――Yugaldo Volakia is a king forced into loneliness.

Before he could even understand the world, he was cursed with the “Curse of Thorns,” rendering him a being that couldn’t allow family or servants to come near him, resulting in a terribly skewed environment for his growth.

Due to his analgesia, Yugaldo was spared from the suffering of the “Curse of Thorns,” and through observing the pained expressions and screams around him, he understood that his very existence was a source of affliction to others, ultimately accepting a life of isolation.

As for the “Ceremony of Selection,” his determination to succeed in it was precarious at best.

Logically speaking, his condition afflicting him with the “Curse of Thorns” would bring too many disadvantages if he were to ascend to the throne and take on the responsibilities of the Volakia Empire.

Even if he could somehow become Emperor, he reasoned, it would be unacceptable for an Emperor never to appear before the high officers of the nation or negotiate with foreign dignitaries.

Thus, at the moment he concluded that he shouldn’t strive to win the “Ceremony of Selection,” Yugaldo set his remaining lifespan until that ritual as his own limit.

Until that age, Yugaldo devoted himself to collecting as much knowledge as possible and fulfilling his royal duties—specifically, the improvement of life and peace for the citizens he was entrusted with.

Yugaldo, afflicted by the “Curse of Thorns” and forced into solitude.

However, even under such circumstances, he did not consider himself unhappy. He held no resentment towards the person who cast the curse upon him, as there was a rational explanation for the “why” behind his fate.

Just as there are those born blind and those with handicaps, he thought, his inability to coexist with others was merely another form of such conditions.

And in a world where those blind, crippled, or otherwise disadvantaged frequently lose their lives, he felt fortunate to be alive, thanks to his royal lineage.

Due to his royal background, even without family or close associates, Yugaldo was able to continue living without knowing hunger. Therefore, he intended to fulfill his duties as a member of the royal family.

Though he felt guilty toward his mother and household, he could not grasp the throne of Emperor. At the very least, he would spend the little time he had left in service to the world that enveloped him.

――And thus, his encounter with her became the greatest mistake of Yugaldo’s life.

It was not because he longed for the throne he had given up on. It was not as if he had forsaken his royal mission.

He merely wished to live.——He wished to live with Iris.

△▼△▼△▼△

The “Curse of Thorns” was placed upon Yugaldo Volakia, and its effect was to enforce his solitude.

But what conditions grant it the maximum effect?

The opposite of loneliness can be described as love. Thus, the “Curse of Thorns” is, at its core, a curse that distances one from what they love.

In other words——,

“My thorn will disappear, and that alone will be the answer.”

Lightly biting the mouthpiece of her pipe, Halibel mumbled as she stroked her chest.

Having betrayed the “Thorn Emperor,” she would soon be known as the traitor in the long told fairy tales, the werewolf and the rodent—herself being the former—saw the thorn vanish from her chest when Yugaldo recognized Halibel as a werewolf, thus eliminating the criteria for the “Curse of Thorns.”

The “Curse of Thorns” does not activate except for those who are loved.

“So, who was affected by the huge amount of love?”

Mixing her exasperation with the purple smoke, Halibel inhaled deeply from the pipe between her lips.

The special tobacco she dropped in the fire bowl burned out in a single puff, filling the unusually large lungs of Halibel with smoke. The next moment, she clenched her teeth and flicked the pipe upwards, her black kimono swaying as she tilted her upper body, narrowly escaping the “Evil Sword” that cut through the shadows.

Amidst the aftershock of the strike impacting the cityscape of the imperial capital, another tall figure stepped in unison alongside Halibel.

These tall figures were all Halibel, identical twins of herself.

However——,

“I’ve seen that trick before.”

The “Sun Sword” swung down from her raised right hand, swallowing the path of the four Halibels in flames.

The blaze was intensely bright, appearing almost white as it cast a curtain across the street, forcing the Halibels to choose between jumping over the flames or circumventing them—but Halibel chose a third option.

