The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 197 – Prayer

Clang– Creak–

The sound of swords clashing was light.

An empty killing strike with no murderous intent. Yet, the void was filled with technique, making it a sword that couldn’t be ignored.

At times, it flowed like water. At times, it coiled like a snake. At times, it drifted down like a flower petal settling on the blade,  an ever-changing dance of the greatsword that bewitched the mind and forced the body to move in response.

It was hard to believe such swift and graceful swordplay came from wielding a heavy greatsword. A style that relied purely on skill, in complete contrast to my brute-force approach.

Of course, it wasn’t the kind of attack I couldn’t handle.

If it were the old me, I’d have been knocked over right away. But now, it was easy.

Probably thanks to training with Sirin and Kartia.

Crack—Clang—!

At any rate, thanks to the various experiences I’ve accumulated, exchanging blows with Frey wasn’t difficult.

No, it wasn’t just manageable.

With swordsmanship alone, I could end this spar whenever I wanted.

But I didn’t.

Because winning this match wasn’t what I needed to do.

That’s why I focused solely on draining Frey’s stamina.

The flowing strike cut off her momentum.

The coiling strike severed her neck.

The fluttering petals were a bit of a nuisance, so I responded with a heavier blow.

Just like the advice I received during Kartia’s sword training. Rather than simply blocking the opponent’s attack, break it first from my side.

One, two,every time our swords clashed, Frey’s stamina drained away while mine remained largely intact.

Everything went according to plan, mine and Kartia’s.

Yet, seeing this unfold twisted Kartia’s insides.

[This is honestly pitiful.]

A mocking laugh, as usual, but behind it was a bitterness she couldn’t hide, resentment and self-reproach deeply woven in.

[So, what do you think? Can you do it?]

Whoosh,

The path of her sword, which had been straight, suddenly wavered.

I stepped in boldly, closing the distance to Frey. A misstep could’ve gotten me slashed badly, but I didn’t stop. I trusted my senses and stepped into the dance of her blade.

‘At this level…’

Maybe she noticed my aim. Her greatsword, which had extended and curved, started retreating urgently. The once-empty space filled with her wide blade. My extended step was withdrawn, and my breath tightened.

‘I think it’s possible.’

But it was too late. Like a shell fired from a cannon, the hilt of my sword shot past her greatsword and slammed into her abdomen. 

Crunch.

The vivid sensation of crushing armor and breaking bones surged through my fingers. Her exhaled breath brushed past my neck.

And the unknown entity clinging to her soul wavered.

[Almost there.]

Frey writhed in agony from the crushing pain, but her reaction was swift. A wild punch knocked away the hilt, and her greatsword swung in a wide arc. A motion that seemed to push me away. However, the force behind her ruined stance was feeble.

I took advantage of that.

I jammed my greatsword into the weak arc of her swing and gripped the hilt in reverse to slam it into the ground. 

Clack!

The greatsword embedded firmly in the bed of vivid flowers. Feeling it secure, I pulled on the hilt while lunging forward.

Pop.

The ground beneath me burst open. Petals scattered. I pierced through them, closing the distance to Frey again. And when all space between us vanished, I raised my knee.

Boom! 

A deafening crash that didn’t seem possible from a knee strike. But despite the terrifying noise, her body remained in place.

Just as Kartia taught me, I focused all the power into a single point. The overwhelming shock left Frey unable to even scream as her body began to stagger violently.

Not wanting to miss the moment, I stepped in again. At the same time, I pulled the greatsword free using the recoil.

My arm regained its freedom in an instant.

But I didn’t swing the greatsword.

For Kartia’s fury, and to deal with the thing devouring Frey’s soul, it couldn’t end that easily. So instead of the sharp edge, I raised my elbow.

If I could, I’d aim for her temple to knock her out instantly, but my height compared to hers didn’t allow it.

In the end, I had to settle for her abdomen. What power I lacked, I’d draw from my legs and hips. And if that still wasn’t enough, I’d strike two, three, dozens of times until she lost consciousness.

With that in mind, I threw my full strength into the attack.

But it didn’t land.

