My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 252

252. Feint to the East, Attack to the West (1)

Kwarururung!

Darkness trembled intensely.

Swirling black lines ravaged the landscape.

Durak, opposing the darkness, detonated his mana.

Kwaaaaaaa!

Durak’s mana dyed the surroundings in a deep blue, but the darkness did not disappear.

The power of aura reaching the upper levels of a Master.

However, Cian’s darkness did not yield to that power.

The darkness merely swallowed Durak’s aura.

Like something of a higher dimension.

Complete darkness descended. Within the deep darkness, Cian’s sword emitted a jet-black light.

Appearing as if embodying black lightning.

The black lightning, wielded in the darkness, resembled black lightning striking down.

Kwakwakwang! Kwarururung!

Thunder roared. Hundreds of strikes followed in an instant.

It shook the space with sound alone, detonating thunderclaps.

Indeed.

Durak muttered quietly.

And he acknowledged it. Simultaneously, he erased a thought.

A thought deep within his heart—that it could never be, that he could never acknowledge it.

He erased such a narrow-minded thought.

As the thought vanished, the existence of Cian disappeared from before his eyes.

Durak no longer faced Cian.

A powerful figure of equal standing.

Only *that* existence was before his eyes.

Durak’s aura changed entirely.

Anger subsided, and cold reason took its place.

The detonating mana was refined.

The wildly swung sword moved along a fixed trajectory.

More efficiently, more sharply.

The immense power he had drawn forth was unleashed towards Cian.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

The colliding forces shook the space. The darkness scattered amidst the shaken space.

Cian staggered amidst the scattering darkness.

Strong. Definitely different.

Mana amplified by the elixir.

Senses amplified by Megingjörð [a belt from Norse mythology that doubles the wearer’s strength].

Destruction and Immortality enhanced to the transcendent level.

Yet, was Durak still Durak?

He could not overwhelm Durak.

He could push him, but he could not completely dominate him.

The continent’s number one sword. The one who reigned above all knights.

Durak was called the strongest among all the knights of the continent.

Therefore, pushing Durak was already a remarkable feat.

However, the situation did not allow for such sentiments.

Cian subtly lowered his gaze.

Durak’s hand was visible in his downward glance.

And the relic was not to be seen.

Durak had been holding it until just now, but it was now nowhere to be seen.

He turned his gaze forward again and expanded his senses.

He could feel the power of the relic not far away.

At the same time, he could also sense someone’s presence beside the relic.

Kai Elandur.

Kai was guarding the relic, watching this fight.

Strange.

Cian could feel this instantly.

Cian knew Kai’s level.

He not only knew his level but had also crossed swords with him directly.

Of course, it was quite a long time ago.

Just as Cian had grown during that time, Kai must have grown as well.

But it was strange.

To be precise, it was abnormal.

A figure that looked like Kai, but not quite Kai.

He didn’t know why.

Cian found Kai’s presence more unsettling than Durak.

“Form ranks! Do not retreat!”

“How dare these things…!”

The sounds of fierce battle echoed around them.

The war waged by Ruben and the White Wolf Knights continued.

But Kai did not step forward.

Even as the White Wolf Knights continued to be at a disadvantage, he did not step forward.

Kai was merely observing Cian and Durak’s fight with calm eyes.

Cian gritted his teeth.

Looking at the current situation alone, Ruben was at a considerable advantage.

First, Cian was pushing Durak.

Also, Lucas and Ruben’s forces were pushing the White Wolf Knights.

If things continued like this, victory would be on their side.

However, thinking about it calmly, the reality was not so.

The advantage they had now was an advantage gained through .

And the duration of was only 10 minutes.

Once 10 minutes passed, the buff would disappear.

Therefore, they had to end this fight within 10 minutes.

“Advance the lines…!”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

But it wasn’t easy.

Even with the buff, the potential of the White Wolf Knights could not be ignored.

Once 10 minutes passed, the situation would completely reverse.

However, it was impossible to completely suppress the White Wolf Knights within 10 minutes.

Then there was only one way.

‘End it here first.’

Kai was unsettling, but there was no choice.

There was no room to conserve strength and watch the situation.

Saaaaaaa!

Darkness surged from Cian’s entire body.

The surging darkness spread, dyeing the entire world.

