Chapter 21 The Tragic Hero (Part Two)

This so-called giant ancient ruin——

was actually just a prison, a prison to trap this jet-black swordsman in front of them.

Every brick was inscribed with a teleportation array, just to re-imprison the jet-black swordsman who had left the prison.

No one could have guessed the means by which the jet-black swordsman would leave the prison.

Perhaps in an instant, he could appear at the top level of the ruin.

So, in order for every corner to be able to teleport, the bricks of the entire prison were simply inscribed with arrays.

Those black-armored warriors, from the very beginning, were not there to annihilate the "invaders," but to fight against the jet-black swordsman.

How ridiculous, a trapped hero?

A tragic hero who cuts down everything he sees?

Bray felt the chill of the greatsword at his back, his heart devoid of sorrow or joy.

——“Why would I do such a stupid thing?”

Even Bray didn't understand why he had come out to save Blanche and Virginia.

They had probably only worked together for a few months, not very familiar, let alone friends.

Then why did he save the two young girls?

Even if he saved the two young girls, he might die himself, and in the end, these two young girls probably wouldn't be able to escape from the jet-black swordsman's greatsword either.

But Bray still saved them.

He saw Blanche's act of standing in front of Virginia, a very stupid act, exactly the same as what Bray was doing now.

---

The surroundings were a vast expanse of white, with nothing.

A light flickered, dancing in front of Bray, as if Bray could grasp it just by reaching out.

It was this light again, this ball of light filled with power.

The life force flowing on it, and something Bray couldn't understand.

Bray was very sure that as long as he touched it, the power on the ball of light would flow into his body.

There was no proof, but Bray was sure it was so.

Then there was no sound, but Bray felt someone asking him.

——“Why don't you take this power.”

Power? Do you mean this ball of light?

——“There's no price, you know.”

It was indeed very tempting.

Bray even felt like he wanted to touch that light.

And in fact, Bray's instincts were also urging him to grasp this ball of light.

If I become strong, I won't have to die.

However, after thinking about it, Bray decided against it.

——“This consort has been following you for so long, and you don't even care!?”

Consort? It's probably a girl.

The gender of this ball of light is female?

This is really interesting.

——“This is a fragment of this consort's power, the source that all living beings desire to possess.”

If all living beings want it, it's truly incredible.

——“Really, this power can actually help you overcome all difficulties.”

Ha, Bray also had this intuition.

As long as he obtained this power, perhaps even the Bronze Species would be scum.

And the voice did not feel like it was deceiving Bray at all.

But unfortunately, Bray seemed to have heard many warnings not to touch this ball of light.

——“They don't understand anything.”

Maybe, but, Bray also didn't understand anything.

Since I don't understand, I shouldn't take it.

——“Even if you are prepared to die, you don't intend to obtain the power that all existences dream of?”

——“This consort doesn't have the kind of thoughts of seizing and controlling others that you Black Iron Species imagine.”

Bray believed it, but——

Bray still did not grasp that ball of light.

——“Truly a stubborn person.”

---

In a daze, the white faded away.

Bray was still in the same place, the greatsword still at his back, about to cut him in half at the waist.

There was no sign of him getting any stronger.

Bray was still that very weak Bray.

But, after a long time, Bray did not feel the sensation of being cut.

——“Is it because the opponent is too strong, that I don't even feel it?”

Bray stood still, then turned around.

The greatsword was pressed against Bray's throat.

But Bray's skin didn't even bleed.

Of course, it wasn't that Bray's defense had gone up, but that the jet-black swordsman's control over the greatsword was just that powerful.

Lifting the heavy as if it were light, this was probably what it meant.

——“You, rejected that power.”

A male voice entered my mind.

Do people these days like to transmit their voices?

But the voice was a bit intermittent.

Can't you just speak properly?

——“How many times have you refused it so far.”

“Twice, I guess.” Bray said indifferently, as if it wasn't him with a sword at his throat.

Virginia, Blanche, and Nisha looked at Bray talking to himself and the jet-black swordsman who had stopped his attack with confusion.

——“I, couldn't refuse it even once.”

——“You are remarkable.”

From under the jet-black swordsman's helmet came a hollow and listless voice.

It was hard to imagine that the voice in his mind was the jet-black swordsman's.

——“Can you kill me.”

“I can't.”

——“Why?” The voice was filled with sorrow.

“Because I'm too weak.”

Bray looked at the jet-black swordsman calmly.

“On the other hand, why do you want me to kill you?”

——“The one speaking to you now is just my remnant will.”

Bray frowned, a little unsure of the situation.

——“Body and spirit collapsing is the inevitable fate of an Aragami.”

“Aragami?”

But it seemed the jet-black swordsman had no intention of answering Bray.

——“I can still maintain this bit of remnant will now, but, how can I guarantee that I can continue to maintain it?”

——“Now I can't even control my own body.”

Spirit collapsing, will perishing, ultimately losing all thoughts, without a soul, and having a desire to kill all beings with souls.

——“Before I completely become a monster, kill me.”

“You should have committed suicide long ago.”

——“Hahahahaha…”

A wild laughter exploded in his mind, giving Bray a headache.

——“It's useless.”

Bray did not speak, because he could hear the despair in the jet-black swordsman's voice, as if he couldn't end himself.

——“Kill me.”

“What should I do?”

——“You just need to fight me, defeat me, and then kill me.”

