Luna propelled herself through the air. In an instant, she invoked her spirit and conjured a massive scythe in her hand, rushing towards Hegel.
Ka-ga-ga-gak!
The scythe struck Hegel, whose entire body had turned black, but sparks flew, and he remained unscathed, smiling.
"Hehe."
Hegel transformed beyond his human form. Resembling a black, egg-shaped specter, his mouth opened wide, revealing a torn abyss, and a swarm of black butterflies poured out.
Hoo-ung.
Kwaaah!
Luna swung her scythe vigorously, repelling Hegel and the butterflies.
In the meantime, other black mages quickly cast defensive spells and distanced themselves.
I wasn't just standing idly by either.
"Luna, step back."
I leaped onto a table, and my mana surged throughout my body.
Pahng!
A bright Galakshur manifested.
I pushed Luna aside and confronted Hegel in her place.
"Friend!"
"No need to get involved. I'll handle this."
Unless Hegel had gone completely mad, did he really want to kill me? Was all this commotion necessary? If he had wanted to kill me, he had many opportunities before.
'It doesn't seem too serious, considering that Morne is just watching. Anyway, it looks like something is fishy.'
I decided to play along for now.
[Basic Enchantment: Spirit Enchantment]
[One marked soul detected]
[The soul of 'Al-Ghurd, the Guardian of Vayatra' descends]
"Krahah!"
Al-Ghurd's roar, a sound I hadn't heard in a long time. I thought I'd never hear it again.
I felt my physical abilities increasing.
Though it was minor compared to Luna's summon, it didn't matter.
The important thing was Al-Ghurd's sensory perception.
'This is intriguing.'
My vision expanded, and I could sense things more clearly.
Hegel's black butterflies, which he had created, were instantly detected.
'133 of them.'
I poured as much mana as possible into Galakshur.
Black auras flowed on the surface of the pure white sword.
[Sharpness temporarily increases (stackable)]
Confirming the message I wanted, I immediately swung the sword.
Kwaaah!
The sword-wind, imbued with the energy of the blade, spiraled.
The conference room turned into chaos in an instant, and disturbances erupted everywhere.
"Crazy!"
"Is that a wizard?"
The black butterflies were obliterated by the swirling sword-wind, but I couldn't let my guard down yet.
"What I want to see isn't this."
Suddenly, Hegel appeared beside me, whispering, and then he struck me with a punch.
Kwong!
Despite having blocked the attack with Galakshur, I was sent flying from the tremendous impact.
Hegel had used a sinister spell that allowed him to move using shadows. His ability to approach me undetected was because I was being used.
"You'll really die if you don't exert your full power against me."
Once again, his voice echoed in my ears, and I unleashed Galakshur's blade at him.
Kkang!
Sparks flew. It seemed the sharpness enhancement hadn't stacked yet.
Hegel showed no intention of defending against my attack.
"If I can inflict even a slight wound..."
Blood curse mixed with the aura of the blade, but not injuring him would be meaningless.
'I don't want to reveal my undead.'
My undead were far from ordinary. Showing them to all these black mages was like revealing a hidden hand in a card game.
If I didn't want to use my undead, I had to try something else.
I didn't make an effort to keep my distance. A ranged fight was pointless due to Hegel's unique magic.
All I could do now was...
Ah!
Suddenly, I recalled the movements Maximen had shown me. Was it because of the influence of Al-Ghurd's summoning?
For some reason, it felt like something I could do now.
Hoo-ung!
Hegel's black fist flew at me. His fist, now turned black as if enveloped in shadows, approached in slow motion.
My senses sharpened, and my combat instincts were racing through my mind.
Pahng!
With only a paper-thin gap, I managed to avoid the blow. The impact caused the air to crack.
The difference in power was clear compared to Maximen's technique, but I had managed to pull it off.
Splurt!
Hegel touched his cheek, and a small sigh escaped his blackened lips.
"What was that just now?"
His tone was serious, unlike before. However, I couldn't answer his question.
'Just a bit more...'
I felt like I was on the verge of grasping something profound. What seemed simple when I watched Maximen perform it became more complex when I attempted it myself.
Maximen's technique wasn't just about striking an opponent; it was about slicing through space itself.
'Slice.'
I wasn't trying to injure the enemy; I was literally cutting through space.
Peeuk!
My sword moved again. This time, Hegel's cheek was grazed by the blade. Although I wasn't using Blood Curse due to my concentration, it would still have no effect on Hegel.
Yet, I couldn't stop myself.
"Adrias Cromwell."
As Hegel spoke, butterflies emerged in all directions. Hundreds of butterflies created a spectacular display as Hegel moved. Wherever there were butterflies, there was Hegel, and at the same time, he wasn't there.
