Chapter 4

“…We meet again, Lux wright.”

The man unmistakably directed animosity and ill will towards me, but seeing his state, I couldn’t help but worry and wonder, ‘What happened to him?’

I could barely discern that he was an assassin who had recently attempted to take my life and failed.

Yet, his appearance, including his attire, was tattered, akin to someone who had been mauled by a rabid dog.

Still, those crazed eyes were firmly fixed on me.

His expression was somewhat dim and nebulous, yet there was also a hint of delight.

Clearly, something was amiss.

It was as if, even to an ordinary person like myself, it was evident that he had lost his sanity.

“You are.”

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? Yes. My name is— Ah, damn it! Damn it all! Who cares about that!!!”

Abruptly, he rakes and tugs at his hair, then glares at me with bloodshot eyes.

Terrifying.

It was only natural that I had never experienced being stared down with murderous intent by a man who, though appearing human, had a beastly visage.

Yet, I understood that showing my back and fleeing in this situation would be unwise.

I crouched down, lowering my center of gravity to be ready to act immediately.

“You, you! I’ll… I’ll kill you… Kill!!”

In an instant.

Tremendous ominous magical power surged from the man’s body, and in his hand was grasped a massive battle axe with a menacing appearance.

Cracks resembling blood vessels pulsated with a reddish glow, overflowing with magical energy.

I was able to understand the abnormal weapon and the man’s abnormality because of my knowledge from the original work.

That is… a demonic sword.

The insanity birthed by the ‘Thirteen Steps’.

“Disappear!!!”

The man’s form blurs.

Swift, too swift for the eyes to track, yet…

I anticipate his intentions, driven by primal instinct.

Indeed, I manage to leap back in time, narrowly dodging the swinging axe’s fatal blow.

Boom!!

“G-g…!”

The shockwave, or perhaps that was the primary assault, hits with such force that it gives me pause.

A shockwave, and a gaping crater forms at the impact site.

While I couldn’t entirely evade its force, the damage to me isn’t severe.

Ironically… the assailant who unleashed it suffers greater harm.

“Giggi…!”

Blood spurts from his arm, his body convulsing.

Yet, his quivering arm refuses to relinquish the axe, instead tightening its grip.

“Ah, Aaaaah!!”

He leaps, swinging once more.

The attack is repetitive, yet the devastation it causes is remarkable, rapidly altering the park’s landscape.

This is dire, but fleeing would only exacerbate the damage.

And leaving the man unchecked to exhaust his fuel is unwise.

So━━

“Dieeeee!!!”

Buon!!!

The battle-axe hurtles with unbelievable momentum.

I dodge dramatically as it streaks towards me like lightning, then charge towards the now unarmed man.

….Given the circumstances, it will likely continue to wreak havoc until its demise.

To liken it to a suicide bomber would be an understatement; it’s an incomparably potent force.

I know only one means to neutralize it.

“Holy sword, draw forth!”

The aurora, radiance akin to midday, coalesces in my hand.

Seething.

—That heat, indeed, is an icy flame meant to extinguish life.

Truly, and then.

The silver straight sword gripped in my hand.

—Durandal, to cleave.

“Guh, ugh, aah”

Ripped asunder by a diagonal cut, his body is engulfed in pure white flames.

Likely, his form remained for less than ten seconds.

In the blink of an eye, what was once a man vanished, leaving behind only the ravaged park and its aftermath.

“—Wow, wow, things sure got wild.”

And there comes Nein, the boy.

I felt relieved he wasn’t caught up in the battle, but still offered a “That’s good” to him.

“What went down? Seriously, it’s like a meteorite just crashed down outta nowhere.”

“Well, a lot happened.”

“Man, you’re really bad at keeping secrets, huh?”

After a wry smile, Nein stops pushing with a ‘Well, alright then.’

“Well, Lux-san’s got his own stuff going on, yeah. Didn’t expect it to be on this scale though.”

“Same here. Didn’t think I’d be knocking on death’s door.”

“Yet you seem pretty chill about it.”

“Well, I wonder about that.”

Sure, I could take out enemies at that level no problem, but still, I can’t just brush it off like it never happened.

Snuffing out life’s flame.

To call that “easy” would be, naturally, a stretch.

“……”

Neon City.

A city where the sun never sets, overrun by evil.

Can I still wield my sword and take on great evil?