Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 157: Chapter 157 - Battle Between Enemies ( Part 3 )

Silence.

Where not long ago the sounds of clash of blades and roar of demons reigned, there suddenly came eerie silence.

The only thing that stayed was the wind.

It lightly blew over the valley, carrying smell of blood and faint scent of white lilies, blooming on the hill, where Derresa and her baby rested.

Luka Manjero was motionless.

His hand dropped from Tempest’s hilt.

Divine Sword was lying next to him.

Blue crystal glimmered feeble and lonely in the darkness.

Jennie was kneeling next to him, immobile.

Her hands were covered in Luka’s blood.

She was too late.

For one who had killed Demon Generals.

For one who had been called a Sword King.

She was too late to save a friend.

Snow slowly lowered its huge head.

Its golden eyes were focused on Luka.

"He kept his promise..."

Heavy with pain the voice of Divine Beast rumbled.

"He has protected his home."

Roxy froze a few steps away from Luka.

Tears freely fell down her cheeks.

Luka played jokes on her.

He argued with her.

He nicknamed her "noisy mage".

And now...

He would never talk again.

On the other side of the battlefield, Draven calmly drove the but end of his black spear into the ground.

"You disappointed me, Tempest."

His eyes of crimson color shifted to the Divine Sword.

"Your master is dead."

"Now, you belong to me."

He extended his hand.

"Come."

Powerful stream of demonic energy rushed to the sword.

Several demon officers confidently smiled.

"Divine Sword would listen to its new master, Lord Draven."

"It has no master anymore."

Tempest did not move.

Wind stopped.

The storm clouds hovering over Rosario even seemed to wait.

Draven frowned.

"...Come."

His command resounded with incredible force.

No reaction.

In the silent consciousness of the Divine Sword...

Tempest remembered.

Rough man complaining about heavy sword every morning.

The same man taking it even in rainy weather without leaving it behind.

Calling it "old junk".

"Rust bucket."

"Scrap metal."

But...

Never leaving it behind.

Tempest remembered Luka smiling with Derresa under the cedar tree.

Luka making houses for the strangers.

Luka protecting children who were not his.

Luka standing against the army without any hesitation.

And finally...

Luka stepping in front of the spear meant for Jennie.

Tempest’s gentle voice reverberated with the echo of the silence.

"You finally became the hero you never thought you can be."

Blue crystal suddenly flashed brightly.

Violent cyclone flared around the sword.

Draven’s cloak was fiercely blown by the wind.

His smile disappeared.

"...What?"

The sword lifted up into the air.

Not to him.

From him.

One of the demon commanders cried out.

"My lord!"

"It rejects you!"

Draven frowned even harder.

"Impossible."

"No Divine Sword denies the real strength."

"Certainly," calm voice of Excalibur answered inside Jennie’s mind.

"And mere strength was never enough."

Leviathan added softly,

"That is the reason for survival of the Divine Swords."

Tempest rose higher.

Whole battlefield was watching.

Sword rotated.

Its point briefly pointed to Luka’s quiet face.

The wind softened.

Almost as good-bye.

And then...

Blade slowly flew towards Jennie.

Jennie looked up.

"...Tempest?"

Cheerful voice sounded gently.

"My master gave you the responsibility for the future."

Jennie’s heart clenched.

"I could not save him."

"No."

"But you will protect what he died defending."

The sword was flying in front of her.

Jennie hesitated.

"I cannot replace Luka."

"You could never."

"No one."

Warm wind caressed her face.

"Instead, carry his will."

Carefully...

Jennie reached out.

Exactly at the moment when her fingers touched Tempest’s hilt—

BOOOOOOM!

Heavens exploded with light.

Column of silver-blue energy burst upwards in the sky.

The storm clouds tore apart.

Huge hurricane winds ripped across the battlefield.

Demons stumbled backwards.

Even Draven was forced to drive his spear into the ground.

Excalibur jumped from Jennie’s right hand.

Leviathan rose from her left.

Tempest floated between them.

Three Divine Swords danced around Jennie in perfect harmony.

Gold light.

Deep sapphire.

Bright silver.

Colors interlaced like waving ribbons.