“This time, it’s a bit different from earlier.”

Two of the four Halibels advanced, thrusting their palms toward the rising flames.

With a step that cracked the cobblestones, Halibel hurled her palm forth, a strike powerful enough to blow away a mediocre castle gate. It stopped just short of the flames, the resulting gust becoming a tempest that blew the fire away.

Yugaldo’s emotionless mask moved slightly at that strike, but it was too early to be surprised.

Halibel’s latecomers sprang past the two who had advanced and launched their own battering blows directly into Yugaldo’s torso.

“――”

Yugaldo suppressed a cry in his throat as the impact sent him flying backward. Yet he made it shallow. He quickly caught Halibel’s strike with the belly of the “Sun Sword” and propelled himself backward.

Even so, Halibel’s offensive power was not diminished, and what astonishing prowess Yugaldo demonstrated as Emperor, excelling even as a martial artist.

It would be embarrassing to be merely a shinobi in contrast to him.

But this was hardly surprising.

Due to Yugaldo’s condition, he could not rely on his subordinates for self-defense. He had no choices but to protect himself.

“I won’t hold back.”

Without regard for those circumstances, the pursuit of Yugaldo did not slow down.

With a urge to kill the backward inertia, Yugaldo slid his toes along the ground, turned at the sound of Halibel’s voice beside him, and twisted to deliver a slash.

However, the Halibel standing there was immediately showered by the diagonal strike, scattering her fur as she vanished. Another Halibel appeared from directly below Yugaldo, launching a kick upward.

“Mugh…!”

Kicked in the back, Yugaldo was lifted into the air as Halibels lunged at him from all sides. Front, back, left, and right—identical movements of the werewolves came at him, but Yugaldo could not simply stand by. He activated the function of the “Sun Sword” to shatter them.

That is, he caused an atmospheric explosion through super-fast thermal induction, disrupting their movements.

With the “Sun Sword” glowing red hot, the resulting explosion caused Yugaldo’s slash to draw a circle in the air, cleaving through all four Halibels.

Instantly igniting in flames, all four Halibels transformed into beast fur.

In place of them, a powerful elbow strike akin to a battle axe crashed into Yugaldo’s head, causing the spinning Emperor to plummet into the street of the imperial capital, creating a circular crater with a thunderous sound.

As Halibel landed next to that crater, she effortlessly reached out, catching the smoking pipe that tumbled down, nearly colliding with her open mouth.

And――,

“Under normal circumstances, you should’ve died, but fate doesn’t operate that way, does it?”

“——Indeed.”

Amidst the swirling smoke, Yugaldo replied calmly as he looked down at the crater’s center.

To have incurred damage and survived was rather harsh, but since it was as expected, his heart remained mostly unscathed. In this situation, Halibel managed to adjust the evaluations of the “Sun Sword” and “Evil Sword.” While she had deemed the “Evil Sword” more dangerous, the “Sun Sword” had proven to be more than sufficiently formidable.

And more importantly――,

“You’re skillfully manipulating both solid clones and illusory clones.”

Rising from the depression, Yugaldo analyzed the preceding exchanges.

Without confirming if that was correct or incorrect, Halibel licked the blood dripping from the cut on her left cheek and silently accepted his assessment.

“A technique such as this requires training that would make one spit blood to master. You’re worthy of praise.”

“Much appreciated.”

Halibel gave minimal responses to avoid providing unnecessary information, but Yugaldo’s observations were spot on.

Halibel could create two types of clones: mere illusions made of beast fur and genuine clones with full corporeality indistinguishable from Halibel herself.

Combining these methods to confuse her opponents was the essence of Halibel’s combat style, and even the illusory clones had sufficient power to overwhelm most adversaries.

The issue remained that Yugaldo was not just any opponent, and moreover, that his enemy was immune to the very techniques Halibel excelled at—her curses would bear no effect on someone already deemed dead.

As well, Yugaldo’s soul was already under the most potent curses imaginable.

