Chapter 117 The objectives have been met?
Holy Sword Tournament Arc II
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(POV: Akashic Records)
The magic airship was now airborne.
Dr. Samras, dedicated physician that he was, moved swiftly, his steady hands tending to the wounded commoners. Ress supported him, offering gentle words of comfort to ease their pain.
It was then that Fanatio noticed Genevieve's distant expression.
She approached her. "What's troubling you, Genevieve? You seem lost in thought," she inquired, her voice was plain.
Genevieve sighed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.
"I can't help but worry about Lumiere," she admitted, her voice laced with genuine concern.
"So, who is this Lumiere you're worried about?" she asked.
Biting her lower lip, Genevieve hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Well, Lumiere is... it's complicated. But he's someone I've come to love. We haven't spoken for some time, so I can't help but wonder if he's okay," she explained, a hint of affection creeping into her voice.
Fanatio nodded. "Ah, I see. So Lumiere's a boy... his name sounds more like a girl's. How intriguing," she mused, her curiosity piqued.
Genevieve chuckled, shaking her head fondly.
"Yes, it can be a bit confusing. But one look at him, and you'd never mistake him for anything less than a handsome young man. Though, his slender figure might make some girls jealous," she smiled.
Fanatio's eyebrows arched in curiosity. "Does this Lumiere have a big pee-pee?" she blurted out without a hint of hesitation.
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Genevieve blinked in confusion. "Eh?" she stammered, trying to make sense of Fanatio's peculiar inquiry.
Fanatio waved a hand dismissively, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. "Never mind, never mind. I'm sure he's safe.."
"Yeah, you're right." Genevieve sighed.
After...
Skum rushed to Fanatio and Genevieve's side, a sense of urgency etched on his face. "We've got trouble ahead!" he exclaimed.
"What is it? What's going on?" she inquired, her voice bold.
Garret joined them, his breath slightly labored from the haste.
"It's those flying creatures, Genevieve! They've caught up to us!" he revealed, his voice filled with a mixture of adrenaline and caution.
Genevieve rushed to the window, her brown eyes widening in alarm as she caught sight of the dark flyers in the distance. "We can't let them threaten the airship or its occupants. I'll handle them," she declared confidently.
Fanatio raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to face them alone? They have the aerial advantage."
Genevieve flashed a determined smile, her resolve unwavering. "I can handle myself, Fanatio. Don't worry about me," she reassured her.
With a sigh, Garret smiled. "Be careful, Genevieve. These creatures may be more dangerous than they appear," he placed his hand on her shoulder.
Genevieve and Garret shared a brief moment, their fists colliding in a show of camaraderie.
Their unspoken trust and shared determination fueled their resolve.
With a nod of confirmation, Fanatio pressed a button and channeled her mana into it, causing the door of the airship to open.
As the rushing wind filled the airship, Genevieve positioned herself at the precipice, gripping a trusty sword in hand. Without hesitation, she propelled herself into the open sky, descending towards the two hovering monsters.
Her descent was swift, her movements graceful and calculated.
[Dark flyers] standard rank C monsters.
As Genevieve descended towards them, she used [Boost], further propelling herself towards the creatures at breakneck speed. The air rushed past her as she employed [Enchanted Blade], causing her sword to glow with an ethereal light. The blade sliced through the air, meeting its mark with unmatched precision and severing one of the monster's massive wings in a single, fluid motion
"( She's fast... )" (Fanatio)
A deafening screech filled the sky, making everyone on the airship wince in discomfort.
Fanatio, poised to follow Genevieve in her daring descent, paused momentarily. "She's falling!" she exclaimed, ready to thrust herself into action.
Garret, however, held his composure and raised a hand to stop Fanatio. "Wait for it," he advised, his voice filled with a sense of wisdom. "You haven't seen the full extent of Genevieve's capabilities yet."
Just as the tension reached its peak, Genevieve abruptly halted midair, her boots gracefully landing on a thin, shimmering stream of mana she manifested.
