Chapter Sixty-Three: The Supreme Judgment, Duke of the Sword

Looking at me sheltered behind Xuelan, the Sword Duke spoke with disdain, “I have no interest in the weak.” Then he turned his serious gaze to Xuelan. “My aim is only you. Come, fight me, let me see how much stronger you’ve become after all these years.” Excitement flickered in the Sword Duke’s eyes. “Let the snake-charmer join as well. Just you alone would be far too dull.” He spoke with equal contempt to the Wind Duke, who lingered on the side in silence.

Hearing the Sword Duke’s words, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. It was the first time my strength had been so thoroughly disregarded. Despite the confidence I held in myself, I was repeatedly struck down, relegated to the role of someone needing protection.

The Wind Duke responded coldly, “Tch, I’ve no interest in fighting you. My only objective is to take Princess Liliana away—I haven’t the time to waste on you.”

“Is that so? You should know, if I don’t enjoy the fight, I’ll get angry, and what happens then—I won’t be responsible.” The Sword Duke threatened him.

“Damn sword maniac,” the Wind Duke grumbled, but unwillingly prepared for battle. The massive body of the Wind Snake coiled around him, shielding him.

Xuelan mounted her Nightmare, gripping her knight’s lance tightly, watching the Sword Duke warily.

“Listen, you two—should you lose, I’ll kill the princess you’re so intent on protecting. I care nothing for the Prince’s wrath, so you’d better win. Don’t disappoint me.” The Sword Duke spoke with wild arrogance.

“If you dare harm Liliana, I’ll pursue you to the ends of the earth,” Xuelan replied, furious. She urged her Nightmare forward like the wind, her lance glowing blood-red.

“Wind Snake!” Seeing Xuelan charge, the Wind Duke had no choice but to command his Wind Snake to attack the Sword Duke as well. He knew the Sword Duke was lawless and unpredictable; he couldn’t risk that madman truly disregarding the Prince and killing Princess Liliana. So, though reluctant, he joined Xuelan in assaulting the Sword Duke. As much as he hated to admit it, the Blood Knight Xuelan Meryl Bruch was indeed stronger than himself.

“Haha! Come on! It’s been so long since I’ve felt this alive—show me your best moves!” The Sword Duke tore the air asunder, drawing two heavy swords, striking at Xuelan and the Wind Duke as they came.

Xuelan’s blood-red lance collided with the Sword Duke’s right-hand sword. He remained unshaken, while Xuelan and her Nightmare were forced back seven or eight steps before halting. Meanwhile, the Sword Duke’s left-hand sword met the roaring Wind Snake, the blunt blade cleaving at its savage maw, nearly splitting its head in two. The Wind Snake recoiled, howling in pain.

“Hey, you two! Enough with the probing attacks. If you don’t go all out now, you’ll lose your chance,” the Sword Duke said, annoyed at his foes’ retreat.

“Damn it.” Xuelan steadied her Nightmare, biting her silver teeth in frustration as she gazed at the Sword Duke. She had to admit, he was stronger than her; if she faced him alone, victory would be impossible. He truly was the strongest arbiter.

“Blood Knight, show your full strength. One move to decide victory—our opportunity comes but once. Let’s not waste time,” the Wind Duke urged.

“I understand.” Xuelan replied softly, then leapt from her Nightmare, the bloody glow on her lance intensifying, exuding a metallic scent. “Domain—Song of the Blood Knight.” With a quiet chant, Xuelan unleashed her domain. Unlike those I’d seen before, hers didn’t envelop the surrounding space, but instead wrapped tightly around her lance. From this domain, countless sounds emanated: the mournful call of horns, the relentless clash of battle, the clang of weapons, the thunder of hooves—all the tumult of a killing field. These sounds converged into a stirring battle anthem, filling every listener with a burning urge to fight.

