episode_0189

000

The sharp sound of clashing metal that tears the air resounds in the space.

Like starlight falling from the sky, two swords moving at a rapid speed collide, repeating the action of bouncing off and scattering sparks.

Although it was in a dark space where light did not enter, each other’s appearances were clearly visible, and every time a spark flew, a torrent of dark magical power followed after it.

Compared to the heavy greatsword wielded by the enemy, Galatea is lighter in weight, but the lack of mass is supplemented by Cleon’s dark magical power.

But that was also an act of walking a tightrope for Cleon.

If the speed at which Cleon’s dark magical power collides is even slightly late, Cleon’s posture will collapse, overwhelmed by the mass of the greatsword.

Conversely, if he pours in the dark magical power faster than the exact timing, the dark magical power will scatter before the timing when it should gather and deflect the greatsword.

10 to the power of minus 18. That is, the moment called a flash. If he doesn’t put all his strength in the instant when his opponent’s sword and his own sword collide, the next moment will be a lump of meat that has fallen to the ground.

If so, then he can just avoid it. He can just avoid it without having to force the opponent’s sword to be parried. Just like in the fight against the being, who had wielded a similar sword.

For an experienced, correct swordsman, it was wise to take thorough evasive action against an attack that cannot be blocked, an attack that should not be blocked.

But Cleon knew. This is not just a sword fight.

Even unconsciously, he felt that retreating from the `match` inevitably meant denying his own beliefs.

The opponent is not an enemy with a physical form.

Although his appearance is that of the Demon Sword Emperor – Cain, this is not him, but an ambiguous illusion of an existence that has only borrowed his form.

That, mixed with his own memories, and with the control personality embedded within the pre-incarnate factor to correct the direction so that the pre-incarnated can counter Adam more efficiently.

It was killing Cleon’s self, and trying to take over his body.

So, Cleon instinctively realized that what he sees is not everything.

Each and every slash of the sword he wields is a restraint to urge and force Cleon’s fate, his mission.

Therefore, it cannot be avoided. His sword.

Even if he rolls his body, twists his waist, and leans his neck back. His sword will immediately follow and swing toward Cleon.

If he missteps in the sword storm that rages as if it has a guidance function, he will be immediately caught up in it and torn to shreds.

That is why he parries with his whole body and spirit. He acknowledges his own existence.

Not as someone’s substitute, or following in their footsteps, but by putting the `path` that the `Cleon` the demon swordsman has decided to walk in his sword.

When such a thought moves his body, his breathing was surprisingly stable and his body was light.

His heart beats, thickening the concentration of dark magical power that envelops his whole body.

[This old man…. Let’s get rid of him quickly and go back…!]

When Galatea shouted like that, Cleon also nodded.

Of course, in order to settle the match, he had to attack from this side to push away the opponent’s sword, and then cut off his breath.

However, the opponent’s sword blocked Cleon’s sword precisely and immediately drew a certain trajectory to kill the opponent, as if it had a guidance function.

A swordsmanship of offense and defense. It was exactly like the swordsmanship he used, in Cain’s memory, which he experienced as an illusion.

His swordsmanship that only Lesia could break throughout his life.

The strongest swordsman in the empire. A black beast that swallows the world, biting a sword.

But- it is not undefeated. The world is here because he lost.

So, there must be a weakness there.

The reason why the pre-incarnate factor borrowed his form was simply because he was the strongest among the pre-incarnations so far.

Thinking like that, he observes his movements in the clash of swords, which could be the umpteenth time.

The body habits that remain before the sword is swung, the movement of the gaze, the steps, and the trajectory of the arm.

Even if he couldn’t see the changes in breathing or pulse or the expansion and contraction of the muscles because he was wearing armor all over his body.

Whether the next attack is targeting the torso, the head, or even a feint.

He needed to read it, and respond to it by wielding Galatea.

He thought there was enough time.

This space was, so to speak, like Cleon’s mind, his soul.

The concept of time is vague, and perhaps even the moment he is looking into Cain’s memories and swinging the sword like this.

In reality, it might be only a `flash` shorter than the moment when the sword and the sword collide, which he has to see.

It might only be 1/10 of a trillionth of a second.

Suddenly – Cleon laughed at that thought.

