Chapter 149
"Serena. Why are you here."
No way.
"Did you become a Floor Master?"
With her skill, let alone a Floor Master, it was right for her to have stopped at the 40th or 50th floor.
The Serena that Kallias had seen had skill comparable to Luteon.
Yet she was here.
Which meant.
'Did she intentionally deceive me?'
Then she approached him intentionally?
Even following him as her master, mistaking him for a dragon, was all a lie?
With some kind of purpose?
'Is she not the Serena I know?'
Before he knew it, a sword was gripped in Kallias's hand as he seriously pondered.
The aura radiating from him stirred the surrounding atmosphere.
As soon as they noticed the change, the Grand Generals guarding him, Niol and Garcia, placed their hands on their sword hilts.
A clear sign of hostility.
At that sight, Serena was startled and waved her hands frantically.
"N-no! I just... I was only waiting after receiving a request from the Tower Master! I am a body loyal to my master!"
Hurriedly falling to her knees, Serena pressed her forehead to the ground and prostrated herself.
"The Tower Master?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, I see."
It seemed to be a misunderstanding.
Kallias felt awkward.
If it was the Tower Master, there was a high possibility she already knew he had headed underground to meet Titeo.
Calling Serena, who had entered with him, separately to have her wait was probably for that reason.
"Guide me."
"Yes. This way..."
Serena felt relieved seeing Kallias, whose mood had softened considerably.
It was because his energy had changed even further in the short time she hadn't seen him.
Being an elf sensitive to nature, she could detect subtle changes that would otherwise be hard to notice.
'Has he regained his original power?'
From Serena's perspective, she could only think so.
Her gaze landed on the bracelet Kallias was wearing.
'An artifact made by Vivianry.'
If he wore that, even a dragon could hide its energy.
However, that too was not perfect.
There were parts that couldn't be hidden.
She was curious how a dragon who despised elves could carry Vivianry's artifact, but she couldn't easily ask.
"Is the destination the top floor?"
"Yes."
In the deepening valley of misunderstanding, Kallias simply climbed the stairs.
Grand Generals Niol and Garcia had long since unsummoned.
To conserve even a little holy power.
If he were to cross swords with the Tower Master.
'The Grand Generals won't be of help either.'
The Tower Master was strong.
There was only one reason the Tower Master was the Tower Master.
Overwhelming martial power.
Although it wasn't a deathmatch, a confrontation with the Tower Master required putting everything on the line.
"You just need to head this way."
He had reached the door to the top floor before he knew it.
Kallias opened the door without delay.
What came into view was.
A deep blue sky.
A single pillar rising high into the sky.
And those standing before it.
"I've been waiting."
A middle-aged woman standing at the center.
Though wrinkles briefly appeared at the corners of her smiling eyes, the aura she exuded showed no signs of decrepitude whatsoever.
Beside her was a man holding a small buckler and a shield bristling with spikes.
A man armed in crimson full plate armor.
And there was also a man holding a living spider without any weaponry, and a spearman looking down at him with an arrogant expression.
Kallias gave only a single glance to the others, and then the middle-aged woman.
Orbire, the Tower Master of this tower.
He looked only at her.
"Why have you gathered all the Floor Masters here."
The master of the tower and a Saint who guarded the Holy Land.
Even Kallias had no choice but to speak respectfully to Orbire.
Because her existence deserved respect.
As one who wielded the same sword.
As one who served the Gods, it was impossible not to respect her, a Saint and a pilgrim of the sword.
"Because we are wary of you."
Wary?
"You climbed to the 61st floor in a single day and made the Knights of Corruption grow."
Kallias's eyes sank.
Knights of Corruption.
What that implied was this.
'So they're wary of the Demon Sword.'
To put it bluntly, they were wary of him, who had unleashed and wielded the Demon Sword.
And they were worried that his power as the owner of the Demon Sword would grow.
"The Holy Land is a place where killing must not occur. Whatever happens in the secular world is of little concern to us, but if power leaking from the Holy Land causes problems, it's natural that we would also have a headache."
So in a word.
"Are you going to take my sword?"
Whoosh.
Killing intent rained down in all directions.
The Floor Masters standing beside the Tower Master tensed up and aimed their weapons at Kallias.
"It would be nice if we could. But that's not what I want."
Kallias didn't immediately retort.
He just waited while maintaining his killing intent.
It wasn't a reckless action.
If push came to shove, he was confident he could kill one or two and break out.
He had the Iron-clad Dragon, Beati, and a force of over a thousand.
Even if not, if he launched a surprise attack with Ash Dissolution first, he was confident he could kill or seriously injure at least one of them, so it was by no means reckless.
And they were killing in the Holy Land.
It was the situation they avoided and feared the most.
Those who feared the breaking of the symbol of peace maintained for a thousand years the most.
That was what the tower's zealots were.
"Subduing you and plundering your sword shouldn't be difficult. In reality, your Three Attributes are unbalanced, and your mind, qi, and body are all misaligned."
Kallias's state of having broken through his limits was honestly at the level of a newly hatched chick among the Masters.
Though he had broken through his limits, if considered on the same level, it was merely the body, qi, and mind of one who had just crossed the wall.
From their perspective.
Also from the perspective of the Tower Master, who was called a Saint, he was like a child.
However.
"We respect you. Having grown into a Master, you are the pride of the tower, and also."
Tower Master Orbire looked at the sword in Kallias's hand with a bitter expression.
"Because you are also one who has received the qualification of the Mournful Corruption."
At her bitter expression and gaze, Kallias withdrew his killing intent.
He was also a bit bewildered.
She was called a Saint but did not possess a temperament like one.
