In contrast to the battle between Lilia and Neun, whose multiple
clashes of swords let out loud roars, the others were still staring at each
other.
The army that Sechs had prepared was filled with some of the most
talented people, including Earl-levels, of which there were only a few in
the wide Demon Realm.
Shea gauged their abilities from the quality of magic power they
possess and their stances. Although she didn't show it on her face, Shea
understood that the situation wasn't so good.
As she had predicted… Lilia's battle with Neun was closer than
expected. Even if the trio who joined their group after the initial
confrontation, Razelia, Acht and Eval, weren't peerage-holders, they
were still capable enough to deal with the situation and should be
considered threats.
All that was left for Shea to dispatch were 5 Earl-levels, 15 Viscountlevels, and 40 Baron-levels. Then, her blade would reach Sechs, the user
of this ward they're enclosed in.
In terms of pure ability, there's no way in a million years that Shea
would be defeated… But Shea understood that they were running out of
time here…
Sechs was well aware that he couldn't win against Shea, and his
appearance showed that he was stalling. This indicated that there was
not much time left before Vier would leave.
It had already been a day and a half since Kaito had heard Vier's story,
and she had probably completed most of her preparations.
However, if they were to just recklessly charge, they would be doing
exactly what Sechs wants… However, if they were to focus on evasion
and defense, keeping a certain distance away from enemies and using
run and hit tactics, they wouldn't be able to make it in time.
As Sechs said, Shea is proud of her fighting style of defeating her
opponents without killing them, and she has no intention of neglecting
this policy. To turn away from her policy would be equivalent to defeat.
That's why Shea remained motionless as she searched for the shortest
route to eliminate all obstacles without betraying the policy that she
was proud of… However, it isn't easy to find. The more time she spent
on searching for it, the more advantageous it would be for her
opponents… but still, she continued to stare at Sechs and the others,
hoping that at least an opening would be created.
However, Shea wasn't the only one feeling frustrated with the
development of the situation. Sechs and the peerage-holding, Highranking Demons can't afford to carelessly move… No, "they couldn't
make their move".
If they were to let down their guard for even a second, they would be
crushed in just an instant. If they were to avert their gaze for a few
tenths of a second, their consciousness will be reaped away. That's how
strong Shea is.
As long as their goal is to buy time, they don't need to make a move on
their own… Even so, the act of continuing to confront an
overwhelmingly powerful person is relentlessly chipping away at their
nerves.
For Sechs and the others, there were two conditions for defeat: One is
that Sechs, the one who built the ward around them, were to be
defeated without having bought enough time… And the second is that
they "inflict even a single scratch on Kaito"…
Sechs himself was aware of this. It isn't that the Six Kings tacitly agreed
to not touch this matter… It's just that "the Six Kings respect Kaito's will
of not asking them for their help" and that's why they aren't making
their moves…
Yes, the moment that Kaito gets even a scratch would determine their
defeat.
Whether it's the "small ice crystals floating in the air", which can't be
seen unless one looks closely, or the "being hidden behind Kaito"…
Those two would certainly make their move if Kaito was wounded.
If that happens, the power balance will greatly turn. What's frightening
is that the Phantasmal King, in particular, will show no mercy to them.
Confronting the No. 5 of the God Realm while being attentively watched
by two of the Six Kings… Sechs was carrying a terrible amount of
pressure in his shoulders.
The situation is this tense for their side… For all it takes is a single
trigger to tilt the tide of this battle towards the other direction…
And such a trigger came from the other side of the battle, as a
thunderous roar resounded.
[Kuuuhhhhh…]
[Lilia-san!?]
As Lilia was countered several times and sent flying backwards, Kaito
worriedly called out to her.
Comparing Lilia's overall strength with Neun's… Neun had a slight edge,
and it was inevitable that the longer the battle went on, the more
advantageous it was for Neun.
Lilia doesn't seem to have received substantial damage, but even so, her
heavy breathing showed how considerably fatigued she was, while
Neun's breathing had not become even slightly disheveled.
[…Frustrating it may be, it seems like the current me is no match for the
First Hero.]
[…Are you admitting defeat?]
Hearing Lilia say she couldn't beat Neun, Neun asked a little
suspiciously.
Thereupon, Lilia… slightly shook her head.
[…No… It's just that I didn't want to use "this" if I could help it. "This"
isn't my power, so it's not something I'm comfortable using…]
[…What are you…]
[However, it seems like… If I don't use it, I would lose.]
[!? T- This is bad! Neun-dono!]
As Lilia quietly mutters, Sechs seems to have quickly understood the
meaning of her words as he called out to Neun, panicked unlike ever
before.
However, compared to Sechs trying to explain what was happening…
Lilia activation of "that" was far faster.
[…Oh, "blessings of time". At this moment, give me "the miracle of the
moment"!]
[What is…!?]
[Neun-dono!?]
A moment later, there was a flash of light and Neun's body was blown
away.
Of course, it was Lilia who did it… but Neun couldn't see it. No, she
could just barely see it… However, she couldn't respond fast enough.
That's because Lilia was swinging her sword at her with a speed twice
as fast, no,a speed faster than ever than before…
The True Blessing of a Supreme God… Those who receive it will be
allowed to speak in the name of the Supreme God… but that's obviously
not all there is to it.
Those who have received a Supreme God's True Blessing will be given
the "authority to acquire some of the abilities of the Supreme God".
Yes, Lilia had received Chronois' blessing, and Chronois allowed her to
learn the "magic of accelerating her own time".
Of course, being granted permission doesn't necessarily mean that she
can easily use that magic. No matter how extremely competent you are,
the thing you were being taught is the magic holding the authority of
the Supreme God… It would be impossible for an ordinary human to
learn it, even with the God's permission.
However, Lilia was able to use the magic that she had learned from
Chronois thanks to her natural talent, albeit for only a short amount of
time.
But even though Lilia has a great amount of magic power, she can only
use the Supreme God's magic to "increase her speed up to three times
for a few dozen seconds" and that would use up most of her magic
power.
In other words, even though this may be Lilia's trump card, at the same
time, it was a double-edged sword.
However, the effect of this magic certainly is huge… Other than the Earllevels, the High-ranking Demons of Viscount and Baron-levels saw
Lilia's time magic and even though it might only be for a moment, they
still turned their focus away from Shea.
[…Did you just neglect me? That's a minus for you.]
[Oh no!?]
She wouldn't let this opportunity slip, and in that instant, she reaped
the consciousness of more than a dozen high-ranking Demons and
directly burst forth towards where Sechs was.
The time of standoff is over… There were still all the troublesome Earllevels, but she couldn't just let this opportunity pass by.
Wielding her scythe like a raging black storm, the No. 5 of the God
Realm had now bared her fangs.
However… It couldn't be said that Shea and the others completely
gained the upper hand yet. While cleaving away the Viscount and
Baron-levels one after another, Shea glanced at the battle between Lilia
and Neun.
[…But still… That wasn't enough to defeat that Hero huh…]
Lilia seemed to be overwhelming Neun with her time magic but…
Shea's eyes could certainly see it.
The way Neun kept avoiding the attacks that would deal significant
damage to her body by a paper-thin margin in the midst of the flashing
sword strikes…
[…If only we had "one more card"…No, there's no point in thinking
about what we don't have.]
After muttering this in a voice that no one could hear, Shea removed her
gaze from Lilia and Neun, and headed towards her opponent.