Book 20 Chapter 13

Arch-nemesis and predecessor of the mission,

Knights of Shincheon Cadets (14)

“Julac, match me.”

At the words of Cadian Alma (01) Sarandis, Cadian Bete (02) Julac nodded and placed his right hand somewhere on his left arm.

At that instant.

Without any sign of magic or preliminary movement, a powerful blaze surged forth and rushed towards Rista Party?

“Friede─────!”

By the time Rista urgently shouted, Friede had already condensed her incantation at super-high speed and was spewing out a massive blaze.

'Crazy, that magic just now… What the hell did he do?'

Between the two mages, a dark blue flame and a dragon's breath intertwined, and the dark blue flame seemed to gain the upper hand in the power struggle.

'He used it so instantaneously, and all I can do is hold out with 4-star sorcery? Even if it's an abbreviated incantation on my side!'

Of course, the magic itself bore the properties of the abyss, so it was inevitably vulnerable to the dragon's breath.

The remnants of the abyss, imbued in the sparks, burned away amidst screams, and soon the two types of flames offset each other's firepower and extinguished.

In that place, where the lingering heat had not yet dissipated, two holy swords clashed, scattering brilliant light.

'As expected, holy swords of the same type…!'

Surpain and Nyseimon are sister swords. Their origin is the true holy sword Sharilion, which is identical.

The power they use is also similar!

As Rista expected, the sword light of the Supreme Holy Sword Nyseimon was seen splitting the time of that area into tiny fragments.

'Guessing 14? Or 15 pieces?'

It was clear that there were more pieces than Rista's 12, and that gave Sarandis an overwhelming advantage in the time that had nearly stopped.

Only those two heroes…!

It was possible to normally thrust and wield holy swords in that time frame! The thunderous roar generated by their dozens of clashes was recognized as a single sound even by providence.

Riiiiiiiiing────!

Amidst the clash of the twin holy swords, the holy swords wailed mournfully somewhere. Sarandis raised an eyebrow.

“You wield a sword in an unusual way. Reverse grip for a greatsword? It’s a swordsmanship I’ve never seen or heard of.”

“That’s my charm.”

“It seems to compensate for speed, but that’s just a trick. It’s still too slow.”

Even amidst that conversation, the holy swords clashed dozens of times, resulting in deep stab wounds on Rista's left upper arm and right thigh.

“This Nyseimon is both the prototype of the Supreme Holy Sword and the strongest Holy Sword. Whether it accelerates time or not, it is superior to your Surpain in both power and speed.”

If Nyseimon is the first Supreme Holy Sword, Surpain is the twelfth, meaning the last Supreme Holy Sword. This is the clash between the 'eldest' holy sword, created first, and the 'youngest' holy sword, created last.

“Nyseimon seemed to want to test the strength of its ‘younger sibling,’ so I casually engaged in a bout, but it seems there was no need for that.”

It was around that time that a sharp sword mark was etched into Sarandis's armor gorget. It was a blow that would have been fatal without the armor.

“Oh, Surpain is saying the same thing… Is it because they are twin holy swords?”

Again, Sarandis could see her past self, where vital energy was expressed as courage, reflected in the junior before her eyes.

As if severing that lingering image of the past, the light of the holy sword Nyseimon roared fiercely.

Once again, time split. Within it, a collision beyond the extreme occurred.

Riiiiiiiiiing!

When the two heroes retreated, the wind pressure fiercely raged, causing sand to fly wildly.

'Something's strange.'

Kies kept looking for openings that appeared in Sarandis during the fierce battle.

'But, I can't target them.'

Because of something that precisely intercepted the arrows that flew exactly at those moments… arrows that twisted their trajectory in mid-air.

'What the hell is that…?'

Visually, they looked like several crystals, and these were ricocheting the arrows, aiming them back at Kies.

'That's enough to call it a miniature barrier. No, it's more than a barrier. Where is there a barrier that can reflect?'

The priest of the first hero party, [Reynold, the Rogue Priest], used to tell his party members:

- I believe barrier magic should never be used only for defense.

Indeed, Reynolds enjoyed shrinking and deploying barriers on a miniature scale.

- If you only defend, the war situation won't change, will it?

He performed extraordinary feats that ordinary people could never do, such as making the opponent's attacks explode immediately upon launch, engulfing the caster in their own attack, or reflecting them through ricochet.

- I think it's a technique that only becomes meaningful if you reflect the attack and return it to the opponent.

This was nothing more than Julac Capell imitating his comrade's barrier magic.

However, he was a being whom history books dared to call the [Strongest Archmage].

The level of his imitation was near perfection!

“Kies! Don’t worry about the reflections! Hagnis and I will block them!”

Realizing that the opponent was the worst rival she had ever met, Friede lined up six Hagnises.

The greater fire spirit Hagnis possesses the power to directly replicate the caster's fire sorcery.

Using these six Hagnises, it would be possible to deploy barriers for both Rista and Kies, and also provide support.

'That was the original intention, but…!'

All she could do was protect her comrades from Julac Capell's barrage of high-level magic, which he unleashed without any preparation.

