Treatise Of A Failed Knight-Chapter 256: Contest Of Ideals

The air around me is tense.

It’s happening... At long last—my rematch with Kalakuta.

The Dark Guild members instinctively take measured steps back, making room for Kalakuta and me. They still block the exit and surround us in what resembles an uneven circle, but I am certain they won’t interfere in this fight.

I don’t wish for them to.

Instead, they watch with wide-open and expectant eyes.

Their gaze is upon their Supreme Leader as well as their Sworn Enemy.

Expectations rise.

Excitement grows.

Trepidation increases.

I exhale deeply and tighten my grip on the blade while Kalakuta does the same to his colossal club. His fierce gaze tells me he won’t show any mercy despite his strong feelings.

We share that in common.

’There’s no need for any further thoughts...’

My body automatically takes an assault stance as I narrow my gaze on the crumbling monolith before me.

I will bring it down... no matter what!

WHOOSH!

My body moves, flowing like an unrestrained river in full spring.

Within moments, I cross the distance and make it to my target. My blade flashes and slashes with pristine yet lethal beauty.

Like lightning in the night sky, the sudden flash of brilliance disrupts everything in the world during that period. However, just as with lightning, a rumbling sound of thunder follows once my blade clashes with the Pathfinder.

CLANG!

A loud noise and deep vibration course through the air.

The force is immense.

I can’t seem to push my blade any further.

Despite Kalakuta’s depleted strength and weary form, his strike is not inferior to mine.

However... It is not superior either.

’All kinds of poisons are working inside your body right now. Coupled with the blood loss and pain from multiple injuries... they’ve worn off most of your strength.’ A dark gleam manifests in my eyes as I retreat with my blade and take a different approach.

I dodge his powerful swing and attack his side, but he blocks it in the nick of time again.

This time, he has an anxious expression on his face.

Has he noticed it already?

"That Armament..." Kalakuta mutters while staring at me with a suspicious gaze.

I smile.

Indeed, this isn’t a normal Armament.

It is a B Grade Armament.

A weapon of incredible workmanship and immense power.

It is also an Armament that has taken the Dark Guild an excruciatingly long period to make, as I gave rigid specifications that the members had to follow.

’I had Jeophrey create the base framework before he died. Then, I handed the schematics to the Dark Guild and had them use their network of resources to complete it.’ My smile continues to widen as I once again retreat before attacking again.

This time, I target Kalakuta’s chest with a vertical slash.

He uses his club to intercept my blade, but right as he does this, something mystical happens.

"Guh!"

Kalakuta staggers backwards, his eyes filled with shock.

Meanwhile, I press forward without stopping.

"Do you realize it now?" I slash a few more times, creating splendid arcs in the air that slice through his defenses and cause his body to retreat further and further away.

What a strange sight!

Seeing the Ebony Giant move back so much... How unprecedented!

Kalakuta has always maintained the image of an unstoppable monolith in my mind ever since my crushing defeat at the shore.

To think fighting him would ever come with such ease.

Yes, I cheated to achieve this result.

Still...

... It’s amazing!

"What is that Armament of yours called?" Kalakuta’s grim voice brings me out of my ecstatic reverie for a moment, and I respond almost immediately.

"Serpent." My blade charges at him. "White Serpent Fang, to be precise."

You see, my blade has one major ability.

—Devour!

It consumes the unique quality of other things and makes it my own.

This can work on Potions, Spells, and even Armaments.

Why?

Because they all share the same root.

They are all derived from Special Resources, after all.

Thus, the unique characteristics that they possess can be extracted through mystical processes.

That is the logic behind my Armament.

"Right now..." I slam my blade on Pathfinder, causing sparks to fly around us.

Some of them are dark crimson in color.

"... I am stripping that weapon of yours of everything that makes it special."

Soon, Pathfinder will be nothing but a slab of cold iron.

Once that’s done, it’ll be easier to carve Kalakuta up—especially since my blade is now pulsating with the terrifying energy that used to belong to him.

"You’re wrong..." Kalakuta argues as he continues to struggle against the inevitable.

"Oh? How so?"

"The powers of this weapon aren’t what make it special."

"What?"

"It was made by Jeophrey... for me. It was a symbol... an ideal I had striven towards. Even if you rip out its unique characteristics, that won’t change anything." Kalakuta quickly switches from blocking to evasion.

Then, he jumps in to attack.

"I’ll still win!"

Met with the terrifying force of his blunt weapon, I am tempted to retreat.

But why should I?

This is precisely what I’ve been wanting to see.

WHOOSH!

I lean forward while keeping my body low. With urgent grace, I slide on the devastated ground and twirl while slicing through the air.

My blade is only inches from the ground, but it strikes the target.

Then, I release some of its pent-up energy.

CRACKLE!

Blackish red energy immediately dances around my blade, filling everything up with a frenzied display of deep crimson lightning.

"ARGHHHH!!!"

Kalakuta screams in pain immediately.

His bulging eyes watch as one of his feet, cut cleanly from the ankle, flies in the air.

I see him shudder.

His body convulses as he swings his club frantically, attempting to create distance between us.

But... It’s already too late.

The initial shock of losing a limb is one thing, and the excessive blood he is losing as a result is another, but neither is as relevant as the third problem.

Without his two feet, Kalakuta does not have proper balance and will be unable to make the appropriate stance required to exert the force of his club.

No doubt he will attempt to switch to a different fighting style in desperation.

But he will need some time to adjust.

Something I vehemently refuse to give him!

’I can’t lose this window!’ My body moves on instinct as I approach him without any hint of fear or anxiousness.

I have wounded the beast already.

There is no longer any need to cower from it!

Naturally, I maintain a cautious air around me and will not give in to carelessness.

But this is a time to be decisive.

I immediately vanish from my position and appear behind Kalakuta, cutting through his hand with the same blinding burst of power.

The same hand that wields his weapon so intensely.

PLOP!

The hand lands on the ground alongside the blade while I send a powerful kick towards the dazed Kalakuta.

"I never planned on draining your Armament entirely. I just needed you to believe that, so you wouldn’t anticipate moves like this." I whisper, watching as his body slides on the devastated floor beneath me.

Having successfully separated him from his weapon and cutting off two of his limbs, I feel the long match coming to a close.

It’s almost over.