77. Dream Nightmare Fusion Monster (3000 words)
First, by exploiting the grand wizard—an orc who had been “expelled from the Austro-Hungarian tribe due to the exposure of his conspiracy”—and his resentment towards the chieftain, she informed him of the chieftain’s identity, prompting him to come running, eager to expose the chieftain and then usurp his position, “turning the tide.”
Immediately, as the furious orcs would inevitably take him to face the Great Chieftain’s judgment once more, he appeared, shattering the Great Chieftain’s disguise with absolute power, revealing the true form of the Great Chieftain of the Austro-Hungarian tribe—Zelus.
This was reminiscent of the tactics used against Adev in the Kingdom of Pruliss, and it was even swifter; it had already begun on the very night the Grand Sorcerer made a grand entrance. Unfortunately, perhaps even Ludwig himself could not have anticipated that when the colossal sword cleaved through the Great Chieftain’s shadow, what he saw was not the half-breed Zelus, but… the attack was completely intercepted by Kephiel!
Moreover, this also exposed the sole weakness in Ludwig’s approach—at the moment she intended to personally unveil Zelus’s disguise, she, Ludwig, would inevitably appear! This time, you can no longer escape our sight, Miss Sword Saint! And this was the plan that Kephiel and I hastily devised upon arriving at the Austro-Hungarian tribe; every element was indispensable—myself, Kephiel, the two orc brothers, and even Zelus, who finally agreed to our demands at the last moment!
Although the crisis had yet to be resolved, a flash of emerald light darted out in the blink of an eye, slipping into the throng of orcs while they stood there, oblivious.
[Magnus hides among the orcs, attempting to sabotage Icarus!]
My mission is not over yet, Kephiel, that elven Sword Saint, you may have to handle this alone for now.
I glanced at Kephiel, who was already chasing after Ludwig, then quickly snapped back to reality; I had just evaded an elven Sword Saint, but there was still a dangerous fairy left here!
At this moment, on the other side.
Although everything unfolded much as Euclid had imagined, when Ludwig swung her sword down and discovered that the person hiding in the Great Chieftain’s shadow was herself, the lazy yet surprised expression on her face indeed confirmed her astonishment. However…
Kephiel did not feel that sense of “victory”; even as she pursued Ludwig, who was now starting to “flee,” she gradually began to sense something: rather than fleeing, Ludwig was… actively avoiding the areas where the orcs were gathered. In other words…
“You did this on purpose!?”
Stopping in her tracks, Kephiel asked coldly!
It was at this moment that Kephiel realized: their full-speed chase had already strayed far from the direction of the Great Chieftain’s temple, leading them to a deeper place where no orcs could possibly be found.
Fear was out of the question; after all, what Kephiel was focused on was how to defeat the “Sword Saint” before her with all her might. More than proving her own strength, it was about eliminating the danger she posed. However, after she spoke, Ludwig, who had stopped and turned around, uttered strange words that made Kephiel feel anything but at ease.
“Well~ something like that~ after all, while you were looking for me, I was also thinking of ways to find you, Kephiel.”
Turning around, Ludwig yawned, “I get a bit stage fright when surrounded by a crowd, so it seems I can only truly confirm your ‘sharpness’ in an environment like this. Our battle shouldn’t be observed by incompetent weaklings; that would be such a hassle…”
Kephiel had her sights set on Ludwig, but… it seemed Ludwig had her sights set on her as well! However, this time was different from the previous instances of interference! Kephiel would not make mistakes again, nor did she intend to hesitate! After exerting various fairy powers, her body would definitely hold up this time!
The power of ice clung to the sword’s body, the force of lightning surged forth, and under the night sky, the power of moonlight filled the air. Perhaps sensing Ludwig’s presence, the moon fairy did not hesitate to grant her strength.
This time, Ludwig did not hesitate at all; she immediately transformed the colossal sword in her hand into a pair of great swords to meet the challenge! Her lazy demeanor shifted, becoming one of unprecedented “spirit” and “excitement”!
“Ah… indeed, indeed, Kephiel, as long as that man isn’t a concern, you can become incredibly powerful, can’t you!?”
“!”
Kephiel didn’t think too much about it; after all… the more she listened to the temptations of this fairy, the more she would fall into her trap! She was merely a “Sword Saint,” but… relying on the combination of her martial prowess and magic, she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage! As long as she could effectively wield the fairy’s power, even a Sword Saint could…
“No matter what kind of power, it can be mastered. No matter what style of combat, it can be learned. You… are just like ‘us’… Clearly, you’re not a fairy; how strange.”
“Stop rambling! Don’t lump me in with you!”