However――,

“If I don’t proceed with what I’ve decided, Ana-chan will scold me.”

Twisting her pipe in her hand, she inserted another piece of tobacco into the fire bowl.

Just like before, she filled her lungs with smoke in one puff, and the sensation of power surged through her limbs confused her mind. Right then, she was set to unleash her next attack against Yugaldo at the center of the crater——,

“This won’t do, you’re too strong. I have no choice but to get serious now.”

In an instant, Yugaldo sprang forth from the crater, raising the “Sun Sword” right before him.

The descending “Sun Sword” was met, at the last moment, with Halibel slipping in to catch not the sword but Yugaldo’s right arm instead.

Immediately afterward, the shockwave from the impact shot through Halibel’s back, slicing through the buildings of the imperial capital, reducing them to scattered ashes and debris.

At this moment, Yugaldo only wielded the “Sun Sword.” The “Evil Sword,” which he had previously held in his left hand, remained embedded in the crater, abandoned.

This had nothing to do with deciding to relinquish a powerful weapon.

“Instead of grappling with dual weapons I’m not accustomed to, I’ll face you with a weapon I’ve mastered.”

“Truly, such a bothersome man, your Majesty.”

Yugaldo consistently took the most irritating moves against his opponent—this was, after all, the nature of a shinobi.

Realizing that Yugaldo was deploying this insight and decisiveness, Halibel pressed the remaining clones forward while imprisoning Yugaldo’s arm.

With palm strikes and kicks, in addition to one Halibel hurling the surrounding earth as shrapnel, they collided against Yugaldo, who obliterated them all with his overpowering sword skills.

In the blink of an eye, Yugaldo dismissed the “Sun Sword” held in his right hand and quickly manifested it again with his left hand, incinerating the compelled charges from the three Halibels surrounding him.

Two of these clones were illusions crafted from beast fur, but one was a solid creation.

While feeling the scent of charred fur, Halibel executed a knife hand, grazing the unfamiliar Yugaldo’s cheek as the intense seconds of their battle began.

△▼△▼△▼△

――Here is an irony worthy of being called a cruel joke by fate.

The “Curse of Thorns” inflicted solitude on Yugaldo, but it did not bring him any pain due to his analgesia. However, even if Yugaldo was free from pain, his body continued to be besieged and influenced by the curse.

In fact, even though young Yugaldo felt no pain, he did feel a suffocating pressure from the curse, which restricted his actions. Such effects, however, were a nuisance to Yugaldo, who had already determined his remaining lifespan and what he wished to accomplish.

It was uncertain, however, how much his mind responded to his body.

Nonetheless, at some point, Yugaldo’s flesh grew impervious to the influences of the “Curse of Thorns,” allowing him to function perfectly in pursuit of his own aims.

In other words, Yugaldo’s body evolved to be capable of managing the constant threat to his life. This was the ironic origin of the strongest Emperor in the history of the Empire.

Yugaldo’s body, which had been finely adapted merely to stay alive, served as the optimal foundation for cultivating his own mechanical diligence.

In a position where he could not employ guards, Yugaldo trained himself for self-defense, gaining talents that continued to grow stronger unopposed.

Though it might be meaningless to hypothesize that the “Curse of Thorns” made Yugaldo strong, his abilities and sword skills could have easily annihilated the “Nine Divine Generals,” even if absent the curse.

Of course, in reality, Yugaldo’s battles mostly involved decapitating opponents suffering from the “Curse of Thorns,” and it was almost the same in conflicts against the “Nine Divine Generals.”

To Yugaldo, fighting was not a contest of skill; it was a form of execution.

“I grant you praise.”

Though not widely known, Yugaldo Volakia was the Emperor who had spoken of such praise the most among all the past Volakia Emperors.

Knowing that he stood on a ground not shared with others and recognizing his distinct position, Yugaldo was unreserved in his commendations for others.

Thus, this was a moment of irony.