Her personality could be seen as a tyrant.
It could be seen as eccentric.
Even the Pope of Carpe, Felice, wouldn't dare argue with her.
Because she was like that, he had been wary.
'It's different.'
Why did she make such an expression looking at Titeo, who had become a sword?
Kallias didn't know the reason.
Thus, his interest was piqued.
"Do you know Titeo?"
"I know. There's no way I wouldn't know the secret history passed down to the Tower Master."
And personally as well.
"I wasn't acknowledged by him."
The acknowledgment of the Mournful Corruption.
It meant she too had headed to the underground of the tower.
"I wanted to save him. Though he had fallen, I sympathized with his conviction."
The Tower Master, Orbire, was a case where her sensory perception had become quite high as she became a Saint, her qi sense broadened, and her world gradually expanded.
Thus, she could faintly feel Titeo's sorrow located underground.
His sorrow gradually ached in her heart, and she wanted to save Titeo. However, Titeo did not acknowledge Orbire.
"He looked at me, and said this."
I do not seek to be saved.
'That makes sense.'
Titeo hadn't been sealed for that long time seeking salvation.
He was waiting.
For a knight who could contain all of himself and his comrades. And a hegemonic sword that would make the deaths of his comrades and his own life valuable.
Use it honorably.
"So you're saying what he wanted wasn't salvation."
Orbire took her eyes off the sword and looked straight at Kallias this time.
"What do you think he wanted?"
Titeo saw the death of his comrades.
The resolve to end the war for peace was nowhere to be found, he raged at the death of his comrades, and even desired his own death.
What could such a person want?
"Are you asking because you're truly curious?"
The honorifics disappeared from Kallias's words.
He also frowned as if displeased.
"You ask the obvious."
He. Titeo.
"Only sought an agent of revenge."
What he wanted was ultimately revenge.
To slay dragons and demons, to console the spirits of his comrades, and to reclaim honor for their deaths.
If that wasn't revenge, what was?
Salvation for such a Titeo?
What a ridiculous notion.
He was a man who couldn't even accept Stella's decision, whom he admired deeply, and resisted it.
Salvation for such a person?
"How arrogant."
He felt angry for no reason.
Looking at the situation, Titeo's actions could by no means be considered right.
He fell from corruption, blinded by revenge.
But since it began with the death of his comrades, Kallias understood and empathized with Titeo.
Dragons and demons would have to fight Kallias anyway.
Since he was one who had to fight against everything in the world, he readily grasped the sword.
But salvation for such a person?
Salvation for one who waited a thousand years, desperately seeking a person to carry on his will?
Furthermore, the one offering salvation was the master of the tower, revered as a symbol of peace.
There was no way Titeo would acknowledge her.
Because he was the most enraged by the twisted peace built upon the deaths of his comrades.
"I see why you called me."
"Tell me."
"Aren't you just jealous of me? The danger of the Demon Sword? That's an excuse."
She just wanted to confirm.
The choice he made that she couldn't receive.
She just wanted to see it with her own eyes.
If so, it was a relief.
It only made what Kallias had to do clearer.
Whoosh!
Kallias swung his sword diagonally downward and raised remnants of ash.
Three buds extended their energy toward one, and a gray blossom bloomed.
Ash-gray energy flowed out beside him, encroaching on his surroundings.
Before he knew it, at the top of the tower.
Ash dust began to float down softly from the top floor.
Soon everything turned ash-gray.
The sword was already wreathed in various profound principles, forming the shape of Sword Gang.
Its momentum was truly astonishing.
It did not easily lose its will even against the aura radiated by the five Masters, a sword capable of slaying dragons and demons.
An intense energy that made it hard to believe he was a fledgling who had just broken through the wall.
Hegemonic, an ash-gray sword that dyed its surroundings as its own.
"Knight of Ash."
At his fierce momentum, Orbire also drew her sword.
A sturdy brown sword.
The sword of her, who was called a Saint and a pilgrim, was a wooden sword made of wood.
Kallias's eyes grew even sharper upon seeing her wooden sword.
Ash dust swirled around him.
"Ash Dissolution."
The ash dust shot out.
Amidst it, Kallias's sword, containing hundreds of sword qi, surged forth.
The Floor Masters positioned around flinched and stepped back, drawing their weapons.
But before them.
The Tower Master of Agathodo.
Orbire stepped forward.
"Halo of Light."
Kwaaaaaaaang!!
A tremendous roar, impossible to believe was produced by swords merely meeting, resounded thunderously.
But that was only for a moment.
"......!"
The Master standing behind Orbire widened his eyes.
Sacred domain unnecessary. To understand the opponent, simply crossing weapons once was enough.
A Master no different from a chick.
But a dangerous man because he possessed the Demon Sword.
Orbire's reaction, having crossed swords with him, was completely different from what they expected.
"Hahahaha!"
Kallias frowned, and Orbire burst into laughter as if relieved.
Holding the broken wooden sword, the clothes on her forearm were completely torn.
At the Tower Master's reaction, the surrounding Floor Masters all threatened Kallias, but when she raised her hand and waved, they stepped back.
"Seeing the will embodied in that single strike, I understand. You are merely a pilgrim. There's no need to worry separately."
She spoke as if certain.
But he didn't care about that.
Kallias asked immediately.
"How did you dispel Ash Dissolution?"
"Do you want to know?"
"I do."
He wanted to know.
Ash Dissolution was, in Kallias's opinion, an unavoidable sword.
Yet she blocked it.
With only a slight scratch.
How that was possible, Kallias absolutely needed to know and improve upon.
"Then please grant me one request."
Orbire, who couldn't possibly be unaware of that point, made a single proposal to Kallias.