"His Majesty’s..."
These were the first words the Sword Demon had ever spoken.
"To His Majesty's... side!"
Spreading its four arms like a pair of wings, the demon charged forward with massive strides.
It closed the distance in an instant, but Ren stood his ground to block its path.
What followed was a sight that made them doubt their own eyes. As the crimson greatswords swept through the air, they left behind overlapping afterimages of red and black light. The sound produced by each swing was like a chorus of resentful wails, neither male nor female.
This was surely the work of magic; the demon’s blades were being reinforced by some supernatural power.
(Then I just have to cleave through it—!)
Ren raised his Iron Magic Sword and executed Star-Cleaver. The impact was far greater than he had anticipated, shattering his stance instantly, but the red-black wave enshrouding the demon's blade dissipated slightly.
"Guooooooooh!"
However, the other three blades were unaffected. His attack had only worked on one, and even then, the effect was marginal. The pressure from the Sword Demon only intensified. Ren couldn't even withstand a second swing before his Iron Magic Sword shattered into a thousand pieces.
Ren gritted his teeth, his jaw tight. Seeing the crimson blade bearing down on him, Licia prepared to dive into the fray.
The General’s fury was far beyond their imagination; it was pure, unadulterated slaughter.
"Goh! Gaaaaah!"
The demon’s voice roared with every swing of its massive blades.
Even with Licia utilizing her Holy Magic to its absolute limit—even if it felt as though she were drawing upon a version of herself from years in the future...
It felt like they were merely delaying the inevitable.
It was a tide of violence that offered no hope of victory.
Ren hadn't given up, but he was certain of one thing: if they continued to fight like this, they would lose.
(...If only I had that.)
The Sword Saint's Proof within the Strong Sword Arts. If he could use that legendary technique, he should be able to deal a decisive blow to the Sword Demon.
But that power felt unreachable, with no sign that he could grasp it yet. No matter how vividly he visualized the art or the power it contained, it remained just beyond his reach.
"Gooooooooh!"
"Ku—!"
He blocked the approaching blades as he thought, but another Iron Magic Sword disintegrated under the strain.
Sweat poured down his face as he watched the black-iron shards fly through the air. Tormented by the raw emotions of a man staring death in the face, Ren bit his lip.
Seeing the worried look on Licia's face as she fought beside him, he decided to take a gamble.
"—Incinerate everything!"
The air itself seemed to crack as the Flame Magic Sword manifested, releasing a crushing pressure. Ren drew the blade and slashed upward in a single motion, unleashing the Dragon King's Flame to engulf the Sword Demon.
"!?!"
This was a Golden Flame, far more potent than the one Ren had used in the forest.
Against this, even a General of the Demon King's Army could be challenged.
"Licia-sama!"
"Right!"
The Sword Demon swung its arms to beat back the fire. With most of its attention diverted toward the Flame Magic Sword, Licia saw her opening and slipped into its guard once more.
The demon tried to intercept the strike from Byakuen aimed at its waist, but its arm was blocked by a burst of fire erupting from behind Licia. The intense heat of the Flame Magic Sword knocked one of the crimson blades aside. Undeterred, the demon reached out with its bare hand and grabbed Byakuen's blade.
"That's going to hurt, you monster!"
The sound of hissing steam erupted from the demon's palm.
Despite its pained groans, mana flickered like eyes deep within its helmet. The crimson greatswords were instantly re-enshrouded in their dark waves.
Ren and Licia were being steadily ground down. Even when the Flame Magic Sword managed to strip the demon of its power, it simply restored it a moment later.
"To His Majesty's... side... aaaaaah!"
The demon swung its four blades, weaving a series of powerful spells into its assault.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Ren and Licia gave way. Rubble, infused with sinister mana, began to orbit the plaza. The mountain surface rose up in jagged peaks, resembling the Sword Rock back in the Ashton village. Red lightning pulsed across the stone surfaces, threatening to strike them with every swing of the demon's swords.
"Licia-sama, I have a plan."
Ren stopped her just as she was about to manifest another wall of Holy Magic.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Continue supporting me with your Holy Magic, just like before."
"Understood. And then?"
"We endure this next wave, then I'll make my move. I'll risk everything to create an opening. No matter what happens to me, your priority is to pierce the Sword Demon."
"...You're betting it all on one final strike."
If they didn't conserve Licia’s energy, there would be no future for them. This was their only option. Furthermore, the Shield Magic Sword wasn't suited for an attack coming from so many directions at once.
"I will support you. I promise."
For the first time, she felt truly relied upon. She had never expected the stoic Ren to say such words to her.
But there was no time for joy. One slip-up meant death.
As the Sword Demon’s ultimate assault closed in, Licia didn't flinch. Trusting Ren completely, she gathered her Holy Magic for the coming moment.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Ren swung the Flame Magic Sword in a wide arc, the resulting fire incinerating the flying rubble before it could even turn to ash.
A small shard grazed his cheek, drawing blood. Before he could blink, lightning struck, but he swung the Flame Magic Sword down to block it with Star-Cleaver.
The onslaught continued.
