In the lowest level of Fuziaze Castle, Fafnir and I faced each other.
The “gaze” clearly indicated that he was the “Thief of the Law of Blood.”
**The Seventy Guardians: Thief of the Law of Blood**
The World Tree towered behind Fafnir, and Ragune-chan hid behind my back. Furthermore, Fuziaze’s knights stood in a circle around us, many keeping watch from a distance. Although there were quite a few people watching, I decided to speak as if they weren’t there.
“—Nice to meet you again, Fafnir. My memories are fragmented, but I believe we can become friends again.”
I called out the name of the “Thief of the Law of Blood” affectionately, hoping for a connection with the “One Who Steals Earthly Principles” and the “One who steals the logic of the wind.”
“Yeah, we can be friends again. For sure. Ah, definitely. Ahh… —!”
Fafnir trembled with joy at my friendly reply.
However, although he wore a smile on his face like mine, his eyebrows were furrowed into an inverted ‘V’. He then lowered his head, as if to hide his gradually crumbling smile. His body continued to shake, his shoulders spasming repeatedly as if he were holding back sobs—and finally, drops of water fell from his bowed head.
“Huh, huh…? Are you… crying…?”
His excessively unexpected reaction made me blurt out the question.
“—S-Sorry. I just got a little emotional. But don’t worry about it. It’s usual for me. Besides, don’t you have some questions for me? Your memory is gone, right? Don’t hesitate, you can ask me anything. Hahaha.”
Fafnir immediately raised his head and wiped the tears streaming from his red eyes. He tried to proceed with the conversation, managing a smile.
I couldn’t understand, but perhaps it was a reunion that warranted such an emotional outpouring. However, I decided to stop regretting the past and accept Fafnir’s offer. I couldn’t possibly empathize with his feelings right now.
“…Yes, I understand. …Well then, could you first tell me what ‘proxy’ means? I was told that Fafnir Helvishein is the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’…”
“I see. Do I have to start from there? …Ugh, what a pain. It’s really a pain… but, this is fine.”
Fafnir, with teary eyes, smiled innocently like a child. He seemed genuinely happy to see me. It was a shame I couldn’t share in his joy.
“I mentioned being a proxy just now, but you can consider this Fafnir Helvishein to be the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’ itself. The fact that I was summoned to this body through Nosfy means that’s the case. It should be no different from anyone else.”
Fafnir didn’t elaborate much. However, it didn’t seem like he was hiding anything; rather, he appeared to be simplifying things so that I, with my missing memories, wouldn’t get confused. I felt a kindness from Fafnir that suggested as much.
I decided to temporarily set aside the matter of proxies and expand on the other piece of information: the fact that our current enemy had gotten ahead of us in exploring the labyrinth.
“So, Nosfy did summon Fafnir from the labyrinth…”
“Yeah, he’s incredibly skillful. He messed with the seventy floors using magic and, despite being on the boss side, forcefully summoned the boss. Among our group… I think Aid and Seldra could do the same? Actually, Seldra is currently in the middle of challenging the labyrinth.”
I already knew that Nosfy could manipulate the labyrinth’s mechanisms from when I fought Titty. Instead, I was surprised by the other names that popped out.
“Seldra is in the labyrinth…? If I recall correctly, Seldra served as the Grand General under the ‘Ruling King’ a thousand years ago—”
“Yeah, that’s him. The ‘Thief of Nothingness’. Like me, Seldra was summoned by Nosfy. However, unlike me, he didn’t lose to Nosfy and is acting on his own accord. Being impatient, he disappeared, saying he was going to wake up Noi, the last one remaining in the labyrinth. …So, I think everyone remaining will be here soon, right? Uzunami on the zeroth floor, Nosfy on the sixtieth, me on the seventieth, Seldra on the eightieth, Noi on the ninetieth, and Hidaki on the hundredth. We’ll all be gathered.”
More unfamiliar names emerged. However, no matter how much I rummaged through my memories, the name ‘Noi’ didn’t ring a bell. I recalled lore heard from Rustiara and Dia, but it didn’t trigger any matches in my mind. Seeing my puzzled expression, Fafnir seemed to understand.
“…Ah, you don’t know Noi. Understood, I’ll explain.”
Fafnir held nothing back. Compared to the other ‘Thieves of Principles,’ he was surprisingly talkative. I was grateful for his garrulous nature now.
