Spiral of Madness: Ascension of the Villainous Dragon Prince-Chapter 75: Assassination Attempt [3]

Louis vomited blood and dropped to his knees. He barely remained upright thanks to Belladine and Handy pouring their own energy into healing him, draining themselves to the brink of collapse.

"T-The Commander is gone!"

"Damn it, but the mission...! We cannot abandon it! For our country...!"

The twin swordsmen charged toward Louis. Juliette intercepted them swiftly, swinging her claws and releasing countless cursed specters. The swordsmen infused holy element into their Spirid Swords, modified Spirit Artifacts capable of shifting between various Elemental Energies.

Both sides clashed. Explosions of light and darkness erupted across the battlefield. Juliette pursued relentlessly, but the swordsmen were faster and their long-range attacks steadily closed the distance to Louis.

"Damn it!"

Juliette clicked her tongue and activated her Demon Eyes, cursing both swordsmen on the spot. They froze instantly, on the verge of collapsing...

However.

"Haaaah!"

"Haaa!"

The twins roared in unison. Their Auras fused and sliced through each other’s curses, shocking Juliette. The power of Second Step Masters of Sword Breathing was no joke. With their Sword Energy, they could sever even Magic and Curses.

Their blades drew closer to Louis, who could no longer move, drifting in and out of consciousness...

Meanwhile, the frog-like Entity Juliette had attacked was far from dead. Only its upper half had been destroyed. It crept closer, vines snaking around her legs and yanking her backward.

"What?! Are you kidding me?!"

The swordsmen grinned, finally reaching Louis. They swung their swords together, aiming for his neck. By now his Death-Sense had deactivated, he was completely vulnerable. Even after losing three comrades, as long as they accomplished their goal, everything would be worth it.

"Today, we will execute you, Prince Louis!"

Using the same technique as before—Spirit Guillotine—a double sword strike closed in from both sides...

And Prince Louis opened his eyes once more. They gleamed with golden light.

He grasped empty air and...

CLAAASH!

"...?!"

"...!!!"

Pure Sword Energy alone blocked the Spirit Guillotine. A potent shockwave erupted, forcing both swordsmen back.

Two Second Step Sword Experts...

How was this even possible?

"Haaa... So it worked..."

Louis smiled weakly. His body refused to move, yet he forced it. By planting the Enslaved Souls he had stored, he fused the Necromancer’s hand with his right arm.

Through that connection, he compelled his arm to rise.

As for how he blocked them with a sword forged from pure Intent...

"T-That’s...!"

"How did he...?!"

Louis rose unsteadily, struggling even to breathe. His Sword Aura had transformed, now shining with the Five Elemental Spiritual Ki Energies... plus something more.

A Fake Dragon Heart beat fiercely in his chest, flooding his body with Draconic Energy—a tyrannical essence Dragons wield, capable of bending the world’s laws and commanding the elements.

This fusion of powers had allowed him to unleash that single life-saving attack.

But that was all he had left.

"What’s wrong...? Are you afraid?"

He could no longer fight. His energy reserves were utterly spent. Handy and Belladine were exhausted. His White Lance lay broken, slowly repairing itself within his Soul.

He had only one option: to bluff.

"Yes, it is as you think. I have reached the Second Step of Sword Breathing!"

"Impossible...!"

"You did it out of nowhere?!"

The two swordsmen had also reached Second Step, but it had taken over thirty years. Yet the Prince had supposedly achieved it at the tender age of eighteen.

Pure insanity.

What kind of monstrous talent was this? They could hardly believe it.

And yet they were too terrified to act. Prince Louis was utterly unpredictable. Every time they thought they had him cornered, he pulled out another impossible feat.

The swordsmen were as drained as Louis, but they still held some reserves. Juliette was occupied with the Entity, buying them time.

It was now or never.

So why couldn’t they move?

"We have to do this... we have to..."

"I know..."

They helped each other stand, gripping their swords tightly as they faced the Prince—who had proven himself terrifyingly strong in his own right.

"No matter what... we must create our country, for our families...!"

"We will no longer... obey your whims, Mad Prince!"

Louis smiled, exhaling in quiet relief as he watched the swordsmen prepare for one final stand.

"I see. Well, thank god you’re finally here. Do it."

"You’re braver than we thought. I give you that."

"Let’s finish him, brother!"

Both charged forward. But they quickly realized Louis had not been speaking to them.

He was addressing someone else who had just arrived, a presence in the skies.

Sharp metallic claws descended. One brother was sliced apart and minced into shreds before the other’s eyes.

"Brother? A-Ahh...! AAAAHHH!"

As the surviving swordsman screamed, lost his balance, and stumbled to the ground, a furious infernal assault struck his back. Sharp claws seized his spine and ripped it free, head included.

"Kuuaaaagghh!"

Blood sprayed everywhere. In mere seconds, both swordsmen brothers lay dead on the ground, felled by two mysterious assailants.

"P-Prince Louis...! Haaa...! Are you okay?"

"Yes, Mirai. Thank you for coming in clutch."

It was Mirai and her Incarnation, the Devil, who had slaughtered the swordsmen in an instant and saved Louis.

"I guess I still owe you one... ugh..." Louis swayed, nearly collapsing, but Mirai caught him.

"Yes, I suppose..." Mirai smiled, her body spattered with blood. "Devil, please go help Juliette."

"Gehehehe!" The Incarnation laughed and rushed to assist Juliette in swiftly disposing of the Entity.

Mirai supported Louis as they made their way back to the manor. Along the way, she noticed something unsettling, his eyes brimmed with sorrow.

"How many of these will we have to fight? After four hundred sacrificed themselves, how many more of my people will I have to kill now?" He sighed heavily. "This is really... a cruel joke from fate."

"...I know my words might carry very little weight in your heart," Mirai murmured. "But... I will always be by your side."

Louis met her red eyes. Emotions he did not want to feel for her stirred within him. Thoughts he did not want to entertain surfaced as well.

But he managed to smile slightly.

"Thank you."

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