With a swift and precise motion, Konstantin unleashed his devastating technique, "Supreme Blade, Heaven Split." The fusion of sword intent and mana surged through his attack, overpowering Rei and leaving him defenseless against the onslaught. It seemed as if Rei's every attempt to counter was effortlessly thwarted, pushing him further into a corner.
As Rei tried to create some distance between himself and his adversaries, Olenna, positioned at a distance, seized the opportunity. Her massive vines lashed out, converging on Rei, preventing his escape and ensuring his continued engagement with Konstantin and Katherine. Frustration gnawed at Rei, unable to break free from the relentless pursuit of his opponents but he still didn't show that expression on his face.
On the contrary, a derisive laughter escaped Rei's lips, laden with sarcasm. "So, the great holy knight Konstantin and his companions resort to outnumbering me. It appears your knightly honor lies in the mud, trampled underfoot."
Konstantin's response was resolute, his voice dripping with vengeance. "My knightly honor may be tarnished, but as long as I exact my revenge and end your existence, it matters not."
Rei's laughter continued, mingling with the tension in the air. "Ah, so you've finally shed your perfect ideals, driven by the loss of your beloved wife and consumed by a thirst for revenge. How touching."
The mention of Lana, Olenna's sister, struck a nerve. Her eyes blazed with fury as she vowed, "Every word you uttered about my sister will cost you dearly. Prepare to pay for your insolence."
Katherine's hammer swung threateningly, her voice seething with anger. "Utter one more word about Lana, and I'll smash your skull until you're unrecognizable."
Olenna, seizing the opportunity, swiftly maneuvered through the vines, appearing behind a shocked Rei. Caught off guard by her close proximity, Rei's focus wavered. The vines constricted around him, immobilizing his limbs and forcing him to drop his sword.
With determination in her eyes, Olenna chanted, "Nature spell, Sacred Flowering Tree." The ground trembled beneath them as vines sprouted, further adding chaos to the surrounding forest. As the commotion drew attention, anticipation built.
Gradually, a colossal tree emerged from the earth, towering over everything in its vicinity except for the magic tower. It reached an astonishing height of nearly a hundred meters and bore an enchanting, yet-to-bloom red flower at its apex. The sight left the onlookers in awe, for they knew the power that Olenna possessed.
Whispers of "Nature Disaster!" spread through the crowd. Olenna, renowned as the Nature Chairwoman in the adventurer guild, held another title that ignited fear when provoked. At the beginner Rank 4-Archmage level, her strength was undeniable, and her forthcoming attack was rumored to be one of her most formidable.
Spectators and combatants alike hurriedly retreated, sensing the impending cataclysm. Among them, Alex, engaged in battle with the black market alliance's lackeys, caught a glimpse of Olenna floating in the distance. A hint of concern flickered in his eyes as he observed her unwavering focus on Rei. Her icy gaze dripped with a murderous intent as she readied herself to unleash her wrath.
"For killing my sister, I've waited over fifty years," Olenna declared, her voice filled with vengeance. With unwavering resolve, she invoked her next spell, "Nature Thorns!"
As the last syllable left her lips, the mana that had gathered atop the blooming flower erupted, manifesting in the form of countless green light energy spikes. Each spike matched the length of the colossal vines, numbering in the thousands. They hurtled towards Rei with immense speed, fueled by the unleashed mana.
Surprisingly, Rei maintained a calm demeanor, unaffected by the impending onslaught. He sighed and regarded Olenna with an air of boredom. "If this is your strongest attack, then let me assure you, your revenge won't be realized anytime soon."
A thunderous explosion ensued as the green light energy spikes collided with Rei's directly, shaking the battlefield and scattering debris in all directions. It cretaed a huge crater that Hu Zhao saw moments later.
Olenna's devastating attack engulfed the entire southern part of the island, obliterating the once-thriving forest and reducing the surrounding buildings to mere rubble. The aftermath left behind a desolate landscape, devoid of life, where only scattered pebbles and rocks remained as solemn witnesses to the destructive power unleashed.
Konstantin and kathy jumped down to the ground as they evacuated earlier, "That crazy woman. She went and used her strongest attack without caring about the damage at all". Konstantin remarqued while looking at the floating Olenna.
