C449
“!”
“……!”
Even the highest-ranking paladin, also known as the Holy Knight and General Mol, Commander of the Third Army, couldn't hide his surprise at the pure white emanating from Clopeh's sword.
A dark night.
Moraka Castle shone intensely from the battles within and without, but that light, and the pure white light, were different.
An energy that shone in pure white, without a speck of impurity.
If someone who knew nothing about it saw it, they might think it beautiful and contemplate it for a good while.
“That guy's crazy…!”
But General Mol couldn't hide his horror and exclaimed it.
“Dead Mana-!”
The pure white light contained dead mana.
And that light didn't just feel beautiful and sacred.
There seemed to be a hidden shadow behind the whiteness, a lurking darkness, an unsettling feeling. This was something a swordsman who walks between life and death could clearly feel.
‘It's not a demon, as I thought!’
Mol felt a chill at the nape of his neck.
That guy, Kase, isn't a demon.
The instant he saw his aura, he could feel with certainty that he was human.
A human in the Demon Kingdom?
Perhaps Aurora's Mediating Alliance?
Those questions arose one after another in his mind, but there was something that surprised him even more.
‘How can he manipulate dead mana like that?’
A human, a living being, cannot manipulate dead mana like that.
To Mol, who didn't know the inner power of the Heavenly Demon, Clopeh, who wielded dead mana, a mortal poison for humans, seemed to be human, but not human at the same time.
And above all-
‘That guy is crazy!’
Yes, he just seems crazy.
That sword-wielding guy is neither a merchant nor a noble.
Especially now, seeing him laugh while looking at the paladin's shield, he definitely seemed crazy.
“Mmm.”
Mol groaned without realizing it.
His eyes met those of the madman.
Over the shoulder of the highest-ranking paladin.
That guy gave Mol an elegant smile.
“General Mol. I assure you, I will take you right to the Pope's nose.”
Mol could imagine it at that moment.
Sss----!
The moment the pure white shone even more intensely.
The moment Clopeh's steps, his sword, and his gaze were directed toward the highest-ranking paladin.
‘…Perhaps,’
The situation could change…!
Because Kase's pure white aura was stronger than Mol had imagined.
Because seeing that light, he felt an inexplicable unsettling feeling, so much so that he unconsciously gripped his sword sheath tightly.
Sword Master.
That guy, Kase, is at the highest level, or even beyond, a powerful warrior.
If someone like that decided to hide their strength, Mol might not notice. Because-
‘He's someone who has trained in swordsmanship for decades…!’
Steps extending towards the shield.
A body moving in unison.
An outstretched arm.
The tip of an unwavering sword.
A way of wielding the sword as if it were an extension of his hand.
Kase.
That madman is a true swordsman.
Someone so talented that he reached that level at such a young age.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa-!
The sword and shield collided.
Tension gripped Mol's face, and the highest-ranking paladin's expression became serene.
Uu-uu---
The gray shield vibrated with the attack, emitting a strange lament.
Gray smoke rose from the shield.
Smoke that burst in a fraction of a second.
It was impossible to dodge.
A special gleam appeared in the highest-ranking paladin's eyes.
Green eyes boiling with strange heat. The gray smoke touched Clopeh's eyes. If the smoke touched, even if he didn't breathe-
‘He'll see an illusion.’
The battlefield.
An extremely merciless and horrible battlefield.
A countless multitude of people running to kill him alone, a terrible scene.
That illusion-
‘He could resist it once, but in the end, he won't be able to resist it.’
Therefore, this shield doesn't break.
The more the opponent falls into the illusion, the more he loses confidence in victory, the more he falls into chaos.
This shield will become even stronger.
Because he, who holds the shield, trusts in victory.
The highest-ranking paladin.
As long as he believes this shield will not break, as long as he doesn't believe he will lose.
‘It won't break!’
This shield, imbued with the power of the God of Chaos, will never lose.
That is the truth, a natural law.
A slight smile appeared on the highest-ranking paladin's lips.
He was curious to see how the eyes of someone falling into the horrible illusion of the battlefield would change.
“…!”
And the paladin was surprised.
Mol, observing him, exclaimed without realizing it.
“That madman, he's laughing-!”
Clopeh Sekka.
He was laughing.
The illusion of the battlefield that overwhelmed him.
Dozens, hundreds, no, everywhere his sight reached, weapons pointed at him.
A battlefield attacking him.
Under a cloudy sky.
A desolate land.
An illusion in which no one was seen on his side.
A battlefield atmosphere that was felt even through sight, hearing, smell, touch, and even senses, more than a simple illusion.
Everything was too real.
“Ja, ja-”
However, Clopeh laughed.
Faced with that vision, the paladin calmly responded.
‘He already knows it's an illusion, that's why he's acting like that.’
