“This is truly astonishing. A holy knight, not even a priest, casting a healing light over an entire domain? Even that pig Ort would’ve found it difficult.”

Ort was one of the second-generation heroes—and a priest.

He was held in immense esteem among priests, much like how Iori Otix was famously revered by mages.

And yet this guy just called him a pig. To be fair, every time I saw his portrait, I did think he looked chubby.

“And that beast you’re riding—isn’t it Agril?”

“……”

“Hoho. Looks like it recognizes me. Truly a beast blessed by the gods.”

Agril had indeed first appeared during the descent of the Demon King of Greed.

The second descent really had all sorts of innovations.

I spoke.

“Just to confirm—are you the same Iori Otix from the era of the second Demon King’s descent?”

“Hmm? I believed I was quite respected by people of this era. Your attitude is remarkably poor.”

“Still not as poor as your personality, so I think we’re good.”

“Ho? I have heard many people say I have a rotten personality. Even he used to say so occasionally.”

He?

There was only one person in the world whom the great Iori would call him.

Then it hit me—this domain of Raynus was his homeland.

‘No—focus. That’s not what’s important right now.’

I shook my head and asked, “So why are you here, and not in the afterlife?”

“The other companions all died peacefully and moved on to the Void. But I died a rather sudden and violent death.”

Ah.

The end of Iori Otix flashed in my mind.

Neril spoke.

“The Demon King of Greed’s final outburst.”

“Hehe. Looks like you’ve studied quite a bit, young lady.”

“……”

“When the Demon King of Greed was cornered, he chose to self-destruct. I used up my entire remaining lifespan, converting it all into mana to block the blast. And so, I died without even leaving a final will.”

“So you stayed on the continent because of regrets? What kind of lingering attachment?”

“There was something I wanted to say to him.”

Again with the “him.”

I asked, “You mean the second hero—Lepia Odgar?”

At that, his face suddenly turned serious.

With a voice as heavy as stone, he said:

“Don’t you dare speak that name so casually, you lowborn.”

“Wow, the way you talk. I heard Iori was a high noble to the bone, and it shows.”

“That’s right. And bloodlines deserve respect even in death.”

“Lepia was a commoner, wasn’t he? If that’s the case, what’s the big deal about a fellow commoner saying his name?”

And then it happened.

I saw something sharp flying toward us.

Wind Cutter—a wind spell Neril often used.

But this one was at least ten times bigger than hers.

“Agril!”

Xenia quickly steered Agril upward.

The massive Wind Cutter narrowly grazed us, smashing into the bell tower behind.

Slice.

As if it had been drawn on paper and then cut, the bell tower was cleanly severed in two and collapsed.

‘This guy’s no joke.’

Iori’s voice came again.

“The title of ‘Hero’ is so great, it renders the divide between noble and commoner meaningless. That’s why I always addressed him with respect.”

“……”

“And for a filthy commoner like you—there’s no need to say it. Apologize for daring to speak his name twice.”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it.”

Shring.

I drew my sword.

“Because I’m a hero too.”

“I’m a hero too.”

That single sentence sparked overwhelming rage in Iori.

With lightning speed, he formed hand signs.

It was a type of magic I didn’t recognize, but behind me, Neril shouted:

“Giga Lightning?!”

A massive bolt of lightning struck from the cloudless sky.

There was no way I could dodge lightning—but thankfully, I didn’t need to.

KRA-KOOM! BZZZZT!

Sparks crackled, and a translucent barrier surrounded me.

Xenia had drawn her sword and cast a defensive spell.

“You blocked my magic? A mere holy knight?”

“They’re no mere holy knight and mage.”

“……”

“They’re heroes. Members of Hero Mide’s party.”

“You really won’t shut that filthy mouth, will you.”

“Actually, I will. From here on, we speak with swords!”

Neril timed it perfectly and cast a flying spell on me.

I took my stance and used a technique.

‘Quick Leap!’

In the blink of an eye, I was right in front of Iori.

I could see his pupils dilating in surprise.

I swung my sword with all my might.

But—

Whoosh.

All I cut through was an afterimage.

It wasn’t that Iori dodged with superhuman reflexes.

He had already created hundreds of illusions of himself.

“When a mage fights a swordsman, they must always remember one thing: I’m slower than him.”

Hundreds of Iori Ortixes spoke in unison.

They surrounded us like an audience at a popular sports match.

“If you can find the real me among these, I might acknowledge you a little. Though you’ll probably be dead before that.”

Hundreds of hand signs appeared at once.

Again, I didn’t recognize the spell, but Neril did. She shouted at the same time Iori did:

“Aqua Label!”

“Patra.”

Iori’s magic was fire.

A barrage of fire arrows, so scorching it felt like they could melt my bones just from looking, flew toward me and Agril.

But if his element was fire, Neril’s was water.

She wrapped us in a thick, soap-bubble-like water barrier.

The fire arrows fizzled out against it, unable to break through.

Neril spoke.

“Splitting yourself into hundreds doesn’t make you hundreds of times stronger. Mana still comes from one body, after all.”

“You are a fine descendant.”

“Can you stop talking like some smug ancestor? Every time you do, the image of you in my mind drops a few notches.”

“Well, I can’t help being who I am. But I’ll make up for the hit to my image with skill—though you’ll all be dead before then.”

I was grateful to Neril.

She’d bought me more than enough time.

‘Massive Slash.’