“Wind Snake—Prison of Heaven and Earth!” The Wind Duke commanded his Wind Snake, now fully healed and glaring in fury at the Sword Duke. The Wind Snake let out a thunderous roar, coiling ever tighter around the Sword Duke, as if sealing off every inch of space.

The Sword Duke watched their preparations calmly, showing no intent to interfere. His eyes shone with anticipation, as if he faced not two deadly attacks, but a long-awaited feast. “Come! Show me—can you make me feel the presence of death?” he shouted, exhilarated.

“Hmph! Take this—your arrogance has earned its price!” Xuelan glared at him, unleashing her long-prepared killing blow. “Song of the Blood Knight—Song of Death, Dance of Blood!” She spun her lance, weaving the cacophony of battle into an ancient, sorrowful dirge. As she moved with graceful, dance-like steps, countless spectral knights appeared at her side, lances raised, charging the Sword Duke.

“Wind Snake—Shattered Wind!” The Wind Duke joined her, using his strongest technique, a force that could shatter even intangible winds. As he spoke, the Wind Snake encircling the Sword Duke released a last, earth-shaking roar, then its body shattered, transforming into a raging hurricane that tore at the Sword Duke from all directions.

“Come! Come!” The Sword Duke shouted, ablaze with excitement. “Sword Dance of Heaven and Earth!” He whirled his heavy swords faster and faster, until the blades vanished, leaving only an endless maelstrom of sword shadows. These collided fiercely with the roaring winds and the charging knights.

The winds were annihilated, the spectral knights torn apart. Everything in heaven and earth faded, leaving only a storm of sword shadows piercing the world.

The Wind Duke knelt, trembling, while Xuelan gasped for breath, gripping her lance tightly.

The storm of sword shadows slowly subsided, revealing the Sword Duke’s unscathed figure. “Is that all? How disappointing. Is there truly no one who can stand against me? Loneliness—such loneliness,” he murmured, gazing at the two who could no longer resist.

After a long silence, the Sword Duke raised his head and spoke to them, “As I said, if you lost, I will kill the princess you tried to protect. I always keep my word.” With that, he left them behind and strode toward me.

“Stop!” Xuelan rushed forward to block his path, only to be struck aside by a heavy sweep of his sword, sent flying dozens of meters away. The Wind Duke struggled to stand, but lacked the courage to step forward and stop him.

“Miss!” Ang, seeing that the five Arbiters who had held him back were still stunned, broke free and charged at the Sword Duke, only to be pinned to the ground by a thrown sword, his eyes filled with despair as he looked in my direction.

“Lovely princess, are you ready for death?” The Sword Duke looked down at me and asked calmly. The pressure he exuded was overwhelming; he must have reached the level of a Prince. No wonder he feared not my father.

“Ready or not, it makes no difference. I won’t simply wait for death. Even if I have no power to resist, I’ll struggle with all I have.” I gripped my black scythe tightly, searching for the courage to fight back.

“Then die.” The Sword Duke raised his remaining sword and brought it down on me. I lifted my scythe to block the heavy blow. Though I managed to stop it, I was sent flying.

Lying on the ground, blood trickled from my lips. My companion of over two hundred years had broken in two, its blade shattered, fragments scattered across the earth. Already wounded from battling the Wind Duke, it had reached its limit. Now, under the Sword Duke’s casual strike, it could endure no more, shattering to protect me once more.

As the Sword Duke approached again, a wave of fear surged in my heart. So, even I, who thought myself emotionless, could feel something. Was it fear of death? No, I didn’t think so. Death held little terror for me; compared to eternal solitude, I had already accepted it. This fear was likely the pain of never seeing him again. So, he had never truly faded from my heart, only been buried deep, where I refused to look.

“Lilith!” As despair engulfed me, his voice reached my ears. Impossible—I actually heard him call me. Was this heaven’s last mercy? I looked toward the voice and saw his figure, breathless and anxious, rushing toward me as death drew near. To see you at the end—how wonderful.