"ICE SWORD MAGIC! ? GODSPEED CHAOS SLASH!!" (Genevieve)
Rank A+ sword technique.
In a blur of motion, she maneuvered around the dark flyers, executing lightning-fast slashes from various angles, creating a mesmerizing dance of frost and steel. The barrage of slashes enveloped the creatures, reducing them to mere fragments of flesh, which instantly froze and exploded into dazzling shards of ice.
With the dark flyers vanquished, Genevieve effortlessly utilized [Blink Strike] that allowed her to flash back into the airship's entrance with lightning speed.
"That was so awesome, Lady Genevieve!" Skum shouted.
"Indeed." Garret smiled, unsurprised.
Fanatio beamed, extending her hand for a hearty handshake.
"I wouldn't expect any less from an independent woman like you, Genevieve," she praised, her voice filled with genuine respect and camaraderie.
The two shook hands.
...
Meanwhile.
In the crumbling remains of a desolate building, Lirien stood alongside the trembling Archbishop.
Lirien locked her crimson eyes onto the Archbishop.
"Unseal the sacred box," said Lirien, her voice steady but commanding.
"Y-y-yes!"
The Archbishop, his hands shaking, began reciting his prayers, the tremors barely concealed in his voice as he desperately sought divine intervention.
The sacred box shimmered with ethereal energy, crackling with otherworldly power.
With a resounding crack, the box opened, revealing a sight that sent shivers down Lirien's spine. The heart that emerged was massive and dry, its obsidian surface contrasting sharply against the destruction that surrounded them. It pulsed with an ominous energy, as if possessed by an ancient malevolence. Piercing the heart was an awe-inspiring sight - Devaniel, the legendary Holy Sword, a weapon of unrivaled power.
However, the sword was useless to her.
Only someone with an indomitable will that could rival gods could wield it.
"Unseal the heart," said Lirien.
The Archbishop, his voice filled with both fear and uncertainty, managed to stammer an explanation. "That heart... it belongs to the Black Dragon King of Destruction, Valtara," he revealed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Unleashing its power may bring forth unforeseen consequences."
Lirien's gaze hardened, her resolve steeling.
"Do I strike you as someone in the mood for games?" she retorted, her tone laced with impatience.
The Archbishop gulped audibly.
Dreadfully, the Archbishop performed the sacred rites necessary to unbind the sword from the heart's grasp. As the sword was freed, a deafening silence filled the air, broken only by the Archbishop's labored breaths.
Surprisingly, nothing happened, leaving an air of eerie stillness in the aftermath.
The Archbishop, his body trembling with a mixture of relief and dread, turned to Lirien, seeking affirmation. "Have I done well?" he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.
Lirien met his gaze, her piercing red eyes scanning him with a mix of skepticism and approval.
A fraction of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Good job," she acknowledged coolly.
Lirien contemplated her next move, a sudden itch at the base of her skull prompted her to scratch it absentmindedly.
Gallus would be crucial in transporting this ominous heart.
She turned her attention to the trembling Archbishop, his face a mask of anxiety.
The Archbishop, his voice barely above a tremor, mustered the courage to ask, "May I go now?"
Lirien glanced at him, her eyes narrowing as she weighed her options.
"Yes, go. Your companions might be worried about you," she replied dully.
The Archbishop's smile betrayed his overwhelming relief as he dashed away, fleeing from the eerie scene. However, his haste caused him to overlook a crucial detail: the Holy Sword, Devaniel, which still rested beside the heart.
She opened her mouth to call after the Archbishop, but her words were swallowed by a sudden shroud of suffocating darkness. Panic threatened to consume her, yet Lirien chose to remain collected, her tainted crimson eyes scanning the dark abyss that enveloped her.
The silence stretched on, broken only by her steady breathing.
Footsteps, slow and deliberate, soon shattered the stifling stillness.
Each step sparked a chill that raced up Lirien's spine, causing her grip on her sheathed sword to tighten. "Who's there?" she called out sharply, her voice echoing through the desolate ruins.
A low, sinister chuckle joined the chorus of footsteps.
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