Chapter 58: Flash

The clash of metal rang endlessly through the forest. Steel scraped against steel in a ceaseless, grinding shriek. It was proof of one brutal reality: even with three people attacking at once, they still couldn't land a decisive blow.

"...After all this, the only one actually managing to wound her is you. Seriously, this monster's skill is insane."

"Mine only worked because I forced it through with magic. And even then, all I managed was a scratch."

"Even a scratch is impressive. The rest of us have had every attack shut down."

Even after being cornered to the point that the poison had robbed her of proper movement, the "Spear King" still bore no major injuries. The three women grimaced bitterly at the sight.

These women were undoubtedly among the strongest in the world short of the "Kings" themselves, yet even together they couldn't finish off an incomplete, poisoned Spear King. It drove home just how absurd the power of a true "King" really was.

Meanwhile, all three of them were steadily being worn down. Tiny openings widened into fatal gaps, and the spear thrust into them again and again. The only reason none of them had died yet was because the Spear King's attention remained fixed on a single person.

"You pests... move already. Enough of this. I will... I will kill that imitation."

Frustrated that she still hadn't achieved her goal, the Spear King finally turned her eyes toward the three women. Having grown thoroughly irritated, she decided to kill them first—

—and instinctively caught the holy sword striking from behind.

"EVERYONE FALL BACK!!! SHION!! JUST LIKE WE PLANNED!!!"

"Understood!!!!"

At that shout, everyone except the Spear King leapt away. Toma and the Spear King remained behind as Shion's "Poison Mist" engulfed the entire area, swallowing the battlefield in obscuring fog.

In an instant, the Spear King tore part of her clothing and bit down on it to minimize inhaling the poison. But trapped inside without the use of her legs, she immediately judged prolonged exposure dangerous and unleashed her magic power to resist the toxin. She forcibly tried to move her body and escape—

Only for Toma to stop her.

"Yooooou bastard!!!"

"Too bad for you—I can still move in here. And if we fight inside this mist, you know which of us will collapse first!!!!"

Holy Sword Third Ability: "The One Who Adapts — Chameleon."

The crystallization of Toma and Alicia's bond, awakened during his battle with Shion, finally revealed its true worth.

No matter the situation, it allowed him to continue fighting. To survive.

Empowered by that ability, Toma raced through the Poison Mist in pursuit of the Spear King's death.

With the battlefield blinded by smoke, the Spear King could no longer use her teleportation magic. Her ability to instantly move anywhere within sight became a weakness the moment her vision was sealed away.

"Damn you, imitation—GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

If she didn't kill Toma immediately and escape, she would lose. Realizing that, the Spear King fought the poison ravaging her body with even greater desperation. Pouring the last of her already-drained stamina and mana into her failing body, she forcibly kept moving while parrying the holy sword again and again.

The Spear King was undeniably cornered.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

But Toma was reaching his limit as well.

Only Toma, adapted to the poison, could fight within the deadly mist. Anyone else would collapse instantly. He continued swinging the holy sword as agony ripped through his freshly healed side. Every stab of pain turned his vision white, and he desperately clung to his fading consciousness.

No matter how many times he swung, no matter how he attacked, he couldn't break the Spear King's defense. The inability to even cut through skin slowly shredded his spirit, and he struggled desperately to keep himself from mentally collapsing first.

Each second felt unbearably long.

Toma knew there was no way he could win a drawn-out battle like the Spear King intended.

Even so, he fought.

Because he would win.

Because he would save the girl worthy of respect from the Spear King.

He could not lose.

Because he still wished to meet that "Sword King" once more.

"You worthless trash!! Do you have any idea how much I've endured!? How long I've protected this nation!? I endured for longer than you could possibly comprehend!!! I wanted to see that person again that badly!!!! So stop getting in my WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"

"I REFUSEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

For the sake of their respective wishes, the two "Kings" clashed—sword against spear, each trying to erase the other. They abandoned defense entirely, carving wounds into each other's bodies as they pushed beyond their limits.

The Spear King's greatest weapons—her magic and skill—had been worn down through relentless strategy and brutal combat.

The Sword King's greatest weapon—the holy sword's abilities—could not yet be fully utilized by his still-immature body.

Both of their greatest strengths were incomplete. One was being consumed by poison, the other by blood loss. Time was rapidly running out for them both.

This battle would soon end.

In a conclusion nobody desired—

Mutual destruction.

"JULIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

The two combatants could no longer change the battle's outcome themselves.

Which meant only outside interference could alter it.

Leila's "Water Spear" shot forward with the last of her mana, aiming to pierce its target.

"Leila Trey...!!"

Unable to take the attack head-on, the Spear King intercepted it with one spear. But with her legs weakened and unable to fully support her, her balance faltered for just a moment.

Frowning, she tried to shut down Toma's next move—

—and her eyes widened when she saw him retreat instead of pressing the attack.

