The Great Sword is not the Main Body!-Chapter 68: Black Knight Kalt (1)

"Charlotte!" I shouted.

With a resonant crash, Charlotte raised her half-broken shield in front of me, blocking an incoming attack. Tree roots burst from the ground, supporting my body and enveloping me in a warm energy, rapidly healing my wounds. Rubia's divine power surged, a shadowy force simultaneously erupting from Kart.

His target was clear: Yuria.

I sprinted forward, swinging my greatsword through the air. The shadow skimmed along the blade, moving fluidly past. I kicked back, pushing Yuria out of its path. My left wrist twisted painfully as the shadow sought to manipulate it. Almost instantly, divine power concentrated in my wrist, invigorating my grip on the greatsword.

Kart's gaze shifted toward Rubia. Vines erupted from the ground, entangling his ankles, while a spectral lion's maw viciously bit into his shoulder.

Seizing the moment, I attacked. My greatsword, moving horizontally from left to right, made contact with Kart's armor. The impact sent a heavy recoil through my arms. Shadowy jaws from beneath Kart's feet clamped onto my sword.

I gripped my sword in reverse and slammed it into the ground. Rubia's divine power shot forth. Charlotte swung a flame-wrapped sword as dozens of beasts converged on the spot.

The clash was fierce. My greatsword met with a thin blade, parrying it away. I twisted my body to dodge an onslaught of divine energy. Flames dispersed into mere wisps of smoke, and shadows from behind disintegrated the beasts into pulp.

"Damn it!" Yuria's voice rang out as hundreds of tree roots sprouted, encasing us for protection.

In that instant, the sound of cracking filled the air—shadows burst from the corpses of dozens of beasts, shattering the protective roots as they advanced toward us.

One burst, then ten, followed by hundreds more, exploding in succession. Shadows pierced through everything, rushing toward us like a flood. I stepped in front of Rubia, lifting my greatsword in defiance.

The clear ring of steel echoed as I deflected dozens of shadows.

Simultaneously, Kart's blade thrust forward.

"Noah!" Rubia's divine power gathered.

"Stop screwing around!" Charlotte's raised shield ignited with flames.

With a loud blast, the flames extinguished, and the divine power shattered.

"Gah—shit!" Thousands of vines wrapped around Kart's blade, halting its advance.

The shadow on the blade wavered, then concentrated into a point, drawing a line through the air—a deadly skill I recognized from the game, one of Kart's instant-kill techniques.

Charlotte's shield was split in half. Rubia's power was still active but slow. Yuria's plants were inadequate for defense.

I focused all my senses, disregarding all information except the imminent death approaching. A headache like a skull-splitting pain ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) overwhelmed me as blood backflowed, making it hard to breathe.

Holding my breath, I concentrated deeply. The image of the sword vanished.

Death was imminent.

I kept visualizing, searching desperately.

And found it.

I raised my greatsword, slicing through the line of death that had been drawn.

Against the forceful swing of my greatsword, the shadow disappeared noiselessly.

Surprise flashed across Kart's face, a crack appearing in his previously impassive expression.

Rubia's divine power enveloped us, revitalizing our bodies. Minor injuries healed, and the headache faded.

Charlotte's shield blazed anew with a solar flame, pushing back the shadows. A scent of blooming flowers cooled my mind.

"What was that just now?"

Charlotte, wiping sweat from his brow, looked at me—questioning whether it was Kart's shadow or my swordsmanship that had prevailed.

Unable to distinguish his exact question, I silently regrouped.

There was no time for idle chat.

I steadied my breathing and visualized Kart's figure again. Unlike us, battered and bruised, he appeared unscathed, which irked me.

Grinding my teeth, I gripped my greatsword tightly.

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As Kart shook off the blood and moved again, his demeanor changed. His body merged with the shadows, his killing intent now undetectable, and the shadows themselves became untraceable.

Holding my breath, I visualized all the surrounding details.

The ground cracked, leaves rustled.

To the right—I swung my greatsword.

Clang—a hit, lighter than before, deflected an unseen blade. The faces of my comrades registered shock.

The flow of the wind altered. I inhaled, detecting a faint scent of blood.

Again, to the right—Clang! Another deflection.

Then, shadows approached from all directions, hiding blades that I parried and blocked.

Minor cuts appeared and were healed by divine power. A fatigue-relieving sensation came from plants growing at my feet.

Then, finally—I caught Kart's blade. I halted it.

Charlotte's shield pushed against the blade. Roots sprang from the ground, seizing Kart's limbs. Beasts tore through the air, biting into the shadows.

A spear of divine power, created from tearing space, shot toward Kart's neck.

His expression contorted.

"I admit it."

Suddenly, shadows enveloped the entire region of Karahan.