The Sword Demon raised all four of its wave-enshrouded blades, its mana boiling with unprecedented intensity.
"Ooooohhhhhhh!"
As if answering Ren's roar, the demon bellowed and swung.
The waves from its four blades converged, spiraling into a massive Light Orb that grew in size as it was fired.
In that fraction of a second, Ren knew Star-Cleaver wouldn't be enough to block it. Not even with Licia’s support.
But then, he felt a warmth at his back and looked over his shoulder.
"Ren."
Licia was smiling. She believed in him without a shred of doubt.
"...Please wait just a moment."
"I will. Don't worry about me, Ren. Just keep your eyes forward."
So what if he knew he couldn't block it normally? So what if he couldn't use the Sword Saint's arts yet?
Ren gripped the hilt tight, visualizing the advanced Strong Sword Art that Edgar had described—the one that utilized magic.
It was beyond incomplete. His training had only given him the barest grasp of it. But right now, Ren’s senses were heightened beyond anything he had ever experienced.
If he failed, they both died. There was no other choice but to succeed.
As the Light Orb reached point-blank range, Ren swung the Flame Magic Sword upward.
"!?!"
It was the most beautiful flame in existence.
Brilliant golden sparks danced like diamond dust. A Golden Wall manifested before them, erasing everything the Sword Demon had unleashed without leaving a trace.
"...Honestly, you're just too much."
She had believed in him, but that didn't mean she wasn't stunned.
Hand gripped around a blade wreathed in golden fire, Ren stepped forward.
"Licia-sama!"
"Right, let's go!"
"Yeah! I'm ending this, Sword Demon!"
The golden fire snared the demon's legs. While its armor didn't melt, the luster on its surface began to fade.
The Sword Demon pulled its arms in toward its chest, drawing the surrounding rubble and mana back into the plaza. Ren braced the Flame Magic Sword, burning away everything that approached Licia, but the crystals and stones attacked without pause.
This was a General of the Demon King's Army. Blocking one major attack didn't mean there wouldn't be a second.
Licia flinched as lightning struck near her, and seeing an opening, the demon turned its full attention back to Ren. Knowing he was the primary threat, it roared, intent on killing him ruthlessly.
Even if Licia attacked from behind, the demon was committed to killing Ren first.
The Flame Magic Sword shattered, leaving him defenseless.
"Ku—!"
His head throbbed from the massive mana consumption, but he desperately re-summoned his blade.
He was simply outmatched against an enemy that could endlessly spam natural disasters. It was too much for one boy to handle.
"You... damn... monster!"
Ren wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. He wanted to scream at the shattered divine statue, asking why he and Licia had to suffer like this. But he didn't, because he hadn't given up. He didn't have time to complain; he only had time to act.
He retreated, but the demon's speed was already eclipsing his own. Before Ren could unleash another burst of fire, the demon had hemmed him in.
(Don't look at me like that, please.)
He saw Licia’s agonized expression past the demon's shoulder.
She looked as though she believed he was about to lose. Even if she didn't truly believe it, she was terrified for his life.
Seeing her like that made Ren’s heart ache. He was the one causing that expression. Regardless of how they got here, he was the reason she was suffering right now.
And for that, he felt a surge of pure hatred. He hated the enemy that was trying to crush him.
Ren glared at the Sword Demon with a lethal intensity.
"—I haven't been afraid of death for a long time."
He summoned the Shield Magic Sword, extending his arm.
He layered multiple Mana Shields, halting his retreat and pushing forward. In his other hand, he re-manifested the Flame Magic Sword.
Throughout this fight, he had avoided dual-wielding to conserve energy, but that didn't matter now.
"Ooooooooooh!"
"Did you really think I’d be that easy to kill, Sword Demon?"
"!?!"
The demon felt a surge of impossible fear toward an opponent who was clearly weaker.
Still, it swung its greatswords with the sole intent of butchering him. The first swing shattered layers of Mana Shields. The second swing carved through the Shield Magic Sword itself, leaving a horizontal gash across Ren's neck, chest, and stomach.
(I'm still alive. That’s enough.)
He couldn't even process the severity of his wounds. As his face twisted in pain, Ren spun like a top to dodge the third swing.
Only the fourth and final blade remained.
He caught it with a burst of fire that contained every last drop of his strength.
The Golden Flame melted the greatsword in the clash of steel. Riding that momentum, Ren brought the Flame Magic Sword down onto the demon's shoulder.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
He didn't know if he was screaming in agony or triumph.
All he knew was that he had taken one of the demon's arms. The energy pouring from the stump stained the air black.
Ren collapsed onto the cobblestones, looking up at the demon with a defiant smirk. The Sword Demon raised its remaining blades.
"Please... I beg you..."
Licia’s voice was a sob of pure grief. Ren’s vision was blurring from the blood loss, but he was still trying to find one last way to strike back.
Licia lunged forward to stop the demon, but even with her talent, she was no match for it. Without Ren in the vanguard, her efforts were fragile.
