Chapter 284 (Patreon)

The killing intent was like a stench that had seeped deep into the earth. Thick, palpable, and terrorizing.

Compared to Paina, Farley was the one with the stronger will but even her spear was shaking.

Is this the end?

Ciel flashed forward, the movement Arte gave a flicker of light as she moved.

“Get a grip you two! It's not over yet.”

The clone blocked her sword with his bare hands. A spectral maw almost bit Ciel’s head but she jumped back in time while delivering a slash.

“He’s not as strong as he seems! He’s been putting up a strong front from the start but he’s actually deceiving you. Just think. He was so decisive against Viers, not fooling around, so why didn't he use his Domain from the beginning? Why not crush us to smithereens with extreme Artes? It's not that he didn't want to but couldn't. And this domain is fragile, diluted! We can still prevail!”

Ciel’s words lifted some fear that had clouded Paina and Farley’s heads. There was truth in her words.

Ciel’s right, Paina thought. How could we push him this far otherwise?

He’s not out of our league! Farley’s eyes glinted as a seed of resolve sprouted anew. Yes, Clarissa already held back his true body. Like hell we’ll lose to some leftover dregs!

Ciel had more real battle experience and had more chances to observe far more Level 4s than the other two so she realized it first. Before the will to fight was snuffed out in those two, she reignited it by confronting Georgi’s clone head-on.

Ciel was correct but…

“Water Is Unbreakable!”

“Torrent Spear!”

Paina and Farley acted to assist Ciel in the melee.

The clone’s eyes were cold. Ciel was correct and saw right through him.

The biggest reason was Georgi’s main body had been injured by Sallustia’s Purge Evil. And then Clarissa confronted him. By doing so the lamia had removed the Level 5’s direct threat from Viers. Georgi was forced to split his soul to chase after Viers but even this split soul was far from what it could be.

The three attacked with fervor. Ciel’s Rainbow Prism Arte bound the clone and Paina conjured a blast of water. The clone didn't even need to act as a pack of skeletons emerged from the ankle-deep blood of the Domain. They would use their bodies as a shield.

“Not on my watch!”

The Domain had cut off their access to the lake and lowered their water Arte effectiveness but it didn't matter. Farley extended her spear on the Reverse Waterfall Arte’s path and moved a few steps to the side. The water followed her and curved. With no skeletons in the way, Farley pointed her spear forward and Paina’s Arte directly hit the target.

Arte - Altering the Flow!

During their time together, Paina and Farley developed combo tactics. This was but one of many.

“You are on the mark, young legionary,” the clone said. “BUT!”

A gigantic fist fell from the sky on top of Paina. Her Water Is Unbreakable barrier was broken. She, and even Viers, were still far from making the Arte true to its namesake.

A pack of ghostly beast heads swarmed Farley. The attack was so fast that even she who emphasized speed in her combat style was unable to avoid them. Her body was gnawed and chewed upon.

What hit Ciel was the wind. A breeze, almost gentle, but after passing her by, only then did she realize how badly she was damaged.

Her enchanted shield and sword were shattered to pieces, the same with her armor. Unreality Field kept her skin attached to the bones. Her legs gave out and her knees touched the blooded ground with a splash. Involuntarily, she was in a seiza position.

“Haah… haah…”

Her lungs were trembling and her vision was blurry. This time, she was truly on her last legs.

“You three underestimate me too much.”

The difference between Level 3 and Level 4 was more vast than between Level 2 and Level 3. Although the clone was unable to fully materialize the true power of his Domain, it still possessed enough power to crush Level 3s, even though the trio was stronger than average Level 3 Pathseekers.

The clone of Georgi raised a soul sword he conjured before the kneeling Ciel.

“This is the result of your ideals… Dying for people you barely know, strangers. Just like so many of your predecessors. What a waste of life. At this last moment, do you regret it?”

Ciel thought back. Was she close to Viers? No. Did she like him? No. What about Paina and Farley? She also wasn't particularly close to them. The time she spent with them was so short, not even a moon’s turn.

