Chapter 215
"You don't seem to be planning to hide, do you?"
Willow's party moved with Perfect Control, following the energy flowing through Eltima's feathered spear.
As soon as they arrived, Kryphi let out a small laugh at the demonic power felt from afar.
An energy unlike anything he had ever experienced.
His body tingled with anticipation.
Seeing Kryphi looking as if he might dash off to swing his sword at any moment, Ottbo spoke with a worried expression.
"But... don't we have a plan?"
Usually in these situations, Luca was the one to present a plan.
The kind of plan that utilized the enemy's weaknesses and the strengths of their own side.
"......."
"......."
Everyone's gaze turned to Willow.
Sensing their eyes, Willow furrowed his brow.
"I'm not Luca."
When he said he had no intention of crafting strategies like Luca, Ottbo scratched his cheek.
"So, are we just going in as we are?"
"... Anyway, clever tricks won't work against the Devil of Power. We just have to fight with everything we've got."
Even in the original story, there was nothing resembling a grand plan when fighting the Devil of Power.
Willow, the masked swordsman, fought and won.
Only, as he recalled, the battle scene was quite spectacular.
"We fight as if losing means the end. That's all there is to it."
At Luca's indifferent words, everyone nodded.
Except for Ottbo, all of them here were warriors.
They hadn't really fought according to grand strategies.
"Well, since we're fighting four to one, we should at least consider some kind of formation. Not sure if it'll matter, though."
Kryphi, with all his battlefield experience, offered at least a suggestion about formation, but whether it would be effective against the Devil of Power—who had overwhelmed Zeritz—remained uncertain.
"The important issue is that we have no information. Master, didn't you fight him briefly? Did you discover anything?"
"... Nothing, except that monster is endlessly strong."
"Haha. Might've been better to know nothing, then."
Kryphi said sarcastically, then thought for a moment before speaking.
"Let's do this. Since I'm the strongest, I'll fight that guy one-on-one first to gauge his strength. Then—"
"Wait."
"?"
At that moment, Willow cut him off.
Kryphi looked puzzled, and Willow spoke impassively.
"I'm the strongest. I'll go first."
"Do we really need to debate something like that at a time like this...?"
Kryphi pressed his temple as if he had a headache.
'He really is different from Luca.'
Kryphi was suddenly reminded of Luca—who, even if he didn't seem to read the room, could at least sense the atmosphere to some degree—and found himself missing him.
"Well... Luca—no, Willow tends to be unable to move after fighting at full power because of drive magic overload, so maybe he wants to go first."
"?"
Ottbo offered an explanation for Willow's words.
Everyone gave confused looks, and Willow turned away with a click of his tongue.
"Tsk."
"......."
Since he didn't deny it, that must have been the case.
'He's so hard to deal with....'
It was just like the original Luca Traverse, who became an outcast in his family because of his personality and met a terrible end.
But Willow now, at least, was better than then.
He spoke brusquely.
"I'm the only one here who can use the divine relic's power. In the end, I'm the only one who can face that guy. The question is, how many times can I fight?"
It was inevitable—the help of a divine relic was essential to deal with the Devil's power.
And only Willow here could properly wield the divine relic's power.
Ultimately, it meant Willow alone would determine the outcome of this battle.
"......."
At his words, Zeritz looked down at his own sword.
The Divine Sword Grivolt.
He still could not use its power properly.
'If that's the case...'
Zeritz turned to Willow.
He had already used the power of Shinryu Dominion to save Herote and was even using the golden heart.
Maybe, with him, he could unlock the true power of this sword.
"... Kryphi's disciple."
At Zeritz's call, Willow responded curtly.
"I'm not that guy's disciple."
"I wouldn't want a disciple like that either, for the record."
Kryphi responded in kind, but Zeritz ignored him and held out his sword.
"If I become unable to fight in this battle, take this."
Willow looked at the sword in silence.
'Don't mess with items that the protagonist should have.'
That was one of Luca's basic principles.
Of course, now that the story had shifted toward him, even if he took the protagonist's item, the future narrative wouldn't be ruined—but it still felt off.
