Volume 3 Chapter 188

Volume 3 + Chapter 188: Charge!

“Holy Sword Balmung…!”

The False Sword Saint muttered under his breath, summoning the holy sword and gripping it tightly in his hand.

The look in his eyes as he stared at the Human Sword Saint was already overflowing with hostility and killing intent.

In the past, he had once been inspired by the heroic deeds of the Human Sword Saint and resolved to become a hero himself.

But reality had dealt him a cruel blow.

No matter how hard he tried, it was difficult even to advance to a Gold-ranked adventurer in the Adventurers’ Guild, let alone help struggling humans like the true Human Sword Saint.

Perhaps the Goddess of Fate truly took pity on him, for he was given a chance to change his destiny.

He encountered an opportunity—the Half-blood Project—and even became a miracle within that project.

He abandoned his original name, his original appearance, his original identity…

He buried his former self, all to fill the vacancy left by the Human Sword Saint, to become a hero who would guide humanity.

That was the memory that allowed him to survive, and the only meaning his existence had in this world.

His dream had already come true, and he could even control his draconic transformation, freely wielding great power.

But why—why did the Goddess of Fate play such a cruel joke on him at this moment, letting the Human Sword Saint who had died return to life?

The False Sword Saint saw the Human Sword Saint there, basking in admiration and worship…

Wasn’t this supposed to belong to him?

After enduring so many hardships, why could he not obtain this?

The Human Sword Saint’s return had completely negated all the effort he had made up to now.

No one—absolutely no one—could take away the meaning of his existence.

“Wh-what is that guy trying to do?”

“Ah!! Everyone, get back!!”

“His expression is all wrong!!”

A few people finally noticed something strange about the False Sword Saint. Seeing his twisted face, they couldn’t help but cry out.

“Teacher, watch out!!”

Hill also sensed the danger and quickly shouted a warning, wanting to shield the Human Sword Saint.

Because at this moment, the Human Sword Saint had no holy sword in his hand.

The Holy Sword Gram was still up ahead, pinning the witch to the ruins—he was unarmed.

For a swordsman without a weapon, what that meant went without saying.

“Out of the way!!”

The False Sword Saint raised the Holy Sword Balmung and used sword aura to force Hill back.

The oppressive killing intent carved a path through the crowd, directly toward the Human Sword Saint clad in golden armor.

“The dead should stay sleeping below! Do not set foot in the world of the living!”

The False Sword Saint did not hesitate in the slightest. His emotions had completely spun out of control as he raised the Holy Sword Balmung and slashed fiercely at the Human Sword Saint, aiming for a vital spot.

Only…

Clang.

The Human Sword Saint raised his hand and blocked the Holy Sword Balmung with a single bare hand.

“What?” The False Sword Saint’s face showed an expression of complete disbelief.

The strike overflowing with killing intent had actually been blocked barehanded.

That golden armor seemed to have stopped the sword aura completely.

At the same time, the Human Sword Saint revealed a strength beyond comprehension, clamping the Holy Sword Balmung within the gauntlet so it could not move an inch.

Clearly, the False Sword Saint was a half-blood, possessing strength beyond that of humans—yet he was being completely suppressed one-sidedly.

“Move, Balmung!!” The False Sword Saint roared in anxious fury. “Why aren’t you moving!!”

He had only one thought now—to pierce the Human Sword Saint’s body with the Holy Sword Balmung and send him into the world of the dead.

But things did not go as he wished.

The Human Sword Saint raised his other hand, clenched it into a fist, and smashed it toward the False Sword Saint’s cheek.

Boom!

This blow carried real force, distorting the False Sword Saint’s face. His head buzzed and went blank from the impact. Even the body of a half-blood could hardly withstand such power.

He struggled to grip the Holy Sword that symbolized the Human Sword Saint—but…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Human Sword Saint landed several more punches in succession. Under the barrage, the False Sword Saint staggered and swayed.

He was beaten so hard he had no power to fight back. He didn’t even know when he had lost his grip on the Holy Sword.

The Holy Sword Balmung fell to the ground.

“No… don’t take it away… my meaning…” the False Sword Saint gritted out through his teeth.

Next, the Human Sword Saint delivered another punch, slamming into his abdomen.

Urgh!

The False Sword Saint’s stomach churned violently, almost making him vomit.

He clutched his belly, his whole body trembling, his breathing chaotic, his vision blurring.

He had been utterly crushed. The other party didn’t even bother to use swordsmanship, and yet already stood far above him.

The False Sword Saint raised his head, staring at the tall figure before him clad in golden armor.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think the first words from the one he once most admired would be so cruel to his soul.

“Imposter. No matter what means you use, you can never become me.”

The Human Sword Saint’s words completely shattered the belief the False Sword Saint had clung to all this time.

His eyes widened in shock as he stood frozen on the spot, his face pale, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. The holy mark on his hand dimmed, and the Holy Sword Balmung lost its radiance.

“Now then…”

The Human Sword Saint began to contemplate something.

He no longer had the slightest interest in dealing with a clown. Instead, he raised his hand.

If this was truly the Armor of the Human King, perhaps it might have this function.

In the Age of Myth, the Human King possessed divine authority and could grant divine blessings to humans through the power of faith.

Just now, the Human Sword Saint had demonstrated overwhelming strength before everyone’s eyes and gained their worship—perhaps this could be considered faith power. If so, then through the Armor of the Human King, he could grant blessings to humanity.

Why not give it a try?

“Everyone, now is the time to repel the calamity!!”

The Human Sword Saint’s voice rang out loud and clear, stirring hearts as it reached everyone present.

“All of you—fight together!!”

From the Armor of the Human King shot out golden particles of light, which fell upon the humans present.

The result was truly unexpected.

The humans who received the golden particles showed obvious improvement in their strength, and their fighting spirit surged rapidly.

Although it couldn’t compare to the true divine authority of the Human King—it didn’t bring about such an exaggerated leap—it still granted a significant boost.

Even Biden, who had been completely drained, regained his vigor.

The others as well picked up their weapons once more, gathering around the Human Sword Saint, no longer feeling fear.

“Aaaahhh!!! Aaaahhh!!!”

At the forefront, Albert even tore off his clothes, stripping down, then grabbed his twin swords and, facing the calamity legion, roared in a voice like thunder.

“I’m charging!!!”