All Fuuka could do was watch Liam fight.

Phalaval could be called an incarnation of violence, and each of his blows possessed inhuman power and speed.

Even Fuuka, whose body was enhanced to the level of a knight, was astonished by Phalaval's extraordinary strength.

However, Liam was not losing to Phalaval either.

To Fuuka's eyes, it looked as if multiple afterimages of Liam and Phalaval were appearing.

Occasionally, the slashes unleashed by the two would damage their surroundings.

Pillars were cut down, and the floor was dented.

Would Garun sink from their battle alone? The thought crossed his mind, but it was a needless worry for Garun, which possessed regenerative abilities.

It repaired itself as soon as it was destroyed.

(My senior brother is so amazing, so why am I... even though I'm a swordsman of the One-Flash School just like him?)

Paralyzed and unable to move, Fuuka felt as if Liam, who was able to fight Phalaval, was in a distant place.

He understood that Liam was far ahead of them.

At the same time, he realized that their master, Yasushi, was a swordsman who had reached even further.

(Am I a failure? I can't even compare to my senior brother, let alone our master. If this goes on, I'll...)

As his own pathetic heart was about to break, Rinho, who was watching the fight beside him, laughed.

"Hahah! Seriously, senior brother, how far ahead do you plan on going?"

Seeing Rinho, who was like a sister to him, still intending to catch up to Liam, Fuuka realized he was an imitation.

"How can you be laughing? Rinho, why are you—"

"Huh? Isn't it simple? We just have to get there someday, right?"

Rinho answered Fuuka's question curtly and sighed in exasperation.

"What? Are you planning to give up? If you were talking about inheriting the One-Flash School with that little resolve, it's utterly disgusting. When this is over, I'll kill you."

He was faced with Rinho's clear killing intent.

Fuuka wasn't surprised by the words of Rinho, who had grown up with him like a sister.

Rather, if he were in her position, he would do the same.

—Because the One-Flash School, inherited from Yasushi, was the only thing that strongly bound them together, who were not related by blood.

To tarnish the One-Flash School was an act equivalent to defiling the fond memories they had since being taken in and raised by Yasushi.

That was why he was convinced Rinho's words were true.

Rinho would probably kill him when this battle was over.

"I-I'm—"

As he tried to squeeze out the words, Phalaval shot past him.

Hearing a violent sound from behind and to the side, he turned to see that his paralysis was gone.

Phalaval had crashed into a wall and was sitting on the floor.

Using his greatsword as a cane, Phalaval stood up, a crack visible in his skull.

However, he looked incredibly happy.

"This is it. This is it, Lord Liam! My parched heart is trembling! You have reawakened the fear I had all but forgotten!"

The inhuman monster was trembling with joy at feeling fear.

To Fuuka, the sight was eerie.

Before he knew it, Liam was standing next to him.

"If you're going to die, die after you answer my question."

Liam had been fighting advantageously against Phalaval, but he too looked battered.

His pilot suit was tattered, and his breathing was slightly ragged.

Liam ignored Fuuka and approached Phalaval, which made Fuuka feel strangely lonely.

(I've been... abandoned by my senior brother, too.)

As he was feeling dejected, Rinho, now free from her paralysis, made a move.

"One-Flash!"

Before Liam could, Rinho struck Phalaval with a One-Flash.

It was the full-power One-Flash that Rinho specialized in, but Phalaval, who received it, became enraged.

Even though the One-Flash hadn't left a single scratch on Phalaval.

"Don't you dare interfere with our duel!"

When Phalaval swung his greatsword, Rinho and Fuuka were sent flying.

"I won't forgive you! I will never forgive you!!"

Unlike before, Phalaval seemed to be rampaging, driven by rage.

Blown hundreds of meters to the opposite wall, Fuuka and Rinho crashed into it, becoming embedded and unable to move due to Phalaval's pressure.

"Kah!"

Pinned down, Fuuka coughed up blood and saw Phalaval before him.

He had raised his greatsword and was at the very moment of bringing it down.

He realized he was watching the scene with a strange sense of calm.

(What a pathetic end. Master... I'm sorry. I've sullied the name of the One-Flash School.)

He had been defeated and stained the name of the One-Flash School.

Just as he thought that, Liam jumped between them and blocked Phalaval's blow.

Having blocked the strike from the rampaging Phalaval, Liam lacked his usual composure.

"I thought I told you not to interfere."

Without even looking at them, Liam continued to parry the attacks of the berserk Phalaval.

Seeing this, Fuuka couldn't believe it.

"Why are you protecting us? You could have won if you'd abandoned us!"

"—Hah."

Liam sighed, then answered, sounding slightly pleased.

"Because I was told to look after my foolish junior disciples. I'll give you two a lecture when we get back."

"Ah, senior brother? You mean you didn't abandon me!?"

To Fuuka, who had been convinced he was abandoned, Liam said.

"When did I ever abandon you? I'll train you until you're both proper swordsmen, whether you like it or not, so be prepared."

Liam kicked the rampaging Phalaval, sending him flying.

