Chapter 74: Olivia and Pector Part 2

The Radiant Sword is glowing on the western side of Karchem.

The demon army is flocking there, leaving only a few soldiers to block Ashtar at the front.

I have to take care of the flanks.

Who would have thought the Radiant Sword would act so recklessly? Charging through the side like that.

‘She hasn’t changed a bit. Am I the only one who’s different?’

“Thanks to that, I was able to infiltrate Karchem easily.”

Still, it felt a little too quiet.

If I had tried to sneak in alone and ended up using grand magic to deal with the demons, it would have inevitably drawn attention.

Might as well see the bright side.

Since the Radiant Sword showed up at just the right time, drawing all the attention, I can now focus on my duel with Pector.

Prince Aslan is probably in the underground prison.

With the Radiant Sword distracting the demon soldiers, the fool of a prince should use the opportunity to escape.

Of course, Pector will try to stop him.

I’ve explored the Empire enough to know where Karchem’s underground prison is located.

***

Not far away, voices echoed:

[Did you think I would simply let you kill me?]

[Though I fell victim to your schemes, I am Aslan von Armenia! The bloodline of the imperial family will not yield to darkness!]

[I, Raileur, will stand by the prince to the end!]

‘Yes, that’s the least I’d expect from a prince.’

‘I was planning to beat them to a pulp, but since they’re putting up a decent fight, I’ll go easy on them.’

‘Well, maybe just a little.’

‘Still, no matter how valiantly they fight, when Pector strikes, it’ll be over in a single blow.

‘Even Eugene barely manages to hold his own with a holy sword against him. How will they fare?’

I have no choice but to intervene in Pector’s fight.

Drawing upon sword magic, I channeled mana to create a blade.

There’s no turning back now.

As I approached the source of the voices, I saw Pector swinging his sword at Aslan in front of the prison.

That sword, capable of shattering everything in its path, could just as easily butcher a human.

Since I couldn’t let the prince die, I jumped in.

Clang!

I intercepted the blow with my mana-forged blade.

At the same time, I unleashed a burst of mana, pushing the prince and the others behind him far away from the immediate danger.

“Is that the Radiant Sword?”

“The Radiant Sword? No. That’s outside.

“Right now, it’s probably busy taking care of those blocking its path.”

Looking at this scene, I couldn’t help but feel a swell of emotion.

Unlike Noah’s previous body, this one reacted fiercely, trembling in anticipation of facing such a strong opponent for the first time.

Still, this might just work.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Pector, the Swordsman.”

Pector’s eyes widened in recognition as he stared at me for a brief moment.

“Ah, yes. It has been a long time, Noah.”

A faint smirk spread across his face beneath his helmet.

Clang!

Our swords clashed once, and the shock resonated through me.

I was still struggling to master the control of this body.

Barely holding my own, I almost lost the flow of my sword magic.

‘One exchange was manageable, but how much longer could I last?’

Without resorting to meteor magic or storms, I could still hold out by relying solely on sword magic.

If things got dire, I might have to use even the crudest spells to fight Pector.

‘Still, no use complaining.’

‘Battles like this build a strange sort of camaraderie.’

I flashed a grin at Pector.

“Didn’t think you’d come at me like this. You’ve gotten pretty aggressive, haven’t you?”

“You’ve become quite brash yourself.”

“Trying to kill the prince, though—that’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

“If I had been even a little late, he would have died.”

“Have you turned into a woman since we last met?”

‘Well, I can’t really argue with that.’

“Let’s just say dying once changes a person. But do we really need to bring up my past now?”

There was no point in going over it.

Standing here, I could feel it.

We recognized each other, Pector and I.

No matter what had changed, he was still Pector, and I was still Noah.

“That much is true. I can see it in your face—the same confident expression, even when you’d exhausted all your mana. You’re still Noah. There’s no need for long-winded explanations.

“You’re Noah. I’m Pector. What more needs to be said?”

“Though, I’m surprised you’re not throwing a fit after losing your master. Doesn’t seem like you’re angry.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Pector came at me with relentless force.

