Chapter 09

Was it really wise to announce that so loudly? The Obsidian Armor had clearly noticed them—the black knight didn’t even pause. Without hesitation, Leon charged, gripping his sword hilt!!!

Naya had just cast the Shield of Light on Aile a second ago—yet Leon was already dashing forward!? Four tentacles shot out from the Obsidian Armor as usual. Mid-charge, Leon instantly dropped low—all four tentacles whooshed overhead! He… actually dodged them?? Naya’s heart leapt into her throat—

Even though she’d warned about the tentacles’ mechanics before the fight, his reflexes were insane… One second later, the tentacles that had grazed Leon’s head suddenly whipped around, all four streaking toward Aile! Too fast! Aile instinctively raised her shield—

The tentacles pierced straight through the Shield of Light, the Mystic Silver Shield, her armor, and Aile herself.

“!?”

Aile spat out a mouthful of blood—yet she was still alive!?

Naya rushed over to heal her. Aile knelt weakly, blood seeping from her entire body—the wounds hadn’t reached any vital spots. The Shield of Light shattered into fragments and vanished. In that moment, Aile knew it had saved her. As a Holy Knight, she understood: this was Aio’s divine miracle granted to Priestesses—a guaranteed block against one fatal strike. Even tentacles that pierced mystic silver couldn’t break that rule!

Wait—the Aeon Hand felt different today… It seemed to hesitate, as if gathering power??? No, it was more than a delay—it never even activated before her injury interrupted it.

The next second, the tentacles withdrew from Aile’s body. She bit back a cry. Meanwhile, Leon had closed in on the Obsidian Armor! The armor retracted its tentacles—but somehow, the Mystic Silver Shield was still impaled on one! The four long, bandage-like appendages dragged the shield clattering across the ground.

*Must be because mystic silver’s so light.*

Aile watched as a giant, gleaming silver hand descended from the sky and seized the tentacle holding the shield! The tentacle snapped taut under the pull—trapped firmly in the silver grip, unable to break free or retreat to the armor.

Aile had sealed the Obsidian Armor’s tentacles!?

At the other end, the Obsidian Armor—was immobilized too!!!

Leon was nearly upon it. The armor raised a fist to meet him—but Leon skidded to a halt just outside its reach! He hurled the Light Roar Sword—it plunged into the gap at the armor’s neck—

Seizing its momentary stun, Leon darted forward, grabbed the sword hilt with both hands, and levered it down hard—the helmet flew off! Empty inside! Truly nothing but flames! The instant Leon landed, he reversed his grip and drove the Light Roar Sword into the gap in the armor’s right arm!

The Obsidian Armor swung its left fist at his face—the Shield of Light blocked it! Light fragments scattered before Leon’s eyes. *I have to win—must win!* He wrenched off the armor’s right arm with all his might!

After disarming it, Leon spun behind the armor—the second punch missed. The Light Roar Sword slashed down, tracing an emerald arc! It struck true at the gap in the left arm—but one cut wasn’t enough? In the blink of an eye, Leon struck the same spot again! Naya and Aile stared, dumbfounded. *What was that just now—? A windmill sword technique?*

In moments, the Obsidian Armor lost its helmet and both arms, its four tentacles still clenched tight in Aile’s summoned silver hand—while Naya cast a fresh Shield of Light on Leon. For a Priestess, this was her absolute limit! *Even if it overloads me, I must finish this—* Naya thought, channeling her staff into the Blade of Light!

“Leon! Catch—!” She threw the light-sword staff to him—then collapsed weakly to the ground the next second…

Leon caught the sword—dual blades restored! He crossed the Light Roar Sword and the light blade, slashing downward at the armor’s headless, armless chest! Not done yet—! He swung both swords in an upper-lower double horizontal slash—spun full circle—and struck the same spot twice more! Six slashes—cracks spiderwebbed across the chestplate!

Leon gathered momentum—then unleashed a blinding flurry of strikes!!!

The two girls watched, stunned. His speed was unreal—*how many cuts had he landed just now? Eight? Ten?* Their eyes couldn’t keep up, only seeing a dazzling weave of trajectories.

The Obsidian Armor remained locked in stun from the relentless assault, defenseless without arms. Shards of chestplate flew everywhere—until it finally shattered!

The armor collapsed. Leon drove the Light Roar Sword into the exposed black flame at its core.

It lay still.

Black fire stained Leon’s blade.

They’d… actually won—?

Naya scrambled up and rushed to him. “Are you hurt?!” She grabbed his clothes, frantically searching for wounds that didn’t exist.

“I’m fine. That punch was close—but I knew your Shield of Light would hold.”

“You scared me to death!” Naya said.

“Good thing Aile sealed its tentacles. Otherwise, this’d be impossible,” Leon said with a grin toward Aile. “My first dodge was pure luck.”

“Hmph. You stole all the glory,” Aile said, arms crossed, smiling faintly. “Under Aio’s blessing, no evil is unconquerable!”

She believed it.

Ten years after the Calamity—

The fallen Nosferatu was the first to fall…

To be continued.