Did my father always look like this?

Alfreds once muscular limbs were now covered in flabby fat, and his once fierce face was now marred with age spots and unsightly pimples. On reflection, this was the same image of his father that had haunted Edelreds memories.

His father remained the fearsome figure from his past.

But Edelred had changed.

He had become a king, a commander, and, most importantly, he had received Isaacs guidance.

Edelred never missed a day of practicing the swordsmanship Isaac taught him. However, he had never had the chance to use it against Alfred. Mesmerized, Edelred took a step forward.

Edelreds transformation became even more dramatic due to Kaldbruch.

His hair grew increasingly bright, and the lightning tattoos on his skin glowed even more intensely. His pupils gleamed with an otherworldly green light.

Edelred raised his sword.

Raindrops parted as if in reverence to the king.

All the knights in the vicinity sensed the scent of a birch forest. The sound of the pounding raindrops felt unusually loud.

It seemed as though only they were left standing on the battlefield.

Edelreds sword aura was silent but carried the force of a storm.

Alfred raised his sword to block the attack.

Edelred brought his sword down.

Without a sound, Kaldbruch pierced Alfreds body.

Holding the broken sword with both hands, Alfred appeared to surrender, his body scattering like fallen leaves before hitting the ground.

Edelred sighed, a breath like an ancient tree exhaling, as he watched Alfreds form disperse.

The frightened boy became a man by slaying his father.

Edelred looked at the scattered remains of Alfred and spoke.

Kaldbruch is mine.

The knights of Elil shivered at the sight of the king descended from the heavens.

***

Isaac sensed a shift in the flow of the knights.

Edelred did it!

Though he was too far away to see, the retreating movements of the knights confirmed Edelreds victory. At the same time, a message came from Hesabel.

The kid did it! The knights are retreating!

Isaac hadnt fully trusted Edelred to handle it alone.

No matter how much of a king he was, Isaac couldnt leave him entirely on his own. He had instructed Hesabel to intervene if the situation became dire, but she hadnt needed to.

Calurien had entrusted Alfred with the command and control of the knights. But with Alfreds defeat, the knights had clearly been swayed by Edelreds display.

Just as they had been awed when Isaac shattered the golems.

Even though there was an angels command, Kaldbruch is a symbol of the king. Its authority is hard to reject.

Angels were sacred beings encountered rarely, but the knights had served kings wielding Kaldbruch their entire lives. They were instinctively drawn to the knight with a sword rather than the mage.

Of course, Isaac didnt expect the knights to immediately obey Edelred. However, he anticipated that they would at least hold back until Calurien issued new orders.

The problem was the golems and magical creatures.

In addition to the myriad golems, chimera beastsflying, crawling, and leapingconstantly targeted Isaac. Though he had taken down several golems and chimeras, he was feeling increasingly exhausted.

Im coming to join you!

While Isaac fought, Hesabel somehow rejoined him. Though invisible, she made her presence known by shooting the heads off gargoyles that were pestering Isaac.

A massive lava golem lunged at Isaac, intending to crush him with its enormous bulk. Isaac braced himself with the Luadin Key, ready to endure some injuries, but suddenly, an arrow pierced the golems body.

In an instant, the lava golem ceased its heat emission and melted into a puddle on the ground. Isaac was astonished that Hesabel had found and destroyed the golems catalyst with a single shot.

How did she know where to shoot?

I dont know, the golems heart was the only obvious target.

She seemed unaware of her own growth. Isaac realized that Hesabel had developed an instinctual ability to pinpoint vulnerabilities and execute lethal strikes.

Seeing her skill, Isaac decided to prepare for the next stage of the battle.

I will need Hesabels help.

It was time for Hesabel, the national hero and SSS-class gambling master destined to kill gods and consume angels, to shine.

***

Teacher!

Edelred rushed towards Isaac. With the angelic power from Kaldbruch, his speed was incredible, and he collided with a nearby golem, sending it flying.

Thud. The golem, despite its massive weight, rolled like a truck had hit it, stopping only when it crashed into another golem.

Edelred staggered from the impact, clearly feeling the strain.

Dont let your power go to your head and do something foolish, Your Majesty.

Isaac scolded him, half amused.

Edelred smiled brightly at him. Isaac noted the significant change in Edelreds demeanor.

No, his entire appearance had transformed. Though only a short time had passed, it felt like a long time in terms of physical changes. His armor was now adorned with branches and leaves, and a cape of autumn leaves flowed down his back like angelic wings.

Is that also Kaldbruchs power?

Yes, it seems so. Since I awakened my sword aura, I can draw even more strength from it.

Isaac hadnt known that Kaldbruchs power could be harnessed in stages. Apparently, the stronger the wielders power, the more they could draw from the angels power, taking on an appearance similar to an angel.

Ill handle these small fries! Teacher, please stop Calurien!

