White Flame.
A force akin to death itself for all mages.
It was the power that had shaped the current empire and the aura fueled by the Origin of “Justice”.
The commander of the Judgment Knights Daniel was covered entirely in that White Flame. And he glared coldly at Shane.
“Exactly the same.”
Lucifer frowned at Daniel’s muttered words and asked,
“What?”
“The one who summoned that ominous, unknown dragon at Arunvida is exactly the same. And how do you possess an antimagic artifact, one of the few even our imperial family has?”
Shane remained silent despite Daniel’s question.
He was simply contemplating how to handle the man before him.
It can’t go like before.
When he had killed Count Salier, there had been a time he faced a Knight of Judgment.
It was a knight named Daira.
But unlike Daira, Daniel’s White Flame was different from the very foundation.
Just as magic’s strength determines the outcome, so too does the Origin follow the same principle.
Daniel’s White Flame was of a size that Shane’s greed couldn’t swallow in one gulp, unlike when he had faced Daira two years prior.
“Well, I suppose we can just capture him and ask. Though whether we can subdue him is another question.”
Meanwhile, unlike Lucifer, Daniel didn’t let his guard down for a second and kept his gaze fixed on Shane.
The mysterious dragon figure he had seen at Arunvida.
Back then, for the first time in his life, Daniel had experienced his entire body freezing in place.
To the point where he couldn’t even think about killing the Elder Shaman in front of him under the Crown Prince’s orders.
Now, faced with that same opponent, there was no way he could relax.
I’ll go all out from the start.
Having seen how easily Lucifer had been taken down, Daniel had no intention of engaging in a probing battle with Shane.
However, the location was far from ideal.
After all, Daniel’s White Flame was a technique that drew attention wherever it was used.
Following the crown prince’s secret orders to come here, Daniel compressed the White Flame into his sword and charged at Shane.
As expected of the commander of the Judgment Knights.
His charge was like the wind, and in an instant, he had closed the distance to Shane.
But Shane was just as quick to react.
How many knights had he faced until now? How many of their memories had he stolen?
Shane retrieved the anti-magic artifact that created disruptive waves and summoned a sword of flame, cloaking it with the Origin of Greed as he faced Daniel’s blade head-on.
Meanwhile, Daniel smirked inwardly.
He was worried, thinking that Shane might summon the ominous dragon again, just like last time, but the fact that Shane hadn’t summoned it, even after being struck by Lucifer’s magic, meant that considerable preparation was required for that.
On the other hand, even though Shane had now cloaked his magic with that ominous power from before, in the end, since it was still a magic attack, there was no way it could block the White Flame sword.
Just as Daniel had expected, Shane’s magic sword quickly scattered into the air.
Swoosh!
Not missing the opportunity, Daniel’s sword instantly aimed for Shane’s heart.
His movements flowed naturally, like water.
But just then, a young girl leaped from Shane’s shadow. Her sword made of dark energy thrust toward Daniel’s neck.
Though Daniel was farther away, his speed was greater.
In a split second, Daniel twisted his neck to dodge Arcane’s attack, while Shane couldn’t react in time and retreated with a deep slash across his side.
“…Ugh!”
The aura of White Flame invaded Shane’s body, wrecking his insides.
“How dare you!!”
Arcane let out a beast-like growl as she lunged at Daniel again.
Danger!
Her killing intent was so overwhelming that even Daniel had to quickly retreat a great distance.
That quick decision saved his life.
Arcane’s hand which was now transformed into a blade suddenly swelled, and dark energy exploded outward.
As expected, this isn’t an opponent to be underestimated.
The energy was eerily similar to what Daniel had felt from that dragon in Arunvida. If he had taken that attack just now, his life force would have been drained instantly, just like the orcs exposed to that same energy.
Meanwhile, Shane who had barely expelled the White Flame from his body gave a command to Arcane, who was now facing off against Daniel.
[Hold him off as much as you can. Just for one minute]
[Understood…!]
When Arcane transformed both her hands into blades again, Daniel scowled.
They’re trying to buy time.
A mage with extra time is incredibly dangerous.
Even though Daniel had taken control of the area with the White Flame, preventing Shane from summoning the magical swords he had used in Arunvida, there was no telling what he might do next.
After all, Daniel had already seen Lucifer’s downfall and seen Shane handle the White Flame directly.
No matter what, I have to capture him.
With that, Daniel glanced back at Lucifer who was still trying to suppress the rampaging magic in the rear.
“Hoo, one minute. I just need one minute.”
A coincidence, perhaps.
Lucifer had also asked Daniel to hold out for one minute just like Shane.
Since this was the guy who had dismantled all of Shane’s magic earlier, Daniel felt confident as he began his standoff with Arcane.
Daniel was the one to make the first move.
The reason he asked Lucifer for help was because he didn’t know what Shane would do later, but Daniel had no intention of letting Shane complete his magic.
He had to treat this as a short battle.
Daniel focused all the White Flame into the sword in his hand.
Just getting close was enough to feel the sharp, cutting energy radiating from it.
He used his remaining aura to strengthen his body and charged in an instant.
If his previous movements had been like the wind, now they were like lightning.