[Are you laughing now?]

“…No. Well. I think I’m thinking even inside my thoughts – and there’s everything, and it’s like dreaming in a dream.”

Galatea, hearing Cleon’s absurd words, paused for a moment, not knowing what to do.

Then, without caring about Cleon and Galatea’s situation, Galatea, like moving Cleon’s arm, moves over the trajectory of the enemy who swings the sword, and barely manages to deflect the opponent’s sword.

[… …]

Seeing the sparks flying right in front of him, Cleon shut his mouth, and Galatea, who protected him, also expresses silent dissatisfaction.

However, pushing himself to deal with this unpredictable situation that should not have occurred in the first place, only lowers the flexibility of his thinking.

If he has to think, if he has to prove it. He will do it as much as he can. If he thinks that way, his heart feels a little lighter for some reason.

“Don’t worry, I know I have to concentrate. But a guy who calls himself my past self is trying to kill me. Even Lesia would-”

Cleon’s mouth, which had spoken that far, was quietly closed.

Come to think of it. He had heard a similar story before.

`It’s annoying. The illusionary cave that I went into with Lesia comes to mind.`

`I’ve heard about it. You fought your own illusion?`

`Yeah, when the match didn’t end even after several hours, Lesia used the power of the holy sword to its maximum output and collapsed the cave.`

“-Pfft… Hahaha!! Ahahaha!”

Suddenly, when Cleon burst into laughter, the illusion of the pre-incarnation that was wielding a sword at him, and Galatea, held in Cleon’s hand, both stopped on the spot.

The factor that was pushing Cleon with a mechanical mind, due to Cleon’s sudden bizarre behavior that was out of the realm of prediction.

Leaving Galatea, who was worried that the opponent’s attack had grazed his head during the fight, Cleon clenched one hand.

[… Do you really know? Cleon.]

“Yeah. Of course. Really, the teachings you can learn from the past cannot be ignored.”

[… …?]

Galatea, who seemed to not understand the meaning of Cleon’s words, reacted like she was bewildered, but in comparison, the illusion of the pre-incarnation grasped the sword again and glared at Cleon.

When he received such a gaze, Cleon also did not lose, and looked straight at the illusion.

“You are an illusion created by my memory. A part of me. But you don’t know my thoughts. Even if you know, you won’t be able to understand.”

“… …”

“That’s because I am different from that guy. From that guy who cut off all ties with others, or swallowed them up, making solitude itself his own power…!”

In the next moment, Cleon takes off the dark magical power armor that was enveloping his whole body.

This not only has the effect of increasing defense, but also has the effect of drawing out the dark magical power at a more precise timing at the desired time by covering the whole body with the dark magical power prepared for use in advance.

Therefore, it could also be said to be a type of technique indispensable in this battle.

[What-]

And the dark magical power that was taken off, flowed into Galatea, riding on Cleon’s hand.

“I’m sorry for making you imitate the holy sword…. But this seems to be the most certain way to get rid of that guy and get out of here.”

[…Are you serious? Surely, if you pour out all the magical power you have now, it might be possible…. But this is just a space within you. Filling that space with dark magical power and blowing it away is, of course, a burden on your soul.]

To Galatea’s voice mixed with worry, Cleon strongly gripped the handle and took a stance.

That stance was not the swordsmanship of Talcheck he had used before, but a hazy memory-

No, it was the swordsmanship of the beautiful swordsman that he saw just before he died, and that he saw facing her and the sword.

Ironically, the origin of that swordsmanship was an arranged version of imperial swordsmanship, a derivative swordsmanship of a certain local army commander who had left the empire.

Driven by fate, it was she who taught him swordsmanship that brought an end to the empire and its ruthless emperor.

“You…”

The illusion, seeing Cleon’s stance, frowned. Whether it was the original owner of that appearance’s emotions that were expressed through the illusion, it was not known.

But he could tell that it bothered him.

Seeing that appearance, Cleon laughed by himself.

“It seems that Lesia is very disliked. The pre-incarnation factor.”

[Well, if she wasn’t there, Cain might have eliminated Adam and taken the throne and ruled. … In that case, his providence would have spread throughout the world, and it would have become a terrible world where all humans had to live in solitude.]