“Noi El Lieberl is the ‘Thief of the Principles of Dimensions.’ Yeah, not Uzunami, but the previous one. To put it more clearly, he’s the one the Apostles call ‘Our Lord.’ He’s supposed to reside in the deepest part, but it seems he can be summoned on the ninetieth floor. Or rather, for some reason, Uzunami from a thousand years ago did something of the sort. Perhaps there’s some ‘reason’ why they wanted to meet Noi before Hidaki?”
“…The name of the Apostles’ Lord is Noi.”
Unexpectedly, I recognized the name. And it seemed that this Lord was also a ‘Thief of the Principles of Dimensions’ like me. I wanted to believe it was just a coincidence of primary magic, but it couldn’t possibly be just that. As Fafnir just said, there must be a ‘deep reason’ between Noi and me.
“Seldra will bring Noi soon. Probably by force… Even Noi shouldn’t be able to defeat Seldra.”
Fafnir seems to believe Seldra is stronger than Noi, the Apostles’ Lord. Naturally, I had assumed the existence in the deepest part of the world was the ‘Strongest,’ but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The fact that my thousand-year-ago self could drag the Apostles’ Lord out of the deepest part to the ninetieth floor suggests some imbalance of power.
Regardless, I understood that we needed to expedite matters. The Great Holy Capital was already in a complicated situation due to Nosfy, and if Seldra and Noi were to appear, it would only make things more troublesome. There was a high possibility that the story of ‘Saving the World,’ which Apostle Sis had told me, would interfere. For my part, the awakening of my sister was more important than finding a way to eliminate the pervasive ‘Demonic Poison.’
“…H-Hey, Uzunami. May I ask something?”
As I was privately pondering the information I had gained, Fafnir asked hesitantly. It was natural that he also had questions, as I had been doing all the asking. I nodded and encouraged him to ask.
Then, Fafnir asked very shyly—as if his previous casual, friendly demeanor had been a lie—and with great trepidation.
“…Well, you see… Is it still unpleasant for you to be called ‘Master’ by me this time around? I was thinking it might be good to call you the ‘Great Savior’ like when we first met…”
“H-Huh? Messiah…?”
I was taken aback by his overly grand words, more so than his change in attitude. I was stunned. Even if I tried to reject the idea of ‘Saving the World’ that was currently on my mind, I was about to be called the ‘Savior.’ Naturally, I couldn’t agree to that.
“Um, I’m sorry… I’d prefer a more friendly relationship, if possible. I heard we were master and subordinate before, but this time, let’s keep it casual, please.”
“…Ah, ah. That’s right. …Yes. We are ‘friends.’ Fafnir Helvishein is ‘friends’ with Uzunami…”
Fafnir visibly deflated, looking so disappointed he seemed about to collapse to his knees. His overly transparent emotional expression offered a glimpse into his inner feelings.
I have many questions at the same time.
If I were to ask those questions, Fafnir in front of me would surely answer. However, I also feel that it’s not something I can ask casually. Because Fafnir answers me about anything, I feel it would be dangerous to ask about anything and everything.
“Hahahaha! Well, let’s stop with the idle chatter and get to the main subject! It’s written in scripture too. –Chapter Twelve, Verse Two, ‘Guard your limited time. Your idleness will harm all.’ It means time is precious.”
Disliking the humid air, Fafnir forced a smile and brightened up again.
He even went so far as to say my previous request was futile.
I thought it would be better to achieve my goal quickly without provoking him too much, and continued the conversation.
“Then… I’ll quickly tell you my purpose for coming to the World Tree. I came to meet Apostle Diplakla to help Hidaki. I somehow want to borrow his knowledge.”
“I figured. But I’m standing in your way, controlled by him. …So, what are you going to do?”
“First, I want to free you from Nosfy’s magic. I have no intention of going along with that Nosfy’s schemes.”
“…It won’t be that easy, you know? Thanks to Maria, my rules were discovered, but they’re all incredibly troublesome.”
“I’m prepared. None of the Thieves of Principles I’ve met until today have been easy…”
“…Ah, I see. Uzunami has been with them until today… And now it’s my turn, huh…”
Of course, Fafnir, the Thief of the Law of Blood, also has lingering desires.
He definitely does. And there’s no doubt that it’s a complex and difficult lingering desire, just like everyone else’s.
As I recalled the lingering desires of the Thieves of Principles I had fought while talking, Fafnir seemed to sense the hardships I’d faced until today.
He smiled and nodded with a fond expression.
