The two swordsmen, filled with fighting spirit, awaited their opponent's move.
Sekke and Zoro continued their standoff, neither willing to make the first move. Zoro tried to gauge the strength of the human who had been massacring Soul Superiors without any difficulty.
Sekke, on the other hand, was thinking about why Extase was not able to cut through the fake Zoro's sword.
'Vritra.'
"What is it, my other half?"
'You told me he was at the eight-to-ten-winged-angel level, right?' asked Sekke.
"Yes," replied Vritra.
'Are you sure? I feel like my mana level is slightly higher than his. The weaker opponents we fought before him had more mana than me,' asked Sekke, feeling confused.
"…I think you may not have noticed because it happened so suddenly, but the little stunt you pulled when you fought back against the attack that tried to tear apart your body and mana has made you significantly stronger, even in your normal state. Get familiar with this strength soon, my other half," explained Vritra.
'Getting stronger after a "heavenly tribulation"… I'm a cultivator.'
Laughing at his own thought, Sekke let himself go unguarded for a heartbeat before focusing back on the man in front of him.
"This is becoming tedious — waiting for the opponent's move. Let's attack simultaneously," suggested Sekke as his grimoire started flipping.
"You really have no idea of the gravity of the situation," said Zoro, a frown on his face.
"I understand the situation. However, I don't fight this cautiously unless necessary. Now then, on the count of three, I'll attack," replied Sekke with a smirk.
Zoro grew serious once again and prepared to intercept Sekke.
"One… two… three… Dark Lord incoming!" yelled Sekke, and he ran toward Zoro.
Zoro didn't even blink; he simply focused on the incoming Dark Lord.
[Sword Soul Magic: Whispering Wind]
A new sword materialized in Zoro's hand as a faint green flow emanated from it.
Sekke's eyes glowed for a moment as mana gathered in Extase. Zoro's expression hardened as he charged mana into his two swords.
[Silent Air Slice]
Blades of wind launched from both swords and intercepted each other. Sekke smirked—his attack easily cut through the wind blades and continued moving toward Zoro.
This time, however, Sekke frowned; he felt no change in ki from Zoro.
'What the hell is he thinking? Does he want to die?' thought Sekke; even a child could tell the flying slashes he fired were dangerous.
Sekke's eyes widened in shock as the flying slashes struck the man but did absolutely no damage.
"What in the fucking hell is this?! How come Extase isn't even damaging you?!?!" yelled Sekke, stopping in his tracks and pointing at the swordsman.
"You really don't have the necessary awareness during a fight," responded Zoro with a frown.
Still reeling from the lack of damage, Sekke was too late to register the mana shift around him. Immediately, the hand holding Extase fell to the ground, spraying blood everywhere.
"…"
Sekke looked at his neatly sliced hand and then at the fallen arm before shifting his gaze back to Zoro, who now had a new sword in his hand.
"Let me give you some advice on how to act during a fight," said Zoro, stabbing his sword into the ground.
[Sword Soul Magic: Earth Split]
"1) Never lose your cool during a fight."
The ground beneath Sekke split apart, forcing the Dark Lord to jump—only to see his legs chopped off as well.
"2) Don't just stand around because of some injuries."
Sekke's other hand was neatly chopped off, and he fell into the crack that had opened beneath him.
"3) Don't piss off someone who is way superior to you."
Zoro looked at the limbless human with a cold expression, materialized a new sword, and raised it into the air.
[Sword Soul Magic: Blaze Slice]
He swung, sending large amounts of flame toward Sekke. The Dark Lord did not even flinch.
[Wind Debuff Magic: Vacuum]
The flames heading toward Sekke were immediately extinguished. Sekke—missing his limbs—smirked at the swordsman.
[Body Debuff Magic: Damage Transfer]
Zoro watched in surprise as Sekke regrew his lost limbs in an instant. That surprise curdled into shock as Zoro fell to the ground and realized he had lost his own limbs.
"Let me give you some advice as well, Zoro-impersonator," said Sekke, summoning Extase as the sword flew back into his hand.
"1) The Dark Lord is simply superior—don't tell me what to do and what not to do."
"2) Just because you injured the Dark Lord doesn't mean you're safe."
"And for my next advice, I think you might have heard this one," Sekke said as he stood over Zoro. "3) Never rile up someone who clearly outranks you."
Sekke swung his sword at the fallen Zoro.
Ting!
A loud ringing sound occurred the moment Sekke's sword struck Zoro, who looked at him with a mocking expression.
Sekke stared at Extase in disbelief. Zoro didn't hesitate; he launched a magic sword at Sekke, sending him flying.
"So, Dark Lord—feeling humbled yet?" asked Zoro as a giant sword appeared below him and carried the limbless man into the air.
Sekke grabbed the sword that had sent him flying and threw it back at Zoro, who simply controlled the sword again and made it hover nearby.
"What trick are you using? It ain't magic," asked Sekke.
"Hm? Are you sure that it's not magic? Seems pretty magical to me," Zoro said in an amused tone.
"I would've cut through you if it were magic. Extase is not some average sword," responded Sekke, serious.
Zoro looked at Sekke for a moment, then at Extase—his eyes and mouth widening in disbelief.
"That sword… I cannot read it," replied Zoro.
"Don't you look at my Extase with that indecent gaze!" warned Sekke, then began thinking again.
He wanted to know why his sword wasn't working. He could clearly see that the impostor wasn't immune to magic or physical attacks—Sekke had seen magic earlier that had wounded the man, and punches and kicks thrown here and there had connected. Something about Extase's interaction with the impostor was different.
"How can such a worthless sword with not even a voice do that much damage?" Zoro asked, gazing at the sword in Sekke's hand with disbelief.
"What did you call my Extase just now?" Sekke demanded, his anger rising rapidly.
"My magic is called [Sword Soul Magic]. It lets me call a magic sword corresponding to each opponent whose soul I've claimed. It also lets me hear the voices of weapons that are… well, excellent. Seeing that I can't hear a voice from that trash sword of yours, you should understand what I'm trying to say," explained Zoro.
"Is this bastard for real?" asked Sekke in disbelief.
"Hey, don't be sad. After I kill you and claim your soul for my new sword, I will personally break that waste of metal with the sword made of your soul," Zoro said with a smile.
Ting!
Not even a second later, Sekke launched at Zoro at full speed and full power and slashed across Zoro's neck—only for it to cause no damage once again.
"Hey, stop it. You'll break this trash swor—" Zoro began in a mocking laugh, but he stopped mid-sentence when a loud noise sounded behind him.
Turning his head, Zoro looked around—and saw the forest, the temple, and the mountains hundreds of kilometres away being sliced in half, falling and causing destruction everywhere.
"Listen here, bastard. Don't you dare think that you will be leaving here alive."