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"Let's go."
Edgar raised his hand and started walking forward.
Seeing that, Freya and the others quickly followed behind.
"Damn it! Are they looking down on us?"
"They're just six people. Don't be afraid!"
The elite troops of the kingdom—who had long been waiting in formation—bristled with anger as Edgar's group approached.
"Kill them!"
The roar went up like thunder, and the army surged forward.
"Anna, Setsuna. Clear the path."
"Yes, Master!" both answered in unison, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
When they saw so many of the kingdom's elite gathered, they had already been itching to fight. To them, these soldiers were nothing but walking experience points.
Until now, they'd been holding back, waiting for Edgar's command.
Now that he'd given permission—
—they could finally cut loose.
Let's see how far they've come, Edgar thought.
Shing! Shing!
Anna and Setsuna dashed forward, their figures crossing midair as they leapt high.
The gleam of Anna's blade and the icy claws of "503" flashed with a deadly aura as they swung down in unison.
Crack! Crack!
The ground split open, raked by slashing wind.
The air filled with the sound of tearing and screams—
—countless elite soldiers were cut clean in half.
Blood gushed like a river, soaking the earth.
"We've gotten stronger," Anna and Setsuna murmured almost at the same time, exhilarated by the surge of power they felt.
But Edgar only frowned slightly.
Noticing that, both girls froze and glanced back at him, nervous.
"In battles like this, where enemies are numerous, avoid using high-cost techniques like that," Edgar said calmly. "Even if I'm here, don't rely on me for everything."
"Yes, Master."
The two nodded obediently.
They understood immediately—if they kept throwing out attacks like that, their mana wouldn't last long.
Exchanging a glance, they moved again, bodies flashing like lightning as they plunged into the enemy ranks once more.
The swing of blades and claws painted the battlefield red, fountains of blood bursting skyward.
"Norren," Edgar said. "Try using your skill."
"Yes, Master."
Norren raised her hand. Invisible power gathered at her palm—
Vmm!
A radiant aura rippled out, spreading across the battlefield.
Instantly, Anna and Setsuna felt their bodies grow lighter, their strikes faster.
The enemies in front of them seemed weaker—fragile, even.
Like they could be torn apart with a single swing.
Under that effect, their slaughter became unstoppable.
"As expected," Edgar murmured, feeling only the faintest boost from the aura himself. "The weaker the target, the stronger the enhancement… and it must also scale with the user's power."
"Master, the enemies are increasing," Norren warned, looking toward the endless stream of reinforcements rushing in from the distance.
"No problem."
Edgar waved a hand casually. "Leave those ones to Freya and the Star Spirit."
He preferred to let his followers handle things when possible. Otherwise—what was the point of having them?
"Yes, Master," both women replied.
Freya and the Star Spirit stepped forward, their bodies glowing with magic.
"Fifth-tier spell—Meteor Shower!""Fifth-tier spell—Earthquake!"
Enormous magic circles appeared in the sky and on the ground.
A moment later, meteors roared down from the heavens as the earth heaved and split apart.
The kingdom's reinforcements barely had time to scream before they were swallowed by the explosion.
Boom!
The impact thundered across the land. The shockwave leveled everything in sight, and the ground split open like the jaws of hell.
Within a kilometer radius, nothing remained but mangled limbs and shattered armor.
Then—
Through the rising dust, several figures leapt free.
There weren't many of them, but each one radiated a fierce, terrifying aura.
Some were nearly as powerful as Hawkeye himself.
But what caught Edgar's attention was the woman standing at their front.
A tall girl with long silver hair that shimmered under the light, a single ahoge curling playfully above her head.
Her porcelain-like face was flawless, save for the beauty mark under her right eye that gave her a touch of vivid life.
Her figure was sharp yet graceful, her white leather armor doing little to hide the curves beneath.
A narrow waist, long legs wrapped in black thigh-highs—
—she was striking from every angle.
Only one thing marred that image: her right arm was missing.
A fallen angel with a broken wing.
The Kingdom's Sword Saint—Kureha.
The strongest swordswoman in the realm.
Even with her sword hand gone, she stood ready to fight for her kingdom.
Facing Edgar, her gaze was sharp as a blade.
"Traitor," she said coldly. "You not only used forbidden arts to control our princess, but you dared rebel against the crown. I, Kureha, will not forgive such sin."
With her left hand gripping her sword, her killing intent surged like a storm.
"Don't you dare speak to Master that way!"
Setsuna's eyes flared with rage. She swung her ice claws, sending several visible slashes racing toward Kureha.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword light flashed, and every attack shattered instantly.
Kureha looked at Setsuna calmly. "If that's all you can do, you shouldn't have drawn your weapon."
The moment she finished speaking, her left hand moved—
A single strike split the earth apart.
"Setsuna—!"
Anna's face changed. She swung her sword again and again, unleashing a barrage of counter-slashes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The roaring impact shook the battlefield, but her attacks were crushed like paper.
"Too strong… Setsuna, get out of the way!"
Setsuna leapt back just in time.
"It's useless," Kureha said quietly. "Even with one arm, my sword cannot be dodged."
The slash closed in fast—
—but then, a shadow appeared in front of Setsuna.
Edgar.
He caught the attack barehanded.
"Now, now," he said lightly. "Don't bully my cute familiars."
Before Kureha could react, cracks splintered across her slash, and with a single squeeze, Edgar crushed it into dust.
"With power like yours," she said softly, a hint of sorrow in her eyes, "why not serve the kingdom instead?"
Edgar sighed. She's really thinking about that now?
He shook his head and took a step forward.
"Kill him!" the remaining kingdom elites shouted, rushing in.
"Oh please," Freya muttered. "Do they think we're decorations?"
"Don't interrupt Master's fight," the Star Spirit added, her tone sweet and dangerous.
Their magic flared again—
"Fifth-tier spell—Pillars of Flame!""Fifth-tier spell—Vines of Death!"
Columns of fire erupted skyward as countless thorned vines burst from the ground, wrapping around everything.
In seconds, every remaining warrior was trapped within the storm of flame and thorns.
Edgar didn't even glance their way.
His eyes stayed locked on Kureha—the Sword Saint whose presence made the very contract on his soul tremble with light.
She was the only one he came for.
"..."
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