Ludwig, who had retreated and leaped back, had already decided to use the stolen power of the Moon Fairy, even avoiding a direct confrontation with her dual swords!
Was she… backing down!? But Kephiel wouldn’t hesitate; she charged straight into danger! The moonlight sweeping from Ludwig’s dual swords was indeed as fierce as a raging torrent, and she inevitably bore some wounds, but…
After evading with the fairy’s power and knocking Ludwig down from mid-air, Kephiel was convinced that the injuries this fairy had sustained were far more severe than her own!
【Boom】
Ludwig’s body crashed into the stone pillars that served as decorations near the temple, and amidst the ruins, she leaned against the crumbling walls, collapsed before the pillars. Her hair was disheveled, her maid outfit tattered beyond recognition, and one of her dual swords had slipped from her grasp, while the other bore a jagged, uneven edge, the power of moonlight unable to be contained, scattering everywhere.
Though she was aware of her own growth after mastering various fairy powers, the scene before her still left Kephiel in disbelief!
She was indeed tense, with various wounds on her body, but… had she won?
Had she… actually triumphed over the “miracle” spoken of by her elders—the legendary “Sword Saint,” one of the beings who had reached the ninth tier of sanctification?
The moment that thought emerged, Kephiel felt her grip on Alsace tremble slightly from excitement and tension, but now was not the time for wild imaginings.
Ogilid had always reminded her: whatever you do, remember to “finish off” your opponent. Simply put… even if you’ve won the battle, you must not hesitate or be careless, allowing your opponent a chance to strike back.
That’s right, the matter wasn’t over yet.
Gripping the magic sword Alsace tightly, Kephiel stepped forward, her sword pointed at the battered Ludwig, who lay before the pillar. Should she kill her? Or what? No, at least she should watch her, wait for Ogilid to arrive, and let him handle it!
However, just as that thought crossed her mind, Ludwig, who had been coughing a few times, suddenly lifted her head.
“Cough cough cough… Breathing in too much dust isn’t good for the lungs, you know? Honestly… But I’m still very happy, because: Kephiel, you’ve defeated me, Ludwig~ So decisive and clean, you used the fairy’s power splendidly. Combat… is all about using power without hesitation…”
A wave of… not-so-good feelings surged in Kephiel’s heart, an instinctive sense of crisis prompting her to step back a few paces! For, as a “stronger” individual, Kephiel sensed something!
“Ludwig, you’re still holding back!!?”
“Well, more or less. I originally wanted to create a bit of a show, you know, like having smoke without any harm or something. But you’re a lot smarter than I thought…”
Ludwig, with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his face covered in dust, and his maid outfit looking all “tattered,” seemed completely unfazed as he chatted with Kephiel about mundane matters.
“In human understanding, the ninth tier is already considered sanctified. Beyond that, it’s an unknown realm for them; they have no idea.”
“But in reality… power has no endpoint.”
“I remember I should have told you this the first time I met you.”
Struggling to stand, Ludwig’s massive sword suddenly shattered with a loud crack under the pressure of the cracks, causing him to stumble and nearly fall!
What—this powerful weapon of the elf, filled with the power of moonlight, has already been destroyed! What else does he want to do!?
“Honestly, it’s a bit pretentious. I’m just in this process of completely not finding an endpoint. I keep searching and searching, hoping for a worthy opponent who can show me powerful strength. Although I don’t really know what good it does, it seems like that’s what I’m meant to live for…”
“And you… Kephiel, you seem to have nearly touched the ‘peak’ that once existed in the minds of your kind. You indeed have… the qualifications to be someone I can ‘learn’ from.”
Letting out a long breath, Ludwig wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Wait… what was that just now!?
What Kephiel saw was that the hand Ludwig used to wipe the blood from his mouth… was not a hand!
It was something claw-like!
And right after that, the elf’s eyes began to change, as if something particularly disgusting, tentacle-like, suddenly sprouted from his waist, making Kephiel instinctively feel uncomfortable, even taking a step back.
But it wasn’t over; there were… wings!? Not just from his waist, but even sprouting from his ears… one! Strange, disgusting, as if some mischievous child had pieced together various monsters to create a fusion creature! Even her identity as an elf seemed to thin out under this appearance.
“Y-Your body…”
“Ah, this?”
Ludwig flashed a brilliant smile, extending his tongue to lick the blood from his face, a tongue… that only a snake would have.
“This is just something very ordinary. Hey, Kephiel.”
“Have you heard the legend of the ‘Saint’?”
Later, the color illustrations will be attached at the back, everyone remember to send some monthly tickets, okay~
Color Insert: Ludwig (Domain State)