The Silver Legion fought extraordinary threats. As a member dying was always a possibility. Ciel understood this. Thinking it logically, she was discarding so much of her potential in life, of the future that could have been.

But did she regret living according to her ideals?

“I… Regret the result… but not the journey. Never… the journey.”

The voice was faint but she still uttered it with a smile. She looked into the eyes of her executioner-to-be with clear eyes.

“Truly, a Silver Legionary to the bone.”

The blade of death descended.

The blade of life’s light blocked it.

Georgi’s Domain was bleak but the darkness was chased away.

“Uuuohh!” The clone regained his posture after a wave of power knocked him away. “No… This cannot be…”

Ciel was floating with her eyes closed. Her expression was the very definition of peaceful. Divine light pulsed from her body. More accurately, the crystal on her chest.

The hilt of a sword emerged from it.

Without opening her eyes, as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world, Ciel’s right hand gripped it.

“Again and again, you took their side, Fate!?”

Georgi’s face was twisted from anger. He unleashed his Domain-backed attack but Ciel’s vertical slash removed them from existence.

The divine sword was shining with golden light. It was as if the blade was made of light itself.

The sword had never shown this amount of power when Viers’ wielded it. Aravin, the MC who Viers took the divine sword from, was killed before he could show its true strength. Aletro prevented the sword from interfering because the power would be above the acceptable parameter for the trial, just like Anne’s divine item.

The sword might not be intelligent but it had a will. Viers named the sword Solarion but it didn't accept it or cared. It also stubbornly refused to be used by Viers the unworthy and sought to find another wielder, one with a noble heart.

Ciel, a light user compatible with the sword of light, was a candidate. When Ciel was almost killed by Georgi’s true body, the divine sword intervened to save her life but it was an emergency measure. It hadn't truly accepted Ciel.

But after Ciel showed her staunch will to her ideals before oblivion, the sword finally accepted Ciel as its true user and bestowed her with all of its strength.

Ciel’s gray robe and blonde hair were swaying in the wind. Slowly, she opened her eyes, showing her blue eyes that were slightly glowing ethereally with the color of the clear sky.

“You are…” Ciel looked at the sword. “Thank you.”

She raised the sword and it shined like the sun.

“Urgh…”

“Ciel…”

Paina and Farley were freed from their predicament as the light of the divine chased the souls away like morning rays through mists. However, their injuries were deep and did not miraculously heal.

“It’s the last clash. Can both of you still do it?” Ciel asked.

“Of course.”

“This is normal in our training.”

They both rose to their feet.

Ciel smiled and took the vanguard. The Domain’s effect was kept at bay by the divine sword’s light and her attack power increased considerably. However, they were still in a crisis.

Both sides were equally fragile to the enemies’ attack power. It would be a battle of skill to see who landed the first clean hit.

The battle entered a new stage of intensity. The condition of the three women was far from perfect. The difficulty of the battle could be compared to abusing their soul, literally for Farley and Paina. In the end, despite the emergence of the divine sword, Georgi was still above them. The three’s battle experience was not even close to the old monster’s.

The clone evaded Farley’s spear swipe and gave her a choke with his right hand, lifting her up.

“So it’s you,” the clone muttered. A black swirl gathered on his left hand and jammed his index and middle finger into Farley’s right eye.

“Farleeeeeey!!”

Paina and Ciel separated Georgi from their comrade.

“Farley, you-”

“I-I’m fine, don't worry about me,” Farley assured Paina as she cupped the right eye with her hand. Her soul essence was leaking out in the form of white wisps.

“More importantly, we’ll have to risk it,” Farley said after seeing the divine sword’s glow slowly fading with her remaining eye. They would need to finish the battle before it was out of power or their defeat was set in stone.

“I understand,” Ciel nodded. “I’ll-”

“I will!” Farley moved forward. Ciel was slightly surprised but gritted her teeth and followed after Farley.

“You think a speck of divine power is enough to defeat me?” The clone roared as he transformed. A giant spectral skeleton with four arms formed around him and he was nested in its chest. His offense and defense were greatly improved. When he moved his body, the giant skeleton mirrored it. The hand was coming at Farley.

“Arte - Triple-Headed Sidewinder!”

