Taken (13)

― Fwshrk!

A small spark of sword energy bloomed like a flame from the tip of Dellen's sword.

― Fwooooosh!

The fire, which started as a small flicker, instantly swelled up and blazed fiercely like a dragon's breath.

― Wooooong!

Soon, the wild flares gradually subsided, and the raging flames became one dazzling flash of light.

― Wng. Wng. Wng. Wng.

A straight beam of light.

Luminescence gracefully wrapped around the blade...

'E-enhanced energy...!'

Yuria's face turned pale.

'The 4th Form of Heavenly Flow... and even enhanced energy...!'

Yuria instinctively grabbed Ian's collar.

"N-no...! Ian! T-that's not good...!"

If the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow, the secret martial technique of House Hisperion, was combined with that level of enhanced energy, facing it head on would be tantamount to suicide.

The 4th Form of Heavenly Flow overwhelmed the opponent with speed, and enhanced energy amplified a sword's power so much that it could slice even solid steel like tofu...

If the two were combined, not only evasion but even defense would become impossible.

No matter how astounding Ian's skills had been so far, this was an entirely different level of problem.

To react to the 4th Form 'Flash' of Heavenly Flow from a master-level swordsman, you needed at least high-rank master-level senses and speed.

And to block a master's enhanced energy, you needed either equivalent enhanced energy or at least armor made of adamantium or higher metals.

'But...'

Ian had neither.

'If Ian were a master, he would have already brought out his enhanced energy...!'

And then...

Yuria's trembling gaze landed on the sword Ian held.

'Elegance Armory...!'

It was the most expensive equipment you could get on the market, but now it was utterly useless.

'That won't work...! There's no way he can block that!'

Unless it was a longsword made of pure adamantium.

With that sword—just a blend of mithril, magic tower alloy, and a tiny bit of adamantium—it would be impossible to withstand the enhanced energy of Dellen's historic famed sword, 'Flostila.'

"Ian! R-run...!"

Just as Yuria gripped Ian's collar tightly to cry out for him to flee...

― Thud!

Ian firmly clasped her hand with the one that wasn't holding his sword.

"... Ian!?"

Yuria called his name with trembling lips.

"..."

Ian didn't answer.

He just quietly nodded, still keeping his gaze fixed on the enemy.

"..."

That was all.

Yet that single motion gave Yuria an unfamiliar sense of calm, oddly comforting her heart.

"Ian..."

Her heart, which had just been pounding with anxiety, felt relieved—as if she had entered a fortress' solid walls.

"A–are you alright?"

― Nod.

Ian nodded again.

"... Alright."

Yuria also bit her lower lip and nodded back.

'Honestly, I have no idea what Ian's thinking...'

From all she knew, there wasn't a single way out of this situation, not with common sense.

The combination of the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow and enhanced energy was a technique that even accomplished master-level swordsmen struggled to counter.

No matter how skilled Ian was, unless he suddenly brought out enhanced energy, he wouldn't be able to cope with Dellen's attack.

It wasn't a matter of skill in martial arts—this was just physical limitations.

But.

'Still, if it's Ian, I feel like there might be a way only he knows.'

During the entrance exam at Sword Dragon Hall, Ian had countered her 4th Form of Heavenly Flow with techniques she could never have imagined.

When Dellen unleashed Sword Spirit Release just now, not only had he found an opening in the midst of those frantic blades, but he'd also cast magic in a way Yuria had never even seen before, overturning all her expectations and common sense.

"I'll trust you. Ian...!"

Yuria whispered with conviction.

― Nod.

Ian nodded one last time, as if to set her mind at ease.

'Enhanced energy...'

Ian wet his dry lips, glaring at Dellen.

'She's coming at me with both the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow and enhanced energy.'

Both required immense concentration.

Unless one had thoroughly mastered one or the other, using both at once was tremendously challenging.

'... Hmm.'

From Ian's clashes against Dellen, her proficiency was just early-stage master rank.

There's no way she has fully mastered enhanced energy at that level.

So it's likely that the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow, Flash, was the one she had truly honed...

'She must have dedicated herself to secretly learning it.'

When Yuria improved the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow to fit herself while training—

Dellen must have watched and picked it up.

'This is a moment that demands resolve.'

Ian swallowed dryly, tightening his grip on the sword.

But, of course, he wasn't remotely thinking of betting his life here.

No matter how much Dellen brought out both the 4th Form and enhanced energy, to Ian, she wasn't a worthy enough threat to risk his life.

Still—

'I'll have to brace myself to take a proper stab for the first time in a while.'

He'd need to be ready for an injury that bordered on life-threatening.

Only then could he decisively gain the upper hand against Dellen.

― Fsshhhh...!

At that moment, a faint plume of dust rose behind Dellen's heel.

'She's about to come.'

Ian also had to prepare to receive Dellen's strike.

─《Authority of Projection》─

◆Skill

[Magic Shield Lv.10]

─────────

― Kwaching! Kwaching! Kwaching! Kwaching!

Ian overlaid Magic Shields on his sword as much as his magic power and stamina would allow.

Dozens of layers per second.

― Kwaching! Kwaching! Kwaching! Kwaching!

He piled them on relentlessly.

'What's that...?'

Yuria swallowed as she saw the overlapping Magic Shields piling up behind Ian.

'Enhanced energy...?'

Layer upon layer of magical barrier stacked onto Ian's sword blade without pause.

The brighter and more intense the light grew, the more it resembled enhanced energy.

However.

'No. That's not it. It's not enhanced energy.'

She felt none of the overwhelming condensed power of enhanced energy.

To Yuria, it just looked like a plain magical barrier layered over Ian's sword.

And her judgment was correct.

'With this shield... As long as I can somehow weather this one blow...'

