Chapter 443: A Twist (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 443: A Twist (1)
Pitter-patter…
Dust drifted down from the ceiling. I stared at the Demonic Sword, utterly stunned.
Zaaaap!
Bolts of lightning crackled around her as she glared at the wall, her expression ferocious. Her Lightning Qi felt threatening. Even from this distance, I could clearly sense the vast gulf between our power levels.
Wooong!
The pillars supporting the room began to tremble, shaken by the sheer pressure of her presence.
“Ugh…”
“Cough…”
“Aaargh…”
One by one, the people in the room collapsed to their knees. Even the members of the Black Flame Army, who had held out longer than most, couldn’t withstand her aura. I was barely managing to stay on my feet as I watched her.
What’s gotten into her?
I couldn’t make sense of it. Not only had she suddenly attacked the Sword Demon, but she seemed absolutely livid. Why?
As I stood there, bewildered by her actions—
Slam!
An explosive sound erupted from the direction the Sword Demon had been sent flying, followed by an unbelievable wave of killing intent.
You damned bitch!!
A ferocious roar echoed through the dust cloud as something shot toward us. It was a blade of pure Demonic Qi.
Swish!
Claaang!
In the next instant, the Demonic Sword swung her own blade, deflecting the incoming attack. The clash sent a shockwave of Demonic Qi rippling through the room, powerful enough to push me back a step. The sheer force behind their blows was staggering.
I steadied myself, my heart pounding. Through the settling dust, I saw a figure emerge, his face contorted with rage. It was the Sword Demon.
Crack!
He ground his teeth audibly, his anger palpable. His Demonic Qi and Combat Qi surged, rising like a pillar to strike the ceiling.
“You damned bitch,” he spat. “So you really have a death wish.”
“…”
The Demonic Sword remained silent, offering no retort. It seemed she had no intention of exchanging words with him.
“Think you’re so high and mighty just because you have the Captain’s favor?”
Hmm.
His mocking tone sparked a question in my mind. It was a fair one, really. Why was this bastard deliberately trying to provoke her?
Objectively speaking, the Sword Demon was no weakling. As one of the Captains of the Heavenly Demon’s armies, he was a formidable martial artist. But he was still outmatched by the Demonic Sword. And he had always despised her.
Though the feeling is mutual.
I doubted anyone outside the Ghostly Sword Army actually liked him, but it was true that these two had an especially toxic relationship.
“You’ve forgotten your place, haven’t you? Getting that position must have gone to your head.”
“…”
Wooong.
This time, the Demonic Sword reacted. Her sword began to hum with energy.
A grin spread across the Sword Demon’s face. “Good. I’ll defeat you here and claim your position for myself.”
Position?
Was he talking about the Vice Captain position in the Black Flame Army?
He wants it that badly?
Now that I thought about it, it made sense. I recalled him complaining to me a few times—why was a woman the Vice Captain of my army, while he was stuck leading the Ghostly Sword Army? I’d beaten him up each time for his insolence…
Is that the root of his hatred?
I’d never paid him much mind, but it was certainly possible. So that was the reason I hadn’t chosen him as Vice Captain.
There would have been no issue with the Demonic Sword leading the Ghostly Sword Army, and no issue with the Sword Demon serving as my Vice Captain. Both were strong enough for either role. But my reason for choosing the Demonic Sword was simple.
She’s stronger.
That was it. It would have been easier to control the Sword Demon, but I prioritized pure strength. Apparently, he had never gotten over it.
Clack.
The Sword Demon tightened his grip on his sword.
Then—
Swish!
“Ugh!?”
Suddenly, the Demonic Sword grabbed the back of my collar and hurled me aside. Why would she—?
Swoosh!
A blade swept through the space I’d just occupied. My eyes widened in shock. The Sword Demon’s attack had been aimed at me!
That son of a bitch!
He had made it look like he was targeting the Demonic Sword, but his real goal was to take me out first. I’d failed to see it coming because of their blinding speed.
The Sword Demon clicked his tongue in disappointment when the Demonic Sword thwarted his plan.
In response, lightning erupted from her blade.
Zaaaap!
This room wasn’t small, but it was far too cramped for a battle between two martial artists of their caliber. Her Lightning Qi flooded the area at an insane rate, and I inwardly gasped.
Thousands of individual bolts split apart, weaving a net of electricity that enveloped the entire surroundings. Yet, astonishingly, they caused no damage to the walls or the members of the Black Flame Army. Even in the heat of battle, she was exerting perfect control over her power.
“Ugh… Aghhh!”
“C-Captain… save us…! Arghhh!”
While the Black Flame Army was safe, the Ghostly Sword Army was not so lucky. The Demonic Sword showed them no mercy, letting her lightning run wild among them. The Sword Demon ignored their screams, his face a mask of displeasure as he focused solely on her.
Rumble!
A dense, dark Demonic Qi burst from his blade, swiftly wrapping around his body like a protective shell. The fierce Lightning Qi crackled against it but couldn’t break through—proof that he was far from weak.
The Sword Demon moved.
Kwak!
His leap seemed effortless, yet his foot dug into the ground and made it shudder. He was fast.
I can’t keep up.
Clang!
He closed the distance in an instant, and the Demonic Sword met his blade with her own. As I watched them fight, one thing became certain.
I wouldn’t last.
If I faced either of them in my current state, I wouldn’t survive a single second.
Slam! Slam! Slam!
Their swords clashed again and again, lightning meeting a violent, demonic edge. The impacts were so powerful it sounded like the blades themselves were roaring. It was hard to believe such force came from those slender weapons.