Magic floating in the air became shadows. Blood soaking the ground became shadows. The blood of beasts, the roots of plants, the fragments of the shield—all transformed into shadows.

Even remnants of divine power turned into shadows, slowly flowing together.

Charlotte gasped, spewing blood, and staggered.

The tree roots wrapping Hephaistos crumbled into dust, assaulting her body.

Yuria, protecting Hephaistos by lying over her, had her back skin shredded.

Kart's sword swung toward me.

The wind pressure from the sword cut my skin.

And then, the shadow that had infiltrated my wounds became a blade, tearing through my blood vessels.

As if that wasn't enough, it split muscles and crushed bones. It burrowed into my organs, halting their function.

My consciousness blurred. An indescribable pain paralyzed my brain. My weakening pulse was palpable. My trembling hands tried to release the greatsword. My knees buckled.

"No- ah...!"

A distant voice reached through my fading consciousness. Instinctively, I raised my arm.

Clang!

A heavy sensation followed. My arm slammed into the ground, my waist bent, and my knees hit the soil. My muscles screamed in agony.

The wound gaped open. Blood spurted from the tear. Sharp shadows mingled with the spilling blood.

Clearly, an image formed in my mind, but I couldn't perceive it. Sounds reached my ears, but I couldn't understand them. Horrible pain was felt, yet at the same time, it wasn't.

Am I standing? Holding my greatsword? Are my eyes open or closed?

Initially...

Am I even alive?

Blood poured from my tightly closed lips. I couldn't tell what was broken.

Perhaps a shattered rib had pierced my lungs. Maybe my organs had ruptured, backflowing. Possibly my liver had melted from intense heat.

I knew nothing.

"No- stay... awa-... ke..."

Again.

A voice that moved my body.

Unintelligible sounds reached my ears.

Yet...

I moved.

I flipped my hand over. When it wouldn't rise, I lifted my arm. When it wouldn't move, I twisted my shoulder.

No response. I twisted my waist.

Crack!

An annoying noise penetrated my dulled ears.

Simultaneously, a cold liquid soaked my body.

"Cough—ugh... cough—"

A voice tortured by pain stimulated my hearing.

Crunch—crunch—

A scratchy sensation stimulated my touch.

And then...

"No, ah..."

The voice calling me—Rubia's voice—awakened my mind.

I felt the pain of torn wounds. The taste of blood clots. The blurry forms became clear.

The image of the Black Knight formed. Shadows rose from beneath my feet. I twisted my greatsword upwards.

Clang!

A clear sound as I flicked the shadows away.

Kart's face showed confusion. I didn't stop and swung my greatsword again.

Crash— I blocked an invisible blade. My body, which had been persisting, crumbled.

The scrutinizing blade was retracted. Distance was created.

Gradually, the surroundings became visible. Numerous glass bottles. Fragments of what had been shields. Corpses of beasts. Shattered tree roots. Sticky liquids.

And...

Rubia, smiling with a hole in her abdomen.

"It's, okay..."

Splash—

A shadow tore through Rubia's stomach. Lukewarm blood splashed on her face.

"Truly a priestess."

Blood mixed with organs spilled from the torn leather.

Her smile twisted into pain. Her slender body crashed to the ground. A sticky liquid seeped through her parted lips.

"Remarkably, she doesn't die."

Still, a warm energy circulated within me.

Rubia slowly, feebly moved her lips.

Ruined.

"Normally, she would have died five times over." Rubia's arm twisted.

"Cut, torn apart, completely destroyed." A leg was ripped off.

"She regenerates continually." A rib shattered.

"I wonder if she would regenerate if I twisted her neck." A blood-soaked hand reached for Rubia's throat.

But Rubia still...

Fluttered her lips toward me.

"If she dies here, maybe..."

Then, the warm energy faded.

"Remove your hand."

I closed my gaping jaw. I bit my tongue.

Regrown fingernails clawed through the leather.

Torn vessels regenerated. I bit into them.

"...what exactly are you doing—"

Twisted joints realigned. I picked up a branch and poked my ear.

A heartbeat, weak and erratic, surged violently. Blood that had been trickling surged out.

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I accepted the pain that I had previously ignored.

I forced my fading consciousness back.

I awakened the dull senses.

I extracted heightened emotions.

Deeply, I compressed them.

I pictured Rubia.

I gripped the greatsword.

I lifted my head.

I rose to my feet.

I fell. Crawling.

Rubia's blood-soaked form soaked my body. I rose again.

I fell again.

Yearning for blood, my body convulsed.

It glowed.

Sounds were muted. No smell, no sensation.

And...

I surpassed it.

Instincts embraced me, a burning energy.

And I...

Smiled.