Chapter 272: "Twin Wings" Edelweiss!
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The dazzling white figure lightly lowered the twin swords held in both hands, gazing straight at Luke with those moving eyes of hers.
"Judging by your expression, you should have recognized me."
Her voice was elegant and beautiful, like a song, echoing beside his ears.
And just as she said, he knew the identity of this pure and flawless Valkyrie before him.
"In this world, anyone who is a swordsman couldn't possibly not know you."
Luke looked at that sacred white outfit and the twin swords that resembled wings. With such clear symbols, there was no way he could mistake her.
The end point of all swordsmanship in this world, the one standing at the peak of the world—the "world's strongest swordsman."
The name of "Twin Wings" Edelweiss could be said to be known by every swordsman.
Because her strength was simply too powerful, the League had even directly given up on pursuing this "most evil criminal in the world," who had countless ties to the Rebellion.
However, the reason Edelweiss herself had become a criminal was somewhat special. She was not actually some vicious, evil person.
"Good. Since you know my identity, what comes next will be simple."
Edelweiss nodded, then continued,
"There is no grudge between you and me. Originally, I should not be standing in your way."
"But I was entrusted by someone, so I have no choice."
"I have no intention of fighting you, but from now until the commotion in the distance disappears, you need to stay here. You cannot go anywhere else."
There was not the slightest trace of fighting intent on Edelweiss.
That was only natural. After all, she was the genuine "world's strongest."
The so-called Seven Stars Sword Art Festival was probably no different from children playing around in her eyes.
What qualifications did a student knight still studying at a Mage Knight Academy have to make Edelweiss raise her fighting intent?
"You also do not need to worry."
"I can guarantee you that neither the 'Crimson Princess' nor the 'Failed Knight' will be in danger of losing their lives."
Edelweiss, who had been defined as "the most evil criminal in the world," was actually very kind.
From her words, one could tell that she did not want to hurt Luke. She had given him every reason not to fight.
The obstruction of the strongest in the world. His friends would not be in trouble. As long as Luke was willing to wait here for a while, everything would be resolved safely.
She could even chat with Luke and give him some guidance in swordsmanship.
One had to know, the opportunity to stand face-to-face with the world's strongest swordsman—even if it was only to say a single sentence—was a dream countless people longed for.
Edelweiss liked children very much. She could not bear to hurt any young boy or girl who was still growing.
In her eyes, they were the future of this world, the most precious treasures of this world.
So she gave Luke the right to choose. As long as he obediently stayed here for a while, she would not make a move.
However, Luke's answer was to summon the Starfall Sword.
"From the very beginning, I was never worried about Ikki and Stella."
"Whether it's intuition or trust, none of that matters anymore now."
"From the moment you appeared before me, I have had only one goal!"
A smile. An extremely happy smile.
Edelweiss looked at the boy's joyful expression, as if he had found a treasure he had dreamed of obtaining, and asked in some surprise,
"You really are strange."
"Since you already know my true identity, why summon your Device?"
"You are an excellent swordsman. At your level, even without exchanging blows, you should be able to distinguish the gap in strength between you and me."
"Under the pressure of the aura I deliberately released, you cannot even display thirty percent of your strength. Are you planning to throw your life away for nothing?"
He could not win.
Luke himself understood this better than anyone.
Just as Edelweiss said, under the cover of her aura, even if he merely wanted to move, he had to use all his strength to do so.
That was not a simple aura.
In order to make him retreat after realizing the difficulty, Edelweiss had mixed something else into her aura.
That was the realm after "Intent"—Domain!
What currently enveloped Luke was precisely the sword domain belonging to the world's strongest swordsman, "Twin Wings" Edelweiss!
Inside her sword domain, ordinary swordsmen could not even raise the thought of fighting.
It was a despairing gap, enough to leave a shadow over someone's entire life.
Facing the question from the world's strongest swordsman, Luke did not speak.
He only hung Starfall Sword at his waist, then took his stance.
Then, a violent sword intent that soared into the sky answered Edelweiss in place of words!
Edelweiss looked at the young man before her in surprise.
That ultimate sword intent, which had instantly broken through the blockade of her sword domain, made her take notice.
A swordsman's sword intent was the best interpretation of the conviction they held in their heart.
Luke had used sword intent to break through her sword domain.
Even though it was because Edelweiss had not used her full power, that was already enough to explain everything.
A faint interested smile appeared on her breathtakingly beautiful face.
The pure-white swordswoman lightly leapt down from the treetop, landing without making the slightest sound.
She seemed to descend gracefully upon this place as if flapping wings.
Edelweiss's action was equivalent to pulling the trigger.
The instant she landed, Luke seemed to hear a wail from the depths of his heart.
His body, instinct, mind, soul—everything about him was warning him at this moment.
He could not win!
He would definitely die!
There was not the slightest chance of victory!
Without a doubt, he would be killed!
As the world's strongest swordsman raised her fighting intent and revealed hostility, enormous pressure swept toward him like a storm covering heaven and earth.
Facing this incomparable tension, feeling the warning of death directly before him, Luke knew that the battle he had long awaited had finally arrived.
This time, no one would appear to interfere with him again.
"I am the unreachable summit and the end, the one who split heaven and earth with twin swords."
"My name is 'Twin Wings' Edelweiss."
"Young man, you shall personally come to understand the vastness of the world."
Edelweiss's declaration ignited the battle intent surging in his heart.
Luke stepped forcefully against the ground, and his entire body turned into a streak of light as he instantly attacked her!
With this strike, Luke had almost used his full power.
Because he knew that the pure-white swordswoman standing across from him did not need him to hold back.
Prana was mobilized to its limit, and the radiance of burning magic power lit up with it.
A storm of sword energy swept through everything around them, and violent sword intent gradually condensed.
Under the effects of several completely different powers, the speed and force of Luke's strike were raised to the extreme in an instant!
Starfall Sword suddenly left its sheath. With only a flash of starlight, this sword approached Edelweiss.
Ultimate: Amakakeru-Ryū-no-Hirameki!
However…
Clang—!
The clear sound of crossing blades echoed beside Luke and Edelweiss's ears.
Immediately following it was a violent shockwave that destroyed everything!
Boom—!
Along with violent tremors and roaring sounds, the small mountain beneath Luke and Edelweiss's feet was directly carved open, leaving behind a massive crater that took out about one-third of it.