Published: January 24, 2026
(Just made it in time...!)
As I caught the sword with which Belia was about to kill Shion, a sigh of relief slipped out in my heart.
“Ugh! Orun!? You’re supposed to be at the Second Farm, so why are you here...? There’s a teleportation inhibition barrier around the Royal Capital, you know.”
Belia was surprised by my intervention.
So she did know that I had defeated Stig.
In that case, it’s no wonder she was shocked.
Until just two hours ago, I had been facing Stig on an uninhabited island far from the Nohitant Kingdom.
Besides, Belia had deployed a teleportation inhibition barrier—not the one I had set up on the uninhabited island to block teleportation outward, but the opposite, blocking teleportation into the Royal Capital.
However, right now, I possess a technique to travel ultra-long distances at high speed without using teleportation.
…Well, it’s a method that puts considerable strain on my body, so my entire body is screaming in pain as we speak.
“Just relying on a teleportation inhibition barrier to feel safe? Looks like I’ve been underestimated!”
I pushed back with force against Belia’s sword, which I was holding.
“Tch!”
Belia grimaced and jumped back to put some distance between us.
She immediately followed up with magic.
“—[Shooting + Penetrate]”
A mana projectile with enhanced piercing power hit Belia.
“Ugh!?”
Normally, this attack would easily pierce through a human body, but it couldn’t penetrate Belia, who possesses the supernatural ability of [Eternal and Unchanging].
But I expected that.
Belia, along with the mana projectile, was pushed further away from the royal palace until she collided with the outer wall surrounding the Royal Capital.
More precisely, she crashed into the ice mass covering the outer wall.
“Sorry for being late.”
Using the time I had bought by pushing Belia away, I apologized to Shion and neutralized Belia’s supernatural ability field.
Shion, freed from paralysis, staggered slightly but quickly regained her balance.
“No, I’m fine. I always believed you’d come, Orun.”
Shion smiled at me with an innocent expression.
“I should be the one apologizing. I really wanted to manage this on my own, but all I could do was create an environment where you could fight freely.”
If Belia and I had clashed at full strength, the aftermath would have caused massive damage to the Royal Capital.
However, thanks to Shion sealing the entire capital with ice, we no longer needed to worry about collateral damage.
“No, this is enough. I want to respect Shion’s feelings, but I still want to settle things with Belia with my own hands.”
“I see. It’s revenge for your parents and your village comrades, huh. I’m a bit tired, so I’ll leave Belia to you, Orun. If I stay now, I’ll just be a hindrance, so I’m going to withdraw first.”
“Understood. Thanks, Shion.”
After finishing my conversation with Shion, I confirmed that the damage to my body from the ultra-long distance high-speed movement had been fully healed by [Self-Healing], then headed toward the outer wall where I had sent Belia flying.
Belia seemed to be heading toward me as well, and we engaged a short distance from the royal palace.
Before long, the distance between us closed rapidly.
“—[Demonic Sword Unification (Alteration)]”
I swung Schwarzhase, now transformed into a demonic sword, at Belia.
The sound of clashing blades thundered.
The impact shattered and cracked the surrounding ice masses, but because [Time Reversal] was applied to the ice, it instantly restored itself.
“How generous of you to come out to be killed by me. I’ll kill you here, along with the White Demon!”
As we locked swords, Belia’s eyes gleamed fiercely as she spoke.
“...Have you forgotten? I’m the one who cut off your left arm ten years ago. I’m far stronger now than I was then. There’s no way you can stand against me anymore! —[Third Form (Mont Drei)]”
From the locked position, her demonic sword shifted from a long sword to a greatsword.