For a moment, the battlefield fell silent.
A horrifying monster, forged by fusing countless knights into a single, grotesque mass.
Six members of the Ten Strong.
And dozens of knights endlessly connected to them.
When they began to fight, no one else dared even approach.
Everything else faded into insignificance.
The crack of thunder, the roar of explosions, the tearing of the air—these sounds echoed relentlessly.
“To think humans could reach that level…”
Someone murmured.
Everyone watching shared the same thought.
Could humans really become that strong?
Sure, that monster was a creation of dark magic, so it made sense. But the others—fighting on equal footing with the enemy—were also human. It was almost unbelievable.
Especially the fierce whirlwinds that occasionally surged like natural disasters.
No one doubted that those were Yuri Briol’s techniques, pushing back the enemy whenever their allies were in danger.
Watching Briol, the war prince, charging at the monstrous creature without a care for his own life, narrowly dodging every attack and plunging his sword into the enemy’s flesh, someone whispered.
“The God of War…”
One who had never been defeated.
And now, facing an enemy with no chance of victory, displaying an absurd level of power.
The God of War.
Yuri Briol felt like the very incarnation of war the world had sent to save humanity.
A ripple of awe spread.
“God of War… a fitting nickname.”
Hernando, watching the battle, nodded.
He recalled the past, when he’d lost money to a young third prince at a gambling table, stunned and speechless.
Everything had started then.
“He’s the one chosen by the mage of the Celestial Mandate. He had to be this strong.”
Yuri Briol had no luck.
No fate.
No predetermined destiny.
Instead, the course of the world shifted because of his actions.
Hernando lifted his gaze.
He could see beyond the physical realm.
Most of the world was shrouded in darkness. But at some point, the sky began to brighten.
The source of the light wasn’t east or west. The dawn was beginning right here.
Hernando called out to his lord.
“Yuri Briol.”
Though he addressed him formally, in his heart he always thought of him as a younger brother.
When this battle ended, he might no longer be Briol’s mage—and then, perhaps, he could speak freely.
Blocked by dispel magic, unable to help, he felt frustrated.
Clenching his fist, Hernando sent his resolve.
“Go. You are the master of the Celestial Mandate.”
At that moment, Yuri fought as if in a trance.
When this battle ended, his long ordeal would finally reach its conclusion.
Cedric awaited him in Zbeta. Killing him would set everything right, and the long journey would be over.
Just a little more.
Just a little longer.
His soul blade responded to his will, flowing endlessly like a river, and the sharp blue aura of his sword sliced through the enemy’s gaps.
“Uwaaah!”
Donchichi, once a coward, now fully consumed by dark magic, charged forward despite bleeding profusely.
If so, death was all he would receive.
A swirling pattern appeared over Guilty.
His vision technique, the “Spinning Whirlwind Sword,” no longer required any delay to activate.
Once he willed it, the wind rose.
His sword energy expanded on its own, creating an infinite fractal structure, spinning like a whirlpool of gears, tearing into the enemy like a wolf.
Blood splattered again from Donchichi’s body.
Yuri’s mastery continued to rise even now.
Like a ship riding the wind, he couldn’t even guess how far he could go.
But he felt no fear.
This wasn’t enough to kill Cedric.
“Yuri Briol!”
Suddenly, a voice called out.
“Can you hear me now?”
It was Loran, who was blocking Dansocheon’s sword.
“Why?”
“Are you sane?”
“Huh?”
“Just asking.”
“Yeah, I’m sane.”
“Good.”
He must have been worried seeing Yuri fight like a man possessed.
Yuri smirked. There was no time for smiles in such a fierce battle, but he had the luxury now.
If needed, he could narrow this moment even further.
Narrow it down, creating a tiny instant.
And in that gap, he would strike the enemy.
Suddenly changing direction, Yuri intercepted the hidden Dansocheon.
In that instant, his form was revealed.
A look of surprise.
“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to?”
“You…”
“You’re supposed to be a Celestial Demon, right?”
Yuri reached out. With a simple grab of the collar, Dansocheon couldn’t resist—Yuri had stolen his rhythm.
Yuri pulled him close and drove his knee into his abdomen.
Dansocheon spat blood.
“Ugh!”
At the same time, a chill ran down Yuri’s neck—a blade was plunging down.
Dansocheon exploded his inner energy, pushing Yuri back.
Yuri Briol lost his balance.
Taking advantage, Dansocheon rolled away.
“You’re in a state of selflessness, aren’t you?”
“I know exactly who I am.”
“Impressive. Truly impressive.”
Yuri spoke without stopping, chasing after Dansocheon, who was desperately fleeing.
“To think someone could grow this strong this fast.”
“Everyone who dies to me says the same thing.”
“But!”
Dansocheon spread his hands.
A sinister energy burst forth.
“Now that the Dark Angel’s Seal is broken, you can never defeat us!”
A palm-shaped energy wave shot toward Yuri’s chest.
A deadly attack.
Yuri considered several ways to respond.
Then chose the one he thought best.
He abandoned Dansocheon and twisted his body, charging straight at the monster.
Dansocheon’s attack sliced through empty air.
“Yuri Briol!”
“See you later!”
Yuri’s vision encompassed the entire battlefield. He didn’t fixate on a single opponent. At every moment, he moved to where he could deal the greatest damage, swinging his sword.
He saw Francesco dodging the monster’s attacks, rolling on the ground to strike at its legs.
