In the underground chamber of the Holy Knight Grandmaster Hendrickson's magic research institute in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Liones.
A group of robed figures were channeling magic into a hollow sphere. They had been doing the same thing since Helbram set out, supporting his battle from the rear.
There was another person present who wasn't in a black robe, but in splendid white attire.
One of the kingdom's two Great Holy Knights, Hendrickson. He was the one who created the New Generation Holy Knights, and it was his rift with the other Great Holy Knight, Dreyfus, that led to the chaos among the Holy Knights.
Through Helbram's synchronization magic, he couldn't see the specifics of the fight, but he could still sense the situation on the battlefield.
Helbram's mission this time was simple—bring back either Elizabeth or one of the fragments of the Coffin of Eternal Darkness held by Meliodas.
Hendrickson did not underestimate Meliodas or any one of the Seven Deadly Sins, so he had been prepared to support Helbram all along.
He just didn't expect that Helbram would so quickly end up in a fight that required his support.
Extending his hand, Hendrickson poured his own magic into the core, sensing the battle more clearly.
Charles twisted his body, avoiding the slashing blade.
Helbram rotated his wrist, the blade sweeping across in a horizontal cut as if to hew Charles in half. The moment the scimitar was about to slice into Charles's body, a hint of smugness appeared on Helbram's rugged face.
The blade swept through, and the look on Helbram's face turned to confusion, because there was none of the feeling of having struck flesh.
It was only an afterimage! Realizing that, Helbram was shocked out of his wits.
Charles appeared at Helbram's flank and swung a fist.
A translucent purple film appeared over Helbram's body, and it was this layer that blocked Charles's punch.
But it held for only an instant before shattering outright. Even so, that instant bought Helbram time.
Helbram's magic, \[Synchronization], could borrow not only other people's magical energy but also their magical abilities.
Among the many Holy Knights lending him power, the abilities present were quite comprehensive, and Helbram could freely use them all.
He thrust out a hand, and a volley of ice bullets formed and shot toward Charles.
Charles took a step, a ring of flame rising around him; as the ice met the fire it melted and boiled away, not a single shot reaching him.
The flames drew back and coiled over Charles, propelling him as he closed rapidly on Helbram. A Fire Dragon's Claw kick sent him flying.
Helbram slammed into the hillside behind him, the whole slope collapsing with the impact and throwing up a cloud of dust.
"So just how little do you think of me, showing up to fight like that," Charles said evenly, not pursuing.
Fairies possessed a peculiar disguising ability, but there was no doubt they could only wield their full capabilities in their true form.
A surge of magic blasted the dust clean away, revealing the figure within.
It was no longer a one-eyed middle-aged man, but a handsome youth in a green top.
A pair of dragonfly-like wings lay against his back, marking what he was.
Only, the youth's wicked, upturned eyes spoiled his overall look.
Holding a battered iron helm in one hand, Helbram, revealed at last, said, "Human, I admit I underestimated you. But this is as far as you go!"
Boom!
A thick root burst up from the ground and coiled toward Charles with the agility of a tentacle.
The reason fairies and giants wield power beyond that of humans was that besides their own magic, they controlled nature and earth, respectively.
Unlike giants, whose physical abilities matched their magic, fairies' strength was all in magical amplification.
Which was why Charles had said that fighting him in disguise was looking down on him.
Light flashed in Charles's hand as Evil Dragon and Dragonslayer were replaced with Wusheng. He gave the greatblade half a spin, and a cold-moon arc of steel severed the root outright.
The cut end pulsed, about to regenerate—then fire kindled over it. Forget regrowing—the entire root went up, and in the blink of an eye it was ash.
Dragging the coiling-dragon broadsword behind him, Charles strode toward Helbram.
An inexplicable suffocation gripped Helbram. Charles's pace wasn't fast, but the pressure was staggering.
It was as if he saw a terrifying beast behind Charles lift its head, its flame-burning eyes fixed on him.
"Human, die!"
Helbram roared, summoning a mass of roots around Charles. They whipped and then lashed down toward the center all at once.
Layer upon layer of roots crashed together, sealing off all avenues of evasion.
But no sound of impact came for a long moment—and then countless flaming sword-lights cut their way out through the tangle.
All the roots ignited at once; amid the crackling of burning wood, blazing chunks dropped away, and Charles walked through the sea of fire.
Helbram gritted his teeth, forcing more roots to sprout. The spear-sharp tips drove in hard at Charles.
Charles quickened. He slipped past one root, sprang onto another, and raced along it toward Helbram.
Helbram swept an arm, the scimitar that had been floating at his side whirling into a blade wheel and hurtling at Charles.
That was its proper usage, not something to hold in the hand.
Charles never broke stride, flicking Wusheng up to bat the blade wheel aside.
Then he stomped and launched himself, closing on Helbram in a leap.
In midair the hurled scimitar suddenly broke apart into countless flying knives, then those knives spun into myriad small blade wheels that carved toward Charles.
Helbram's scimitar, like King's Spirit Spear, had been made from the Sacred Tree's branches, and so possessed similar properties.
The smile of triumph had already reappeared on Helbram's face. In this position, he didn't believe a human without a fairy's flight could possibly dodge.
Charles gripped Wusheng's hilt in both hands. The divine dragon coiled along the blade spewed fire from its eyes. Flames blasted from Charles's body, driving him across the final span.
He smashed straight through the blade wheels ahead with brute force.
Flames jetted from Wusheng's edge as it sliced the air—and Helbram's body.
In Liones's royal capital, Hendrickson suddenly stumbled back. The sphere before him split in two and then became a ball of fire.
Hendrickson's face soured. Losing Helbram as an aide was no small blow to his plans.
…
Charles landed, and Wusheng dissolved into motes of light and vanished from his hand.
"May you find release in the flames."
As Charles spoke, fire enveloped Helbram entirely.
Strangely, Helbram felt no searing pain from the blaze—on the contrary, a gentle warmth.
The anguished wailing over his fallen kin that had never ceased in his ears began to fade. In the flames, he seemed to see those companions smiling at him.
Charles passed by King and said, "He hasn't got much time. If you have anything to say, say it now."
With that, he walked off. King flew over to Helbram and made his final farewell to his old friend.
(End of Chapter)
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