Ancient runes flashed across the sky.

All Divine Swords hummed with the same resonance.

First Excalibur.

"Sword of Kings..."

Then Leviathan answered.

"Sword of Oceans..."

And Tempest giggled softly.

"Sword of Storms..."

And all three together proclaimed.

"United once again."

Resonance spread all over the continent.

Mountains shook.

Oceans boiled.

Long-forgotten ruins hiding under the forest lit up dimly.

Even in the long-forgotten temples sealed relics awakened.

The remaining Divine Swords felt the calling.

Snow looked upwards.

"...Three."

His voice held both amazement and concern.

"Three Divine Swords..."

Roxy whispered,

"The power of divinity..."

"I never felt anything like this."

Villagers covered their eyes.

The light coming from Jennie lit the whole valley.

Draven’s smile vanished.

For the first time since arrival...

He showed his discomfort.

"So..."

He clenched his spear.

"You collected another."

His eyes narrowed.

"Then the prophecy..."

"...is progressing faster than expected."

Inside Jennie’s mind three Divine Swords spoke.

Excalibur remained calm.

"Leonis."

Leviathan was confident.

"Battle has changed."

Tempest’s voice, still cheerful, contained the grief.

"Please..."

"Win."

Jennie slowly closed her eyes.

She saw the last smile of Luka.

His promise to Derresa.

His sacrifice.

And she opened her eyes.

Tears were shining in her eyes.

But she became absolutely determined.

She stretched her hands forwards.

Step-by-step, Divine Swords came back into her hands.

Excalibur settled in her right hand.

Leviathan in her left.

Tempest floated behind her, rotating as a guardian waiting for further orders.

Wind answered her heartbeat.

Sea answered her determination.

Light of kings answered her soul.

On the other side of the battlefield all demons intuitively stepped back.

Not because of the swords.

Not because of the powerful divine energy.

But because, for the first time since the start of the battle...

They felt themselves facing legendary Sword King.

Draven slowly lowered his pose.

His crimson eyes burned with anticipation.

And then cold smile appeared on his face.

"Excellent."

"I was starting to wonder whether this battle will entertain me."

He pointed his black spear at Jennie.

"Well, Leonis."

"Show me your reason to fear Sword King."

The earth rumbled under the weight of two legends meeting each other.

One of them was Jennie Queens.

The Markless Maiden.

The reincarnation of the Sword King Leonis.

She was accompanied by Three Divine Swords.

In her right hand shone Excalibur, glowing in golden light.

Her left held Leviathan with its sapphire blade.

And Tempest orbited around her constantly driven by silver-blue wind.

On the other side of the battlefield stood Draven.

The Third Demon General.

The Black Warlord.

His enormous black spear blazed with thick demonic power that seemed to warp the air surrounding it.

Thousands of demons followed him.

And behind Jennie stood a devastated village that wouldn’t give up.

They weren’t talking to each other.

There was only one message carried by the wind.

The outcome of the next fight would decide the future of Rosario.

Draven’s smile widened slowly.

"So..."

"You accepted another sword?"

Jennie answered him calmly.

"I accepted the last will of Luka."

Draven snorted.

"Sentiment."

"The greatest weakness of humanity."

Jennie gripped Excalibur tighter.

"No."

"The greatest strength."

Without further words...

Draven disappeared.

The earth around him burst apart.

He covered the distance in an eye blink.

With all his might he brought his spear upon Jennie’s head as if trying to crush her.

BOOM!

Excalibur stopped the attack.

Gleams of golden light exploded on the battlefield.

The shockwave threw both armies back.

Several demons lost balance and fell.

Villagers tried to hold anything to stay on their feet.

Snow protected children with one giant wing.

Draven twirled his spear.

Demonic flames exploded on its blade.

With all his might he tried to pierce Jennie.

But Leviathan stopped him.

The sapphire Divine Sword unleashed powerful roar of water swallowing demonic flames.

Steam exploded to the sky.

White mist fell to the battlefield.

Draven smiled again.

"Excellent."

He disappeared in the mist.

Jennie closed her eyes.

She didn’t follow him.

She listened.

Wind.

Water.

