[Partner, be careful! That woman is dangerous!]
Hearing the warning from the Black Prince that sounds like a light novel cliché, I gripped the handle of Durandal.
After all this way, I was finally about to face Muramasa one-on-one.
It feels pretty crummy.
This damn light novel world makes it hard to take a shortcut.
The greatest hero in the world knows that Muramasa is dangerous.
But right now, I’m the only one who can deal with her.
[Now that I see it, I understand. Yuji’s younger sister isn’t brainwashed or anything.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoed in my mind.
[…That girl’s body isn’t being controlled by herself. It’s a spirit. I can feel it as a fellow spirit. It’s a sort of possession.]
In the original work, that damn Kusunagi had tried to convince an excited Yuji with the same reasoning.
Of course, Yuji, being the light novel protagonist, let his emotions take over and failed miserably.
[To return her to normal… I have to separate that woman from her body. For that, I need to manifest myself…]
I still hadn’t reached the stage of manifestation.
But I have an alternative.
‘I just have to hold on until the President arrives.’
I don’t know how long it takes from Korea to Japan.
But it’s clear that it will take at least around three hours.
So, I just need to keep Muramasa occupied until then.
After that, Seira and her spirit, Amaterasu, will handle it.
[Can you do it?]
The Black Prince asks.
‘I have to.’
If I don’t, I die.
So, even if I don’t want to, I have no choice but to do it.
[Alright. Partner. That’s the attitude! Now you’re starting to sound like a man, no, a hero!]
The Black Prince chuckles cheerfully.
Without saying anything, I grip Durandal.
“I wish the Son of the Sword Master had shown up; it’s kind of disappointing.”
Muramasa smirks slightly.
Looks like she’s trying to give a long-winded speech before the battle as expected of a light novel villain.
I really don’t get why everyone loves to babble before a fight.
But it’s fine by me.
I infuse magical energy into Durandal.
Whooooosh!
Black magic envelops the blade.
The magic envelops the blade.
Muramasa, as the wielder of the Transcendent Armament, is in a constant state of true name liberation due to the spirit possessing her.
She’s no easy opponent to conserve strength against.
Sparks fly!
Sparks crackle from the blade of Durandal.
[Durandal]
[True Name Liberation]
[The Demonic Sword that Burns Darkness]
The sword god is dyed in a matte black, devoid of light.
Dark flames ignite above it.
Thump, thump.
The magic core in my chest resonates with the Black Stone, pumping out magic energy.
Hot magic circulates like a raging fire through the magic circuit.
Whoosh!
Black magic waves rise above my full-plate armor.
“…But hey, you’re one of the important targets that the Master designated…”
Muramasa’s dialogue still echoes in my ears.
Go ahead and chatter.
I’ll stab you.
[Partner, now’s the time!]
The Black Prince signals.
Sparks fly!
Black magic wraps around Durandal.
[Indestructible Diamond]
I activate an ability just in case.
[Synchronization]
Using my second ability.
My vision turns red as the Black Prince’s talent overlays mine.
Zing.
A ringing resonates in my head.
Ignoring the headache, I wield Durandal.
Whoosh!
The dark flames leave trails in the air, drawing black lines.
[Black Radiant Sword Technique]
[Secret Technique]
[Dark Split]
Swoosh!
With a spine-chilling splitting sound, the Dark Split strikes Muramasa directly.
Boom!
An explosion rocks the ruined basement.
“Huh?! What’s happening? This is stronger than I knew…!!”
Muramasa wears a flustered expression.
I can’t believe this is working.
I thought it would be blocked.
And just look at that surprise! Classic villain behavior, right?
Her expression and voice have tossed the earlier seriousness aside for an adorably panicked anime girl face.
This is wild.
“Alright. Enough games. I’ll deal with you seriously…”
Muramasa, now irritated, unsheathes Yodo.
Yodo Muramasa.
The Transcendent Armament from Japan emits a wicked crimson magic fitting of its name.
[Partner, follow up with the attack!]
Seeing this, the Black Prince coaches me again.
I agree.
There’s no need to listen to her nonsensical prattling.
I grab Durandal.
Whoosh!
Dark flames blaze on the black blade.
The magic coursing through the circuit revitalizes my body.
[Black Radiant Sword Technique]
[First Move]
[Black Radiant Slash]
Swoosh.
A black line is drawn in the air as it flies straight for Muramasa.
Clang!
Muramasa deflects my attack with her sword swirling in crimson magic.
Cold sweat trickles down her forehead.
“Ugh… What on earth is this power…?”
She’s been struggling against my attacks since earlier.
What’s going on? Was Muramasa always this easy to deal with?
Just then, a question mark appeared in my head.
[Partner, keep the pressure on!]
The Black Prince screams in my mind.
Right, now isn’t the time for doubts.
Such worries are a luxury.
I must keep pressing forward.
I swing Durandal relentlessly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Crash!!
The magic sword Durandal and Yodo Muramasa collide, their black and crimson energies clashing and sending shockwaves.
The explosive sound of steel meeting steel echoes through the half-destroyed basement.
Magic shockwaves scatter, fragmenting concrete and bending rebar.
