Chapter 552: The Blue-Haired Believer

Richard drew his signature black sword and pointed it at Valerie. There was no deception in his eyes, and his expression was pure.

Valerie bit her lips, unable to hide her agitation, as the cold wind blew and the forest behind them rustled vividly.

It was abnormal for her to remain unsettled when faced with someone who had openly taken a hostile stance. Being unsettled could be fatal.

But there was only one thing swirling in her mind.

It was so foolish and irritating. The same words rang out in her mind over and over again.

Valerie had never even considered that Richard would truly turn against her. They were simply on different sides due to misunderstandings and fate. She was certain that they would eventually return to the same path.

But now he had pointed his blade at her. Unknowingly, Lugis’ image flashed before Valerie’s eyes.

That man was still in his developmental stages when they first met in the Beulah Prison. She could tell he’d been through many ordeals, but that was all. That was all he was.

She couldn’t believe that Richard would call such a man a hero. No, she didn’t want to believe it. That was Valerie’s true feelings.

She knew it was ugly jealousy. But, but. How could she admit that her ally, the person she called her mentor, had been taken away by such a man? If that was the case, then she should’ve killed him then, no matter what.

Her teeth gritted with great force. She channeled her magical power into the magical armor and clenched her fists. In an instant, magical power was poured into the ultramarine armor. With the magical armor as her body and magical power as her bloodline, Valerie’s battle preparations were complete.

「…Richard. You’ve lost an arm, and you want to cross swords with me? 」

「Humans always fight with the cards they have at hand. The true essence of a battle lies in how many cards they can gather before fighting. Listen, Valerie, isn’t that what happened in Labyrinth City? 」

The black blade and the ultramarine blade faced off. They knew each other’s distance perfectly. One wrong step and it would be a life-or-death encounter. They were both close to killing each other.

For a moment, Valerie narrowed her gaze. Her first encounter with Richard dated back to the Labyrinth City, the place where they first met.

A first encounter. Valerie brandished her sword and said to him.

…Former hero. For the pride of my ancestors and the peace of my soul, I challenge you to a duel.

To tell the truth, it was nothing more than a way of venting her anger. But for ten-year-old Valerie, it was enough to risk her life.

And Valerie possessed an undeniable natural talent.

Just as Richard had once been, at ten years old, no one could match her. Her reputation as a genius was all she had, and even adults and martial arts teachers were no match for her.

Even as a child, she believed without a doubt that everything in this world existed for her to win.

Indeed, since running away from home, she had fought countless monsters and fellow warriors, but that day was the first time she had ever suffered a defeat.

If you want to kill someone, then you’ll have to do it a little better, you brat.

The young Valerie swung her long sword at that man, who remained bare-handed.

But before she even had a moment’s hesitation, Valerie’s dominant arm and shoulder were easily broken.

Both of her legs were broken when they fought again a month later.

But that man never killed Valerie, and Valerie never gave up.

At some point in the Labyrinth City, Valerie found herself where Richard was headed, and he never complained. Well, he complained at first but probably gave in along the way.

Looking back, Valerie wondered how they managed to become allies despite such a terrible encounter. She respected Richard even though she had animosity towards him. For the first time, she felt the desire to learn from someone else.

That’s why she accompanied him to the end in his search for the magical tools in the Labyrinth City. In the end, he never found what he was looking for.

Ever since the Labyrinth City, Valerie and Richard had undoubtedly been allies. There was no way they could part ways. Valerie found it hard to believe that they were turning against each other after all those years.

Besides, what was there for Richard to gain from this battle?

Even if he was victorious, there would be no doubt that 60,000 soldiers would be unstoppable. Losing would mean only death. Valerie couldn’t believe Richard was fighting such an emotional battle…no, wait.

Was he really trying to engage in a fight against her?

Valerie instantly clenched her fists and re-forged her magical power. Her emotions were still running high, but she was beginning to regain her composure.

Valerie spoke after showing a cold breath.

「Have you brought any soldiers with you? 」

Without averting her gaze, Valerie maintained her fighting stance and asked. Her voice was faint, barely shaking the air.

「Don’t be silly. Why would I bring soldiers to their deathbeds? 」

Valerie nodded slightly. It had been a long time since they’d spoken like this. Perhaps, even since their confrontation with the demon user in the Labyrinth City.

Ah, relief welled in her heart. Richard, after all, was no fool driven solely by emotion…He was definitely not someone on that level.