Instead of calling the technique name, I shouted:

“You already said that earlier

SWOOSH. SHHHRRRRK!

A technique that slashed through hundreds in one swing.

As the secret skill unleashed through my blade struck, all of Iori’s illusions vanished—simultaneously.

“Ghhk! Wh-What is this?!”

From hundreds to dozens.

From dozens to ten.

From ten to just one.

The last Iori stood alone, eyes wide in stunned disbelief.

I breathed through my nose to hide how winded I was and said,

“For a hero, this much is nothing.”

“No! This is absolutely not nothing! Hey!”

That last comment came from Iori—

But it was Neril who answered him.

Both she and Xenia had their jaws dropped in awe.

“Wow, you’re really something else……”

“How many skills do you even have?”

Come to think of it, this would be their first time seeing these techniques.

Iori let out a light chuckle.

“A Hero, huh. Yeah, you’re probably qualified to spout such nonsense.”

“……”

“But I’ll teach you that it was an arrogant delusion. Not that you’ll live long enough to learn.”

“You should break that habit of making bold declarations before the fight starts. This is the third time now.”

He ignored my advice and once again cast his life-draining spell.

The people I barely managed to save down below began collapsing all over again.

“Hahaha. There are plenty of healthy ones here. High-quality mana.”

“You bastard.”

“I can’t play around forever. I must welcome His Grace after clearing out this filth.”

“……”

“Let’s finish this. You vermin.”

He has to welcome someone?

Lepia Odgar?

Lepia’s soul is here?

…Ah!

‘Damn it.’

Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

That soul fused with Mariana’s… it was Lepia?

‘Wait. Idria must’ve handed over Lepia’s soul.’

The soul of the Second Hero handed over by the Fifth Demon King?

I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

But now’s not the time to keep thinking.

“That’s seriously dangerous.”

Neril’s face had gone slightly pale.

Iori, after draining the lifespan of the citizens, had formed a fire orb the size of the sun on his index finger.

Xenia clenched her teeth.

“Agril! Let your divine breath strike down that man—”

“It’s no use, Xenia.”

“What?”

“He wouldn’t cast a spell with such a long cast time without a plan. He’s already surrounded himself with multiple mana barriers. That’s why even Mide isn’t moving.”

She looked at me as if to confirm.

I could only nod.

I had planned to use ‘Quick Leap’ to interrupt his spell, but my instincts told me it wouldn’t work.

‘In that case.’

Cut What I Want to Cut. Would that be enough?

Ah. Using two techniques back-to-back like this is risky.

But I don’t have a choice.

I said to Neril:

“Buy me a little time. I need to focus to use a technique.”

“Uh, o-okay. But that spell of his is—”

“Use Disintegration.”

“…! Will it be okay?”

“It’s your magic. You don’t need my permission to use it.”

“You didn’t let me use it during the Martial King arc.”

Even as she said that, Neril’s hands were already forming signs at a rapid pace.

Then I spoke to Xenia.

“Let me borrow your Holy Sword. I need to cut Iori’s soul without killing Tivre.”

“Th-that’s fine, but you’re really trying to keep your no-kill vow even now?”

“Yeah. I should at least live up to the name. Not that I chose it.”

She handed me the sword.

I took it and assumed my stance.

“And I’d appreciate it if you could contain the spell’s aftermath from spreading across the domain.”

“Of course.”

Xenia began her prayer.

And just like that, we created a scene where each of us gave the other time to unleash our techniques.

A strange standoff. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel⟡fire.net

We couldn’t breach his mana barrier, and he couldn’t move while casting his spell.

And then—both attacks launched at the same time.

“All lowly beings shall perish. Sun Overroll!”

“You’re the one who’s dying! This is your second death today. Disintegration!”

The sun that Iori conjured began to crash toward the ground.

At that moment, Neril’s Disintegration—something I hadn’t seen in a while—activated.

It looked like a transparent spear.

Everything connected to its point of impact disintegrated like sand and vanished from this world.

Whether it was a person, an animal, a building, or a rock—it didn’t matter.

Until the end of its connection, it wouldn’t stop until everything was reduced to elemental particles.

“What a bizarre spell. Let’s see how far it goes!”

“Gghh. Nghh!”

Neril’s Disintegration spear continued to break down the sun.

But Iori kept pouring the endless mana he stole from the people into it.

Destruction and rebirth.

A scene that looked like a direct representation of the cycle of the world.

Flames and mana from the sun burst in every direction.

“O Divine One, please grant us Your shield.”

Xenia gripped the Gem of Desolation and prayed.

A massive hemispherical barrier soon enveloped the entire domain.

Though the storm of mana darkened the sky and scattered everyone’s vision, it could do nothing to the people beneath the divine shield.

My ears, now highly sensitive, picked up the noise from the citizens.

“Am I dreaming…?”

“This feels like something out of a legend.”

“Cough. P-please win, Sir Mide.”

“Please, Hero—save us!”

“Hang in there! Stay strong!”

Their encouragement gave strength to my limbs.

I steadied my breathing and took my stance.

Now’s the chance—while Iori is distracted dealing with Neril.

Cut Iori, who stands beyond the mana barrier.

Those barrier spells—after all—are nothing but rearranged mana.

This technique can find the gaps. I can do this.

Cut What I Want to Cut!

That’s when it happened.

A voice I had never heard before suddenly echoed in my ears.

[What a splendid technique.]

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep