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Chapter 216 - Rally (7)

“Henry.”

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind, may I indulge in some personal greed?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’d like you to take this magic armor off of me.”

“Alright, but if things go south, then I’ll have to...”

“I know. If that happens, then we’ll move according to the plan.”

“Thank you.”

Valhald’s personal greed was that he wanted to take on Balak solely with his own strength. After deciding on when they would fall back on the original plan, Henry took off Valhald’s magic armor. With that, Valhald felt his body get a little heavier.

‘Well, magic sure is convenient.’

Henry’s supporting magic increased strength, speed, as well as accuracy and agility. Even without training, magic could work like a drug, turning a B-class mercenary into an average knight.

However, Valhald didn’t like relying on such unnatural powers because he believed that training prevented an unstable future and humbled an arrogant past.

As Henry stepped away, Balak asked Valhald, “It’s been around what, twenty years?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“How strange. I’ve heard that you relinquished your position as the imperial first sword.”

“That’s right.”

“You’re so hard to decipher. What’s wrong with you? Why would you give up your position to someone like Kington?”

“It was just some rank. It didn’t mean much to me.”

“I guess...”

The two seemed similar, but they were also very different. Therefore, given their values and ambitions, Balak accepted to rule Killive while Valhald accepted the position of the first sword of the Imperial Ten Swords.

Balak continued, “Anyway, Valhald, why are you with the traitors of the empire?”

“Traitors? Who are the traitors?”

“What do you mean? It’s obviously the wizards who have murdered Silver Jackson, the former emperor, and destroyed the imperial palace. You’re not going to tell me that you didn’t know, right?”

“It’s true that they murdered Silver Jackson and destroyed the palace, but I don’t consider them traitors.”

“What do you mean?”

“I only did what I had to do. Also, ever since the empire collapsed, treason no longer means anything to us. It’s merely a term that Arthus has arbitrarily redefined.”

“You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. Where did you learn to speak such nonsense?”

“I’m just stating the facts. And who’s the one speaking nonsense, anyway? After all, it was Arthus who orchestrated this so-called ‘treason,’ not us.”

“What?”

“You’re not going to pretend like you don’t know, are you? You’re the one who cares so much about justice, and yet you side with Arthus. Aren’t you just contradicting yourself at this point?”

Valhald essentially mirrored Balak’s response. He had only been telling the truth, so he had nothing to hide. However, Balak reacted differently than him. He was a bit taken aback by Valhald’s story because it seemed strangely similar to what Hector had told him the other day.

“...”

Balak stood silent for a moment, visibly confused. This was not the first, but the second time he heard an accusation against Arthus. Moreover, this time it was none other than Valhald who had come up with that allegation.

This was a very serious problem because Balak, a man with a very strict moral code, had served Arthus purely out of righteousness and loyalty.

After much thought, Balak shook his head and said firmly, “I trust my emperor. The emperor will always be criticized and slandered, and that will never change.”

“...What a fool.”

There was no point in continuing the conversation. Balak would fight to the death to defend his beliefs, and Valhald would do the exact same, and even if this weren’t a matter of conviction, neither of them wanted to miss this opportunity to fight each other.

The air became stifling in the windless hollow as their Auras combined with their intense killing intent, stirring the atmosphere.

Soon, two blue roses bloomed like flames.

Pnggg...!

After the roses fully bloomed, gracefully arranging their petals, there was no sign of energy coming off either of them.

‘Impressive...’

However, this didn’t mean that they had no energy. Rather, both warriors controlled their Auras to the extreme, making it almost indiscernible. Only masters that had reached their maximum potential could pull off something like this.

Valhald raised his sword, and as if he were throwing a boomerang, he swiftly swung it diagonally. The motion itself was quiet, but what his blade released was anything but quiet.

Valhald unleashed Solar Storm, one of his main skills, from his sword. An Aura storm of fiery explosions headed toward Balak.

However, instead of taking action, Balak merely smirked. He simply stood there and endured the attack.

Rumble...!

Throughout the storm, Balak held his ground, and after a while, the storm cleared as if it had never happened in the first place.

Dark smoke came off of Balak, but he merely cleared his throat as if to mock Valhald’s attack.

“It’s gotten hotter since I last saw it.” Like a gourmet reviewing food, Balak commented on Valhald’s Solar Storm. He continued, “It’s only fair that I return the favor now.”

Balak walked up to Valhald without the slightest pretense and raised his Black Punisher. Valhald didn’t back away but stood in place to meet his foe up close.

“It’s my turn now. Here it comes!”

Balak gave an honest warning. World Shredder was Balak\'s signature technique, the one that made him who he was. The Black Punisher, powerful enough to shatter the earth, flew toward Valhald like a meteor.

Valhald raised his sword with one hand and supported the blade with the other, leaning forward slightly to intercept the incoming Black Punisher.

Clang!

It sounded like a hammer striking a metal bell. The vibration traveled through Valhald’s entire body and down into the ground.

Bzzz...

Balak’s Aura had combined with the World Shredder to produce an unimaginable destructive power that shook the hollow.

However, Valhald maintained his stance, his arms still raised just as they were right before intercepting the World Shredder.

Smirk.

Valhald put on a faint smile, and seeing this, Balak’s expression hardened.