"I don't need it."
Hence, Willow answered bluntly.
He didn't want to break Luca's principle.
"......."
"......."
Everyone looked at Ottbo after Willow's answer.
"?"
Ottbo gave a puzzled look at their stares.
Kryphi shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
"Aren't you going to give us some translation, like, 'We'll all win without anyone getting hurt'?"
"...... Willow really doesn't seem to need that, does he?"
"I-is that so?"
Apparently, Ottbo wasn't just saying things at random—he was actually translating.
While everyone wore awkward expressions, Willow spoke bluntly.
"More importantly, someone will have to protect Ottbo Gress."
"Ah, I'll try to hold out on my own, somehow!"
Ottbo shook his head immediately, not wanting to be a burden.
But Wylde, who had been silent, stepped forward.
"I'll protect you. I can't let Luca's friend get hurt."
"But..."
"And of everyone here, I'm probably the weakest in terms of attack. I get stronger when I'm protecting someone."
His will was that of a protector.
He only drew out strength when defending someone.
Rather than fighting head-on, he would demonstrate even greater power by blocking Vandello's attacks on Ottbo.
"Then let's do that."
Willow gazed toward the source of the demonic power and spoke.
"Let's set out."
* * *
Crackle! Crackle crackle!
"It'll take a little while to remove."
Looking at the feathered spear piercing his chest, Vandello muttered softly.
He had two weapons symbolizing his strength.
One was his exceptionally strong demonic power—stronger than most other devils.
The other was a body stronger than anything else.
Of those, he hated his natural demonic power.
'Because it makes things boring.'
His demonic power was too overwhelming.
Stronger than any of the other Three Great Devils.
Just touching it would weaken, corrupt, and corrupt the opponent.
Because of this, Vandello never had any need to fight desperately to his satisfaction.
He always disliked that.
'But with this...'
The feathered spear lodged in his body was weakening his demonic power.
Not strong enough to destroy him, but not weak enough to hinder his fight.
'Good.'
It was an opportunity.
A chance for a fight that would bring satisfaction.
'I need a strong opponent.'
Most devils would hide somewhere and heal their wounds, but he was different.
He didn't mind dying.
As long as he could fight a strong opponent in a satisfying battle.
'Fighting that lady was truly fun.'
Thinking of someone, Vandello smiled thinly and shook his head.
'If I met her in my current state, it would be an instant kill, though.'
Suddenly, he felt a powerful presence approaching from somewhere.
Vandello grinned.
"They're finally here."
He watched as four swordsmen stood before him and rolled his wrist.
Even with the feathered spear in his chest, the killing intent surging from him did not diminish in the slightest.
"Oh. So this is the Devil of Power?"
Feeling the electrifying aura throughout his body, Kryphi felt genuine admiration.
He had fought countless enemies until now, but never one so powerful.
His heart boiled with excitement.
"We stick to the plan."
At the front stood Willow.
In his golden heart, vitality surged.
Whoosh!
Without any conversation, Willow darted forward, swinging his sword.
His blade swung directly for Vandello's neck.
Thud!
But his edge was blocked on the back of Vandello's blackened hand.
"Fast and strong."
Vandello expressed pure admiration.
He had blocked it seemingly easily, but an invisible crack had appeared on the back of his hand.
A slash utilizing the true essence of sword energy—not an ordinary strike.
"You seem to be the strongest."
Vandello, gauging Willow's strength in a single hit, smiled wickedly.
"Will you be able to entertain me more?"
"... Tsk."
With that blow, Willow too gauged Vandello's power.
But the impression was anything but hopeful.
'A wall greater than Wylde Traverse.'
If Wylde felt like a towering, endless wall, Vandello was a darkness neither visible nor reachable.
It was as if he were flailing blindly in endless darkness.
That was what it felt like to him.
'Even so.'
Resolve sparked in Willow's eyes.
'My will is to pioneer through it all.'
Ssszzzz!
"Oh."
