Golden hair reminiscent of a lion’s mane.
Golden eyes that matched it perfectly.
An overwhelming predator positioned at the apex of all living things.
One who earned the title of a star by the sword.
The pinnacle of all knights, and their king.
The Empire’s Golden Lion, Vitalianus Mahel.
‘Why is this monster here…?’
Hio’s steps halted sharply, having recognized him at a glance.
Skill Fire had become a blue sun, flaunting its presence in the sky, yet the presence of the Golden Lion standing beneath it was clearly no less.
Within the massive crowd, the eyes of two individuals met.
"You… what are you?"
A low reverberation that silenced the surrounding commotion in an instant.
A voice filled entirely with the Sword Saint’s presence was, in and of itself, nothing short of fear itself.
「Mental attack detected.」
「Trait — ‘I Can’t Live Without Swagger!’ activates.」
The area fell under the dominion of the Sword Saint’s single word.
Those who had faced the predator’s presence head-on without any preparation were frozen in place, barely able to continue breathing.
Within that, Hio slowly moved his steps.
"Sword Saint."
Slowly, at a pace that did not go against the lion’s mood.
At Hio’s call, the Sword Saint’s voice resonated low once more.
"Do you know me?"
Even though it was merely an answer, a difference in class could be felt.
A fear that shook the soul.
"Is there anyone on this continent who does not know you?"
In a world where everything except the two of them had stopped.
Hio continued to move his steps.
Slowly. But surely, heading toward where Irina was.
The lion’s golden eyes continued to follow Hio’s figure.
"How unfair. I’ve never seen a jester like you before."
"A jester, you say. Not a very pleasant word."
Was this composure, calm even with the continent’s strongest before his eyes, thanks to a trait?
Or was it because he was glad to see Vitalianus, whom he had relied on in the game of the past?
He did not know, but he clearly knew what he had to do.
For even in this situation, the Maenification was progressing.
"I apologize if it was uncomfortable to hear. But understand. Is there not a word that suits you better than this?"
Vitalianus spoke, glancing at the blue sun blazing above him.
The Sword Saint—
The Empire’s strongest knew.
The true nature of this skill, painted in falsehood.
"Very well. If the Empire’s Sword Saint says so, I shall accept it as such. But shouldn’t you rein in your aura?"
Hio spoke while turning his gaze toward Irina, and Vitalianus followed that gaze to look at her as well.
Not only Irina, but everyone in the area was overwhelmed by Vitalianus’s presence alone, frozen stiff with only their eyeballs moving.
But to the Golden Lion, these words were of no concern whatsoever.
"Why should I?"
"An innocent child is suffering."
"That girl? Surrounded by monsters. A prime suspect."
"No, Irina has nothing to do with this incident. I vouch for her."
At Hio’s words, one corner of the Golden Lion’s mouth rose.
"Do you know? The most suspicious one here is you, jester."
The presence of Vitalianus, which dominated the area, grew even greater.
It was a warning.
A warning to not move any further from here.
It was to stop Hio, who was approaching Irina.
Suddenly, irritation welled up.
"Hey. Sword Saint."
Most likely, those three around Irina were the friends she had spoken so much about.
Could the Sword Saint not see that sad expression on Irina’s face?
"Have you gone blind? The one you should catch isn’t some young girl like Heuk’a. Take your anger out in moderation."
"…What?"
There was no way to reverse a Maen that had already been injected with a great deal of Abyss energy.
Perhaps if it were a complete Maen that would be finished later.
That poor boy, so unstable and swollen as if his body would burst at any moment, could never return to being Irina’s friend.
"Open your eyes wide and look again. Does that Irina really look guilty?"
How could such a sorrowful expression be that of a sinner?
Her friend was turning into a monster before her eyes.
And yet there was nothing she could do to help.
"If she truly looks that way, I am disappointed, Sword Saint."
He was annoyed.
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Endurance 1000 / 1000)]
He was annoyed at the Sword Saint blocking him, and at those foolish noblemen who could only blink their eyes.
