Volume 9 Chapter 47 The Curse Of Disaster
The number of times I've faced "Galeo" is four.
Well, if I count the first time as a battle, that is.
That first encounter... I couldn't do anything. It was like I was frozen in place, just staring at it.
We were fighting demons alongside the human army when Galeo appeared out of nowhere.
With just one swing of its arm, it wiped out a chunk of our forces along with the demons.
Galeo's strike wasn't like any magic I'd ever seen.
It wasn't based on any theory or knowledge I had. It was just raw power, like a primal attack fueled by magic.
And with that, seasoned magicians were blown away as if they were nothing.
We had to retreat, turning our comrades' deaths into precious time to escape.
We were utterly powerless, unable to even summon the will to fight.
Disaster struck. No way to stop it.
Then came the second encounter.
While I was away in another town, disaster, known as Galéo, appeared in the capital of the Centraris Kingdom.
If not stopped, the capital would be destroyed, and even the army would suffer greatly.
In that dire situation, there stood only one man against Galéo.
'Ah, the bringer of disaster. Sorry about that. Even though you made the effort to come, all you get is a welcome from an old man.'
Without any companions, without armor, with only one swing of his sword, my master, known as the "Sword Saint," faced Galéo.
I heard about it.
When I arrived, the fight was already over.
Galéo's arm pierced through my master's chest, lifting him up.
The sword, still held even in death, was broken halfway, telling the tale of the fierce battle.
I don't remember much after that. Only that it was the first time I faced Galéo head-on.
And then I was killed.
It wasn't just defeat. I was murdered. Just as Mevia's magic barely managed to heal my body, my soul descended into the underworld.
After various twists and turns, alongside Sharla, I returned to the surface. Soon after, I encounter Galeo for the third time.
It was the 'Battle of Rantenas Fortress' that erupted in Fador Empire, Kanami's homeland.
Our strengths were evenly matched. Inflicting wounds upon each other, but unable to deliver fatal blows, the battle extended beyond the third encounter to the fourth.
It was there that I killed Galeo.
The memories of the battle in Asteris often fade or become buried amidst numerous other conflicts.
However, the battle against Galeo remains unforgettable.
It engraved upon me such terror, despair, and anger.
Galeo stood there silently, just like before.
I have to fight Julius next, but having to face this guy seems unfair.
If this were a game, I'd call it a bad game.
But reality can be more unfair than any bad game.
At least the Galeo in front of me isn't a fake like the Eris' Sakaki Tsuzuri created earlier.
He's the real Galeo.
If I believe Julius' words, he's not a living being but magic itself. If he's a bug in the system called God-Demon War, then it's not surprising he's here.
Understanding and accepting are two different things, though.
"Long time no see, Galeo."
I activate my magic, put on my armor, and ready my sword.
In the heat of the moment, I didn't even know why I called out.
Maybe it was the shock, or maybe it was a strange sense of nostalgia that made me speak without thinking.
I knew what would come next, yet I couldn't help but call out...
"――"
As Galeo raised his right hand, the darkness converged, and a black sword materialized out of thin air.
He swung it carelessly, as if it were no more than a child twirling a stick.
But that casual flick was charged with Galeo's immense magic power, transforming it into a primitive spell of raw force.
Among the battle-hardened mages, this violent force is spoken of with a mix of fear and awe, known as 'Disaster.'
The first time I truly faced Galeo in battle, I took the full brunt of his attack and was sent flying.
With just one strike, my sword shattered, my armor cracked, and I felt as if every drop of blood in my body was boiling, the pain so intense I thought my brain might burst.
Alright, let's see if your strike has changed since then, shall we?
I took the full force of the 'Black Sword (Disaster)' head-on.
Boom! Along with the shock coursing through my entire body, the black magic power blew everything around me away.
Maybe it's because I've grown since then. At that time, it was just pure heaviness, intensity, and pain from this magic power, but now I feel something else.
It's a strong sense of sadness and anger.