“Lord Francesco!”
“Right!”
“Draw its attention!”
Francesco looked around uncertainly, then simply swung his sword energy wide, circling the monster and attacking its ankles.
His sword energy slashed wildly.
The monster’s gaze dropped downward.
Meanwhile, Yuri soared high into the sky.
For a moment, his body overlapped with the sun above, casting a massive shadow below.
The chaotic power drawn from his soul blade pushed him forward.
At a speed exceeding gravitational acceleration, Yuri plunged down onto the monster’s head.
Guilty pierced the monster’s skull.
Yuri instinctively unleashed the Spinning Whirlwind Sword again.
Inside the monster’s head, a fierce vortex tore through, shredding flesh and bone beneath its thick skin with grotesque sounds.
But still, it did not die.
This monster was an unnatural being, constantly regenerating.
Yuri continued to weaken it, searching for a way to kill it at its core, entering the realm of the soul.
In a world glowing pure white, the monster’s form shone black.
The concentration of dark magic was thicker than any enemy he had ever faced.
Yuri muttered.
“You’ve really made it, Wayne.”
Back when they were in the alliance army, they were comrades. They even cooperated under Commander Ragna.
Those were good times.
He bore no personal grudge against Wayne.
Just as you don’t blame firewood for the flames that burn it.
He only sought the true culprit who lit the fire.
Dark magic.
And Cedric.
Because of that bastard, Wayne, a knight of the empire, had become this hideous creature, harming the world against his will.
Yuri landed and stepped back, murmuring.
“So then, what about you?”
Raising his sword, he swung.
Dansocheon, suddenly appearing from thin air, aimed at Yuri.
“Dansocheon, whose side are you on?”
Their swords tangled wildly.
Yuri’s speed matched Dansocheon’s perfectly. They exchanged fierce blows with no advantage to either.
Yuri spoke again.
“Are you bewitched by Cedric, or do you follow him of your own will?”
“Foolish. Do you think this Celestial Demon can be controlled?”
“Then?”
“Through Cedric, I have seen the sky beyond the sky. I have decided to cross that sky with him.”
“Haha…”
Yuri nodded.
“If there’s a sky beyond the sky, isn’t there another beyond that?”
“What are you saying?”
“Height and depth mean nothing.”
His Guilty hummed.
The immense chaos within began to take shape.
In the world of the very small, anything can happen.
So size doesn’t matter.
No matter what monsters lurk beyond the universe, no matter their power.
They will be cut down.
“I will shatter that delusion.”
Yuri suddenly accelerated.
Dansocheon, caught off guard, wore a blank expression.
“Where?”
With every moment, Yuri was changing.
He had already crossed the line.
Right now, he was just taking a moment to adjust.
His mind and body had surpassed their limits, transforming to match the realm of the sword.
The more this happened, the stronger and faster Yuri became.
Even Danso Cheon was struggling to keep up.
“This is impossible…”
Suddenly noticing Yuri stabbing at his back, Danso Cheon spun around. He barely managed to block the strike, but a long cut appeared on his sword.
“What is he? Human? How is this possible without the help of the Dark Angel Secretary?”
“What? You want me to say that again? I already told Wayne.”
Yuri kicked out, knocking Danso Cheon to the ground, then drove his knee into his face.
Blood spurted as Danso Cheon fell backward.
Yuri immediately brought his sword down.
Danso Cheon rolled on the ground to dodge—a move called the “Lazy Donkey Roll” in martial arts, considered humiliating.
His face flushed red.
“Damn it!”
Swearing, Danso Cheon struggled to regain his stance.
“I won’t forgive you…”
He raised his sword and pushed his Heavenly Demon Divine Skill to its peak.
But Yuri was nowhere to be seen.
Startled, Danso Cheon glanced around, expecting Yuri to appear behind him again.
“Hey, where are you?!”
But Yuri had already abandoned him and was back fighting Don Chichi. Danso Cheon had been tense, preparing for an enemy that wasn’t there.
Jose, watching from the side, covered his mouth and snickered.
Danso Cheon, furious, lunged at Jose.
“I’ll kill you too!”
“Looks like you’re embarrassed, huh?”
“Shut up!”
“So, you’re from the East, right? Let’s have a match!”
The two clashed.
Though Yuri had overwhelmed him, Danso Cheon was no easy opponent. Jose was pushed back, and despite his counterattacks, he was cut across the side by a strange technique he’d never seen before.
A sinister energy, similar to dark magic, radiated from Danso Cheon in waves.
“You little punk from the East, you don’t even deserve to meet my eyes!”
Danso Cheon unleashed the full force of his Heavenly Demon Divine Skill, executing the secret demonic martial art, Asura Sky-Shattering Palm.
A palm-shaped energy blast exploded forward.
“Damn…”
Jose couldn’t react in time.
An overwhelming force was hurtling toward him.
If it hit, he’d be killed or seriously injured.
Then—
“Isn’t it a bit much to lie about there being no one from the East?”
With that voice, someone suddenly appeared in front of Jose.
The back of the figure was familiar.
“You’re nothing but trash treated like filth in the East.”
It was Moyong Chan.
The one who had been injured fighting on the Liberta front had returned.
Danso Cheon’s eyes widened.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Me?”
Moyong Chan smiled slyly.
“If you were from the East, a lowly demon like you wouldn’t even dare meet the eyes of an exorcist like me.”