Chapter 120: The Distant Ideal Land, Unleashed!
"Let me unleash this holy sword? C-Can I really do it?"
Hearing Shirou's command, Lefiya's face was instantly filled with disbelief.
Although she had recently begun to master abilities she couldn't control before, thanks to Shirou's training—gaining a certain degree of self-confidence and shedding some of her old timidness—she never imagined that Shirou would entrust her with such a monumental task.
Lefiya didn't know the full nature of the "Golden Sword of the Victorious," but she knew that most magic swords in this world could only be wielded by those with immense power.
The stronger the weapon, the more impossible it was for a weak person to use it. That was the law of the world.
As a Level 3 adventurer, Lefiya didn't even have the flexibility to fully utilize standard second-tier equipment—much less this pseudo-divine weapon, which clearly surpassed second-tier and bordered on first-tier.
She simply didn't have the confidence to wield something of this level freely.
"Don't worry," Shirou said, seeing the confusion in her eyes. "I believe you have the power to control that holy sword."
"I... I'll do my best!"
Shirou's words took root in Lefiya's heart, and her expression slowly shifted from uncertainty to determination.
However, Thanatos wasn't going to just sit by and let Lefiya unleash the holy sword. He immediately ordered his entire faction—including the Loki Familia members under his soul control—to launch an all-out assault on her.
In an instant, the battlefield turned dire for the Loki side.
Ten of Thanatos's people versus four from the Loki Familia. A completely one-sided situation.
"Lefiya, we'll buy you time!"
Gareth raised his massive axe and used all his might to hold the enemy at bay.
Alongside him, Tiona and Anakitty also threw themselves into the fray, pouring all their strength into buying Lefiya time.
Witnessing this, Lefiya took a deep breath, overcoming all her fear and doubt. She would not squander the chance her comrades were buying with their blood. Immediately, she gripped the Golden Sword of the Victorious.
BOOM!!!
Just by holding the sword's hilt, Lefiya felt a terrifying pressure surge through her. The sword seemed to have a will of its own, assessing its would-be wielder.
As a "Sword of Kings," it naturally required a wielder with true kingly qualifications to accept them.
This condition was incredibly strict. Even Shirou and Ais were not qualified.
Shirou used the sword more like a mana cannon. Ais used it as a power amplifier. Neither could unleash its true form because they weren't recognized by the sword.
They lacked the dignity of a king.
In truth, Lefiya lacked it even more—timid and soft, neither courageous nor resolute. She was just an ordinary girl without any air of royalty.
However, personality alone does not determine one's worthiness to be king.
Being a king doesn't require a specific temperament, strength, or vague virtues.
There is only one true requirement: capacity.
"One who saves a single person is good; one who saves thousands is king. One who kills a single person is evil; one who kills thousands is also king."
Good and evil have never been the standards of a king.
Only capacity—the ability to achieve what others cannot, to take something ordinary to the height of greatness—defines the potential to be a true ruler.
Shirou and Ais both lacked this. Their spirit wasn't broad enough.
But Lefiya was different.
She seemed weak, seemed timid, but in truth, she possessed a capacity far greater than Shirou or Ais.
This was evident in her unique skill: Elf Ring.
Through a summoning ritual, this ability let her access all magic ever known by the elf race. She alone bore the accumulated legacy of an entire race.
This ability was as broken as Shirou's projection magic, or even the "Gate of Babylon" of Gilgamesh.
A technique that defied logic and approached the realm of the divine.
And that skill stemmed from Lefiya's immense, untapped capacity.
She was simply still in the form of a weakling—not yet thinking like a strong person.
But once she realized the true nature of her power, understood her extraordinary potential, Lefiya would become someone capable of shaking the entire world.
That's why Shirou trusted her more than anyone. He believed that Lefiya could surpass even him and Ais and gain full recognition from the holy sword.
BANG!