Unaware of the black gleam of the "Dark Star" Toma had planted near her.

"...This is what happens when you only look at one person."

"SMASH HER, YOU MUSCLE-BRAINED GORILLA!!!!"

She heard the voice the instant it struck.

Fired high above the Poison Mist by Hikari's magic, Layla Kate descended from the sky. Gravity and the Dark Star's pull accelerated her downward as she slammed the "Mighty Spear" into the Spear King.

The Spear King, who had avoided taking that attack directly until now, was forced to catch it one-handed while off-balance. The sheer impact nearly crushed her, forcing her onto one knee.

"Even if you came prepared to die, once the poison invades your body, it's over!!!!!"

"...Yeah. You're right. So... I'll leave the finishing blow to you."

Shion's Poison Mist afflicted everyone equally.

That meant Layla's body would soon lose strength as well, giving the Spear King a chance to break free. Even for one of the world's physically strongest warriors, maintaining her strength while poisoned could only last about five seconds.

Surviving even that long inside such a fast-acting poison was monstrous enough.

But her limit was already close.

"—Leave it to me."

Alongside those words, the holy sword cleaved through the Spear King—

—and through Layla as she restrained her.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

"...God, you're loud."

As the unbearable scream erupted from Julia's body, split open by the holy sword, I stared at the blade in my hands.

The instant I felt the same sensation from when the Third Ability awakened during the previous King Battle, my "Strong One's" intuition forcibly made me understand what this new power was.

Holy Sword Fourth Ability: "The One Who Chooses — Libra."

An ultimate blunt strike that only cut what it selected—yet also a sword of absolute death.

If it selected the mind, it severed only the mind.

If it selected flames, it cut only the flames.

Even liquid like water, once chosen and cut apart, would never reconnect.

Each use devoured enormous amounts of mana—far more than the other abilities. Even for me, repeated use was exhausting.

But its effect was absolute.

The proof stood before me: the Spear King fading away from Julia's body while screaming in agony.

Even a "King" could be killed if designated as an "intruder." Body, mind, soul—the blade could erase only the Spear King while leaving Julia untouched.

"No... no, this is absurd...!! The holy sword never had a power like this!! I... I'm disappearing!? Impossible impossible impossible—this can't happen!!! Not like this... not this ending... I...!!!!"

"The people you possessed probably thought the same thing."

Even so, I couldn't help looking at the Spear King with pity as she desperately clung to existence.

But no matter how strong her feelings were, I could never forgive a life built on feeding upon the despair of others.

"What you've done is exactly this. You've forced countless people to feel the same despair you're feeling now. How many people did you hurt just to steal their bodies? Not as a King—as a person, you kept crossing lines no one should cross."

"A... aaahhh... S-stop... don't look at me like that!!! I... I only wanted to see that person one more time!!!"

"Even if it was love, there are things you can't trample over. That girl had people who cared about her, and you hurt her anyway. All for your selfish love."

"Aaaahhh... aaahhhhhhh..."

"Love isn't some excuse that lets you do whatever you want."

"No... I don't... want to disappear... Help me... Tooooma..."

With those final words, strength left Julia's body and she collapsed.

I caught her before she could hit the ground.

My own body was already wrecked beyond belief, but after everything she'd suffered under the Spear King's possession, I couldn't bear to let her be dirtied any further.

The Spear King's last words lingered strangely in my mind.

But I pushed them aside.

There was no point dwelling on them now.

Forcing strength into my battered body, I stood and walked forward.

"...Ah."

"Oh, you're awake? You probably hate being carried by me, but bear with it a little longer. I don't think you can move yet."

As I carried her, Julia slowly opened her eyes and let out a weak sound.

Her gaze focused clearly on me. No confusion. No haze.

For someone who hated men, this was probably unbearable.

But she'd have to endure it.

Even with her consciousness restored, her body still lacked the strength to move.

Being completely helpless must have terrified her.

Her body trembled uncontrollably.

I'd only met and spoken with her briefly, but even so, I didn't want to see someone as strong-willed as her reduced to this.

"You did well. You really fought hard. It's okay now. You're not alone anymore."

"Julia!!!!"

I saw Leila Trey running toward us.

Her mana and stamina had to be at their limits too, yet she still rushed desperately toward the girl she called her friend.

That was the difference between Julia and the Spear King.

Julia had people willing to fight to save her.

If even one person had rushed in to save the Spear King, this ending would never have happened.

This was the result of trying to bear everything alone.

I didn't know the circumstances that led her there, so I couldn't judge everything.

I could never forgive the countless people she'd sacrificed for herself.

But there was one thing I could offer the woman who had struggled so desperately.

"Farewell, Spear King. Your love was twisted... but there was no doubt it was strong."

And so, my second "King Battle" came to an end.