---

“Sanctuary.”

As Orcus said this while touching the ground, a Golden Aura began to spread out from the earth he touched. The Divine Power that tinged the earth with gold quickly covered a certain area, creating a barrier that blocked the darkness.

However, this only prevented the darkness from encroaching; it lacked the defensive power to fend off the Sword Qi flying toward them from beyond the darkness. As they passed through the sanctuary, the Sword Qi hidden in the darkness revealed itself.

Noel stood in front of Orcus to block the five streaks of Sword Qi coming at them.

The blade of the sword in Noel’s hand was momentarily suffused with a golden glow. She quickly maneuvered her hand to deftly deflect the incoming Sword Qi without difficulty.

After fending them off, the trembling of her hand, which did not easily cease, gave her a slight gauge of her opponent’s skill, but it didn’t scare her. Rather, the fact calmed Noel’s mind, allowing her to make a more composed judgment.

While blocking the attacks, Noel’s eyes were not on the Sword Qi but rather on the source of the assault hidden in the darkness.

A mysterious knight, clad in a steel helmet.

There were no distinct features from the knight’s attire. Light armor and a dark-colored cloak. Most competitors dressed similarly for the tournament, so she observed closely just in case, but could find no family crest.

Still, there was no need to feel disappointed.

This was just a confirmation out of curiosity; from the very first encounter, it was clear which faction this knight belonged to. The strong aversion toward the Divine they possessed could only be rooted in this world.

Before the knight could launch a follow-up attack, Noel took a step forward and charged at the knight.

Did siblings have some kind of unspoken bond?

Instead of being flustered by Noel’s sudden action, Orcus expanded the area of the sanctuary to match her movements. Thanks to this, the spreading darkness retreated completely from the area where Noel’s attack would land, and she poured her strength into swinging her sword at the knight.

The sharp Sword Qi, tempered with a golden aura, swept around her and headed toward the knight.

The ancient trees that had stood vigil in that place for a long time began to split apart as Noel’s sword struck. However, her blade could not cut down what she aimed for, as it was halted by the knight’s approaching sword. Surely weakened by the sanctuary, but the knight’s sword still bore tremendous force.

Noel was not foolish enough to be flustered by a single failure.

When the knight first sent Sword Qi flying at them, Noel swiftly added four more strikes before dodging back.

The knight was not merciful enough to leave Noel alone just because she had entered striking range. Yet, as their swords met, Orcus’s magic was already complete. To escape the deluge of fireballs coming for him, the knight had no choice but to distance himself from Noel.

Once the knight had retreated to a certain distance, Orcus turned to Noel and asked.

“Think we can manage?”

“Not at all. It’s like hitting a solid rock. I thought I was doing my best, but they’re blocking me way too easily.”

“Should we run then?”

“I’m not sure since the enemy hasn’t shown any real strength yet, but at least I don’t think we’re faster than that person. Brother, are you confident in your running?”

“I’m no knight… not at all.”

Orcus replied while looking at the bow still in his hands.

What he had learned from Damian was archery, not how to be a knight.

Even if he used magic, he didn’t believe he could run through the forest at the same speed as Noel. Though he knew of magic that could enhance physical abilities, he also understood that it wouldn’t grant him capabilities on par with Aura users.

If only he could use teleportation, but due to Rune Proud’s characteristics, to use such high-tier magic in the forest, one would need to at least be at the level of a Grand Magus. No matter how much of a genius Orcus was considered, right now, it wasn’t an option.

‘So, is the only option to hold on as is?’

He had left attendants at the camp, but under the current circumstances, he couldn’t guarantee their safety. The rangers who supposedly resided in the forest were no different. Unless the knight was a fool, he would have already eliminated anything that could interfere with his plans.

Fortunately, there was a way to signal others. The issue was whether they would be alive by the time help arrived.

Orcus glanced at Noel, who stood before him.

No trace of fear or panic appeared on Noel’s face. She was so calm and collected, observing the foe before her that it made him forget her usually emotional demeanor.

There had been numerous life threats since she had unofficially been chosen as the next Emperor. Even if protected in the name of the Emperor and the God, a desire for power could blind one’s judgment. Hence, Orcus had developed some resilience when it came to survival.

Having finished consolidating power within the imperial family, Noel was far removed from such intrigues. That was what Orcus had hoped for. Yet seeing Noel like this made him wonder if he had somehow failed in his responsibilities within the palace.

This was likely the first time she found herself in such a life-threatening situation, yet her behavior remained so composed. It was almost as if she had experienced this before. Knowing that Noel had never been involved in palace intrigues, Orcus thought it was both fascinating and commendable to see her like this.

‘What on earth has Damian taught her…?’

Upon reflection, it was clear that Noel had exhibited this demeanor only after meeting Damian.

Just as Damian had taught Orcus archery, he had also sparred with Noel from time to time. She must have picked up something from him during those encounters, though Orcus was unaware of the specifics.

One thing was certain: the Noel standing before him was no longer an immature little sister but a knight responsible for their front line.

He had to provide solid support so he wouldn’t be a burden on her. In this situation, there was no one but Noel who could directly confront the knight.

Orcus began to cast several buffs on Noel while simultaneously reducing the area of the sanctuary. Maintaining the sanctuary alone consumed an immense amount of Divine Power, so with the possibility of a prolonged battle looming, he thought it was crucial to conserve as much Divine Power as possible.

“I’ll prepare to signal the camp, so keep the front for a moment. Don’t charge ahead anymore. From now on, focus solely on holding your ground. The most important things right now are surviving and keeping our position until those who can help us arrive.”

Noel nodded at Orcus’s words.