Now, a thousand years later, it could be said that Fafnir’s lingering regret is finally disappearing.
I thought the meaning of his smile was that he was happy his own wish was about to come true—or so I thought. But I was completely mistaken.
“—Kukuku! Kuhh, Kuhahaha! How troublesome, Uzunami!”
Fafnir couldn’t contain his laughter and called my name with great amusement.
At this moment, he called my name instead of his own.
I could tell at a glance that he didn’t care about his own lingering desires at all and was only thinking of me.
“Kuhaha! As always, you’re facing such good hardships! Hardships are good, they help people grow! When you overcome these hardships, we’ll become stronger again! We’ll take another step closer! Ah, that’s truly wonderful!”
“F-Fafnir…?”
Suddenly, Fafnir’s volume jumped.
I was bewildered by his sudden heightened tension.
However, there had been signs for a while.
Although Fafnir said it was troublesome, he seemed to be somewhat enjoying this situation. Like a believer thanking God for the ordeals He imposes, he genuinely rejoiced in all the troubles.
“Uzunami! I’ll tell you how to release Nosfy’s magic right now! Its weakness is clear! It’s true that I’m trapped by Nosfy’s troublesome trauma! If I try to release the magic, I will undoubtedly counterattack unintentionally! But, don’t worry! Just one hit of your favorite magic, Distance Mute, will end it! That alone will free me and Diplakla! It’ll be like a sparring match! Let’s take it easy!”
Then, with that same high tension, his whole body became filled with fighting spirit.
As Maria had told me, he easily revealed the weakness, but Fafnir being this motivated was unplanned.
Fortunately, perhaps because of the rule “Do not leave the World Tree,” he didn’t approach me.
However, he was already starting his warm-up exercises, as if ready to fight at any moment. Fafnir casually rolled his shoulders and spoke to Ragune-chan and the Knights behind me.
“Everyone around, please move back a little… Haha, it’s motivating to have an audience! Now, Uzunami! Let me show you quickly! The power we had a thousand years ago!”
“W-Wait, Fafnir…! Are you going to do it right now…?”
“Uzunami, don’t worry about a thing. You can rest assured. I, who value your body more than anyone, won’t let you get hurt. In other words, attack me as you please while I’m on the defensive! That will be troublesome enough, won’t it! Hahaha!”
As he spoke, Fafnir’s accumulated fighting spirit converted into magic power.
A raw mixture of red and black magic power filled the underground space, swirling like milk dropped into coffee.
Magic power was released endlessly from the vessel known as the Thief of the Law of Blood.
Concurrently, Fafnir’s body color… began to fade.
His black hair, red eyes, white skin, all disappeared, becoming transparent.
Not just his legs, but his entire body became see-through like a ghost, making the other side completely visible.
Fafnir, becoming like a phantom, spoke joyfully about his power.
“—I am the Guardian of the 70th Floor. This means my power is almost unrestricted. Unlike Nosfy, who specializes in support, this is the prime of a combat-specialized Thief of Principles. Moreover, the ‘blood’ that has flowed across the continent during these thousand years is further strengthening me. —Uzunami, please be careful.”
Fafnir stomped his foot on the ground. Then, a thick, red liquid welled up from the ground beneath his feet.
Seeing the liquid surge upwards like a fountain, I instinctively understood that Fafnir was “drawing blood from the earth.”
His transparent body absorbed the blood. Fafnir, who had lost his color, momentarily dyed crimson, becoming like a different person as if he had been repainted.
His black hair turned to dark brown, his red eyes to azure, and his white skin to tanned—his race completely changed, and his features seemed subtly altered.
“—Crimson Magic: 214th Southwest Liberation Front.
Now, Uzunami. Let’s overcome this hardship together…!”
Then, with that incredibly unique magic name announced, he was holding weapons in both hands.
In his right hand, a one-handed sword with a short hilt. In his left hand, a small shield worn on the back of the hand. Both were made of bright red blood.
Furthermore, swirling red magic power took the form of light armor. Combined with the old scar etched on his cheek, he finally looked like a veteran knight.
The fully armed Fafnir appeared ready, beckoning me repeatedly from a short distance away. Naturally, I had no intention of approaching.
“…Sorry, Fafnir. I’m just scouting today… Maybe another time?”
I felt a sense of guilt, as if I had watched a street performer’s act closely but hadn’t given him any money. I felt bad for having been shown such a grand performance, but I politely declined.
“Hm, hm…? Just scouting today…, eh?”
