Chapter 35: Aura Of Darkness

Whoosh-!

The sound of air being sliced, followed by a cascade of sword strikes.

A longsword imbued with a sharp, azure aura grazed past my hair.

Ssshhhk!

And then came the thrust.

The sharp tip of the blade aimed to pierce my heart, but I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding it, and swung the longsword in my hand horizontally.

Whoosh-

Thunk!

I aimed for his head in one swift motion, but Gawain raised his azure-aura sword to block it.

At the same time, a heavy sound erupted.

Even though it was just swords clashing, it sounded like a shield being struck.

‘Tsk. Damn, he’s tough.’

After the semifinal match with Luke, time passed.

Now, in the long-awaited finals, I found myself facing Gawain as expected, and I clicked my tongue lightly at his steel-like defense.

Since Justia had advanced to the finals of the mage division, I planned to take care of Gawain as per the strategy.

But this bastard Gawain.

He must have taken some seriously good drugs because his mana capacity had increased significantly.

Thanks to that, even after the match started, I still hadn’t been able to break through his aura.

Feeling frustrated, I was contemplating whether to just use my aura when he increased his speed and began pouring on the attacks.

Boom! Clang! Clang! Clang!

“You’re still holding back your aura? You must be quite confident. But how long do you think that attitude will last?”

“You talk a lot during a duel. Does taking drugs make you this noisy?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

At my remark about him using drugs, Gawain’s expression stiffened.

This bastard, trying to play innocent.

In the original story, Gawain also took an awakening potion to steal the title of Sword Saint from Friedrich and participated in the Sword Demon Festival.

He probably thought that by increasing his mana, he could stand against a Sword Master.

But there’s one thing they misunderstood.

Simply increasing mana doesn’t make you a Sword Master.

This principle is similar to how, even though my mana surged after awakening my traits, I still haven’t reached the level of a Grand Master.

In the end, to reach that level, what’s important is the so-called “enlightenment.”

At that moment, while we were locked in a clash of swords, Gawain spoke to me.

“May I ask you something?”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Why are you so intent on hiding your identity?”

“That’s something I can’t tell you.”

“I see. That’s what I expected.”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As if he didn’t expect an answer, Gawain immediately unleashed a storm of aura.

Seriously.

I have to deal with you in front of all these people, why would I reveal my identity?

Well, if it gets exposed, there’s nothing I can do.

But I should at least try to hide it.

In the relentless storm of azure sword strikes, I glanced at the nobles watching from the stands.

Curiosity, surprise, confusion—each face showed a different emotion.

Among them, Albireo, who knew my true identity, was openly displaying his anger.

Friedrich showed a faint curiosity.

The Emperor was watching the match with an expressionless face.

The Emperor of the Empire, Aragod.

Did he know that the fates of Justia and Albireo were about to be decided?

One of them would soar closer to the sun.

The other would fall like Icarus, who lost his wings.

But as I continued to ponder while looking at the stands, I noticed something strange.

‘Where did the Tower Lord go?’

Tower Lord Bahamut Wizardros.

The archmage who had used spatial isolation magic in the tournament corridor.

I couldn’t see him anywhere.

The finals were happening, and yet this old man was nowhere to be seen.

What could he be doing?

It’s unsettling… but I can’t exactly spread my senses to look for him during the match.

Just as this strange unease was creeping up my spine, a crescent-shaped aura from Gawain shot towards my side.

Boom!

“Hoo. You’re blocking this too.”

“You didn’t think I’d fall for that, did you?”

“True. It seems ordinary attacks won’t work. Then I’ll pour all my power into this one.”

Whoooosh-

After creating some distance, Gawain gave a brief warning and explosively increased his mana.

The air trembled from the vast amount of mana.

The shaking reached the stands, and the audience’s faces showed tension.

‘…This is dangerous.’

I watched as Gawain’s azure armor began to emit a dazzling light and tightened my grip on my sword.

Had he been holding back his full power until now, saving it for a duel with Friedrich?

As Gawain showed signs of preparing something big, the audience held their breath and focused their attention.

It seems now is not the time to worry about the Tower Lord.

I guess I’ll have to get a bit more serious.

To subdue him, I raised my foot and then slammed it down forcefully.

Groooowl!

