[92] The strongest

As Kaoru stepped further into the heart of the Nomad base, his mind swirled with thoughts of painful ways to punish the criminals behind this atrocity. Each of his footsteps echoed, radiating an aura of impending destruction. Kaoru wanted to savor every moment of their torment, but for now, he had to restrain himself—he found himself surrounded by dozens of Nomad soldiers.

These weren't just ordinary fighters—they were medium-ranked mercenaries contracted to Nomad, battle-hardened veterans skilled in both weapons and supernatural abilities. Armed with cutting-edge military tech developed by Nomad to serve Western nations in conflicts, they were a force to be reckoned with.

"You won't take another step," one soldier, a massive man clad in thick black armor with steel-plated fists, declared, raising his sword made from a rare metal.

Kaoru glanced at him briefly, narrowing his eyes before drawing Clarent—the cursed sword now glowing ominously red, radiating a terrifying energy. The aura from the blade created a heavy tension in the air, as if the atmosphere itself was suffocating under its weight.

"How dare you stand in my way," Kaoru muttered softly, though his voice carried with deadly clarity. Each word dripped with controlled fury. "Nothing can stop me."

Without further warning, one of the Nomad soldiers fired the first shot, releasing a wave of energy from his weapon. "Attack!" he yelled, triggering the entire battalion to surge forward in unison.

But Kaoru remained still, not moving an inch, until the energy blast neared. Then, in a swift, blinding motion, he swung Clarent forward, slicing through the wave of energy as if it were nothing. The attack was meaningless.

"Your turn." Kaoru dashed forward at lightning speed toward the Nomad forces. In a blink, he was amidst them. Clarent swung swiftly, cutting down and annihilating anything in its path. Every soldier that tried to approach with physical or energy attacks was instantly destroyed by Kaoru's lethal strikes.

One soldier with gravity manipulation abilities tried to trap Kaoru in a heavy gravitational field, hoping to slow his movements. But Kaoru only smirked coldly. "Not strong enough." He stomped the ground with tremendous force, shattering the gravitational effect as if it were nothing, before leaping into the air and slashing the soldier from above. In one strike, the soldier was flung several meters back, blood pouring from his nearly cleaved body.

Attack after attack came from all directions—energy arrows, magical spells, high-tech firearms—but Kaoru remained unstoppable. He danced through the battlefield, dodging the incoming assaults with supernatural agility while retaliating with brutal force from Clarent.

Another soldier, known for his regeneration ability, tried to strike from behind with a sharp weapon. "I can't die," he boasted, attacking Kaoru with blinding speed.

But Kaoru quickly turned, responding with a slash from Clarent, which released a blood-red aura. The blade struck the soldier, and in an instant, his regenerative powers ceased. "This curse feeds on your life… there is no escape." The soldier collapsed to the ground, lifeless and defeated.

The remaining Nomad soldiers began to tremble, realizing they were facing an opponent far beyond their capabilities. Kaoru walked slowly through the scattered bodies, blood dripping from Clarent, which still glowed with its sinister red hue.

"Who else?" he asked in a low, calm voice, though the threat was unmistakable. "Who else dares to stand in my way?"

In the distance, inside the command tent, the Nomad executives and Fürst watched through the monitor, realizing that one man alone had already decimated much of their force. Kaoru was not just a formidable warrior—he was an unstoppable force.

Maisei stood inside the command tent with a cold gaze, her eyes flashing with no trace of fear. She knew the situation was growing more critical, and time was running out. "Valentia and I will buy us more time," Maisei said, breaking the tense silence among the executives with a calm yet firm voice.

Beside her, Valentia, the sadistic dark elf, grinned in eager anticipation. "Finally, some entertainment," she said as she flexed her fingers, dark magical energy swirling around her hands. "I've been waiting for the chance to play."

Fürst eyed the two women, his face still tense. While he knew they were powerful executives, he also understood the lethal threat they were about to face. Kaoru was no ordinary enemy. "Be careful," he warned, his voice barely steady, "that man is no one to underestimate."

In the corner of the room, Edwin Black, still in his child form, squirmed uneasily on Maisei's lap. His face was pale, and fear lingered in his expression. "D-don't go..." he whispered weakly, pointing at the screen displaying Kaoru's approach toward the main base. "He's too strong…"

Maisei gently stroked the boy's head, though her expression remained hard. "Master will be fine," she said softly yet firmly. "We won't let anyone harm him."

With that, she turned toward the exit, followed closely by Valentia. Maisei walked out with elegance, though the tension in the air was palpable. Behind her, Valentia followed with graceful yet menacing steps, a thin smile playing on her lips. Her sadistic aura and bloodlust grew more intense as they neared the battlefield.

"Do you think we can stop him?" Valentia asked, her voice hoarse but filled with excitement for the dangerous situation.

"It's not about whether we can," Maisei replied, her tone calm despite the sharp gleam in her eyes. "We have to. No matter what happens, Edwin must have enough time."

From afar, the sounds of clashing metal, explosions, and the cries of the Nomad forces battling Kaoru grew louder. They could see from the surveillance monitors that Kaoru was easily dismantling dozens of Nomad soldiers and senior officers. His cursed sword, Clarent, radiating a red aura, was cutting through his enemies mercilessly.

"He's toying with them," Valentia remarked with a soft laugh, watching as Kaoru seemed in no rush to kill his foes. "How interesting. I wonder if he'll still have fun when he faces us."

Maisei twirled her whip slowly, the weapon's sharp hiss filling the air. Her eyes remained fixed on Kaoru, who stood undeterred in the distance. The rapier in her left hand gleamed with a subtle magical light, ready to strike at any moment. "Normally, I enjoy underestimating my opponents," Maisei said with a cruel smile, "but for this one… I feel I need to be careful." Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Beside her, Valentia chuckled, but there was tension in her voice. "You're right. This isn't going to be an ordinary fight." She gripped her sword tightly, dark energy swirling around her as she exuded a terrifying power. "I heard he took down Ingrid." Her eyes narrowed as she recalled Black Dragon's captain, a warrior she had even respected. Ingrid's defeat at Kaoru's hands was not something to be taken lightly.