Chapter 595 – Second Round
Crrk, crk-crk.
The wounds that covered his entire body vanished one by one, leaving behind only faint traces of blood. The torn flesh knit together, filling in the gaps with new tissue.
Even the cracked and splintered bones were restored to a flawless state.
(Heh… this feels almost like I've become immortal.)
Mado Art – Atribio
A branch of the enchanting path unique to Yurgien, which not only maximizes the density of mana to manifest it into a physical form but also anchors it in place, imbuing it with diverse magical properties.
By designating and linking multiple targets, it creates a kind of internal shared space that allows the exchange of thoughts among them — a facet of his unique magic.
Ssssk.
Yurgien brushed over his thigh, which had been half-split open by a spear strike from afar.
Moments ago, even walking had been difficult, but with the passage of time, the wound had completely closed and disappeared without a trace.
Only his robe was torn apart; he felt neither pain nor discomfort.
This astonishing regeneration was purely thanks to the sustained-type Lysandro's Fruit potion, concocted by Isabella and Alderneys.
Once ingested, the potion gradually repairs all physical injuries sustained over a set period, ultimately restoring the body to its original state.
It employs the restorative principle unique to Lysandro's Fruit, producing no side effects whatsoever.
Furthermore, by consuming various alchemical creations that granted physical and magical buffs, they had elevated their capabilities even further.
Such meticulous preparation was one of the two reasons they could perform better than expected against a transcendental being of overwhelming might.
Only Adrian, however, had taken merely the Lysandro's Fruit potion. External enhancements, he believed, would only disrupt his natural senses.
(As long as our heads or hearts aren't pierced, or we don't suffer a chain of lethal blows, no one should die before reinforcements arrive.)
(That would be true, yes. But Jinryeon's speed is still increasing. He hasn't even gone all out yet.)
Just as Melard said, with each exchange, Sandir became even swifter, even sharper.
It was as if he was testing how far his opponents could follow him — ascending step by step.
(He draws out the challenger's sincerity, drives their emotions to the peak, and then kills them to fulfill his own desire. There's no shortage of lunatics in this world, but when one of them becomes a Transcendent, it's a whole different level of madness.)
(Indeed, his personal obsession is remarkably pronounced. I just hope my grandson never grows that greedy.)
(Sandir's movements are starting to stray from our predictions. If our senses falter even slightly, the situation could reverse at any moment. The timing of our reinforcements will be the deciding factor.)
After leaving the Grand Hall and joining up with Adrian, it had taken several hours before they finally encountered Sandir Paen — and battle had erupted.
Surely, this must be the battlefield that began the latest.
In contrast, the clashes involving Saturation of Jinche in the Grand Hall and Isabella's front were, if not decided, at least nearing their conclusions by now.
How had those turned out?
With the central signal tower destroyed, and the spatial teleportation arrays connecting the regions too far away, communication was impossible.
Not that they had the leisure for it anyway.
The state and whereabouts of the Sage of Protection, who was to leave the Allied Front to support another battlefield, were equally uncertain.
(Reinforcements, huh. Surely, if they arrive, the odds of victory would rise, and we could secure the upper hand. But predicting the future with precision is a fool's dream.)
Osgar cast a sidelong glance.
(Because Sandir isn't the only one stepping beyond expectations.)
Ssshh.
His lips parted slightly.
A sharp breath escaped through clenched teeth.
The blood that had seeped through the damaged armor had already dried.
At the balls of his feet — where his weight was centered — potential explosive force waited to be unleashed. His tilted Light Sword and upper body stood firm like a fortress wall.
(...)
Even in the less-than-thirty-second lull born from the ferocious exchange, Adrian didn't join the mental link — he kept his gaze fixed solely on Sandir.
Within his clear, sky-blue irises shimmered a chillingly lucid awareness.
Thump, thump, thump.
His heart was pounding.
Bit by bit, in a rhythm unlike before.
***
Sandir stared silently at his forearm, from which crimson blood was dripping.
"Incredibly sharp."
Even after neutralizing the sword energy with his aura, his skin and muscles were easily sliced through. The cut was shallow, sparing the bone, but it was worth noting.
