Creeeak...!!
[World] and [Overlord Black Star].
Two swords, one carrying spirit particles, the other carrying [Arts].
Wrapped in their masters' magic power and fighting spirit, both blades were driving themselves to the absolute limit.
At the center of it all, space warped, cracks spread through dozens of barriers, and the two surging masses of magic power crashed violently against each other.
'...[Metatron], [King of Purity]... any swordsmanship used through it should hit with power on the level of [Melt Slash]...'
Normally, in a clash like this, the side using [Arts] infused with will should have overpowered the other.
And yet Adelio's thrust was being held back by Guy's sword, the two locked in a dead-even struggle.
'Is it because Guy's strike is stronger than [Melt Slash]...?'
A blow fueled by nothing but magic power rivaling the might of Sword Emperor Manifestation.
It was absurd, and Adelio inwardly balked at it, yet part of him also felt it was only natural.
After all, while learning from Guy, he had felt it over and over again.
Guy was a monster that stood outside common sense.
So Adelio drew out the strongest card he could use.
The personal domain he had awakened while fighting the [Scorch Dragon], a world that belonged to him alone.
"[Sword Dance World]."
'Samhildánach.'
[Sword Dance World].
A unique space said to exist only among a tiny handful of [Ultimate Skill]s, one that projected the user's inner image and built an independent world.
Adelio's [Ru-Lawather], [Sword Emperor Heavenly King], had evolved into an [Ultimate Skill] with the authority to create just such a world.
And now that he had turned the entire training ground into his own independent domain, [Sword Dance World], Adelio was effectively the king of this place.
Because the defining ability of [Sword Dance World] was to strengthen the user's [Arts].
And on top of that—
<Report. The weapon of the individual Guy Crimson, [World], has been downgraded to [Legend-grade].>
—came the power of Samhildánach, unfolded together with [Sword Dance World]: Martial Rank Regression.
A transfiguration-type authority that lowered every weapon of a designated target by one rank.
Any [God-grade] weapon caught by it became [Legend-grade],
any [Legend-grade] weapon degenerated into [Unique-grade],
and any [Unique-grade] weapon lost all its power entirely, reduced to a mere ordinary tool with no abilities at all.
Of course, it was not a permanent effect.
Once the target left [Sword Dance World], the weapon would regain its original rank and return to normal.
Even so—
Kiiiiiik!!
—it was still a monstrously broken ability.
"...!! Don't tell me, my sword..."
Guy noticed at once that [World]'s performance had dropped and tried to shift into defense, but by then it was already too late.
Now the two swords stood on equal footing.
The deadlocked contest of strength began to tilt, little by little, to one side.
And the [Arts], empowered by [Sword Dance World], surged forward with even greater ferocity.
'...I created this technique to break through Chronoa's [Divine Armament], but it can be used like this too.'
The ability and technique he had created to pierce Chronoa's defenses in case she ever went berserk later on—
they were more than usable in a direct deadlock like this as well.
Kugugugugung!!!
Soon, condensed sword energy scattered along a storm path glittering like a meteor,
passed beyond the [Demon Lord]'s tyrant blade, and aimed for his heart.
"—!!"
Kaaang!!!
In the end,
the jet-black sword reached the [Demon Lord]'s heart.
Then magic power whirled violently around that blade as its center.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang—!!!!!
Crimson magic power and ash-gray magic power.
[Ultimate Skill] and [Arts].
[Demon Lord's Haki] and [Heroic Aura].
All of those powers gathered together and gave birth to a massive explosion.
Just like that day, thousands of years ago, when the [Demon Lord] and the [Hero] had first begun fighting here.
As if recreating that very scene, the two demons curved their lips into smiles even within the explosion.
*
"......No way..."
At the outer edge of the training ground,
outside the dozens of layered barriers surrounding it, Rain spoke as she watched Adelio and Guy's battle.
"...Even if it was only for a moment... he actually pushed Guy back...?"
She was stunned.
She knew her lover had grown stronger, but she had never imagined he could land an attack like that on Guy of all people.
She wanted him to win, of course she did, but she had thought that would be something close to a miracle.
And that was not Rain's view alone.
"Adelio..."
Misery, her closest friend, was the same.
"......To think he could construct an independent world on that level..."
So was Velzard, Guy's partner.
Even these women, who had watched countless powerful beings alongside Guy, could not help but be astonished by the sight.
After all, the only ones strong enough to make their attacks reach him were [True Dragon]s, or monsters possessing something comparable.
And yet—
"—Hehe."
One woman alone smiled as if what she was seeing was only to be expected.
"See? I knew you could do it."
The one who had shared the deepest connection with Adelio was not surprised in the slightest.
Because she knew what he had looked like back when he defeated the [Seven Angels of Origin].
His nature—heroic, martial, and demonic all at once—able to burn with fighting spirit before an opponent stronger than himself.
'To a demon, victory and defeat matter more than anything, and you understand that better than anyone.'
Guy would definitely rise again.
He was not an opponent who could be put down in a single exchange.
But even if Adelio could not win, that was fine.
If he clashed with everything he had and lost, that too would become nourishment for his growth.
'So fight with everything you've got, Adelio.'
That was why she had helped him avoid breaking before the battle had even begun.
A very demonic reason indeed: she wanted her lover to take one more step forward.
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