Maisei licked his lips, his grin growing more menacing. "We just need to hold him off long enough." His words were calculated, recalling the teleportation scroll hidden beneath his cloak. "Once Kiryuu gives the signal, we're out of here. Don't die foolishly. All that matters is stalling for time."
Kaoru, who had been silent all this time, looked at them with cold eyes. Slowly, he raised the cursed sword, Clarent, which pulsed with a dark red aura. The air around him grew heavy, filled with an almost unbearable raw power.
"I won't let you run," Kaoru's voice was low, yet filled with menace. His steps were steady, each footfall echoing like the tolling of a death knell.
"Oh, you're quite confident," Maisei hissed, snapping his whip into the air, striking toward Kaoru with incredible speed. "But let's see how long you can last!"
Kaoru's cold gaze remained fixed on Maisei as the whip lashed through the air, striking with blinding speed. With a graceful movement, Kaoru stepped forward, tilting his body slightly to the side, effortlessly dodging the deadly strike. The sword in his hand, Clarent, gleamed under the moonlight, reflecting a sharp light as if ready to pierce through the night.
Without giving Maisei a chance to react, Kaoru advanced steadily, his stance signaling that he was ready to unleash the signature technique of the Aslan Sword Style—a fighting style that emphasized both speed and raw power, where every slash flowed smoothly like water but struck with the force of a sledgehammer.
Feeling the pressure mounting, Maisei retaliated. His whip lashed out from a different angle, moving wildly like a venomous snake targeting Kaoru. But before it could get close, Kaoru was already in motion. With a quick and nimble step, he dodged to the side, his sword moving without hesitation.
Clarent's slash cut sharply toward Maisei, not as an overextended strike, but a calm and controlled one. Each movement was measured, the blade seeking the gaps in Maisei's defense. Maisei's rapier rose to parry, but the force behind Clarent's strike sent him staggering back a few steps.
Kaoru pressed the attack, flowing with an unbroken rhythm. The Aslan Sword Style was all about continuity; every slash flowed seamlessly into the next, leaving no room for the opponent to breathe. The sword Clarent became one with Kaoru's body, creating a harmony between strength and speed, while Maisei struggled just to keep up.
"Too fast!" Maisei muttered, his eyes widening as he realized how much Kaoru was dominating. Kaoru wasn't just fast; he was also incredibly precise—no movement was wasted. Every slash aimed to exploit Maisei's weak points, capitalizing on any exposed gaps.
From the other side of the battlefield, Valentia leaped forward, trying to take advantage of Kaoru's focus on Maisei. Her black sword gleamed as she struck at Kaoru from behind. But Kaoru had already anticipated this. With a simple yet precise movement, he pivoted, and Clarent swiftly deflected Valentia's attack.
The clash of swords sent vibrations up their arms, but Kaoru remained unshaken. Clarent whistled, its next slash cutting through the air with deadly speed. Valentia tried to dodge, but Kaoru read every move with ease.
Kaoru struck again, his sword moving like the wind, targeting every visible opening.
Maisei, nearly losing his balance, tried to retaliate with another desperate attack. His whip lashed out wildly, but this time Kaoru thrust Clarent forward, slicing through the air cleanly and precisely, cutting the whip into pieces.
Seeing Maisei on the verge of collapse, Valentia attempted another attack, but Kaoru's slash was already headed her way. This time, the blade struck the row of corpses Maisei had animated with his blood magic. The bodies formed a barricade, trying to block Kaoru's piercing strike. But the power of Clarent was too much—several corpses were skewered, their bodies collapsing like broken puppets. Even so, their sacrifice bought Valentia enough time to retreat.
Kaoru pressed forward, his steps steady as he prepared to finish them off. Each step was filled with confidence, his sword still glowing with a deadly sharp aura. "This is over," he whispered coldly. But before Kaoru could deliver the finishing blow, a transmission rang in Maisei's ear.
"Now!" Kiryuu's voice echoed.
Maisei and Valentia quickly moved toward each other, preparing to flee. Kaoru saw their movements and instantly realized their plan. With sharp instincts and the experience of countless battles, he knew what was coming. "They're going to try and escape," he thought.