——“Don't mind anything else.”

——“It has nothing to do with being strong or weak, you just need to have the resolve.”

Such words, to an ordinary person, would sound ridiculously laughable.

A D-rank adventurer fighting against an ancient hero who massacred the Bronze Species.

No matter how you think about it, it was impossible for them to be on equal footing.

The jet-black swordsman's voice gradually faded, becoming more and more intermittent, and finally, the voice completely disappeared from Bray's mind.

“Resolve?”

Just as Bray was muttering to himself, the jet-black swordsman withdrew the greatsword that was pressed against Bray's throat.

“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” A roar that no human could possibly make came from under the jet-black swordsman's helmet.

The ground suddenly shattered, and the jet-black swordsman, holding two greatswords, charged at Bray with an unreasonable speed.

For the first time, the jet-black swordsman launched a charge.

From the time the jet-black swordsman appeared until now, he had only been walking.

No matter how fast the jet-black swordsman moved, it was not overlooked——

At those times, the jet-black swordsman was simply taking a step.

But now the jet-black swordsman had assumed a charging posture!!!!!!!!!

Along the path of the jet-black swordsman's charge, the stone bricks were pulverized, and the fallen corpses exploded.

“Clang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Sparks erupted, splashing onto the ground, illuminating the area with an orange glow.

The flames above were blown to flicker by the fierce wind stirred up by the jet-black swordsman's charge, yet they stubbornly refused to be extinguished.

Blanche, holding Virginia, was thrown over a hundred meters away, crashing hard against a stone pillar.

The entire ruin trembled for a moment.

“Huu…”

Bray stood firmly in place, 「Final Echo」 blocking the two crossed greatswords.

The ground was dented by the immense force.

These stones were no ordinary stones.

To trap the jet-black swordsman, the prison needed to be absolutely sturdy.

Every brick was made of Godlock Stone.

And this Godlock Stone was used to make chains that even the Bronze Species could not struggle out of.

But stones as sturdy as this were ravaged beyond recognition by the jet-black swordsman's single strike.

But the problem was not this——

Everyone was stunned, looking at the expressionless Bray in disbelief.

Just now, Bray had blocked the jet-black swordsman's charging strike!!?

After being blocked by Bray, the jet-black swordsman pulled back a small distance and continued to launch a frenzied barrage of slashes at Bray.

The two greatswords, nearly as large as a person, seemed to have no weight, and were incomparably light and swift in the hands of the jet-black swordsman.

But what was even more surprising was Bray.

“ding——ding——ding——”

Gust after gust of fierce wind rose, making it impossible for those who wanted to watch the battle to even open their eyes.

Bray, with 「Final Echo」 in his hands, blocked all the greatswords that were attacking wildly.

Every strike would create sparks, emitting a bright light in the darkness.

The huge arena seemed to have been built for the two of them.

The jet-black swordsman suddenly stopped his offensive and stood in front of Bray.

Bray's right dead-fish eye was half-closed as he looked at the jet-black swordsman.

“I see, so that's why it ‘has nothing to do with being strong or weak’.”

During the back and forth with the jet-black swordsman, Bray, who had felt a mysterious power, had long since used Appraisal on himself.

---

Bray Krass

Human

Innate Ability: None

Mastered Abilities: 「Cooking lv2」「Basic Swordsmanship lv23」「Appraisal lv1」「Steel-Cutting Swordsmanship lv11」「Ancient Sword School lv5」…

Stats:

「Speed」What!!! You're about to catch up to the speed of sound!!!

「Strength」Eh! Are you going to smash a mountain!

「Skill」So scary!!! Really! This consort is even scared!!

「Physique」Excuse me, can a meteor kill you!

「Mind」With this kind of willpower, nothing can crush you, right!?

「Art」Does Appraisal count?

Overall Evaluation: Eh eh eh eh!!! Why are you so strong!?

Are you really a Black Iron Species!

---

As usual, he couldn't see the specific numerical values.

Thanks to this, Bray couldn't estimate how high the jet-black swordsman's level was.

Looking at the description, Bray also guessed it was because of that "consort".

「Life and Death Battle」 This was a spell he had heard of, but had never seen anyone master.

As long as both parties agreed, under the effect of 「Life and Death Battle」, all of their stats would be averaged.

This was the so-called fighting on the same level.

And the two parties in a 「Life and Death Battle」 must fight until one of them dies, after which both parties' stats would return to normal.

If there was no winner, both parties would die together.

However, mastered abilities and innate abilities were not included in this averaging.

So theoretically, Bray was still more than a little weaker than the jet-black swordsman.

Bray touched his eyepatch.

The only mastered ability he originally had was 「Basic Swordsmanship lv1」.

But in the constant exchange of swords with the jet-black swordsman, he continuously mastered new sword techniques.

Every one of the jet-black swordsman's strikes contained the shadow of a sword technique; he himself was an encyclopedia of sword techniques.

Relying on the high level of his 「Skill」 at this moment, Bray was continuously learning and mastering the sword techniques belonging to the jet-black swordsman.

But in the end, it was relying on imitation and without practice, so the level of the sword techniques was not too high.

In that case, learning new moves wasn't exciting at all.

In the end, it might not be the jet-black swordsman who dies, but himself.

“Resolve, huh…”

Bray shrugged his shoulders and tightened his grip on 「Final Echo」.

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