“……!”

Durak’s eyebrows twitched.

This moment, facing Cian. This space where Durak was standing now.

An unknown sense of incongruity emanated.

Durak unleashed his power and slashed at the darkness.

But it could not be cut.

The wielded power, the sword, the mana, were all swallowed by the darkness.

The premonition grew stronger.

The premonition that he might die here.

That ominous premonition intensified.

He had to stop it. He had to suppress that power right now.

But what on earth….

Just then.

Flash!

With a burst of light, a streak of blue light rushed towards Cian.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

The darkness that had bloomed with the explosion that seemed to collapse space scattered at once.

Cian was seen staggering and faltering amidst the scattered darkness.

He wondered what had happened for a moment.

“Please forgive me for disobeying the order to protect the relic.”

Kai’s voice flowed out, cutting through the darkness.

#

“No!”

Aria shouted without realizing it.

The war between Ruben and Elandur.

And the fight between Cian and Durak.

Aria watched their fight and couldn’t help but be thrilled.

*Is that… really human?*

Cian and Durak.

That was an impossible martial prowess that could not be considered the same as humans.

And Cian was slightly ahead.

It was only a small difference, but Cian was clearly pushing Durak.

But that was only for a moment.

Kai’s sudden intervention.

Cian’s figure staggering back.

Aria drew upon her divine power and rushed forward.

“No, Saintess!”

Laura’s urgent cry was heard from behind.

But she didn’t care. She had to help Cian right now.

Aria could only think of that.

“Count Cian told you absolutely not to interfere!”

But Laura’s cry was heard again.

Aria’s movements stopped abruptly.

“If the Saintess interferes….”

Laura couldn’t finish her sentence.

But Aria knew what it meant.

Because Cian had strictly instructed her.

This was a war between Ruben and Elandur.

It was something that the Saintess of another country could not and should not interfere with.

Of course, it was happening outside the borders of the Empire.

But there was enough room to make an issue of it.

Aria regretted for the first time that she belonged to the Holy Empire.

If only even a demon had intervened.

Then Aria could have stepped in without any problems.

The situation would be more complicated, and things would be more difficult than now, but Aria would have enough justification to step in.

But now.

Kwaddeuk!

Aria could only clench her fists in frustration.

#

“Cough…!”

Red blood gushed from his mouth.

Damn it.

Cian gritted his teeth.

He had been thinking that Kai might step in.

However, his first thought was to quickly subdue Durak.

He had considered the possibility that Kai might step in depending on the situation.

But he didn’t expect it to be like this.

Kwaaaaaaaa!

The remnants of the scattering darkness.

Kai’s blue aura was shining in the midst of the raging storm of darkness.

Even though it was a sneak attack, he hadn’t expected this.

He didn’t think it would break through the power of darkness.

Equal to Durak. Maybe even more.

Otherwise, the phenomenon was simply inexplicable.

But did that make sense…?

It was something he couldn’t easily believe. Even though he had crossed swords directly, even though it was the reality before his eyes, he was bewildered.

The last level Cian had seen of Kai was mid-Master.

Of course, a lot of time had passed since then.

But it hadn’t even been a year. He had set foot in the upper realm in just a few months?

Impossible. He could say that with certainty. Impossible.

Master early stage and mid-stage.

One stage of the Master level was not just a simple stage.

It was a realm that he might reach even if he worked hard for the rest of his life.

But Kai had surpassed that realm in just a few months.

Strange.

To be precise, it was abnormal.

Cian couldn’t shake his impression of Kai.

Kieeeing!

A strange sound was heard from one side. Before he could turn his gaze, flash! Light burst out and something rushed towards Cian.

The strike that the sound could not keep up with did not allow him the time to step on the Ghostly Shadow Steps [a movement technique].

Cian detonated his magic and swung his sword greatly.

Jjeoeong!

A deafening roar. Durak’s sword was blocked by Cian’s sword.

Blue light burst out between the touching swords and burned fiercely.

A sense of pressure was felt as if pressing down on the Sword of Annihilation.

“We will attack together.”

The pressure was further increased by Kai’s quietly heard voice.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

The time of night that had come receded.

The darkness scattered and disappeared in the blooming blue light.

Thud.

Cian jumped forward, squeezing through the gap.

