[Original Novel] Sword of the Heavenly Wind, Episode 178

Chapter 10: The Window in the Sky, and Toward Each Morning
— Episode 178: Betting on One-Fifth —

One of the attendants is heading toward the Guardian Army...!

Ciaran could only watch as Kuroretsumaru became a black dot and disappeared beyond the sky.

“Ciaran, Hanakonjo!”

Silgar shouted toward Ciaran and Hanakonjo.

“Follow that attendant, Kuroretsumaru! Shirogane and Kuroha have just arrived here too!”

Shirogane, Kuroha—!

Two energy signatures beyond the blizzard. Ciaran could also sense Shirogane and Kuroha flying in. With Kuroretsumaru gone, the enemies present were the Four Heavenly King Seiran and the wolf-like attendant. Theodor, Sophia, Amalia, Dan, and Reine were trying to fight, but if Shirogane and Kuroha joined Silgar, it seemed they would have the upper hand.

“Hurry! There’s no time to hesitate!”

“We’re counting on you too! Ciaran!”

Dan’s shout could also be heard from the ground.

“Understood—!”

As soon as Ciaran replied, Hanakonjo manipulated the birch trunk and gave chase after Kuroretsumaru.

There was also the matter of Onyx, who had vanished...! He was worried about Amalia and everyone else, but he had to protect the Guardian Army’s camp...!

The blizzard flowed behind them. Pellets of snow struck his battered body mercilessly. Hanakonjo was accelerating so fast that Ciaran felt dizzy.

There it is...!

A black sphere visible ahead. It continued to fly, bouncing vigorously off the snowy field, tracing a large semicircle between the ground and the sky.
That was when it happened. A powerful energy approached. Ciaran gasped for a moment, then shouted.

“Hanakonjo!”

At the shout, Hanakonjo also realized it with a start.
He lowered their flight altitude significantly.
A pillar of energy like fire passed over Ciaran’s head with a roar.
It was a shockwave.

“Oh. You noticed, did you? Young master.”

You are—!

Ciaran turned around and looked at the owner of the voice.

Four Heavenly Kings, Seiran—!

It was unexpected. I had assumed the Four Heavenly King Seiran was still fighting back there. To think that Seiran would follow us—.

“Oh my. You don’t have to look so surprised. It shouldn’t be strange for me to leave that place at any time, should it? My target is the Four Sages. I have no obligation to keep you company in battle.”

Seiran flew above Kieran and the others, looking down with a smirk.

“I had intended to finish you, the boy, and Kuroretsumaru all at once, but what a pity. I missed the whole lot of you.”

Kuroretsumaru, who was ahead, had also sensed Seiran’s shockwave, just like Kieran, and had lowered his flight altitude.
The Guardian Army’s camp was just a stone’s throw away.

“Well, that’s fine. With this, everything will turn to ash.”

What—.

Dark, murky energy gathered around Seiran. Seiran was about to unleash a massive shockwave. It was a larger and more powerful energy than usual. Not aimed at Kieran and Hanakonjo, but at Kuroretsumaru and the Guardian Army’s camp beyond him—.

“Stop it!”

I have to stop Seiran. I felt that now was the only time to try the battle strategy I had been thinking of.
Remote attacks like the humans’ magic or the demons’ shockwaves. Kieran did not possess such methods of attack. All he could do was throw his sword with brute strength.
That was why he thought he needed the Flame Sword.

Now is the only time to use the Flame Sword...!

Kieran focused his consciousness on the Flame Sword hidden within his body.

Just like during that battle with Amber...!

The Flame Sword emitted a brilliant glow. It shot out from Kieran’s chest with great force, aimed at the middle-right arm among Seiran’s five arms—.

“I cannot afford to be defeated again.”

Seiran had said that just a moment ago.
I don’t know Seiran’s weak point. However, Kieran was betting on those words Seiran had muttered.
Kieran had already severed one of Seiran’s upper-right arms. Kieran thought that Seiran’s words, “I cannot afford to be defeated again,” might mean that one of the remaining five arms was the weak point.

It might just be overthinking. Besides, there were five arms left; even if an arm was the weak point, the probability was one in five. But if there was even the slightest possibility—,

The Flame Sword pierced through the blizzard, thrusting straight ahead.

I am betting on this—!

Seiran’s sharp, narrow eyes widened.

“Impossible! Your body itself is supposed to be human—!”

A sword being fired from inside a human body—that was impossible—Seiran gasped, then quickly dodged the sword's trajectory.
The sword of flame passed by the spot where Seiran had been, simply tearing through the air.

"Ugh."

Whoosh...!

Sound, light, and heat. Seiran let out a groan.
A shockwave had struck Seiran directly in the back.

"Distracted by Ciaran's ploy, your back is wide open, Seiran."

It was Silgar. Silgar, who had been pursuing Seiran, had unleashed a shockwave at Seiran's back. Perhaps out of consideration for the impact on Ciaran and Hanakonjo who were nearby, both the power and range of the shockwave seemed to be significantly suppressed.

"Silgar, sa, ma..."

Even so, a large hole opened in the center of Seiran's body, and Seiran let all five arms hang limp.
The sword of flame drew a wide arc, returned, and entered Ciaran's body once again.

Now...!

Ciaran and Hanakonjo dashed through the air.

"The same trick won't—"

Seiran glared at Ciaran's chest. He was trying to read the trajectory of the sword of flame that would surely be unleashed again.
There was a dull sound, and blood sprayed out.

"Wha...!"

An arm danced through the air.
It wasn't the sword of flame. Completely distracted by the sword of flame, and also affected by the damage from Silgar's attack, his vigilance toward the Sword of the Heavenly Wind held in Ciaran's hand had been neglected.
Ciaran's Sword of the Heavenly Wind had sliced off Seiran's middle-right arm.

"How's that, one-fifth...!"

Still holding the Sword of the Heavenly Wind, he looked back toward Seiran.

Before he turns into an egg, I must finish him off for sure—!

What Ciaran saw was a golden light.
Seiran's body began to glow.

"Im, pos, sible... That I... should be deceived by such a person, by such a simple and childish trick—"

Ciaran's prediction had been correct. The arm he targeted was Seiran's weak point.
Ciaran felt relieved, and at the same time, afraid.

The blood of the demon flowing through my veins. The possibility that I might become one of the Four Heavenly Kings...?

Thump. Ciaran's heart pulsed, and cold sweat trickled down his back.
Seiran was smiling. As if he had seen right through Ciaran's secret fears.

"Heh, it seems you have friends among the Four Heavenly Kings and their retainers, but you live among humans, don't you? But with this, will you be able to remain human, or perhaps...?"

Boom...!

He gasped. Seiran, who had been enveloped in light and was losing his outline, had released a shockwave. It was likely the last of his energy, squeezed out before he vanished.

"My audacious dream... to become the king of a new world. I thought I could grasp it, but—"

Seiran narrowed his eyes as if dreaming.

"Heh... I... I won't even be able to see if you become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, which is a pity. Even so, I shall leave my mark, the proof that I lived—"

The shockwave released by Seiran flew toward Kuroretsumaru, his previous target, and the Guardian Army camp beyond it—

"Everyone...!"

Ciaran screamed. He reached out, knowing he could neither reach them nor stop it. Toward the Guardian Army camp where Louie and the others were—

"It would be fine... if everything just turned to ash..."

Seiran wore a faint smile, and along with the four wings that peeled away from his back, he fell to the ground.

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