For the blade itself to carve through the flesh of a Transcendent — that spoke volumes.
"A cursed treasure, then."
He didn't know what it was made of, or who forged it, but it was undoubtedly among the finest weapons he had ever encountered.
Perhaps it was even on par with the weapon once wielded by the Master who had utterly defeated and crippled him in the past…
Twitch.
A phantom pain pulsed through him.
A good sign.
Exhilarating, in fact.
"It's getting clearer…!"
Those struggling so desperately to grasp at his ankles were shining brighter than before — Adrian, especially so.
Even knowing that excessive anticipation leads only to disappointment, he couldn't help but hope.
"Will they shine brighter still? Or should I harvest them before that light fades? But if I do, I might miss my chance. Who knows how long it will take before such a moment comes again…"
Suddenly, Sandir's lips twisted into a wide grin, baring his teeth and gums as he made his decision.
"Let's test them a little longer."
The blizzard roared in response.
(He's coming.)
The instant Adrian's warning reached them, Sandir's form vanished. The heaps of snow all around erupted simultaneously.
A spear strike — too fast to follow with the eye — shot straight toward Osgar's brow.
(Even faster!)
He barely managed to parry it and immediately slammed down his staff. Any rotation would have cost him his life in an instant.
BOOOOM!
The ground and snow exploded upward. Yet before he could retreat, a thrust tore through the snowstorm that obscured his vision.
(Damn…)
An attack even faster than before.
Even with his Final Arcana – Overconcentration amplifying his reflexes, he couldn't keep up.
In that instant, he couldn't feel a thing — not killing intent, not mana, nothing.
CLAAAANG.
Then, Adrian slid in between them, twisting the spear's trajectory aside.
It reacted again.
Sandir's eyes narrowed, his lips curling upward. Feeling the emotions radiating from another's light, he was overtaken by genuine delight.
CHACHACHACHACHANG!
In the blink of a human eye, they exchanged more than a dozen blows. The clashing metallic echoes overlapped, spreading in waves.
The spear shaft swept horizontally.
Even though Adrian blocked it, he was forced backward through the air by the sheer power. Meanwhile, the mages in the rear completed their spells.
Sssshhhhkk!
Four chains of mana coiled around Sandir's wrists and forearms, reacting to his movement and tightly binding his joints.
Immediately afterward, a cold orb imbued with a curse that amplified damage enveloped him from above.
(More…)
Melard and Yurgien didn't stop — their wills harmonized once again. Their staves drew out their unique intents.
A tidal surge of sensory distortion, amplifying the effects of spells cast by others, a large-scale instant freezing.
Unable to move, Sandir was trapped at the center of the cursed glacier.
With the High Elder of the Ostea Magic Tower and the first member of the Black Hour joining forces to invoke their highest-tier magic, escape was all but impossible.
Now, it was Osgar's turn.
"Haaahhhhhh——!"
A vortex of gravitational flame spun violently at the head of his staff, leaving behind a brilliant streak of reddish-violet light.
Crack, kwa-ja-ja-ja-ja-ja-ja-ja-jak!
The entire mountain of ice shattered.
As if struck by sheer physical force, shards of ice were hurled hundreds of meters away.
Every ounce of that impact crashed down upon Sandir, trapped within.
"Khuk."
From within the deafening roar came the sound of a breath bursting from the bottom of his lungs.
There was no need to see.
Fwish—
Adrian shot straight through the source of the sound. As his Light Sword sliced past, he felt a faint resistance.
When he twisted around, braking mid-air, he saw a thin line of blood seeping beneath Sandir's ribs.
It was shallow, but deeper than before.
The realization that their coordinated strikes could actually wound a Transcendent filled him with an indescribable surge of exhilaration.
And then—
"No… with that last opening, you should've cut through the bone. How disappointing. Your strength, your speed — both still lacking. Not enough."
Sandir muttered to himself, shaking his head, before suddenly lifting his gaze. He gripped his spear firmly, tightening his fingers around the shaft.
"I'll just have to give you stronger motivation."