The illusion seen for a few seconds when colliding with the shield.
Even if that illusion seems real, he knows that in the end it is an illusion.
That's why he can remain calm at first.
‘It's the first time I've seen him laugh.’
Even so,
‘He can turn the illusion into reality.’
Then he won't be able to laugh anymore.
The illusion will disappear.
Clopeh's sword once again headed towards the paladin.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!
The second time they collided.
“Damn it! Kase, watch out!”
Mol shouted urgently and headed towards the paladin, who was turned away from the collision with Clopeh.
But there were paladins blocking his way.
Kwaang, Kwaang!
“Damn it!”
Mol couldn't easily approach the paladin because he was dealing with those few, but that wasn't a problem.
“Half…!”
Half of the paladins attacking Mol headed towards Clopeh.
What Mol had experienced, gradually losing confidence in victory.
An illusion of a few seconds.
Within it, a real attack headed towards Clopeh.
And they were hard-to-distinguish knife blades.
Malicious smile.
The corner of the paladin's lips rose.
“!”
Because Clopeh flinched and twisted the sword pointed at the shield in another direction.
Chaeng! Kwaang, Kwaang!
One thunder after another.
The pure white aura blocked the dozens of attacks aimed at Clopeh, the attacks coming from everywhere.
‘It's different.’
Both Mol and the man in front of him.
Strong enough to find and block reality.
By a hair's breadth.
“Continue the attack!”
The paladin raised his voice.
And with the shield held high, he lunged at Clopeh first.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!
This time, Clopeh blocked, and the paladins didn't miss the opportunity.
The highest-ranking paladin saw the scene and became convinced.
‘He must have doubted.’
More than when he first attacked the shield.
Now, not knowing when the attack will come towards him, that doubt will prevent him from thinking about victory.
And the more he forgets victory.
‘The illusion will become more real.’
It will be more difficult to dodge the real attacks of the paladins.
‘The shield will become even stronger.’
The illusion will become even stronger.
As that cycle repeats.
‘In the end, he will lose confidence in victory.’
In the end, only the indestructible shield will remain.
The highest-ranking paladin trusted in the experience he had accumulated until now.
‘Even the highest-ranking paladin trusted in this power.’
A power that even pushed General Mol of the three armies.
The highest-ranking paladin again wielded the shield first against Clopeh, who had barely dodged the attack.
He had to finish him quickly, because he didn't know when the General Mol of the three armies would appear from behind.
His skill with the shield was full of confidence.
Confidence in victory.
“How dare you-”
The shield collided again.
He showed his emotions.
He suppressed them as calmly as possible, but he couldn't hide the inner heat.
“How dare you break the power granted by the God of Chaos, you are truly arrogant…!”
Kwaaaaaaaaaang---!
The shield collided again.
“!”
And the highest-ranking paladin lost his smile.
His pupils trembled.
But he didn't have time to react.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa---!
This time, the pure white aura lunged at the shield.
The knife blades took the opportunity to attack, but-
Sss--
The sword containing the pure white aura didn't notice it.
Rather,
Kwaaaaaaaaaa--!
It got even closer to the shield and collided with more force.
The pure white aura, which kept colliding relentlessly, as if the incoming attacks didn't matter, the paladin had to hastily raise the shield to defend himself.
‘Definitely…!’
Kwaaaaaang!
‘That guy is experiencing a battlefield where he could die!’
Kwaaaaaaaaaa--!
‘Most attack when they escape the illusion!’
Because in the illusion, the shield isn't seen.
And only when they escape the illusion do the dozens of real attacks stop.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa-
But why is this Sword Master attacking like this?
Kwaaaaaaaaaa-
As the sword continued to attack, the other paladins didn't dare to jump between the shield and the sword.
Sssss---!
Because the energy emanating from the pure white aura when colliding with the shield became increasingly violent.
Of course, the paladins continued to attack.
Swoosh!
Swoosh, swoosh-
But Clopeh wasn't afraid of the wounds, he only avoided the worst attacks.
Kwaaaaaaaaa----!
He attacked with even more force.
‘Illusion, no-’
He must be going through death right now! Why-
The paladin couldn't believe it.
He wielded the shield and could see Clopeh's face.
“That crazy guy-!”
He was laughing.
Clopeh Sekka was laughing while wielding his sword.
And-
‘He doesn't see it…!’
This guy has his eyes open, but he's clearly only seeing a horrible battlefield, not seeing the shield.
There was no doubt.
And yet, he laughs amidst that horrible situation.
With an expression of absolute happiness.
Kwaaaaaang---!
He also understood why the sword attacked the shield relentlessly.
Because that way it's easier to determine the shield's position.
‘No, more than that-’
Why isn't this guy afraid?
Why is he laughing?
