Heaven-Breaking Powerless Sword
The way to kill the Demon King: Extreme Art. A secret technique usable only by those who surpass human limits. But in game terms, it was just an "ultimate skill."
In other games, you could just tap R to unleash it, but Another World was full VR. To use an ultimate in Another World, you needed to manifest imagery. Beyond that, manifestation of the mind's eye. Sounds complicated, but it's actually pretty simple. What's the strongest phenomenon you can manifest with your imagination? When you have an answer to that, people usually say you've "attained enlightenment."
Those who get it easily grasp it quick, but for others, it demands bone-grinding effort. That's why in Another World, this phase was called the Wailing Wall. Beyond this point, the real separates from the fake. Newbie corpses pile into mountains for those who can't cross it. It's a shame—once you pass, it really gets fun.
"Sturdy enough?"
Sisilia asked Fern, who was doing the final checks.
"Yes! Just like you said, I've dungeonized the whole area around here. No one outside will know what happens in here! Hehe."
Fern beamed innocently. Sisilia had called her here just in case.
My Extreme Art uses so much mana, it might get detected.
A massive mana surge on the scale of the Demon King's death wouldn't be suspicious. But it couldn't be traced back to the Roki Mountains.
To sow confusion, Sisilia had asked Fern to dungeonize the area on purpose. No matter what happened inside a dungeon, it wouldn't be detectable outside.
"Prep's done. You can head down now."
"Is that really okay…?"
"Better make it quick?"
Sisilia smiled sweetly.
"Or you die."
Fern paled and bolted. Only after her presence fully vanished did Sisilia, perched on the precarious rock ledge, extend her hand into empty air.
Space warped, and a weathered sword slowly materialized.
"Gave it to me, so I guess I should use it."
It was the sword Cain had given her. Sisilia's Extreme Art shattered most famed blades with its shockwaves.
"Hm, nice grip."
Sisilia lightly gripped the blade and gazed toward the Demon King Castle.
—Can't kill it, but I can attack, right?
—That's right.
—Then, can you pin the Demon King in the sky?
It was pre-arranged with Cain. The castle was too far to see from this height, but a Demon King floating in the heavens would reveal the sniping spot. All Sisilia had to do was wait.
"Wanna wrap this up quick and head back to the capital."
Sisilia giggled, thinking of squishy desserts. Oh, and she'd lost a bet on Chiron's champagne collection this time, so a big party was in order. Truce or not, Chiron wouldn't rage too much.
As Sisilia indulged in happy fantasies, an anomaly hit her vision.
Kuuung—!
A massive boom echoed.
Chwarak!
A puddle-like rift opened in the sky, and golden chain-spears stabbed down.
"Oh… as expected of the next Demon King candidate."
The chain-spears, Cain's Authority, dragged a colossal balrog skyward.
"That's the Demon King, huh."
Too distant for details—just a silhouette—but unmistakably the Demon King. It thrashed wildly, but the chains held firm.
"My turn."
Sisilia smiled and released her mana restrictions. To meet the precondition: "exhaust full mana reserves."
Sword God Sisilia
The air grew heavy. Sisilia stood still, her quiet smile unchanged. As if the world had lost all sound, everything frozen in that instant—
Kwaaaaa—!
A colossal vortex of wind surged skyward, devouring everything nearby. Razor-sharp gales clawed the earth; even airborne particles whipped mercilessly.
The unleashed wind mana warped the atmosphere into massive anomalies. Air vibrated. The sizzling atmosphere wailed like something terrified.
This was why Sisilia couldn't use her Extreme Art freely. It consumed everything around her.
Of all the annoying Extreme Arts to end up with...
Sisilia sighed softly, recalling the day she first attained it.
Back in her Another World days. Surprisingly rank 1, but she'd unlocked her Extreme Art late.
Sisilia's enlightenment came long after she was "qualified." Maybe because it was so hard-won, it followed her even into this sequel world.
This brings back memories.
Back when she played Another World. Long before imagining this place.
Sisilia loved scenery. High freedom meant more than grinding levels. After hunts, she'd perch high, staring blankly at the sky.