Numerous sword strikes poured down on Cian’s front.

The combined attack of Durak and Kai.

The combined attack of the two Masters could not be followed with the eyes or recognized with the senses.

Kwajaxajaxajaxak!

The space in front was completely scratched.

The countless sword strikes were smashing the space itself.

There was no gap to escape. There was not even space to evade.

It was impossible to even react.

But he didn’t avoid it.

Kwareureureureung!

Thunder roared from the Sword of Annihilation.

Black lightning swirled and ominous power gathered.

The power of the demon dwelling in the Sword of Annihilation.

The seething darkness burst out like a wave and collided with the preceding sword strikes.

Kwaaaang!

The vision was shaken and the space exploded.

No, was the vision shaken because the space exploded?

“Cough…!”

He couldn’t know which one it was, nor was it important.

Cian staggered and stepped back greatly.

The blood that had risen to his throat finally poured out of his mouth.

It won’t work.

Cian could make a quick judgment.

He could not overcome the combined attack of Durak and Kai.

In the past, Cian had overcome the combined attack of Roswell and Nathan.

But this was not it. It was on a different level from those two.

Comparison was impossible.

‘If I receive Muriel’s Blessing….’

Then it would somehow be possible. A buff that increases the physical abilities of the achievement holder by 7,000%.

If he received that buff, he could withstand the combined attack of Durak and Kai.

Currently, [Effect 2] was being applied, but he could switch to [Effect 1] and receive the buff even now.

But he couldn’t do that.

If that happened, Ruben’s soldiers would be in danger.

Ruben’s soldiers, who had lost their buffs, would not be able to defeat the White Wolf Knights.

Even if he could somehow deal with Durak and Kai with Muriel’s Blessing. He couldn’t handle what came after.

More than anything, time was running out.

The duration of [Effect 1] was only 1 minute, and a significant portion of that had already been consumed by [Effect 2].

‘I don’t know how much time is left,’ Cian thought.

‘Even if I switch, the remaining time will be tight.’

And even now, time continues to slip away.

There’s no room to spare. No time to waste.

If this continues, everyone will perish.

So, I have to make a choice.

I have no choice but to do it.

“Lucas!!!”

Now is the time for a desperate gamble.

Lucas didn’t respond.

He was currently engaged in combat with Aaron.

Even with the buff, he didn’t have the leeway [ゆとり, yutori – breathing room, mental space] to answer.

Perhaps he didn’t hear Cian’s words.

But there was no time to dwell on that.

‘I can only hope Lucas heard me,’ Cian thought.

“Run away with the soldiers, now!!!”

Lucas’s movements faltered.

Fortunately, he seemed to have heard Cian’s command.

But he hesitated, delaying his response.

“Don’t hesitate!!! Move, now!!!”

Cian shouted again, and only then did Lucas act immediately.

He disengaged from Aaron and turned away without hesitation.

“All troops! Cease fighting and retreat!!!”

Lucas commanded the soldiers, initiating a hurried retreat.

The soldiers, initially flustered, quickly followed Lucas, turning their backs and retreating.

And, as expected, the White Wolf Knights gave chase.

“There’s a limit to how much you can underestimate us.”

“Do you think we’ll let you escape so easily!”

Aaron and the White Wolf Knights pursued Lucas and the retreating soldiers.

Right then.

Kwaaaaaaa─!!

A whirlwind of dark energy split the space between Ruben’s forces and the White Wolf Knights.

Demon Soul Asura Sword.

Form 1.

Extremity (極) [Kioku – Pinnacle, Zenith] – Asura Heavenly Slaughter (修羅天殺) [Shura Tensatsu – Asura’s Heavenly Massacre].

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Kkwaaaaaaaang!!

The eerie roar shattered the entire space.

The scenery was bisected and collapsing.

It was impossible to approach through that terrifying power.

Aaron and the White Wolf Knights were forced to halt their pursuit.

“Go quickly!!!”

Cian’s shout cut through the chaos.

Lucas moved without delay, approaching Aria.

“You must escape now!”

“But Cian!”

Aria remained rooted to the spot.

The opening Cian had created provided ample time to escape.

But not Cian. If they escaped like this, Cian would be isolated.

And that would mean certain death.

