Slash! Raon unleashed his swordsmanship, aware that he had entered a state of enlightenment. The elegant curved blades of the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword fell toward Lust's neck and heart. Clash!
Lust swung a sword that flickered with pink light, blocking both the heavy Demonic Sword and Divine Sword simultaneously, then using that momentum to launch a counterattack.
"Try blocking this!"
She seemed quite excited, as she thrust a terrifying sword strike without restraining her power like before. Boom! Lust's sword strike rushed toward Raon, creating pink cracks in the air.
'In the past, I wouldn't have been able to block it head-on.'
Raon bit his lip slightly as he watched Lust's slash rushing toward him.
'But now, I think I can.'
As the Monarch of Lust, Lust possessed physical abilities and authority far beyond human dimensions. No matter how much he had grown, colliding with her head-on wasn't a good choice. But thanks to Lust, he had come to understand how to imbue emotions into his sword, so now he was confident he could block it.
Instead of just expending the demon kings' authority as before, he imbued it into his sword and swung it toward Lust.
Whoosh! Raon's sword, filled with Wrath's anger, collided head-on with Lust's slash shrouded in lust. Boom! As soon as the two differently colored swords met, a terrifying shockwave erupted, piercing the sky and crushing the earth. Rumble!
The explosion was so powerful that even the wall of holy power created by the Holy King, the Saintess, and hundreds of priests trembled to the point of collapsing.
"Ho-hold on!"
Holy King Hoppen, though astonished by the overwhelming clash of powers, encouraged the Holy Knights and priests to prevent the holy power barrier from collapsing.
"Damn! Those accursed monsters..."
Saintess Olga, serving as the pillar maintaining the wall of holy power, planted her legs into the ground to stabilize herself and endure somehow.
"Arggghhhh!"
"Th-the impact is too strong!"
"I can't endure any longer..."
"Huff, this isn't a fight between humans."
Some Holy Knights and priests couldn't withstand the shock caused by Raon and Lust and collapsed. However, since Olga firmly endured in the center, they managed to avoid the complete collapse of the holy power barrier. Crackle!
Raon and Lust stood with their feet on the crumbling earth, swords pressed against each other. The two swordsmen weren't pushed back by that powerful explosion and continued their respective swordsmanship.
'Imbuing a demon king's emotion is somewhat different.'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword pushing back Lust's sword.
'It's strong, but there's a recoil.'
When he imbued Wrath's anger instead of his own accumulated emotions, the power and speed of his swordsmanship increased dramatically. However, his body felt heavy like water-soaked cotton, and his body and mind seemed to tire even more than his swordsmanship strengthened.
"Amazing!"
Lust shook her head wildly with a blush not just on her cheeks but across her entire face.
"It's only you after all! Wrath!"
She cheered, saying only Wrath could make her this happy.
"Let's keep dancing!"
Pink currents rose above Lust's pupils. She also seemed to be entering a state of enlightenment like him.
"Fine. I'll dance with you until this soul wears out."
Raon curled his lips and unleashed a move from the Celestial Thunder Arts. The Divine Sword and Demonic Sword became red and blue lightning, falling upon Lust's head. Crash!
Lust blocked the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword shrouded in Heavenly Thunder merely by angling her blade diagonally. She licked her lips with satisfaction and rotated her ankle to deliver a sharp upward slash.
Clang! Raon blocked Lust's sharp offensive and smiled even more deeply.
'I can see it, feel it.'
He could feel more vividly than before how and where Lust would attack, and what emotions she held. It felt as if her emotions were seeping into his soul through the sword.
"Ahahahaha!"
Lust, seemingly unable to contain her excitement, burst into clear laughter and unleashed successive sword techniques imbued with her emotions. Clang! Raon and Lust had differently colored eyes, but at this moment, with identical gazes, they swung their swords at each other, falling into a true state of enlightenment.
***
-Ugh!
Wrath deeply furrowed his brow as he watched Raon and Lust, who had both awakened and entered a state of enlightenment simultaneously.
-These damned fools, finally!