Another World was a mess in many ways, but players raved about one thing: skies from "ancient times," free of fine dust or pollution. Constellations shone clear. In her 2090, only Starlink dotted the sky. Seeing stars was a fresh blessing.
Her favorite: the moon. Not a constellation, but the moon. Clear skies made its craters vivid. So, Sisilia always reached for it, thinking:
How cool would it be to shatter that moon?
Did they even model moon-shattering graphics? Such a free game, probably. Curious, she wanted to try.
From then, her training had one goal: "Break this game's graphics."
"All set."
Sensing her mana near limit, Sisilia raised her sword skyward. Recalled the image for breaking graphics: immense mass at limit, compressed to one point.
Kuwhaaak—!
The atmosphere-rending storm converged on her blade-tip. Like a black hole, it sucked in all wind. Wyverns plummeting en masse. No breathable air, no resistance.
———!
The ravaging storm cleared. Its mass now in her blade-tip.
No medium for sound now; silence absolute.
——!
This the limit, huh.
Sisilia's silver eyes flicked sideways. Space cracked under gravity.
True to "graphics-breaking sword," shattering this world's fabric.
—!
Space shattered like glass. Sisilia flinched.
...Goddess should patch this, right?
She recalled first using it.
Conclusion: Sisilia's "developer trolling" succeeded.
"Player...! Please, I beg you! Change it to something else!"
The GM really appeared crying.
...A bit much, but she'd chalked it up to the "Grateful GM's Hairpin." Reluctantly, she swapped "graphics-breaker" for an alternative, naming it thus.
Sisilia thrust her sword forward.
A silent sword-strike cleaved the heavens.
** The knights who fell into Nibelheim were carrying out their mission per Sisilia's earnest instructions.
"So that's why we were to gather intel from civilian demons."
"They're not suspicious at all."
"Surprisingly smooth."
To humans, a demon city was unknown terror—but surprisingly like human towns. Just more extreme in worshipping strength.
"Civilian demons" were ordinary folk. The smooth intel-gathering owed to Sisilia's storm scattering the Roki Mountains' beasts. Uncontrollable even by them, cleanup kept them busy.
"Unexpected intel."
"Must inform the capital ASAP."
The info contradicted what they knew.
Gathered Intelligence:
• Invasion prep is real, but Demon King lives.
• Not to quell internal chaos. A meticulously planned war.
• Unprecedented Demon King army incoming: 3 days min, week max.
"Damn, who spread that Demon King death bullshit?"
"Nearly disastrous. Not time for expeditions."
Liannen Kingdom wasn't primed for total war. Their plan: exploit demon chaos for minimal damage. Wrong move could mean annihilation by counterattack.
Time to pull lines back, fortify—not advance.
"Return. Signal Sisilia."
"Yes!"
But then—
"Wh-what's that…?"
Kwaaaaa—!!
The sky split in two.
Clouds parted; blue firmament gaped like a sword-slash. Vortex swirled through the rift. Darkness and light twisted in dimensional warp.
As if an absolute forbidden realm, untouchable even by gods, had birthed.
"…Something's happening."
Windsor Knights aborted withdrawal, probing more. Soon identified: two absolutes clashed. One absolute remained.
Demon King dead.
But a far stronger Demon King seized hegemony.
"Catastrophe for humanity. A demon capable of such a slash…?"
"…Damn it. Not now. Rush this to capital, every hour counts."
Windsor Knights withdrew hastily.
Meanwhile, a demon watched from no great distance.
"Your Majesty, command us."
Cain's elite guard—now the new Demon King's closest—Lucipedia, rank 2 in demon realm, spoke.
"Enough."
Cain shook his head, expressionless.
"Joyous day. No blood today."
His crimson eyes held the fleeing Windsor Knights.
But he saw beyond: the girl behind them.
"I sent them off nicely."
Cain slowly smiled.
"Hope you keep your promise."
—Someday, I'll send a hero to kill you.
Recalling her vow.
"Sisilia Windsor."