"You can't blame her at all. We all wanted to destroy him the moment we saw him earlier. Hopefully, no one on our side died", Kathy spoke while looking at the sky. Finally, she sighed and said with a tone of sadness, "Lana, I hope you can rest now".
Olenna kept descending from the sky towards them. Konstantin felt a little sad as he couldn't deliver the last blow and kill the bastard himself but no matter what happens, they still won. He then looked at Olenna and told her with an angry tone.
"Are you crazy! You almost killed me with that attack and you didn't care about the others at all. What would've happened if they didn't escape before time".
"Hahaha, sorry there. I lost a little control over my emotions when I saw him so I didn't think about it that much when I used that attack. I also gave them time to evacuate before I launched it so it doesn't matter anymore"
Kathy who looked at both Konstantin and Olenna bikering smiled and then spoke, "Sigh,both of try to...". Before she could finish her words, she noticed a black shadow going for Konstantin from his back. The shadow was so fast that kathy had only one choice
*Swoosh*
*psssccchhhhh*
Konstantin felt someone pushing him to the side. at that moment, blood-splattered around them and both Olenna and Konstantin noticed a dark shadow behind Kathy who just stabbed her in the from the back.
"Cough, well, this looks bad", Kathy said while her mouth full of blood.
"Granny!", Konstantin yelled and prepared to attack but the shadow immediately moved again and dissapeared. This time he appeared in front of Olenna and immedietly held her head with his whole hand.
"I guess it's my turn now".Olenna clearly heard Rei's voice as she finally saw the shadow who appeared to be Rei completely covered with a black armor from head to toe making him look terrfying.
Olenna didn't have time as he raised her in the air and slammed her in the ground with a terffying that created a huge crack in the ground. Konstantin yelled at Olenna bu she didn't respond as she lost consciousness completely.
Konstantin didn't have a choice as he couldn't let his guard down. He focused on Rei again and looked at this new armor of his. the helmet he wore started slidding open as it showed his face completely unobstructed by all the metal as he showed a smile while saying, "So what do you think?? Amazing right! This is one of the latest inventions of a magic researcher from The dark hand league. This kind of armor is truly revolutionary and amazing. Our own scientists of the black market alliance tried to replicate this technology but we failed miserably".
"How did you survive that attack? It was a very powerful magic attack and yet you're completely unharmed and there isn't even a scratch on your armor". Konstantin tried to keep himself calm as he asked with a very cold voice that could make anyone fear for his life.
Rei just smiled and didn't feel threatened at all as he shook his head and said to him, "Don't think that just because you're the 8th level that you can go and fire destructive attacks like that one. Don't forget that ulike you, I also entered the 8th level, the rank 4 master warrior many years ago and even reached the advanced stage of it . What's more, the armor helped protecting from the attack".
Konstantin could see Rei look of smugness all over his face he usually expressed when things went his way. Konstantin became enraged and instantly got hold of his sword again and immediately slashed horizontally towards Rei.
Rei who saw the attack immediately got his helmet back and used his his heavy black sword to block the attack easily. Both of them infused their attack with mana and it created a shockwave that sent both kathy and Olenna flying away. Rei and Konstantin kept attacking with all their power trying to overpower the other one.
Rei: "Today, I'll make sure that you join Lana as you truly become happy but it will be in Hell".
Konstantin looked overwhelmed as he constantly tried to keep up, 'Damn it, this will be hard.'
_____________________
Hu Zhao arrived at the scene of the devastating explosion, greeted by a landscape of complete destruction where life had vanished. Amidst the chaos, he spotted Konstantin locked in a fierce battle with a man donned in black armor. Just as Hu Zhao prepared to join the fight, Konstantin's desperate voice rang out, "Sir Hu Zhao, please take care of Olenna and Granny. They're injured and require immediate assistance."
Hu Zhao observed Konstantin, clearly struggling against his formidable opponent, and responded with reason, "The adversary you're facing is stronger than you, and his armor grants him significant power. I don't believe you can handle him alone."