At the same time, the will surrounding Willow's sword shone even brighter.
As Vandello admired the sight, Willow twisted his body.
—Pioneer's Sword
Shhhk!
Willow's sword severed the hand that seemed impossible to cut.
He pressed in further, swinging for the neck.
But before that, Vandello's other hand struck Willow's belly.
Thunk!
"!"
Willow flew backward and tumbled across the ground.
"Willow!"
"Cough!"
Willow, fallen, tried to rise at once, but doubled over, coughing.
Blackened blood dripped from his mouth.
Vandello grinned as he looked at his sliced hand.
"Try to entertain me more."
At that moment, the severed hand instantly regenerated.
Vandello flexed it as if nothing had happened, then looked at Willow being supported by Wylde.
Just then, Kryphi and Zeritz appeared to his left and right.
"C'mon now."
"Hoo...."
Their eyes gleamed with resolve.
—Ten Thousand Swords
—Invincible Sword
Tens of thousands of sword shadows.
A massive sword that could destroy everything in one blow.
They poured down on Vandello.
"Good. Good!"
Vandello's face twisted in ecstasy.
At the same time, his blackened fists split into dozens, countering the incoming attacks.
Boom!
With each clash of sword and fist, the ground began to crack.
Boom-boom-boom!
Shockwaves spread, making the terrain rise and fall as the ground erupted and sank.
"Ugh...."
From a short distance away, Ottbo, watching the scene, felt his knees shaking.
He had been through many things, but nothing matched the scale of this clash of pure power.
He could hardly breathe.
"Luca's friend. Are you all right?"
Wylde, having returned carrying Willow on his back.
Seeing Willow limp on Wylde's back, Ottbo rushed over in a panic.
"Willow!"
"He seems to have lost consciousness."
Ottbo quickly checked his drive magic.
As expected, he was in an overloaded state.
Using up life force suddenly to minimize the shock to his body had backfired.
Without Willow, who could wield the divine relic, the Devil of Power couldn't be defeated.
And the only one who could get Willow moving again, now, was Ottbo himself.
"... Somehow—!"
Summoning extreme focus, Ottbo began correcting the drive magic as quickly as possible.
As the restrictions lifted, and after having gained immense experience fighting alongside continent-level warriors at a young age, Ottbo was stepping up a level in this very moment.
Pop!
After only a few seconds, the drive magic was restored, and Willow opened his eyes.
"...... Tsk."
"Willow!"
Although Ottbo shouted in delight, Willow only clicked his tongue.
Vandello's power was even greater than expected.
At this rate, victory could not be assured.
'I have to find a way.'
Just as Willow desperately tried to rack his brain for a solution, he paused.
'... No. That's something for that guy to do.'
Figuring out solutions through clever thinking was Luca's way.
He was Willow, the strongest swordsman.
What he should use was not his mind, but his sword.
"Ottbo Gress."
"Why?"
Ottbo looked at Willow as he called.
Willow spoke stolidly.
"Can you make sure my drive magic doesn't cut off no matter how much power I use?"
"... I can."
He could.
But he would have to stay close, which would be much more dangerous.
"Wylde Traverse. Can you keep Ottbo Gress from dying?"
"......."
Wylde looked at Willow.
For some reason, Wylde could feel Willow's heart as well.
"Of course. I'll make sure no one here dies."
"You dream big."
Willow responded offhand and then took a deep breath.
And he whispered to the golden heart in his chest.
'Fragment of divinity. Let me use all your power.'
—I can, but... Are you sure? You won't be able to endure it.
At the moment, Willow wasn't wielding the divine relic because he was qualified, but because he had forced recognition.
He couldn't use all that power at full, so he had to limit himself to some extent.
The protagonist of the original overcame that limit with the authority of "storage", but Willow had no such thing.
"......."
Willow silently gazed at Ottbo and Wylde.
Their eyes shone with resolve.
Seeing that, Willow curled his lips.
'This is what I wanted.'
He had already accomplished everything he desired.
All that was left was a grand finale.
And this battlefield was the perfect stage for his final act.