Earth.

Then...

Tempest whispered to her.

"Above."

Jennie moved.

Just a moment before Draven fell from the sky.

His spear broke the ground she used to stand.

Dozens of meters big crater appeared on the battlefield.

Tempest flew forward even though Jennie didn’t touch it.

Blade of Storms rushed in the air.

Its blade slashed Draven’s spear from the side.

A violent cyclone appeared.

Draven was forced three steps backward.

He looked around himself.

"A sword..."

"...acting by itself?"

Tempest laughed happily.

"I still have a lot of wind left."

Jennie smiled despite battle.

She attacked.

Excalibur.

Leviathan.

Tempest.

Three Divine Swords acted as one.

Excalibur dealt fast attacks.

Leviathan enveloped every defense with a tidal wave.

And Tempest made impossible attacks.

Guided by the wind.

Draven blocked first blow.

Second.

Third.

For the first time after his arrival to Rosario...

He was forced to defend himself.

Demon legion couldn’t believe their eyes.

"Our lord..."

"...is retreating?"

"No..."

One of officers corrected him quietly.

"He is being pushed back."

Even elite commanders of Draven had never seen anything like this.

Jennie’s actions were becoming more and more graceful.

She didn’t seem to wield three swords anymore.

She commanded them like a conductor of symphony.

Each motion smoothly connected with another.

Excalibur attacked.

Leviathan covered any opening.

Tempest punished all attempts to counter attack.

Three Divine Swords resonated.

Golden light.

Blue water.

Silver wind.

Battlefield changed completely.

Roxy was looking in amazement.

"...I’ve never seen anything like this."

Snow slowly nodded.

"Neither have I."

He looked up to the sky.

"This..."

"...is Leonis at his closest to himself."

Draven growled.

Black lightning exploded from his spear.

With all his might he smashed it.

He destroyed earth under the attack.

Jennie crossed blades of Excalibur and Leviathan.

Their strike shook mountains.

Immediately Tempest launched its attack from behind.

Draven barely defended it.

Thin cut appeared on his armor’s shoulder.

Silence.

The Demon General looked down.

Line of crimson blood slowly appeared.

He was injured.

Every demon froze.

"Our lord..."

"He is bleeding."

Draven looked at the blood for a few seconds.

Then...

He started laughing.

Deeply and genuinely.

"So this is it."

"So this..."

"...is the Sword King."

He looked straight to Jennie.

"There is no doubt anymore."

"You are Leonis reborn."

Jennie lowered her stance.

"My name is Jennie."

Draven smiled.

"Perhaps."

"But only Leonis is able to push me this far."

His crimson eyes burned from excitement.

"For centuries..."

"I was waiting for my opponent."

Dark energy exploded from his body.

Black clouds over him twisted forming huge vortex.

Hundreds of crimson lightning bolts fell down around him.

Ground under his feet was breaking.

Even his own soldiers instinctively backed away.

One of commanders shouted,

"My lord!"

"The army—"

Draven silenced him with a look.

"If they die..."

"They were too weak."

The commander immediately lowered his head.

Jennie frowned.

"He doesn’t even respect his own soldiers."

Snow growled.

"He never did."

Draven raised his spear to the heaven.

His voice echoed across the valley.

"Sword King."

"I admit your strength."

His words surprised everyone.

For Demon General to admit a human was almost impossible thing.

"But..."

His smile turned into terrible one.

"You are still not strong enough to stop this war."

Massive crimson magic circle appeared beneath him.

Its size covered almost whole battlefield.

Ancient demonic runes ignited one after another.

Even Excalibur sounded urgently.

"Leonis."

"Be careful."

And Leviathan added,

"This is not an ordinary spell."

Tempest’s cheerful voice was gone.

"Something very bad is going to happen."

Jennie looked at the magic circle.

She could feel it.

This was not an ordinary attack.

This was the beginning of something terrible.

Draven spread his arms as crimson light filled the battlefield.

"Come, Sword King."

"Let’s see..."

"...whether your three Divine Swords are enough to resist the power of the Demon General."

Rosario’s storm was roaring louder and louder as both sides prepared for the new phase of their battle.