Kaoru leaped forward, Clarent aimed straight for the closest target—Valentia. Maisei's rapier rose to intercept, but Clarent's strike was too powerful—Maisei's blood magic only managed to slow it down, not stop it. The thrust landed, but before he could finish his attack, more corpses stood in the way, forming another barricade that blocked Clarent's deadly strike.
Five or six corpses fell, shielding Valentia from Clarent's piercing blow. However, even though she was protected, the dark elf girl was still slashed across her abdomen. The curse of Clarent took effect immediately. Valentia staggered, screaming in pain as the small wound sent waves of agony through her, as though her entire body was burning from within.
"Arrrgh!" Valentia clutched her stomach, struggling against the pain that was far worse than the physical wound itself. Small, but enough to shake her to the core.
Maisei, not far from her, reacted quickly. He pulled Valentia back, his hand outstretched as his blood magic began to work, manipulating the corpses still impaled on Kaoru's sword. In one swift motion, the remaining blood in the bodies coalesced, ready to explode.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the battlefield. Thick smoke and debris flew everywhere, and Maisei hoped it was enough to at least injure Kaoru and buy them time to escape. Valentia was still gasping in pain, while Maisei tried to steady himself.
But as the smoke slowly cleared, Maisei's heart skipped a beat. Emerging from the flames, Kaoru stood, his armor shimmering with a red glow. His gaze was cold and unwavering, his deadly aura even more pronounced. His steps were steady, and even the explosion wasn't enough to stop him.
"Damn…" Maisei muttered, cold sweat dripping down his temple. "We seriously underestimated him."
Just then, a loud voice came through the transmitter in his ear, breaking the tension. "Get out of there! I activated the Deskrustif Element Bomb one minute ago! You've got thirty seconds left!" Kiryuu's voice warned, urgent and pressing.
Panic crept into Maisei's mind. He shook his head and quickly pulled Valentia, who was still reeling from the pain. Tearing open the emergency teleportation scroll, he prepared to escape the battlefield.
Of course, Kaoru wouldn't let them leave so easily. Though time was running out, he remained calm. In one graceful motion, Kaoru assumed the perfect stance of the Aslan Sword Style, his posture disciplined and composed. Without hesitation, he propelled himself forward with full force, the ground beneath his feet cracking, as he launched Clarent toward Maisei and Valentia with unbelievable speed.
In an instant, Maisei only saw a swift blur before—his hand was severed in mid-air. Blood sprayed before the pain even registered. But before he could scream, the teleportation scroll activated, whisking them away just in time.
Kaoru stood motionless, staring at the large object before him. It resembled a missile, with a timer counting down, steadily approaching zero. As a seasoned tactician, Kaoru quickly understood the threat in front of him. While he couldn't be sure if the bomb had the power of a nuke, its impact would be enough to level everything within a five-kilometer radius. The shockwave could sweep as far as twenty kilometers, and Gosha Village, about fifteen kilometers away, would undoubtedly be severely affected.
Time was running out, the final seconds feeling like torture. Without hesitation, Kaoru moved. He couldn't allow destruction of that magnitude—not just for the village, but for the innocent lives there.
He drove the sword, Clarent, into the ground with a decisive thrust, as if channeling his resolve into the trembling earth beneath his feet. Both of his hands shot up high into the air, preparing a high-level teleportation spell. This wasn't an ordinary incantation; it required time and precision. Even for someone as powerful as Kaoru, the speed of calculation demanded incredible calm.
His mind raced, quickly calculating each step. He knew well that Greater Teleportation Portal wasn't a simple spell—it required a massive amount of Mana, and Kaoru was fully aware of the risks. After casting this spell, his body would be completely drained, and it would take him a full month to recover his Mana. But he had no other choice. This was the only way to save them all.
In ten seconds that felt like an eternity, a gigantic magic circle began to form above the bomb. Glowing lines appeared in the air, creating a complex pattern, while a soft rumbling echoed from the ground beneath him.
"Almost there…" he muttered, fully concentrating.
The countdown ticked down, leaving only a few seconds. Then, with a magical boom, the circle ignited, engulfing the massive missile in an instant. The bomb vanished without a sound, transported to the far reaches of space, away from the earth and the threat of devastation.
Kaoru stood still for a moment, his breathing heavy. His body began to feel weak, the effects of using such a large amount of Mana becoming evident. Yet, even so, he remained standing tall, ensuring the threat was completely gone. The sky above him returned to its calm state, and the village in the distance had been saved.