Notice of Hiatus: At this point, I can’t deny it to myself anymore. Due to my new job, I no longer have the time and energy needed to devote to translating this series anymore, so this is my official notice of hiatus. I do still hope to come back to this series in the future should my schedule settles down, and I may even be able to produce the occasional sporadic chapter on a free weekend, but this is the end of regular updates for the time being.
Thank you for all your support.
“Bang bang bang bang bang-!”
Up in the air, the rain of light formed of the tiny meteors fell, exploding upon Katarine’s form.
Only, as time progressed, the rain of light showering down had increased by quite a bit in both quantity and power, turning more like a carpet bombing of artillery, causing more and more violent explosive sounds.
Shien stopped holding back. He raised the power of [Flying Star] to its maximum to try to stop the princess of the Empire’s advance.
However, perhaps because [Flying Star] is only a beginner level spell and the fact that it lacked destructive power, the rain of light falling from the sky never did manage to do any harm to Katarine, so she managed to successfully reach Shien.
“[Divert]!”
Katarine, who broke through to Shien, once again chanted an extremely short incantation and switched the imitation Holy Sword’s effect.
As the imitation Holy Sword’s light shifted, this time, Katarine was no longer covered with the holy radiance that weakened damage. Instead, the light transformed into raw power, greatly increasing her might.
“This time it’s the level increase, huh?”
Shien saw through it with just a look, and he immediately brought up his Holy Sword in a block.
“Clang!”
Katarine’s imitation Holy Sword transformed into a strike like a flash, slamming into Shine’s Holy Sword, once again creating sparks.
Only, unlike the previous strike, the force of the attack this time was extremely strong and persistent.
Shien couldn’t help but take half a step back, letting Katarine push her advantage.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…!”
With the sound of a sword cutting through the air, Katarine swung her Holy Sword with absolute calm, sending flashes of cuts at high speeds to cover Shien’s entire body.
Shien saw those countless flashes of sword strikes, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Katarine’s attacks.
Katarine’s cuts were extremely fast and clear. There were no tricks, feints, or flourishes. Instead, it was a kind of swordsmanship that was direct in its purity of intention in killing its enemy. It’s something that differs from most average swordsmanship at the most basic level.
Actually, in Katarine’s skill section, her [Two-handed Sword] skill is only level 5, something far from the max leveled Shien and quite a bit in distance even from Lucy and her level 8 [Two-handed Sword]. However, Katarine had learned a skill called [Flash Sword], which is level 7.
This [Flash Sword] seems to be a kind of advanced weapon skill. Compared to normal weapon skills, its focused on strengthening a certain specific part, which is why it’s so powerful.
Normal weapon skills like [Two-handed Sword] gives the person who learns is some very common and general sword techniques. Basically, it’s something that’s average in all respects, without any kind of specialization nor any particular flaws. It’s techniques that seek to gain victory steadily.
Skills like [Flash Sword] are different though.
These kind of skills will generally greatly increase one aspect, making that aspect stand out a great deal, to an extent far exceeding that of any normal technique.
Take [Flash Sword] for example. It’s a skill that focuses on killing the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible. It’s focus on killing its enemy as fast as possible, and it’s incomparable in that aspect, allowing anyone who learned the skill to quickly and efficiently cut their foes down as mightily as a tempest and as fast as a flash of light. Anyone who lets down their guard against it for even a moment would definitely be beheaded and die without even being able to perceive the cut that did it.
However, advanced sword skills like this would generally also have a flaw to go along with their specialization.
Katarine’s [Flash Sword] is no exception. It focuses on the speed of its strikes but abandoned all defense as a demerit.
Thus…
“Whoosh!”
Shien’s figure suddenly vanished from Katarine’s sight in a flash.
The countless slashes landed where Shien was just a second ago, but they struck nothing but air.
“What!?”
Katarine reacted with alarm as she witnessed Shien disappear right before her.
However, at that moment, Shien had already reappeared right next to the Empire princess.
“Clang-!”
The Holy Sword struck suddenly, once again causing a gong like clash to ring out.
“Gah…!”
Katarine was only barely able to raise her imitation Holy Sword up in a block, but the impact of that blow was such that her arm went numb. She let out a grunt as she was foced back several steps.
That’s the proof that her defense was inadequate.
Otherwise, Katarine wouldn’t have been forced back so many steps.
“[Enchant – Explode].”
Shien mercilessly cast magic at Katarine as she was forced bac.
“Boom-!”
The air that got enchanted with the concept of explosion immediately swelled, exploded, and transformed into an enormous blast of blazing flames, swallowing Katarine.
However…
“[Divert]!”
The light from the imitation Holy Sword shifted once more, its effect changing again.
“Buzz!”
The air shook as scarlet magical energy emitted from Katarine’s imitation Holy Sword and settled into a blade of magic power. The sword was then raised high up into the air and was swung down.