If that were to be the case, then he wouldn’t make a pathetic move like attacking her with hidden soldiers. She believed that for a moment.

In an instant, Valerie turned on her heel, facing away from Richard. Without paying any attention to what was behind her back, she focused her gaze on the forest.

…And with that, she swung her fist with all her might. The ultramarine blue of her magic armor formed a line that sprinted through the air.

Valerie’s magical power, concentrated by the magic armor, shot out from her fist like a lump of iron. The swing’s movement was large, making it difficult to use against humans, but it was more than enough to intimidate.

At the very least, it was powerful enough to easily snap trees. Trees and branches were flying as if caught in a tempest.

Amidst all this, Valerie didn’t miss the splatter of flesh and blood. Still in combat readiness, she readjusted her stance toward the forest.

At the very least, they were showing hostility. They weren’t allies. And since they weren’t Richard’s soldiers, then there was no reason to hesitate.

At the same time, Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. Richard hadn’t truly drawn his sword to eliminate her. Richard was reacting to their hostility as well. She desperately believed that was the case.

「Let’s continue this conversation later, Valerie. It seems there are some non-humans among them. 」

「…I agree. They’re clearly non-human. 」

Standing alongside Richard, who had drawn his black sword, Valerie tightened her gaze as she steadied her breathing. She put the unrest in her heart aside for the time being.

Valerie had a hunch about the presence lurking in the forest.

It seemed half human, half not.

A fragrant, hideous presence coexisted with a glorious majesty.

In a word, it was bizarre. Just looking at it intimidated her greatly.

Valerie called out before even seeing who was there.

「…Giluel. Have you stopped wearing human skin? You’ve turned your hostility towards me as well. 」

The answer came immediately after a few seconds of silence. It sounded like a sweet smile.

「…How rude. But that’s to be expected. I shall answer, Valerie. You’re mistaken about me. I only harbor hostility towards that hero. Aren’t you, like me, a guardian chosen by God? 」

A beautiful voice that resembled silk. A fearless smile on her face. The guardian, Giluel Hano, was there, accompanied by several subordinates.

「And that’s exactly why I’m curious. Why are you with that hero, who is your enemy? Don’t you know he is the enemy of God? Are you going against God’s will? 」

Giluel’s eyes were maniacal. The color of blind faith permeated Valerie, refusing to allow any excuses.

There was no withdrawal after being declared an enemy of God. Was she trying to say there was no room for negotiation?

But that seemed odd.

If Giluel really thought so, then she should’ve made herself known from the beginning. As soon as she set foot on the hill, Valerie sensed the presence of soldiers lurking nearby. This meant she had been watching the situation for a while. A level of patience unimaginable for such a fanatic.

In other words, she had another intention.

「…Valerie. People who try to push things forward with words like “God’s will” are usually hiding something they can’t deny. But, seriously, I’ve had connections with non-humans too. 」

Richard gave a wry smile and extended his left arm.

He couldn’t assume the same stance with one arm as he could with both. Naturally, his fighting style would become incomplete, and stabbing or slashing the enemy would become difficult.

At the very least, it would be difficult to deflect the enemy’s attacks or crush them with consecutive blows.

Richard remembered his battle with the Controller Drigman. He’d gotten away with one arm that time. What would happen this time?

After all, Richard was certain that the being before him was probably of the same origin.

The magical devilish being Giluel Hano spread her arms and spoke, with her blue hair swaying in the air.

「How sad, Hero Richard Parmillis. Even you, the one chosen by fate, are no match for the demon known as time. So fleeting, so pitiful. It must be frustrating, so regrettable. Your prime was over forty years ago. So how can you dare oppose me? 」

Giluel shifted her gaze from Valerie to Richard. The black sword and the magical armor tilted at the same time, increasing their imposing power.

「Well, it can’t be helped. That’s just how humans are. I can’t do everything, but I know for certain that the next generation will eventually do it. Besides, I’m surprisingly not the type of person who gives up hope until the very end. 」

Words laced with cunning were hurled towards the forest.

Words that seemed provocative yet also measured the other person’s judgment. Richard continued speaking.

「Drigman was the worst opponent, but he was also strong. That’s what a strong person is. I don’t think you’re stronger than him. So I’ll survive this time too. Even if I have to kill you. 」

The black tip of his sword shone brightly, targeting the magical devilish being.

Previous | Next

😉

—————–

Support us on Patreon and get access to early chapters