Nystral shattered the castle gates and stormed inside with his army.There were 4,000 Kurotsume soldiers against 2,000 Kurogiri forces.Yet Nystral alone had reached a level where he could overpower 15 sorcerers by himself.
As Nystral tore through the Kurotsume sorcerers one by one, the Commander-in-Chief of Kurotsume, Iroera Yuon, emerged from within the castle.
Yuon was 49 years old.He was a man who had witnessed and survived commanders as brutal and capable as Sabre himself.He didn't even take Nystral seriously at first.
With one hand, he lifted his fur cloak and threw it aside.The red cape bearing the Kurotsume emblem began to wave violently in the wind.
The battlefield had turned into absolute carnage.Everyone was fighting, dying.Screams echoed everywhere—dust clouds, blood splattering the ground, shockwaves from spells colliding, steel clashing, cries of agony filling the air.
Yuon wielded the Criminatum ability, granting him unparalleled sword techniques.Criminatum consisted of 25 different pages, each representing a unique sword form.
Name: Iroera YuonAge: 49Nation: ShadowiaSkills: G-Technic Stage 3, Criminatum
Yuon drew his sword.With his crimson-glowing blade, he carved his way through the Kurogiri sorcerers.At the same time, Nystral was doing the same to the Kurotsume forces.
Under the full moon, both sides claimed hundreds of lives.
Eventually—they met.
Unable to stop their momentum, their swords collided head-on.The impact echoed so violently that the castle walls trembled.Both froze for a moment, instantly realizing—
This opponent was different.
Nystral spoke first.
"Finally… a worthy opponent."
"You're awfully confident, Nystral."
"I am confident. Confident. CONFIDENT!I am overflowing with the might of Celestial Power!"
"Celestial power, huh?Then let's test that celestial strength of yours…"
Both were overflowing with bloodlust.Nystral made the first move, lunging straight at Yuon.
Their swords clashed repeatedly.Nystral circled Yuon at extreme speed without stopping.Over three years, Nystral had slaughtered countless sorcerers. and stolen their powers—making his techniques nearly impossible to predict.
"Emerald Leap!"
Nystral jumped around Yuon six times in an instant, as if teleporting.Yuon's vision faltered.
"So you're confused now, Yuon?Must be old age! Take this!"
"Criminatum! Page 4!"
Red light burst from Yuon's sword as his crimson mask glowed.The blade released slashes in every direction.
Nystral's finger was grazed at the tip—but he barely avoided full range.
"Damn it… this bastard's Criminatum is insanely strong!If I hadn't been careful, I'd have been split in half!Forest Lord!"
Nystral vanished into the grass.His body blended perfectly with the ground.
Yuon scanned the area.
"Where did he go?!I need to stay alert!"
Suddenly—Nystral appeared behind him, sword raised.
Just as he swung—
"I knew you'd come from behind!That's what experience looks like!"
Yuon countered, striking Nystral and sending him flying.
"Now I'll show you a new page, Nystral…Criminatum! Page 12!"
Yuon's mask glowed again.Blood began to drip from his sword.
With a swing—a massive wave of blood ignited the air, rushing toward Nystral.
"I-IT'S COMING! STEEL SHIELD!"
An impenetrable barrier formed in front of Nystral, blocking the attack.
"H-He blocked it?!Only Sabre ever managed that…"
"What's wrong, Yuon?You look shaken.Are you afraid of fighting me?"
"A-Afraid?!THE TEST IS JUST BEGINNING!CRIMINATUM! PAGE 5!"
A colossal crimson tornado erupted from Yuon's blade—nearly 20 meters tall.
"THIS is what you call 'just beginning'?!STEEL SHIELD!"
Yuon unleashed the storm.
This time, the shield shattered.Nystral was slammed violently into the castle wall.
The impact destroyed the wall entirely, sending Nystral flying outside.He tumbled through the air before crashing into a tree.
His arm was broken.Blood streamed from his head.