Until just a moment ago, it was a shallow state of enlightenment easy to wake from, but now Raon had entered complete detachment. No matter how much he disturbed him, he wouldn't wake up.
-No, he didn't wake up before either.
He kept telling Raon to run away, but the guy didn't respond at all. Normally, he would have pushed him away out of annoyance, but since he didn't even do that, he must have already entered a state of enlightenment from that moment.
-Sigh...
Wrath looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh.
-I don't know how to deal with this situation later.
It was already dizzying to think about the promises Raon had made before, but now he was matching sword dances with talks of lovers—just imagining how Lust would come after them later gave him chills.
-Anyway, nothing ever goes right when meeting this fellow!
Wrath tightly closed his eyes while grabbing his head.
-I should have just eaten some bead ice cream and left this world...
When he opened his eyes again while recalling old memories, whoosh! He saw Lust and Raon pouring out sword techniques with ecstatic expressions. They didn't seem to be fighting at all, but rather performing a synchronized sword dance.
-Hmm...
Wrath let out a low groan as he saw Lust's usually crumpled expression completely brightened.
-Thanks to that damned Raon, Lust's emotions are flowing into me as well.
Perhaps because he shared a body with Raon, or because both were in a state of enlightenment causing emotions to scatter around, he could thoroughly feel what was in Lust's heart.
-Deep and intense.
A one-sided affection toward himself. But that affection neither craved love nor wished for him to look back at her. She was merely expressing her own feelings. That's why it felt sad yet pitiful.
-Sigh.
Wrath looked up at the sky, letting out a short breath.
-It's just a past event that did not mean anything. Just a random occurrence. Why do you chase after me so desperately?
The reason Lust truly began chasing him. As he recalled past events he experienced with her, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
-If I get the chance later...
Wrath showed a softened smile as he watched Lust, completely immersed in enlightenment, swinging her emotion-imbued sword.
-Let's properly discuss the circumstances between you and me.
***
The sword dance between Raon and Lust, both lost in enlightenment, continued until the risen sun sank and darkness returned. Though the surrounding buildings and ground were pulverized to dust, the two floated in the air, endlessly swinging their swords at each other.
"Wh-when the hell is this going to end!"
Holy King Hoppen ground his teeth, his face looking ten years older.
"Whoever wins, please just..."
He groaned, begging for this to end, regardless of the outcome.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Saintess Olga raised her foot and kicked Hoppen's thigh.
"Raon must win! If he loses after coming this far, we're all dead!"
She yelled at him to focus on the barrier instead of spouting nonsense.
"Huff..."
"I-I've reached my limit now."
"That's right. I c-can't hold on anymore..."
"What kind of monsters are they... Ugh!"
"S-sorry..."
The Holy Knights and priests barely maintained the holy power barrier by taking turns, but now they seemed to have reached their limits and began collapsing one by one. As the priests fainted, the wall of holy power that had been maintained like tattered cloth completely shattered.
"D-damn it!"
"Huff!"
Olga and Hoppen had also reached the limits of their physical and mental strength and couldn't hold on anymore, causing the wall to collapse.
"There's nothing we can do now! Everyone withdraw! Take the unconscious ones and get as far away as possible!"
Olga shouted to get away from Raon and Lust while attending to the collapsed Holy Knights and priests beside her.
"The residents' evacuation is complete, so run south!"
Hoppen didn't run away immediately but guided the path for the priests and Holy Knights to leave first. However, contrary to their concerns, Raon and Lust were no longer moving and had stopped in place.
"Huh...?"
Olga swallowed dryly as she examined the motionless Raon and Lust.
"Wh-what..."
It was when she was about to approach Raon with trembling eyes.
"Like this..."
Lust drew a smile like a celestial maiden descended from heaven, not a witch.
"This is the first time since birth that I've been this happy."
She cupped her heated cheeks with both hands, saying she never thought she'd feel such emotions.
[This King feels the same.]
Raon nodded as he sheathed the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword, their flames and frost subsiding.
[And I've come to understand what emotions you harbor.]
"Really? Really?"
Lust brought her hands together with eyes full of expectation.
[However, I cannot answer that now. You understand that, don't you?]
