novelraw Chapter 186 : Chapter 186
Chapter 186 : Chapter 186
Chapter 186
‘Regeneration again.’
Serena caught her breath and retrieved her sword.
The tip of her sword was stained with the blood of the opponent she had cut, but he was still breathing.
In fact, he looked more intact than she did, who had evaded most of his attacks.
“This wench!!”
The opponent, having finished regenerating, swung his Haki-infused sword.
Whoong.
She dodged it once.
Slice.
She immediately closed the distance and cut off his leg.
“This……”
The man, frowning for a moment, stopped moving.
Serena, who was watching, felt the corner of her lips twitch.
“The regeneration has finally stopped.”
His monstrous regenerative ability, which had persisted even after his Mana Heart was destroyed, was finally showing its end.
“It was a power you didn't deserve.”
“This wench, until the very end……!!”
“A sword wielded by someone who doesn't fear death could never achieve true mastery.”
If he had deployed Carpe Illusion, it might have been different, but with his current skills, he could never cut her down.
Serena shook the enemy's composure.
The effect was immediate.
His sword, which was already hasty for a Superhuman, became even more chaotic.
“……”
As she parried all of his attacks, she was reminded of the first time she had faced a Superhuman-level being as a member of the Annihilation Squad.
The movements of those called Sword Masters were difficult to follow even with the eyes.
The magic created by an Arch Mage felt suffocating from the wave of mana alone.
Just being in front of them, the pressure of their energy made one's movements sluggish.
But not now.
The Mainz Kimbel of the past.
Even though she was facing a knight of a similar level to him, she didn't feel like she would lose.
An opponent with no fear of death seemed no different from a monster using a sword.
“This is my domain.”
A wind blew, parting the tree branches and the forest grass.
Her will, carried on the wind, became sword energy and severed the man's arm.
It was the effect of becoming more accustomed to handling Carpe Illusion.
“What……”
Whoooosh.
When a gust of wind swept past.
The knight's limbs were torn to shreds.
“Kuh…… uh……”
Kwajik.
Aether pierced through the Mana Heart of the man who was once a knight.
“……Kuhk……”
Kwaduk.
She twisted the sword, crushing the heart of the one who was once a human.
“……Ka…… ah……”
The man coughed up blood.
The spilled blood soaked the ground.
And at that moment, the Superhuman's energy began to change.
Shaaaa. Shaaa.
From the place where mana had vanished, Evil Energy began to leak out.
The leaked Evil Energy formed a halo of light.
Radiance .
A characteristic that appears when a Grotesquery's curse manifests.
Pajajeuk.
The area touched by the Radiance began to distort.
“Serena!!”
An urgent voice was heard.
It was Killian, who had been watching the battle, who had shouted.
“This is my fight!”
“……”
Killian, who was about to rush over and swing his sword, flinched.
“I must be the one to cut him down!!”
“……”
At her cry, his hand, which had been resting on the hilt of his sword, lowered.
“Huu.”
Serena evened her breathing and glared at the transformed being.
In the eyes of the one who was once a man, reason had vanished and madness flickered.
“Did you go berserk in the face of death?”
Whether it was by his own will or someone else's.
Either way, it was a choice unbefitting a knight.
‘I must cut him down in a single blow.’
This was a being who was still breathing even after having two hearts destroyed.
An ordinary sword would never be able to cut it down.
[Use the power of the God.]
“……”
Her body flinched at the suddenly heard voice.
[A body that has once accepted a God. Did you think a God's will would vanish so easily?]
‘Silvana.’
She was flustered by the unexpected voice.
[There is no need for long words.]
A sweet voice.
[There is also no need to hesitate.]
Regardless of her choice, a foreign power stirred in her chest.
Hwaaaa.
Her mana, combined with Divine Power, began to emit a bright light.
[That's right.]
Sss. Ss.
The wounds etched on her body began to heal.
Just from the manifestation of this power, a sense of euphoria filled her.
The Imperial Superhuman emitting Radiance came into her view.
She was confident, in her dazed state, that the light she was emitting was in no way inferior to his.
[This is transcendence.]
Just as she was about to become the will of the Transcendent and swing her sword.
“……na……”
“……”
Another voice.
“……re…… tin……”
As if swimming through a haze, someone's voice seeped in.
[There is no need to heed the voice of a mortal.]
The one who realizes the will of the Transcendent.
[A prophet.]
“A prophet……”
[That is the existence all humans should dream of becoming.]
A glory incomparable to a mere Superhuman.
[Were you not chosen by a God?]
Silvana's voice echoed.
[Now.]
The echoing voice dominated her body.
[You may forget trivial things like mana.]
Tzzzz…… ssssss…….
Divine Power replaced the mana that had begun to fade.
Laughter was heard.
The sound of a God's laughter, unable to contain its joy.
Hwaak.
Aether emitted a light comparable to the Radiance.
In place of the collapsing Carpe Illusion, a pure white space of Divine Power was illuminating the area.
[Now, cut him down.]
‘I will cut.’
The raised Aether aimed at the man being suppressed by Divine Power.
If.
Kugugugugu.
Along with an immense Haki.
“Serena Constantine!!!”
“……!!”
She would have done so, had she not heard a voice like thunder.
“This is your fight!!!”
The owner of the voice shouted.
“Do not entrust your sword to another!!!”
As if a fog was lifting.
“……”
Serena's eyes gradually regained their clarity.
The Divine Power that was controlling her mind faded.
Her reason regained its senses.
[Pay it no mind…….]
“I refuse.”
Serena muttered lowly.
“Mana is not a trivial thing.”
[The power of a God is…….]
“I will overcome the wall with that power.”
[…….]
Killian Eurasia had said.