Fafnir’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, understanding what I said, he raised his voice.
“Didn’t you just say you came to meet Diplakla!?”
“That’s my objective… but there’s no need to rush… As long as I don’t approach the World Tree, you can’t do anything, right? So, I was thinking of just carefully gathering information?”
I conveyed my policy for this time to the hasty Fafnir.
He seemed taken aback by my idea and tried to stop me, looking quite flustered. However, due to the rule “Do not leave the World Tree,” he couldn’t move an inch.
“No, no, no, no! You plan to go back like this today?! Wait! Just a little is fine! I absolutely won’t hurt you! I’ve been waiting for quite a while! For Uzunami to come and save me! I’ve been waiting continuously!”
“If we’re going to fight, I think it would be better if we all fought together…”
“You mean including Maria and the others?” he asked. “That’s no good! If that happens, I, who’ve been ordered to continuously seal away the World Tree, will have to resort to drastic measures! It’s best for Uzunami to fight me alone! Just the two of us— Uzunami and I!”
Fafnir desperately pleaded that fighting here and now was the optimal solution.
He didn’t seem to be lying.
Maria, who had the power to discern people’s true nature, had also said that Fafnir would honestly tell her everything. It was likely true that the correct answer was for him and Fafnir to fight one-on-one, without involving anyone else.
“Look, this is a great trial, isn’t it? You want to save Hidaki, right? You decided to save her in your stead as her older brother, didn’t you?! Do you really think you can save her like that? Making detours at the slightest sign of danger! Ahead, far more terrible hardships await! Unless you bravely take on the challenge, there’s nothing you can gain! Why hesitate here?! If you overcome me now, you can reunite with that knowledgeable Apostle! So, you have no choice but to do it right here, right now!?”
His words were like a gentle breeze compared to Nosfy’s taunts. He decided to gently refuse Fafnir after silently absorbing all of his words. He wanted to convey what he heard today to his companions waiting in the mansion underground, without deviating from his original plan.
However, before that, he saw it.
“What the…!?”
“Hey, Uzunami… Please! Otherwise, I! I…!!”
Fafnir’s eyes were again welling up with tears.
Like a child whose invitation was rejected by a friend, he was begging, looking as if he would cry any moment. His heart, which was set on not being moved by any taunts, was greatly shaken.
“I’ve been waiting forever! We’ve been waiting and waiting here…! But, they couldn’t make it in time! Now, it’s only me and them here…! And then I…—”
Fafnir’s words became increasingly incoherent.
Upon closer inspection, the focus of his tear-filled eyes was unfocused. Muttering to himself, his gaze flickered between the sky and the ground as if chasing something.
This was abnormal.
He understood that Fafnir was shocked and confused. …He understood, but this ugliness was too extreme for simply showing him he was about to leave.
Had he unknowingly stepped on one of Fafnir’s taboos?
Still, it was too sudden. He gasped at Fafnir’s emotional instability and was lost for words.
“Kanami’s older brother! Your footing!”
At that moment, Ragune-chan’s voice called out from behind.
He, who had been staring intently at Fafnir’s face, lowered his gaze as instructed.
He saw the ochre-colored ground dimly stained red. As he took a step back, he heard a sound like stepping into a puddle.
Blood was seeping from the ground. And, although only slightly, the water level of that blood was rising. The shallow pool of blood that had spread across the ground was expanding, bubbling as if boiling.
Was the blood accumulated at the lowest level running wild, out of the control of the magic of ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’…?
Immediately anticipating the worst-case scenario, he drew the ‘Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen’ from his ‘Inventory’ and spoke to Ragune-chan behind him.
“…Ragune-chan. If something happens to me, inform everyone with all your might.”
“Eh…? You’re going to go along with it? No, don’t you think? As Kanami’s older brother said, there’s no need to rush, is there…?”
Seeing his intention to fight back with the sword, Ragune-chan objected, it being different from her plan. Rather, she seemed to be terrified of Fafnir, whose emotions were rapidly fluctuating.
“No… honestly, there’s a reason to rush. If possible, I want to finish dispelling Fafnir’s magic while other ‘Thieves of Principles’ aren’t around.”
Maria was currently restraining Nosfy.
Seldra and someone named Noi were also in the labyrinth.
He had a premonition that this might be the last chance he had to talk with Fafnir alone, without anyone interfering.
As Fafnir’s taunts earlier suggested, he wanted to avoid experiencing a more dangerous situation by taking a detour because it was a little dangerous.