Boom!
Smoke billows up.
“W-What!? Eek?! Stop it! Cease! I said stop!! You bad guy!!”
Muramasa squeezes her eyes shut, panic setting in.
Tears brim in her eyes.
Honestly, I was prepared to get hurt like before.
But this opponent is surprisingly easy.
Muramasa can’t defend against my attacks and is being pushed back unilaterally.
‘Was Muramasa this weak?’
Is it an optical illusion because the last opponent was EX rank?
[It’s not that the opponent is weak. Partner.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoes in my head.
[You’ve become stronger. It’s the result of all your experience and training. You can be proud, partner.]
The Black Prince laughs.
To be honest, every time I trained with Aris, I felt like throwing up and didn’t want to show up, but now it seems worth it.
Having seized the advantage, I have to keep pushing forward.
I swing Durandal again.
Bang!
Once more, the sword and the magic sword collide.
Kaboom!
With a thunderous sound, magical sparks fly.
As the vibrations whirl the wind around, I grit my teeth watching Muramasa’s unsteady crimson eyes.
*
Muramasa was flustered.
The one she was wary of was Kurosawa Yuji, not Kim Deok-Sung.
Kurosawa Yuji, the Son of the Sword Master.
If she couldn’t take him down in one strike, it was certain he would only get stronger.
But Kim Deok-Sung was not that.
His suitability was just C rank.
He had received the choice of Durandal and only partially succeeded in manifesting a true name, but that was all.
He was a complete amateur unable even to materialize spirits.
Thus, when Kim Deok-Sung showed up instead of Yuji, Muramasa secretly rejoiced.
‘How could I lose to such a loser?!’
But not long after the battle began, Muramasa had to admit her misjudgment.
Kim Deok-Sung was no easy opponent.
His swordsmanship was as perfect as if the real Black Prince had returned, not to mention the endless surge of magical power.
Bang! Though she was barely managing to deflect his attacks for now, Muramasa understood the truth.
If this continued, she would undoubtedly lose.
In reality, her body was accumulating scratches and wounds.
The mission she was assigned left no room for failure.
Success was mandatory.
Thus, defeat was not an option.
To win, she had to turn this unfavorable situation around.
By any means necessary.
‘Damn it…’
Muramasa bit her lip.
‘I didn’t want to resort to this…’
She murmured in a low voice.
Like all villains, Muramasa had her own hidden trump card.
The problem was that using this trump card would leave her body momentarily vulnerable.
‘At this rate, I’m definitely losing.’
Muramasa gritted her teeth.
After all, her opponent was just a rookie who couldn’t even properly materialize.
Though her physical form might be strong, her mental defense would likely be weak.
If that’s the case, it’s worth attempting the ultimate skill, “Mind Break.”
Mind Break directly attacks the mind, not the body.
This was also a secret skill granted to her directly by Messiah.
If she could momentarily destabilize her opponent’s mind through Mind Break, it wouldn’t matter how strong their body was.
‘Then it’s my victory.’
With all calculations complete, Muramasa’s eyes gleamed ominously red.
Vroom!
Her true form, Yodo Muramasa, accepted the magic power.
To use Mind Break, she needed to strike her opponent directly as Yodo Muramasa.
Muramasa clenched her teeth.
“Kurosawa Shinken-ryu! First Style!”
Muramasa cast the skill inscribed on Kurosawa Haru’s body.
Vroooom!
Yodo Muramasa trembled.
“Pointed Tip!”
Flash!
A burst of light erupted.
The thrust of Kurosawa Shinken-ryu, focusing all its power into one point, shot forth with sinister scarlet magic.
Twitch.
Kim Deok-Sung’s eyebrows twitched.
He hurriedly shifted Durandal into a defensive stance, but Yodo Muramasa had already reached his side.
“What the…”
Just as Kim Deok-Sung whispered with a low voice, Yodo Muramasa made contact with his side.
A smile spread across Muramasa’s lips.
“It’s over for you now, Kim Deok-Sung. Mind Break!”
At the moment Muramasa shouted the skill’s name.
Flash!
A crimson flash erupted from where Yodo touched Kim Deok-Sung’s side.
*
“It’s over for you now, Kim Deok-Sung. Mind Break!”
What am I even doing?
The best she could come up with was Mind Break?
The Black Prince has mental defense, and she’s trying that on him?
How ridiculous.
Flash!
A scarlet flash filled his vision.
[Partner, the enemy’s attack is against your mental barrier… Wait.]
The Black Prince paused mid-sentence.
[If I play this right, I could make use of it. Partner. Just wait a moment. This Black Prince will unleash his power.]
The Black Prince spoke with a gleeful tone.
Just then, somewhere in the pits of his stomach, a sense of unease stirred.
Thump!
His heart raced.
Thump, thump, thump.
The Magic Core and Black Stone resonated.
His chest burned with overwhelming magic power.
A surge of immense magical energy shot toward Durandal.
Vroom! Vroooom! Vroooom!
Durandal greedily absorbed the magic power.
[Synchronization]
The ability activated uncontrollably.
[Synchronization]
…
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