[Using Authority.]

[The target resists.]

‘Damn. It’s not working.’

The intense wave of mana I sent out dispersed as soon as it reached Gawain.

Even Luke blocked it in the semifinals.

I guess it doesn’t work on someone of the Knight Commander’s level?

As I swallowed my disappointment, Gawain raised his sword and suddenly slammed it into the ground.

Crack!

“Hyah!”

With a shout, Gawain charged at me.

Then, like a hammer striking, he brought his sword down in rapid succession.

Boom! Crash!

‘Damn it…!’

The relentless barrage of attacks seemed aimed not at me, but at my sword.

Could it be?

Did this crazy bastard decide to shatter my sword?

I tried to create some distance to regroup, but Gawain stubbornly followed, swinging his sword.

Boom! Crash! Crash!

“You thought your sword could hold out without an aura?!”

Gawain shouted as if he had found my weakness.

I can’t just take this lying down.

I increased my speed and aimed for his vital points, but the azure aura covering his body deflected my sword.

Twang!

‘Damn it.’

How much did this sword cost, and it’s not even making a dent?

His aura was disgustingly tough.

Eventually, as Gawain continued his relentless assault, cracks began to form on my sword.

Crack.

The sword was on the verge of breaking.

He must have noticed it too.

He increased his speed even more and poured on the attacks.

Boom! Crash! Crash! Crash!

Gawain was relentless, like a beast that had sunk its teeth into its prey.

As I infused my sword with mana and barely held on, I looked at his face.

He was so serious, not saying a word, just silently swinging his sword, but his expression showed the anticipation of a soldier nearing victory.

Did he think he could kill me soon?

Then, the sword began to slowly crack.

Crack.

‘Damn it.’

I thought it would last until the end of the Sword Demon Festival.

But in the end, the difference between having an aura and not having one was absolute.

I tried to stabilize the sword with mana, but with each clash, more thin cracks appeared on the blade.

‘Sigh.’

A difficult situation.

If this continues, I’ll have to risk revealing my identity and use my aura.

As I was lost in thought, trying to make a decision, the faces of two women in the audience caught my eye like stars.

A golden-haired girl looking at me with worry and a sharp-featured beauty with a fierce expression.

Justia and Elda.

People close to me.

People who believe in me.

The heroines I vowed to protect.

Seeing their faces, my hesitation vanished.

‘Right.’

There’s only one choice for me now.

I’ll deal with the fallout of revealing my identity later.

I can’t show them a shameful display now.

After making my decision, as the sound of Gawain mechanically swinging his sword echoed in my ears.

In front of tens of thousands of spectators, I imbued the mana flowing through my body with a certain will.

Whoooosh-

“!”

Gawain, realizing what I was about to do, increased his speed to the limit.

At the same time, his azure armor shone even brighter.

In a situation where a single mistake could end the match, I wished for it.

The power to turn this situation around in an instant.

A sharp blade that could cut through the azure aura before me.

Zzzzzzz.

Then, a dark aura began to flicker on the crumbling longsword.

This is the aura of severance.

I will wield the brush to draw a black line across the world.

The line I draw will cut through anything.

Even space.

Even the enemy’s world.

“Finally revealing your true identity, Duke!”

As I drew out the dark aura, Gawain’s voice echoed loudly through the arena.

His sudden revelation of my identity caused chaos among the audience.

Nobles who had heard of the dark aura that could cut through anything stood up from their seats.

With all eyes in the arena focused on me, I further fueled the aura on my sword.

Creak.

The sword, having reached its limit, made a strange noise.

This sword’s life was about to end.

I had to finish him with a single strike.

But as I prepared for that final blow, Gawain, sensing the sword’s impending demise, poured all his remaining strength into a final azure aura strike.

“This is the end!”

Whoooosh-!

The world drawn by the piercing azure aura.

Thanks to the drug, his mana had significantly increased, and the range was vast.

But.

No matter how strong a fortress is, if you cut through space, there’s no defense.

‘Farewell, Gawain Calinant.’

The shield that protected Albireo.

The azure fortress I had to destroy to kill him.

Towards that towering fortress.

I drew a long line with the black brush.

A deafening ringing in the ears.

At the same time, the dark aura cut through space.

And Gawain’s world was split in two.