There was still another reason.
Honestly, this was the main one.
“And also… Fafnir called me a friend just after meeting me… I can’t just leave him behind. The current Fafnir isn’t someone else’s problem. I’ll try to calm him down somehow…!”
Fafnir seemed to be suffering more than Maria and Nosfy had told him. More than anything, the current Fafnir reminded him of himself when he was being manipulated in the semifinals of the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ some time ago.
It was the state he hated the most: ‘being manipulated by someone’.
“Ugh, whoa… It’s happening again. That’s what I find so fishy about Kanami’s older brother…”
Kagune-chan, however, did not seem to find his reason convincing. She criticized him with an exasperated look for prioritizing compassion.
“Anyway, it’s just for a little while. Fafnir said it’s a mock battle, didn’t he?”
“…Judging by your reaction, you’re already used to this, aren’t you? Fine, do as you please. But, I’m an ordinary person, so I’ll be watching from really far away. I will absolutely not help.”
After emphasizing this, Ragune-chan retreated far back and stood on the stairs that had descended. Compared to the knights who were still patiently surrounding the area, she had truly retreated far.
The decision was made.
However, while he was talking to Ragune-chan, the blood water level continued to rise.
Piercing through the pool of blood that had risen to a height of several centimeters, he called out to Fafnir with considerable force.
“Alright, Fafnir! I accept the mock battle! Let’s keep it light!”
Fafnir, who had been muttering while staring at nothing, noticed him approaching instead of going back up. The light of sanity returned to his eyes for a moment.
“U-Uzunami…?”
Hearing that he would challenge him, Fafnir regained a casual demeanor, like that of a friend.
“I-Is that so! As expected of Uzunami! I knew you’d understand! Will you accept this ordeal?! Haha!”
As if his previous state of ugliness never happened, Fafnir, who was now a lively knight, returned and answered his question smoothly. However, with his extreme mood swings between being out of control and being in control, he was not at all reassuring.
Watching him warily, Fafnir began to swell with his own magic power.
“Then, shall we begin right now! Ahh, let’s conquer the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’ together, the two of us! Of course, I’ll resist as much as I can! Let’s prove that our passionate bond as two people won’t be defeated by Nosfy’s magic! — Fresh Blood Magic,
Fafnir unleashed a wide-reaching magic, overwriting the dimensional magic barrier that had been cast on this lowest floor.
It had likely become a field advantageous to blood mages. However, at the same time, this allowed his dimensional magic to be unleashed. Sensing that Fafnir wanted him to use
“Yeah, I’ll finish this right now. — Magic,
“Bring it on, Uzunami! Just like a thousand years ago!!”
Fafnir spread his arms, exposing his defenseless body.
On the other hand, while maintaining
His goal was singular.
Trusting Fafnir, a direct hit with
He ran the shortest distance and thrust his left hand towards Fafnir’s heart.
But, just before that— Fafnir sharply swung down a red sword.
Dodging the blade by twisting his body, he closely observed Fafnir’s condition.
Fafnir was prepared to take his one strike now. He certainly had no intention of counterattacking. That was undeniable. However, his body had moved against that intention.
The movement was as if I thought, “If I lose here, I will lose the most important thing in the world.”
I know that obsession well. When I was brainwashed by Palinkron, who had gained the power of “The one who steals the logic of darkness,” I was in a similar state.
At that time, the “important thing” was the “bracelet,” but this time it’s the “World Tree.”
Because I understand that obsession better than anyone, I will not back down.
While avoiding the red sword, I lightly go for a sweep kick.
Fafnir easily leaps over the “Derivative Martial Arts” and attempts to strike my head with the surface of his small shield.
The flow from evasion to attack is seamless.
Fafnir’s rich talent and long training are evident.
Judging that it would be difficult to use “Distance Mute,” a major technique, while ignoring the enemy’s attack, I switch my target to the enemy’s arm.
“—Magic, ‘Dimension – Decisive Calculation’.”
I activate “Dimension,” which has been unsealed, with a momentarily strong surge. Then, I aim for the gap between Fafnir’s sword and small shield combo and attempt to cut the tendons in his right arm.
That slash was swung with perfect accuracy.
My aim was unerring—but the blade did not cut through.
As I grazed Fafnir’s tanned skin, the sensation that returned to my arm was like striking iron—no, it was harder than that.
“Your skin isn’t human!?”
Startled by the inhuman hardness of his skin, I put considerable distance between us.