The “Thorn Emperor,” who had issued the most praises throughout Imperial history, and the werewolf known as the “Admirer” would clash beyond the realms of life and death.

Yet, in this encounter lingered yet another irony, to be considered cruel by fate.

As stated before, to Yugaldo, fighting held a one-sided nature.

The “Curse of Thorns” ravaged his targets, forcing Yugaldo to confront foes who were neither at their peak nor fully functional; he could only secure his victories by beheading them.

That concept of “battle” for Yugaldo would soon change.

In front of him, this “Admirer,” Halibel—the werewolf unaffected by the curses—opened the door to a new level of conflict.

“Ha—”

With a small gasp, Yugaldo unleashed a flash that stained the world red.

The red blade sliced diagonally through the air, but there was no trace of the tall werewolf in the wake of that strike. Instead of aimlessly casting clones, she shifted entirely to evasive maneuvers.

This was not to buy time; she aimed to discern Yugaldo’s sword techniques.

“Well played.”

His honest admiration seeped into Yugaldo’s heart.

His revived body, despite its unappealing luster, felt remarkable, leading Yugaldo to believe he possessed boundless energy.

Of course, that was not the reality. This body did not exceed the strength he had in life, nor should he desire more than it could restore.

Even in a zombie’s body, pain remained unchangeable.

Thus, Yugaldo stood alone as the protector of this place. Any others, even if zombies, would suffer the curse if they entered its range.

Even if they were zombies, Yugaldo had no intention of unjustly causing his citizens pain.

Above all——,

“I don’t want you meddling in my battle.”

This was fighting. Yes, this was indeed combat.

As Yugaldo and Halibel compared their skills, altering the shape of the imperial capital, Yugaldo poured all his strength into the arm wielding the “Sun Sword,” immersing himself in the rendezvous with an enemy he could not capture.

Awakening a sense of exhilaration as he swung his sword against another, this was a feeling he had never experienced in life or death.

The first life he took was of an assassin who invaded the mansion where Yugaldo lived apart from his family; the man had begged for death as he clutched his chest in agony in the garden.

Since that moment, at seven years old, drawing his sword to kill became synonymous with execution for Yugaldo.

And yet, how exquisite it felt.

Wielding his honed sword skills with full flourish and yet bearing down toward a life that wouldn’t reach him, it was a wonderfully delightful sensation.

“――”

His stab was caught, squeezed between the opponent’s knife hand and knee, shattering his arm. The shock forced the “Sun Sword” from his grip, which vanished midway and was instantly replaced by his unscathed right hand, aiming a sweeping slash.

Yet the opponent slipped under it, moving low to evade, and reached back to deliver a clawing strike aimed at Yugaldo’s side, scraping a hand-sized wound into his waist.

As he turned, hoping to reach the retreating back with the “Sun Sword,” it was instead halted by a striking arm from another clone coming from a different angle, and a simultaneous kick from either side collided at their midsections, sending them both careening backward.

“Half a step.”

Next, he needed to push half a step deeper.

This was something he couldn’t have accomplished just ten seconds ago, yet he was convinced that he could now. This was an endeavor he had never pursued either in life or after death, yet countless new possibilities emerged in his mind.

This was a voracious, yet desperately hopeful growth typical of a zombie.

――The “Curse of Thorns” had enforced solitude, transforming battle into execution for Yugaldo Volakia, robbing him of opportunities to enhance his prowess as a warrior.

He had trained enough for self-defense in his uniquely positioned role, but had not sought beyond that.

Yet now, rapidly and within reach of vast combat experience, Yugaldo honed his skills like never before.

Yugaldo was unaware that the existence he faced was the strongest entity from the Kararagi City-State——in other words, one of the top five powerhouses in the current world.

However, this ignorance fed a gargantuan absorption of battle experience, transforming Yugaldo into an ever-growing force more robust than he had ever been in life.

“Grateful… no, thank you.”

Thus, what spilled from Yugaldo’s mouth was not a simple praise but genuine gratitude.

