The Sword Of Salvation
Ch. 6 — Uneasiness (3)
“...He's not around here. We couldn't find a trace of him. It's likely that the demon has returned to its lair, Miss Selena.”
Selena did not hide her frustration when she heard the search results Ferguso and his friends did. Caliburn in his hand until slightly shimmered due to the emotions that also channeled on the sword. Not even one of his men dared to open the sound – they all knew Selena was very upset.
How not? Getting Lukhiel's head was a condition for him to become part of the Knights of the Round Table. And losing that demon head made his chance of being a part of them disappear. Worse, he will be forced to become his sometimes obnoxious cousin's knight.
“Can't you teleport the demon here, Clarent?”
Selena's last hope now lies with Clarent – the only teleportation user among them.
And that hope was instantly dashed as the woman shook her head.
“That's impossible,” Bright Clarent. “I can teleport everything here because I'm used to it and your prana I already recognize. If it's Lukhiel, I can only teleport him only and only if he's next to me.”
“I also could not teleport to his place,” continued Clarent before Selena could ask about it. “As Miss knows, I can only teleport freely within a hundred meter radius. To teleport any further than that, I must have been there first.”
Selena clucked in hearing that explanation. Now his hope is completely wiped out. He will no longer be a part of the Round Table Knights for good. He spent his career as a special bodyguard for Marry. How annoying!
I was able to get out of the deal by getting Marry to dismiss me or even reject me, but knowing the boy would be happy to sprinkle salt on the wound.
Sighing deeply, Selena sheathed back her holy sword.
“Come go. We return to Pendragon tomorrow morning.”
...* * *
...
Mariel did not find a single word to say after hearing Celinee's detailed story. It was very hard to accept, but his mother had said that the world was corrupt. Celinee's story is very likely, and Mariel does not doubt the truth of the woman's story. But still, it is hard to accept.
Serenity is not an organization like Lukhiel said. The master has been instrumentalized. That middle-aged woman is really dangerous. He's devious. Manipulatively. Spoiled. Not only had he used his master, but he had also made use of the experimental children who needed help and protection. The organization of Serenity really has to be destroyed.
But I did not expect that the bandage-clad sword was “Sword of Salvation”. I knew the sword was abnormal, thinking it was a holy sword. But I never thought it was a sword not even known by name.
“Mariel, we have to be faster!”
The ninja's call returned Mariel's focus from his mind. He nodded and accelerated his pace. Both of them were moving at a higher speed than before. He could have been even faster with wind armor, but maybe Celinee couldn't have been faster. Therefore, Mariel did not use it.
More than that, Lukhiel is the master. The devil is strong. No matter how strong Arthur IV Pendragon was and how dangerous Athrecia Le Fay was, there was no way they could overcome Lukhiel so easily. Mariel had no doubts about it; a disciple always had high confidence in their teacher.
...* * *
...
Lukhiel must say he is not happy with the situation that has beenfallen him. He did not care a bit about the ravings of Arthur IV who had the ambition to kill Nessthanovla. Lukhiel is not happy because he does not dare to duel. Excalibur is dangerous, and Arthur himself is not a weak man. But that was not the reason that made him unhappy and worried.
What Lukhiel is worried about is the presence of Athrecia. Although Arthur IV had already said Athrecia would not interfere, Lukhiel was not sure he could believe it. The witch will definitely interfere when Arthur is about to lose. Or perhaps, the woman had done something that made Arthur certain to win.
Lukhiel let out a long sigh and created two wind swords in hand. “I cannot give an answer before I try your own strength,” he said firmly—prana out of his body and caused a wave of wind that hit in all directions. “You are whenever you are ready.”
Arthur laughed loudly. Then turned to the witch and firmly said, “Make sure you don't interfere, Athrecia.”
After that the king darted forward with a body layered with sparks. The entire Western Continent knew that Arthur IV Pendragon was one of the best fire element users on the continent. So, Lukhiel was not surprised when suddenly the king spewed fire in such a massive intensity from his mouth.
Lukhiel did not let the fire get close. He immediately gushed a high-pressure wind from his mouth. The wind split the fire from the king into two halves, and the two halves of the fire smoothly shot to the left and right of the demon. However, Arthur has disappeared from sight. The wind never hit the king.
The devil does not need to ask for the king's whereabouts. He felt the threat from behind. Arthur uses his fire to trick Lukhiel into darting behind him without him seeing. The king released a threatening slash.
However, Lukhiel is a high-level demon who is full of experience. He had adopted the technique of fighting with two swords after decades of encountering swordsmen. Therefore, Arthur's attack did not surprise him. He quickly performed a twisting slash and successfully blocked the powerful swing of the king's sword.
“Golden‒”
The sword that Lukhiel was blocking instantly shimmered.
“‒Radiance!”
A golden-colored energy instantly shot out from the sword and destroyed whatever was before it. It was fortunate that Lukhiel managed to dodge first by bending his body into the air. Otherwise, the energy that even the barrier partially destroyed (which Athrecia instantly repaired) would have left his body in shreds. From the air, Lukhiel could clearly see the destruction that the energy slash caused.
Arthur IV did not let Lukhiel land.
The king, with fire gushing out from both his legs, darted rapidly upwards while swinging the sword violently. Lukhiel could anticipate the incoming attack, his wind sword again blocked Excalibur. However, in contrast to before, Lukhiel's wind sword broke. But the devil can avoid the slash by banging Arthur with a wave of wind.
Lukhiel doesn't stop there either. He swooped down sharply after the king. This time he started using his Devil Curse.
Lukhiel can raise the temperature of anything he touches. However, because it is troublesome if you have to touch the enemy in order to take advantage of the Devil Curse, Lukhiel combines the Devil Curse with the wind element. That is how Lukhiel can spit out a wind so hot that it is able to melt steel and other metals.
The hot wind of Lukhiel forced Arthur IV to use his spirit power. Before the hot wind could touch and scorch the king's body, a rapid surge of energy drove everything away from him. Lukhiel, who was about to slash Arthur's neck, crashed, but he was able to land.
“I won't hold back, and we won't have to waste time either. Fasting in the eternal heat, Flame King Erestheral!”
Immediately, a wave of blue flames like a rolling tsunami instantly propagated in all directions trying to fill the barrier. The heat of the fire melted the surface of the ground, in an instant the ground flushed into glowing lava. A blue flame filled the entire barrier; there was no gap he had not touched.
The only reason why Lukhiel is still fine is because he has also stopped holding back.
He used the Devil Curse on himself. His body was extremely hot, hotter than the blue flames that filled the barrier. The wind swords in both of his hands were until they were whitening and glowing brightly. Lukhiel's body had become so hot that whatever— except his own clothes were also as hot as his body—whom he touched would become ashes.
The blue flame vanished slowly, revealing the figure of Arthur who had been clad in a blue flame robe. His hair had even lit up like burnt paper. He did not stand on the lava, but drifted in the same way as Lukhiel. And like Lukhiel, Arthur's body also emitted a great heat.
“Majulah, Primordial Demon Lucider. Show me your strength as one of the eight strongest demons!”
...—End of Chapter 6—...