Clang! Clang! Clash!

His strikes were sharper than ever.

‘As expected, there’s no holding back with him. He’s devastating everything around us just to fight me head-on.’

“This is between you and me. Why bring the Demon Lord into this?”

‘That’s why I like you. Unlike the other Demon Lord’s generals, you’re straightforward and fight with honor.’

Not that there weren’t things worth pointing out.

I kept talking, though it was just to buy time.

[Magic Amplification]

[Mana Layering]

[Elemental Reinforcement]

I activated every spell I could to push my strength to its limit, even resorting to techniques that this mana-infused body didn’t really need.

“Still, taking the prince hostage and negotiating? Isn’t that a bit underhanded?”

“Sheltered flower. Sometimes, this is necessary to show why the Four Generals are considered disasters. Besides, didn’t you once capture one of our officers and use them to threaten the Demon Army?”

“That’s different.

“And you’re really overreaching, worrying about the Empire like this.”

Deflecting his upward strike, I countered.

Clang!

“You, on the other hand, seem fine. I’d think that body of yours would struggle under its weight, especially in the chest area.”

‘Now he’s just picking a fight.’

It seemed like today was the day Pector wanted to die.

The chest was cumbersome, sure, but in other areas, this body was lighter and allowed mana to flow more freely.

I clashed swords head-on, then activated teleportation, appearing above Pector and striking downward.

Clang!

As expected, he blocked it.

‘I’m the one at a disadvantage.’

‘This battle is full of restrictions.’

Karchem is a trade city.

Karchem is also close to Ashtar.

If Karchem gets destroyed, Ashtar will have to shoulder the entire cost of rebuilding.

What if I actually drop a meteor this time, one that hits the mark perfectly? It might not be a bad trade if it means taking Pector down completely.

But this guy isn’t someone who will die here.

Neither am I.

Fsssh!

I teleported again to dodge Pector’s attack.

“Unbelievable. If anything, your mana seems to be in better condition than before.”

“Your teleportation has definitely gotten faster.”

‘He noticed that?’

‘Is this guy some kind of weirdo? He’s pointing out things I haven’t even realized about myself yet.’

“Really? Well, your sword feels heavier than before.”

The difference is palpable.

‘Or have I just gotten weaker?’

It’s a bit frustrating in several ways.

“Your stamina is dwindling. You’re human—female, at that. It’s to be expected.”

‘This brat’s tone has gotten harsher since we last met.’

‘Or is he trying to provoke me? Some kind of new taunt? If so, it’s working.’

Fine, I’ll put to use the strength Zerato gave me for such situations.

Whoosh!

Dodging his swing, I jumped onto a stone wall.

He’s a demon.

There’s no need to face him with ordinary strength.

I infused the sword magic with demonic energy.

The blue glow of the blade turned purple.

I leapt from the wall and clashed against his blade of despair.

Clang!

“Oh, I’m not exactly a regular human right now.”

I’ve learned to handle some of the demons’ power.

Where mana falls short, the demonic energy fills in.

[The principle is simple: use higher-tier mana and supplement it with lower-tier demonic energy.]

Or more precisely, it’s the aura of the Demon Lord embedded in the fragments I possess.

In the end, it’s my power now.

***

Buzz!

I pushed harder.

Pector staggered back, and I unleashed a burst of mana.

Boom!

Pector flew backward, slamming into a building.

I gathered magic bullets and rained them down on the structure.

Crash! Boom!

Through the collapsing rubble, Pector emerged, his heavy armor gleaming.

“So, you’ve dipped into the power of demons as well?”

‘Dipped’ might not be the right word.

Even before becoming Olivia, I’d learned to wield such power.

To survive in that land, you had to do whatever it took.

This time, I just acquired it through a different method.

The outcome, however, remains the same.

Clang!

This time, the clash felt lighter.

But I couldn’t drag this on much longer.

Even though I’ve matched his strength, there’s a limit to sustaining myself with mana.