The Arte was far more destructive than any of her precious Artes, greatly wrecking the state of the hand. However, Farley was hit by another arm.

“Ghhh!”

Even though she was ready for this and raised her water shield in time, Farley was so heavily injured she struggled to maintain the shape of her soul. She was like a dandelion in the face of a strong wind.

But it was fine, she was only the bait.

“We have something greater. Behold, the power of friendship!!”

Paina shouted as she conjured a massive water snake to hold the giant skeleton, ensuring Ciel had a clear path.

Viers taught them the concept. If they fought a strong enemy one day, fighting them side by side with a friend or friends would colossally increase the chance of victory.

“Arte - Sea Snake Seal!”

These snake-themed Arte were their trump cards. They created them with the guidance of Clarissa so both the Arte and its roots were tempered by techniques from the Age of the Gods.

How could the three best friends gain nothing from each other?

Ciel dashed forward, aiming for the clone located in the giant skeleton’s chest.

“Fool!”

The skeleton might be bound by Farley and Paina’s effort but it could open its mouth.

A destructive soul blast threatened to engulf Ciel.

“Mirror Force!”

As if the law of physics overturned, the blast returned back to the clone.

“Naive!”

“What!?”

Usually, it was Ciel’s enemies that were taken aback after their own attack came back to them, just like Lykin the Lighteater. However, Georgi’s clone reflected Ciel’s deflection. Once again a demonic energy blast was coming toward Ciel.

Left with no choice, Ciel struck the blast with her sword.

“Grrrghhh!!!”

She managed to hold for a short while but clearly she would be overpowered.

No… I must not… lose… nnnhhh!

Ciel’s strength was almost spent in defending herself from the black energy but her body suddenly felt lighter and gaining power.

“Told you… Power of friendship,” Paina grinned despite her wounds.

“Go! Cieeeeeel!” Farley screamed.

Paina used Anima Symphony: Gloria on Ciel while Farley made the blast weaker using Water Hex.

Ciel strengthened the grip on her weapon, stood her ground, and swung her sword from overhead, putting every ounce of power she had in her body.

“HAAAAAAAAAA—!!”

Ciel forcefully cut the stream of black-green blast in two with her sword light.

Arte - Justice Enforced!

The slash created a gash on the ground before it gloriously broke Georgi’s defenses and even broke the Domain, returning them to the real world as the space shards fell all around them.

Seeing Ciel’s finishing blow land, Paina and Farley shouted a cry of victory.

***

Two great powers clashed. Two beams of energy, one was red and the other was green. The two were pushing each other back and forth with the sound of clashing tornadoes. The casters, Clarissa and Georgi, had ensured the terrain would be utterly devastated by whoever won. The clash of the two was more similar to the clash of two natural disasters.

Sensing her time limit coming close, Clarissa exerted every last bit of her being in this attack.

Georgi didn't lose in resolve either. His God had given him a mandate.

“Alas…”

Georgi sighed, little by little Clarissa’s beam of fire consumed his own.

“Reaaaaach!” Clarissa exerted herself to sustain the attack. She was in pain too.

With the terrifying force and ear-splitting sound, the blast drilled Georgi deep into the earth. Because Clarissa attacked from a higher elevation, her mighty Arte struck the ground in all of its glory. Clarissa didn't let up the beam of fire even though she could no longer sense her powerful adversary.

Miraculously, it was at the same time that Georgi’s split soul was defeated by Ciel and the other two.

The stream of fire pouring into the earth as if it was a hotpot, making it a grand view to look at. Only after there was no more power in her, did the lamia stop.

Below her, there was a massive volcano of ghostly green lava. The mana of this place had been altered because of the terrifying battle and the terrain would be changed permanently. In time, the unique fire and soul environment would gradually bring great changes to the surroundings.

Huuf… Huuf… He’s… not dead… But it should be okay… O… kay…

Clarissa’s soul passed out and the flames that made her body returned to the small spherical form of Faiya. The elemental baby looked very tired and pitiful but he darted across the sky.

To his master’s place.

-

Chapter 284 - The Power of Friendship