Fafnir did not pursue me as I retreated. Far from pursuing, he began to explain his abilities.
“Ah, let me explain. This is the power of my鲜血魔法 (fresh blood magic). By housing the dead from one war’s worth of casualties within this body, I have a density equivalent to about ten thousand humans. On top of that, I, who normally can’t use a sword, can borrow techniques from deceased swordsmen. …Hah. It’s quite a troublesome ability, isn’t it? But it has many weaknesses. First and foremost, this technique is a facade. It’s ultimately borrowed, so I can’t fully master all the techniques of the deceased. I can never truly replicate them.”
He continued to expose the weaknesses of his abilities one after another.
“This magic can only be used when I am in contact with the ground. I activate the magic by hearing the ‘voices of souls who perished in vain’ that have seeped into the continent. Therefore, if you can somehow get my feet off the ground, the effect of this enhancement magic will be greatly reduced. …Or, perhaps inserting something magical between us would work too?”
As long as I don’t get close, Fafnir won’t attack.
I had the luxury of time and quietly listened to his continuous revelations of weaknesses.
“Also, blood-attribute mages are generally weak against light and dark magic. Exposing your own source of demonic power, ‘blood,’ means exposing your own soul. To be blunt, I’m susceptible to mental interference. That’s why I can never beat Teeda and Nosfy. It’s a matter of compatibility. Conversely, opponents like Arti are my absolute specialty. Though I say my attribute is blood, it has quite a bit of water to it.”
Fafnir flicked the pool of blood at his feet with his foot, stating that manipulating water was also within his domain.
He spoke of his strengths and weaknesses, how to exploit his weaknesses, and even how to defeat him.
It was exactly as Maria had said, all of it. Fafnir was now revealing everything about “Thief of the Law of Blood.” Perhaps he believed in “Aikawa Uzunami” from a thousand years ago—
“The straightforward method is to weaken them with mental interference and aim for the heart, the only vital point… but there is another way to攻略 (conquer) ‘Thief of the Law of Blood.’ I am a Guardian now. Of course, I am still bound by the rule that I can be defeated if my ‘Lingering Desire’ is fulfilled. By the way, my ‘Lingering Desire’ is to ‘see Aikawa Uzunami’s growth to the very end’—or rather, is it ‘to help Aikawa Uzunami grow’? In any case, I genuinely want to watch your life from up close. If that condition is met, I will only get weaker, you know? Hah.”
In the end, he even confessed his “Lingering Desire.”
I considered the truth of hearing that “Thief of the Law of Blood” would weaken if he witnessed my growth.
Given his insistence on “hardship” and “growth” from the start, I believe his “Lingering Desire” is not far off. Fafnir seems to be forcing growth not only on himself but also on me.
Of course, I don’t think this is his true “Lingering Desire”…
“My growth…—”
Perhaps Fafnir wants to see the difference between me now and me from a thousand years ago.
If worse comes to worst, that possibility might be stronger than escaping Nosfy’s magic.
I recall the image of the Primordial Kanami from a thousand years ago from my memories.
A dimensional mage who hid his face with a mask, whose neglected black hair was messy and long, and who wore only a tattered cloth. The biggest difference between me now and the Primordial—
I dispelled the dimensional magic that was currently active.
“Then—!”
And then, as a swordsman, not a mage, I dashed again, relying only on “Swordsmanship” and “Sensation.”
The “Distance Mute” on my arm was no longer present.
Fafnir, surprised by my uncharacteristic movement, attempted to intercept the enemy approaching the World Tree.
Guided by the “Aleis-style Swordsmanship,” I lowered my body and closed in.
Then, I deflected the attacks of the enemy’s red sword and small shield with the flat of my treasure sword—and got close.
In a distance where even swinging my sword was difficult, I gently pressed the tip of my sword against Fafnir’s neck.
I knew he was tough. However, “Aleis-style Swordsmanship” naturally includes techniques to “cut enemies harder than iron.” Originally, Aleis’s swords were meant to fight unique enemies like Fafnir.
With my free left hand, I pushed the blade of the treasure sword.
Even if the skin on my palm tore slightly, I wouldn’t be cut off unless I forcefully pulled the sword back. By using the strength of both hands to push the sword, I forcibly tried to break Fafnir’s posture.
Of course, Fafnir began to move to escape the sword. However, the difference in “Swordsmanship” skill read all his movements and preceded them.
