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The Sword of Heavenly Calamity.

The Sword of Cotton Blossom.

The Sword of Desire.

World-renowned legendary swords were being shattered one after another.

Each time, Ergo's face hardened further.

It was only natural.

Who could remain composed while such expensive, legendary swords were being smashed to pieces?

The value of the destroyed swords alone was enough to buy a mansion.

Even for Ergo, this was no small blow.

Crash!

Once again, a legendary sword shattered, its fragments falling to the ground.

I charged toward Ergo, trampling over the broken shards.

With every sword that broke, the distance between Ergo and me grew narrower.

Ergo clenched his teeth.

He was also exhausting his strength, constantly wielding his Sky Swordsmanship.

“You despicable wretch.”

Once again, my vision filled with swords.

My outstretched hand struck them down relentlessly.

The barrage of swords continued, like being trapped in a rainstorm of swords.

Yet even if my clothes were drenched by this rain, I couldn’t afford to stop.

The forest echoed with the deafening clash of swords and hands.

But I broke through once more.

Through the torrent of swords, at that very moment—

Dozens of swords converged into one massive sword that flew toward me.

It resembled a swarm of tiny fish forming the shape of a giant predator.

I clenched my fist.

With the momentum from my waist, I twisted my body, centering it around my right hand.

It was a punch I had practiced countless times.

The movements were ingrained into my body, and the weight of my entire frame was behind the blow.

My back foot pivoted, and the magical engraving on my elbow activated.

BOOOOOM!

My steel-forged fist shattered the massive sword.

Through the flying shards of the sword, Ergo and I locked eyes.

His red eyes narrowed to slits as he crouched lower.

The ground beneath his feet groaned as he channeled power into his stance.

Thud!

The earth cracked under his step as he shot forward like a cannonball.

The gap between Ergo and me continued to shrink.

I saw him hastily gather his swords to block my advance.

Another shield of swords formed before me.

No matter.

If it blocks me, I’ll simply break it.

Mana surged into my clenched fist.

As my fist extended, it shattered the shield of swords once more.

At that moment, through the gap in the broken shield, a single sword shot toward me.

It was an unassuming sword, no different from the others.

Yet, the instant I faced it, my instincts screamed something was wrong.

This one—

Could cut me.

I made my decision instantly, abandoning my attack and twisting my neck sharply.

Slice!

A thin red line appeared on my face, followed by a splash of blood.

At the same time, I noticed the golden aura emanating from the sword.

‘He finally resorted to sword energy.’

To cut through a steel-like body requires sword energy.

Only a select few can wield it.

Even at the Zerion Academy, only Ban and Iris, with perhaps Hania at best, could manage it.

But my opponent was a six-star.

And not just any six-star—Ergo, a genius known for his Sky Swordsmanship.

Though he couldn’t match Ban or Iris, he could wield sword energy.

“I warned you.”

Two more swords floated around Ergo.

Both were also imbued with golden sword energy.

Ergo could handle sword energy in three swords simultaneously.

No more, no less.

But even three swords posed a critical threat to me.

“There’s an unsurmountable gap between us.”

The presence of sword energy was the difference between heaven and earth.

Even I acknowledged this fact.

And yet, sword energy wasn’t all Ergo had.

RUMBLE—

From far above, a colossal presence descended.

It was the Sword of the Titan.

‘He’s playing his trump card.’

Three swords imbued with aura.

And the Titan’s Sword, something even I couldn’t withstand.

Ergo was betting it all before his swords were completely destroyed.

Would I be pierced by the Titan’s Sword and aura-laden swords first?

Or would I reach Ergo first?

But Ergo had overlooked one thing.

I raised my right hand above my head.

As Ergo watched my actions in confusion—

CRACK!

Dark clouds began to gather above the Titan’s Sword descending from the heavens.

“Prince Ergo Parazon, let me correct one thing.”

ZZZAP—

Blue lightning crackled from a ring on my finger.

“From the beginning until now—”

RUMBLE—

The thunderclouds raged louder and louder.

“I’ve been the one attacking, and you’ve been the one defending.”

“What?”

Before Ergo could finish his question—

The clouds parted to reveal a blazing white light.

On the barren clearing carved by the falling lightning, I declared again:

Come forth,

The Lightning Caller.

―――――――!

A storm of divine lightning struck the ground, swallowing everything in its path.

The blinding light reached Ergo and me before the Titan’s Sword.

Ergo screamed silently under the overwhelming torrent of electricity.

Yet, he wasn’t called a six-star for nothing.

He summoned aura within his body to forcibly shield himself.

Using aura on the body, rather than the sword, exacts a heavy toll.

But it allowed him to stay conscious through the storm.

Ergo’s gaze turned toward me, as if staring at a madman.

His face questioned how I could risk self-destruction using lightning.

So I decided to make it clear to him.

This wasn’t self-destruction.

CRACKLE—

Lightning surged into my raised hand.

The current flowed through my steel body, gathering in my right hand.

A single spear of blue lightning took form.

Magic Inscription: Lightning catcher.

I grasped the goddess’s azure lightning in my hand.

Ergo’s eyes widened in shock.

He understood exactly what the spear in my hand represented.

I could sense the alarm bells ringing in his mind.

Ergo was the sole prince.

A genius born to the Parazon lineage.

And before this genius prince, a lowly third-rate villain declared:

“Try to block this.”

Grinning, I unleashed my full power.

My waist twisted, and the magic engravings on my arm activated.

Fueled by an explosive surge of energy, my arm hurled the spear with all its might.

The blue lightning bolt roared through the air, devouring everything in its path.

Just before the blinding light engulfed everything—

BOOOOOOM!