The lineage of the werewolf, his bitter enemy, stirred sentiments that the living Yugaldo had never experienced. As long as it wasn’t unpleasant, the offerings deserved the proper recognition.

This was from the depths of Yugaldo’s heart.

“Don’t get carried away with your gratitude, I’m the one who’s guaranteed to win.”

Halibel’s utterance, unyielding idle chatter, was irreverent, but her irreverence felt strangely pleasant.

Looking back, it seemed that Yugaldo had rarely experienced any retorts, perhaps due to his inability to fight against the “Curse of Thorns.” Except for those who chose to betray him, only Iris had ever voiced contrary opinions——.

“——My star.”

As Yugaldo murmured this, the werewolf’s form wavered before his eyes.

Combining exceptional footwork with unbelievable speed, Halibel created an optical illusion distinct from her clones. Yugaldo became stimulated by the sensation of a partially diverted focus towards her afterimages.

However, there was no need to be swayed by which was which. The presence approaching from above and on either side sent strong ominous signals converging toward him. Facing this with courage, Yugaldo pivoted.

And with a half step deeper, he advanced further behind.

“You’re reckless to scatter your presences within reach.——Then, the one without a presence must be your actual target.”

“Ugh.”

While the angle was slightly off for a complete swing, the butt of the “Sun Sword” nonetheless dug into Halibel’s side. He felt the sensation of her bones breaking the instant he made contact; Yugaldo instantly activated the “Sun Sword,” heating its blade——the resulting explosion drove the hilt even deeper, shattering the insides.

“Ohhhh——!!”

Yugaldo blasted Halibel backward with an impact that almost shattered Yugaldo’s wrist.

He unexpectedly discovered himself growling as his opponent was sent flying, raising a quiet surprise within him. Within Yugaldo’s sight, Halibel collided with the castle wall, leaving a massive crack from the impact, her tall frame sprawling while bowing her head.

His effort had been intense. He executed the most refined blow he would release throughout life and death.

That sensation was updated during his battle with Halibel; a half step deeper was now within his grasp. Perhaps next time, he could push even deeper.

Or maybe even beyond that, there lay scenery that Yugaldo had never witnessed.

With Halibel’s rising form, he couldn’t help but feel that he might just reach it; thus, he thought, rise, rise, and get back up to the depths of his heart——.

“——I must head for my star. This is where it ends between us.”

He suppressed that feeling of exhilarating ascension and realization as a warrior with his love for Iris.

“――――”

He acknowledged it. The fight against Halibel had been exhilarating.

In every sense, it had been a stimulation unlike anything he had experienced in life or death. He had gained insights into paths he had never let go of in pursuit of self-elevation.

Such a meaningful experience might never be had again.

However, whatever comes of it all.

“Not even for the blink of an eye will I lose sight of my star.”

That had always been Yugaldo’s unwavering belief, regardless of life or death.

Any unknown stimulation or exhilaration could not compete with the understanding of Iris that resided in Yugaldo.

Having sought the throne, despite knowing he should let go, he had realized that if he didn’t strive, he couldn’t extend the time with Iris even for a second.

He obtained the throne in exchange for his selfishness, so even if the time after losing her far exceeded his time with her, he continued to fulfill his duties as Emperor.

Yugaldo Volakia was the Emperor who spent the least time in the Crystal Palace of the imperial capital during his reign.

For much of his life as Emperor, Yugaldo spent almost entirely alone after losing Iris. Contact for the purpose of producing an heir was limited to bare minimums—his life was adhered to for the Empire.

Every other life was spent entirely for Iris.

Thus――,

“——I shall slay you, black werewolf.”

With conviction that no further time was necessary, Yugaldo turned toward the castle wall with the “Sun Sword” at hand.

Then, in a single motion, he attempted to scorch the fallen Halibel——but could not. Just as he lifted the “Sun Sword,” his right arm exploded from his shoulder.

“What?”

