Death Aura

Ethan and Esdeath both had their strengths in battle.

When it came to hand-to-hand combat, Esdeath was far superior. She was faster, stronger, and more skilled in close-quarters fighting. If they fought without weapons, she would easily dominate him.

But when it came to sword skills, Ethan had the advantage.

And when he used sword arts, his advantage became overwhelming.

Unlike in a normal world where sword arts only meant better precision, accuracy, and technique, this world had powerful, destructive sword arts that could change the tide of battle in an instant.

In his previous life, Ethan had become a mercenary. Years into the future, he traveled to the Kingdom of the Awakeneds, where he discovered a hidden inheritance by sheer luck.

That inheritance belonged to Neil Azurelion, a legendary swordsman.

From it, Ethan learned the Azurelion Sword Style—a powerful sword art with six forms. However, in his current condition, he could only use three.

This meant that if Esdeath wanted to win, she had to survive three breathtaking attacks.

The Battle Continues

Ethan gripped his sword tightly. His gaze locked onto Esdeath as he prepared to unleash his sword art.

"Azurelion Sword Style—First Form!"

He swung his sword in a smooth yet powerful horizontal arc.

"Mountain Cutting Slash!"

A crescent-shaped sword wave shot out from his blade.

At first glance, it didn't look particularly flashy. But anyone who truly understood swordsmanship could see its greatness.

It carried years of training and effort—proof of Ethan's mastery over the technique.

Esdeath's expression changed.

She knew that once Ethan started using his sword arts, he wouldn't stop until all three were unleashed.

She had no choice but to go all out with her defense.

Taking a deep breath, Esdeath activated four essence stones at once.

- Rank C - Five Leaf Myriad Fragrance Essence Stone

- Rank D - Phantom Shield Essence Stone

- Two Rank D - Vitality Essence Stones

She wasn't taking any chances.

"Defensive Killer Move—Five Myriad Leaf Phantom Shield!"

At once, a red flower cocoon formed around her.

The cocoon pulsed with mystical energy. Then, without wasting a second, it bloomed into a massive, glowing five-leaf flower. The petals had a phantom-like appearance, flickering between reality and illusion.

But Esdeath didn't stop there.

"Wind Shield!"

A green aura wrapped around the flower, adding another layer of protection.

The shield was stronger than ever.

BAM!

Ethan's sword wave crashed into it with immense force. The ground beneath them cracked once again. It had been repaired earlier by the awakened healers, but now, it was damaged all over again.

Esdeath gritted her teeth as she poured her mana into the shield, doing everything she could to resist the attack.

But instead of fear, a wide smile appeared on her face.

"Ethan only has a C-grade ESR talent. Once I survive all three sword arts, he won't have enough mana left to continue the match!" she thought.

But the real challenge was surviving all three. There was a high chance she would lose before that.

One leaf from the shield broke. Then another. The third followed quickly.

Just as the fourth leaf began to crack—

The sword wave vanished.

It was over.

Ethan didn't stop.

"Azurelion Sword Style—Second Form, Sword General!" he declared.

Unlike the first form, where he unleashed a powerful slash, the second form didn't attack—it strengthened him.

His aura grew wilder. His hair turned completely white, lightning sparking through the strands.

His sword was now surrounded by a thick layer of aura, extending its reach by nearly forty centimeters.

He looked majestic, almost like a battle god, as his sword transformed into something closer to a heavy blade.

The audience watched in stunned silence, eyes wide in shock.

Esdeath didn't bother keeping up her shield—it was almost shattered anyway.

She didn't use her sword either.

Instead, she charged forward, directly engaging Ethan in close combat.

Her hands were covered in black gloves, looking like some kind of artifact. But in reality, they were her ZK-20 firearms—modified into melee weapons.

Esdeath had greater physical strength than Ethan. Her punches were heavy.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

She directly clashed with his sword, blocking and striking with brute force.

She left no opening for Ethan to counterattack.

Ethan couldn't find a single weakness. But Esdeath?

She knew exactly where his weakness was.

As they fought at close range, she leaned in and whispered in a chilling voice,

"Ethan, do you know where Violet is right now?"

Thump… Thump…

Ethan's eyes widened. His heart pounded like a drum.

His gaze darted toward the audience, looking for Violet.

She was gone.

His heartbeat quickened.

BAM!

Esdeath took her chance. Her wicked grin widened as she delivered a devastating punch straight to his face.

She didn't stop there.

Jab! Uppercut! Hook! Straight punch!

She landed hit after hit, her fists moving like a storm.