Rage surged at everything that had mocked magic and mocked him.
「Congratulations! You have achieved the target of the Hidden Trait ‘No Violence!’. A hidden reward for the Hidden Trait is granted.」
「Patience is Bitter, but the Fruit is Sweet!: The skill’s effects become reality rather than falsehood. Accordingly, the skill’s grade is re-adjusted and the skill name is changed.」
「A skill evolved as a reward will not be deleted.」
「Choose one of your possessed skills.」
But more than anything, what annoyed him was his own helpless self.
「You have selected the skill — ‘Fire’.」
「Analyzing the effects of the skill — ‘Fire’ linked with the trait.」
"…You certainly talk the talk for a jester."
「Analysis complete.」
「The Hidden Trait reward — ‘Patience is Bitter, but the Fruit is Sweet!’ is applied to the skill — ‘Fire’.」
"I must correct myself, Sword Saint. I am not a jester."
「The skill — ‘Fire’s grade is increased to the highest tier.」
「The skill — ‘Fire’s name is changed to skill — ‘Azure Flame’.」
Shoving aside the flood of messages rising relentlessly, Hio stared straight into Vitalianus’s golden eyes.
"A great mage."
「Skill: Azure Flame」
「Blue flames that incinerate all they touch.」
「Blue flames that understand the caster’s will. Depending on the will, they can annihilate all they touch, or burn nothing at all.」
「Duration changes according to the possessed mana amount.」
"The last mage remaining in this world."
「Skill — ‘Azure Flame’ activates.」
The blue sun, now become reality, rose once more, and everyone’s gazes turned toward the sky.
Within the Azure Flame was suppressed rage.
Hio’s will itself, endured and endured and endured again.
Vitalianus quietly looked up at such blue flames.
"…It was certainly false."
At first, it was clearly bluff.
Flashy only in appearance, its substance was exceedingly meager.
To the Sword Saint who freely commanded aura, something of that level could be grasped immediately.
Certainly… though he was certain of that.
"What is this?"
Yet what on earth was this?
What could be said of that enormous presence above the sky?
He read the enormous rage contained in the flames.
He fully perceived that enormous power.
At first, it was certainly false.
"Has it not become reality?"
Excitement gradually filled the lion’s golden eyes.
The predator’s eyes gleamed with what might be called madness.
Had truth been hidden within falsehood?
Did this mean he had truly reached such a realm?
Eyes full of excitement turned toward Hio, and Hio met that gaze straight on, showing a faint smile.
"It is magic."
At that, the Empire’s Golden Lion finally burst into laughter.
"Interesting."
How entertaining this was.
"Fun."
The tremendous presence of the flames floating above his head.
The tension was such that strength naturally flooded into the hand gripping his sword.
If that enormous flame and his aura clashed, what kind of resonance would it produce?
What tension and excitement would it cause? What result would unfold?
A fierce competitive spirit, one he hadn’t felt since his duel with Ataolph over a decade ago, surged up.
An opponent more than worth showing his full strength.
A strong opponent met after a very long time.
"I sincerely apologize for calling you a jester."
The Empire’s great predator sincerely apologized for failing to recognize his opponent.
Now, neither Heuk’a nor their test subjects entered his eyes.
"Did you not say you were the last mage in this world?"
The emotions dominating him were only fierce competitive spirit and curiosity.
"I am the sword of His Majesty the Great Emperor. Commander of the Royal Knights, Vitalianus Mahel."
He raised his sword straight before the center of his body, showing respect.
How long had it been since he showed such respect?
"I acknowledge your strength, mage. Therefore, please…"
Golden aura surged once more over the sword he held straight.
A sword that cuts down all it touches.
"Will you entertain me further?"
At that, Hio too raised his staff, and the Azure Flame in the sky also flickered its flames, revealing its will.
Flames that burn away all they touch.
In the situation where two enormous forces were about to clash.
What split the two apart was neither powerful force nor the intervention of another third party.
It was merely the desperate cry of a girl.
"Please…!"
Suddenly, was it not a pristine white light dyeing the world?