No matter how strong Cian was, he couldn’t possibly survive alone.

Right now, Cian was sacrificing himself to save everyone else.

Aria understood his intentions, making it impossible for her to move.

But.

“It’s the Lord’s command! You must escape now!”

“Then Cian will die! How can I abandon Cian… !”

“Trust in the Lord!”

Lucas shouted with unwavering conviction in his eyes.

To any observer, the situation seemed hopeless.

It was clear that Cian was sacrificing himself to ensure the safety of Ruben’s people.

But Lucas, and indeed none of Ruben’s soldiers, seemed to share that sentiment.

They possessed an unwavering belief that Cian had a way out.

A conviction that he would definitely return alive.

The soldiers were retreating without hesitation, following Cian’s orders.

Aria clenched her fist.

Her heart still wrestled with the decision.

But.

“Don’t die! If you die, I’ll really kill you!!!”

Aria finally turned and fled.

#

‘If you die, I’ll really kill you!!’

Aria’s voice echoed in Cian’s mind.

‘How can you kill someone who is already dead?’ he mused.

‘Surely she doesn’t mean to revive me with divine power and then kill me.’

It was a joke that would have been quite funny under different circumstances, but unfortunately, Cian didn’t have the leeway [ゆとり, yutori – breathing room, mental space] to laugh.

“How foolish,” Durak’s voice boomed from nearby.

The Extremity (極) [Kioku – Pinnacle, Zenith] – Asura Heavenly Slaughter (修羅天殺) [Shura Tensatsu – Asura’s Heavenly Massacre] had been unleashed to create an escape route for the soldiers.

Thanks to that, the soldiers were able to retreat safely.

But Cian had to bear the consequences alone.

Swaeeeeek!!

A sound of tearing through the air.

By the time he registered it, Durak’s sword was already upon him.

Kai’s sword was also closing in from the side.

Of course, Durak and Kai wouldn’t simply let Cian go.

They hadn’t stood idly by while Cian created an escape route for the soldiers.

Cian had been forced to leave himself wide open.

The backlash from Extremity (極) [Kioku – Pinnacle, Zenith] – Asura Heavenly Slaughter (修羅天殺] left him weakened.

Cian lacked the strength, the power, and the leeway [ゆとり, yutori – breathing room, mental space] to block Durak’s incoming sword.

Crack─!

Durak’s sword finally reached Cian’s neck.

And Durak was certain that it was over.

Tteeeeong─!

Until this sound echoed.

A sharp pain shot through his fist from the resounding impact.

‘What…?’ Before he could even process it.

Tteeeeong─!

Kai’s sword, following close behind, also failed to sever Cian’s neck.

Durak and Kai’s swords stopped short, unable to penetrate Cian’s neck.

“······!!”

“······!!”

This couldn’t be happening.

The Master’s Aura Blade was an absolute power, capable of cutting through anything.

The only thing that could block it was another Aura Blade.

It couldn’t be stopped by such weak human skin.

‘Would it be possible for a dragon that went extinct a long time ago?’

No, he shook his head firmly.

It might be possible to overlay it with a separate shield magic.

But not like this.

Even a dragon couldn’t block an Aura Blade with bare skin.

An Aura Sword might be possible, but not an Aura Blade.

And not just once, but twice.

This couldn’t be happening.

But how was this happening now…!

Undisguised shock was etched on Durak and Kai’s faces.

And of course, human skin couldn’t block an Aura Blade.

The last dragon, Karze, couldn’t block an Aura Blade with just bare skin.

Nevertheless, the reason Cian was able to block the two Aura Blades wasn’t much different.

『.』

『[Effect] – When activated, nullifies all damage inflicted on the wearer for 5 seconds.』

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Transcendent Equipment, Immortality’s Transcendent Skill.

Cian twisted his body, seizing the fleeting moment, and propelled himself forward.

The flustered expressions of Durak and Kai were clearly visible.

Cian twisted his body and clenched the Sword of Annihilation in his hand.

Another transcendent skill residing in Annihilation.

『.』

『[Effect] – Immediately after activation, the damage dealt by the wearer is increased by +200% for only once.』

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‘Now!’

In an instant, Cian’s eyes snapped open.

From his flashing eyes, jet-black darkness poured forth.