Creeak.
“…!”
Another shockwave hit me, forcing me back. Not only could I barely track their movements, but the residual energy from their clash was enough to push me around even from a distance. I could only catch glimpses—the sparks flying where their swords met, the faint afterimages left in the air. It was a strangely beautiful, flashy display that revealed just how many times they had exchanged blows in that brief moment.
Zaaaap!
Thunderbolts rained down from above.
Swish! Slam!
A pillar was cleanly severed by a stray sword wave.
This is dangerous!
I frantically looked around. There was no doubt about it—I was in a lethal situation. At this rate, the entire building could collapse, burying everyone inside alive.
What do I do?
I didn’t care if these bastards died, but I didn’t want to join them. As I scrambled for a way to stop these two maniacs—
Clang!
Sparks flared once more, and the two figures separated, coming to a momentary standstill.
I stared, wondering if their fight was already over, but what I saw made me gasp.
Contrary to my expectations, the Sword Demon was perfectly fine. Instead, it was the Demonic Sword who was injured.
Her arm…?
Blood was trickling from the hand gripping her sword. What happened?
She frowned slightly, noticing the wound. The cut seemed deep, judging by the amount of blood.
Chuckle.
The Sword Demon let out a low chuckle. “Just as I expected,” he said, grinning with certainty. Then…
Swish.
Hmm?
The bastard pointed his sword directly at me and spoke to the Demonic Sword.
You bitch. You must care about that bastard a lot.
What?
What was he talking about…?
“…”
But the Demonic Sword didn’t deny it.
“He must be rather important, for you to sacrifice an arm for him.”
“…!”
Suddenly, the situation made sense. That bastard! He must have been targeting me throughout their fight, and the Demonic Sword had been injured while blocking his attacks aimed at me. Otherwise, she never would have let him land a blow.
“I should have guessed, seeing how you two are always attached at the hip… What is this, you bitch?”
“…”
“Is he your secret son? No, the ages don’t match.”
Swish, swish!
He swung his sword casually, but the killing intent radiating from him grew denser, saturating the entire headquarters with his Demonic Qi and malice.
“I suppose the reason doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I’ve found your weakness.”
Rumble!
The Sword Demon’s purple eyes suddenly blazed with intensity, and black smoke began to seep from his mouth. A cold sweat broke out on my skin as I saw it. This was a power only a few elite Demonic Humans could wield upon reaching a certain level. He was serious about killing her.
The Demonic Sword’s frown deepened, aware of the danger. But as I watched, a question nagged at me.
Why?
Why wasn’t she using her Thunder Fang?
The Thunder Fang was one of the five great treasure swords of the Central Plains, her trusted companion. With it, she was in a completely different league. She could have easily defeated the Sword Demon from the start if she had drawn it. She knew that better than anyone, so why was she still holding back? Even now, she merely channeled more Lightning Qi instead of switching weapons.
Should I intervene?
I clenched my fist, my mind racing. The situation was spiraling out of control.
I glanced at the Demonic Sword. Her refusal to use the Thunder Fang wasn’t the only confusing thing.
Why me?
The more I thought about it, the weirder it got. From the Sword Demon’s surprise attack on me to the Demonic Sword’s furious reaction when he laid a hand on me… it was as if she was protecting me this whole time.
…Could it be?
Had she figured out my true identity?
No, that’s impossible.
I dismissed the thought immediately. It was too far-fetched. My face was completely different, and I had been careful not to use the Gu Flame Wheel Art. There was no way she could recognize me. It was unlikely she even suspected.
Then why?
I had no answer. That was why I was so lost.
Why was she going to such lengths for me?
As I wrestled with these thoughts, the Sword Demon spoke again.
“Well then,” he said, nodding as he prepared to move. “Let’s end this.”
Hearing the killing intent in his voice, I began to gather my Qi. This was no time to hold back. Even if my chances of hitting him were slim, I couldn’t let the Demonic Sword die like this.
Damn it.
The Sword Demon charged at her once more. Just as I was about to unleash my flames at the perfect moment—
“I’ll cut you in half!”
Slaaam!
A monstrous sound exploded through the room, and the Sword Demon’s head was slammed into the wall.
“What…?”
This was different from when the Demonic Sword had thrown him earlier. The impact was on another level.
Craaack!!!
A huge fissure spiderwebbed across the wall. But that wasn’t all. The Sword Demon’s killing intent, which had dominated the room, began to disintegrate—not just fade, but burn away, as if consumed by black flames.
Crack… patter.
I swallowed my shock, but I was sure of what I was seeing. His domain wasn’t being torn apart; it was being incinerated.
Ring—
“…!”
A ringing filled my ears. I turned and saw the Demonic Sword’s shattered blade falling to the floor. Someone had broken her sword.
As I stared at the fragments, a heavy, deep voice echoed through the silence.
“I’ll ask you a question.”
I turned toward the sound and felt an ominous aura so vile it made the Sword Demon’s killing intent feel trivial. I hadn’t even seen him arrive, but the owner of the voice already had the Sword Demon by the face, pinning him against the wall. Black flames licked at the man’s feet, swirling around him as if ready to devour the entire area.
The air grew still. An intense heat filled the room.
Ignoring the barely conscious Sword Demon in his grip, the man fixed his purple pupils on me. I flinched under his gaze.
“What do you think you are doing?”
As he spoke,
Blaaaze!
Black flames erupted from his body, flooding the room.