The next moment, the illusion’s body momentarily blurred, and at the same time, it appeared right above Cleon.

A terrifyingly heavy sword strike that descends from the head toward the ground. If this is received head-on, Cleon’s original body will be cut in two on the spot.

But-

Close to the limit, all of his-

Dark magical power, of course, as well as vitality and conviction, and a heart, Galatea who has become as heavy as possible.

A rational `light sword` swinging, claiming a mission or fate, or the meaning that was created, can never pierce through it.

The annoying sound of Kakagaga!!! could not be heard.

Quietly, when Galatea held in Cleon’s hand is brought to the trajectory of that sword, a fierce vortex of magical power that would swallow all sounds on the spot occurs, and.

The tension of force created by that vortex stops the greatsword of the Demon Sword Emperor in its place.

“I will never let that happen…. Come on, Galatea.”

[──Okay.]

All of Cleon’s magical power flows towards Galatea’s sword blade.

The infusion of dark magical power changes the form of Galatea’s voice, and creates a new `formula` in her.

Among the many demon swordsmen and heroes, one of the realms reached when the bond with the sword reaches complete unity.

Under the special conditions of his own soul, Cleon steps into a part of that realm.

Magical power control mechanism, limit limit release.

[The starlight in blue, doesn’t know its beginning and end]

The swirling dark magical power dyes the entire Galatea’s sword blade while growing in size.

Output setting – compression initiation.

[The rising moon doesn’t know where its own light comes from.]

The dark magical power that swells up and begins to possess physical force, gradually pushes away the enemy’s greatsword and swallows the surrounding substances.

Confirm overheating of the target – ignore the abnormality and continue the command.

[The beauty of all things that cannot be reached is derived from not knowing the truth.]

The sword blade is blackened, dyed in jet black, and the magical power stops expanding and begins to compress in reverse, and

The entire process is complete – destroying the user’s protective adjustment for the complete destruction of the target.

[Then the most beautiful scenery will be what is seen by the eyes of the ignorant fool.]

For a single stroke, the beating of Galatea and Cleon’s hearts are completely integrated, repeating accumulation and compression.

Formula composition complete. Appear here, the dark blade.

[Color it, color it, color it 22 times, and return to nothingness.]

The illusion of the pre-incarnation, perhaps feeling a sense of crisis at that unusual phenomenon, feels the fragments of panic and fear, which it shouldn’t have had in the first place, and tries to back down.

But-

[Extinction of Thought and Extinction – Arvata Astra]

Swish!

When the compressed dark magical power is released at once, a huge blade that seems to be able to cut anything, is unfolded with Galatea’s sword blade as the center.

Previously, in the duel with Alberine.

In order to defeat the hordes of Humbaba from the gap in the second dimension.

The output of the blade created at that time was of a magnitude that could not be compared, the manifestation of a huge and overwhelming destruction.

The illusion of the pre-incarnation could not feel that its body was cut.

Because what Cleon’s sword cut was not only himself, but also the world itself.

“Mission… of… meaning of existence… achievement…”

“…My reason for being, my mission, is my belief. Disappear. Ghost of the past.”

As Cleon’s voice echoes in the world that is tilting.

The scenery of the space that was filled with darkness, shatters as if a glass fragment breaks, and scatters into the void.

[Cleon!]

Cleon, who had exhausted his dark magical power in order to destroy his own inside, naturally wanted to collapse on the spot.

He felt that the empty floor was tempting him. Probably, he will fall forever into the endless bottom.

How comfortable and good it would be if he just lay down here now.

When he tried to think like that-

He saw his arm being raised and stopping as if he was caught in the air.

When Cleon slowly and laboriously raised his head-

There, he saw the hands of people from the air grabbing his hand.

Those hands were hands he had seen before.

The hands with engravings, the small but trying hands, the hands with calluses for holding swords, wands, and pens.

And-

[Hey, is it that guy’s sword rather than my sword?]

“…Ha.”

A voice like a complaint, and the hand that grabs his hand the most firmly.

Cleon hangs the other hand on that hand and rises his body.

In order to come out again from the endless hole that tries to drag him down heavily.

If he reaches out his hand – it will definitely be grabbed –

Because there was the light of an unbroken bond.