At the same time, a powerful suppressing force gripped Cian’s body.

Cian shook off the force suppressing his entire body and detonated the power of 魔 [Ma – Demon, Evil].

Kwaaaaaaa─!!

An indescribable power erupted from Cian’s entire body.

The soaring darkness swallowed everything around it, dyeing the world black.

“······!!!”

“······!!!”

Clear bewilderment was etched on Durak and Kai’s faces.

Horror arose on the faces of Aaron and the White Wolf Knights.

The sight of Cian now.

The enormous power erupting around him.

It was stripping away Cian’s human form.

That’s… that’s…

He was no longer a human living in the same world.

It was unbelievable that he was the same human being.

A darkness darker than darkness itself.

A fiend more vicious than any demon.

There was no thought of resisting.

Resistance was meaningless.

Before that wondrous power, before that distant, unreachable existence.

They didn’t even dare to contemplate confronting it.

Right then.

Flint!

Cian’s body trembled violently.

The chilling death throes felt by his senses.

The hairs on his body stood on end, and a fatal instinct screamed a warning.

Instinct dug into the depths of his skin, creating fear.

Hideous malice bloomed in all directions.

Slowly turning his gaze, he saw a woman standing there.

And she was the woman from Cian’s memories.

【What the… .】

Helen, the ill-fated woman who promised to be with Semir for life but was possessed by a demon.

And the demon that possessed Helen.

【You… you… .】

The Demon of Sloth, Nurbia.

Nurbia was staring at Cian in astonishment.

Her shaking eyes betrayed her fear.

【How did you obtain this power…!!】

Nurbia shouted as if seized by a fit.

Soon, crimson magic power erupted from Nurbia’s entire body.

Madness that seemed to be squeezed from every single cell.

It painted the darkness blood red.

In the complete curtain of darkness where even the twilight was hidden.

As if painting over the undulating darkness, thoughts swarmed in pitch black.

It was a fleeting moment when she arrived after hearing the news that they had found the holy object.

But the situation she now faced caught Nurbia off guard.

Especially this power she felt now.

The darkness visible before her eyes.

It reminded Nurbia of a nightmare from the past.

But, it’s different from last time. It’s on a different level than before.

It was like a nightmare from a thousand years ago… . It reminded me of that.

Nurbia’s malice boiled over.

‘I have to kill him. I have to kill him here.’

‘I don’t know how the situation has unfolded.’

‘But the current situation seemed quite unfavorable to Cian.’

So now.

‘I have to kill him here.’

【I’ll kill you!!!】

Nurbia rushed forward, scattering terrible malice.

Cian gritted his teeth.

‘I don’t know why Nurbia is here, and suddenly at that.’

‘But now is not the time to worry about that.’

‘I have to change the plan. Change the flow of thought.’

‘By now, Ruben’s soldiers should have run far away.’

《 [Effect 2] is being applied!》

《Remaining duration of [Effect 2] (3 minutes 1 second)》』

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《Would you like to change the effect?》

《When the effect is changed, it cannot be changed again until it is recast.》

Cian pressed the Y button without hesitation.

Firmly.

《Muriel’s Blessing [Effect 2] has been changed to [Effect 1]!》

《All physical abilities of the achievement holder are increased by +7,000%!》

《The duration is reduced in proportion to the remaining time of [Effect 2]!》

《Remaining duration of [Effect 1] (19 seconds)》

Muriel’s divinity flooded his entire body.

Cian’s world shattered, and time seemed to stop.

Beyond the realm of cognition.

‘I can’t control the raging power of transcendence.’

‘I can’t control this immense power.’

But it didn’t matter. There was no need to control it.

Because every being in sight was an enemy.

However, the backlash and aftermath after this were unavoidable.

But now was the time to act.

Cian slowly swung his sword towards the scene before him.

A single slash (斬) [Zan – Cutting].

A single thrust (衝) [Shou – Piercing].

A contradictory single strike that should not be possible.

Thus unfolds the hellscape (地獄圖) [Jigokuzu – Hell Painting].

The outline of the world collapsed, and everything turned into 魔 [Ma – Demon, Evil].

Demon Soul Asura Sword

Form 1

Asura (阿修羅) [Ashura – A type of powerful demigod in Buddhist cosmology]