After delivering this message, Orcus remained silent.

Because just after creating some distance, the knight, who had been quietly watching them, began to move again.

*

As soon as Orcus confirmed the knight’s movement, he shot a fireball high into the sky. The fireball exploded in the air, low enough that its sound was loud enough to reach everyone in the forest.

Seeing the explosion of the fireball, the knight charged toward them with no sign of hesitation.

The knight did not repeat his earlier tactic of sending Sword Qi or manipulating the darkness but instead charged at Orcus and Noel, his sword imbued with Sword Qi. Even though the sanctuary’s effects were still in play, there was no sign of hesitation in the knight’s steps.

Realizing how bothersome the rear guard had become from the short skirmish earlier, the knight aimed his sword point directly at Orcus. Seeing the knight rushing toward him, Orcus promptly spread his defensive barrier and prepared for an attack, but naturally, Noel was the first to step forward.

As their swords clashed, the impact sent shockwaves throughout the forest.

“Ugh!”

“….”

Having already exposed their positions, the knight had nothing left to conceal. The knight struck down Noel’s sword with enough strength to render their previous encounter trivial.

Thanks to the sanctuary and the buffs Orcus had applied beforehand, Noel’s overall stats had improved; however, the knight struggled against the darkness since he couldn’t draw upon it due to the sanctuary’s influence, resulting in a surprising stalemate.

The backlash seemed strong enough that a soft groan escaped Noel’s lips.

Her complexion wasn’t great; it wasn’t because she was physically overwhelmed but because, even with favorable conditions, she hadn’t been able to gain the upper hand.

Keeping a keen eye on Orcus’s suppression, the stalemate didn’t last long.

Noel swung her sword amid the fireballs Orcus launched. While the fireballs were small, their numbers hid Noel’s sword trajectory from the knight’s view. But the knight wasn’t an easy opponent; he quickly located the hidden dagger amid the fireballs.

The crimson aura emanating from the knight’s sword ominously flared up, and the Sword Qi surged forth, erasing all incoming fireballs. Naturally, Noel’s sword was also repulsed by the knighting’s Qi.

As the knight cast aside Noel’s sword, Orcus unleashed an additional wave of attacks, but the knight narrowly evaded them again. The knight’s graceful movements seemed to mock the duo’s futile attempts as if their combined skills were utterly ineffective.

As the distance widened, Noel halted her aggressive approach as Orcus had previously advised and settled firmly in front of him.

By blocking the knight’s advance, she limited her range of activities to within the sanctuary. Ultimately, this turned out to be the right decision. The moment she stepped outside the sanctuary, the knight would unleash the darkness, and it was uncertain what would happen to Noel, who would have to face even a single attack.

Seeing that Noel was unwavering in her position, the knight was compelled to enter the sanctuary to successfully make his attack.

Once inside, Noel and Orcus exchanged glances before launching their attacks first. As before, the knight managed to fend off all incoming assaults, but this didn’t render the skirmish meaningless for them.

“Keep pressing the attack!!!”

Despite seeing that their assaults had all been dodged, Orcus continued to unleash spells without worry. He was exerting immense Divine Power to maintain the sanctuary while continuously casting spells, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he exhausted himself soon, yet his expression didn’t betray fatigue.

Noel, who had been blocking the knight’s attacks since earlier, was no different. Occasionally, a groan would escape her during overwhelming force, but she showed no signs of labored breathing or exhaustion.

That’s because, with their immense stores of Divine Power, both Orcus and Noel had one distinct advantage: their stamina.

The foe before them might be classified as a sort of Holy Knight who also wielded Divine Power, but the total amount of Divine Power was incomparable to theirs.

The healing abilities endowed by their Divine Power kept them from tiring easily. Therefore, they aimed to maximize this advantage.

Having a body that didn’t tire on the defensive side was indeed a significant benefit.

But after clashing with the knight, both realized the truth. The opponent’s skills were overwhelming them, and dedicating themselves to defense put them in imminent danger at any moment.

As the saying goes, “The best defense is a good offense,” so they decided to take the first move and attack the knight.

Both Orcus and Noel understood that no matter how many times they attacked, their combined strength wouldn’t be enough to overpower the knight. However, what mattered to them was not winning or losing. Their goal from the outset was not to defeat the knight but to buy time until allies could arrive.

Their purpose was to shift the momentum in their favor and lead the battlefield in the direction they desired.

Just because they claimed the initiative didn’t mean the flow would automatically lie with them; however, if it led to an unceasing barrage of attacks, the story would change.

“Ha!”

With a vigorous spirit, Noel’s sword grazed the knight’s cloak.

The knight pivoted his body to strike, aiming for the now vacant space on Noel’s right, yet that gap had already been eagerly met by Orcus’s magic. With the knight forced to dodge the continuing assault, he retreated outside the sanctuary. Noel also fell back, and when the knight re-entered the sanctuary, they resumed their attack.

Although the knight’s strikes were undoubtedly powerful compared to the duo’s, that didn’t mean Noel and Orcus were weak. Their attacks were more than capable of threatening the knight’s life, and with the relentless onslaught, it was natural for the knight’s movement to become constrained.

No matter how skilled a knight might be, their life was singular.

Neither side could ignore the other’s attack, so the knight, who was once the aggressor, ended up having to play defense. Of course, he continued his attacks without stopping. It only seemed as though he was retaliating against their assaults.

“Damnit….”

As a result, the knight, who had maintained silence until now, finally let slip a curse filled with emotion. The knight realized that the situation was not favorable for him.

Thus, things seemed to unfold in accordance with their plans.

 

---