Fafnir’s body was pushed down without recourse, and the treasure sword then fell to the ground like a guillotine.
Fafnir’s throat was compressed by the treasure sword, and at the same time, he struck the back of his head.
“Guh, uhh—! Th-this—!!”
With a groan, he rolled his eyes open from a slight concussion.
Using that opening, I activated “Distance Mute” to pierce him.
“—Bl, ‘Blood’!”
But it was a beat too late.
It takes time to construct a major technique like “Distance Mute.”
In the meantime, Fafnir regained his senses, manipulated the blood on the ground with his quick-to-activate basic magic, made it slippery, and shifted his body slightly to the side to evade.
Having missed “Distance Mute,” I distanced myself from the World Tree to reset.
“Almost—!”
I took a breath at a slight distance and began to think of a new strategy.
It was truly a blessing to be able to take breaks like this while fighting a Guardian.
Watching me catch my breath, Fafnir slowly rose to his feet. Then, he predicted the source of my movements, something that wasn’t present a thousand years ago.
“Th-that parry and slam… is it Rowen Aleis? I’ve been beaten by him a few times, so I know. That was definitely his technique designed for me…. Wh-why does Uzunami have Aleis’s technique…? Could it be…?”
“Ah, Rowen taught it to me a little while ago. We fought over a sword, and I won.”
Without hiding anything, I revealed that I possessed the world’s best “Swordsmanship” from “The One Who Steals Earthly Principles.”
Hearing this, Fafnir’s doubt melted away, and
“…Ah, so it was Aleis after all!! Ahh, Aleis! Aleis, Aleis, Aleis—!!”
He began to rejoice, forgetting the fight.
He repeated Rowen’s surname several times, finally stabbing his red sword into the ground and raising his now-empty hands to pray to the heavens.
Of course, looking up, there was only a dark void. Standing with the crimson World Tree behind him, praying to the darkness, gave me a slight, unpleasant chill.
“I knew it… Ah, I understood your feelings. I believed in you. That’s precisely why I had you endure hardships for so long. Ha, now that trust has been proven, Aleis… In this world, a thousand years later… after your death… finally…! Kuhaha!”
He spoke to Rowen, who was not present, along with his prayer. I understood that the two of them had a friendship, and it was revealed that Fafnir had inflicted hardships not only on me but also on Rowen.
“Ah. Uzunami, I’m sorry. At a time like this, tears of emotion…”
Perhaps overcome with emotion from continuing to speak, tears streamed from both his eyes. This wasn’t just a light scattering of tears; it was an amount that could be described as weeping uncontrollably, flowing like a waterfall.
Without wiping away his tears, Fafnir looked at me with a smile that filled his entire face. His eyes were slightly unfocused again. Watching Fafnir, who was shedding tears from his hollow eyes yet continuously expressing joy—I knew for sure now.
Though we had only met a few minutes ago, I could assert this. Fafnir Helvishein, the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood,’ was somewhat insane. It wasn’t a matter of Nosfy’s magic; Fafnir himself possessed an extraordinary madness from the start. He was undoubtedly more severe off than Nosfy in the mansion. He was on par with Titty in her early stages—or perhaps, even more mad. He might even be more so than any ‘Thief of Principles’ I had ever met—
“Ah, I understand without you telling me. To the warrior Aleis, respect for your life. And I shall offer a prayer. It is written in the scriptures as well. Chapter 5, Verse 11: ‘If you do not respect all souls, your own soul cannot find peace’…”
Fafnir, though holding nothing in his hands, made a motion as if turning the pages of a book. It was then that a strong sense of incongruity struck me. His movements were too natural. He moved as if a book were truly there, not as if he were seeing a hallucination and acting upon it. Come to think of it, when his gaze was directed towards the sky earlier, it was also natural, as if he were following something with his eyes. It made me think that he could see things I couldn’t… or hear things I couldn’t… He had been making many such movements.
As I turned my suspicious gaze towards him and ‘watched’ him intently, Fafnir stopped praying and showed a determined expression.
“Haha, well, there’s no point in saying I want to resolve my ‘Lingering Desire’ before I lose now… Aleis, of all people, gave his sword to someone else…? I have to show something worthy of Aleis’s sword…”
Then, he made the red weapons in both his hands vanish. Now unarmed, his body’s color also seemed to fade slightly. However, his fighting spirit had not diminished. Instead, it swelled, and his Magic Power danced ferociously.
“Fafnir, what are you saying…?”
