Chapter 295
Chris nodded.
Unlike usual, he had no intention of provoking his opponent.
“That’s right.”
“You’re just a fledgling.”
“!!”
It wasn’t a taunt.
He truly believed it.
There was that much of a gap between the Demon Sword King and Chris.
“You’re not on my level.”
“…”
“I had hoped you’d be a new hero, but you came here for nothing. This is troublesome. Slaying a rookie like you would only damage my reputation. Still, since you’ve come all this way, you can’t just turn back now.”
The Demon Sword King slowly glanced around.
“Maybe I should just kill everyone here.”
“!!”
His voice was cold and indifferent, devoid of any malice.
Yet that made it feel all the more sincere.
To the Demon Sword King, wiping out everyone present was no different than crushing ants underfoot.
“You’ve wasted my time, so you should pay the price.”
Everyone stiffened, gripping their swords tightly.
The Holy Knights drew their blades, forming a protective circle around the Sacred King.
‘No wonder they call him the Demon Slayer,’ Chris thought, shaking his head.
During the Age of Ruin, the Demon Sword King had sided with the Bloodthirsty Demon Lord, shedding countless allied lives.
So much so that the alliance later dubbed him not the Demon Sword King, but the Demon Slayer.
Just as the tension reached a breaking point, the Demon Sword King shook his head.
“Enough. I’ll leave. Consider yourselves lucky. If not for an important event at my home base, none of you would have survived.”
An unexpected statement.
It seemed he wanted to avoid conflict, likely because he planned to strike at the Dark Alliance soon.
With the Sacred King present, any bloodshed here could spark an all-out war with the Holy Empire.
As everyone exhaled in relief, Chris stepped forward.
“Stop.”
“!!”
Everyone’s eyes widened as Chris fearlessly grabbed the Demon Sword King’s foot.
“What is this?”
“Didn’t you agree to a duel with me? Are you backing out now?”
The Demon Sword King burst into laughter.
“Ha ha ha!!”
A chill ran down everyone’s spines.
Though it was just laughter, it felt like a blade slicing through their souls.
His eyes gleamed with a sinister light.
“Don’t you realize I’ve shown you great mercy? Since it’s come to this, I’ll take your head. Even if you’re beneath me, a hero is still a hero. Your head will liven up the drinking party nicely.”
A figure stepped forward.
“I’ll handle this, Lord.”
A young man with a sharp gaze.
Chris recognized him.
‘That’s Akhen, the Demon Sword Clan’s notorious fiend. A prodigy who rose quickly to the clan’s core.’
He was infamous for more than just battlefield kills—he’d slaughtered civilians for sport.
A man who must be killed at the first opportunity.
“Very well. You may proceed.”
“Thank you.”
Akhen drew his sword.
Clang!
“Just when I was irritated by some annoying Dark Clan pest, this works out perfectly.”
“…”
“Prepare yourself. I won’t be merciful.”
The ‘annoying Dark Clan pest’ was clearly Chris.
Akhen, a promising young talent of the Demon Sword Clan, seemed bothered by Chris’s rising reputation.
“Wait, I have a question for the Demon Sword King first.”
“Enough nonsense…”
“You’re the one who should shut up, little pest. I’m speaking to the Demon Sword King.”
“!!”
Akhen snapped shut his mouth, overwhelmed by an unexplainable pressure.
“What is it?”
“Will you honor the duel you promised if I defeat this man?”
“Fine.”
“There’s more. Promise me that no matter what blood is spilled during the duel, you’ll accept the outcome like a true demon.”
“!!”
Chris meant that no one would hold the other responsible for death in the duel.
The Demon Sword King chuckled dryly.
“This hero has quite the confidence. Do as you wish.”
Akhen’s face flushed red.
Shriiing!
He drew his sword, and a chilling wail echoed.
It was Demon Sword Technique.
A unique art of the Demon Sword Clan that traps the grudges of the slain in the blade to amplify its power.
But that wasn’t all.
Fwoosh!
A cold indigo aura flared.
Even those far away felt their hairs stand on end.
“I’ll kill you!!”
With the wail, a surge of indigo-black energy rushed forward.
Pat-pat-pat!
Countless blades rained down on Chris.
A chain attack fueled by spiritual energy.
A perfect blend of strength and swordsmanship, Chris was deftly dodging and weaving through the onslaught.
But—
‘If this were before, I’d be worried.’
Chris smirked.
For reference, Akhen’s rank was six stars.
An impressive level, but unfortunately, far below Chris’s.
Chris was no longer on the same playing field as a mere ‘rookie’ like this.
‘How should I handle this…’
In an instant, a flood of counterattack options flashed through his mind.
He chose the one with the most impact.
Swish.
He drew his sword and aimed at the incoming black energies.
But something surprising happened.
He didn’t draw on any mana at all.
It was as if he were sparring casually.
“What?!”
“Why no mana? That’s dangerous!”
Observers from the alliance gasped.
Akhen frowned.