“...”

Balak called back the Black Punisher.

Valhald then lowered his arms and straightened his back.

“It’s gotten a little heavier,” commented Valhald. This was his review. It was the kind of comment that one made at a restaurant when they didn’t find anything good about the meal other than the fact that the portion was slightly larger than the standard.

They both took half a step back and then...

“Hmppp!”

Zngggg!

The two swung their weapons relentlessly, aiming for each other’s hearts.

Each time their weapons clashed, a loud clanging sound reverberated throughout the hollow.

It was a fierce duel, with neither man getting the upper hand. Both of them swung their weapons in the most comfortable way in order to retain their balance, with the ultimate goal of bringing their opponent down.

Balak didn’t hesitate in the slightest bit, and Valhald had no intention of capturing Balak alive. Thus, the two warriors wielded their weapons in unison with the purpose of sending their opponent to the grave.

Clang, clang, clang!

Every time they swung their weapons in different directions, their smooth Aura shattered like glass shards, but every time that happened, the two quickly replenished their Aura just like a troll shed its skin.

‘What an incredible fight.’

Henry watched their fierce fight intently, his arms crossed to his chest. He considered their duel elegant. It was a true sword duel between the two strongest swordsmen. There were no fancy tricks or intricate tactics, so the outcome of this duel would be determined solely based on their strength and their amount of training.

Their duel was almost like a display of swordplay, but the two fighters were of such high caliber, their movements so elegant, that this was more than swordplay; it was art.

The fight went on. Given the destructive nature of the morning star, one might have expected Valhald to have a tough time against Balak. However, Valhald was handling himself just fine.

On the other hand, given how heavy the Black Punisher was, one might have expected Balak to struggle against Valhald’s swift sword attacks, but Balak wasn’t falling behind in the slightest.

It was an intense fight with both fighters’ pride on the line.

With his eyes glowing red, Balak shouted, “Valhald! Why don’t you stop messing around?!”

“I’m just matching your efforts.”

“Let’s see how much longer you’ll be able to say that!”

Bang!

Balak’s Aura was now vibrating. He swung his Black Punisher once again, widening the distance between him and Valhald.

“Enough playing. Let’s put an end to this.”

Because both of them were so evenly matched in terms of strength, it was clear that this duel would just go on forever at this rate. Of course, if it had been up to them, they would’ve kept fighting for days on end, but they were short on time.

Balak took a proper fighting stance, and his Aura stopped quivering. However, moments later, the Aura that covered his entire body expanded tremendously.

“That’s...!”

Von and McDowell’s eyes widened as they witnessed what was going on, and so did Henry’s.

‘Ultimate Skill?’

Ultimate Skill.

A Sword Master who unlocked their ultimate skill was considered to be among the best. Moreover, those who mastered using their ultimate skill reached the rank of a peak Sword Master.

In this duel with Valhald, Balak was about to use his ultimate skill, the final trick up his sleeve that he hadn’t used in decades.

“Very well.”

Valhald smiled. Witnessing Balak’s ultimate skill was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thus, Valhald figured he should return the favor. He refreshed his Aura and raised his sword high above his head.

Tzzzz!

Valhald’s Aura dispersed into the air from the tip of his sword. Seeing this, Von, McDowell, and Henry suddenly became alarmed.

“T-that maniac... It can’t be!”

“Oh, hell no! Von, grab Ronan from over there!”

Valhald continued to release his Aura. After forming into a sphere at the tip of his sword, it started to slowly expand, just like Balak’s Aura.

“Ha, you too?”

Seeing Valhald’s Aura form into a sphere, Balak chuckled.

Valhald’s act thrilled Balak, causing him to expand his Aura at a more intense rate.

Finally, when Balak’s Aura expanded enough to fill the hollow, it took a different shape.

Tzzzz!

His Aura turned into the shape of a man wearing a three-horned helmet and sharp accessories on his shoulder. Indeed, Balak had used his Aura to create a giant image of himself.

‘Giant God Warrior!’

This was Balak’s ultimate attack: creating the best soldier on the continent, the Giant God Warrior.

Having summoned the Giant God Warrior, Balak raised the Black Punisher with his right arm. Then, the Giant God Warrior also lifted up the morning star made of aura, which looked exactly like Balak’s Black Punisher.

Rumble!

As the Giant God Warrior, who stood as tall as the hollow, raised his hand, his weapon scraped against the ceiling of the hollow.

Henry quickly cast a spell to prevent the hollow from collapsing, but as McDowell saw this, he yelled, “Henry! We need to take cover!”

“I know! Everyone get behind me!”

“Y-you, just how...?”

Von carried Ronan, who was unconscious.

McDowell, clueless, had called for Henry, who was trying to prevent the destruction of the hollow. However, Henry shook his head and asked everyone to take cover behind him.

At that moment, the hollow was heated up by an indescribable hot energy.

“I’ve finally gotten the chance to fight you, Valhald!”

Balak stared at the tip of Valhald’s sword, his expression elated.

At the tip of Valhald’s blade was his blue Aura, round and hot, reminiscent of a tiny sun, or rather, the sun itself.

‘The Blue Sun!’

The Blue Sun was Valhald’s ultimate skill, which used the hottest Aura in the world.