“I wasn’t ready yet. —Ready to disappear without resolving my ‘Lingering Desire.’ The weakness I mentioned earlier isn’t honestly my greatest weakness. I’m sorry, Uzunami. Taking advantage of your lack of memory, I was holding back. I was complacent somewhere… I still have a long way to go…”
It was natural for anyone to hide their greatest weakness. It wasn’t a bad thing, yet Fafnir was ashamed, showing great regret.
“Something worthy of Aleis’s soul—Now, I will reveal my true weakness—”
Fafnir fixed his gaze on ‘Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen’ in my right hand and suddenly thrust his hand into his own chest. It was as if he pierced his body, much like my ‘Distance Mute.’
Then, he took out what was inside. It wasn’t a Magic Stone. In his hand was a torn-out heart. He was manipulating ‘Blood,’ so fresh blood wasn’t gushing out, but it was undeniable that a living heart had been removed from his body. A pulsing, bright red heart was in Fafnir’s hand.
The moment the heart was removed, Fafnir’s color completely drained away. His body, clothes, Magic Power—everything became transparent—he had truly become a ghost. His presence was so faint that I couldn’t be sure he was there even when I strained my eyes. He was pathetically weak for a Guardian. However, I intuitively felt that this was the true Fafnir. This colorless ghost was Fafnir’s essence, and the black hair and red eyes I first saw belonged to someone else entirely—
“—’This heart was offered to my master.’ ‘Her heart became my tombstone.’—”
The moment I sensed a presence different from Fafnir, an incantation could be heard. Simultaneously, the Magic Power permeating the underground space—not Fafnir’s drained Magic Power, but a bright red Magic Power—began to gather around his transparent body.
“—Blood Magic, ‘Hermina Neisha.’—”
The name of the magic was announced. That magic name sounded like someone’s name. I remembered Rustyara once saying about Blood Magic that it was “magic for becoming someone else.” —Now, I understood its true meaning. As Blood Mist-like Magic gathered, a faint silhouette of a girl began to appear behind the transparent Fafnir. Long black curly hair. Blood-red eyes. Skin as white as snow. The girl possessed all the characteristics of the initial Fafnir. She looked about a year younger than me, and appeared to be smiling serenely with her eyes closed. The girl, wearing the same white clothes as Fafnir, was now overlapping with him. And I understood. It was conveyed. I was struck by the emotions. Her name was Hermina Neisha. She was likely the owner of the heart in Fafnir’s right hand. I was forcibly made to understand that she was the true ‘Thief of the Law of Blood.’
“—’Plunging my claws into the sky, I tore the world asunder.’—”
While my eyes were fixed on the girl’s figure, further incantations continued. As a Dimensional Magic user, I recognized the magnitude of the ‘Price’ accompanying those incantations. Fafnir was attempting to use extraordinary magic consecutively and was on the verge of deciphering its true nature. This is…! Could it be…!!
“—’Look up and be amazed. From the sky I just ripped, I will rain down Blood Rain.’—”
Fafnir was now reciting his life. Likely the life of the girl he saw earlier— This was the Guardian’s true ‘Magic.’ Fafnir was attempting to activate this ‘Magic’ that embodied life itself, on behalf of Hermina. The pool of blood at our feet began to ripple, and clouds of blood started to fill the underground space. The world trembled with the magic about to be unleashed. The Magic Power expanded too much, and a scream-like sound echoed. This was no mere practice battle; it was a fight for our lives.
“So suddenly…! W-Wait a minute—”
“—Magic, ‘Living Beings of Red.’—”
Before I could stop him, the magic was completed. The heart fell from Fafnir’s palm. Through the magic of the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood,’ the heart transformed as it fell. More precisely, the blood spreading on the ground rose up like it was being absorbed by the heart, enveloping it. And then, the heart turned into a cross. A single slender, bright red cross with excessive carvings—stood in the pool of blood. Facing the cross that looked like a tombstone, Fafnir replied.
“There’s no need for that worry, Uzunami. ‘Magic’ exists to bring happiness to everyone. As for us endangering Uzunami’s life—that will absolutely never happen. Only I will stake my life. This is the core—the life—of me, a ‘Ghost’ Monster. If this is shattered, I will be finished. I can end it anytime…”
He had shown me this as his true weakness. His transparent face, on the verge of disappearing, contorted, and he looked like he was about to cry again—yet, somehow, he seemed happy—
He and Maria got along really well. An explanation of the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood.’
