Clang—
On the deserted street, the clash of metal rang out.
"Surrender," Liliana said, gritting her teeth, her hands tightly gripping her beloved sword, her gaze resolute.
Though her palms were numb, her fighting spirit burned brighter.
"But it looks like you're the one at a disadvantage," Lucius said, his hand loosely grasping the air as power coalesced, forming a pure white sword of light.
"This is Italy. This is Rome," Liliana said, subtly flexing her hands, her words forced through clenched teeth. "I won't let you run rampant here!"
"This is our domain—my teacher, the Copper-Black Cross, and even other magical associations."
"Even if we clash among ourselves, we won't ignore someone like you!"
"So, you're stalling for time?" Lucius said, casually flicking his white light sword.
"And if I am?" Liliana didn't shy away. "You can't shake me off. Once reinforcements arrive, you're done."
"That's almost touching, like a hero facing a Devil King," Lucius said, his sword descending without hesitation toward the delicate maiden.
As expected, the technically crude strike was parried by the silver-haired knight, who held her sword with both hands.
But her trembling arms and clenched jaw betrayed the effort it took.
Forcing Liliana, famed as the "Sword Fairy," into such a state showed that, as the loli demon had said, Lucius indeed possessed the strength of a Great Knight in this world.
Yet he wasn't satisfied.
His physical prowess and magical energy far surpassed the girl's.
But in combat, he couldn't secure a quick victory.
The root issue was his lack of combat experience.
Truthfully, he didn't even know how to properly hold a sword.
Relying on brute force and a willingness to trade blows, he forced her into direct clashes.
But the gap in their combat experience was too vast.
Lucius's mind stirred, and—
The light sword in his hand flickered, turning ethereal, passing through Liliana's Il Maestro before solidifying again.
Without a hint of mercy, he thrust toward her face!
Yet, as if anticipating the risky move, Liliana dodged with precision, the sinister strike leaving only a shallow cut on her refined cheek.
It all came down to the gap in experience.
Perhaps she'd been ready for such a trick.
Lucius pondered inwardly.
If not for the vast difference in raw power, the outcome would've flipped long ago.
"With such strength at your age, you shouldn't be unknown," Liliana said, wiping her face with her sleeve, staring at Lucius with confusion. "Your potential is boundless. Why aid those cultists?"
"If I said I'm not with them, would you believe me?" Lucius replied, expressionless.
"Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't," Liliana said, frowning and wiping the blood again. "But it doesn't matter. I can't let a stranger with an unsealed divine artifact roam the place I'm sworn to protect."
"If you hand over that artifact, I'll let you leave."
Lucius's brow furrowed slightly.
He didn't have the divine artifact Liliana spoke of.
The "artifact" Aura she sensed must be the power he'd absorbed from one.
The demon had mentioned before that, compared to this world's Campiones and gods, his power was closer to gods from other worlds.
He hadn't expected his aura to be mistaken for a divine artifact.
Coupled with the fact that Liliana had seen him with the demon's sealed bottle days ago, she likely thought he'd used some method to mask the artifact's aura.
"Such a hassle," Lucius sighed.
"I've already wasted so much time—can't afford to dawdle any longer."
Liliana's expression shifted, her body tensing instinctively, her eyes locked on his movements.
"Let's end this tedious game. I've got important business soon, and this fight is just an appetizer," Lucius said, a smug, self-assured smile spreading across his face under her wary gaze. "This might be the last battle of your short life."
Well…
The knight maiden might have a sense of honor, but he didn't.
He'd force her back with one strike, then bolt while she was on guard.
Winning or losing meant nothing to him—handling his business was what mattered.
Slipping away to snag the Sword of Mars? Perfect.
"Watch your feet."
As Lucius prepared to flee, the loli demon's voice echoed in his ear.
He froze, then stomped, channeling magical energy into the ground.
Only then did he notice the once-solid street had softened, turning to loose earth.
With his magic, the ground hardened again.
"Idiot," The demon scoffed. "Follow my lead."
"Shorten the sword by three millimeters."
"Slide your thumb back slightly."
"Reduce the angle between your upper and lower arm by about fifteen degrees."
"..."
To Liliana's shock, the amateurish technique of her opponent suddenly became noticeably sharper.
"Game over."
Though his victory relied on the demon's guidance, Lucius's expression remained composed, showing no shame.
Dispelling the light sword that had pierced Liliana's abdomen, he casually tossed her to the ground.
Picking up his book from nearby, he turned to leave.
For a major magical association like the Copper-Black Cross, such injuries were easily healed.
But making a mortal enemy would bring endless trouble unless he reached the level of a Campione.
And he wasn't yet strong enough to face a Heretic God.
"Wait, where are you going—"
Liliana struggled to rise.
But in the next moment, the glow of Spirit Vision flared in her eyes, draining the last of her strength, and she collapsed.
In the final moment before her consciousness faded, she saw which god of this world Lucius was tied to.
Wolf.
Herd.
"The Temple of Mars—you mustn't go—"
And—
The setting sun of a vast empire.
***
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