He gave a vague response, knowing roughly that there were circumstances between Wrath and Lust.
-Wh-what!
Wrath jumped forward as if in disbelief.
-What do you know to be talking like that!
He grabbed Raon's collar and shook it, urging him to take back his words.
"That's right! Of course!"
Lust nodded her head emphatically, saying she understood completely.
"I can wait for as long as needed, anytime!"
Having entered enlightenment, she seemed in such a good mood that she was ready to accept any word or request.
"Hmm..."
Raon slightly nodded as he looked at Olga, Hoppen, and the priests watching from behind the shattered holy power barrier.
'Now I should send her away.'
The finale of the show was approaching, so it was time for the villain to depart.
[Lust. This country has friends of mine. Since you've unintentionally caused harm, pretend to leave and conceal your presence.]
He jerked his chin, telling Lust that he had a friendship with the Suphren Holy Kingdom.
-N-no! Don't go!
Wrath waved his hand at Lust.
-If you leave now, everything will go according to this guy's scheme...
"Ah!"
Lust, naturally unable to hear Wrath's words, let out a small scream. She must have seen Olga and Hoppen several times while concealed, but seemed unable to remember. No, it seemed she had a tendency to forget everything except Wrath.
"I'm sorry. I was just blinded by him..."
With distorted eyes, as if she had made a grave mistake, Lust bowed her head to Olga and Hoppen.
"I'm truly sorry..."
After making her final apology in a voice drained of strength, she became a pink current and completely erased her presence.
"Huh...?"
Olga blinked blankly as she looked at the place where Lust had departed.
"What in the..."
She trembled her jaw as if unable to believe what she had just seen.
"The w-witch exhausted her power and died!"
Hoppen raised both hands as he looked at Raon.
"Lord Raon has defeated the witch of brainwashing!"
He roared, believing exactly what he had seen.
"Woooaaahhhh!"
"This is the Sword Emperor! Who could stand against the Sword Emperor!"
"Did you see the witch apologizing? That person is invincible!"
"That's right! Even a demon king wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor!"
The Holy Knights and priests also raised their weapons to the sky and cheered, thinking Lust had died.
-Wh-what nonsense are they spouting!
Wrath shook his head vigorously.
-This guy just played with Lust! And Lust didn't die either!
He shouted for them to look properly, but his voice didn't reach anyone present.
'It's natural that it would look that way to others.'
Lust still existed here, but only he could sense her presence.
'It's only natural they'd think she died from exhaustion when Lust made a sincere apology and disappeared into pink dust with a depressed expression.'
Since Lust couldn't act, he subtly guided her to show a depressed expression, which worked better than expected. It seemed to be because she had fallen even deeper for Wrath.
'This is what you call direction.'
-Direction my ass!
Wrath ground his teeth with an audible sound.
-You've ruined my life! Now what will...
It was when he was about to shout for Raon to take responsibility.
"Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor!"
"The true hero has descended!"
"Woooooohhhh!"
The Suphren Holy Kingdom shouted that he was a hero and called out the names Sword Emperor and Raon in succession.
-This guy is no hero! He's a ghost without blood or tears!
Wrath wailed, waving his hands toward the people.
-He's just a con artist! That so-called witch didn't die and is still lurking nearby!
He seemed truly wronged, with tears welling in his eyes.
'It won't work, I told you. I'll buy you bead ice cream later. For now, just endure...'
It was when Raon was trying to soothe Wrath by patting his head.
[You have fought against
[You have enlightened
[You have achieved a great accomplishment.]
[All abilities...]
[Traits...]
Reward messages immediately appeared, as if entering enlightenment with Lust was a remarkable achievement.
-Ah...
As soon as Wrath saw the message appearing before his eyes, the tears that had been dangling from his eyes dropped.
-Oh, for crying out loud!
He let out a cry filled with the strongest emotion yet.
-What did I ever do wrong! Why must I endure such trials!
'Oh.'
Raon let out an exclamation as he heard Wrath's cry.
'You awakened too? Your emotions are quite intense, aren't they?'
-You crazy bastard! Shut up!