Amidst this incredible movement, Hegel's voice remained clear.
"You are a monster. Are you growing even now?"
I paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and suppressed the restless desire within me.
Then, I channeled that desire into my sword.
I followed the sword's movement with unwavering focus. In that moment, I lost all awareness of my surroundings.
Was I chasing the sword, or was the sword chasing me?
In the twisted world, all I felt were the black butterflies, myself, and the sword.
[Talent 'Swordsmanship'... Acquired...]
[Conditions met...]
[Evolution possible...]
The surroundings may have been chaotic, but I didn't hear it.
I was completely immersed in my swordplay.
At first, I had tried to mimic Maximen's technique, but it had gradually evolved into something different. The Selfless sword that I learned from Deshurn melted away and transformed into something else.
'Maximen said that swords, aura techniques, swordsmanship, they're all just tools in the end.'
I didn't entirely disagree with Maximen's view, which emphasized one's inner strength. However, I had a slightly different perspective.
Weren't even one's inner strengths ultimately tools?
'Everyone is a tool in the end, controlled by my will.'
If everything was a tool, then weren't we all essentially the same? That thought led to a revelation.
'I am the sword, and the sword is me.'
My body was the sword, and my swordsmanship was an extension of myself. My sword was a part of me, and the martial techniques I employed were a reflection of my very being.
[The trait 'Enlightenment' has...]
As everything merged together, Deshurn's teachings came flooding back to me.
'Selflessness.'
In the beginning, there was nothing. There was only my will directed towards the enemy.
['The Guardian of Vayatra, Al-Ghurd's' summon has ended.]
[Cooldown: 80 hours]
With an unfamiliar sound, the world went silent. The feeling of being one with the sword and my own will crumbled, and I began to perceive my surroundings.
"Ah!"
I took a step forward. I had almost reached something, but I couldn't remember what it was.
'What was I about to touch?'
But before I could recall, a storm of sensations overwhelmed me.
"Ugh."
I was drenched in sweat, my entire body soaked. What had just happened?
"Friend!"
My muscles screamed in protest. Breathing was difficult, and even standing seemed like a challenge.
"Friend, are you okay?"
Someone supported me. When I managed to turn my head, I saw Luna's face.
Wait, who was Luna? Where was I, and what had I been doing?
My eyelids were heavy, and I struggled to keep them open. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't hold on. Just before my eyes closed, my last thought was, "Who am I?"
.
.
.
.
"Ahh, you've arrived. Please have a seat."
With a warm smile, Lord Hollington welcomed his guest, offering her a chair.
In response, Amy Cromwell expressed her gratitude and took her seat.
"Thank you, Your Grace. Have you been well during these past two months?"
"I couldn't be better. Time has flown by," he replied.
"Indeed, I've had quite a lot to do lately."
Amy, who had only relied on her skills to climb the ranks, had found herself building unexpected connections that had propelled her to new heights. Recently, she had been collecting information and organizing it diligently, focusing on the upcoming purchase of mining shares in the Everlast region.
"Perhaps it's time to consider hiring an assistant, Miss Amy. Once we complete the acquisition of the mine shares, things will only get busier."
"I'm fine for now. Thank you for your concern. I'll do what I can on my own and consider it when the time comes."
"Working in the upper echelons can be challenging, as trusting people isn't always easy. But in the end, we're all human, and we can't handle everything on our own."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Amy spoke confidently, and Lord Hollington smiled in response.
As they continued their discussion about the remaining tasks and preparations for the upcoming auction, someone knocked hurriedly on the door.
"Your Grace Hollington, I have something urgent to report."
Lord Hollington exchanged a brief apologetic look with Amy.
"It seems this is quite urgent. My apologies."
"No, it's not a problem. Our matters can wait, whatever it is. It seems to be something important. I'll step out for a moment."
"I apologize."
Amy and Lord Hollington rose from their seats and made their way toward the door together. Shortly after, as Lord Hollington was about to open the door to attend to the visitor, someone on the other side beat him to it.
Creak!
"Huh?"
Startled, Lord Hollington's voice was audible as he looked bewildered. Amy, too, stepped back in surprise. The person who opened the door from the outside greeted them with a smile, alternating between glances at Amy and Lord Hollington.
"Good afternoon?"
"Oh, Sal...! No, Your Grace Hagenwald!"
"Sorry for dropping by unannounced. I've already apologized, so cut me some slack."
Winking, he entered the room, his eyes settling on Amy. Then, he suddenly bent down, getting closer to her face.
"You... look somewhat familiar?"
"That's rather impolite. Who are you?"
"And your personality is quite similar."
The man, who had bent at the waist, commented.
"Adrias Cromwell, what's the connection between you two?"
It was Salam Edidia.
He was back.