“The mind and body must be in harmony. Even if you cross the wall by a fluke, you'll only be a half-measure.”
If she didn't overcome the wall with her own strength, that limit would hold her back for the rest of her life.
Bastian Constantine, an incomplete Superhuman, had said.
“Walk your own path of the sword. If it's you, you will be able to complete the family's sword.”
What her father wanted was a complete Superhuman.
“I will become a Sword Master.”
She retraced the path of the sword she had walked herself.
Simon Eurasia.
Escardo Schtenberg.
Bastian Constantine.
And.
‘Killian Eurasia.’
She recalled the teachings of her outstanding masters.
“Mana is the power achieved by human hands.”
Her eyes were dyed green.
Constantine Style .
A forest more lush than any other in the world.
“Carpe Illusion.”
She manifested the land of the fairies, deeply latent in her Mind Image and engraved on her Mana Heart.
“Elvenheim.”
The surrounding air changed.
The change began at her feet.
Drrrrr.
The ground vibrated.
At first, small tree roots appeared, and then fresh leaves grew lushly.
Giant trees soared into the sky, forming a forest.
The green mana enveloping the forest shimmered faintly.
Srrrr.
The sound of leaves rustling in the wind brushed past her ears.
Whoooosh.
The mana that formed the forest maximized her senses.
Serena looked down at the ‘thing that was once human’ screaming alone.
Kwadeuk.
The roots of a tree coiled around his torso and squeezed.
The Radiance flowed into the tree.
Seureuk.
A soft sound, like parting the wind.
The twitching movements of the prey stopped.
The Radiance subsided.
Whooosh.
When a gust of wind blew, the man's body scattered as if it had oxidized.
‘Is it over?’
Her body staggered from the exhaustion that came belatedly.
Thud.
Killian supported her body as she collapsed.
“Commander.”
“It was a splendid sword.”
Thinking what a truly gentle voice it was.
“……”
“You can rest now.”
Unable to shake off the encroaching fatigue, Serena's eyes closed.
***
“I suppose the congratulations will have to wait.”
Killian laid Serena down on the ground.
Even though she was unconscious, he could feel her firmly established Mana Heart.
“I thought cutting down one half-measure wouldn't be difficult.”
Silvana's will intervening was an unexpected development.
“I almost blew a golden opportunity.”
If she had chosen Divine Power instead of mana, she would have become Silvana's host, let alone a Superhuman.
“I thought it had completely vanished, but was it parasitizing Serena's body too?”
It seemed to be the effect of accepting a God's will.
Still, having overcome a crisis to attain the status of a Superhuman, she wouldn't be easily deprived of it.
“The fifth Superhuman of Eurasia. Born earlier than I thought.”
Not Fred Perry of the Red Knight Order, nor Demian Eurasia of the White Knight Order.
“But Serena Constantine of the Annihilation Squad.”
Killian was grinning, unable to suppress the corners of his rising mouth.
“Hmm. What a strange atmosphere?”
Orchid Owl, who had been watching quietly from a distance, approached.
Killian, composing his expression, asked.
“What's the situation?”
“The other side already finished.”
Zodiac and Portran had crossed through the warp stone and headed for the Pantera Temple.
The Annihilation Squad, including Yulian, had also hunted down the Arch Mage with Hazard joining them.
It would be correct to say that Serena's side took a long time.
“Any casualties?”
“None. That weakling Yulian is seriously injured, though. But it's not fatal.”
At the words 'seriously injured,' Killian frowned.
“Nothing to worry about. It's not enough to affect his standing~”
Only then did Killian let go of his suspicion.
Since she was also in the same boat, she wouldn't lie.
‘Fortunately, no one has passed on yet.’
Sacrifices are inevitable in war, but if someone from the Annihilation Squad had died, it would have been difficult for me to forgive myself.
“……”
When I first reincarnated, I was clumsy with human emotions.
But now, to see myself taking care of my own people first.
‘I've gotten a lot softer too.’
Of course, there was no need to show such a side in front of others.
If I did, the number of people who think like Isaac would increase.
“Are we going back to the main castle now?”
“Before that, I think there's something I need to receive.”
“Hmm?”
Killian held out his hand.
“Information about the Emperor.”
“Ah~”
“I said we'd handle the urgent matters first. I never said I wouldn't check.”
“That's right. I haven't given it to you yet, have I?”
Orchid Owl, feigning innocence, shrugged her shoulders.
“'Give it to you'. You were probably hoping I'd forget so you could milk it a little more.”
“That's so mean~”
Orchid Owl showed an exaggerated reaction as if she was wronged.
“If you feel wronged, then show me now. I think I've paid the price sufficiently.”
I had taught her enough about how to use Violet Mana.
Of course, she wouldn't get used to it at once, but it would become the key that connected their relationship.
“Alright~”
While Orchid Owl rummaged through her clothes, Killian recalled the situation in Eurasia that he had heard from Hennessy.
Simon was said to be personally commanding the siege, accompanied by the knight orders and magic orders of the allied kingdoms and the family.
‘They say the number of enemies is still several times that of Eurasia.’
It was by no means a good situation.
‘Before I reached 8-stars, I was very impatient.’
But once I actually became an 8-star, my mind felt lighter than I expected.
Simon Eurasia.
‘He is walking several steps ahead of me.’
I didn't think my father would collapse so easily.
“Here. Information about the Emperor.”
She handed over a piece of paper, folded several times, that she had pulled from an embarrassing place.
The information, summarized on a single page, began with a story about the princes.
However, the content written was not light.
As Killian continued to read down the page, his face darkened.
As if she had expected such a reaction.
“Now then~ what does our dear master intend to do now?”
Orchid Owl burst out laughing.