Chapter 99

Allen Roadel vs. Fu, Dodriel.

This battle, comparable to a clash between nations, began with Fu taking the initiative.

"---Wind Sealing Formation!"

The moment he swung his rapier, compressed gusts of wind were unleashed from all sides of Allen.

Four terrifyingly swift wind slashes.

For any ordinary swordsman, they would have been fatal blows.

(The ultimate and fastest Wind Sealing Formation...! Now, how will he react...!?)

Fu maintained his guard, ready for a follow-up attack, and waited for Allen's next move.

However,

"Huh...?"

While he could see the approaching wind slashes, for some reason, he didn't move from his spot.

A few seconds later, the four devastating slashes struck him directly.

With a deafening sound of shattering, sand and dust swirled up.

"...Did, did it hit...?"

Fu, surprised by the unexpected outcome, widened his eyes and took a step back in shock.

"Wh-What the hell...!?"

When the dust cleared, there stood Allen, unscathed, with a sinister smile on his face.

"---Haha, what's this, this slimy wind? Is this after 'Ice Play,' 'Wind Play'?"

Recalling his battle with Shido, he shook with amusement.

"Hehe, all of you...! ---Are you underestimating me, huh!?"

Allen, who had been laughing heartily a moment ago, now radiated a chilling anger.

(Come on...!)

Fu focused all his senses, watching Allen's every move.

"---Huh?"

Right in front of him, Allen was seen raising his left fist high.

"Oooh...!"

A left straight that made him want to cover his eyes.

"Wind Shield!"

Fu hastily deployed an invisible shield of compressed wind.

This powerful outward wind barrier was absolutely effective against physical attacks.

However,

"Such a thin shield...! Do you even have the will to fight!?"

Allen's fist easily shattered the wind shield and plunged deep into Fu's abdomen.

"Guh...!?"

The dull sound of breaking bones echoed, and he was sent flying like a ball.

"Haha! You sure fly far, don't you!"

Despite the ongoing battle, Allen watched with a cheerful laugh.

Then,

"---Die, dark shadow!"

Twenty tentacles launched by Dodriel surged forward.

The shadow strikes that could tear skin with a single touch---all hit Allen.

"...Did it work?"

As Dodriel twisted his lips, a laugh came from behind him.

"---Hehe. Who did what to whom?"

"Wh-What!?"

Hastily turning around, a powerful midsection kick struck his side.

"---!?"

An unprecedented shock.

Dodriel, unable to brace himself, bounced off the ground multiple times.

"Haha...? Are you already done...?"

Allen, one of the Oracle's Thirteen Knights, known to be on par with national-level forces, and Dodriel, a swordsman praised as the next head of the Thirteen Knights, were both taken down with a single blow.

Allen let out a deep sigh.

And then---

"Well then... next is you guys, right?"

The remnants of the Black Organization, who had just witnessed the 'carnage,' were now his next playthings.

"..."

Overwhelmed by fear, they either collapsed, silently wept, or lost consciousness, showing various reactions.

"Haha! Don't be so scared, okay? I'm just getting used to the 'outside world' after a long time. It won't hurt to help me with a little warm-up, right?"

In response to Allen, who called the intense battle a mere warm-up, a killing intent-laden gust of wind was unleashed.

"---Huh?"

Easily deflecting the clearly artificial wind, he turned his gaze to its source.

There stood---

"---Monster. This isn't over yet...!"

"---Allen... I absolutely won't lose to you...!"

Fu and Dodriel, who had fully recovered from the damage they had just taken, were holding unstable soul armors.

"---You can still stand? Not bad, not bad!"

Allen slightly reassessed the broken toys before him.

Meanwhile, Fu and Dodriel exchanged whispers.

"---You have the second one, right...? Can you do it, Dodriel?"

"---Y-Yeah... Honestly, I don't want to... But..."

Both, who had just suffered near-fatal injuries, took a special spirit crystal pill.

A top-quality item distributed only to the executives and a select few, it had been refined through numerous experiments to suppress side effects and enhance self-healing abilities.

However, the limit was one per day.

Exceeding this would cause excruciating pain throughout the body, making it impossible to stand.

"---I agree. I want to run away right now, but... that monster won't let us."

With that, Fu decided to fight and gave instructions to Dodriel.

"---His ridiculous physical abilities make close combat impossible. We'll use our strongest long-range attacks, infused with all our spirit energy...!"

"---Understood!"

Immediately, both unleashed their ultimate attacks simultaneously.

"---Wind Overlord Blade!"