"A-a-ah… damn… that was brutal."
"I warned you not to be so confident, Nystral…"
"Hah… hahahaha…(deep breath)DON'T THINK IT'S OVER!DISASTER FLAMES!"
Scorching flames erupted from Nystral's sword—over five meters tall.
Yuon was blasted backward, collapsing to his knees.
"Criminatum! Page 7!"
From Yuon's sword emerged a turret-like blood construct.It locked onto Nystral and began firing poisoned blood projectiles.
"You really think stupid machines like that can kill me, Yuon?!"
Nystral dodged each shot, steadily closing the distance.
"Criminatum! Page 17!"
Mud shot from Yuon's blade, binding Nystral's legs to the ground.The turret fired again—and Yuon followed up with his own technique.
"GQ#41!!"
A black slash surged toward Nystral.
(Inner thoughts)"They're both coming at me!I need a skill—A SKILL—A SKILL!YELLOW HEART!"
Nystral shifted into an astral body, freeing himself and repositioning instantly.Both attacks missed.
"H-He escaped?!HOW MANY ABILITIES DOES THIS MAN HAVE?!"
"Don't lose your temper, old man!THIS—IS—CELESTIAL POWER!"
"Then… it's time to use this technique.You've crossed the line.Criminatum! Page 25!"
Yuon activated his ultimate technique.
Page 25 distorted gravity itself, crushing and merging everything around it.It was directly linked to the planet's magnetism.
Yuon focused intensely.He cut his own hand and clasped both palms together.
Blood flowed.Gravity intensified.Pressure crushed their legs.
"W-What is he doing?!"
From behind, Vaiken Tsurogami, Nystral's subordinate, crept closer.
(Inner thoughts)"Come on, Tsurogami!Disrupt him! Just disrupt it—then I'll finish him!"
Yuon strained harder.
"Ahh! My knees—!"
Tsurogami reached striking distance, drew his sword—
But suddenly—
Hanken appeared.
After receiving news of the coup, he and Xers rushed toward the castle, splitting paths.By chance, Hanken had entered this battlefield.
Realizing the gravity of the situation—
"CHRONOSIS!"
Hanken stopped time by halting atomic vibration.He had 3 seconds—3 movements.
Tsurogami was two steps away.
"Two steps ahead…If I draw my scythe, I waste a second.I'll use my hands."
Step.
"Two seconds left… Think, Hanken! Yuon's life is on the line!"
Step.
"One second left…I can grab it—if I'm fast enough!"
Hanken grabbed Tsurogami's sword barehanded.
Time resumed.
Despite holding it—he couldn't stop it.
The blade pierced Yuon clean through.
Yuon's concentration shattered instantly.The sword exited through his body.
"N-N-NOOOO!"
Nystral:
"THIS IS MY CHANCE!"
Nystral lunged at the defenseless Yuon, slicing him completely from the right side.Arm, leg, and torso fell apart—scattered across the ground.
Yuon whispered his final words:
"T-t-te-test… f-f-fa-ailed…"
Yuon died instantly.
Hanken drew his white scythe and swung at Nystral.
"Where did this guy come from?!H-Hanken?! Did he teleport?!Tsurogami—take care of him too!"
"Yes, si—"
"Gomerai!"
Xers burst onto the battlefield with Gomerai.Nystral and Tsurogami were blown back.
"S-So Yuon is dead…We were too late… If only we were f-faster…"
"This isn't the time to grieve, Xers!We need to deal with them!"
"You're right, Hanken! Gome—"
"VULCAN!"
Tsurogami activated his ability.Vulcan integrated poison gas into his sword, body, and magic.
A lethal toxin.
Tsurogami released a thick poisonous mist, obscuring everyone's vision.
Name: Vaiken TsurogamiNation: ShadowiaAge: 22Skills: G-Technic Stage 2, Vulcan
"I can't see anything!"
In that chaos—Nystral and Tsurogami vanished.