground, his fighting spirit extinguished. I ignored the Pope’s roaring demands and approached him.

“Don’t come—!! Don’t come near—!!” “Looks like you’re doing something important?”

It was clearly a massive magic spell.

What it is doesn’t matter.

What caught my eye was the damned, despicable son of a bitch, slick bald head glistening with sweat, putting in his all into casting that spell.

“If you touch me, I’ll kill you—” “Yap!”

I don’t care.

I immediately kicked the Pope in the stomach, sending him tumbling down below the altar.

“Ugh- hack- cough- wheeze-”

*Bang* *Thump* *Thwack* *Crash* *Tumble—*

Like a head of cabbage plummeting down a ditch, the man helplessly slid down the steep altar wall.

“Wow, that’s a nice roll.” “Damn it—!! My decades of work…the ultimate spell to build the temple—!!”

*Thump*

Even when I slammed my fist into the ground, only a cute little ‘thump’ sound echoed.

Just as I was about to clutch my stomach, laughing at the frustrated Pope…

The glow from the altar hadn’t ceased.

“The spell… is complete—!! Khahahaha—!!” “What is this…”

The magical mana was so intense that it disrupted the aether, interfering with [Universal Detection].

My knowledge of magic was only that of a mere academy cadet; I could hardly read the intricate spell with my eyes.

I could only stumble back, like an 80-year-old man holding an iPhone, retreating a couple of steps.

“Kukuk… Did you think you could bluff me—!! The spell is already complete, it only required some time to activate—!!”

Whatever that is, I know I’ve been hit.

I immediately reached for the center of the altar, attempting to activate [Dispel].

*Bang—!!*

“Hmph-”

A violent storm of light slammed into me, sending me flying backward from the altar.

*Crackle*

“Now then, reveal yourself—!! The origin of Chapel Luminosa, and the first temple where the resides—!!”

Pope Gregorio, who had risen to his feet, spread his arms wide.

“[The Cradle of Lumine]—!!”

This is a spell I have never seen in Akastos.

Perhaps in a world with a truly awakened saint, even the pope couldn’t act as he pleased.

And our saint is still immature.

The forces of the Holy Kingdom all belong to Pope Gregorio; all power is concentrated under his feet.

Under the word of light he will become the being closest to the goddess.

I squinted, the intense golden light emanating from the altar piercing my eyes.

However, I sensed the ripples it engendered through [Universal Detection].

The true temple of the Luminus Holy Kingdom is completed by the presence of the Light Goddess Lumine.

The holy relic offered to her is the light of all those in the world affected by Pope Gregorio’s [Word].

That light, as the price paid, caused Lumine, from far beyond the sky, or from outside the mortal realm…

To descend into her cradle.

I can feel it.

Although before it could be casually dismissed, the power of the light seeping into my skin had clearly changed.

*Whoosh*

I almost stumbled but quickly regained my balance and slowly opened my eyes.

The intense light wasn’t just powerful; its range covered the entire Holy Kingdom.

Every being within it could hear the [Word].

*Thud* *Thud*

“Until now… you have attempted to disrupt my plans. But… I will forgive you—!! I shall bear all your sins and gladly bestow upon you the blessings of light—!!”

The Pope had approached me.

He slowly raised his right arm, extending it toward me.

“Forget all your memories until now and become a faithful servant of the light—!!”

*Rumble—*

“Cough-”

My soul trembled.

As if struck on the back of my head with a hammer, a sharp headache engulfed me.

My vision blurred.

“Ugh, ugh…” “Good… it’s done—!! Now, you, who so greatly hindered me, have become my sword—!!”

What… is this comfortable feeling?

I feel like lying flat on the ground, lounging lazily as if it were a relaxing weekend afternoon.

It was incredibly comfortable.

But.

“…Is that all?” “What—Wh—” “I’m asking if that’s all.”

Gregorio wouldn’t know.

One of my wives, and also a dark spirit in my service.

Nix, the possessor of vast knowledge, specializes in mind control magic.

Every night, I am overpowered by her in my dreams, naturally learning how to resist this control.

Additionally,

“The Word… operates by feeding off ‘faith.’”

And I don’t believe in any gods.

*Thud* *Thud*

I dragged my lethargic body closer to him.

“Hic, hik…!! Don’t come near—!!” “Come here. You need a bit of a beating.” “Hol—Holy Knights—!! Stop him at once—!!”

*Rustle* *Whizz*

I attempted to gather aether, but the temple’s magic disrupted the flow of mana.

Knights in armor had surrounded me.

My inability to use magic was the worst situation,

“The worst case scenario…?”

*Grin*

No way.

I have already experienced this before, this situation where magic was rendered useless.

I immediately confine my aether’s influence to my body, filling my muscles with fresh blood, swelling them.

*Crack*

I clenched my fists, extending them toward the countless knights closing in.

“I fuck more than twenty gorgeous women… and this little hand-to-hand combat? I’ll keep going until tomorrow morning.”

My goal is the fleeing Pope.

Until I reach him, even hundreds and thousands of knights will only be crushed.