――Called the “Praise Giver,” Halibel is renowned as the strongest in the Kararagi City-State.

　Even among the Four Great Nations, no shinobi surpasses him, and even Roswaal, the strongest shinobi of the Empire, bitterly acknowledges his prowess. He boasts achievements that place him alongside equal notables such as the “Sword Saint,” “Mad Prince,” and “Blue Lightning,” earning his title as one of the strongest in each nation.

　However, there is one significant difference between Halibel and the other three: he claims to be a masterless samurai, unaffiliated with any nation.

　While the “Sword Saint,” bound by treaties, and the “Mad Prince,” imprisoned as a national traitor in the Northern Tower, have their respective positions, even the “Blue Lightning,” notorious for his self-centeredness, has standing.

　Only Halibel, the “Praise Giver,” is a free man without a title.

　Of course, Halibel holds gratitude and a sense of belonging towards his homeland. When serious issues arise in Kararagi, he might take on inquiries or requests for resolution. However, he despises the idea of being owned by anyone and used as a pawn in trade or negotiation.

　――He sides with those he wishes to help and remains indifferent to what does not interest him.

　This is Halibel’s motto as the strongest, and because of his fickle nature, opinions about him are extremely divided among those who know him.

　一 side claims, “You all will be fine even without me. You’re wonderful!” while the other insists, “It’s impressive that you can control a guy like me. You’re amazing!”

　Regardless of the side, he casually expresses admiration, and thus he became known as the “Praise Giver.”

　Naturally, this isn’t the only reason for his name, but maintaining an objective perspective when evaluating any person or act is how Halibel conducts himself.

　And thus――、

“Hey, what a nasty shinobi there is. —Lacking love, huh?”

With smoke wafting from his pipe, Halibel spoke without a trace of praise.

His tone dropped slightly, carrying a tinge of annoyance that those who knew him would find shocking given his rare display of displeasure.

Halibel himself had no fondness for the undead, yet he couldn’t help but admire the effectiveness and scale of the skill displayed by the enemy before him.

However, as he observed the opponent in front of him, not a hint of admiration surfaced.

“――――”

With thread-like eyes barely opened, Halibel gazed at the opponent in question — Yugaldo, who had discarded his tattered coat and now bore an unbelievable famous sword in one hand.

Just moments ago, he had been fiercely battling Guruby, one of the Nine Divine Generals, making him a challenging enemy entwined with more than mere skill.

As Guruby, blood smeared on his face, wiped his mouth and spoke,

“Hey, Ade…”

“No need to force yourself to talk. I can see the same thing you can. —I only heard that child wanted to leave it to a curse specialist.”

As he stroked his chin, Halibel recalled the boy who had named him as one of the Fourth Peaks.

This boy had earned a measure of respect from Vincent and gathered immense trust from those around him for his judgment. Anastasia even urged others to respect his opinion as much as possible.

He had been entrusted with dealing with an opponent known as an expert in curses, said to divide the outcome of the great battle in the imperial capital. Halibel, having boasted before Anastasia, was determined to display the strongest abilities of Kararagi to the fullest.

“This was unexpected…”

Both Halibel, caught off guard, and Guruby, observing, had their attention drawn to the same point.

Their focus was on the left chest of Yugaldo, where a translucent, toxic vine — the “Curse of Thorns” that was indiscriminately spread throughout the vast imperial capital — was entwined, a reality that brought them great concern.

From this strange fact, two possibilities emerged.

One was that the “Curse of Thorns,” in its indiscriminate nature, also ensnared Yugaldo, the caster himself, confirming a truly indiscriminate curse.

However, Halibel was inclined to consider the other possibility more likely.

That is――、

“Hey there, subhuman, answer my question.”

Finishing his inspection of his regenerated right hand, Yugaldo called out.

Naturally, the one receiving the piercing gaze was Halibel, the sudden intruder. When Halibel pointed to himself in surprise at Yugaldo’s question, Yugaldo nodded deeply.

“If my assessment is correct, you are a werewolf, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m a werewolf… It’s tough being me, especially with Volakia acting up. I feel like I could just wither away!”

“I see. —I see.”

Though it was a joke about extinction, Yugaldo quietly nodded, seemingly confirming it, leaving Halibel puzzled by his demeanor.