Ian was aiming to withstand Dellen's 4th Form and enhanced energy with a sword layered with hundreds of Magic Shields, just to block her attack even once.

But.

'Is he... Is he planning to block Dellen's enhanced energy with that...?'

To Yuria, it was reckless to the extreme.

'I-it's impossible...!'

No matter how many layers of magical barrier he stacked, before enhanced energy, it would be shredded apart as easily as paper.

Sure, he could dramatically reduce the force of enhanced energy, but at that level of defense, he'd eventually get struck anyway.

'W-what are you thinking, Ian Greysel...!'

Once again, anxiety welled up inside Yuria's chest.

She wanted to stop him immediately but—

"... Nngh!"

Looking at Ian, focused as he confronted Dellen, she just couldn't interrupt.

If she broke Ian's concentration now, and Dellen leapt in and cut him down, it would be catastrophic.

'The choice is already made...!'

Yuria had already decided to trust Ian.

Now it was time to take responsibility for that choice.

― Fsshhhhhh...!

The dust at Dellen's heels began to intensify.

Her aura was clearly visible, starting at her toes, flowing up her calves, then climbing all the way to her waist.

― Wooooooong...!

Even Dellen's enhanced energy stopped vibrating, its form stabilizing further with each moment.

'It's almost time.'

When Dellen's aura reached to her waist, the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow would strike.

'Then, I need to be ready too.'

The Magic Shield was sufficiently stacked now.

Next—

'Frenzied Insight Style, Extreme Sense...!'

A martial art that hyper-focuses aura into the body's sensory cells, pushing reaction speed beyond the user's own level.

― Fwoooooong!

In an instant, Ian's presence changed—becoming as deep and dark as the depths of the sea.

'Let's share the final move!'

Just as Ian glared at Dellen with both eyes wide open—

― Kwaaaaaaang!!!

The ground beneath Dellen exploded as she unleashed the 4th Form of Heavenly Flow.

― Shweeeeeeeek!

"Die!!"

Light and supersonic speed.

An incomprehensible swiftness, somewhere between the two, brought Dellen before Ian as if she'd teleported.

― Shweeeeeeeek!

Her blade, wrapped in enhanced energy, fell toward Ian's head at that same blinding speed.

― Fssssss...!

Ian's body moved reflexively.

Yuria was behind him.

So, first and foremost, his body moved instinctively to shield Yuria.

― Kwajajajajajajak!

The sword he barely managed to raise clashed with Dellen's enhanced energy, spitting blue flames.

― Kwajajajajajajak!

Like a sugar cookie shattered by a saw blade, the Magic Shield wrapping Ian's sword was broken apart by an incredible force.

― Kwajik!

When the Magic Shield finally disappeared, even the blade of the Elegance Armory cracked.

― Tcheonng!

With a short death rattle, Ian's sword snapped in two.

"It's over!!"

"Guh...!"

Ian abandoned his sword and threw his body aside.

It was impossible to fully avoid Dellen's sword.

All he could do was take the blow meant for his head with his shoulder instead.

─《Authority of Projection》─

◆Trait

[Gargoyle's Petrification Lv.32]

─────────

He pushed the gargoyle trait to its extreme.

─《Authority of Projection》─

◆Skill

[Magic Shield Lv.10]

─────────

At the same time, in the brief instant allowed, he stacked as many Magic Shields over his shoulder as possible.

― Kwajajajajajak!

"Ku, ku, kuuuuurgh!!"

But even petrification and Magic Shield were pierced far too easily by Dellen's enhanced energy.

― Seok!

― Kwadeuk!

Dellen's sword dug right into Ian's trapezius.

"Kuugh...!"

― Kkwadeudeuk!

Shattering his collarbone, smoothly cleaving his lung as it descended.

― Kkwaaaaak!

Just as Dellen's sword was about to reach Ian's heart,

Ian grabbed Dellen's blade with both hands.

― Kkwaaak!

"Kku, kkuugh!"

The price of grabbing pure enhanced energy bare-handed was brutal.

― Paak!

― Hudududuk!

More than half his fingers were severed and sent flying, and the mana circuits in his arms burst, tearing his forearms to shreds.

"Haaaaghhhh!"

The pain was enough to make him lose consciousness on the spot.

But Ian, to the end, gritted his teeth and forced Dellen's sword away.

― Kwadadadadadak!

His muscles, blood vessels, and mana circuits were all snapping, shredded by Dellen's enhanced energy.

And soon—

"Ah, aah! Ian...! Aaaaah!"

― Fsshhhhhh...

Ian's arms sagged limply.

― Thud.

His knees hit the ground.

"Kku, kuuuurgh..."

― Gulp!

"Urk!"

A death rattle and a spurt of dark blood welled up from his mouth.

"Kuh, kuh... Hehehe."

Dellen, burying her sword in his chest, began to laugh.

"Kuh! Puhahahahahaha!"

Her maniacal laughter shook the sword, sending jarring pain through Ian's nerves as his body convulsed in agony.

"Ugh... urgh...!"

"Pff. Puhahaha! The best you could do was act as a meat shield!? Puhaha!"

Dellen even wiped a tear as she openly jeered.

"Haaa... I actually got nervous for a second, thinking you might have something left up your sleeve."

In the end, a kid was just a kid.

Genius talent of the century, but—

"Well, too bad."

She'd met someone like herself, a strong fighter, far too early.

The greatest talent of the era was destined to become a star in the heavens today.

"So long, young lond Ian."

Just as Dellen gathered enhanced energy into her sword again, aiming to blow Ian apart right then—

"Kuh, kuuh..."

With a low groan, Ian's eyes widened and he shouted,

"Sword Spirit Release(劍令 解放)...!"

There was still no trace of defeat in his gaze.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

First real life and death fight...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】