This time, Konstantin didn't reply. The urgency of the situation demanded his full attention, but then, without warning, he launched an attack, unleashing "Supreme Blade, Holy Arc." Konstantin's blade sliced through the air, creating an arc-like trajectory aimed at Rei's chest. However, the blow merely sent Rei back creating a distance between them momentarily, leaving him unscathed. Utilizing the brief moment, Konstantin turned towards Hu Zhao and pleaded, "Please, I implore you to let me face him alone. He took the love of my life, and I cannot allow anyone else to interfere with my personal revenge. Olenna and Granny fought alongside me because they too loved my wife, but now they are injured, and I cannot concentrate on the battle until I know they are safe. I beg you, take care of them."
Konstantin didn't wait for Hu Zhao's response and sprinted toward Rei's direction, fueled by an unwavering determination. Hu Zhao sighed and watched Konstantin's departing figure. "A man cannot intervene in another man's battle," he murmured. "For now, I shall be a mere spectator. But first, let us attend to the wounded."
_________________
Rei taunted Konstantin as he approached, "You must be relieved now, knowing that Olenna is safe. I doubt the old hag will survive, though." The two warriors closed in on each other, vanishing from sight only to reappear in a flurry of sword strikes and swift movements.
"Dual sword-wielding, Black Tornado!" Rei unleashed his spinning attack, striking Konstantin multiple times and causing him to lose his balance momentarily. However, Konstantin swiftly regained his composure, launching himself back at Rei with his sword raised, aiming for a direct hit to Rei's helmet.
Rei halted his spinning motion and crossed both of his swords in preparation to block the impending attack. Little did he know that Konstantin's strike was a feint. Konstantin wore a faint smile as he jumped in mid-air, leveraging the tip of Rei's massive, heavy sword for another leap, landing behind him.
"Supreme Blade, Holy Cross!" With all his might, Konstantin delivered a powerful cross-shaped slash aimed at the waist of Rei's armor. The attack carried the weight of Konstantin's sword intent, emitting a holy light that seemed almost divine.
However, to Konstantin's dismay, the strike appeared to have no effect, only sending Rei flying backward. Exhausted, Konstantin let his guard down slightly, panting for breath and trying to recover. Yet, before he could fully catch his breath, Rei returned with incredible speed, slashing with both swords once again, employing his "Dual Sword-Wielding, Swift Black Pierce" technique. This time, Rei infused both mana and sword intent, amplifying the strength of his attack.
The impact was tremendous, and Konstantin couldn't withstand the sheer power of the strike. Even with his mana protecting him, he felt the force of the blow, spitting blood as a result. Rei's formidable armor proved impenetrable, minimizing the damage he sustained while Konstantin's injuries continued to accumulate.
Kneeling on one knee, Konstantin used his sword as support to rise. Rei stood before him, towering over the weakened warrior. Rei taunted once more, "You cannot defeat me. I am far stronger than you, and with this armor and these swords, I can withstand even your most powerful attacks while you only suffer more damage. It's best if you give up."
Konstantin remained silent, gripping his sword with both hands and using the ground as leverage to propel himself forward, launching a final assault. Rei, unfazed, raised both swords, prepared to counter the impending attack.
Konstantin's blade, fueled by determination, struck Rei's heavy black sword with precision, aiming straight for the chest. However, despite the force behind the attack, Rei effortlessly blocked it, showing no signs of faltering. Seizing the opportunity, Rei swiftly followed up with a powerful kick directed towards Konstantin's face, further weakening his opponent.
"This is becoming quite tedious. I've already told you there's no chance of victory for you," Rei remarked, his confidence unwavering.
Coughing amidst the pain, Konstantin managed to speak through his blood-stained lips, "Do you not recall what I said to you years ago? Even the strongest sword is nothing more than a mere wooden stick unless wielded by a true swordmaster."
Crack! The realization struck Rei as he observed a visible crack on his previously unyielding black sword, right at the point of impact with Konstantin's strike.
"What have you done?!" Rei exclaimed, astonishment creeping into his voice.
Konstantin smiled, spitting out the remaining blood in his mouth. "You see, you forgot the most crucial aspect of a swordsman's prowess. It's not solely determined by power levels." His aura underwent a transformation, radiating a calm yet potent energy. With a confident smile, he continued, "What truly matters is our sword intent."
As he spoke those words, a luminous white aura enveloped Konstantin's sword, its power surging forth, a testament to his indomitable will.
