Chapter 186: Kurtz's Indifference
It still floated in the air, but the dark silver on the sword's body had turned a deep red like blood, mixed with ominous dark patterns.
The corruption was complete.
They now had the power to mobilize the massive force of faith contained within El's Light.
"It's done! Hahahaha!"
Grausam could no longer suppress his ecstasy. All pretense fell away.
He moved. Taking advantage of Kurtz and Serie's attention fixed on the holy sword's sudden transformation, he grabbed the hilt of El's Light.
The moment his fingers closed around it, the patterns on the blade ignited with light.
An unimaginable surge of power tore through his arm and into his body.
Intense pain mixed with an overwhelming force instantly consumed him. One mistake, one moment of weakness, and his entire body would rupture from this power. But Schlacht had anticipated this. He'd prepared contingencies.
The holy sword's power was restricted. Most of the faith contained within remained locked in the blade itself. Only a fraction flowed into Grausam's body.
But even that fraction filled him with a sense of command he'd never known.
Kurtz felt a flicker of surprise at Grausam's recklessness.
This demon was ruthless enough to bear the power of faith directly through his physical body—something even Kurtz would not attempt.
If he could master this technique, then perhaps the magical formula of life could...
Kurtz's eyes flickered as he watched Grausam actually manage to withstand the divine power. Lost in thought. Considering.
"Is this the power of the holy sword? It is indeed incredibly powerful!"
"Stop!"
Serie's hand came up, brilliant light condensing into a spear in an instant. She hurled it forward, and it tore through the air toward Grausam's heart.
"Get lost!"
With the holy sword in hand, Grausam's confidence soared. He didn't dodge. He brought the blade down hard, meeting Serie's light spear head-on.
Red sword aura clashed with brilliant light.
Boom!!!
Two terrifying energies collided with violent force.
The light spear buckled, gradually overcome by the red aura, which continued forward with undiminished momentum.
Serie's pupils constricted. She threw up layer after layer of magical shields.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The first shield shattered instantly. The second held. Barely. But the impact still drove her back a step, her face hardening with new respect for the weapon in Grausam's hands. Wielding the corrupted holy sword, he was far stronger than she'd calculated.
"Hahahaha! Do you see, Serie? This is the power of El's Light!"
One strike had repelled the legendary mage. Grausam's euphoria knew no bounds. Could anyone else in this world withstand such power?
His eyes turned toward the silent Kurtz, filled with provocation. "And you! Human, come! Let me see you—"
His words stopped.
Because Kurtz moved.
The moment Serie was repelled, Kurtz was already gone. His figure vanished from its place without warning. His Orger had been unsheathed at some point—no earth-shattering sound, only a faint spatial ripple where it had emerged.
Grausam felt an aura of death settle over him instantly.
It came from behind. Instinct took over. He spun, raising the demonic sword to block—
His arm had only just begun to rise.
Excruciating pain.
A sharp, white-hot line of agony shot through his right arm.
He looked down.
His entire right arm—from shoulder to fingertip—was gone. The holy sword it had held tumbled toward the ground.
And Kurtz stood behind him, a blade gleaming with dazzling light in his hand.
"How is this possible!?" Grausam screamed, his voice cracking with disbelief.
He couldn't comprehend it. What method had this human used? His speed was impossible. Grausam had just gained enough power to repel Serie, and he couldn't withstand a single move against this man?
As his severed arm fell, Kurtz reached out to catch the falling holy sword.
"Don't even think about it!"
Intense pain ignited Grausam's fury.
He detonated the corrupted crystal—the one buried deep within the holy sword's core, still consuming its essence.
Schlacht had prepared for this contingency. If Grausam succeeded in corrupting the sword but couldn't escape with it, the crystal would serve as backup. It contained not only corruptive power but a pre-set teleportation array.
The array would send the holy sword directly to another location. Schlacht would retrieve it from there.
As Grausam triggered the detonation, a sharp crack came from the stone platform beneath the holy sword.
Boom!!!
A shockwave erupted violently from the center of the platform.
It wasn't meant to attack—only to create chaos and distance. The blast pushed Kurtz back several meters.
Then a spatial rift tore open. Grausam grabbed the falling holy sword and threw it directly into the opening.
"Stop!" Serie acted instantly, firing light arrows at the blade, trying to knock it from its trajectory.
But Grausam threw himself in front of the attacks, his body shielding the sword as it passed unobstructed into the spatial rift.
"Kurtz!" Serie shouted his name.
He was closest. If anyone could disrupt the teleportation array and keep El's Light, it was him.
But Kurtz stood motionless, watching silently as the spatial rift swallowed the holy sword and sealed itself shut.
Serie fired several more light spears, but they only passed through residual energy ripples, striking empty stone beyond and detonating in a series of explosions.
"Hahahaha!"
Grausam's laughter was the only sound left.
"You were one step too late. With the holy sword in his possession, Lord Schlacht will be invincible!"
His right arm severed, his body riddled with light arrow wounds, Grausam lay on the ground unable to move. Yet his laughter continued unrestrained, echoing through the basement chamber.
Serie stared at where the spatial rift had vanished, killing intent blazing in her golden eyes.
The sight of Grausam still laughing nearby only intensified her rage.
She turned sharply toward Kurtz, her gaze demanding answers he had yet to provide.
[End of Chapter]
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