Isaac wanted to ask him not to use such lowly words, considering his royal dignity, but Edelred was the best-suited to handle the golems. Even with Hesabels impressive sniping skills, she couldnt pierce the tough exteriors of the golems.

Isaac looked up at the sky.

The storm still raged fiercely, and the angels were engaged in a magnificent and incomprehensible battle. However, it seemed that the Sword of May was gradually gaining the upper hand.

The Sword of May had only three rings left, and her flames were considerably weakened, but Calurien was in worse shape. Three Caluriens floated in the sky, battling the Sword of May.

His clothes were tattered and barely held together from numerous cycles of regeneration and destruction.

As the Sword of May swung her ring once more, another Calurien was shredded and fell away. Though he attempted something, the fierce sparks around the Sword of May indicated he had failed.

Somethings off.

Overall, it was clear that the Sword of May was overwhelming Calurien. While the situation on the ground might have introduced some variables, Calurien was accumulating fatigue and injuries.

Yet Isaac felt an intense sense of unease and foreboding.

It was all too chivalrous.

Why would the wise and magical Calurien insist on such a chivalrous fight?

Calurien was indeed using powerful magic and had brought plenty of allies to back him up. But it was still a highly chivalrous head-on battle suited for large-scale combat.

Calurien wasnt known for fighting this way.

He was a wizard and an archangel who valued wisdom as much as courage and honor. Most importantly, Caluriens specialty, illusions, hadnt come into play yet, despite the Sword of Mays warnings.

Moreover, this was Elils heaven.

For Calurien, Elils foremost archangel, to struggle so much in his own home ground suggested only one conclusion.

Calurien was conserving his strength.

The Sword of May seemed to sense this unease too, finding it difficult to finish Calurien off quickly.

***

We have to hurry and lend our strength.

Whatever scheme Calurien was hiding, they needed to force him to reveal it quickly or finish him off before he could. Otherwise, they would have to face Calurien after the Sword of May was exhausted.

Hesabel, can you tell which of the three Caluriens is the real one?

No. They all look real to me.

Hesabel could perceive the flow of life, a mysterious ability granted by the Red Chalice doctrine that couldnt be fooled. This meant that Caluriens clones genuinely shared his life force.

Calurien continued to cast powerful and wondrous spells. With three of him rotating their efforts, the Sword of May faced relentless, powerful magic. Despite her strong attacks, the three Caluriens took turns regenerating, protecting, and attacking, depleting only the Sword of Mays stamina.

Unless we can simultaneously overpower all of Calurien, victory is impossible.

Isaac recalled subduing Hectali.

Calurien was many times stronger, but without assistance, the Sword of May seemed unlikely to win.

But how? If only they were fighting on the ground

Caw!

Even in that situation, attacks on Isaac and his party continued unabated.

With Edelred joining the fray, the golems were being destroyed, but the chimeras, which struck swiftly and retreated, were another story. Isaac swiftly grabbed a winged chimera charging at him, spewing fire.

The movement was as natural as grabbing a puppy by the scruff of its neck. The chimera flailed like a snake biting itself, but Isaac immediately struck its nape with his left hand.

Crack. His left hand transformed into tentacles that rapidly took control of the creatures head. Once the parasites from beyond seized its nervous system, the chimera shuddered and then moved according to Isaacs will.

Hesabel, snipe the right Calurien!

Me? How?

Hesabel sent back a message of disbelief.

How could he explain everything? Growth comes from figuring out such challenges on ones own.

He gave Hesabel the command, and she had to find a way to execute it.

Growth happens at such times.

Since falling into this world, Isaac had continuously taken on missions, striving desperately to fulfill them and earn rewards. If Hesabel had the potential for greatness, she would somehow manage as well.

If she fails, theres no helping it.

Isaac launched himself at the left Calurien.

As Isaac rose rapidly on the chimera, the Sword of May glanced at him, seemingly recognizing his intent, and unleashed a fierce attack on the central Calurien. Calurien, noticing Isaacs approach, turned his gaze toward him.

As Isaac got closer to Calurien, his head began to cool.

Am I sane, doing this?

He realized that the being up there was an angel.

While he had once subdued an archangel with Kaldbruch, it was more like intimidating them into leaving rather than outright defeating them. It was akin to a hostage situation.

But now, his opponent was Calurien, Elils first archangel.

Even if his power was divided, he was strong enough to contend with the Sword of May head-on. Isaac started to suspect he might be undertaking an exceptionally foolish act.

Calurien, without looking directly at Isaac, snapped his fingers. Instantly, the chimera carrying Isaac collapsed, transforming into various animals and plummeting to the ground. Naturally, Isaac also began to fall.

Hahaha!

Isaac laughed. Calurien had allowed Isaac to rise higher, intending to drop him from a lethal height.

But Isaac laughed because he realized Caluriens overconfidence in this simple tactic allowed him to approach so closely.

You underestimated me, Calurien!

TL Notes