"---Shadow Void Strike!"

A torrent of shadows that could swallow everything.

A blade of wind that could cut through anything.

Allen, exposed to an attack powerful enough to level the Thousand Blade Academy, tilted his head.

"---Haha, what was that kid's move called...?"

Then,

"---Oh, right. I think it was... First Blade---Flying Shadow."

Saying this, he swung his black sword.

The pitch-black 'darkness' that consumed everything swallowed Fu and Dodriel's all-out attack.

"---This far...?"

"---Haha, it's over."

The darkness instantly engulfed them, and silence fell over the Thousand Blade Academy.

"---Hahaha! Oh, oh, I just swung it lightly! Are they already dead, huh!?"

Behind the laughing Allen, a bloodied Fu landed.

He had flown high into the sky, enveloped in wind, and narrowly avoided the approaching darkness.

"---Killing Wind Overlord Blade!"

The ultimate strike, infused with all his spirit energy---Wind Overlord Blade.

Perfect distance.

Perfect timing.

Perfect aim.

To kill Allen.

Just for that, he had honed this supreme strike---but it failed to pierce the 'dark cloak' Allen casually let flow.

"---Haha, tough, isn't it?"

With his fighting spirit shattered, Fu could only laugh.

"---Damn... This isn't a sword fight. Do it properly, okay?"

A casual front kick shattered Fu's chest.

Blown back violently, he realized the gap in power.

(Haha, what is this monster...? Where did he come from...?)

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't win.

Confronted with an overwhelming 'difference,' he took the second spirit crystal pill.

(---!)

An excruciating pain, as if his veins were being torn, coursed through his body.

(---The second one is tough...!)

Enduring the pain that made him feel faint, Fu gave orders to his subordinates.

"---Retreat! Recognize the target 'Allen Roadel' as a 'Special Class Combatant'! Consider him a threat greater than a Phantom Spirit! Everyone, survive and bring this information back to headquarters!"

"---Yes!"

As they responded, a black sword flew.

"---What!?"

A thunderous boom, audible throughout the city of Aurest, echoed---and over a hundred remnants of the Black Organization were annihilated in a single strike.

Staring blankly at the bottomless hole in the schoolyard, Fu was met with---

"---Oh, oh, who are you talking to? That's quite a loud voice for a monologue, isn't it?"

Allen, holding a second black sword, smiled maliciously.

"---Allen Roadel, huh. If I had known such a monster existed... I would never have taken this job... Gah!?"

A right straight struck Fu's face as he dropped his sword in defeat.

A gruesome sound echoed, and his consciousness sank into the dark abyss.

Thus, Allen, without any difficulty, simultaneously dispatched two national-level swordsmen---and felt a strong sense of dissatisfaction.

"---Haha, not even a proper warm-up...!"

Sighing and stretching, he suddenly found the Thousand Blade Academy's principal, Reia Rasnote, in front of him.

She had arrived just a minute ago and had been waiting for the right moment.

The 'big opening' that the arrogant and confident 'Allen Roadel' would show.

"---No-sword style---Absolute Strike!"

Her aimed punch, however, missed its mark.

(My punch... At this distance, at this timing, he avoided it...!)

As she paled, missing the perfect opportunity,

"---Hey, Black Fist. How are you feeling? ---Huh?"

A hopeless voice came from behind Reia.

She had no chance against him, having missed the only weakness of a spirit core, the 'initial rigidity.'

"---Thanks to you, it's the worst. ...How did you get out of 'there'?"

"---Haha, just luck. Let's go with the flow...!"

Allen perfectly copied Reia's punch, the No-sword style---Absolute Strike, which he had just seen.

"---Kah...!?"

The strike, faster than sound, shattered her ribs.

With a light kick, Allen sent Reia flying and turned around.

"---Wait...!"

She struggled to stand, spitting blood.

"---I don't have time to talk nonsense with you. He'll wake up soon... Don't worry about the kid. I'll return him eventually."

With that, Allen disappeared from the Thousand Blade Academy.

■

In a remote mountain.

An old man was enjoying fishing, humming a tune.

"---Hoho, a big catch! We'll have a feast tonight...!"

Suddenly, Allen, who had just caused a ruckus, appeared.

"---Hey, old man. You did a half-assed job...!"

"---Hoho, now, now, don't be so angry... I didn't expect 'Allen Roadel' to be such a swordsman...!"

"---Tch, whatever. We don't have time---let's get started."

"---Hoho! Understood!"

The 'time-transcending strategy meeting' between Allen Roadel and the Sage of Time began.