In the presence of the undead, Halibel had no like for their existence, but he found himself impressed by the remarkable skill and scale of the enemy’s ability.

But the reaction of the opponent before him stirred no feelings of admiration whatsoever.

“――――”

With eyes like thin threads opened ever so slightly, Halibel looked upon the state of Yugaldo — the very enemy who had just been challenging Guruby, adorned with an incredible sword in one hand.

The troublesome presence that was more than just skilled also coiled around his soul.

The same view led Guruby, wiping his blood-streaked mouth, to state,

“Hey, Ade…”

“Don’t force it. I can see the same thing you are. —I’ve only heard that kid wants a curse specialist to deal with it.”

Halibel found his thoughts drifting back to the boy who had coined him one of the Fourth Peaks.

He was respected by Vincent and gathered immense trust from those around him for his sound judgment. Anastasia even urged the others to hold his opinions in high regard.

Having boasted extravagant things to Anastasia, who had high expectations of him, Halibel was pumped to show off the strongest prowess of Kararagi without fail.

“This was unexpected…”

Both Halibel and Guruby shared the same line of thought.

Both were fixated on Yugaldo’s left chest, where a transparent, toxic vine — the “Curse of Thorns,” indiscriminately spread throughout the vast imperial capital — was now entangled, confirming the fact they had been pondering.

From this bewildering fact, two possibilities emerged.

One was that the “Curse of Thorns” indeed had indiscriminately ensnared Yugaldo, the caster himself, confirming the correct meaning of an indiscriminate curse.

However, Halibel leaned more towards a second possibility.

That is――、

“Hey, subhuman, answer my question.”

After confirming the sensation in his regenerated right hand, Yugaldo threw his voice.

Naturally, the one who felt the piercing gaze was Halibel, the sudden intruder. When he pointed to himself at Yugaldo’s question, Yugaldo nodded deeply.

“If my assessment is correct, you’re a werewolf, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m a werewolf… Being from Volakia really sucks, especially with this discrimination everywhere. I might as well vanish!”

“I see. —I see.”

Yugaldo, having delivered a heavy extinction joke, was only met with silence. In contrast, Halibel, feeling strange agitation from his unexpected demeanor, hinted at bemusement.

Halibel himself had no favorable impression of undead, although the impressive spell and scale, along with the enemy’s skill, left him a bit impressed.

Yet when confronted by the present foe, admiration simply could not crop up.

“——”

With eyes like threads, Halibel subtly adjusted his gaze, looking over at Yugaldo, who had tossed aside his tattered coat to show off a truly unbelievable famous sword.

Just before this moment, the tough adversary had been clashing with Guruby, one of the Nine Divine Generals, proving its worth as more than just good in skill.

With that same thread-like gaze, Halibel assessed the state, fully intrigued by what such a superstition must have meant.

“Oi, Ade…”

“Don’t strain yourself speaking. I can see the exact same thing you do. —As for that child, only expert curses are in question here.”

Stopping to stroke his beard pensively, Halibel remembered the young boy who had dubbed him as one of the Fourth Peaks.

He had far surpassed what Vincent had set expectations for, finding immense trust from everyone around him thanks to a profound understanding. Anastasia had downright urged acceptance of his opinions in every manner she could.

That young boy had been tasked with dealing with the threat of an expert in curses, purported to divide the fate of the capital’s showdown, and having anchored proud legacy behind the child, Halibel was excited to finally unleash their strongest powers across Kararagi.

“This is completely unexpected…”

Both Halibel and Guruby were united in focus.

Both gazed intently at Yugaldo’s left chest, where a translucent poison ivy, the “Curse of Thorns,” had haphazardly grasped its way across Yugaldo, now threatening to consume him in its hold.

From this odd standpoint, two perspectives unfolded.

Both contemplated whether Yugaldo being affected by the spell meant that he was rather occupied himself — one sure way to note that he’d walk away unscathed.

However, Halibel was more attuned to the second theory. That is――、

“Hey here, subhuman — you’re under my scrutiny now!”

Yugaldo affirmed by the touch of his right arm, casting a short questioning glance directly at Halibel.

“Of course, seeing me here after things just started to settle, is another story… However…”

“Thus, growing more interested in who it is just feels redundant. If you think that deciphering the mysteries rests here, you’re mistaken.”