He couldn’t understand Chris’s behavior.
But he didn’t raise his guard further.
He thought it foolish.
‘A so-called hero? What a fool.’
Fwoosh!
The black energies surged forward.
Suddenly, something strange happened.
Whoosh.
Chris stepped forward lightly.
A simple move, but the distance closed in a flash, and the black energies veered off strangely, dissipating.
A breathtakingly precise footwork.
‘Trickery…!’
Akhen roared in frustration and unleashed an even more powerful chain of spiritual attacks.
At that moment, Chris’s sword sliced through the air.
It wasn’t fast or strong.
It fluttered like a butterfly’s wings.
Yet again, something astonishing occurred.
That fluttering strike oddly dodged the surging black energies and struck straight for Akhen’s neck.
If this continued, Akhen’s head would be severed before the black energies could reach him.
“!!”
Akhen hastily withdrew his sword to block, but the same thing happened again.
He tried to unleash his spiritual attacks repeatedly, but each time Chris’s simple movements nullified them.
Finally—
“Isn’t your basics too weak? Is this the famed Demon Sword Clan’s swordsmanship?”
“!!”
As Akhen’s eyes widened, shing—
Chris’s blade sliced clean through Akhen’s neck.
“Ugh?”
Akhen’s face showed disbelief.
“The Demon Sword Clan’s skills are nothing special.”
“Th-this…”
Akhen tried to speak but was too late.
He collapsed, and the hall fell into silence.
To defeat a high-ranking demon of the Demon Sword Clan without using any mana shocked everyone.
All eyes turned to Chris.
“Well? Do you think you’re worthy to face me now?”
“…”
The Demon Sword King’s face hardened coldly as he stepped down from his palanquin.
It was an affirmation.
“If that’s your wish, I’ll kill you.”
“Oh dear. Didn’t this guy just say something similar? Is the Demon Sword Clan actually the Bluff Sword Clan?”
“…”
As expected, the Demon Sword King showed no reaction to the provocation.
Only his gaze darkened further.
His pores seemed to ripple with cold energy.
Feeling a shiver creeping up, Chris smiled faintly.
“Come then.”
Flash!
The duel finally began.
The conditions were clear.
No magic or mana—only pure swordsmanship.
The Demon Sword King kept his word.
He faced Chris using only his sword, without drawing on any energy.
But—
‘Damn. He’s filthy strong.’
Chris twisted his lips.
Now he understood why the Demon Sword King confidently accepted a pure sword duel.
His swordsmanship alone was formidable.
Strong enough to cut down most demons or knights like insects.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
Flash!
A sword slashed through the air.
No spiritual energy, no miracles.
Yet it was even more threatening.
A single line, yet Chris couldn’t move.
Clang!
Chris barely blocked and stepped back.
“You’re more like a rat than a hero.”
“Still, you’re not bad.”
Chris’s retort made the Demon Sword King frown.
But inwardly, he was surprised.
Few could block his sword like this.
“I trained hard to lock you away in Purgatory.”
Chris smiled slyly.
For reference, Purgatory was the deepest prison in the Holy Empire.
Chris planned to imprison the Demon Sword King there if he won.
‘Killing him outright risks all-out war. Better to keep him captive. To control the Triangular Alliance as I see fit.’
Of course, that was if he won.
Flash!
Another sword strike came.
Chris focused all his attention to block, and the tense battle continued.
“You’re no match.”
“The hero’s swordsmanship is impressive, but…”
The onlookers shook their heads.
The hero’s swordsmanship was indeed excellent.
Among everyone here, except for Sir Aslan, the Radiant Blade of the Karn Empire, no one could confidently say they could face the hero in swordsmanship.
But the opponent was just too formidable.
Just as the Ghost Sword King had said earlier, the gap in skill was overwhelming.
“W-what do we do?” Ruina whispered urgently to Evan, who was standing nearby.
“At this rate, that bastard… no, the hero is going to die!”
“It’s fine. I trust him.”
“Trust him? Are you kidding? There’s no way he can win! Even if your eyes are crooked, there’s a limit to how crooked they can be!”
Lady Istanya nodded in agreement beside her.
“From what I see, things don’t look good. Are we just going to stand here and watch?”
She spoke as if ready to intervene if necessary.
But Evan’s reaction was still baffling.
“It’s alright. He will win.”
“No, what are you talking about? Win? I’ve been wondering this for a while—are you really that blind?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Sir Evan is crazy. That guy’s the only one who’s lost his mind here.”
When Istanya and Ruina expressed their disbelief, Evan frowned.
“Look closely. Watch Kris right now.”
All they saw was Kris being pushed back relentlessly.
But then—
“He hasn’t once lowered his sword. Not even once. Despite the huge difference in skill.”
“!!”
Only then did Istanya’s expression change.
She realized something was off.
Though Kris seemed to be overwhelmed, not a single scratch had appeared on him.
And more than that—
As they exchanged blows, the flow of the duel was subtly shifting, little by little.