Then, without hesitation—

She kicked between Ethan's legs.

The crowd groaned in disgust.

"Eww… That's cheating! You can't hit there!" people shouted, but Esdeath didn't care.

With one final kick, Ethan was sent flying.

Even as he soared through the air, his mind raced.

"How…? How could she get kidnapped right in the middle of the arena?"

Then, something even more shocking hit him.

"Wait a minute… How does Esdeath know that Violet was going to get kidnapped?"

He gritted his teeth, flipping in midair. Instead of crashing to the ground, he landed safely on his feet.

His aura, which had been weakening, suddenly grew even stronger—twice as powerful as before.

He pointed his sword at Esdeath, his eyes burning with determination.

"You… I have a lot of questions for you," he said firmly. "I hope you'll answer them after I defeat you!"

He glanced toward Violet's seat.

She was back.

Maruti stood beside her, smirking.

The truth was, Violet had never been kidnapped.

Maruti had simply taken her away on purpose—to distract Ethan. This gave Esdeath the perfect opportunity to use that information against him.

But instead of weakening Ethan, it made him even stronger.

Lilith sighed from her seat.

"This is one of the advantages of those who possess a Righteous Aura," she muttered. "The more their fighting spirit rises, the stronger they become… Though he's definitely going to feel all that pain once the fight ends."

Her gaze shifted to Esdeath.

"Even with your strength and techniques, there's no chance for you to win."

Ethan roared and charged forward with blinding speed. His movements were so fast that he seemed to disappear and reappear instantly.

"I just need one cut," he thought. "With my skill, her bleeding won't stop unless she uses proper healing!"

His speed kept increasing. One moment he was in front of Esdeath, the next he was behind her, then to her left—moving so fast it almost looked like teleportation.

Slash!

A deep cut appeared on Esdeath's shoulder, blood dripping down her arm.

Slash!

Another wound opened on her thigh, even slicing through the fabric of her skirt.

Ethan's eyes burned with determination.

"This is it!" he thought, preparing for one final, decisive slash.

But just as he appeared in front of Esdeath for the last strike—

She was already ready for him.

She didn't dodge.

She didn't block.

Instead, she raised her hand and pointed her fingers at him, forming the shape of a gun.

The tip of her finger was aimed directly at Ethan's forehead.

BANG!

Ethan's breath hitched.

His body tensed.

His balance wavered—and he stumbled, crashing onto the ground.

"Pfffff... You got fooled for the second time!"

Esdeath's laughter rang through the arena as she pounced on him.

Her hand transformed—her skin turning to solid stone.

BAM!

She rained down brutal punches on Ethan's face.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Violet, watching from the audience, shut her eyes tightly. She couldn't bear to see it.

Ethan groaned in pain, but then—

BAM!

With a powerful kick, he threw Esdeath off him and quickly got back on his feet, retreating several steps.

His transformation faded.

His white hair slowly returned to its original dark blue color.

Even though he had used three of the Azurelion Sword Style techniques, they were only weaker versions—far from their full power.

On top of that, he had to use several essence stones just to keep them active.

His mental exhaustion was catching up to him.

But despite everything, a small smile appeared on his face.

"I got her to bleed in three different places," he thought. "She won't last long now!"

However—

His smile vanished instantly.

Before his eyes, the wounds on Esdeath's body slowly began to heal.

The cuts disappeared, her skin returning to its unblemished state.

"Hmph... You're not the only one with healing abilities!" she snorted.

Ethan clenched his teeth.

"Let's end this battle!" he roared, his aura surging like a blazing sun.

The entire arena was bathed in his golden glow.

For most of the spectators, it felt warm, like a comforting light washing over them.

But for Esdeath—

It felt like she was being burned alive.

Her skin tingled as if flames were licking at her body.

Yet instead of screaming in pain—

She laughed.

Like a maniac.

Ethan's grip on his sword tightened.

A golden-orange aura covered his blade, flickering like flames.

Everyone watching held their breath.

"It's finally over," they thought. "Esdeath is going to lose!"

But then—

BOOM!

A shockwave exploded from Esdeath's body.

Her aura burst open, dark and ominous.

A reddish-black energy spread like a deadly fog, bringing an overwhelming sense of despair and fear.

Her power clashed directly against Ethan's righteous aura, the two forces pushing against each other.

It was like light and darkness colliding, neither side backing down.

Even Lilith and Lortell, who had been calmly watching the battle, were left stunned.

"Esdeath... has this?" Lortell whispered, her eyes widening.

Lilith, nearly jumping from her seat, could only mutter two words.

"D–Death Aura!"