Frey, moving unlike she had until now, widened the gap between us.

Seeing her sudden change, Kartia drew in a dry breath. Then, with a blend of faint joy and despair, she muttered:

[The color… it faded?]

Just as Kartia said, the color of the presence gnawing away at Frey’s soul had grown paler than before.

And then,

“Ugh–?!”

Cl-Clang!

Frey’s greatsword, hurled at tremendous speed, knocked mine aside. My arm, pushed up over my shoulder. My body, completely exposed. Frey, now right in front of me, launched a punch toward my chest. That clenched fist radiated thick killing intent.

I couldn’t block it. I couldn’t counter it.

I had to dodge.

I clenched my teeth and exploded my Blood Aura. 

Boom!

With a dizzying impact, my defenseless body was flung across the ground. Choking from the massive shock, another punch from Frey came crashing down.

But this time, there was no killing intent.

This time, it lacked the same speed.

There was no power behind it.

She faltered.

Because of that, I was able to erupt my Blood Aura again and escape. I managed to widen the distance between us.

Screeech. 

As I tumbled across the ground, I dragged my greatsword along the floor to slow myself. I smeared Tylant’s magic over my torn wounds to stop the bleeding.

Then, I immediately got back on my feet and calmed my breathing. I cleared my scattered thoughts.

Through the gradually sharpening [Ki sense], I checked Frey’s condition.

[That’s strange…]

It was clear, the shadow that had loomed over her soul had faded.

A presence that hadn’t been shaken off no matter how relentless the attacks,had now receded this easily?

Could it be that Frey had regained consciousness?

[No… It’s too ambiguous to say her consciousness is back. If it was, then…]

Kartia, choosing her words carefully, finally spoke in a low voice.

[Just now, you were at least severely wounded.]

…I hate to admit it, but she’s right.

If attacks like that first one had continued… I would’ve been hurt badly, so badly that not even Rubia could heal me.

No, I might’ve even died.

Then why did she hesitate?

Why did she pull back?

I couldn’t understand it, but it didn’t change what I needed to do. I shook my head and gripped the hilt tightly.

I honed my [Ki sense] to a razor’s edge and visualized Frey’s figure. Though faint, I still sensed the presence devouring her soul.

And Frey’s soul, was gradually intensifying.

[She’s coming.]

As Kartia’s voice reached me, I raised my greatsword. 

WHOOOM! 

Overwhelming power layered atop graceful swordsmanship. The strike weighed heavily on my entire body, too forceful to parry easily now.

But not impossible.

It was a risky gamble with incredibly low odds.

But I had to do it.

I stretched my extended leg just a bit farther. Twisted my waist. As my upper body began to lean, I released the tension. 

Shrrrk.

Like flowing water, Frey’s sword slipped along my smoothly curved greatsword.

As her sword slid halfway down my blade, I released the grip in my arm. The arm supporting the air dropped. Frey’s descending sword slammed into the ground.

Just before my greatsword touched the earth, I pulled it inward with my entire body. Using the recoil that burst from that movement, I lifted myself into the air.

And then, midair, I began to spin. Following the motion, I swung my greatsword. With Frey’s power, my power, and the added momentum from rotation, the massive strike came crashing down toward her sword.

In response, Frey’s sword plunged vertically into the ground. She bent her waist and rolled her legs. It wasn’t a move to block, it was a posture focused entirely on offense, with no regard for defense. Enormous magic surged with it.

It was as if she had copied my stance perfectly.

At this rate, I, floating in midair and unable to redirect the force, would be overpowered.

But if I went all in and slashed Frey, our plan would fall apart.

So right now, I had to bet everything.

I traced the path of Frey’s extending sword. A line stretched endlessly from her blade, past mine, and up into the sky.

I followed that line,and let my greatsword fall.

Just before Frey’s sword and mine clashed,

I let go of the hilt.

The greatsword, carrying all my weight, sailed through the air.

Frey’s sword, having been filled with certainty, now cut through nothing.

In the rapidly fading scenery,

I clenched my fist so tightly it nearly crushed my fingernails.

And then,

Toward the space where Frey was standing,

I struck.