'He doesn't even give me time to recite the psalms! Is this what it feels like to face Lin head-on? He's just a monster!'

Since he was revived by the power of the abyss, does that mean it's natural for him to wield unlimited magic power?

- But after examining various documents, there's one thing I could assert.

At the moment the tide of battle, which had begun to fall into a disadvantage, was about to spread into an uncontrollable裂!

Ice Wheel River Pressure Bow.

Ultra-long-range sniping performed from a distance beyond sight.

If the 4th Archmage imitated his comrade Reynolds, the 11th Archmage had imitated his comrade Kies's power.

- Considering casting speed, power, and talent for magic…

Originally, due to the volatile nature of magic power, such ultra-long-range shooting is not something a mage who manipulates mana circles can perform.

However!

The magic power, condensed to an even deeper density by the power of the ice dragon Asruva, was not bound by that impossible restriction, and succeeded in reaching here with maximum power.

- That the archmages of the later hero party are in no way inferior to the archmages of the former hero party.

Even Julac Capell, perhaps due to the unexpected situation, for the first time constructed a magic circle on his right palm.

Mountainous type, Jorken Type!

The melody of light instantly wove into four magic circles, bringing forth a new power.

“4-star, Hwalanseongyeong (Fire Orchid Castle Hero).”

One of the secret magics of the Rivendell School, renowned as the best combat magic school among the seven great schools, a spectacular scene where hundreds of flames bloom like flowers, constructing a fortress.

“!”

As the wall of fire clashed with the arrow of ice, a massive amount of steam was generated… Julac Capell's vision was momentarily obstructed.

'Now's the time.'

Kies was not one to miss such a golden opportunity, so she swiftly wove a magic arrow onto her bowstring and fired.

'Goblin Needle & Wood Chopping.'

Of the five arrows fired, three moved mysteriously like will-o'-the-wisps, tracking the opponent, and the Wood Chopping arrow soared high into the sky, then plummeted with a steep descent.

“……!”

A secret move that would certainly be more than enough to take a life if the opponent was a mage!

However!

At that moment, a storm-like wind pressure swept through, scattering all those arrows.

'My arrows can't be scattered by mere wind like that?'

Kies's judgment was correct.

The problem was that it wasn't just wind.

Would it make sense if I explained that all the particles forming the texture of the wind solidified in an instant… in short, transformed into hundreds or thousands of crystals?

The storm, which temporarily acquired a clear form and density, could be said to have transformed into a mountain-like barrier without exaggeration.

“That’s it, crystallization.”

Both the former hero party and the latter hero party, all eyes turned to the owner of that voice.

The figure leaping from the back of the Griffin was so young. Hence, she looked delicate.

However, within that youth and delicacy, an ultimate intelligence, beyond the ability to describe as merely excellent, could be glimpsed.

“Lin!”

Rista, who had the leisure to retreat from Sarandis's offensive, landed beside her comrades and said.

“Julac Capell, you really use crystallization so freely! You’re amazing, as expected!”

Lin began to chatter in a voice elevated with extreme excitement, something not usually seen.

“I’m so excited! Thank you so much, Rista! For bringing me here.”

“Lin, why are you so excited?”

“It’s a rare chance to fight the former [strongest], so it wouldn’t be right to frown just because it’s a bit tough, would it?!”

Should she say she was different from usual, or the same as usual…?

Looking at Lin like that.

Thanks to Lin like that.

Rista, Friede, and Kies felt like laughing despite being in a situation where they clearly shouldn't.

“Hey, you punk, you came late and now you’re acting cool!”

“No, you guys left me behind, what kind of nonsense is this?”

At that moment, the illusion that Sarandis and Julac saw simultaneously… must have been their past selves from long ago.

What lay before them was a mirror.

A mirror reflecting their past.

A mirror reflecting a life dedicated to the name of absolute devotion, foolishly unaware of the twisted cornerstones of this world.

“Julac, I will not tolerate you getting lost in sentimentality about meeting your successor a thousand years later.”

At Sarandis’s assertion, Julac shook his head, driving away that delusive thought.

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Just as the attention of the former hero party turned to the latter hero party, and the latter to the former… Inlahit, who was receiving emergency treatment from Shuan, opened his mouth.

“The youthful dragon form, held in Lady Jiannir's arms… is still vivid in my eyes… and seeing this majestic growth, my emotions are immeasurable….”

“I’m the one who’s overwhelmed. A thousand years ago, before entering the ark, Kina and I looked quite similar… now you’ve become an old man.”

“I am fine now, go, descendant of light…”

“Stop talking. Your wounds will open. You are still in critical condition. You need more treatment.”

“That healing power… the power to take that pain into your souls and atone for it… do not use it on an unworthy being like me… but go down those stairs… and protect the stability of this land… established by your parents….”

Shuan wept, shaking her head vigorously.

However, omens of volcanic eruptions were detected in various parts of the peaks.

The sealed fissure was escalating into a situation that even the Sasa’s power could not suppress.

“We dragonkin are tools created to fulfill your mission… If we live and die according to the will that created us… then this death too shall be glorious… Please go, descendant of <Those Who Came>… for the will of creation that made you…”