Chapter 323: Let There Be Holy Light (Part 1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 323: Let There Be Holy Light (Part 1)
"Come! Let me destroy you utterly!"
Barton’s laughter was ear-piercing. He extended his five fingers toward Liya and made a sudden, violent clutching motion.
Screee—
A harsh sound, like the tearing of heavy silk, ripped through the air.
Sensing something, Liya’s expression shifted instantly. The shimmering Holy Light around her solidified in a flash, erupting into a brilliant golden radiance that formed a sturdy barrier.
[Divine Protection]
This was her strongest defensive technique. During the previous spatial magic incident, she had used this very move to ensure that both she and Muen remained unscathed amidst the terrifying spatial turbulence.
Yet, following Barton’s casual grab, the spherical barrier began to distort at a visible rate. Several clean indentations appeared upon the golden glow, as if multiple top-tier alchemical blades were hacking down simultaneously.
But Liya saw nothing.
"A martial technique...?"
Liya murmured, her large eyes flickering.
There wasn't a trace of magical aura; it could only be a martial technique.
"But this is far too fast."
Martial techniques indeed required no magical incantations, but they usually involved specific physical movements. After all, they were a combination of Fighting Spirit and martial forms. To be called a "technique," there was usually a clear execution. But just now, Barton had merely moved his fingers.
Liya recalled the brief exchange between Muen and Barton earlier; his moves had seemed just as covert then.
Is this what it means to be a top-ranked outlaw on the Empire’s most-wanted list?
"Hey, little girl. You dare to space out while fighting me?"
A savage, beast-like sneer rang out. In an instant, Liya was struck by a jolt of horror. A chill saturated with the scent of death rushed toward her.
The space in front of her distorted slightly, as if something invisible was barred across it.
A pitch-black line appeared, stretching from one end of Liya’s vision to the other. It reminded her of the ink lines she had seen builders use to align materials when constructing houses.
But this was no harmless tool.
The moment that line appeared, a mark manifested upon the Holy Light barrier in front of her.
A slash.
A slash far more distinct than the ones before!
"Heh, it’s a bit rude to start things off this intensely, but then again, I am a villain who commits every evil imaginable," Barton said, his mouth curling into a wide grin. "So, forgive me, my cute little beauty! I’m not this 'gentle' with just anyone!"
Barton aimed his palm at Liya and swung it violently.
Zheng—!
The sound was like a razor-thin steel cable snapping, a sharp vibration that made the ears ache.
Liya’s pupils constricted. In that lightning-fast instant, there was no time to release any new spells—not that she had anything stronger than the defensive move she was already using.
She only had time to throw herself flat against the ground.
Consequently, an identical line appeared behind Liya, slicing through the massive trees that would take a dozen men to encircle, through the jagged rocks on the ground, and through... Liya’s Holy Light barrier.
And then.
Everything severed.
The giant trees, the rocks, the Holy Light barrier—everything was split completely in two in a heartbeat.
If one were to look down from high above, they would see a sudden, fan-shaped swath cleared through the dense, orderly forest, as if swept by the scythe of a Reaper.
"Cough, cough... what on earth is this..."
Amidst the thunderous crash of falling trees and the billowing dust, Liya struggled to her feet.
"Sss."
A sharp pain throbbed in her abdomen. She slowly lifted the small hand she had been using to clutch her stomach.
Her vision was stained red.
Blood.
Her eyes trembled.
She had reacted so quickly to dodge, yet she was still wounded.
"Ugh... it hurts... it’s so scary..."
"Am I really... still this useless?"
When she was by Muen’s side, she wouldn't suffer a single scratch even when facing far more terrifying enemies. But facing Barton alone, she had nearly been sliced in half in their very first encounter.
Was this... the gap between them?
"Hey, hey, is that all you’ve got?" Barton cracked his knuckles, looking disappointed. "I haven't even had my fill of fun yet."
"...It’s not over."
Liya suddenly clenched her blood-stained hand.
Sacred light bled from her palm, evaporating the blood. Under the treatment of the Holy Light, the wound on her abdomen healed at a visible rate.
"As you wish. This is only... the beginning."
She slowly raised her head, forcing the fear from her mind bit by bit, and met Barton’s gaze with unwavering resolve.
Think, Liya. You must think.
The enemy was strong, and his realm far exceeded her own. But that didn't mean there was no chance of victory. After ten years of diligent study, she had to be able to find a way to win.
Before, he was the one who always believed in her. Now, it was time for her to believe in herself.
Liya’s eyes shimmered.
Barton’s techniques were bizarre. They possessed the terrifying power and supernatural traits of magic, yet were executed with a speed that surpassed even martial techniques. Against that nearly indestructible, invisible sharpness, simply defending and dodging would never lead to victory. In fact, just falling into his rhythm would put her in extreme danger.
Therefore, in a situation like this, she could only...
In an instant, unlike the warm Holy Light used to heal her wound, the light Liya had been clutching in her right hand grew increasingly brilliant... and sharp!
It was like a blade of divine punishment descended from the Goddess!
[Holy Blessing]
A sacred aura permeated the air. She gripped the Holy Light Blade and, under the protection of the Holy Light, she actually... charged toward Barton!
Strength Enhancement.
Speed Enhancement.
Reaction Enhancement.
And... countless threads of Holy Light spread out—Sensory Enhancement!
At this moment, bathed in the radiance of the Holy Light, Liya’s aura shifted abruptly. Her hair fluttered, and her skin glowed like white jade. She looked like a Valkyrie stepping toward victory, ready to slay all evil!
Liya swung the Holy Light Blade, lashing out at the weakness she sensed in Barton—a sudden, violent strike!
Clang!