___________________
Hu Zhao's smile widened as he witnessed the remarkable transformation in Konstantin. He knew that Konstantin had tapped into a newfound understanding of sword intent, an intriguing development indeed. Sword intent, a power separate from magic and mana, relied on the wielder's comprehension of the sword. It possessed the extraordinary ability to elevate a lower-level warrior to overcome and triumph against a higher-level opponent when harnessed to its fullest potential.
Legends spoke of the awe-inspiring prowess of sword intent, with rumors suggesting that even a mortal devoid of warrior or mage status, but capable of cultivating sword intent to its zenith, could slay a saint. The path of sword intent was composed of four distinct stages. First, the sword mind stage, followed by the sword heart stage. Next, the sword soul embryo stage. And finally, the legendary pinnacle known as the immortal sword intent.
This final level of sword intent, the immortal sword intent, remained an enigma, an aspiration cherished by every legendary swordsman. They believed that attaining this level would unify their essence with the sword, becoming one, and thus achieving true immortality. Countless swordsmen harbored this lofty dream, yet none had succeeded in reaching such an extraordinary realm. Even those hailed as saints, bearing the name "sword" in their titles, were unable to claim this elusive honor. The immortal sword intent lingered as an unparalleled aspiration, its secrets known to none.
Rei sensed the impending danger and prepared himself. Discarding his massive, heavy black sword, he gripped his double-edged normal sword tightly with both hands, bracing for what was to come. With a powerful downward swing, he unleashed a colossal sword slash, infused with all his sword intent, hurtling towards Konstantin.
Unfazed, Konstantin closed his eyes, raising his sword high, its blade facing the sky. Rei, bewildered by Konstantin's stance, taunted him, hoping to witness Konstantin's demise. "Let's see which one of us is the superior swordsman. I hope you can survive this attack so that I can relish torturing you and slowly ending your life."
With his eyes still shut, Konstantin infused his sword with his heightened sword intent. The blade gleamed with an intensified radiance, while the aura surrounding it emanated an overwhelming power. This sword intent felt distinct from his previous manifestation—it exuded greater strength, stability, and a suffocating weight that burdened the air.
Swishing through the air, Rei's attack advanced, cutting through anything in its path. However, Konstantin stood motionless, seemingly unperturbed. Rei's fear grew as he realized the magnitude of Konstantin's power. Gasping, Rei uttered, "Ah, your sword intent has reached the heart level! This pressure, this power! It's vastly different from the sword mind stage! How is this possible?"
In response, Konstantin delivered his final words to Rei, echoing his earlier statement. "I told you, didn't I? Even if you possess the mightiest sword, unless a true swordmaster wields it, it's just an ordinary blade."
Whoosh!
In an instant, Konstantin swung his sword, engulfing Rei's attack within his own. It surged directly towards Rei, immobilizing him under its tremendous force. Rei could only watch in horror as fear gripped him—an unfamiliar sensation after a long time.
Konstantin's strike shattered Rei's armor into fragments, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake. Continuing its path, it mercilessly carved deep, powerful gashes across Rei's body. The onslaught did not cease there; the sword intent within the attack penetrated Rei's flesh, cutting through his internal organs, leaving a path of utter destruction. Rei's entire being was ravaged, reduced to nothingness, except for his heart—a poignant irony that confounded him.
Swoosh! Stab!
Suddenly, Konstantin materialized in front of Rei, driving his sword into Rei's heart. Rei's face registered surprise as his eyes struggled to comprehend the turn of events. "... Just as you stabbed her in the heart back then, I have dealt the same punishment to you. With your death, my wife's soul shall finally find peace..."
A wry smile formed on Rei's face as he recalled the day he had inflicted that fatal blow to his beloved. In his thoughts, he realized something profound. "You're wrong. If she were here, she would never allow you to do this. Hahaha... This is all for your own solace... Well, it doesn't matter anymore."
Though he could not vocalize those words, Rei yearned to convey his final message to his former friend. Summoning every ounce of remaining strength, he struggled to utter his last words. "W... Well... Done..."
As the words escaped his lips, Konstantin withdrew his sword, and Rei's life force flickered away, his body slumping to the ground. Konstantin gazed at the lifeless form of his old friend, then turned his eyes toward the heavens. "Lana... I'm sorry."
Exhausted, Konstantin succumbed to unconsciousness, but not before a profound sorrow etched itself onto his face.