Chapter 232 - Roy, did he win?
The Device in Kuraudo Kurashiki's hands had changed. It no longer maintained the simple shape of a greatsword.
Not only could it twist, but the blade could extend freely.
This was Kuraudo's true Device, Orochimaru.
Moreover, Kuraudo could pair this with his Blazer ability, making the power and trajectory of Orochimaru impossible to track. He could launch attacks and defend from unpredictable angles.
Today, this was no longer a competition of swordsmanship, but a contest of true strength.
Knowing he had no chance of winning against Roy with his previous tactics, Kuraudo no longer held back. He activated his unique move.
Currently, relying on his Noble Art was the only way he stood a chance. As Kuraudo had said, he hated losing.
So, he unleashed everything.
By activating Marginal counter to its absolute limit, Kuraudo's speed increased even further. His reaction time surpassed the 0.05-second barrier, reaching the realm of 0.03 or even 0.02 seconds!
Kuraudo didn't know if Roy could keep up with this speed, but he couldn't afford to hesitate.
"Orochi!!"
This was Kuraudo's ultimate move, born from the perfect synergy of his Device and Marginal.
In this world, only the Sword Eater, Kuraudo Kurashiki, could execute such a technique.
Within a single instant, he swung eight consecutive slashes simultaneously.
From Kuraudo's hands, eight massive bone serpent heads shot out, baring their ferocious fangs as they flew toward Roy from multiple angles.
This was the qualification of the so-called Sword Eater. Against such overwhelming speed and unpredictability, most swordsmen would be helpless. It was a technique specifically designed to crus traditional blade users.
However, Roy was not on that list.
Seeing the flexible blades flying toward him like eight giant serpents, Roy raised Ascalon.
He didn't bother trying to decipher the attack or counter every head individually. He simply chose one of the serpents at random and swung his sword.
CRACK!
A crisp sound echoed through the quiet room, sending chills down the spines of the onlookers.
In an instant, the ferocious Orochi vanished.
It was the most violent, direct blow possible. Roy had shattered Orochimaru with a single heavy strike.
Without the Device, Kuraudo's ultimate move naturally failed. With Roy's skill, he could have easily dismantled the technique with finesse, parrying each of the eight heads.
But after realizing Kuraudo lacked true swordsmanship, Roy saw no point in wasting effort. No matter how much skill he displayed, he wouldn't learn anything useful from a brawler.
So, he chose the simplest method: destroy the Device.
"You... won!"
Seeing his Orochi shattered so easily, Kuraudo gritted his teeth and forced the words out. His body swayed, crumbling as if he might collapse at any moment.
A Device is a manifestation of the soul. Once it is destroyed, the user suffers immense backlash. The consequences range from extreme physical exhaustion to immediate coma.
Kuraudo was only standing due to his immense physical resilience and sheer willpower. Saying those two words exhausted his remaining strength.
"The dojo is returned to you. I'll take my people and leave. There's no need for us to stay here any longer."
Kuraudo's face was pale, but he let out a satisfied sigh as the remaining fragments of his Device dissipated.
"However, I won't admit total defeat. Next time... I will definitely win."
Leaving those words behind, Kuraudo walked toward the exit, ignoring his stunned lackeys.
As he passed Roy, Roy reached out and patted Kuraudo on the shoulder.
[Obtained 60,000 Dimensional Points.]
After collecting the points, Roy smiled lightly. "If you want to defeat me, you can't rely on brute force alone."
"Hmph!"
Kuraudo snorted coldly and continued walking without looking back.
"Hey, Kuraudo! Why did you suddenly collapse?!"
"Wait, did he faint? He was just trying to act tough!"
"Call an ambulance!"
"There's no time to wait for an ambulance! Hurry up, use my car to take him to the hospital!"
The moment Kuraudo stepped out of the training hall gate, he collapsed straight to the ground, sending his lackeys into a panic. More than a dozen of them hurriedly picked up their unconscious leader and ran toward the exit.
"Wait!"
Roy's voice rang out suddenly. To the thugs from Donrou Academy, it felt like a blast of arctic wind, freezing them in their tracks.
"Umm... excuse me, is there something else?" The thugs turned around, wearing smiles uglier than crying faces. They were terrified that Roy might decide to beat them up too. Even their leader had been crushed; they had no power to resist.
"Leave a few people behind to clean up the mess around the dojo," Roy ordered. He casually pointed at a few of the thugs. "You, you, and you. Stay and clean."
The thugs Roy didn't point at breathed sighs of relief. They immediately lifted Kuraudo and bolted for the gate, adopting the attitude of better you than me.
Sons of bitches!
The thugs left behind cursed their fleeing comrades internally for their lack of loyalty. However, under Roy's gaze, they could only timidly pick up the old brooms from the corner and start sweeping the dojo.
"Well, the dojo has been returned to its original owner," Roy said with a gentle smile, looking at the excited Ayase.
"Thank you... thank you, Roy! I really don't know how to repay you!"
Ayase couldn't hold it back anymore. She hugged Roy, her face full of emotion, unable to stop her tears.
For two years, she had suffered every day and night after losing the dojo. Now, it was finally back in her family's hands.
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