Startled by the piercing shock of it, Yugaldo raised an eyebrow. But the peak of surprise lay even farther ahead.——The zombie’s arm began to regenerate.

Shattering his porcelain-like right arm into fragments, the “Sun Sword” plunged into the ground.

And――,

“——Finally, I found your fatal flaw.”

With those words almost sighing from her lips, Halibel began to rise against the castle wall, leaning against it while placing the pipe back in her mouth.

Slowly dropping the tobacco into the fire bowl, she snapped her fingers to light it and inhaled the smoke. Observing this, Yugaldo placed a tentative hand over his irreparable right arm wound.

His right arm, from the shoulder down, had vanished with no sign of regeneration beginning.

It was clear. Yugaldo’s right arm had died again, well before his revived body.

The one responsible for this was the Halibel standing before him, and that was the “fatal flaw” she referred to.

“You have much yet to teach me.”

“Indeed. That’s the lesson I learned first and foremost. I was just about to wipe out the werewolf before your arrival.”

Chuckling lightly, and letting the smoke escape through her nose, Halibel nodded.

Yugaldo found himself impressed more than once by the many skills of this werewolf, though this one was the highest tier. He never anticipated that she also possessed a means to slay zombies—such mastery was terrifying.

“So, just like with my arm, are you capable of extinguishing my life as well?”

“I planned to observe that very notion. It seems a bit challenging, but… well, I might manage, don’t you think?”

“What arrogance, such irreverence. However, I shall forgive you for your impressive skill.”

With his remaining left hand, Yugaldo extracted the “Sun Sword” lodged into the ground and aimed it at Halibel. Though her posture remained leisurely upright, his words revealed defiance, but her demeanor was bold and unyielding; this was no bluff.

She was prepared to face Yugaldo for the sake of slaying him again. Another instance of that malicious presence inside of Yugaldo stirred within, and Yugaldo instantly suppressed it.

He felt the sensation of desire that had eluded him and knew clearly.

Beyond Iris, there was nothing in this world to sate the glow within Yugaldo.

Therefore――,

“——Sixty-first Emperor, Yugaldo Volakia.”

“——Admirer, Halibel.”

Simultaneously naming themselves, in the next heartbeat, the forms of Yugaldo and Halibel vanished, erasing time itself.

“――――”

As the two leaped forward, the ground they kicked off exploded, releasing a cloud of dust in a vigorous display. That explosion propelled Yugaldo and Halibel across several dozen meters in an instant.

In a flash, the world seemingly narrowed, yielding Yugaldo’s blade as it sliced through the air. The crimson slice released at a diagonal stained the backdrop of reality red, albeit late, heat radiated from the blast strong enough to melt stone into liquid.

Yet Halibel made a slight arc of her body to evade the strike, sustaining only superficial burns to her right shoulder and back as she advanced further.

She collided with Yugaldo, her nimbleness granting her an advantage against his flying arms, which she received atop her knee, causing a shockwave to explode between them.

The expanding shockwave blew flames and debris outward, and at near point-blank range, they exchanged fierce attacks. Blade hands met crimson swords, kicks, elbows, body slams, and grappling techniques intertwined, the motion exchanging blows eroded Yugaldo’s physical form.

However, the opponent sustained injuries as well.

Coincidentally, even with arms withdrawn, they were of similar exhaustion levels.

Thus, Yugaldo took a half-step forward, digging in mentally for victory.

“——The ‘Sun Sword’ Volakia.”

Amidst their exchanges, the named magic sword disappeared from Yugaldo’s hand.

It was the supreme sword, capable of being sheathed and drawn freely. He released it, leaving his left hand unarmed, catching Halibel’s knee; their gazes connected.

Ironically, both the werewolf and the zombie shared golden eyes. Seeing through one another, Halibel gritted her teeth as her body reflexively recoiled.

A moment later, the “Sun Sword” emerged from the now-empty sheath.