Blade met blade.
It felt as though she had struck a sharp object that had been waiting for her. Liya’s hands shook from the impact; fortunately, the Holy Light Blade was not a physical object, or it might have been knocked from her grasp.
Yet, there was still nothing visible in front of her.
"Oh? Interesting."
With a mere flick of his finger, Barton halted the sharp Holy Light that stung his skin just inches away. He studied the girl before him and sneered. "I admire your courage, but you aren't a martial artist, are you? You don't even have Fighting Spirit in your body."
"...So what?"
"Since you aren't a martial artist, yet you dare to engage in close-quarters combat with a genuine expert who possesses powerful martial techniques... don't you think you're being... a bit too stupid?"
Barton’s raised finger dropped slightly.
Instantly, an invisible blade, wrapped in a piercing cold wind, slashed toward the girl at point-blank range.
Barton’s smile grew more delighted. He could already see the beautiful scene of the girl’s blood spraying everywhere.
Hah, so what if you enhanced your body? Without the experience and reflexes of a martial artist, a surprise attack at this distance...
"Hmm?"
Barton’s mocking expression suddenly froze.
In front of him, the girl moved with fluid grace, as if she could predict the future. She evaded the sudden strike, twisted her slender waist, and thrust the Holy Light Blade forward from a cunning angle.
That specific angle happened to be a defensive blind spot amidst his layers of invisible blades—one he hadn't even noticed.
Damn it, how did she react to that?!
Barton’s heart nearly skipped a beat. His Fighting Spirit surged instinctively, forming a defensive layer over his skin.
Having crossed the chasm of the Third-Tier to reach the Fourth-Tier, his solidified Fighting Spirit was a barrier that even the Duke’s son with his powerful weapons couldn't easily breach.
But... in the next heartbeat, what happened before his eyes made Barton’s soul nearly leave his body.
The Holy Light Blade pierced through as if it didn't even feel the Fighting Spirit around him. It met no resistance at all.
It lunged straight for... his vitals!
...
A brief silence followed.
Perhaps because they were near the edge of the forest, a few cold gusts of wind occasionally blew through the trees.
The wind hit the cold sweat covering Barton’s body, making him shudder. Snapping back to his senses, he looked to the side with lingering fear.
Right next to his neck.
An inch. Just an inch.
That terrifyingly sharp Holy Light Blade had almost plunged directly into his carotid artery.
If Holy Light that could ignore Fighting Spirit actually entered his body... Barton didn't even want to think about the consequences.
Damn it! Is Holy Light always this terrifying? If I’d known, I should have become a believer of the Goddess too! Barton cursed inwardly.
Fortunately, the reflexes of a Fourth-Tier martial artist had saved him, allowing him to dodge the attack at the critical moment.
But why...?
Could a little girl without a shred of Fighting Spirit really pull off a move like that? Even with an enhanced physique, the close-combat skills and experience required were things only a seasoned martial artist should possess...
"I... like reading."
Suddenly, the girl in front of him spoke in a low voice, as if she had seen through his confusion. "So, while reading, I studied the techniques of martial artists... just a little bit."
"..."
Barton’s eyes bulged.
Reading?
Studied a little bit?
Martial arts techniques?
Are you kidding me?!
The martial skills he had spent a lifetime of hardship to master—she could surpass them just by reading a few books?
Barton let out a low roar. He didn't even use his usual special skill; instead, he threw a violent punch, aiming to smash the girl standing right in front of him.
But as if the world were playing a joke on him, the girl’s movements were as agile as a fish in water. She successfully evaded his attacks every single time, while simultaneously sending her Holy Light Blade toward his defensive blind spots, forcing him to dodge clumsily.
Though he hadn't been hit yet, Barton was consumed by an uncontrollable rage. He felt like he was being toyed with by his own prey!
"As I thought."
Amidst her elegant, dance-like offensive, the girl’s voice drifted out again. "Mr. Barton, the only thing powerful about you is that one strange technique. In every other aspect—be it strength, speed, or form—you are quite... mediocre for a Fourth-Tier expert. At the very least... you are far inferior to Muen."
"What did you say...?"
Barton’s breath hitched.
Mediocre?
Him?
Barton?
How is that possible!
It was as if Liya’s words had struck a raw nerve. Barton’s eyes turned bloodshot instantly, his expression twisting into that of a feral beast.
"Lies! I am Barton! I am Butcher Barton, the man whose name strikes terror into hearts! Mediocre? No! No one has ever dared to call me that! Never!"
...
"Barton! You are too stupid!"
"Barton! You are too lazy! Phil, who is in the same grade as you, has already learned a new technique!"
"Barton! Is this useless trash all you can do? If you keep this up, you’ll become a total failure!"
Unpleasant memories flickered through his mind.
"Anyone who dared to say that... is dead!"
Barton’s fingers curved like claws, as if plucking at invisible strings, and aimed them at Liya.
Sensing something, Liya’s face turned pale. No matter how she tried to dodge, a thin, faint, seemingly harmless "ink line" remained fixed upon her delicate body.
"Oh no," she whispered, her dress fluttering like a falling flower.
But her fragile appearance only drew a more twisted, triumphant laugh from Barton.
"Go to hell!"
Barton threw his arms open and swung them violently!
In an instant, just as it had happened to the giant trees, the rocks, and the Holy Light barrier, the ink line attached to Liya’s body transformed into a smooth slash.
A slash... that divided life from death!
Pfft.
The sound of flesh being severed rang out. Before Barton’s ecstatic eyes, the frail girl was—without exception—sliced into two pieces by the invisible blade.
Like the final petals of a withered flower, the two halves of her body slumped to the ground. She didn't even have time to struggle or scream.