I can’t use grand magic, nor can I change locations freely.

For now, I’ll have to keep the conversation going, trading blows to buy time.

If the Radiant Sword arrives, Pector will likely withdraw.

What he wants is a one-on-one fight with me. He’s not interested in an unfair battle.

The Radiant Sword, for all its straightforwardness, is efficient in combat.

It crushes weaker opponents ruthlessly but doesn’t hesitate to team up against a stronger foe.

Once it’s done dealing with the demon horde, it’ll likely intervene in this battle.

That won’t be ideal for Pector, who prefers fighting one-on-one.

The demons fighting the Radiant Sword must number in the thousands.

“Zerato’s enhancement seems to be doing its job.”

“That’s what’s fortifying your fragile body?”

‘Not entirely wrong, but in the end, it’s a battle of willpower for me.’

“It’s only been a few months since I got this body. I have to make the most of it.”

“Unlike those who succumb to demonic energy, you handle such power with ease.”

“That’s because I grew up in the Land of Ruin.”

The fight dragged on longer than expected.

It seemed the prince and his group had already escaped.

The problem was me.

‘Was the Radiant Sword taking too long?’

Well, it doesn’t use magic like I do.

Swimming through a sea of demons must be exhausting.

“Are you sure you should be standing still?”

“Ugh!”

Crash!

Pector’s sword of despair slashed through the spot where I had been standing, reducing an entire building to dust.

‘Karchem’s reconstruction is going to cost a fortune.’

‘If I keep dodging, the whole place will be reduced to ashes.

‘My condolences to the Ashtar family, who will have to pour money into this.’

Clang! Clink!

‘I don’t have many options left.

‘That said, this fight with Pector is helping me regain my old sense of combat.’

Pector launched himself at me with a burst of speed.

I gathered mana into my left hand and detonated it.

Boom!

While his vision was obscured, I gathered magic bullets between my fingers and scattered them.

Bang! Bang bang bang!

Pector deflected each bullet with his sword.

Meanwhile, I crafted a bow out of mana and infused it with sword magic.

Boom!

A pure mana blade carved through the air and exploded against Pector’s chest.

Naturally, he endured it.

Though a part of his armor was shattered, he was unharmed.

“Ha-ha-ha! You’re the same as ever, Noah! Just the same!”

His booming laughter echoed across all of Karchem.

I glanced around nervously.

The Radiant Sword was nowhere to be seen, and it seemed there were no other people in Karchem.

‘This guy really doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.’

“Keep it down! Call me Olivia.”

The last thing I needed was the prince’s group overhearing my identity.

“What does it matter right now?”

“It matters to me.”

‘Frankly, they might believe me, considering everything they’ve seen.

‘And knowing that idiot Aslan, he probably would.’

“It’s important to me. And if you don’t want to fight me, I could leave this place entirely. You know I’m capable of that.”

‘If I’m upset enough, I’ll abandon both humans and demons alike.’

“Resorting to threats? How petty you’ve become, Olivia.”

At least he listened.

That’s somewhat reassuring.

‘Even if it gets out later, being Olivia would make me seem stronger.

‘And if anyone questions it, I can always bring up my time in the Land of Ruin as an excuse.’

Clang! Crash! Bang!

Unable to use grand magic, I relied on sword magic supplemented with magic bullets.

If not for the mana fusion within my body, I would’ve been destroyed long ago.

If this were any of the other Four Generals, I could use magic freely.

But of course, Pector had to be immune to magic.

The only things that work are sword magic and direct hits with magic bullets.

He’s a natural enemy to a mage.

Even telekinesis doesn’t work on him.

‘If that idiot Eugene were half as competent as me, he could’ve already defeated Pector with his holy sword.’

‘But against the Four Generals, a non-hero has no choice but to tread cautiously.’

Rumble!

“Huh?”

The surroundings began to blur.

Maybe the Radiant Sword won’t make it in time.

If that’s the case, I’ll have to prepare for what’s next.

Perhaps I’ll call down the heavens themselves.