Even the blue flames dominating the sky.
And the golden sword ruling below — sacred light that caused them both to pale.
"Please save my friends."
A light that could be seen as sorrowful filled the world.
* * *
"I-Irina…"
Tom. Jadin. Hadi.
Friends who had relied on each other and grown up together from the beginning of memory.
Relying on each other’s warmth on cold days, and on that cool laughter during hot summers.
His own friends who had survived resiliently, even when the world pointed fingers at them as orphans in filthy, stinking rags.
"Run away, Irina."
They told her to run.
"M-my body is weird… My head… My head hurts so much, Irina."
"Wait! Just hold on a little! I saw some priests earlier!"
Despite her panic, Irina tried to move, having remembered the white priest robes.
"No. No, Irina."
Tom stopped such an Irina.
"Kill, I have to kill… They told me to kill…"
Everyone gathered in the banquet hall.
They had to turn this place into a mess and scatter blood everywhere.
Suddenly, Irina’s figure caught in their eyes, holding their fading reason in place.
Just as they were precious to Irina, Irina was precious to them.
"Run. Run away, Irina."
With reason barely held, this was all they could say.
"I’ll tell the mage and bring the priests. Just a little…"
And at that moment, an overwhelming presence that bound souls.
The predator’s aura that no living creature could help but stiffen before.
It was scattered equally upon everyone.
The desperate Irina’s body stiffened too.
Tom, Jadin, and Hadi, whose Maenification was progressing, also froze in place.
This feeling was a first in their lives.
No, who would ever experience such a thing?
A mouse before a lion. A frog caught in the eye of a hawk.
Bodies stiffened with instinctive fear of death trembled, and cold sweat flowed.
The golden sword that gazes could not help but go to.
And the blue sun blazing even higher above it.
They could tell by instinct.
‘Mage!’
That he was coming.
It seemed her trembling body calmed a little just at that thought, so Irina forcibly averted her eyes from the golden sword and looked at her friends again.
"Au… It hurts…"
Faint groans barely muttered.
Bodies swelling little by little.
It’s okay. It’s okay. The mage will resolve everything.
She wanted to say so, but sadly, her body wouldn’t obey.
"Irina… Irina."
Black scales sprouted over Tom’s eyes.
Jadin’s body swelled up.
One of Hadi’s arms twisted at a strange angle.
How much… how much must it hurt?
"Y-you, I didn’t want to sell you to some brothel, Irina."
"Sorry, sorry Irina."
Why are you apologizing?
I’m the one who’s sorrier.
I solved my meals with the food you brought.
Why are you sacrificing yourselves for me, who can’t even pay for a meal?
"It hurts… It hurts so much…"
"My head hurts."
"Run away, Irina."
My precious friends are hurting so much; where would I go alone?
Words filling her chest piled up, but they could not be conveyed.
Even if she barely moved her eyeballs to look around, no one was helping.
No, they couldn’t help.
‘Please…’
Tom’s eyes finally closed. His face had turned completely dark, having lost its original color entirely.
"Please!"
Jadin’s body swelled to its limits, looking as if it would burst at any moment.
Hadi’s twisted body showed no intention of returning to normal.
Anyone, please.
If only it could be changed, even in exchange for my life, please…
"Please save my friends."
The desperate prayer of a girl who had wished and wished and wished again.
As if responding to that desperate prayer, a pristine white light burst from Irina’s body.
The sacred light rose above the mage who had raised his staff.
Into the bosom of the Sword Saint who had been about to swing his sword.
Embracing her friends who were suffering.
And fell over the heads of all others who could not move.
The sacredness contained within it was witnessed and felt by all present.
"Aah…"
The old cardinal who had been watching the situation knelt.
Tears of joy flowed from his wrinkled eyes.
The girl emitting this sacred light was indeed the master of the oracle.
— A light that should have been extinguished was not extinguished.
A destined girl who should have withered away powerlessly did not wither, and instead brightly emitted light.
— She shall become a ray of salvation in a world consumed by darkness.
It was the birth of a saint who should not have existed.