Leaving an afterimage behind, Daniel’s sword shot toward Arcane in a single strike.
Arcane, on the other hand, slammed her foot into the ground to avoid harming Shane who was standing right behind her and summoned the Thorn of Greed.
Daniel stepped back to avoid the sudden attack from the thorns rising from the ground at his feet.
He definitely used the White Flame. And considering he’s carrying an anti-magic artifact… it’s likely he’s the one who killed Daira and Dominic.
Didn’t the orcs devoured by those mysterious fangs during the Arunvida War all die shriveled, as if their life force had been sucked out of them?
That sight had been eerily similar to how Daira had died at Count Salier’s mansion.
That meant the mysterious darkness could likely use the abilities of whatever it consumed.
I have to uncover that method, I can’t let him escape here!
Meanwhile, Lucifer was focused on controlling the rampaging magic inside him.
No matter how strong his command over magic was, once it began to rage inside his body, there was no way to tame it without time.
It was only because he had the body of a Dragonian that he had managed this far. If he had been human, he would have already been coughing up blood and on the verge of death.
Damn it…!
But the situation itself filled Lucifer with humiliation.
What Dragonian in the world had ever experienced a magic outburst like this?
His mind was shattered. Lucifer forced himself to think only of revenge.
By this point, unlike Daniel, Lucifer judged it would be better to kill Shane right here.
It was unfortunate that he wouldn’t be able to extract the information Shane held, but he didn’t want to leave any future threats behind.
As the third legion commander, Lucifer had suffered enough humiliation that even the higher-ups would understand his actions.
I will definitely kill him here!
With that thought, Lucifer began preparing his most powerful magic.
Even though the chaotic magic inside him hadn’t fully settled yet, the backlash would have to be endured.
As much as he hated to admit it, there was no telling what that human might do next.
But Lucifer would never acknowledge that feeling as fear, not until the end.
I’ll kill you in the despair of not being able to do anything!
At that moment, while preparing a powerful spell he could use in the current situation, Lucifer ground his teeth.
Meanwhile, the battle between Daniel and Arcane grew even fiercer.
Daniel who had to break through Arcane and land a critical blow on Shane, and Arcane who blocked Daniel’s every attempt without retreating an inch.
Neither allowed the other to make a single move, both calculated the other’s moves.
But gradually, it was Arcane who began to falter.
The effort of fending off Lucifer’s earlier attack had drained a significant amount of her stamina.
If only that brat were here!
Arcane couldn’t help but regret Evelyn’s absence.
Given the timing, Evelyn had remained by Olicia’s side as her guard, since no one knew what extreme measures the Crown Prince might take.
If they had fought together, the course of this battle would have been reversed.
She’s always gone when I need her!
But there was no use in wishing for someone who wasn’t there. Arcane made up her mind and sought Shane’s silent permission.
When she saw Shane give a slight nod, Arcane glared at Daniel with fierce determination.
She’s different.
Daniel also noticed the shift in Arcane’s aura.
Up until now, all of Arcane’s attacks had only served the purpose of creating distance.
The problem was, if Daniel ignored that and charged in, he wouldn’t come out unscathed either.
That was why the battle had dragged on for so long, but even so, the gap between Daniel and Shane had narrowed considerably.
If Arcane made even a single mistake, Shane would lose his means of defending against Daniel’s attack.
But this time, it was different.
“Hmph!”
Daniel’s instincts, honed by countless battlefields, were screaming at him.
This attack, even he would have to retreat from.
A dark aura flowed from Shane and transferred to Arcane.
As it did, the darkness swirling around Arcane thickened and eventually enveloped her completely.
All that remained visible were her eyes which were glowing red beyond the rippling black aura.
I can’t get close.
Even though it was obvious Arcane was preparing something, Daniel couldn’t bring himself to approach.
Unlike the dark energy that had been easily extinguished by his white flame, the darkness now surrounding Arcane was of an entirely different magnitude, enough to make even Daniel tense.
And then.
The moment the swirling darkness was absorbed into Arcane, Daniel also kicked off the ground.
Up until now, she had been protected by that energy, but the instant her preparation was complete would be the moment she was most vulnerable.
Daniel’s judgment, honed through countless experiences, was correct.
Arcane who had absorbed the dense origin couldn’t react to Daniel’s follow-up attack.
What is this?’
When Daniel instinctively thrust his greatsword forward, he felt a brief sense of confusion.
Arcane who had appeared to be the height of a 13-year-old girl had suddenly grown taller.
But that was all. Without hesitating, Daniel aimed the tip of his sword directly at where her heart should be.
Claang─!!
“……?!”
A sound that Daniel couldn’t even remember the last time he heard reverberated sharply in his ears.
Since becoming the leader of the Judgment Knights, Daniel never once had his sword been blocked. His eyes widened in disbelief at the situation.
Standing before him was a girl who now appeared to be around 17 years old. She was looking down at him indifferently with roseberry-colored eyes.
“Die, human.”
Just like when Anastasia had once blocked an attack from Karhu, the bear beastman.
Arcane, without flinching, thrust her sword-like hand into Daniel’s abdomen.
At that exact moment.
A surge of immense magical power erupted from Lucifer who was behind Daniel.
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