Yongdo 摏度
A pale blue aura rippled across Sandir's body and spear — then vanished. More precisely, it sank beneath his skin.
Not a strengthening art, yet his aura itself hasn't changed…
They raised their guard, but there was no need to alter formation.
This was already their most optimal — their best possible formation.
Fwoosh.
Adrian took the lead, Osgar right behind him, while Melard and Yurgien began weaving another spell from the rear.
A flash of a blade. Sandir's torso was cleaved horizontally — yet his form blurred and vanished.
Afterimage?
Sensing his presence, Adrian raised his gaze.
Sandir Paen had ascended high into the air, hovering momentarily before beginning his fall from a dizzying altitude.
Gravity took hold, accelerating him downward.
No one could fathom why he had ascended to a place where mobility was limited — but doubt alone wasn't reason enough to waste the perfect opportunity before them.
Countless sword auras.
Diverse spells.
All unleashed without reservation, mana and energy poured forth, targeting Sandir.
The onslaught was so fierce that even the raging blizzard was blown away.
Tap.
Sandir reversed his grip on his spear, leveling it horizontally with the ground, twisting his waist.
A strange resonance forcibly vibrated through the entire area.
"Congratulations", he said.
"For drawing out my full power."
Jinhyang 震響
A transcendent technique — a shockwave fired toward the earth like a beam of light. The pale-blue radiance shattered every sword aura and spell in its path.
The instant it struck the ground, all sound vanished from the world. Despite standing on solid earth, they felt as though they were floating.
"Holy—"
Osgar's startled curse was drowned out as the ground swelled.
────────!
The mountain range exploded.
***
He could not perceive space.
He could not perceive sound.
It was as if he were trapped eternally within a weightless void of pure white. Instinctively, his body searched for sensations that had vanished, his stomach lurching.
"...!"
Adrian snapped back to awareness and immediately assessed the situation.
The ground was far below.
He had been swept away, carried by the immense blast of energy and snow.
What about the others?
He quickly sent out a mental link — but felt no response. The familiar sensation of connection was gone. Something must have happened to Yurgien.
But no one's dead.
He could still sense their presence.
It was the principle of existence perception he had learned from his lord — training to apply that awareness to his energy sense.
Though still imperfect, it was enough to discern life from death.
Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble...!
From the peak of the tallest nearby mountain, a massive avalanche was descending — even boulders were mixed within it.
The tremors deepened, the mountain range splitting apart, triggering yet more landslides.
If I get caught in that, it's over.
He tried to adjust his fall — when suddenly, he sensed an overwhelming presence closing in.
From above.
Doheo 蹈虛
Sandir stepped on the air itself, accelerating through the blizzard until he appeared at arm's length. Instinct flared — a strange heartbeat echoed in Adrian's chest.
Ka-ga-gak───!
Their weapons crossed midair — Light Sword and spear glancing off one another, sparks bursting yellow from his armor.
"As expected."
Clang!
Attempting to create distance, Adrian moved — but Sandir caught his Light Sword bare-handed.
With none other than his master's left arm.
From Adrian's entire body, razor-sharp killing intent surged forth.
"How dare you…!"
"You can shine even brighter. Brighter than anything I've ever seen! Yet as you are now, you've reached your limit. Rejoice. I'll make you — your emotions — blaze even more brilliantly."
Sandir laughed, mouth and eyes stretched open to the point of tearing. His gaze and mouth were so dark that nothing could be seen within.
Transcendent madness — a force that threatened existence itself — loomed before him.
"From now on, I'll kill those three magi."
"...!"
"And then, with this left arm, I'll hunt down everyone connected to you — one by one — and skewer them alive. Then, before your very eyes, I'll chop this arm to pieces. Starting with the fingers, slowly, until not even a trace remains. I swear it on my existence: if you do not burn brighter than you are now, that's exactly what will happen."
Malice seeped in.
Adrian's eyes hardened.
"You'll die before that."
"You'd better make sure of it."
Sandir released the Light Sword.
"I'm looking forward to it."
KWA-AANG!
Adrian was slammed into the trembling mountain range. Then, stepping once more upon the air, Sandir turned his gaze toward the mages still flying through the storm.