She fell to the ground a short distance away, staring at him. She couldn't even tell how deep the gash in his abdomen was, given how much blood he had lost. For any normal person, it was a mortal wound. He was only alive by the grace of her lingering Holy Magic.
"...Stop it."
Licia clutched the gravel, tears streaming down her face as she watched the final blade descend toward Ren.
"Don't hurt... my precious person anymore!"
Then, there was light.
A pair of wings, made of something like glass and enshrouded in silver light, manifested from Licia's back.
Ren was speechless at the divine sight. The wings were broad, made of shimmering, crystalline panes.
Particles of light drifted from the wings, melting the Sword Demon’s armor upon contact. A series of blinding flashes erupted. Distracted, the demon abandoned its attempt to kill Ren and swung its blades to intercept the light.
"G-uooh...?!?"
But the light couldn't be deflected. The flashes pierced straight through the demon's body.
Conversely, when the flashes touched Ren, his wounds healed instantly. The lethal gashes vanished as if they had never been there. He felt his very vitality being restored.
"Oh...!"
Licia's assault didn't stop.
The stunned Ren noticed something strange. This situation was far too bizarre. He looked at Licia's face.
"Licia... sama?"
Licia was curled into a ball, clutching her head with both hands. Independent of her will, the wings continued to fire flashes of light.
She was in a white void.
Licia drifted in that colorless space, curled up like a babe in the womb.
From somewhere, she thought she heard the sound of a bell. It was the same melody she had heard before she and Ren were trapped in this seal.
"..."
Where was she drifting to?
She didn't understand, but she couldn't resist. She felt Ren’s presence growing more and more distant, and the thought terrified her.
"..."
She couldn't speak. She couldn't even change her posture to look around.
Eventually, she felt as though someone were calling her. She didn't know who it was, but they were trying to take her somewhere. It felt like a woman's voice.
"..."
She wanted to say "No," but she couldn't fight back.
Soon, she found herself losing the ability to even think. It was as if she were becoming someone else—as if the person known as Licia were being dissolved.
Despite her fear, she was helpless. Her senses vanished, and her consciousness began to slip away. She was on the verge of disappearing entirely when...
"...?"
She felt a pair of arms wrap around her own.
"—cia-sama."
The voice echoing through the white space tethered her.
She shouldn't have been able to see or hear anything, yet she understood the voice calling her name. Her senses returned, her consciousness solidified. She felt as though she could finally open her eyes.
"—Licia-sama!"
The voice was clear now.
...She wanted to go back to him. In this incomprehensible void, that was the only thought she could hold onto.
But the presence trying to pull her away wouldn't let go. She was so, so scared.
"Ren..."
As if fighting back, she spoke.
"Ren..."
She called his name. Her eyes snapped open.
She couldn't see the thing that had been calling her, but the brilliance filling the space was pure and divine beyond measure. Still, she resisted, reaching out only for Ren's voice.
"Ren!"
Cracks appeared in the white world.
I'm not leaving his side, she vowed.
In that instant, the mana stone in her chest throbbed with a sharp pain. She clutched it, her face twisting in agony. It felt as though some powerful force were commanding her.
"...Stop it."
It was terrifying. She didn't want this mysterious light.
"I want to be... by Ren's side!"
The pressure on her mana stone intensified.
But then, an even greater force intervened—a presence that seemed to claim her as his own.
This new force brushed away the pain. The crushing pressure vanished in an instant. The original power seemed to recoil from this new presence, and then, miraculously, it rejected Licia entirely.
Licia felt herself being enveloped by this new presence—by him.
"Licia!"
As his voice roared, the white world shattered into pieces.
"...Ren?"
The wings were gone. Licia was back to her usual self.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself cradled in Ren's lap. He was looking down at her, a look of profound relief on his face. He reached out, his hand touching her cheek as he smiled.
"You shouldn't take a nap in the middle of a fight, Licia."
"Ren... my name..."
"I was planning to wait until we were out of here, but you just wouldn't wake up."
"A-Ahaha... geez. Just because I wouldn't wake up, you decide to start calling me by my name? That's cheating."
"It's your fault for falling asleep. No objections allowed."
Licia placed her hand over his.
Without realizing his wounds were already gone, she cast her Holy Magic. For some reason, it felt even more powerful than when she had used it with death-defying resolve moments ago.
"You know, Ren."
"Yeah?"
"...Don't go commanding other people's mana stones without asking. You idiot."
"I didn't do anything like that... But what happened? That attack of yours was incredible."
"I don't know. But it felt like you gave my mana stone an order."
"I'm telling you, I didn't do that! Besides, what does that even mean?"
"Fufu, I don't really know myself."
The strange pressure was gone, and Licia felt certain it wouldn't return—not as long as she was with Ren. Her mana stone seemed to whisper the same thing.
All she knew was that her magic was far more effective when used on him now. It was as if her mana stone itself had decided to devote all its power to him alone.
"What about the Sword Demon?"
"It's still here. Driven back by your light and my fire... it's over there."
The Sword Demon was huddled beneath the divine statue, having been forced back. Ren helped Licia up, then stood and began to walk forward.
He was going to end this.