Chapter 142 – Ordeal of the Spirit King
From the beginning of the Spirit King’s ordeal, Lay had not made any progress.
Even though there were a dozen or so spirit-based swords penetrating his body all around him, he was unable to detach them.
He could not budge.
The distance between the Spirit King and Lay is sufficiently far. With the sword at his waist still in its sheath, he made no sign of casting any magic spells.
The Spirit King simply remains standing there with both hands hanging down.
Nevertheless, he is not without any weak spots.
Two thousand years ago, Lay had honed his swordsmanship as the hero, Kanon, and after his reincarnation, he further refined his skills as part of the demon race. It’s unlikely that anyone else, even among the demon race of two thousand years ago, let alone the demon race of today, could match the man he has become.
And that very same Lay was being cornered before even a single exchange of swords had ensued.
The Spirit King’s overall appearance exudes a bottomless horrificness.
Once he reaches for his sword, he would be defeated.
Lay may have fallen into such an illusion.
Perspiration poured from Lay’s forehead and trickled down his cheeks as a suffocating pressure enveloped the area.
Lay broke into a faint smile.
“… Are you not coming at me? Right now, aren’t I unarmed?”
Lay shot the words out as though to startle him.
The Spirit King made no remark but slowly extended his hand to the hilt of his sword.
When he drew his sword, the blade sparkled like a jewel.
This is one of the spirit swords from the book of Midori.
“Treasure Sword Ailearrow, was that its name? It’s a spirit that seals the target it slashes into a pentagram within the jewel.”
As expected, no reply is forthcoming, and the Spirit King merely offers an icy glance back at him from behind his mask.
As if resolved, Lay uttered, “Well, I’d better hit the road then.”
In the following instant, his body vanished, leaving an afterimage.
Lay shifted to the front of one of the spirit swords impaled in the floor, the Everlasting Sword Gielia.
It is a spirit born from rumors and legends of a sword that could never be shattered, and even though it is simplistic, it would prove to be a formidable weapon if Lay wielded it.
Lay reached for the Everlasting Sword, then his eyes widened.
At a speed superior to his, the Spirit King rushed forward and faced the Everlasting Sword.
“Damn…!”
The Treasure Sword Ailearrow is like a flash of light, brandished in a single sideways motion.
Lay rushes back as the tip is about to rip through his skin.
The moment Lay was planning to distance himself, his chest was severed open.
A glittering magical line emerged across the wound.
“Whew,” he let out a breath.
“I have an idea of where the next slash will be if he’s drawing a pentagram, but how can I be sure?”
With both hands, Lay drew a magic circle and called forth a holy flame.
<Great Holy Flame of Domination Cyphio>.
The holy flame that is unleashed split into sixteen pieces and assaults the Spirit King from all sides.
However, the Spirit King’s hands blurred and a magical pentagram was drawn at the base of the sixteen flames.
In the blink of an eye, the holy flame is absorbed into the pentagram and is sealed.
With a thump, a red jewel landed on the ground.
“At the very least, let me use the <Sanctuary Asc>.”
Once more, Lay draws a magic circle using both hands.
This time, he constructed the formula for <Great Holy Flame of Domination Cyphio> with his right hand and <Great Destruction Sanctuary Viguol> with his left hand.
“Let’s see if this works.”
When Lay extended his right palm, thirty-two separate bursts of <Great Holy Flame of Domination Cyphio> were hurled like hail at the Spirit King.
“…”
The Spirit King wordlessly swept his sword.
Within a fraction of a second, a vast number of pentagrams were drawn, and the <Great Holy Flame of Domination Cyphio> dissipated. The only thing that was left was the thirty-two red jewels that enclosed it.
Right then, with a thud, the floor ruptured.
In a flash, the spot where the Spirit King had stood collapsed, causing all the rubble and debris from the collapsed floor to strike the Spirit King.
The <Great Destruction Sanctuary Viguol> will disrupt the opponent’s foothold, halting them in their tracks, before assaulting them with debris and sediment.
Although it may not inflict substantial damage, it can buy a little time.
The <Great Destruction Sanctuary Viguol> sent the Everlasting Sword Gielia flying toward Lay.
The moment he attempted to grasp it――
“Gu, ah…!!”
Vivid blood spatters from his right hand, and the Everlasting Sword Gielia penetrates into the ground.
The Spirit King stood in front of Lay, having passed through the <Great Destruction Sanctuary Viguol> unconcernedly.
That isn’t all, though. At the same moment as his fingers were cut, his chest was torn diagonally.
That brought the total to three strokes. Two more strokes were to be made before the pentagram would be completed. With that, Lay would be sealed within the gem.
Even though he would not die due to the characteristics of the spirit, his movement would be rendered utterly futile.
Lay leaped back in time.
“Is this a coincidence?” Lay remarked as if to inquire. “I have seven sources. Regardless of how mighty a spirit sword or magic may be, I am not likely to be annihilated. Yet you held the Treasure Sword Ailearrow in your grasp as if you were aware of me.”
To eradicate Lay, who possesses seven sources, would be an immense feat.
When it comes to confronting him in a fight, blocking his movements is more effective than attempting to annihilate him.
“… Have we ever battled before somewhere?”
Although Lay asked, the Spirit King made no response.