Utilizing the mechanisms of sheathing and drawing, Yugaldo launched a decisive hit—this was a combat skill he had only just begun to explore, yet it was skillfully avoided.

Yet in that moment, Halibel, thrown off balance, naturally dipped back while resting her hands behind her. The momentum saw her perform a rapid backflip to evade the next cutting strike, dodging it swiftly.

Yugaldo hesitated for just an instant, hoping to prepare for his next strike.

“――――”

Ahead of Halibel’s backflip lay the depression created by Yugaldo’s own impact on the ground.

Into that depression dove a shadow from outside the battlefield——it was Grooby. Grooby Gamuret, who was supposed to have withdrawn from combat, suddenly reemerged with mouthfuls of blood.

Towards that location, he reached for the “Evil Sword” already embedded in the ground——,

“That was impressive bonding.——But.”

A sudden intruder, yet he harshly deemed nothing of it.

From the beginning, Yugaldo knew of Grooby’s existence. It was only natural that Grooby, a comrade, would rally to help Halibel at a critical moment—there was additional logic to understand here.

However, Yugaldo would not allow that. He would surpass that too and gain the upper hand.

“——I won’t let you have the ‘Evil Sword.'”

Winding up the “Sun Sword,” Yugaldo hurled it towards Grooby diving toward the depression.

At that moment, the flaming magic sword surged ahead, enhancing its deadly speed into a streak of crimson light shooting past Halibel, racing toward Grooby.

Even if he had released it, the “Sun Sword” had the power to return swiftly.

After skewering Grooby, Yugaldo fetched the “Sun Sword” back to himself, challenging Halibel once more. Ironically, in this instant, the lack of the sword for himself felt like a light burden against Halibel, strange luck indeed.

Of course, Yugaldo also considered the possibility of an imminent counterattack from Halibel and braced himself. Then——,

“——!”

Straight ahead, the launched “Sun Sword” pierced through Grooby’s diminutive frame.

The blood-red sword punctured the right side of Grooby as he twisted his body. The impact of being stabbed sent Grooby’s eyes wide, forcing him to recoil in utter shock before issuing a scream——,

“——You’ve been caught, you bastard.”

But it didn’t come.

Rather, Grooby, stained in blood, laughed with a spritely mouth, pointing fingers towards Yugaldo.

Such irreverence was unbecoming, yet the unexpected profound sensation struck the edge of Yugaldo’s vision.

Just one step away, the untouched “Evil Sword,” which hadn’t been grasped, suddenly slipped from Grooby’s hand, as if rebounding from the depression.

“I’m cursed by that damned sword…”

The rationale lay outside the realms of understanding, yet it was not uncommon for cursed swords or magic swords to maintain such properties.

As the “Evil Sword” was repelled, it rotated, finding its way to the hand covered in black beast fur, its wickedly glimmering blade swaying ominously.

――Halibel had taken hold of the “Evil Sword,” positioning herself before Yugaldo.

“――――”

In that instant of battle, Yugaldo swiftly recalled the “Sun Sword,” and Grooby’s abdomen turned eruptive with blood as the blade had been withdrawn.

Nevertheless, Yugaldo was determined to wield the “Evil Sword” now possessed by Halibel.

Then, the enormous upward swing released what would be the most supreme strike of his life, eclipsing all techniques Yugaldo had ever wielded in life and after death——,

“You do indeed possess such skill.——If it weren’t for me, you would have been obliterated.”

“What an insufferable boast. But your exceptional craft will earn my forgiveness.”

Despite a lack of alteration in Yugaldo’s expression, his chin lowered at Halibel’s words.

Yugaldo Volakia’s supreme strike met with a rising slash from the “Evil Sword” wielded by Halibel, and Yugaldo’s body was cut diagonally as he was torn apart.

At the same time, the “Curse of Thorns” wound itself around Halibel’s left chest.

That was Yugaldo Volakia’s heartfelt admiration towards the “Admirer,” Halibel, well established without the need for unnecessary words exchanged between the two engaged in battle.