The highest-ranking paladin wanted to stop wielding the shield and find out why this guy was acting like this.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa---!
But he couldn't.
Swoosh, swoosh!
This madman, who didn't stop despite the small wounds forming, continued to attack the shield.
Kwaaaaaaaaa---!
“Damn it!”
For the first time, a rude word came out of the highest-ranking paladin's mouth.
Again!
Again, the pure white aura approached the shield.
Relentlessly, it came.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa--!
And amidst a thunderous crash.
Crack!
The highest-ranking paladin heard an incredible sound.
‘What?’
What sound did I just hear?
He couldn't even express his doubt.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa--!
The attack continued.
Crack!
He heard that sound again, a subtle sound.
The highest-ranking paladin's pupils trembled.
At that moment, he heard a soft voice.
“It's breaking.”
The highest-ranking paladin lowered the shield slightly.
Beyond the shield was Clopeh, who wasn't wielding his sword.
And he also saw the paladins, shocked, stopping their attacks.
The gazes of Clopeh and the highest-ranking paladin met.
Clopeh said with a smile.
“Did you want to run away?”
Ah.
The highest-ranking paladin realized at that moment what wanting to stop wielding the shield meant.
It was a sudden understanding.
‘I, I wanted to run away?’
I, who holds the shield granted by the God of Chaos, wanted to run away?
‘Why?’
The paladin couldn't ignore the answer that arose from his heart.
The answer arose naturally.
He didn't believe he could win.
At least, he didn't believe this guy was thinking about running away or losing.
‘No, that's not it.’
Actually, victory or defeat isn't the problem.
This guy clearly said.
‘That shield will break. Without a doubt.’
Yes.
This madman, for whom victory or defeat isn't important, seemed like he would really break the shield.
Because the paladin didn't have the confidence to laugh while continuously throwing himself into an illusion as real as death, a horrible battlefield that crossed the line between life and death.
He didn't believe he could defeat this madman.
“Je, je.”
The madman approached laughing.
He asked.
“Have you ever fought carrying the lives of dozens of people?”
No.
That's not enough.
“Have you ever fought carrying the lives of tens of thousands, millions, of an entire world?”
The paladin wondered what this guy was saying.
But Clopeh had no intention of answering the paladin's expression of doubt.
“You don't know. You.”
You.
“You've never experienced that vision.”
Clopeh felt sorry for the paladin in front of him.
‘I did.’
Cale Henituse.
He saw Cale carrying the lives of the people of the Henituse mansion while fighting.
He saw him fight the White Star to protect Roan and, beyond that, the people of the Nameless World 1.
Sometimes, countless people only looked at Cale.
There were many gazes that hoped he would solve things.
With those gazes on his shoulders, he fought on the line between life and death.
Along with countless enemies.
And he saw the path Cale traveled.
He carefully observed the battlefield the hero went through.
‘I felt like I was suffocating.’
A horrible battlefield with dozens of knife blades aimed at him?
That's even more terrifying than carrying the lives of an entire world, the gazes that hope he will save them, and continuously surpassing his limits while fighting against new enemies.
Yes, it's really terrifying.
‘I'm following someone who travels that terrifying path.’
And can't I fulfill the order that light gave me?
‘That's absolutely impossible.’
Clopeh moved.
Sss---
The pure white aura didn't hide the aspiration it contained, more than ever.
Like the shadow that follows someone who bears an immense weight.
Like someone who follows someone who confronts even the gods.
How could he lose to someone who relies on a simple illusion?
“Cowards.”
Clopeh decided to give everything for reality.
These things he's experiencing now.
Compared to the time when he couldn't move his body.
Compared to the time when he couldn't accompany the path on which a legend is created.
They really are nothing.
Subtle smile.
Clopeh, with a kind smile, wielded his sword and said to someone behind the highest-ranking paladin's shoulder.
“Did you buy time?”
There was Mol, with an expression of disbelief, having eliminated all the paladins.
“Ja, ja, ja! Yes, you damn madman!”
Mol's voice brought the highest-ranking paladin back to his senses, but he couldn't turn towards Mol.
Sss--
The pure white aura, like a huge venomous serpent, approached his neck.
It seemed he would die from the sinister energy hidden in the whiteness if that serpent bit him.
Would it be because of the dead mana?
Or because of the nature of the one who possesses that aura?
Faced with that unsettling feeling, the paladin raised the shield again.
Uu-
He had to feel Mol's sword approaching from behind.
Fear was reflected on the paladin's face.
And.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa-
The shield and the pure white sword collided.
Crrrack!-
The shield was pierced, leaving a white wound as if a serpent had bitten it.
Clopeh kept his word.
* * *
“Do you think Clopeh Sekka will arrive in time?”
Faced with the Heavenly Demon's question, Cale naturally replied.
“Yes. He'll do fine.”
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