The Titan’s Sword finally broke through, colliding with the lightning spear.

CRAAAAACK!

The deafening roar shattered the air.

Even the overwhelming weight of the Titan’s Sword couldn’t withstand the force of the goddess’s spear.

It was pushed back.

Ergo coughed up blood, desperately gathering every remaining sword.

Behind the Titan’s Sword, countless other swords filled the sky.

If he couldn't block it, the Goddess's spear would pierce him, and it would be the end.

Knowing this, Ergo poured all his remaining strength into blocking the Goddess's spear.

Screeeeeeeech!

White smoke rose from the front of the Colossus Sword.

The Sky Swordsmanship consumed a significant amount of mental strength and physical energy.

Drip...

Perhaps for this reason, Ergo had reached his limit.

Exhausted, blood dripped from his nose, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

Ergo's chest expanded and contracted repeatedly.

But in the end, he had managed to block it.

He raised his head, certain of his victory.

And then, Ergo's eyes widened.

I was already there.

As soon as the Goddess's spear was released, I had begun running through the lightning storm.

I had never thought he would fall with just that.

In Ergo's fading eyes, the glint of my crimson eyes was reflected.

My body, too, was in shambles from the lightning.

But unlike him, I had been struck twice before.

Lightning resistance.

The resilience imbued in my body of steel allowed me to move even within the Goddess's lightning storm.

"You bastard."

Ergo muttered a curse as white smoke escaped from his mouth.

The distance he had declared between us had ultimately converged to zero.

My outstretched fist landed squarely on Ergo's jaw.

With all my strength, I struck Ergo's jaw, his head snapping to the side as his body flew backward.

Thud!

Ergo collapsed to the ground, rolling lifelessly across the floor.

After tumbling for some time, he lay still, unmoving.

I stood over his fallen form, gasping for breath.

"A king's promise is one I trust... will be kept."

Make sure to apologize to Seron.

With that, I, too, collapsed backward.

Thump.

Just before hitting the ground, I felt a soft sensation on my back and lifted my head.

There stood Iris.

"Feeling relieved?"

I nodded weakly.

Iris then threw the sword she was holding—a Parazon sword—toward Ergo.

The Parazon sword spun lightly through the air before embedding itself beside Ergo.

Still holding me, Iris walked over to the Titan Sword and pulled out the Sword of White Dreams.

"It's a shame. My cousin defeated a Six-Star, such a monumental moment, and yet..."

Today's battle between Ergo and me could never be made known.

As Iris clicked her tongue in regret, I gave her a bitter smile.

"If word got out that I beat the Prince of Parazon, I'd be in trouble too."

"True. It's a secret between you, me, and Hannon."

Ergo was included as well.

He was a man of pride.

He wouldn't go around blabbing about this.

"There was one more trick up your sleeve, wasn't there?"

Iris asked sharply.

Did she know?

She was right; there was one more hidden move.

But it wasn’t meant to be used against Ergo.

"Secret weapons are for emergencies."

By then, I could feel my eyes closing.

"Rest for a while."

Iris spoke gently as she held me close.

"I'm sorry... just for a moment,"

I muttered, surrendering myself to her arms and closing my eyes.

* * *

Seron Parmia.

She had recovered enough to leave the hospital.

Having eaten the hearty lunch prepared by Hannon, she felt wonderfully full and in high spirits.

‘My heart's full of that 'Prince Sweet Potato's' food.’

As she walked, such thoughts filled her mind, but then she spotted someone approaching in the distance.

As the figure came closer, Seron tilted her head in puzzlement.

Then her face stiffened.

It was a blonde man covered in bandages and adhesive strips.

His name was Ergo Parazon, the Six-Star she had faced in the preliminaries.

Ergo hadn’t been injured during the preliminaries.

So why was he in such a state?

An unsettling feeling began to creep over Seron.

"Seron Parmia, right?"

When Ergo mentioned her name, her body flinched.

And then, Ergo bowed his head.

"I apologize for what I did."

"Huh?"

Seron was visibly taken aback.

She hadn’t expected an apology from him.

Her eyes fell on the pendant around Ergo's neck.

It was the very same pendant Hannon had worn for some time.

At the same time, a memory from the hospital resurfaced in Seron's mind—Hannon’s words.

「I'll make sure he only apologizes and nothing else.」

Seron's eyes widened slowly.

Meanwhile, Ergo let out a deep sigh.

The usual arrogance in his demeanor was gone.

"To think someone would challenge me for their beloved... I never imagined such a person existed."

Ergo, who had lived his entire life revered as the Prince of Parazon, had never encountered anything like Hannon’s actions.

And perhaps for the first time, he felt his worldview broaden.

Not everyone in the world would look up to him.

This one realization brought significant change to Ergo.

"You were right. That guy is a true prince."

A man who would fight like that for his beloved deserved to be called a prince.

In truth, Seron and Hannon were not in a romantic relationship.

But seeing Seron's expression, Ergo was once again convinced they were.

"He was amazing. Take good care of him."

Having said what he came to say, Ergo turned and walked away.

After he left, Seron stood there in a daze.

She placed a hand over her chest.

Thump, thump, thump.

Her heart hurt.

Her heart was racing uncontrollably.

Thump, thump, thump.

Seron's face turned crimson as she muttered to herself.

Her hair stood on end as she realized one thing.

She had fallen for him completely.

Ah, this...

This was something she would never recover from.

The love she had clung to from her childhood memories...

Today, it had finally blossomed fully.

And it would never wilt.

"...That idiot."

But still, it was okay.

Even if it couldn’t be cured, this overwhelming happiness was the most beautiful thing in her life.

"I’m seriously going to kiss him."

And Seron’s smile was as radiant as ever.