As Lefiya gripped the holy sword and poured all her focus into communicating with it, Thanatos's army broke through to their position.
BOOM!
The masked man surged forth with overwhelming momentum, aiming straight at Lefiya—the one girl with the power to overturn the game. His mission: to eliminate her.
Gareth, Tiona, and Anakitty tried to intercept him—but were instantly swatted away.
"Damn it...!" Gareth raised his axe and shouted with all his might, "Let the earth... collapse!"
As a Level 6 warrior, Gareth's only magic was the power to shake the earth—to the extent of causing massive earthquakes.
In this moment, to protect Lefiya, he pushed his magic to the extreme and created a giant slope and ravine that cut across the battlefield, halting Thanatos's army in its tracks—even the masked man couldn't cross immediately.
Just as the last three members of Loki Familia were about to sigh in relief, something unexpected happened.
Ais, controlled by Thanatos, suddenly unleashed the power of the wind and floated into the air. With a single leap, she soared over the terrain Gareth had created—flying straight toward Lefiya!
"No!"
Gareth and the others panicked and tried to intercept her, but they couldn't match her speed in flight—a bug-like ability for adventurers without flight.
Ultimately, Ais reached Lefiya, sword raised, and without hesitation, slashed toward the girl holding the holy sword!
As Ais's blade came within centimeters of Lefiya's body, everyone closed their eyes. They knew this battle was about to end.
Even Shirou clenched his fists for the first time. Outwardly calm, but inwardly anxious.
Because Lefiya was his final card. If she fell, not even Shirou had a plan to turn the tides.
So, in that moment, Shirou had only one choice: faith.
Faith that this elf girl—his disciple—would not let him down.
CRACK!
Ais's sword stabbed straight into Lefiya's body.
In front of everyone, the blade pierced her fully, ready to tear her apart.
But to everyone's shock, Lefiya's body didn't disintegrate into soul fragments like Bert had.
Instead, her sword erupted with blinding light!
"Haaah!!!"
Though she had never trained in swordsmanship and wasn't a swordswoman, Lefiya, in this moment, used a perfect sword technique to repel Ais.
As Ais retreated, Lefiya's wounds healed rapidly—thanks to Avalon.
Sword and sheath—Lefiya had both equipped. And now that she had been fully acknowledged by the holy sword, she had also unlocked the sheath's full power: the skill known as "Avalon – The Distant Utopia."
Avalon provided an invincible defense—no attack could harm her; all would be nullified.
"But even so," Thanatos said, still composed, "a mere [Mouse] can't overturn the board."
Despite his surprise at Lefiya's state, he kept calm.
But Shirou had already relaxed, his gaze steady as he turned to the god of death.
"You're right," he said. "Lefiya's piece is the weakest on the board—a [Mouse]. But in the rules of this game you created, the weakest doesn't mean powerless. On the contrary, because she's the weakest, she holds the greatest potential to become the strongest."
"The potential to become strongest...?"
Thanatos didn't understand.
Shirou didn't hesitate and gave the final order:
"Lefiya, fully unleash the holy sword!"
"Yes!"
Lefiya was no longer confused. Hearing Shirou's words, she raised the golden sword high above her head and poured all her mana into it.
Thanatos immediately gave orders: "Everyone, scatter! Don't let that sword hit you!"
"!!!"
The command was passed instantly.
But Thanatos quickly realized—it wasn't necessary.
Because Shirou hadn't ordered Lefiya to attack his forces.
Instead, the sword was aimed behind them.
"Lefiya, swing the sword! Kill the Heavenly Bull!"
"Yes!"
At Shirou's command, Lefiya turned and, with all her magic channeled into the blade, slashed toward the massive beast in the distance.
BOOOOM!!!
A radiant torrent of light erupted, tearing through the air and ripping apart space itself.
At last, the blinding flood of light surged directly toward the Heavenly Bull—still bound by the Chains of Heaven—and swallowed it completely.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee / VarieTL