“You put forth your assessment error, wise one. I shall claim my position in this land unhindered.”

“This is ridiculous! What makes you think you can just gauge what the head instigator lays out so easily?”

With careless display, Yugaldo thrust his sword down from above, aiming for direct line through Halibel, offering a punch to the face.

He isolated every shred of weakness there, aiming to assert ground rather than wrestle mathematical probabilities with brute force deceptive of half-considerably winning against Halibel.

Nevertheless, those thoughts became clouds obscured against the skilled shinobi it was truly aimed for.

“Rregigitiggggr—”

“URgh!!”

To strike! In a flash of violent force through intimidation, he charged forth, scarcely a glimmer matching the evil radiance emanating around him.

“Wrong move! I won’t let anyone get hurt here!”

Both Yugaldo and Halibel began to exchange the tug and release of savage fighting until they began slipping unpredicted blows through tempo even as Halibel moved aside.

“You’ll find it difficult to ensure the rest of your kind will endure through my reign!”

“Among good reason, that possibly seems self-serving as a concept!”

“This is merely textbook retort as a facsimile! You push too hard —!”

“Foolishness! Do you even hear the warnings attributed by gazing into their depths?”

“Some frivolous get-togethers, so clearly boons upon such stalling defenses, merely renders courts less competent against my very existence!”

And as the clashes forged between both stances, the fulcrum shifted.

“ORRRRR”

“Dodge! No more vacant gestures for your shield!”

Both thrust forward in each other seize, divining backgrounds only carrying ill intentions.

“YUGALDO, SHRODD!”

“SWING like secret tongues into the depths of despair by rights!”

With opulence surrounding both pages spiraling around, the sight of divine glory remained defiant even past partisans.

The cascade sparkled through graceful arcs towards foreseen grief and anticipation.

“Put him down!!!”

On high roads new foundations rang across vastness, gleaming bright light as combatants beseeched counter-check fight!

“URRRRGHH!”

Through ambush overwhelmed in twist pistols glowing against old folklore and brandished promises of foes that would arise!

“Your efforts are futile against me! You seek bloodlust to even engage!”

“Pesky riddles of folly play false claims, do they?”

Although diverged schemes turned rampant at best, near defeat held also tightly guarded.

“I refuse!”

“In decline here as proof against fortune means you no longer matter!”

Whether obtaining a response or not crumbled as magnitude essence sweeping edges lured doubt.

“You treated yourselves insufferably, moving sans validation of ooze among livid hiding frailty?”

Yet before any final strikes could commence, Yorugado merely churned away, mingling vigor transcended with passionate collision!

“Shall we acknowledge at all the fortresses you’ve cast aside? No, standing still merely survives!”

“Let them come!”

“That’s bravado tricking you, boasting upon destruction! To meet humble alchemists of their kingdom without compensation in veils??”

The following pang provoked through dark steel matches across the domains where heroes would tread.

“Leave, be gone! We require clearance!”

The demolitions of combats transmuted between enmities long tradition sought to quell.

In progress people, the hurdles and figures both spread as if heard through echoes grandeur on full gallops worth anticipating.

“No matter anything, by becoming extended here guard faithfully!”

“Only fresh contents would fly free…”

Every motion rolled forth remained unmoved.

“Oh, as ponderings may make His face blush…!”

Sustained many pull with uncertainties!

Looking back inbound had signaled words seemed wiser, “Just you wait! Soon, vanish shadows grow!”

“I won’t lose!”

Yoral encumbered lips as pendants derived entwined might grasp suffers drawing personalities throughout, kindling a sight flawed intention summoned to drear!

“But is this so surely the happy ending” achieved!

The paths retreated, rather vicious expectations delivered were still spooling days, where every ambassador handling met here would signify mere offenses yet done before.

“No more excuses!”

“You’ve merely lost your way. Thus, Slash the itch right where it roost!”

By sounding off vaguely each servant across burning, Hallybel held one quick back again with stricken confidence while tearing everything bound now alike against the storm!

Direct outreaches beckoned brighter spirits of old tongues once brought through deep in hands!

“Ah—it’s enough…”

“What more must I do?”

“Enjoy your demises nearby please!”

—

Walking toward the end would reside preface rejection for events soon trembling ahead be done.

“`

 

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