The rampaging Phalaval was acting strangely and could no longer speak.

However, the force pinning Fuuka and Rinho to the wall was gone.

Rinho staggered and apologized to Liam.

"I'm sorry, senior brother."

"Don't worry about it. But I had something I wanted to ask him. I guess now—"

As Liam was about to make a decision, Fuuka gripped the hilt of his sword.

"I am—"

Phalaval, moving on instinct, turned his face toward Fuuka, who had shown his will to fight.

Liam tried to act immediately, but before he could, Fuuka unleashed a One-Flash.

"I am a swordsman of the One-Flash School! How could the demon-slaying sword I inherited from my master lose to someone like this!"

The One-Flash unleashed from his two swords struck Phalaval, but—it only managed to inflict a scratch.

Yes, it inflicted a scratch.

Fuuka's sword had reached Phalaval.

Rinho was also staring in astonishment.

"Even my One-Flash couldn't scratch him, so why!?"

Fuuka's eyes emitted a faint light, and his swords were faintly imbued with a golden glow.

◇

Fuuka had landed a blow on Phalaval.

Although it was only a scratch, it was undeniable proof that Fuuka's sword had reached Phalaval.

"—I thought it would take you at least a hundred years to reach this realm."

Having unleashed a One-Flash that could reach monsters, Fuuka was drenched in sweat and staggering.

I placed a hand on Fuuka's shoulder.

"I'll take it from here."

"Senior brother, I—I—!"

"That's enough. Rest for now."

"—Yeah."

Watching Fuuka collapse to his knees, I let out a small sigh of relief and turned my gaze to Phalaval.

Seeing the wound Fuuka had given him, Phalaval seemed to have regained his sanity?

"To think that one would unleash a blow that could reach me. What a fine day! To have two heroes with the potential to defeat me in this very place—this must be fate! I shall welcome you into my army and prepare seats for you among my Four Heavenly Kings!"

"I don't care. Just answer my question."

Now in a good mood, Phalaval seemed willing to answer my question.

"I am magnanimous right now. I shall answer one of your questions."

"—Do you know the name Yasushi?"

When I mentioned my master's name, Phalaval fell into thought.

"Yasushi? I've heard the name a few times, but are you curious about him?"

"He's my master. The strongest man in this world—the man called the Sword God."

When I told him he was the strongest swordsman, the one who taught us the One-Flash School, Phalaval showed great interest.

"What! I must meet him and welcome him into my army! If he is the one who raised you, he must surely be strong. I look forward to meeting him now!"

Seeing Phalaval's reaction, I was convinced he wasn't the monster who had wounded my master.

In the first place, there's no way my master would be wounded by someone of Phalaval's level.

"That answer is enough. My master is stronger than me. There's no way a master like that would lose to you."

Phalaval readied his greatsword.

"The Sword God, Lord Yasushi, who makes you speak so highly of him, eh? I can hardly wait to go meet him, but I also want to enjoy my battle with you, Lord Liam. —Please forgive my fickle nature. My desire to enjoy this fight with you right now is also genuine."

You want to meet my master? That's not happening.

In the first place, Phalaval's wish will not be granted.

"You won't meet my master. —Because I'm going to defeat you right here."

Phalaval trembled at my words.

"Yes. That's right. Lord Liam is the true hero!"

—Is this guy just happy no matter what I say?

◇

Meanwhile, outside Garun, the fleet battle continued.

On the bridge, Tia stood with her arms crossed, deep in serious thought.

"They resurrect no matter how many times we defeat them—holy attribute magic and anti-undead equipment have no effect... Now, how should we defeat them?"

Phalaval's immortal fleet, which resurrected no matter how many times it was defeated.

Approaching Tia's fleet was Hampson, who led the subjugation army.

Hampson's face was displayed on the bridge monitor.

Was he hacking in, or was it some magical effect? No matter how many times they tried to get rid of it, his face would pop back up.

"It's useless. It's impossible to break Lord Phalaval's immortal fleet. Surrender quietly to Lord Phalaval's army."

Nothing they did had any effect.

Hampson also said it was useless—but Tia wasn't listening in the first place.

"Let's assume they're something other than undead and try a different method. Is the next countermeasure ready?"

When Tia asked her adjutant, he gave a small nod.

"Ready to fire at any time."

"Test it immediately."

Hampson furrowed his brow at Tia, who was calmly conducting experiments on the battlefield.

"What a waste of effort."

However.

When the missiles launched from the Banfield family's fleet exploded, the repairs of the destroyed enemy ships were visibly slower.

Seeing this, the corners of Tia's mouth lifted.

"—Found it."

Hampson took a bullish attitude toward Tia, who had found a clue for a countermeasure.

"I don't know what you're expecting, but in the first place, our numbers are different from yours! The outcome of being crushed by sheer volume won't change!"

To Hampson, who did not doubt his own victory, Tia spoke for the first time.

While brushing her hair back.

"Shall we prove that from now on? You said they won't die no matter what, right? —I'm looking forward to it."

Faced with the immortal fleet, Tia showed a dark smile, causing Hampson's cheek to twitch.