I felt the same thing when I fought demons in the mountains or when I was killed by the sword beast in the realm of my mind.
I see. So, you truly were that kind of being.
I infused my emerald magic power and repelled the 'Black Sword (Disaster)'.
As the battle ends and the world tries to move forward, this guy will continue to be consumed by resentment as long as there's a God-Demon War.
And it will give birth to new hatred once again.
"'So sad'"
Galeo, the disaster magician, paused for a moment, shocked that his attack didn't even scratch me. Then, he lifted his left hand.
In an instant, a swarm of black spears burst from the ground, covering it like a dark forest.
So, it's the 'Black Spears' now.
I kicked off the ground and leaped into the air, dodging the spears.
But they chased after me, new spears sprouting from each one, like a mountain of swords pursuing me relentlessly.
They were fast.
Each spear was as threatening as the swords before. No wonder armies could be wiped out by such attacks.
As I landed, I swept aside the incoming spears, but then a mountain of them, piled high, collapsed towards me.
This was no mere rain of spears.
A black tsunami, slicing through the air, crashed down upon me.
I held my sword sideways, tracing the blade with my finger, channeling my magic power into it.
"'Froga (Flame Blade)'"
My jade magic power flickers and clings to the blade of my sword.
I release the compressed magic power at the same time as my slash, causing an explosion at the wound with 'Froga'.
It's a technique crafted by my master, one that I've honed with the magic power of 'My True Name.'
It's a perpetual strengthening spell, channeling infinite magic power into every strike, imbuing each with explosive potential.
But that's not all this technique offers. It's about technique too.
Like drawing back an arrow, I pull my elbow behind, aiming the tip towards the oncoming wave.
With each movement, my legs gather power, sinking into the earth, anchoring me in readiness.
"'Raygilv (Dream Thunder Sword)(Raygilv)'"
In the face of attacks that once left me frozen before, I now charge forward, meeting them head-on with unyielding determination.
In the blink of an eye, the space between us vanished, and I was faced with a towering black wall.
I charged forward, thrusting with all my might.
A sea of spears against a single spear.
The outcome was decided in a flash.
A thunderous sound erupted, and a colossal hole was blasted through the center of the wave.
The 'Black Spear' cracked with emerald lines, bursting from within.
'Froga' is the only technique that can be combined with the other seven-colored chain swords.
It requires intense focus to constantly create magic power, compressing and releasing it, but its power is worth it.
"――‼"
That's right, I knew he was coming.
Galeo launched a surprise attack, piercing through the wave, aiming for the moment I stopped moving.
As I caught the swinging black sword, Galeo glared at me, just inches away.
In the heart of darkness, his eyes flicker red, burning fiercely.
With a thunderous roar, Galeo strikes me, relentless, without technique or strategy, just a barrage of attacks.
I take them all, deflecting, parrying, flowing with them.
It's strange, really.
In the past, when I fought him, rage swirled inside me, a monster I couldn't control, raging wild.
Even after dying once and training in the underworld, that didn't change. I just learned to control it, to make that overwhelming emotion my own strength.
But now, it's different.
Maybe it's because I know what I need to do, or because I understand who he really is, but my anger doesn't rise anymore.
Everyone is fighting.
When Galeo raises his sword, I wait for the moment, spinning 'Stella (Star Sword)' to dismantle the black blade.
Without warning, I strike Galeo, who suddenly lost his grip, with a sideways slash of 'Cress (Moon Sword)'. The added explosion blasts him off the ground.
The impact was solid, but I knew he weren't going to go down that easily.
"Sorry, Galeo, I can't afford to linger. Instead, I'll crush you with all my might head-on."
Every second counts to defeat Julius and end this battle.
That's what I need to do now.
I flipped my crimson cape and raised my left hand to the sky, gathering the power from afar into my grasp.
"My True Name――Flame Linker (Infinity Light)."
With the flame of my soul, I forged a red sword in my left hand.
Now, shall we fight?
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